Update Aug 29, 2009 - Part 2
 

A little side by side for the guys who can't see it.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...wings/s-28.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/02/s-12.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...wings/s-29.jpg


Brake and Clutch Pedals, Wilwood is now making this freaking cute little master cylinder with optional remote tank. Cool thing is this little bad boy has a 1.125” bore. So a pair for the brake system and one for the clutch, I’m aiming for a dual disk clutch and so the slave will need a little more fluid to disengage both clutches. I’m making a model to make designing the pedal system easier.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro..._pedal/s-1.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro..._pedal/s-2.jpg

Turbos, Turbos, Turbos!
I can’t say enough good things about the guys at STS Turbos right now. Rick spent a day or 2 on the phone with me working out the specifics of the turbo and the design and placing of parts for optimal power. Next he went through the trouble to sort out there universal kit and pull out all the parts we didn’t need for our build and adjusted the price accordingly then specked out and supplied a cam specifically for our build. We’ll be pushing 6-7 PSI on 9.4:1 for the race making an easy 500+ HP. Considering I’m ditching the electronic cutouts and mufflers the only weight gain to the truck is the inner cooler and the compressed air piping. I’ll get more info up when our system gets here.

-Russell

WOW:wow:

wow. that's got to be a pain to keep all of it from warping. I'm still a little confused about where the turbos will mount ?

Russell, I know you said you can't share the CAD drawings, but.... would it be possible to get the co-ordinates for the upper & lower arm mounting points ? or maybe just simplified ? c-c numbers for the mounting points for the upper & lower arms X,Y,Z ? I realize you've tweaked the measurements from factory- I'm not asking for your secret recipe, the OEM number would be just fine. I've been trying to find this info, with no luck. At some point in the future i'd like to build a C4 front end for my dakota and I am trying to collect data for that project. My last resort will be to jig from a clip cut from the junkyard if needed.

Warping is no problem with all the keys and slots. Just don't get torch happy and it's really very easy.

I don't have the C4 stuff in the computer. When I took over and started designing the frames I decided to go all C5/C6 because of the improved geometry and availability of parts. So I don't have the factory suspension for the C4 in the computer. I have the cradle references but not the knuckles and A frames.

I figure I got my 57 Sedan and HRJ C4 Chassis with only .75 degrees static negative camber pulling off 1.2G corner exits on street tires at the road course that the C4 configuration on that chassis was good enough for that one so I didn't bother reinventing that one for the sake of a few tenths. Everything else from here on out is another story.

Thanks
Russell

Update Sept 7, 2009
 

Quick update, frame quarters are almost done, the main section of the frame is knocked out on the computer, cut up waiting the quarters and the transmission is a little hung up due to some national back orders with T56 parts. Take a look at the photos, I’m going back to the work.

-Russell


http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...wings/s-30.jpg


http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...wings/s-31.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...wings/s-32.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...wings/s-33.jpg


http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...wings/s-36.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...wings/s-35.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...wings/s-34.jpg

Remember its whats on the inside that counts. This will keep our frame from deflecting. Use structure not mass, keep it light.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/03/s-1.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/03/s-2.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/03/s-3.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/03/s-4.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/03/s-5.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/03/s-7.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/03/s-8.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/03/s-9.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/03/s-10.jpg

Totally awsome build Russell!!!

Pretty Freaking Awesome !!!

I like seeing the designs you've come up with.

Russell, as an infant did you have a rattle in your crib, or did your parents move you right up to an etch-a-sketch? :unibrow:

Update Sept 11, 2009
 

The Etch-a-sketch is for noobs! I went to the big box of crayons. See this is what happens when you LET your kids draw on the walls.

WE HAVE A FRAME. I'm off to finish putting it together.

-Russell

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/04/s-1.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/04/s-5.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/04/s-9.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/04/s-12.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/04/s-13.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/04/s-14.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/04/s-15.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/04/s-16.jpg

Congrats Russell on how well its turning out. :thumbsup:

Good Job the frame is killer who clean up :thumbsup:

Billy :rofl:

Me, I wanted to take a few without all the clutter from the fab work.

A quick bit of machine work to the upper A arm bolt holes. I decided that the 10mm's weren't quite as snug as we wanted them so we took them out to 7/16's just for good measure. Uppers and lower on the front and lower A frames on the back, This puppy will be on tires tomorrow with a cab on it.

MawHaHaHa (evil laugh)

-R^3

A quick update for everyone.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-1.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-2.jpg

-Russell

Looking good Russel.:thumbsup:

niceeeeeeeee

Update Sept 14, 2009 part 1
 

Busy few days, some rack mockups, measurements and then back to the jig. Billy’s been getting a bunch of the little parts all knocked out and I’ve been doing paper work along with the last programming for parts off to the laser.

