American Motors Xperimental full frame

[Motoracer838]

I use these highly sophisticated quarter panel gauges

CAD, cardboard aided design... I use it often and in many ways.

Joe

[69Phoenix]

Love the Q Panel gauges.... you should patent them! Awesome, simple, and easy to fabricate!!!!

[Ron S]

Finally got the crudely welded together panels done. Pull some fiberglass molds off of these panels, then the part. Yahoo, then I get to do body work attaching them to the car.

[2ndroundko]

I love the fact that you are forgoing hours of metal finishing and creating fiberglass parts. Nothing wrong with metal but its nice to see a different process being done. The only thing that could top this would be a version 2 in carbon...

[Ron S]

The guy I used to pull the nose molds builds 80% of the dragster bodies in the country, all carbon. He recommended not doing them in carbon fiber. He explained about how strong carbon was in long flat panels, or in a tubular shape, but how weak it was on a complex shape with a lot of 90 degree angles. He explained how brittle it is, and how any shape corners in carbon will eventually crack. Considering he said my nose mold was the most complex mold he had ever done, with nothing but sharp corners, he recommended fiberglass parts reinforced in critical areas with Kevlar. So that it what I did, have to trust the pro's.

[FormTA]

Wow! This car is turning out great. I know I have watched a ton of fiber glass mold how to videos but I would love to see how you did it and what products you used. That quarter came out looking great.

[Ron S]

Quarter panel molds are made, now finally on to the car. See if I can finish some of the bottom stuff, and send it to the powder coater.

[Ron S]

Got the last of the cage work finished, starting on tin work, filling in the little windows 1 at a time.

[Martin71RS]

Looks great Ron!

[Streetbu]

Wow that's quite a jungle gym!

[Gojeep]

How are you intending to hold all the little sheet metal pieces in place?

[Ron S]

Silicone bronze

[Yelcamino]

Silicone bronze

Are you going to leave it natural or paint over it? Either way, cool!

[Ron S]

The body unbolts on this car, the chassis floor and all will be sent to the powder coater. The body may be as well, haven't decided yet. I will fill the voids in the floor with 1.75" rigid polystyrene insulation board, super light, and will make the floor flat. Then I will have some snap in carpet put on the flat part of the floor, like a boat.

[digitalsolo]

Cage work looks fantastic. This is a lot of fun to follow along with Ron. Thanks for all the detailed pictures/explanations. Such a cool build.

[mdes0]

Hey Ron, you have a tubing bender? Was wondering what you used to bend the cage and such. Thanks!

Matt

[Ron S]

I use a JD squared hydraulic/pneumatic bender, works pretty good.

[HectorM52]

I haven't checked in on this one in a while, glad I saw it pop back up! I'm looking forward to hanging out with you and seeing the car hopefully sometime soon!

Adam

[dittlick96]

ron, do you have any other pictures/info on how you mounted the body to the frame?

[Ron S]

I first made inner rockers with plates and nuts welded to the inside, then welded sleeves into the perimeter frame for bolts to go through. I'm sure their is an easier less labor intensive way to do it. but it works pretty good. The only bad part is the cage swells out at the A and B pillars, so you have to spread the rockers a bit when taking the body on and off. It comes off surprisingly easy though.