G-Force Cuda

[CYorek]

Well Bob i guess since all my fellow New York hot rod buddies decided to join in on the fun i figure i might as well too, Congrats on the article I love your car and hope to someday put that kind of influence on the auto industry. I met you in columbus i was parked with Doug and Ron and was hanging out under the snap-on tent on saturday. Hope to see you guys some more this season as soon as i get out of this frozen tundra known as detroit. -Chris Yorek

[Rick Dorion]

The Cuda inspired me to begin going over powdercoating and painting colors other than black, gray, etc. for my front RS headlight covers and grill. This will include the 'chrome' headlight cover inserts too. I like the titantium look. So, in one small way, this car has influenced my direction. Thanks, Bob!

I've reread the article several time and studied the pictures. Can't get enough. The seats seem low-backed in the article. Is that correct or just due to the pic perspective?

[ProTouring442]

I love the car! For that matter, I love any car that is done well. It doesn't matter to me if it is a trailer queen, some hi-tec billet-mobile, a tuner honda, vintage Ferrari, kit-car, or whatever. If it's done well, I love it! My car incorporates little tricks I thought up, copied from some magazine or show-car, or purchased from a catalog. I can't afford the perfection paint or $10,000 wheels, but I try to make my car look nice and perform well. It will never win some great award, but when I grin while my foot is on the right pedal it will all be worth it! That 'Cuda is more boutique (like a Rad Rides or Foose-like car) and mine is more home grown, but hey, what's wrong with that! Cars are kind of like people, if you only hang out with one type, life gets a bit boring!


Congrats to Bob for building, be it by labor or checkbook, a car that is bit different, but not different just to ba different. Ya done good!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

[Bob Johnson]

The Cuda inspired me to begin going over powdercoating and painting colors other than black, gray, etc. for my front RS headlight covers and grill. This will include the 'chrome' headlight cover inserts too. I like the titantium look. So, in one small way, this car has influenced my direction. Thanks, Bob!

I've reread the article several time and studied the pictures. Can't get enough. The seats seem low-backed in the article. Is that correct or just due to the pic perspective?

They are about the height of the top of the inner door panel. I just don't like the look of a seat sticking up in the back window of a pick-up or looking into a car and seeing seats sticking up way past the top of the door.

[Bob Johnson]

I love the car! For that matter, I love any car that is done well. It doesn't matter to me if it is a trailer queen, some hi-tec billet-mobile, a tuner honda, vintage Ferrari, kit-car, or whatever. If it's done well, I love it! My car incorporates little tricks I thought up, copied from some magazine or show-car, or purchased from a catalog. I can't afford the perfection paint or $10,000 wheels, but I try to make my car look nice and perform well. It will never win some great award, but when I grin while my foot is on the right pedal it will all be worth it! That 'Cuda is more boutique (like a Rad Rides or Foose-like car) and mine is more home grown, but hey, what's wrong with that! Cars are kind of like people, if you only hang out with one type, life gets a bit boring!


Congrats to Bob for building, be it by labor or checkbook, a car that is bit different, but not different just to ba different. Ya done good!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

there's absolutely nothing wrong with a well thought out car that's not high buck. It's not all about money. I have a 66 Rambler that I drive quite a bit and love it. It's was built by Warren Johnson's nephew..very low buck but super nice clean workmanship. Little 390 engine is the same size as their 289..(all AMC engines had the same size block externally) from 289 to 401. Car goes like stink..it's different, well done though not high buck and I love it. Strange as it might seem, I have enjoyed my low buck stuff just as much as the high buck stuff..you worry too much when you drive the big $ stuff. Plenty of ways to do nice things without spending big bucks. It's nice that you don't cop an attitude with people that do. That healthy perspective is what will drive this hobby to new heights.

[Bob Johnson]

The Cuda inspired me to begin going over powdercoating and painting colors other than black, gray, etc. for my front RS headlight covers and grill. This will include the 'chrome' headlight cover inserts too. I like the titantium look. So, in one small way, this car has influenced my direction. Thanks, Bob!

I've reread the article several time and studied the pictures. Can't get enough. The seats seem low-backed in the article. Is that correct or just due to the pic perspective?