Fenders, wheels and fire wall, and seat checks and mockups

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-3.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-4.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-5.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-6.jpghttp://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-7.jpghttp://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-8.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-9.jpg

Billy Painted the Semi Gloss Metallic Charcoal Gray on the wheels race wheels and the street wheel.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-18.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-19.jpg

Decided we didn't like the fire wall, really we hadn't changed it sine the move from auto the manual transmission so we needed to re adjust the position for the driver.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-16.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-17.jpg

Update Sept 14, 2009 part 2
 

Back onto the jig table for driveline angling, exhaust and sheet metal work.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-10.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-11.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-12.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-13.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-14.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-15.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-20.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-21.jpg


On the Jig with the body

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-22.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-23jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-24.jpg


Put the wheels on it for further clearances checking and just to see what she looks like

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-25.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/05/s-26jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-27.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/05/s-28.jpg


We’ll get the motor in tomorrow and go from there
-Russell

Lookin Good, Reminds me of few years ago.

We still on for that race? your truck vs mine? :yes:

-Russell

Very nice Russel. Should look awesome when complete!:thumbsup:

:cheers: this really is an awesome build.

Update Sept 20, 2009 Part 1
 

Thanks guys

To the work at hand

Turbos are here. I’ve only started into the kit but after I read the instruction book I had only one question. Not bad considering this is our first turbo car. We’ll be rigging the waste gate to the side pipes and the fact that these are quality turbos with remote gates. Braded lines and a plethora of fittings to make sure you have what you need for your build. Two large Oil pumps and their wiring system with integrated pressure sensors and alarms so if you have any issues with the pumps failing you’ll be alerted before you destroy something.


http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...bos/01/s-1.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...bos/01/s-2.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...bos/01/s-3.jpg


Front end went back on the truck and we started fabing the inner fenders and new firewall. We did have one minor miss hap with the steering column location but we’ve fixed it getting the column into the proper location to the driver. Even though it’s not adjustable the seat is on a slide and the pedals will be adjustable so as to get them all dialed into the driver. Headers are tight but thanks to the guys at American Racing Headers we got a set of the corvette headers and modified them to fit. I, like an idiot, had them coated first due to our time restriction, bad idea. I had to draw up my own master cylinder for the brake pedal model but not too much trouble. We’ve got the miss alignment of the pushrod down to less than 1 degree in both directions and after a quick mockup with a foam board model. Check out the exhaust going it and the rear diff adapter plate going together, this is the prototype, I know it ugly but we’ll dress is up on the mill later.


http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/06/s-1.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/06/s-2.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/06/s-3.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/06/s-4.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/06/s-5.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/06/s-6.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/06/s-7.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/06/s-8.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ame/06/s-9.jpg

Update Sept 20, 2009 Part 2
 

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/06/s-10.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/06/s-11.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/06/s-12.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/06/s-13.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/06/s-14.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/06/s-15.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/06/s-16.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...me/06/s-17.jpg

-Russell

Russell,

Very nice progress. :thumbsup:

Will you be incorporating aspects of this frame and suspension design into your new frames going forward?

I hate to bring this up again but, ... you won't be getting much sleep in the next five weeks!

Incredible job!

Jeff-

Yes too a degree. This frame can be a little to no body modification frame for the 55-59 Chevy and GMC Trucks but we're taking it to the next level to show guys what they can do with some imagination and a sawzaw :rofl:

We will be doing other frames with this same style of internal structure later on for other cars.

And yes Skip, We'll probably put a C5 / C6 suspension under the Meteor.

-Russell

No offense Russell, but I had forgotten about Meteor...

I've trained myself to only store info about '55's. :P

What an awesome project you have here!
LOving it :thumbsup:

Update Sept 23, 2009
 

I forgot a few photos from the last update and I have a few more for this one.

Brake pedal rendering and the gas tank I forgot to post last time. You might also notice I got the LQ4 model for the truck instead of the LS7 better info for the firewall bits.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ngs/01/s-1.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ngs/01/s-2.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ngs/01/s-3.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro..._pedal/s-3.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro..._pedal/s-4.jpg


I’m working on the gas tank and brake pedal and found out the new bottle of gas was bad. That’s the main reason the welds on the brake pedal look so chunky. I might re-cut it but only time will tell.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/01/s-4.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/01/s-5.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/01/s-6.jpg

Jim’s working on the front grill inserts to make the cross hair mouth.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/01/s-1.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/01/s-2.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/01/s-3.jpg

And the inter coolers are here.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/01/s-7.jpg

Later
-Russell

WE ARE IN!!!!!!!

http://www.optimainvitational.com/PRIMARY_LOGO_650.jpg

40 of the fastest cars and We're the only truck on the list, and the oldest car too. Apparently I gave the right person a ride in the Black Widow. We were under consideration along with several hundred others but now its official.

you can go here to see more.
http://www.optimainvitational.com/

-Russell

Congrats Russell and Hot Rod Jim's. :thumbsup:

Congrats!!:cheers:

Congrats Cool Stuff:thumbsup:

Update Oct 01, 2009
 

Thanks, I've been ready for over a month, when I got my booth number.

