looks good Rip, wait, I thought you just finished that car....LOL j/k
Vince
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looks good Rip, wait, I thought you just finished that car....LOL j/k
Vince
Wow, this car is amazing.
I see that you've got similar problems to me (I live in Australia) in that we don't have quite the same freedoms to modify our cars like our American friends do.
There is no such thing as a finished car! ;)
Yeah, this was actually the reason that I tore it down again. The car had been too modified to pass the inspection, but still too little modified to get a partly new ID. It'll be registered as a "modified vehicle" when I'm finished which means that I won't have to build it back to stock everytime I have to go through inspection...
BTW, anyone know where I can find a M20x1.5 left threaded die?
Awesome! Just bought my wife a '74 Firebird, I will definitely be subscribing to this thread! Good stuff Ripper!
Nice progress and a great project.
Are you running stock tubs? What is the biggest tire you can fit in a '74?
Yes, the tubs are stock.
It's a little hard to say yet, since I don't have any suspension in it...
A 18x10,5" wheel with 295 30 18 tire is no problem to fit though.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...5600x450-1.jpg
There is more space than the camera shows - about an inch or so between tub and wheel.
very cool project. I love that you are fabricating alot of your own parts. That's one of my favorite parts of the hobby.
I will have to build a second gen someday. My favorite next to the g-body. Awesome ride!
In order to get the mounting points in the correct position, I built a simple fixture that was mounted on the car. As the only mount point used in the new rear suspension will be the front leaf spring mountings, I started from them.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...5600x450-1.jpg
Above: The fixture was built in standard steel profiles. Although thery're aren't ultra stiff, it will be enough for what it will be used to for.
Below: Once again it is wonderful that I decided to build the rotisserie! It's nice to easily turn up the base and start working. Actually it was a must to build it; welding upside down is hard to get a good result with.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...7600x450-1.jpg
Below: Fixtures for the third link mounting (left), and the diff (right). The details was made for easy removal until it's time for welding them in the bigger fixture.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...0600x450-1.jpg
Below: Add lightness to your build... Do not despise the details! :fingersx: Front diff mounts are M12, and needs to be fairly stable. Instead of making them in one solid piece, I started from 38 × 1.5 mm tube and a couple of inserts which were pressed into the tube and then welded.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...9600x337-1.jpg
Below: Front diff mounting points
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...1600x300-1.jpg
Below: If you don't have a 5/8 "drill bit (were in the metric system) may be trying to get to the holes in another way. I ordered a 5 / 8 "drill from e-bay, but it disappeared somewhere on its way to Sweden. Since I had time to wait, the holes were drilled to 15.5 mm and then the brotched (?) to 15.86 mm (which is appr. 5/8").
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...3600x337-1.jpg
Below: Finished Welding the third link tower.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...6600x800-1.jpg
Below: And the tunnel for the link. Some of the metal will be cut off after it is installed in the body.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...1600x300-1.jpg
Excellent work! I'm anxious to watch your progress!
Your car and ideas inspire many ideas of others. I love you creativity and engineering through the original build and the current build. keep up the great work.
do you have your own CNC machine or do you machine your parts by hand?
I machine all my parts by hand, except for the wheel nuts that a friend with a NC-lathe did for me. I would love to do more CNC-parts (brake bells, uprights, suspension mounts etc) but it doesn't fit the budget.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...2600x450-1.jpg
Front differential mount is welded in. When it was bolted to the fixture, I realised that I would have to make a new trans tunnel. The body will be low (lowest point will be 3,5") and the rear suspension is sitting high up in the body. This means that the diff actually sits higher than the gearbox so the new trans tunnel will actually lean forward (higher at the diff, than the gearbox) a couple of inches... I thought it would be possible to build the trans tunnel with the body in the rotisserie, but realised that it's necessary to test fit the engine and trans before welding a new tunnel...
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...4600x450-1.jpg
Things in the body. Not welded though...
