Progress

[wayovermyhead]

How are you going to stitch it all together?? ... make it all sealed etc and retain the ability to adjust the bracket height? How low is this car going to be?? would want to be loooow to need the bracket that high.

[jpayne]

I will be running an angle attached to the floor with corresponding holes to the bracket such that when I both through it will hold the floor against the bracket and crossmember and offer some sealing. It is a race only car so the odd amount of water, grime etc ingress will be irrelevant and most likely find its way back out through other holes...no boot seals, grommets of seam sealer etc.
The middle of adjustment on the bracket is aligned with the lower third mark on the diff at ride height which is about 50mm above the road at the old leaf spring front bush hangers 45mm of travel in the suspension. I have a taller version of the plates which allows the bracket to be lower in the car or higher again. The chassis rails have been notched.
The front crossmember has been modified to allow this ride height and if its too low I can raise it.
Previous photos illustrate the car with the suspension would up to full height.

JP

[Danny M]

Justin you don't need to dummy fit the bracket to check for height but for clearance for the diff housing longitudinally as you want the arms running straight as not all leaf springs have the centre bolts In the right place or even the same place

[jpayne]

Thanks Danny,

Yes its all been dummy assembled and I believe I have the tower located far enough behind the diff to allow the watts arms to be parallel to the axle housing and aligned along the watts tower centerline (across the car).

The diff was dummy set up so that it was square to the front crossmember as best I could get it +/-2mm at worst. You are right one of the leaf spring hangers was welded back on 20 years ago after a particularly nasty manufacturing fault reared its ugly head and the bracket fell off on a sped hump when it was a road car! I have no doubt it was cheaply and hastily repaired by my sister...the previous owner.

The trailing arms are rose jointed and I am using up to 5mm thickness of shims either side between the watts bars rod ends and axle bracket to adjust any variation once settled with weight etc and proper on ground alignment.

The front crossmember alignment was referenced against the car centerline and several reference points on the chassis rails longitudinally.

Cheers and thanks for the comments.

Justin

[jpayne]

Bought myself a big floor mounted pedestal drill which can do 180 RPM so I can use it for hole saws into steel. Will use it for the roll cage as I also bought a tube notcher a few months ago.
Tried the drill out on the cross member for the watts link and with a bit of cutting oil was a dream job.

ran some stiffeners across the bolt holes

and hey presto
ready to weld in


I move into the new workshop next week so I hope progress will accelerate again with space to work

JP

[Danny M]

The Sydney Harbour Bridge?

[MK1_Oz]

Nice work Justin.......

[jpayne]

Cheers Oz and Danny
Back on its wheels again ready to be moved
had to tack the Sydney harbour bridge in upside down

seems to clear everything and doesn't bind

this is it at about ride height

and cause they look pretty the front struts on the car


also fitted the doors up with new 8mm bolts and has fixed the droop and knock on one side. the other side is better but not perfect, and the whole lot lines up still yay!
might get some photos of it on the ground tomorrow if I remember.
JP

[wayovermyhead]

Keep it up mate, What's this new workshop you speak of? I'm jealous already.

Also, I think your discs are on the wrong side. it may just be the photo angle but I'm pretty sure the internal vanes should "flow" to the rear if you get my drift, as it's effectively a tangential impeller. Cooling will not be anywhere near as effective with them facing "forward"

keep the regular updates going, and some pics on the ground asap. love seeing the progress.

Llew

[jpayne]

Llewellyn,
just screwed it all together to get it on the ground, will need to be disassembled for painting so will ensure I get them all on the correct side and I might do some of the bolts up tight.
I find it easier to move with most parts sort of in the right place rather than in boxes
Photos of it in the new workshop soon.

Cheers,

JP

[jpayne]

with a little help from some mates and a convoy of utes, trailers and station wagons I'm all moved into the new workshop
Before:


After:



then it hit 40 degrees so ill head back tomorrow to get it off the trailer and restart work, with space a plenty.

JP

[jpayne]

spent the day cleaning and building new benches, arranging new, old, to be refurbished, falcon, suzuki and other car parts or toys etc into a logical probably never to be found again spots.
then off the trailer ready to be rotated tomorrow


and look how bad fitting these rear arches are, time for some new ones I think, I have to butcher them to repair the rear 1/4 lowers anyway.


JP

[Neville Bertwistle]

Very nice Justin.

Only problem is no matter how big the shed, your "shite" tends to expand to all available corners and within months it will be full.
Much easier to work on the car though so enjoy it while it lasts.

[jpayne]

OOPS got a bit pull-it-apart happy

bit of diff clearancing, will probably just box the tank platform in rather than reshape it all with one piece
cut, ground and trimmed plenty of little bits and pieces then

ahhh more big holes

actually not that bad but now is the time to fix the rear arches for good about 45mm further back and a lot less rotated around the wheel like before


JP

[jpayne]

started on the tank platform and diff clearance. Rather than two pieces of metal Im option for one boot floor and tank platform in one.
managed to lower the tank height by about 20mm over where it was previously.


and trying to arrange the new pumps, tanks, mounts and brackets.


JP

[Danny M]

Why such a huge tank and all the pumps and crap

[wayovermyhead]

Damn you Queenslanders and your large sheds!!!

[Danny M]

How big is the shed Justin

[jsa]

[jsa]

Keep up the great posts Justin , don't let NIH get to you.