Looking good josh, my rear suspension on the camaro utilized some of the factory bolts for the lower mounts, but also had a plate that bolted on the inside of the cab to the bracket, about 15-20 bolts. That and the subframe connectors helped make the car way more solid. The upper cross member for the coil overs bolts through the floor also, but mainly into the subframe. But the overall set up has improved the car a great amount. Just and idea on the mounts. Can't wait to see this thing done.
My Next Project: 1965 Sunbeam Alpine
- Thread starter UNSTUCK
- Start date
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
Best surprise ever showed up yesterday. I wasn't expecting these for 3-4 more weeks. I was giddy as a school girl! I also was sweating bullets hoping that my very custom backspace measurements were right. They were. The fronts are 215/40r18 and the rears are 265/35r18. I believe the stock tires are 185/xxr13's.
This really pumps up my motivation. Mark from Lockharts is coming over on Monday to plan out our sheet metal work. That will start in about a month. Once that's done it will get torn down for body and paint, then the long road of final assembly, and finished up with the interior. I've had three paint shops come look at it and one more that says they want to see it. So far the bids have come in between $5k and $30k. I really hope the fourth will come by. It was a good phone call. So we'll see on that.
This thing looks great in my head. I just hope I can get it out of my head and turn it into the real thing.
On a totally unrelated side note, I hate how small my pictures show up on my screen, compared to other threads with large pictures. I'm taking my original large files and re-sizing them in paint. They all come out around 300kb at that point then I post them as attachments. Is this the right way?
This really pumps up my motivation. Mark from Lockharts is coming over on Monday to plan out our sheet metal work. That will start in about a month. Once that's done it will get torn down for body and paint, then the long road of final assembly, and finished up with the interior. I've had three paint shops come look at it and one more that says they want to see it. So far the bids have come in between $5k and $30k. I really hope the fourth will come by. It was a good phone call. So we'll see on that.
This thing looks great in my head. I just hope I can get it out of my head and turn it into the real thing.
On a totally unrelated side note, I hate how small my pictures show up on my screen, compared to other threads with large pictures. I'm taking my original large files and re-sizing them in paint. They all come out around 300kb at that point then I post them as attachments. Is this the right way?
Last edited:
- Location
- Stinkwater
Are you hosting your photos on RME? I upload my pics to Photobucket, and then link them in the thread with tags. Nice and big.
Car's looking sweet, but 30k in paint! My gawd.
Car's looking sweet, but 30k in paint! My gawd.
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
I know. I have seen their work and know they are great, but when they say 500 hours minimum and the shop before them said about 50 hours, it makes no sense. The third shop didn't tell me hours, more of just a flat rate of $7500. I'll be interested to see what the fourth says. He's a one man band out of his house. I kind of like those guys.
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
Sweet. I should be around all night.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Those wheels are a perfect design and fit for the car, can't wait to see those tires rolling smoke off them!
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
So here's a bit of an update. I've been having a hard time coming up with a good way to mount the shocks while keeping the rear tub in place. I decided it just wasn't going to happen. Out came the plasma and I went to town cutting out the rest of the tub over the axle and into the trunk area. The half cut out square that would be behind the passenger seat was the old battery box, if anyone was wondering. The battery will now go in the trunk, probably in the recess for the spare tire that will no longer be there.
With that out of the way I finally had room to mount both rear wheels. Makes it look super narrow.
The passenger side inner fender still needs to come up about an inch to match the driver side.
So here's my plan: I'm going to install a cross member right behind the rear wheels. I will then tie bars from there to the lower bar on the roll cage. I will be able to mount the shocks off those bars. That gives me plenty of strength and also puts back the "frame" section I cut out with the wheel wells. This is turning into a race car with all this tube, and still more to come! These two pictures are of the plates I welded up to the frame to support the new cross member. It's in place now, I just didn't get a picture of it.
Here's the picture of the awesome radiator grill opening. I think Sunbeam encouraged drinking on the job.
With that out of the way I finally had room to mount both rear wheels. Makes it look super narrow.
The passenger side inner fender still needs to come up about an inch to match the driver side.
So here's my plan: I'm going to install a cross member right behind the rear wheels. I will then tie bars from there to the lower bar on the roll cage. I will be able to mount the shocks off those bars. That gives me plenty of strength and also puts back the "frame" section I cut out with the wheel wells. This is turning into a race car with all this tube, and still more to come! These two pictures are of the plates I welded up to the frame to support the new cross member. It's in place now, I just didn't get a picture of it.
Here's the picture of the awesome radiator grill opening. I think Sunbeam encouraged drinking on the job.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
I still think your diff is too small.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
Corey does good paint work.
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
Small Update for you guys:
If I was any slower I'd be moving backwards. Well actually I have been moving backwards. I've been struggling so much with this car being so out of square/symmetrical. Originally I squared the rear axle to the car. I then realized that the axle was actually about 3/8 inch pushed to the driver side. Well at least compared to the fenders. With the wheels mounted I could barley get my hand between the fender and the tire on the driver side. The passenger side had more room. I took the suspension apart and moved the axle over. Now the gap is the same on both fenders, which I think is the most important. That's what would be noticeable. Now if you compare the location of the tires to the old frame sections, you can see that the axle is not centered to them, by maybe a 1/4 inch. I can live with that as it wont be seen or felt. I was happy that I only had to adjust the angle of one of the upper link mount brackets to move the axle over. It's at least close now so the alignment shop can finish it up.
So now the rear suspension is finished up and it is now a roller. I had to notch the frame in the front for full steering at full bump. I just need to get some tube to fill in the holes. Then I will smooth out all the front frame welds and add some fish plates on the insides of the rails. Probably not needed, but I'll sleep better if I do.
I'd like to have the car put together in the next week and a half to be ready for sheet metal. I still need to figure out how to mount the transmission. Then I'll be getting the steering installed. With those two things in I can get the sheet metal done.
I still need to add down bars like this. I just need to check with Mark at Lockharts to make sure this wont kill his attempt at putting in the sheet metal.
If I was any slower I'd be moving backwards. Well actually I have been moving backwards. I've been struggling so much with this car being so out of square/symmetrical. Originally I squared the rear axle to the car. I then realized that the axle was actually about 3/8 inch pushed to the driver side. Well at least compared to the fenders. With the wheels mounted I could barley get my hand between the fender and the tire on the driver side. The passenger side had more room. I took the suspension apart and moved the axle over. Now the gap is the same on both fenders, which I think is the most important. That's what would be noticeable. Now if you compare the location of the tires to the old frame sections, you can see that the axle is not centered to them, by maybe a 1/4 inch. I can live with that as it wont be seen or felt. I was happy that I only had to adjust the angle of one of the upper link mount brackets to move the axle over. It's at least close now so the alignment shop can finish it up.
So now the rear suspension is finished up and it is now a roller. I had to notch the frame in the front for full steering at full bump. I just need to get some tube to fill in the holes. Then I will smooth out all the front frame welds and add some fish plates on the insides of the rails. Probably not needed, but I'll sleep better if I do.
I'd like to have the car put together in the next week and a half to be ready for sheet metal. I still need to figure out how to mount the transmission. Then I'll be getting the steering installed. With those two things in I can get the sheet metal done.
I still need to add down bars like this. I just need to check with Mark at Lockharts to make sure this wont kill his attempt at putting in the sheet metal.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
Nice work, are those shots full bump or ride height?