Tube chassis design

[TLWiltman]

As evidenced by my sig, I have a '73 Camaro. I also have an HTH truck-arm kit (not installed yet), an SCP full-floating 9" etc... I was just trying to figure out what to use for a front suspension that would match well, as well as a chassis design that would meet my "armageddon survival" standards... Well, after seeing "Zupersport's" "NASCAR/CAMARO" a few months ago... we'll just say I got my melon tweaked. I also ran headlong into a few conceptual problems...
-My personal lack of fabrication skills (I have a couple of friends that are nuclear pipe/boiler weldors...that does not make them fabricators. That's about as good as it gets for people that I know)

-No shops anywhere near my area that seem familiar with such a swap (just the "hack/whack/mate-up/make-it-fit part) or anything remotely similar (at least based on what I can find out online)

So... I was thinking.(which is very dangerous ) "design a chassis that would accept the HTH kit (some of the mounting points could be strengthened in the process). Use any stock-car type front snout (that way, I get to use hubs that use decent size wheel studs and bearings that can be packed/rebuilt, rather than constant replacement at $500/pair). Use a chassis centersection suitable for a Camaro. Go from there... Are there any reputable shops that could take on such a thing? (I'd be happy with the chassis design part right now) Or am I just fighting a losing battle (all this bluster to get to that question )

[wendell]

I'd talk with Mean69 (Mark) from Lateral Dynamics. After he gives you the tech on his three link you guys can talk about the front end of a 2nd gen camaro. He's a little kooky about 2nd gens and I know he's got something up his sleave...

If nothing else, he's a great guy that comes at Pro-Touring from a REAL performance perspective.

[TLWiltman]

Yeah... i definitely wish his stuff was out early last year . I am, however, very curious about that front sub. The main thing I worry about is whether the spindle is going to be built around the Corvette hub "assembly". I've long since "engineered" myself OUT of the 5x4.75" bolt pattern, and am spoiled by seeing 5/8" bullet-nose studs in my rear hubs. The bolt pattern I can deal with (I have no delusions that I'll be rotating tires)... but I kind of kind of like those big ARP studs. Another wonder of mine is whether LD will attatch their kit (3-link) to a user-supplied/specified rear housing (cambered full-floater, anyone?) Fact is... my project is in a bit of a holding pattern. First reason, I'm just not home (live in WA, working in San Diego for a couple more months). Second reason, saving for down payment on a house/place to actually work on my car. So... the research is happening now.

[Mean 69]

So... You're in San Diego, eh? Well then! You'll just have to give me a shout and come by to see the goods. My shop is in Carlsbad!

We can accomodate just about anything from a "custom" standpoint, in this case, the floater axle assembly is a non-issue, no sweat on our part. Obviously we'd need to know what snouts you'll be using (GN, HOWE, etc), and it might require a modification to our assembly/welding fixture, but we're here to please.

We won't be using Corvette control arms, but it is very possible that we will be using the C5 hub pack on our custom spindles. I think there's enough meat on the hub to drill for larger studs, but that is without question an open issue, we'd have to look into it. We are in the process of building a 70 Camaro that will basically be the demo vehicle for the shop, the front stub is being prototyped right now, though there are still some open items. One thing for certain on this setup, at minimum for my own car, there will be a pretty good motor setback in order to get the suspension geometry we want, while still allowing room for the rack (front steer), and having "correct" steering (no cheating by moving the engine up, or having bad bump steer issues, or putting the rack in a place that will kill it after a thousand miles...). No doubt most folks won't want this as a product for their own car, but it will be "right."

Sounds like you want a pretty 'core project car, and while we love them all, the tough ones get us stoked up and give us a chance to show our prowess and creativity.

Mark

[TLWiltman]

PM sent...

[ironworks]

Dude the stock car front suspension are still based on a camaro subframe in alot of the classes of racing. i bet with minor fab and a lot of bolt on parts you could get thet to work pretty easy. We have used a front clip on a 70 nova with all winston cup parts from a road race car. Arms are not rebuild able but they are greaseable to make last a little longer. they don't make that stuff rebuild able because you will probably crash the car before it need to be rebuilt.
Rodger

[TLWiltman]

Dude the stock car front suspension are still based on a camaro subframe in alot of the classes of racing. i bet with minor fab and a lot of bolt on parts you could get thet to work pretty easy. We have used a front clip on a 70 nova with all winston cup parts from a road race car. Arms are not rebuild able but they are greaseable to make last a little longer. they don't make that stuff rebuild able because you will probably crash the car before it need to be rebuilt.
Rodger

Oddly enough, that was one of the ideas I came up with. Basically the idea was to "front-half" the car using a Laughlin front snout with all the fixin's, use square tubing to make the rocker box a "double-rail" (current Nextel Cup chassis appear to be constructed similarly with a double main rail), and then fill in the gaps (basically creating a rather elaborate subframe connector). The rear unibody structure would remain intact to maintain a "crush zone". This could be workable, but I'd have to figure out how to create a lateral brace for the rollcage main hoop to prevent the side rails from collapsing inward (Side impact protection keeps coming to mind, and I very much believe I will eventually crash the car...HARD!).