In reply to STM317:
Whoa 
That thing is beautiful. Our frames looks similar. I'm now more optimistic about how mine will look. Just need some circle track wheels...
In reply to STM317:
Whoa That thing is beautiful. Our frames looks similar. I'm now more optimistic about how mine will look. Just need some circle track wheels...
In reply to STM317:
wow, thats what I have been dreaming of for a project..... I look at CL for old tube modified frames every day....
I think i have new 150# 12" coil over springs laying around if you can source shocks for them
patgizz wrote: I think i have new 150# 12" coil over springs laying around if you can source shocks for them
And I think I have two shocks that can fit that. You can have them for the project.
maschinenbau wrote: In reply to STM317: Whoa
I'd love to see your rod/rat rod on wide fives.
java230 wrote: In reply to STM317:
I keep seeing this ad for a FFR Cobra frame on CL that's been a real challenge to my will power.
Crackers wrote: I keep seeing this ad for a FFR Cobra frame on CL that's been a real challenge to my will power.
GTXVette has one he's selling, but I don't know the specifics.
In reply to Pete Gossett:
For right now I'm sitting on my hands, so to speak.
However there's also a wrecked (but driveable) Ranger with a Lima that's just begging to get Frankenstein'd to that chassis with an eBay turbo and hauled to Florida.
I'm thinking I should probably spectate at the Challenge once before bringing and entry. LOL
Here's a better mock-up of the 3-link done with PVC.
Relocated some brackets around on the axle. This is a Ford 8.8, with 3.73's and LSD, from a 90's Explorer. These are asymmetric, but those crazy kids at Georgia Tech modified it for the bonkers 2JZ MG Midget that is no more. They cut the housing and shortened one side to make the diff centered, and added mounts for 3-link/panhard bar setup. I'm trying to save all the mounting locations, but sometimes you can't compromise. I bought it from them at the $2016 Challenge swap meet for $50 and hauled it home in the Roadmaster wagon. Loved that damn whale of a car.
And HUGE special thanks to MulletTruck for the coilovers and awesome t-shirt! This forum is the best people on the internet!
The coilovers are designed for the front end of a Mustang II, but they should work fine back here. More on that next time.
I can't tell by the picture, but what angles are your control arms making from a side profile view? Because in that picture, it looks like they're parallel. That would put the instant center waaaaaay out in front of the car and give you some really weird anti-squat geometry.
I would lower the middle chassis mount so the upper arm slopes down.
It's pretty cool seeing stuff actually getting mounted.
What was your decision making process in putting the rear cross member below the rails?
In reply to Sky_Render:
Each link end will have 2 or 3 mounting holes, so lots of options there to tune.
In reply to Crackers:
That crossmember should hide below the tailgate, so when you drop the gate you don't just see more frame haha. It won't be much of a bed, but I at least want it to look cool.
OK, so the top of that tube will be the bottom of the bed floor?
Those should work out well for that little truck.
Remember those coilovers MulletTruck graciously provided? They're supposed to be used up front, so I built an upper perch for the spring. The large plate will get a rim for strength and locating the spring, and a tiny raised tower for the shock. I also have a rubber spring pad from my last junkyard. The angle was chosen get the wheel rate a bit lower, since these are 225 lb/in springs which might be a little stiff. Once again, everything was built with hand tools such as angle grinder, hole saws on a cordless drill, etc. I could REALLY use a bandsaw, drill press, mill, CNC...
The top face of the cross-member connecting the perches is flush and flat with the top of the frame rails. I know this because I checked it with a high-precision 2x4 measurement apparatus 
The lower part of the coilovers will be on a cantilever bolt, which will get a bit of strengthening. If it weren't for the tack welds and PVC links, this car would be sitting on its own four tires!
Very interesting ! ! And VERY neat ! ! !
I really like the piece that's been welded to the top of the pumpkin for mounting the third link !
In reply to TeamEvil:
That top link mount on the pumpkin is actually removable. It's squished between the housing and diff cover using the cover bolts along with an extra 2 bolts tapped into the top of the housing.
VERY COOL ! ! !
OK, you got me—would you have any close up photos of the back of the housing showing how things are set up?
I really like what you're doing there, coming along beautifully !
maschinenbau wrote:
Now, I haven't built a frame, ladder or otherwise. But I have spent a bunch of my college time sweating my way through FBD's, and I've lurked the locust forum a lot. So, caveats made...
There's something about the way that rear frame kicks up through two 90deg curves that has a part of mind brain wondering about a need to add some kind of triangulation. Any plans for that? Or am I underestimating the strength of the main tubes?
In reply to sleepyhead:
You are not wrong to be concerned. A few pages back we discuss "fish plates" and other means of stiffening the rails, which I plan to do before adding the body. See also the gussets welded into each corner. Diagonal pieces would best, and I might still add one behind the kick-up under the bed, but there won't be room for them in the cab area. I also have never built a frame before, so I'll likely go overboard with stiffening, but I'm certainly not the first to "Z" one like this.
About those shock towers. I used the cut-out circle from the hole saw as the top of the tower, and some 3" exhaust tubing to get the shock mount height correct.
Haven't TIG'ed in a while, and this was too easy not to.
These spring pads from the junkyard just happen to have a 3" hole and fit the Mustang II springs perfectly. They came out of a Jeep Liberty, whose springs I decided were too wide.
On to the bottom of the shocks. The cantilevered 1/2" bolt tacked to the axle probably won't cut it. So, more CAD method from frame-building scraps.
The shocks and springs are pretty easy to install. Just lift up the car, slide them on, and drop the car on top. With that, the car is now ROLLING ON ALL 4 ACTUAL TIRES. Sure, it needs a panhard bar, some extra structural members, and everything to be finish-welded, but it left the garage for the first time!
Best sweep in a long time!
sleepyhead wrote: There's something about the way that rear frame kicks up through two 90deg curves that has a part of mind brain wondering about a need to add some kind of triangulation. Any plans for that? Or am I underestimating the strength of the main tubes?
That's what cages are for.
Or a huge gusseting tube going from the bottom tube up to the top at 45 degrees
Dude. On 4 wheels!
berkeley yeah. Congratulations. I want to see skids. I realize that's a bit premature but I want what I want.
Woohoo! Thats awesome to see it rolling.
You make it look like fun ! ! I'm always seeing this sort of thing as my next "chore."
I need a new attitude for sure . . .
Great watching you work ! ! !
Roller is a big step. Congrats.
So cool watching this get built from random bits.
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