Project: BLACK METAL - '67 Camaro

[67rally]

2 steps forward, one step back...

I ended up removing the drivers side SpeedTech UCA. When I did the Guldstrand Mod, it moved the drivers side arm back and down enough so it was hitting the ear that the control arm bolts to. I ground the ear down a little, but it wasn't enough, so I removed the bushings from the control arm, ground some off, and shimmed it to move the arm forward. Unfortunately my drivers side control arm would have been slightly forward of my passenger side. It wasn't really the right approach, so I called Blake from Speedtech and explained my stupidity, and he's going to hook me up with a couple new bushings. Stand up guy, I screwed up, and he takes care of it!

So I shipped my bushings off the Speedtech, so they could replace with identical ones (they've changed the design slightly a few times and he wanted to make sure I got the right ones). Then I added some material to the mounting ear, so I can grind it back without compromising the structure. I used some 1/8" steel stock, bent it around a socket with the right radius, drilled some holes so I could plug weld it, and welded it back up. I'll grind the ear back once I mock up the control arm to make sure I have plenty of clearance. I'll smooth the welds and give it a fresh coat of paint so it kind of blends back in.

Here's the ear in question, you can see where I started to grind the top left area. To get the clearance I needed, I would have gone completely through the structure:


Test bending some steel stock:


Added a small second section where the majority of grinding will take place:


New piece:




Mocked up (I beveled the inside edge for better weld penetration):


Welded up, lots more material to work with: