Best Laid Plans

[Maricopa]

I'm ready to start some serious planning and parts gatherin'. Here's a few pics I've collected of cars and styles I like. I really dig the warplane-green interior of the one car and think that would be a cool look to disguise the 'glass interior (I will most likely be doing a 'glass car) that way. I was thinking about going for a complete aircraft look so be honest, would covering the entire body with thin aluminum sheet complete with fake rivets be completely lame?
I want a traditional look so it would be an I-beam/transverse leaf front and live axle/leaf rear (unless I go with a turtle deck, then I'd be open to coil overs on the back) Planning an inline 6 but would go with a small V-8 (SBF) and I also want to sit low in it so I'd be installing either low bomber seats or building an aluminum bench seat.
Fire away with ideas, critiques, etc.

 

[Rick]

I like the third cars interior and who's car is that last one?:lol:

 

[Maricopa]

Sorry I meant to do a more complete message but got waylaid by customers and posted the first message before I was really done.

The last car belongs to a guy here named Don and is one of my favorites.
The 3rd car I added because I like the steering wheel angle and low seating position, I think I can cobble together something a *bit* cleaner than that.

I'm still a little foggy on what I'll do for a frame. I know that given the stance I want I'll need something with some custom 'Zing' but don't know whether to start with a pre-made frame and modify or start from scratch.

I really like the extra foot room of the '27 T and the look of the turtle deck so I'm leaning towards a Speedway body. It will be low enough that I won't need doors.

Just how big of a PITA is going with a standard trans in these things?

 

[Rick]

Get with Youngster he can build you a frame anyway you want.

 

[Lowrollerchevy]

ive got some frame plans around here someplace that are mighty low, lemme see what i can dig up for ya

edit: first off, i have these, which i can turn into printable pages when my computer stops being lame

 

[Brucer]

the only thing with the airplane/cockpit look is, alot of folks are already doing it in some sort of fashion...

i really like the looks of the 2nd and 4th car..


and i can not, for the life of me, like a ratrod in any shape or form... to me a ratrod is just a show of laziness.. why spend the time and effort on something and never finish it? doesnt take to much talent to throw junk together and not finish any of it in any fashion..just my opinion on ratrods.

 

[Maricopa]

I'm with you on the rat rod thing. Some of them have great stance and attitude but I'm not interested in poor build quality.

So that's one 'lame' vote on the airplane look.

Thanks for the help on the frame Lowroller. I assume I can set the front end height with the spring perch rather than Z'ing the front of the frame?
I want a low look (will channel the body some) but having a car right now with a 4" clearance I would want to go a bit higher than that. I don't like living in fear of speed bumps and steep driveways.

 

[EX JUNK]

I have a SLAM GUARD pan on mine and it sits 2 3/4" off the ground. I have found very little obstacles that I could not handily clear. Some drive approaches and speed bumps may have to be taken with a slightly diagonal approach but that is no big deal. I like 'em low but drivable because a low center of gravity handles better. If you are more concerned with just straight line performance, then a low center of gravity doesn't mean much.

 

[Lowrollerchevy]

no need to z the frame, it can all be done w/ perch height and the mount of drop on the axle.

various perch patterns can be found here: http://www.tbucketeers.com/forum/f7/patterns-front-spring-perches-2-5-crossmember-430/

and ill need some time to come up w/ the frame plans, the file i pulled that image from is a bit corrupted, as evidenced by the fact that the frame only measures 74" long, instead of the proper 116" or so

im also going to clean up the angles and lengths of the pieces some. ill post it up when its all set

 

[Maricopa]

This would be a runabout, just for fun not for tire frying. I want it to handle well but am realistic about what a car with non-indy suspension and bias ply tires will do. I'd be happy with 4.5-5" of clearance.

Overall WB will have to be determined by the body and driveline I end up with so I imagine that will wait till I get all those parts together.

Any opinions on standard trans, room for pedals etc?

 

[LumenAl]

I've seen it done... so it can be... here is a video to a cool setup done by an engineer on a Spirit T...

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Maybe you can grab some ideas from it...

 

[Youngster]

I have just posted a link to my chassis plans in the "Technical Articals" section of the forum. Check it out. It might help with some of your questions.

You can adjust the heigth of the front perch to lower the frame. To lower the rear of your frame, as in a car like Don's, (the last pic you posted) just cut the kick tube longer. You will also want to use a rear housing hair pin mount like this one from Speedway;
Rear Axle Bracket Low

While you're there checking out this bracket, look in the upper right hand corner and order a free catalog. You'll be glad you did.

Ron

 

[Maricopa]

Interesting, thanks. The pedals sure are all over the place though.
I was initially thinking a VW set-up with the clutch converted to hydro. Very compact and simple.

 

[Youngster]

A hydro clutch would make like a lot easier.

Ron

 

[Lowrollerchevy]

30 inch rear tires
24 inch front tires
3" of suspension travel in back
drawn w/ a 4" drop front axle
4.995" of ground clearance all the way around for the FRAME
windsheild is 12" in this drawing
driver is 5'11" w/ a 34 inseam on his pants (i measured myself up to make him, lol)
112" wheelbase as drawn
140" overall length w/o the truck bed

the earlier frame plans i posted are the ones also shown here, only diference is that the earlier ASSEMBLED view omits the last 2 tubes at the back

im still working on fixing the plans themselves, as all the measurements / angles are all screwy.

 

[Maricopa]

Very cool, and the guy looks JUST like me! :ciao:

 

[Lowrollerchevy]

basic layout of the rail pieces

crossmembers are at your own discretion

kept the long sides of each tube an easy number, if you want short side lengths i can get those and post them also, but they wont be easy-to-tape-measure numbers

patterns for the front crossmember cutouts can be found here: http://www.tbucketeers.com/forum/f5...ossmember-351/?highlight=patterns+crossmember