68 GTO Project

[mr_nice_guy]

I love the way this car sits, looks like its going a 100 standing still!!

[LeighP]

I like that fire system......I find myself out in the garage after the family have gone to bed...I was fitting front brake lines and drilling and tapping mounts for the clamps tonight....little jobs that all add to the progress.

[68nogoat]

You have a gorgeous car John. I am just starting my build of a 1968 LeMans, and a lot of the work you did on getting the stance right is going to come in handy. I am just beginning to build the chassis now (frame goes out for sandblasting on Monday) and I have been back to this build thread about a dozen times in the past month! Thanks for your contributions...its nice to see that not everyone starts with a Chevelle!

[liljohn442]

You dont see to many A-body GTO's on here. Car looks beautiful. Good luck.

[Roadbuster]

Thanks for all the good words guys!
I haven't posted much because family is taking up most of my time. A newborn and a 3 year old take up all of our time, but that is the way it should be. A little here and a little there (when everyone else is sleeping) and I am slowly making progress. I did a few late nights to prep for Run to the Coast 2 and made it to the track but missed the cruise.

[Roadbuster]

Here is the first of the projects I have been working on:



This is the Fays2 Watts link kit (weld in version) that I got from SC&C. I went with the weld in version because the car is set up so low and I wanted to run the watts frame as high as possible.

Mock up of link arms:


Mock up of watts frame template and arms:


Here are the reinforcement plates cut by jfaria (Thank you!) These are 1/8" thick to spread the load out. The kidney bean shape allows them to follow the frame contour.


Another test fit to make sure I have this right:


Yes my tail pipes still fit (barely):


Welded it in place:


Painting it after it is welded in place:


Final with the weight on the axle but no link bars installed:

[mplecha]

very nice!

[LeighP]

Nice mod....is your car at final weight/ride height? It was my understanding the bars should be parallel off the watts link bellcrank at static ride height.
Just wondering if the pic was just at mock up stage.

[rfalker1]

wow I great work, keep it up

[deejai35]

Awesome build. Thanks for sharing!

[Roadbuster]

Thanks guys! more to come as soon as I get the photos up.

Nice mod....is your car at final weight/ride height? It was my understanding the bars should be parallel off the watts link bellcrank at static ride height.
Just wondering if the pic was just at mock up stage.

Leigh,
The bars being parallel is just the easiest way to set it up. The real requirement is have to be the same length and at equal and opposite angles to ground and less than 90 degrees to the center link.

[Roadbuster]

The watts requires a new shorter tank

New late model Nova tank that uses a sealed cap:


Unmodified:


After a little bending here it is in the final position:


Tank from below with the stock tank straps in the factory locations:


Painted:


Final install shots:




Here you can see the modified tank straps. If my car were near stock height or only slightly lower it would not be an issue. Adding a rear sway bar, coil overs, and a hell of a lot of drop it is no where near stock under there! Modifications were needed to be made to get everything to fit. I knew this from the beginning and went with a kit that would give me a good starting point. When you hot rod it you have to do some work.

I am really happy how this came out. Everything tucks up nice under the car and with the tank painted it disappears under the car.

[RicerwannaB]

I love this project man, I cant wait to start in on my 69

[LeighP]

Very nicely done....the tank is hiding everything for a real sleeper look.

[andrewb70]

Well done!

Andrew

[moparcolt]

whats the backspacing on your 18" wheels

[Scott LaPointe]

You are going to love what that watts link does for your handling. I helped a friend put a Fays2 in his car and it made a great improvement. Don't be afraid to move the center pivot bolt around to tune the handling. That's what it's there for!

[ponjohn]

Real nice project.

Is there a benefit running a sway bar + the watts link?

[SShep71]

Have you run into any clearance problems running that big of a tire in the rear?

[ponchopwr70]

Looks good! How do you like the watts link??