1979 "Transmarrow" Mid-engine LQ9 build

[Ddkeeler]

I sent him your drawing so I don’t really understand why he missed all the details other than he wasn’t sure how to do it.



I’m thinking of getting some pedastal type mirrors from a new corvette or something.

I’ll have to look into the two into one tb adapter. I’m running drive by wire so the cost is really the only limiting factor in that.

[jlcustomz]

Not a good pic, but here's a link to the ridetech model bar that the end bolts on. https://www.ridetech.com/products/mu...sclebar-front/
I don't know about tempering on swaybars, but if it needs to be, could heat up with a torch & dip in oil. Ever watch forged in fire?

[Ddkeeler]

Well it’s been a busy couple of weeks outside of working on the car. My rotiform rse wheels came in about two weeks ago, I am really happy with how they look in person.

I had dropped off some material off to a machinist a month ago and finally got it back two days ago, I’m not really sure if a month is a standard turn around time for a machinist. I had him make 4 tapered sleeves for my ball joints and some components for my Bell cranks. I’ll get those installed and show you guys what that’s all about.

I wrapped up the main frame of the car and I have opted to get rid of the frame table so I can set the car at ride height with wheels on the car. My initial plan of being 45” from the ground to the roof worked out. I’m really happy with how low it is. Just need to get all the the ball joints connected to the control arms now.

I’ve ordered a bench mount planishing hammer, I am looking forward to getting started on the sheet metal. Changing gears for a little bit will be nice.

[Ddkeeler]

This first picture here is roughly the pin location and angle for my rear suspension bellcrank assembly. I didn’t get as far on that as I was hoping to today. But I was able to make some good progress on the front suspension, I am trying to recall what needs to be changed when the wheel goes into camber loss in a turn. Do I need to add more positive caster to counteract the camber loss?

[Ddkeeler]

Well guys, I had to throw the wheel lip onto the car and run some tape to see what shape/design I’m going for. I threw this together quick. I think in the front of the wheel I will have the lower portion of wheel lip further toward the outside of the car. Still doing a little planing before I make my wire form buck.

What do you guys think?

[NOT A TA]

Is that at ride height and if so what happens to that wheel well lip when you hit a bump?

[Ddkeeler]

It is at ride height, but the lip is going to be outside the wheel. I just did this to get some ideas.

[Jaymzz]

That's going to be wide and I love it! You doing metal or glass?

[Ddkeeler]

That's going to be wide and I love it! You doing metal or glass?

Trailering it is going to be an issue. 😬Ill be doing metal on pretty pretty much the whole car!

[Jaymzz]

Nice! Doing my Blazer metal also and a lot of work but way better.

[jlcustomz]

Is the front going to be near that wide also? Didn't realize the back wheels would be so wide.
It'll definitely be hard to make that much stretch look good in that short of a space.
This was another hair brained thought of an option since the body is pretty much a floorless shell anyway. Split the roof in the center, stopping the cut at the front windshield framing. Then slice the rear about an inch outside of the trunk line. Then you can flare the back out maybe 2 to 3"" per side at the rear door opening area. Then slice across the top of the quarters at the center of the new wheel opening, which will be roughly 70% wider than the width gain at rear of doors. Then taper rear half of quarter back a little and make the rear 2 to 3" wider per side.

Just a thought that I been thinking on a while here. Would definitely give an aggressive look fitting to a mid engine car & make the flairout area at the wheels themselves less ridiculous looking. Since you have a floorless shell, this could be less work than it sounds like for the result it will give you, especially considering the difficulty of making that wide of a body flaring job look good.

If you want to consider this option, take me a better high view picture of the top rear of the car. I know someone with a pencil & paper.

[Ddkeeler]

Is the front going to be near that wide also? Didn't realize the back wheels would be so wide.
It'll definitely be hard to make that much stretch look good in that short of a space.
This was another hair brained thought of an option since the body is pretty much a floorless shell anyway. Split the roof in the center, stopping the cut at the front windshield framing. Then slice the rear about an inch outside of the trunk line. Then you can flare the back out maybe 2 to 3"" per side at the rear door opening area. Then slice across the top of the quarters at the center of the new wheel opening, which will be roughly 70% wider than the width gain at rear of doors. Then taper rear half of quarter back a little and make the rear 2 to 3" wider per side.

Just a thought that I been thinking on a while here. Would definitely give an aggressive look fitting to a mid engine car & make the flairout area at the wheels themselves less ridiculous looking. Since you have a floorless shell, this could be less work than it sounds like for the result it will give you, especially considering the difficulty of making that wide of a body flaring job look good.

If you want to consider this option, take me a better high view picture of the top rear of the car. I know someone with a pencil & paper.

