Screaming Metal
Active Member
YEA! What He Said!!!!
700R4 friendly carb quest
- Thread starter Zandoz
- Start date
The problem is that I need a frame that is shorter, lower, and wider at the rear than anything I've seen. Basically I'm shooting for a lower and and slightly longer version of the classic Tweedy Bird T, with a bit more of a "Modified" style.
The original has an 84" wheelbase, I'm shooting for 92" to accommodate my 8" stretched body, I need 27" between the insides of the kickup to accommodate the upper control arms, and a 12"+ kickup to get it all low enough that I can get in and out of it with my mobility issues. I've been trying to no avail to find a "stock" T Bucket chassis that wouldn't take more work to modify than than it would to start from scratch
All you have to do is send/tell him the dimensions and he can build it. I'll bet my Bucket on it!! [ Unless $$$$$ is the holdup.] His frames are cheaper than you can go out and buy the material and weld it yourself or have someone else do it unless you are a jobber that buys a lot of material and have the skills/equipment to do it. No hard feelings I hope, just trying to save you time and money plus a lot of headaches.
No hard feelings at all. I have great admiration for Ron and his work, and there are no issues between us. He was a gracious host during a recent visit to his shop. He was and is my first choice to do the work for me, but for reasons that are not for me to say, it is not possible.
Screaming Metal
Active Member
1st thing guys, let me apologize, please accept my apologies....I'm off into the corner under self imposed exile, my bad. Got the chaulk circle drawn with my nose in it.
Zandoz, if Ron, who is a great fella by the way, can't build this for you, it would not be that hard to do what you need from your discription. Ron probably uses a chassis jig to assemble his frames. So its all gonna be good, straight and flat.
If you have a welder and a good flat metal table, a couple of squares, and some stock to tack across the frame in places to hold it in shape, some c-clamps ad/or bar-clamps, you can do this yourself.
If your tools aren't gonna let you do this, talk to a local welding shop, and their welder, and get a idea of what it would cost. From what I'm hearing we're talking about 2 hours worth of work here and a couple of pieces of tubing....
From what I'm reading, you need to widen the frame at the kickup, then extend the kickup higher. A new frame will not have much stress in it so it won't spring all outta shape.
But, you do wanna make a layout on that table with some soadstone and/or Silverstreak, to the dimensions you want. and tack the front of the frame down, yada, yada, yada.
Like I say, I hope things work out for you Zandoz, keep the faith....
Zandoz, if Ron, who is a great fella by the way, can't build this for you, it would not be that hard to do what you need from your discription. Ron probably uses a chassis jig to assemble his frames. So its all gonna be good, straight and flat.
If you have a welder and a good flat metal table, a couple of squares, and some stock to tack across the frame in places to hold it in shape, some c-clamps ad/or bar-clamps, you can do this yourself.
If your tools aren't gonna let you do this, talk to a local welding shop, and their welder, and get a idea of what it would cost. From what I'm hearing we're talking about 2 hours worth of work here and a couple of pieces of tubing....
From what I'm reading, you need to widen the frame at the kickup, then extend the kickup higher. A new frame will not have much stress in it so it won't spring all outta shape.
But, you do wanna make a layout on that table with some soadstone and/or Silverstreak, to the dimensions you want. and tack the front of the frame down, yada, yada, yada.
Like I say, I hope things work out for you Zandoz, keep the faith....
I'm not sure what you are apologizing for, but there was no need as far as I'm concerned.
My welding skills are right next door to non existent...it's been close to 40 years since my last tack. I regret never having learned that skill.
I've not given up entirely, but for now I'm limiting my acquisitions to deals I can't ignore. Meanwhile I'm trying to simplify my existing plan and trying to come up with an alternative plan that I can get enthusiastic about.
Thanks again for the encouragement.
Mike
Well-Known Member
Whadja do wrong, @Screaming Metal ? You mean something went awry, and I missed out on it? Again?
If you're fashing over that distributor thread, don't. The shite manners of another person are certainly not your fault.
Everyone needs to re-read the Help Vampire Diaries, for a refresher on how to spot the nasty, wee buggers. Whenever you see someone asking The Impossible Question, you pretty much know what is coming next.
<squeaky voice mode> Uhhh, gee, can someone please tell me the best blue jeans to wear? Because I want to go get some ice cream from that 31 flavors place. And I really need to know the best blue jeans to wear. Oh, and wait, because my car needs gasoline, so can someone tell me the best gasoline to use in my car? And, do you think that 31 flavors place has the best ice cream, or should I go to another ice cream shoppe? Oh, dear, when I get there, what flavor is the best flavor to order? And while we're at it, can you tell me the best streets to drive on, to get to the ice cream joint?</squeaky voice mode>
See all the problems with that? At no time did I define my personal parameters for determining what makes anything the 'best'. Best fit, best quality, best availability, best price, best what?!? Which is exactly how that ridiculous distributor thread started. I saw the original post and couldn't be arsed to provide an answer, simply because the question was not specific. My knee-jerk reaction was to explain there was never going to be a real answer, and to lock the thread. Which was one of those times when I should have acted on impulse, because that's what ended up happening, after all.
