ATS Project 50/50

[John Wright]

OK Tyler.....what is the next project to be completed on this bad boy? Have you started figuring out a game plan? .....worked up stages of completion in your mind?....I'm sure the creative juices are flowing by now. Woot! glad to see this thread back near the top again.

[srh3trinity]

I am glad this project is getting some love again. This car/concept has made my mouth water since the first day I found this site. Keep us posted!

[TitoJones]

People have asked about the plans and what work Rodger is going to do on the car.

When I started this project I had some radical ideas and styling touches that I wanted to put on the vehicle. The idea was like taking a well refined car- like a 997 twin turbo Porsche and integrate that into a 60's muscle car. The more I look back on what I was doing the more I want to scrap it. So one of the things I'm reversing is a few portions of the body kit. I still like the notch rear spoiler (that keeps getting copied) and my front air dam. I'm going to re-do the rocker panels, and I'm going to delete the C5 Euro tail light panel/diffuser. I think instead I'll add back in a set of Marquez rear tail lights into a bare carbon panel with a gas cap in the center.

Rodger will be finishing the frame, fully welding it to the car, add the floors, firewalls, and cage, and widen the rear 1/4 panels. If I don't go flat broke he will also do the new core support. At that point I will take possession of the car and finish off the light fab work- making a new dash, plumbing, mounting seats, pedals, steering column, wiring, brakes, and finally etting it prepped for paint.

I'm totally hooked on Steve Chryssos's Streetfighter type build, and after riding along in Scott Mock's 69 Camaro race car, I think that is right up my alley.

No more custom interior. No more carpet. Just pure race bred go fast, functional light weight stuff. Might have to make it more visually hardcore as well. Looking for inspiring race car pictures at the moment. Post up anything you have that you think would be cool on this car product or detail wise.

Tyler

[Ron.in.SoCal]

More visually hardcore is good! What are your plans for the drivetrain?

[TitoJones]

Drivetrain wise just a nice N/A LSX engine. Might de-stroke it to a 302 cu in type to make it full on retro themed. I know that it will have the ATS Tri-Y headers in white ceramic coating (modified at the collector to clear the new frame) an ATS sidewinder accessory drive, and more than likely a Victor Jr EFI type carb manifold with the ATS coil relocation brackets and CF cowl air cleaner like on Ron's LS7 powered Mustang. I want the engine bay to be modern stuff with a retro race car theme.

Other touches will be Aero Catches on the CF hood, possibly a RedHead quick fill dry-break in the rear panel leading the the Fuel Safe, and of course Lexan NACA duct rear 1/4 windows. Might do a quick release body latch on the front air dam for easy access to trailers. Oh yeah, and F&R tow hooks.

Tyler

[Jim Nilsen]

People have asked about the plans and what work Rodger is going to do on the car.

When I started this project I had some radical ideas and styling touches that I wanted to put on the vehicle. The idea was like taking a well refined car- like a 997 twin turbo Porsche and integrate that into a 60's muscle car. The more I look back on what I was doing the more I want to scrap it. So one of the things I'm reversing is a few portions of the body kit. I still like the notch rear spoiler (that keeps getting copied) and my front air dam. I'm going to re-do the rocker panels, and I'm going to delete the C5 Euro tail light panel/diffuser. I think instead I'll add back in a set of Marquez rear tail lights into a bare carbon panel with a gas cap in the center.

Rodger will be finishing the frame, fully welding it to the car, add the floors, firewalls, and cage, and widen the rear 1/4 panels. If I don't go flat broke he will also do the new core support. At that point I will take possession of the car and finish off the light fab work- making a new dash, plumbing, mounting seats, pedals, steering column, wiring, brakes, and finally etting it prepped for paint.

I'm totally hooked on Steve Chryssos's Streetfighter type build, and after riding along in Scott Mock's 69 Camaro race car, I think that is right up my alley.

No more custom interior. No more carpet. Just pure race bred go fast, functional light weight stuff. Might have to make it more visually hardcore as well. Looking for inspiring race car pictures at the moment. Post up anything you have that you think would be cool on this car product or detail wise.

Tyler

It is good to hear you going in a different direction with the car. No custom injterior or carpet will make it easier to get finished sooner but the unfinished look might bug you sometimes which is why I went with an aluminum interior and am still on the fence about carpet that is velcro'd down and comes out in minutes at the track for the most part.

It is going to be interesting to see what you come up with for a radiator support. Lots of good things on some cars to get ideas from these days.

Now get that thing done so you can be as broke as the rest of us,lol.

[Ron.in.SoCal]

It is good to hear you going in a different direction with the car. No custom injterior or carpet will make it easier to get finished sooner but the unfinished look might bug you sometimes which is why I went with an aluminum interior and am still on the fence about carpet that is velcro'd down and comes out in minutes at the track for the most part.

It is going to be interesting to see what you come up with for a radiator support. Lots of good things on some cars to get ideas from these days.

Now get that thing done so you can be as broke as the rest of us,lol.

If it'll work on your frame, AutoRad sells their alum core support all by itself. It goes with the light weight theme of this car and would make mounting the fenders a snap (along with Anvil CF fender braces)...

[69X22]

Looks like it is going to be awesome! I like the idea on changing the taillights back. Nothin wrong with being broke and having a nice car, when the car is done you will rebound pretty quick>.

[TitoJones]

We are back baby! The car came out of it's metal coffin yesterday afternoon. It's a bit dirty, some tiny surface rust, but overall in better shape than I remembered. The car was even further along that I had known with the front suspension almost fully done.

The chassis table it has been mated with for over a year get slid out of the container.


Front suspension details like the UCA mounts, the bracing between tubes, and cradle mount.






More of the inner frame and floor bracing:





The car on its way back inside. She may not look like much now. But she is drinking milk (and chromoly)and pretty soon....



The rear C5 Corvette Euro tail lights already look dated to me. It was cool 10 years ago, but now? Not so much. I'm going to make a new rear tail panel from a sheet of carbon that will use the Marquez Design billet 68 rear tail lights and maybe, just maybe I'll even add a RedHead dry break rear filler for the Fuel Safe where the stock gas cap lived.


More to come as I get updates from Rodger at Ironworks.

Tyler

[TitoJones]

So the work has begun. They started making the floor, and they are fitting the front sheetmetal to begin core support fabrication and to terminate the frame ends. Not much to see, but at least it is in the big area with all the other cars again; I hope it plays nice with the other children.

The drivers side floor begins construction:


My dream engine that I can't afford:


The sheetmetal getting installed:


Fenders in place, getting ready to mock up the 50/50 signature front air dam:


More of the floor installed, and some panels on the passenger side:


Rodger tells me that he might be checking my HRE wheels on the chassis later. I am really excited to see it when it is off the table, wheels and sheetmetal in place and a roller again. What a day that will be.

Tyler

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

looks like youre going down the Streetfighter route, T...

you know I lovit..

[novanutcase]

Got to see this car when it first showed up at the shop and as it was getting it's bones put in.

This is going to be one BITCHEN ride judging from the plans you have for it!!

John

[NOT A TA]

Tyler, Glad to see you're back at it on this! Stay determined and pace yourself and the expenses and it'll be on the road/track before ya know it!

[John Wright]

Awsome!

[hechtrod]

The taillights don't look too bad. Maybe some newer C6 vette taillights?

[78 Type-LT]

Sweet..i love this build

[TitoJones]

Went to visit my car last week. Got some parts in for the build like these new Tilton floor mounted triple pedals.




Got to check out the frame in person and check out the fantastic tube work.
The way they mounted the factory aluminum cradles is pretty sweet. If I need to repair anything I just pop the upper ball joints and shock mounts, and 8 cradle bolt and the entire suspension, drivetrain and engine unzip from the car.
Drivers side front cradle mount:

Same side, top view.


Other cool details like how they made the tubing spacers integrate into the upper coil over mounts are pretty sweet.




So the first of a few bummers was that since we are using the factory C5 cradles, suspension and engine placement I can't use the ATS Sidewinder accessory drive that I had been saving. The steering rack to balancer clearance will only allow use of the factory Y body accessory drive; without repositioning the engine further rearward, redoing the mounts, firewall and torque tube that is. I'm not willing to change that much stuff. I'd rather keep it factory in case I need a replacement part.
Second bummer is I had a set of ATS Tri-Y headers set aside for this car too, and with the crazy tubes catching the cradles and making the inner torque tube structure, there is no way these bad boys will fit either. We will see if Rodger can modify some tubes to make them clear, and if not both the Sidewinder and Tri-Y headers will be up for sale.

Next on the list is to wait for the Fuel Safe and Ron Davis radiator to arrive and they will make the floors, firewall, and radiator support. We are going to follow the C5R layout and tilt the top of the radiator toward the grill and allow it to vent out the hood via an extractor.

Should start seeing some progress around August.

Tyler

[Kenova]

Went to visit my car last week. Got some parts in for the build like these new Tilton floor mounted triple pedals.





Tyler

In the 40 years (almost) that I've been driving, everything that I've driven has had the pedal pivot up under the dash. I'm curious as to how much of a difference there is in the "feel" of a floor mounted pedal system.

Ken

[cheapthrillz]

In the 40 years (almost) that I've been driving, everything that I've driven has had the pedal pivot up under the dash. I'm curious as to how much of a difference there is in the "feel" of a floor mounted pedal system.

Ken

Formula's dad has a 993 911 with floor-mounted pedals and man it will mess with your head for a while, but you get used to it. Not a life-changing experience, but weird at first.

[sik68]

We are going to follow the C5R layout and tilt the top of the radiator toward the grill and allow it to vent out the hood via an extractor.

Tyler

Very cool. I had this idea in my head for a while now; I was hoping I'd be the first but it will be great to see someone else try it ahead of me. Are you planning a lift-off hood?