Low Slung T

[old round fart]

If the body leaves the frame the washers around the body bolts were to small. My guess with the body leaving the frame was the bolts were threaded into well seals that was the common practice then. My body bolts will have 4”x4”x1/4” washers. That is the recommended plate for a roll bar per SCCA it should be good enough for me!

 

[dwsatt21]

I’m not sure what we’ll deals are but my body will be mounted like yours.

 

[Neshkoro]

I found an easy solution to your problems. Just don’t have seat belts! Its kind of like having seat belts on your motor cycle! Not much value in my opinion. If you’re in a serious accident with your bucket, you’re pretty much toast, seat belts or not!

 

[dwsatt21]

Neahkoro. I know a lot of these cars don’t have them. I have to have them in mine or I’d never be able to drive it to work. I’m a safety guy...

 

[Neshkoro]

I get it. That’s why they have chocolate and vanilla. To each their own.

 

[DonnyRay]

I plan to install 2 racing harnesses in my project. I'm real big on safety also.

 

[fletcherson]

Just to play along, I had a head on collision in ‘96 in a full size truck. The steering column knocked the back glass out. Had I been wearing a belt, I most likely wouldn’t be typing this. It all depends on the circumstances. I do wear one most times now.

 

[Neshkoro]

Yikes!!!

 

[lincolnuT]

I can always say I tried, that is why I have lap belts in my bucket and I will have some in the "C'edan….

 

[fletcherson]

I can always say I tried, that is why I have lap belts in my bucket and I will have some in the "C'edan….

Mine has lap belts. They are bolted to the frame through the rear body mounts. I integrated steel in the floor for the seat/ body mounts so if the body breaks, belts will not matter. The floor, seat, etc will stay with the frame. Minor bumps will be survivable, I don’t know about much else. I seriously question making any of these cars very safe. There just isn’t enough material between flesh and whatever you may impact. Drive as defensive as possible.

 

[Spanky]

There just isn’t enough material between flesh and whatever you may impact. Drive as defensive as possible.

That is mandatory! I watch the road ahead like a hawk - driveways, sidestreets, parking lots - I assume that other drivers don't see me. So far, so good . . .

 

[fletcherson]

Yikes!!!

I still got a crushed skull and loss of vision in one eye from impacting the wing window frame, but the column missed me. Had I been strapped in, I don’t know. The engine and trans were broke in two and paralleled to and against the seat. Not speeding, not in a hurry, not impaired, just one of those things. Going about 45.

 

[choppedtop]

When I used to drive motorcycles, I drove as if I was invisible and nobody could see me. All of my my mishaps were self induced.

 

[T-Test]

That is mandatory! I watch the road ahead like a hawk - driveways, sidestreets, parking lots - I assume that other drivers don't see me. So far, so good . . .

I have lap belts and drive with headlights on when driving. Head on a swivel and looking out for the other idiots driving. My son survived a crash and the lap belt kept him in the car and they are mounted to 3/4" plywood floor with 3/8 bolts and 3" washers which were held down by 3/8 bolts and 3" washers into metal well nuts/ nut-certs. Floor held and body broke but did not come off of frame.

 

[fletcherson]

I have had two very bad accidents, one driving to work, one working. Neither time was I in a situation or doing anything that would merit it as far as being reckless, etc. I have been extremely reckless and dangerous on many occasions and nothing. It just happens if the conditions are favorable for it to happen. In retro spec, both could have been avoided, but it would have required the actions of more than just me to do so, other than not going to work, lol... what can I say, I one of the “privileged”. I try to be more aware of surroundings, travel when others are not, etc. to minimize the likelihood but you cannot control the actions of others, just try to avoid them. Right or wrong means nothing other than dealing with the aftermath.

 

[dwsatt21]

Been awhile since I updated this so I figured I'd stop by and do just that. Have had a lot going on with a friend needing help on an engine swap, a merger with my company, the Corona virus and then ultimately getting laid off. Given that last thing, I have had some time to do some work.
Made a cupholder that goes into my seat insert but I got excited with the welder and warped the heck out of it. Trying to decided whether to redo it or try to straighten it.
Made a new mount for my pcm. tried to get it under the seat inside the body but it just didnt fit. So its going under the body.
Adapted my factory engine harness to be kind of a stand alone. It does work with the 12 circuit harness I have for the body and lights.
Put together a bulk head connector for the wires that go into the body. I did this so I could easily take the body off without fighting wiring. Just disconnect it.
Made a new dash out of sheet metal and built in my steering column drop/support into it. I used an old double roller timing chain that had broken on me for the column drop.
Currently I'm about 80% done with my switch panel. Just got the last switch I need in yesterday, so now I have all the parts. I will be using almost all toggle switches. Ignition, start, turn signals, hazards, horn, security, and auxiliary lighting will all be on toggles. I have a regular style headlight switch to turn on my lights, high and low beams.
Built a battery mount for under my seat. Still need to run the wiring for it. I have some through panel connectors for my positive and negative that I need to figure out where to put.
Looking at where to put my trans cooler at the moment. I want it under the body, but I'm running out of room. Also wondering if it is actually going to work. It is a heat sink type that is about 15" long and 3" around.
Thinking about gauges a lot. Dolphin gauges are enticing because of their price but, are they good enough to trust and not blow my engine up... If I wasn't laid off, I would buy some better ones with no question. I'm just trying to hold myself off until things clear up a bit and I can get back to work. I pretty sure if I bought Dolphin gauges right now, I would just want to get rid of them at the first chance I get. But I also want to get as much done on it while I have extra time on my hands. I can wait for a little for now.

I need to gather my pictures up and I'll post some in a bit. Hopefully today sometime.

 

[choppedtop]

I've heard lots of complaints about the Dolphin gauges. But being close to my wallet, I chose the anyway. Been in the car for 11k miles with no problems. That also makes them about 8 years old in use. Would I buy them again? Yep. And yes, they seem to be correct. Electric speedo is dead on with my gps.

 

[dwsatt21]

I hadn't seen the ones with electric speedos. How does that work? Do you have an electronic transmission or a n originally cable driven one?

 

[dwsatt21]

Nevermind. I see that you just get one of their pulse generators.

 

[dwsatt21]

Also got my alternator installed. RPMs mount is working good. I do need to shim it out about and 1/8” to get the pulleys to line up.


Switch panel, Pcm mount and some wiring fun. That’s my oldest helping me gut the engine harness and the back of my fuse boxes. I had to extend almost all of the wires going to the pcm to get it to reach. In hindsight, it may have been better just to make an entirely new engine harness.