CR3171 Finally going back together!

[Aussie Mike]

Another fun machining and fabricating job.

I made a bit of a stuff up when I set up my power steering reservoir. The top of it hit on the underside of the hood when I fitted it. The reservoir has been relocated to the end of the foot box but that left the bracket on the chassis. I didn't want to cut it off as the chassis has been powder coated so decided to find another use for it. OK I'll mount the coolant catch can there.

I looked at my original catch can. I was proud of it at the time I made it (you can see it in one of the pics above mounted of the front X member) but my skills have improved since then. I cut the top off the original and machined the the neck out so I could re-use it. I had some 100mm billet so I machined a new top and bottom out of it. This time the ends of the cap have a bit more shape and style than the flat discs originally used.

Here's a pic of the new end cap and neck welded in place on a section of 100mm tube.



Here's the bottom cap pressed in place ready to weld.



Machined up a mounting bracket that bolts to the old PS reservoir lug.



Here it is from the side. I can weld aluminium OK but I don't get those perfect stack of dimes results like the pros do. There's some wavering around where I re-position the part or myself. I've linished off the weld on the bottom end cap and I'll polish the whole thing. I'm thinking I'll linish off the top weld too but I'm in two minds. My thought is with both welds linished and the whole thing polished it'll look like it's hewn out of one solid piece. What do you reckon? Keep the weld or smooth it?



Cheers