Thanks..it's rewarding to see others inspired and learn from what we have done. I love the RS Camaros..bug eyes too..bothers me to see guys changing their stuff around just for the sake of change. to me if it's not an improvement, why change it. I'm like you, I don't like too much shiny stuff. The satin or brushed type finishes just look more businesslike. I like the industrial/aircraft look, but not the old euro/monochromatic look. I wish I had a portion of Alan and Tony's skills..It would be very rewarding to be able to do this stuff. I just never had the patience and was too busy trying to make a living for my family.

[Ronald Winter]

hi bob ,cogradulations on the phr article - you and alan deserve it. It's nice to see such a colorful ambassador to the sport, and I don't mean your shirts.

[Bob Johnson]

Thanks you big goon..why didn't you come down with Doug..we missed you..I forgot..you have to work for a living, unlike Doug who has already made his fortune. I guess he told you, we sold him another toy. He went to Miltons..got him thinking how nice it would be to have all the room in the world to put up buildings and room for horses etc. Wonder how the Boys, girl, and mom would be down here in COOTERVILLE..

[Ronald Winter]

I plan on going down to alan's in a few weeks to see my 32 - maybe I'll come by for the tour- say hello to lamar and john. looking forward to seeing the 37 slantback. Did alan look at the 67 chevelle for me while he was there?

[KILLER06MUSTANG]

who is this ronald winter guy bob, a friend of yours or my dads maybe

[syborg tt]

I've spent a bunch of time studying this car and many other on the internet for the last 6 years. Something to do while my little one's were growing up. Call me a research junkie or just abby normal. I've learned alot looking a pictures and hanging out a local shops. There are some great books on the market that you can learn so much from. Both Build Books and the How to books by Tony Huntimar. If you want to learn something go to everyshow you can and look to see what everyone is doing.

Here are some of the quote from Bob about his car from the other thread

900+horse without nitrous all aluminum HEMI

6,000+ hours(8 months full time build)

1.5(or something) chopped roof, stock windshield, lexan rear glass

AME full frame, with C5 front suspension, and C5 Transaxle!!

Full Carbon Fiber front clip, fenders hood, inner fenders CF inserts on top of door

devil brakes (weigh about 10 ilbs per corner, titanium rotors etc...

5" ground clearance

Has PPG paint

So that's for the carbon piece all the way across the back? That is understandable, there is alot of time in building the mold. Did they use foam or clay to shape the piece before they made the mold? Did they pull the mold right off the car?

The rear body panel was ready for paint. The surface was built up .020" using tooling wax and the mold was made from this surface. The finished part is just .030" and fit perfect. Doug Groh of 3 G Services in MI did all the carbon work. He is a member here but I don't know his user name.

The car was sectioned from the doors forward. Zero at the quarters, 1 1/4" at the front of door and around 3 1/2" at the front. The lower body line on the doors and fenders was moved down to get the proportions right. The front wheel wells have been moved 4" forward and 1" up. The front 10" of the fenders have been pulled in to slim up the profile around the grill.

The tires on it are what comes on the new Porsche Carrera GT Supercar..295X30X19 front..335X30X20 rear....The are Michelin PS2's..best tire Michelin makes..rated 220MPH or so..

originally Posted by F70t/a
Who made the Carbon Fiber parts for the cuda?

3 G Services..Detroit Michigan..w.734-947-9434 mob 734-262-4280 Doug Groh
He was introduced to us by Chris Itoh..Chris is the designer of the Cuda..his day job is Head designer @ Peterbilt Trucks..Chris knew him when Chris was working in Detroit. We looked at a lot of Carbon Fiber Work..3 G's work was the best. You won't see this quality Carbon very often. His business is slow as is everything in Detroit..He can get right on a project without any wait time..