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...5600x450-1.jpg
Yes, I know that the floor is looking like a patchwork... The easiest thing would probably be to cut the entire floor and start with new sheet metal. I can't do this though since I have to keep certain parts of the body stock to pass the governemental inspection and keep the title of the car.
The neon yellow paint in the pictures is used for marking things that isn't finished (i.e. grinding down welds, welding small holes). It's alot easier to find unfinished things when you are standing there with the grinder if they're highlighted in some way.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...4600x592-1.jpg
Picture from below.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...3600x450-1.jpg
What do you call this part in english? Translating it from swedish would be "hat shelf"...
Anyway, it's in the way and it's almost impossible to weld the suspension parts behind it. I also want the space between the luggage compartment and the interior to be separated (not like swiss-cheese-separated)...
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...4600x450-1.jpg
...So it was cut out. (and will be replaced later)...
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...8600x337-1.jpg
...And since it weights almost 11 lbs, I'll probably replace it with aluminum instead.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...8600x337-1.jpg
The body is also seam welded between the suspension points to add a little stiffness.
And here's the current status!
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...3600x268-1.jpg
Mods so far are; raised back seat floor, raised floor where the mufflers are placed, front mounts for three link suspension and the diff, partly seam welded and a lot of rust fixing...
Still have to do suspension mounting points and panhard mount.
looking good!
Still cant wait to see it sitting on those BBS wheels. Great progress!
Long time since I updated here. I wish I could say that made great progress, but it takes alot of time...
During the fall and early winter, I worked with modifying the trans tunnel and some other steel;
I made a stand for the drive train so it had correct height in relation to the body.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...1300x205-1.jpg
Then, the body was taken down from the rotisserie so I could mock the trans up.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...7600x342-1.jpg
The drive train is offseted appr. 2" to the right and moved back about 10" (or was it 8"... don't remember right now). Mostly because I wanted to leave the space around the gas pedal untouched, but it also helps weight distribution... which is good of course! :D
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...3600x308-1.jpg
Another picture of the same thing.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...1600x450-1.jpg
A new reinforcement plate was made...
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...3600x400-1.jpg
...Since the old one was too small to fit the trans
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...9600x450-1.jpg
The new position of the shifter will fit me quite good. Always felt t sat a little bitt to far away.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...0600x450-1.jpg
Almost done here... (I'm reusing as much of the stock metal as possible due to regulations... I know, it looks like a puzzle...)
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...1600x355-1.jpg
Firewall and new space for the dry sump tank.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...9600x450-1.jpg
And before the firewall was welded in. Actually, I didnt realise how little was left of the front of the body until I looked at the picture.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...6600x450-1.jpg
Rear suspension:
To make a (very) long story (extremely) short; I started this project thinking I wanted a IRS, but since the car will be low there just isn't room for one. Since I wanted something lighter than the stock axle, I went for a dedion instead.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...2600x324-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...1600x324-1.jpg
Playing around with different ways to mount the coil overs.. I'll have to wait until the dedion is mounted to the car though since I'm not exactly sure of the exakt positions of the body.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...d600x324-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...d600x324-1.jpg
Starting with the dedion. Laser cut parts are niiiiice. Saves alot of time when somebody else makes them for you. :smoke:
(Ends are almost done in the pictures below)
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...5600x450-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...4600x450-1.jpg
I couldn't afford that fancy billet alu jig, so I chose organic material instead... ;)
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...0600x304-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...1600x282-1.jpg
Drilling all the holes was made in the mill.
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...9600x706-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/image...1600x226-1.jpg
That's about all for now. I've gotten a little bit further than this, but those pics aint on the internet yet.
I do have a problem though and would really really appreciate if anyone could help me with it. I need to split the lincoln mark VIII half shafts, but have no clue how to split the outer joint.
https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...462#post785462
Good to see this build is still alive and you are bringing the fabrication to a new level. It is going to be even better than before.