BRP Front end versus kit

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jcmg42
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BRP Front end versus kit

Post by jcmg42 »

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Nearly $500. The bushing is pressed into place. I can envision a machine to do this, but I'm not sure it could be done with a standard press. I have read of rewelds simply replacing the bushing and welding the new one into place, but I don't see how you would get it in there.

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They trim off the rear so it slides in?

The nose on my shroud was cut which I'd have to square off but I've plenty of material on the aft end (I'd have to trim down to mate the rear). The bushing is $75 and AA mount puts you within $50 of the front end kit so that seems like a no brainer. But to make the bushing work with the original shroud or how to press the busing into the welded stampings,... ?

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And I can see $500 for the completed part, but where's the fun in that?
anjongni
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Re: BRP Front end versus kit

Post by anjongni »

On most of the M53 kits, they leave enough front end to square it up. You saw open a "door" in the front, verticle slot from the front, intersecting cut from one side, drop in the bushing, clamp nice and tight, and weld up the door. Grind and polish, nobody will know it was ever cut. When you're done, you weld the bushing to the front, being sure it's correctly "timed". Phil
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Re: BRP Front end versus kit

Post by Bil »

Timing especially important!!!!! ---bil
"I dream of a world where I can buy alcohol,tobacco and firearms from the same drive-up window,and use them all on the way home from work!" Dogbert
42rocker
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Re: BRP Front end versus kit

Post by 42rocker »

I believe that Brian at brp welds the bushing in as he is welding the half's together, then in an English wheel does the pressing to form the channel around the bushing. The old wiselite did not have the rear enlarged area like the original that brp has copied. Some take and turn that area down so it can slide in then they weld. Also note that the new brp stamping do NOT look like the ones in your picture as they have found that they need to reduce the size of the holes so things work better during the weld, then the cnc plasma torch they use cuts everything to proper size.
Yes, get the angle/timing of the bushing correct.

Fun is getting it done and going for your test fire.... No matter how you do it buying or rebuilding (getting harder to find the parts) the trip and then the test fire feels so good.

Did the test fire on mine today by the way. I'll post info and pics later on it. Lets just say no OOB and it went bang several times when I asked it to.

Later 42rocker
jcmg42
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Re: BRP Front end versus kit

Post by jcmg42 »

42rocker wrote:I believe that Brian at brp welds the bushing in as he is welding the half's together, then in an English wheel does the pressing to form the channel around the bushing.
That would not be consistent with what I saw at the RTG booth. The bushing appeared to be crimped in and not pressed continuously around. (not to say he doesn't do it that way or now does it a different way)

Thank you for the feedback everyone. In looking at some mg42s and the $500 'complete' front end at the show (not to mention the comments about the stampings differing from the photos), I'm leaning back towards reuse. A bit cheaper (unless anyone thinks the stampings would be worth more than $50), and I forgot about other things needing to be riveted and the additional work getting the sheetmetal cutouts dimensioned correctly.

I'll have to look more into timing, anyone have any particularly helpful links? I've been rereading the build oakrodant posted (viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9153) which still has photos. But it starts with a brp receiver, not stampings or reweld. Sad that so may photos are missing from threads.
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Re: BRP Front end versus kit

Post by 42rocker »

Well I have not had the pleasure of having a completed front barrel shroud in my hands. Held several sets of brp front barrel shrouds in my hands. Looking at yugo front barrel shrouds they seem to have been done by a English wheel as the crimp is completely all the way a round.
I could also see someone using two "shaped blocks" in a large press to make the crimp so that it has breaks in it.

Bil and I are working to try to restore pics in the pirate build.

Good Luck I got my to work today, see the pic in a different link.

42rocker
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