We had everyone in the shop to sit in the car during the build up. The tallest is 6'5" and fits ok, but it was much more comfortable for ones 6' and under. The inner rocker panels were fabbed from 14ga steel when they were off for the sectioning. At each end of the rocker a piece of 3/16" plate was welded, drilled and tapped for six 1/4" bolts to the rocker and one 5/8" bolt into the top of the frame rail. The mount is basically a piece of 3/16" angle with the sides gusseted. There's one of these at the front and rear of the rocker. The vary rear of the car is supported with 2" x 4" outriggers bolted to the frame. The rear body is reinforced with a top hat shaped crossmember in the floor and ties into the quarter panels and rear body bracing. The body has been braced with various sizes of tubing to give the body some strength when it isn't mounted to the frame. The body also is sandwiched between the front down tubes at the firewall and bolts to the rear main bar !
under the back glass.
ut bolting up the frame to the body?

The firewall Structure is .750 x .125 angle around the parimeter with .750 x 16 quage tube for bracing. The angle is plug welded every 2" to the sheetmetal and drilled every 3" to the firewall. The aluminum firewall is .750 also with most of the reccessed areas .375 deep, some area's are machined deeper for clearence. The aluminum Firewall is blind tapped from the rear to bolt in with 1/4-20 fasteners.

Keith Turk from the ECTA Maxton N. C. came by Alan Johnson's shop to inspect the Cuda and advise us what needed to be done to get it to pass inspection for a 200 + MPH run. We are going to put in a supplemental bolt in main hoop for the cage, install a window net, add another fire system for under the hood, get a chute..we already made provisions to mount it..secure the front and rear windscreens, racing seat..few other misc and sundry items..

Sorry it has taken so long to get this posted. These photos are a brief overview of sectioning the body. The quarters were not sectioned. The rockers were removed at the seam where they attach to the quarter panel. The inner rocker was replaced with a piece of 14ga to give some strength to it since it would no longer be a unibody . The cowl was sectioned around 1 3/8". I didn't worry about the firewall or original floor since it was all getting replaced. Sectioning the cowl and relocating the rockers was easy, the door frames were another story. I will be posting all of the construction photos on my website eventually, there are over 3 gig of photos.

The pedals and master cylinders are from Tilton . The master cylinders pivot on rod ends and have a balance bar for front to rear bias, nice setup but pricey http://www.tiltonracing.com/content....list2&id=3&m=b
direct port..it's plumbed under the intake..Hogan welded in the bungs when he built the intake..the regular injector nozzles are under there too..out of site where they don't distract from the look,,we've got to have that clean uncluttered look

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bowtieracing
I checked the Bob gallery again. I beleive they used still transmission at rear. Your plan is to use only the rear end gear and connect yoke to that.



Our trans is in the rear..for weight distribution purposes..used a lakewood direct drive dragster scattershield with a Lenco spline input shaft hooked to the universal yoke on the driveshaft..that way we could get the 3.5" exhaust and the driveshaft in the tunnel.

ps - there is nothing wrong with me i am just a person who takes a lot of notes.

[BRIAN]

The problem is there are a lot of Pro Shoppers out there who never finish a car and it is a shame. I guess I agree that the Rat Rods are a bit unsafe but some you can stare at for hours and not see it all. From what I have seen of your car it has the same idea but on a much higher level. Hopefully the magnesium or carbon parts will work together and be as attractive to the majority as chrome and poilsh are.

I would have to say no as with my own Rambler all I hear is, if you put some bags and 20's I will buy it or it would look killer. If I had a dollar for every one of those comments I could afford your Cuda. I build cars and love doing it. The biggest reward is having someone who actually builds cars come up and notice a subtle touch that too hours to create not buy.


Still waiting for someone here to take a stock platform and use engineering instead of money and then put the car through whatever tests and impress the hell out of everybody. Some come close but I would love to see that low buck Rat tourer that simply kicks ass in engineering and driveability. The 335 vs 345 on a Camaro tire debate gets a little old.

[Bob Johnson]

Well Bob i guess since all my fellow New York hot rod buddies decided to join in on the fun i figure i might as well too, Congrats on the article I love your car and hope to someday put that kind of influence on the auto industry. I met you in columbus i was parked with Doug and Ron and was hanging out under the snap-on tent on saturday. Hope to see you guys some more this season as soon as i get out of this frozen tundra known as detroit. -Chris Yorek

we'll be at a bunch of places this year..look forward to seeing you again

[Bob Johnson]

The problem is there are a lot of Pro Shoppers out there who never finish a car and it is a shame. I guess I agree that the Rat Rods are a bit unsafe but some you can stare at for hours and not see it all. From what I have seen of your car it has the same idea but on a much higher level. Hopefully the magnesium or carbon parts will work together and be as attractive to the majority as chrome and poilsh are.

