MS LIBERTY a Wild Weasel's belly tank

[SPARKY]

Hopefully Frankie is going to be able to work today ---I am expecting him in a few minutes.  We are going to clean up the sh.op so that we can pull the eng. and start this last phase of this Journey that started what seems oh so long ago. Almost exactly 2.5 years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SPARKY]

Frankie came--- we were busy

[Frankie7799]

Yep, I made it afterall and as Sparky said, we were busy. The car looks nekkid with out the big rat and 'glide. Im planning on heading back over there early Saturday morning to put some time in wherever is needed on the car.

[SPARKY]

Frankie I sure hope you can make it---thanks again

After Frankie left  turned the eng through several times----cleaned up stuff and reinstalled the dist and rough  timed it.

Andy came over tonight for a hour and we went over the car an tagged any weld touch up areas for grinding or more welding---lifted the rear as high as the jack stands will go and got ready for tomorrows welding and grinding.

[SPARKY]

Well we are on to gooping the bulkhead with 3M fire caulk  :lol:

[SPARKY]

Foamed the front side tonight---will clean and trim --then caulk the eng side tomorrow!

[tauruck]

Go 3M. They produce the best products. They sponsor me  and I requested an Epoxy adhesive. They sent me "flooring adhesive".  I imagined vynil floor tiling. It's actually for aviation flooring and composite bulkheads. In 26 years of using the "best" this 3M stuff blew them away totally. I initially thought it was fairly average because it was still rubbery after 24 hours but by the next day.... unbelievable. If you ever need this type material I have the details. Good luck on the grinding, I also have to fix some welds. 8-)

[gkabbt]

Foamed the front side tonight---will clean and trim --then caulk the eng side tomorrow!

Sparky, help me out on this one.....don't understand what you are talking about!

Gregg

[Frankie7799]

Foamed the front side tonight---will clean and trim --then caulk the eng side tomorrow!

Sparky, help me out on this one.....don't understand what you are talking about!


Gregg, he is referring to the bulkhead/firewall between the drivers compartment and engine bay. He's putting a layer of insulation on the drivers side of the bh as an added layer of protection besides the bead of firestop on the engine side of the bh.

Gregg

[SPARKY]

They are both fire stops  one is foam from a can  the other is caulk from a tube. The caulk will for sure be used on the bottom.  The caulk shrinks some as it cures. Both products expand with fire heat but the caulk sometimes creates pin holes as it ages. The inspectors rightly take issue with these and we've had to put fresh caulk to get through inspection in the past.

We are doing both due to their different properties when cured.

I have been to the shop and tested one of my test gobs---it has not cured in its core so I will wait until tonight to test the other gob to see if it is dry in the center.  I do not want to "work it" until completely cured.---It is not like I don't have other things do do like drill drain holes in the bottom of the tank bay in case of fuel leaks or spills.

[SPARKY]

Gkabat--Hope this helps. This is what Andy and I now call Cheeto foam---when it first comes out and starts to grow---wallah looks just like Cheetos

1st picture shows one of the reason we need to use foam---we had to jam a pry bar in there to be able to get the foam tube in there

2nd show the second reason in some areas there was a huge gap

the first two are from the drivers side the

3rd is from the eng side of the bulkhead this side we will cut chip and grind so that we can get a good caulk seal on this side.

[Frankie7799]

That chit looks nasty LOL Ill see it in person this weekend 

[gkabbt]

Guys, thanks for the explanation. I am familiar with the caulk (have some for my Rampage) but not the foam.

Gregg

[SPARKY]

I liked what the foam looked like so much I foamed the back also tonight.    Pretty good day---started at the back installed the chutes.   Then started on locking down the water tank,  worked on the eng some then when Andy came over at 6:00  we started pulling wires we now have all the wires pulled that we will need for this configuration.. When we put the lump back in we will start we will start putting juice to these wires !!!!!!!

[SPARKY]

Well this day didn't exactly go as I had hoped-- but did get a lot of loose ends wrapped up!  should have a great day Sat!! Frankie Andy , maybe Francis and Marty can help out!!!!!!!!!!!!