I hate to ladle in hard, but when someone spits the dummy because another person is trying to help them, I guess I really have no choice.
Zandoz, my sincere apologies for temporarily taking this one off course. Please, carry on with the discussion that was taking place, prior to my rude interruption.
fluidfloyd
Active Member
Bill,
Do you have a plan or frame design in mind at this time? I'm talking about hard dimensional information including the front and rear suspension. I was thinking you play with a cad program but it's been a couple of days since I've used my brain so a trail of thoughts and memories is usually scattered pretty good. I might be able to help you out in that department if you're not in a yesterday hurry. Between shop work and the VA I'm running out of useable oxygen. Let me know.
George
Zandoz, my sincere apologies for temporarily taking this one off course. Please, carry on with the discussion that was taking place, prior to my rude interruption.
No worries...threads go where they may. Many times the detours are more interesting than the original path.
At this point I have nothing finalized...I'm forehead deep in trying to simplify the plan I had. But it's likely to be next year before I'd be ready financially to start actually building...Unless wife hits a big jackpot at the casino....LOL. Meanwhile, I do have some questions if you do not mind.
fluidfloyd
Active Member
Bill,
Ask away. I'm no expert by any means but I will answer anything I can and maybe some I can't. My background really lays with chassis design and fabrication. Over 30 years on a drawing board and Autcad since Version 12 came out. Lot's of yellow paper designs in the mix. Anything I can do to help you just let me know. If you ever want to call me just let me know. As you can see, I'm a late night guy. Up early everyday and that does make long days for sure. I'm actually living in the shop I'm contracting to so I get up in the wee hours to look and think about things. I know from personal experience that original intent to a simple design can quickly evolve into a more complex, expensive and labor intensive design before you realize it due to over active minds day dreaming or "plotting" as I like to say. My original intent some years ago when I joined this group was a true recreation of a roadster I had in the mid '60s. At that time I knew nothing about building cars but as time passed I became fully vested in the design and fabrication business and I guess in the back of my mind I started incorporating little design changes until I faced the fact that it was a completely different car that was going to be more complicated and expensive. So now I'm trying to decide what I really want to do. Unfortunately I want to build both versions but even Ray Charles can see that won't happen. Guess I'll just have to develop both versions on paper then make a decision. Maybe you and anyone planning these things need to step back and think about what is realistic and possible given financial cost and in house ability. If you are of that group that can afford to contract it out then more power to you. Since I'll be in Kansas City for quite a while it's not an issue right now as we don't have the floor space to spare. Probably being saved from myself over that one issue and that's probably good for now. Think about it and give me a shout. Take care.
George
baddawgcustoms
Active Member
I have no idea of your design skills so sorry if I may be telling you something you are well aware of. before I started on my car I bought a few different size pads of old school draft paper. (Not the computer guy I was in the early years). I have had many hours of enjoyment just drawing out frames of differing styles, different ideas in my head. It was all I used in designing my frame which isn't all that complicated but is a little different from the norm. I bought several books on chassis design and all the days I had no money to buy the next part I spent with my head in those books and draft paper. Sometimes I get as much enjoyment out of that as actually working on the cat!
Designing things is my passion...but except for some old school drafting classes I'm self taught. These days I spend most of my time playing on DraftSight designing anything that comes to mind.
George, you and Zandoz need to build SOMETHING SIMPLE NOW to drive and enjoy before you are too old or disabled enough that you can't enjoy it. Nothing wrong with having something different if you have the time and money plus your health to accomplish the task. There is nothing wrong with a cookie cutter T=Bucket that is safe and reliable that will give you many years of happiness. Only IMHO I hope not to offend anyone or push them into something they don't want, but time is passing buy in a hurry the older we get. There are great tried and proven desighns out there that work and can be used to accomplish what you want and most ride remarkedly well for such a short wheel base car. Off my soap box and on to a fud raiser for cancer car show.
No offence taken, and I do understand what you are saying. But for me, the designing and building something that is unique is the reason for going into this project. I grew up around my uncle who designed and built a car, and from a pre-school age on I've wanted to do the same. Now it's a "bucket list" thing for me. Plus I already have another more or less simple project...Tailoring an electric blue Mercury Cougar XR7 to my wants and needs.