I would have to say no as with my own Rambler all I hear is, if you put some bags and 20's I will buy it or it would look killer. If I had a dollar for every one of those comments I could afford your Cuda. I build cars and love doing it. The biggest reward is having someone who actually builds cars come up and notice a subtle touch that too hours to create not buy.


Still waiting for someone here to take a stock platform and use engineering instead of money and then put the car through whatever tests and impress the hell out of everybody. Some come close but I would love to see that low buck Rat tourer that simply kicks ass in engineering and driveability. The 335 vs 345 on a Camaro tire debate gets a little old.

Have you seen Jeff Isaacs yellow with orange stripes Camaro..It was in PHR about 4 months ago. He is a good friend and lives near me. It's low buck and runs like snot..handles great too..He just painted it..should have left it alone...he's supposed to put it on here..I'll have to get on him again

[Bob Johnson]

I've spent a bunch of time studying this car and many other on the internet for the last 6 years. Something to do while my little one's were growing up. Call me a research junkie or just abby normal. I've learned alot looking a pictures and hanging out a local shops. There are some great books on the market that you can learn so much from. Both Build Books and the How to books by Tony Huntimar. If you want to learn something go to everyshow you can and look to see what everyone is doing.

Here are some of the quote from Bob about his car from the other thread

900+horse without nitrous all aluminum HEMI

6,000+ hours(8 months full time build)

1.5(or something) chopped roof, stock windshield, lexan rear glass

AME full frame, with C5 front suspension, and C5 Transaxle!!

Full Carbon Fiber front clip, fenders hood, inner fenders CF inserts on top of door

devil brakes (weigh about 10 ilbs per corner, titanium rotors etc...

5" ground clearance

Has PPG paint

So that's for the carbon piece all the way across the back? That is understandable, there is alot of time in building the mold. Did they use foam or clay to shape the piece before they made the mold? Did they pull the mold right off the car?

The rear body panel was ready for paint. The surface was built up .020" using tooling wax and the mold was made from this surface. The finished part is just .030" and fit perfect. Doug Groh of 3 G Services in MI did all the carbon work. He is a member here but I don't know his user name.

The car was sectioned from the doors forward. Zero at the quarters, 1 1/4" at the front of door and around 3 1/2" at the front. The lower body line on the doors and fenders was moved down to get the proportions right. The front wheel wells have been moved 4" forward and 1" up. The front 10" of the fenders have been pulled in to slim up the profile around the grill.

The tires on it are what comes on the new Porsche Carrera GT Supercar..295X30X19 front..335X30X20 rear....The are Michelin PS2's..best tire Michelin makes..rated 220MPH or so..

originally Posted by F70t/a
Who made the Carbon Fiber parts for the cuda?

3 G Services..Detroit Michigan..w.734-947-9434 mob 734-262-4280 Doug Groh
He was introduced to us by Chris Itoh..Chris is the designer of the Cuda..his day job is Head designer @ Peterbilt Trucks..Chris knew him when Chris was working in Detroit. We looked at a lot of Carbon Fiber Work..3 G's work was the best. You won't see this quality Carbon very often. His business is slow as is everything in Detroit..He can get right on a project without any wait time..

We had everyone in the shop to sit in the car during the build up. The tallest is 6'5" and fits ok, but it was much more comfortable for ones 6' and under. The inner rocker panels were fabbed from 14ga steel when they were off for the sectioning. At each end of the rocker a piece of 3/16" plate was welded, drilled and tapped for six 1/4" bolts to the rocker and one 5/8" bolt into the top of the frame rail. The mount is basically a piece of 3/16" angle with the sides gusseted. There's one of these at the front and rear of the rocker. The vary rear of the car is supported with 2" x 4" outriggers bolted to the frame. The rear body is reinforced with a top hat shaped crossmember in the floor and ties into the quarter panels and rear body bracing. The body has been braced with various sizes of tubing to give the body some strength when it isn't mounted to the frame. The body also is sandwiched between the front down tubes at the firewall and bolts to the rear main bar !
under the back glass.
ut bolting up the frame to the body?

