Project WidowMaker - The Chevelle Build Thread

[MoparCar]

Nice build. Very nice. Great fab.
Do you have any additional pictures of how you built the rear tubs with the form? Two piece form or one piece hammer form with some hammer/dolly work?

Thanks, Wes

[clu269]

I am in the process of a build similar to yours. It is a 1970 Buick GSX dubbed GSXMAX. It will be completely built in my 2 car garage. It is amazing how close our frames are with the exception that mine is a three link. My frame is also boxed and has DOM tubing to stiffen frame. Jason also did my rendering. Your fab work is awesome. Maybe you missed you calling. Keep up the great work as you are helping show that professional cars can be built in our garages.

[The WidowMaker]

Do you have any additional pictures of how you built the rear tubs with the form? Two piece form or one piece hammer form with some hammer/dolly work?

no pictures that i could find, but it was one form. the tubs are 6 pieces. two 1" radiused, one top over the tire, 2 sides and a 90* piece that was formed to fit the wheel opening and to connect to the quarter like the factory tub.

the form was plywood about 3" thick and i routed a 1" radius on each side. the main work was done on the shrinker/stretcher (i have the cheap hf one, and i only have one body and 2 jaws = crap load of time changing back and forth). i hammer formed them a little where needed.

hope that helps.

[The WidowMaker]

I am in the process of a build similar to yours. It is a 1970 Buick GSX dubbed GSXMAX. It will be completely built in my 2 car garage. It is amazing how close our frames are with the exception that mine is a three link. My frame is also boxed and has DOM tubing to stiffen frame. Jason also did my rendering. Your fab work is awesome. Maybe you missed you calling. Keep up the great work as you are helping show that professional cars can be built in our garages.

i checked out your thread and they are very similar. i cant wait to see updated pics. oh, and your rendering is awesome. jay is a very talented guy and was great to work with. my rendering looks awesome, but my main color has changed. i'll have him make some changes once i get my mind made up.

[jackfrost]

awesome project. I'm essentially doing the same thing, teaching myself and doing everything myself in my 2 car garage. you're a lot farther along, though, so I can get ideas from your build!

[Phishfud]

Wow! I'm so jealous. You have mad skills, man! Wish my Chevelle would turn out like that!

[Wicked58]

My....Lord!!! What a great write-up! Great attention to detail! There is a lot to absorb in your post, but after reading it a few times, I've got some great ideas/new direction on my project.

Keep up the great work!

[68400BIRD]

Great job, I love all of the small details. Keep the pics coming it helps keep the rest of us motivated.

[The WidowMaker]

My....Lord!!! What a great write-up! Great attention to detail! There is a lot to absorb in your post, but after reading it a few times, I've got some great ideas/new direction on my project.

Keep up the great work!

honestly, this is where i get most of my ideas. if i hadnt stumbled upon this site a few years back, i would probably have just done a stock style rebuild.

thanks for all the comments, it helps me keep this thing going.

[41565 chevelle]

Tim,
Looks good buddy. Now I am going to have to find the time and throw mine in here.....

Looks great, if you are in town this holiday I'll give you a fly-by!

[The WidowMaker]

how about a ride? jk... ive been trying to get a ride in one of our 2 new $21 million 412's, but they just blew a tranny in the first and the second is down for its pm. that leaves us the 2 vietnam era single engine beasts. plus they always bring up the budget with the enormous fuel costs.

oh, and you need to get your project posted on here. you can still keep that rendering a secret, but we would all love to see the work youre doing.

Tim

[The WidowMaker]

not much to update. i finished the trans mount last week, but with the threat of fires and rain (go figure) here in socal, i picked up a few ots. good thing is they pay for the parts. bad thing is the car doesnt get worked on. i get home on monday and hopefully will be able to post some pics.

also, ballistic fab sent me my tracking number, so i should get the rest of the front sway bar done when the end links show up. i'll pull off the lca's and get the mounts welded up. pics to come!

Tim

[The WidowMaker]

here are a couple of pictures of the trans crossmember. as i said before, i built a drop out center section thats about 3/4" wider than the trans on either side. since im doing a custom exhaust, i'll place here are a couple of pictures of the trans crossmember. as i said before, i built a drop out center section thats about 3/4" wider than the trans on either side. since im doing a custom exhaust, i'll place the X far enough back that i wont have to drop the exhaust or struggle with the crossmember when i need to get the tranny out. hopefully that wont happen, but it will make it easier if it does.
the crossmember is about 1/4" from the floor since i wanted to make sure that my 220 lbs wont make the floor touch it.

also, the side pieces are just tacked in since i will remove them to notch them for the exhaust and do some final welding. i plan on welding a strap on each side to thicken the tabs that the bolts go though. i had to cut more away than i thought, so it will be cheap insurance.
do you like my spacers? it needed WAY shorter bolts than i thought......

[41565 chevelle]

Tim,
I like the mounting idea, especially the drop out advantage. Looks like I am going to have to steel another idea from here....! I'm almost there.

What size rectangle tube did you use on that? Are you just butt welding them all the way around where each piece meets or do you have small pieces inside for any additional support?

Once I get some time I will get my project up on here...it is mostly reformatting the pictures to fit.

As for the ride, some day when the policy changes... I will let you know!

[WS6]

very nice Tim. Where did you get your fab skills? I think they are top notch.

[454bug]

Man, that is some EXCELLENT metal work!!!

The car looks AWESOME!

Keep up the great work!!

[The WidowMaker]

What size rectangle tube did you use on that? Are you just butt welding them all the way around where each piece meets or do you have small pieces inside for any additional support?

i used 1.5 x 3" .120 and 1.5" .120 dom. the cut was actually a pie, so the top side is still there. the 3 other sides will be butt welded. if i had made a full cut, i probably would have reinforced it on the inside a little.

very nice Tim. Where did you get your fab skills? I think they are top notch.

its all trial and error. i used to have to remake everything, but im slowly getting better.

[clu269]

What size DOM did you use to stiffen the chassis? I have 1.5" tacked in place ready to weld. Do you think that is sufficent?
Thanks Clu

[The WidowMaker]

i used 1.75" .120. i thought about using 1.5" for the webbed portion, but just did it all out of the same material. obviously the bigger the better, but anything will help. i dont have scientific results, but it stiffened it up on the rotisserie, even after the frame was boxed.

if its all tacked up, just run what you have. youll end up with a little more clearance as well.

Tim

[Nessumsar]

Gadzooks! Looking pretty sweet Tim. Where in HB are you, I work at Bolsa and Edinger.