Project WidowMaker - The Chevelle Build Thread

[The WidowMaker]

Nice project.



When you are taking pictures of the welds are you turning macro on? Symbol looks like a flower on most cameras.

Can you post a picture of your welding cart, I'm trying to get some ideas on making one for my tig welder.

i have no idea about the camera, but i will check. i'll also get some pics of the cart. its a work in progress like all of my other projects. i still need to add a shelf, but i'll show you what i have.

[The WidowMaker]

Can you post a picture of your welding cart

i dragged the welder out to get some pics of the cart today but the camera battery was dead. the worst part is the wife says she left the charger in the hotel room on our short weekend vacation. itll be a few days before i get a new charger, and the wheels are supposed to be here this week!

[The WidowMaker]

so no charger yet. seems ones going to show up on ebay here shortly with a selling location of san diego. i did just buy one on ebay, but its coming from new york so no pics this week.

but on another note, today was the first of 10 work days to get the frame off to the blaster. i actually made a timeline, and if i stick to it, i will have frame paint pics on the 31st of this month.

today the body got pulled and put on stands in the garage. i then had to pull the motor and trans and get the frame up on the rotisserie. i also started to weld up the rear section of the frame that was notched for the exhaust.

so, 1 day down and 9 to go. and im currently on schedule!!!! days 2-5 will come at the end of next week on my 4 day. i work a few shifts with a damn wedding in between.

[DriverzInc]

Your tires arrived today.

[mc84_zz4]

^^ now that's good news!, pre-congratulations on your parole from Wheel Jail!
Can't wait to see some update pics...

[The WidowMaker]

^^ now that's good news!, pre-congratulations on your parole from Wheel Jail!
Can't wait to see some update pics...

if paint jail is as easy as wheel jail then i'm set. jon and jason are awesome!

wheel pics should be coming soon!!!!

[bullitt4110]

Wow! That is amazing! Cant wait to see what the end result is.

[The WidowMaker]

here are a few pics from today. i got both sides fully notched and cleaned up in the rear. i had planned on welding up the 4" holes in the mid cross, but that will be tomorrow morning.

you can also see how much having the body on the jack stands and the frame on the rotisserie screws up the garage. if its the other way around, the body can hover on the rotisserie almost above the frame and take up a ton less room. i cant wait until the frame is on the ground for good!!!!

[navyflyer72]

Amazing fab work! Like everyone else, can' wait to see her on the ground!

[The WidowMaker]

i got a little more done today. unfortunately the watts crossmember had to be notched for exhaust clearance. if i would have known how low i was going to make it sit i would have welded the attachment points on the 12 bolt at a different angle. at the time i set it up, the rearend was hitting the frame at the end of its travel and there was still plenty of room for the exhaust.

so, the rear cross was notched and i got it smoothed today. i also finished the mid cross through holes, finished welding up the trans mounting points, took care of the droop stops to keep the front uca's from hitting the frame when jacking up the front end and also ground all the paint and filler out of the frame seams so i can weld them up more than the factory did. i never did it the first time, but i'm going to take the time now.

also, my wheels are supposed to be dropped off tomorrow morning!!!! i plan to take them out to jon for tires some time in the afternoon.

check out a pic of how some of the factory seams look??????? did they put a roll of 70s6 in a flux machine, or just run out of gas???

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Awesome build I just spent a few hours reading though it..

[Nuke1]

I just read you entire build thread, great job on this car!!! I am starting to do one for the wife and this is basicall y the direction that I wanted to go with it. thaks for some more ideas.

[The WidowMaker]

another small update.

i got the frame seams mostly ground out and welded. i will do some more once its completely disassembled.

i also checked the watts one last time and it came up perfectly centered. the old tires were off 1/4" as they rotate, so lesson learned on using them for measuring. the new wheels and tires are pretty perfect, so i used them to center and no changes are needed.

i moved the shocks over about 3/4" to allow for more exhaust and watts clearance. its pretty amazing how that little change can affect the spring rates. before i could get the frame to sit on the axle, and now the lowest i can get it is about 1" from the axle. i went from about 8-10* to 4* on my shock angles.

i do need to narrow the frame, so that is the next job to be completed on tuesday. then its just little stuff like welding the control arms, cutting off the ears on the 12 bolt...........

more to come!

[Nick.V70]

You are my hero

[The WidowMaker]

the frame got narrowed today. its not as pretty as i would like since it should have been done the first time and the notch reinforcement complicated things. but, it is done.

i have a whole list of stuff to do tomorrow and then i wont be back on it until next wednesday. i promised the wife i would take friday off from the car, and i leave saturday for a boys trip to vegas. i just hope im still married when i come back.........

heres a couple teaser wheel pics to hold you over. this is about .5" above ride height at the rear, and really high at the front. it still measures higher than i wanted, but the wheel is also 28.5" tall! they also sit in a tad more than i would like, but theres nothing more i could do at this ride height. at full compression they are pretty dang tight to the outside of my tubs, and my tubs have about a 1/16" gap to the quarter at this spot. wheels are rushforths with nitto nto5 315/35/20's. centers are custom matched to the code i gave them which will be the color on the frame in a couple of weeks.

i'll get some real pics once the frame is painted and assembled.

[MCMLXIX]

hey.. you got a fat lip...

[78 Type-LT]

This gets better & better..

[srh3trinity]

You have got to be pumped about how nice this car is turning out. That stance and that much limp looks amazing.

[The T-man]

wow....nice work

[The WidowMaker]

Thanks guys!! ive been working on it so much that i get a little burnt out. the comments keep me going.