The firewall Structure is .750 x .125 angle around the parimeter with .750 x 16 quage tube for bracing. The angle is plug welded every 2" to the sheetmetal and drilled every 3" to the firewall. The aluminum firewall is .750 also with most of the reccessed areas .375 deep, some area's are machined deeper for clearence. The aluminum Firewall is blind tapped from the rear to bolt in with 1/4-20 fasteners.

Keith Turk from the ECTA Maxton N. C. came by Alan Johnson's shop to inspect the Cuda and advise us what needed to be done to get it to pass inspection for a 200 + MPH run. We are going to put in a supplemental bolt in main hoop for the cage, install a window net, add another fire system for under the hood, get a chute..we already made provisions to mount it..secure the front and rear windscreens, racing seat..few other misc and sundry items..

Sorry it has taken so long to get this posted. These photos are a brief overview of sectioning the body. The quarters were not sectioned. The rockers were removed at the seam where they attach to the quarter panel. The inner rocker was replaced with a piece of 14ga to give some strength to it since it would no longer be a unibody . The cowl was sectioned around 1 3/8". I didn't worry about the firewall or original floor since it was all getting replaced. Sectioning the cowl and relocating the rockers was easy, the door frames were another story. I will be posting all of the construction photos on my website eventually, there are over 3 gig of photos.

The pedals and master cylinders are from Tilton . The master cylinders pivot on rod ends and have a balance bar for front to rear bias, nice setup but pricey http://www.tiltonracing.com/content....list2&id=3&m=b
direct port..it's plumbed under the intake..Hogan welded in the bungs when he built the intake..the regular injector nozzles are under there too..out of site where they don't distract from the look,,we've got to have that clean uncluttered look

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bowtieracing
I checked the Bob gallery again. I beleive they used still transmission at rear. Your plan is to use only the rear end gear and connect yoke to that.



Our trans is in the rear..for weight distribution purposes..used a lakewood direct drive dragster scattershield with a Lenco spline input shaft hooked to the universal yoke on the driveshaft..that way we could get the 3.5" exhaust and the driveshaft in the tunnel.

ps - there is nothing wrong with me i am just a person who takes a lot of notes.

I wish the 6,000 man hours was true..it looks like double that now by the time we're done..

[Bob Johnson]

who is this ronald winter guy bob, a friend of yours or my dads maybe

He's the guy you look up too..visually that is. your dad and I are the ones you look up to as hero worship..lol

[Bob Johnson]

I plan on going down to alan's in a few weeks to see my 32 - maybe I'll come by for the tour- say hello to lamar and john. looking forward to seeing the 37 slantback. Did alan look at the 67 chevelle for me while he was there?

I told him to..but I'm not sure..you're going to have to lay some kinda tile if you get 2 projects going at one time..I've been there..spooky..asian massage community went into recession..

[Doug Cooper]

hi bob ,cogradulations on the phr article - you and alan deserve it. It's nice to see such a colorful ambassador to the sport, and I don't mean your shirts.

Ron, I took pictures for you of your car in it's current stage. Don't waste the gas not much has changed. Doug

[Bob Johnson]

Ron, I took pictures for you of your car in it's current stage. Don't waste the gas not much has changed. Doug

my bank account has changed..be glad when Alan gets on your and big Ron's tits..mine's getting sore..The big question..how much has changed on that Cuda? You coming back down next Monday for the Dyno Test? Bringing Mutt and Jeff? Drag Ron with you..make him pay half the gas..

[JoshStratton]

Hey Bob,

Since you basically put 'Sickfish' to shame, how bout taking all of the pictures and compiled data, and putting out a build book for us to buy and help pay for that 65 Mustang 350 build.

I may have missed it somewhere, but do you have a web site or a link with your build pics?