So the front is going to be an inch or two narrower. Based off pictures I’m only about 2” wider each side than the roadster shop camaro. And they pulled off a really sweet look. I have a little more going for me, because I moved the wheels back 10” I will have more room to transition the shape back into the body I. The door area I am contemplating tapering front fender and rear quarter panels into the door. If that makes sense. When I first started the project I did have the same thought to cut the roof and back portion of the car down the middle to kind of hide how wide it was. I decided to go for a louder look in that aspect. Maybe on the next one I’ll do that. But if the person you know with the pencil might want to try their hand at the shape of the quarter panel, I would t be opposed. ��

[jlcustomz]

Plenty of custom widebody jobs transition something of the rear quarter into the door. If you do this on the front, you may have to alter the door gap profile for it to open, cuz the opening will be further away from the hinges. Just a little test trial & error before making parts, could check by gluing on foam.
Rear wheels moved back 10" will help for fit to front door, but will hurt for height with the wheel sitting at a shorter part of panel.
Found a nice shot of road rage camaro. Personally I think it might look better with quarter panel being about 2" wider than tail panel, but with solid metal corner, rather than the vented add on look.

[Ddkeeler]

Plenty of custom widebody jobs transition something of the rear quarter into the door. If you do this on the front, you may have to alter the door gap profile for it to open, cuz the opening will be further away from the hinges. Just a little test trial & error before making parts, could check by gluing on foam.
Rear wheels moved back 10" will help for fit to front door, but will hurt for height with the wheel sitting at a shorter part of panel.
Found a nice shot of road rage camaro. Personally I think it might look better with quarter panel being about 2" wider than tail panel, but with solid metal corner, rather than the vented add on look.

I agree that around 2” would look good! As far as the wheel lip in the rear, I was going to do something similar to this. https://images.app.goo.gl/cKKNXXRj2Ma1tTof6

[jimco84x]

Is that at ride height and if so what happens to that wheel well lip when you hit a bump?

That's why he used tape. If will flex so as not to damage the fender lip.

I know..nobody loves a smart.a$$

Love the project. That is going to be one seriously aggressive stance.

[Bob in St. Louis]

This is wicked. Reminiscent of an ol IMSA car. So cool.

[jlcustomz]

That speedway camaro looks just a little funky to the eye with it'd body sectioning, so similar fender opening shapes would look better on yours. Those also look like more functional, suspension travel friendly shapes.
I remember you saying you ordered a bench planishing hammer. I made one to be handheld & made the dies. Worked great on little pieces of metal, but did more harm that good for me on trying to smooth my 84" long quarter panels. Of course some of my issue was home made dies. Do you have a sandbag & at least one large plastic teardrop hammer? these are great for starting out metal shapes, which usually always look bad before they look good. If you don't have a sandbag, laying several layers of carpet on the ground under the metal to strike on gives a pretty similar effect.

[Ddkeeler]

That speedway camaro looks just a little funky to the eye with it'd body sectioning, so similar fender opening shapes would look better on yours. Those also look like more functional, suspension travel friendly shapes.
I remember you saying you ordered a bench planishing hammer. I made one to be handheld & made the dies. Worked great on little pieces of metal, but did more harm that good for me on trying to smooth my 84" long quarter panels. Of course some of my issue was home made dies. Do you have a sandbag & at least one large plastic teardrop hammer? these are great for starting out metal shapes, which usually always look bad before they look good. If you don't have a sandbag, laying several layers of carpet on the ground under the metal to strike on gives a pretty similar effect.

I just got my leather bag and one tear drop hammer today actually. I am trying to figure out my bellcranks right now then I will start messing with the quarter. I plan to have a quarter roughed out and the chassis cleaned up so I can take it to a local car show in August. I’m going to try and make the quarter panel in 3-4 pieces, unless the part gets too complex for me to manage. Then I’ll just make some smaller sized panels

[jlcustomz]

Rough chicken scratch rearview based off Road Rage pic.
Added in some of my original changes, plus firebird parts.
Rounded flares with extreme body flaring blending into doors (somewhat inspired off 69 charger body shapes) blending into doors.
Rear approx 2" wider per side with tail light cut down in centers for plate.
Bumper split in center & brought out to ends with 4 center pipes.
Diverter pan underneath modified bird bumpers.
Drawing proportions make rear look taller & narrower than they would be.

Yea, really rough sketch, I suck worse at angles, but good for inspiration.
May even want to widen rear 3 to 5" per side & bring tail lights out to original edge.

[Ddkeeler]

Rough chicken scratch rearview based off Road Rage pic.
Added in some of my original changes, plus firebird parts.
Rounded flares with extreme body flaring blending into doors (somewhat inspired off 69 charger body shapes) blending into doors.
Rear approx 2" wider per side with tail light cut down in centers for plate.
Bumper split in center & brought out to ends with 4 center pipes.
Diverter pan underneath modified bird bumpers.
Drawing proportions make rear look taller & narrower than they would be.

Yea, really rough sketch, I suck worse at angles, but good for inspiration.
May even want to widen rear 3 to 5" per side & bring tail lights out to original edge.

Man you have some serious skills. I love this sketch. I can’t believe you took the jumbled pieces of what I’m trying to do, and put them into one car.

I do like the idea to widen it some more on the rear.