Updates

People with big feet - (Darren, Brianne, and I, well everyone but Billy really) our feet wouldn't fit with the last pedal system so we rear arranged a few things and moved them under the floor.

Clutch
http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/02/s-2.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/02/s-3.jpg

Brake
http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/02/s-4.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/02/s-5.jpg

Intercooler caps are done and out to the cutter with the brake parts

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/02/s-1.jpg

TURBOS!!!!
Looking evil. and the tubing for the compressed air is in too. All mandrel bends in aluminum. It'll start 2.00" at the turbo after a few gentle 45 degree turns it goes up to 2.25" up over the front tire turns into 2.5" and then goes into the intercoolers.


http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/02/s-6.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/02/s-7.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/02/s-8.jpg


http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/02/s-9.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-10.jpg

Stack gauges are in. I've always used Autometer and with Stack getting bought out by them I think Autometer will learn something from Stack. WOW the are some of the best built gauges I've ever seen. Aluminum housings, electric steeper motors full 270 degree sweeps and the tack. Oh the tack, this is all built in, 2 programmable gauges, speedometer, odometer, and sequential shift light. Just wow, Huge thanks to Stack for these bad boys and the simple black and white fits the plane theme perfectly.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-11.jpg


Later
-Russell

Looks great Russell!! Keep us posted.:thumbsup:

Remote Turbos
 

I'm not really sure about the remote turbos installation, doesn't it add a lot of lag, and weight of the plumbing? What pressure will the turbos run? It looks really cool and awesome Russell

Not really since you've also taken almost all the back pressure off the exit side of the exhaust too. The STS cars I've been in exhibit no lag at all. The exhaust is lighter actually since we're not trying to make elaborate headers that flow and twist under the hood and we're not running mufflers. The weight of the mufflers is the same of the turbo, I think the turbo is lighter really. Inter coolers weight 5-8 pounds apace and all the aluminum tubing front to back might weight 15 pounds since its all .065 wall. Waste gates are 2-3 pounds each, blowoff is 4-5 pound, and the oil pump system is 10 pounds total I think.

To answer another question, about the rear end. We're developing this adapter to convert the Corvette transalxe into a stand alone diff. I'm showing the C5 adapter on a C6 Rear. I'm running the C5 in the truck but I don't have a C5 model. We'll be offering this shortly after SEMA and we've beaten the crap out of the prototype. It will have several different mounting positions and will take almost all the torque the normally destroys a C5 rear diff into the plate then straight into the frame.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-12.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-13.jpg

BTW Intercoolers are done

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-21.jpg

Rear scoops, mud and water gard for the intake and access pannel for the rear fenders are going together nicely. We'll also be installing one of the power cells for the ISIS wiring system in here too.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-14.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-15.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-16.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-17.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-18.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-19.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-20.jpg

Also I need to point out two of the biggest helps we've had here at the shop. Terry the old guy upfront is a retired body guy. That means he hammers out dented metal and repairs it, not just makes you replace everything with new metal then bondos over everything. His skills have been in valuable here and we all take a lesson when he starts to talk, most of the time.

Kendall Burleson is in the background working on a brace for the inside of the cab. Kendall is the owner of Adrenaline Rides Garage in San Antonio and has been in the Automotive and Air Plane fabrication industries for over 30 years and brings his considerable sheetmetal, TIG and custom interior skills to our shop when he's not racking on his several projects. They convert J bodies (Cobalts and the like) into RWD Drag cars. We're in the processes of designing their first Pro-Touring style conversion with C6 Corvette suspension. With out tight time table Kendall has volunteered some of his time doing what he dose best, everything, lol.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...te/02/s-24.jpg

Hey Russell, You might check and see if someone has the C5/6 trans adapter already. I saw the unit in Good Guys Columbus 2 years in a row on a purple chassis of a vendor using the chassis to demo an exhaust cutout/bypass product. (maybe another member here remembers that product and/or vendor) They took a transmission tail shaft - reversed it and used it on the input of the Diff like you're showing in the solid works diagram above. It bolted right up with no cutting or mods. I have pics of it at home - but I'm in Miami this week.

I've been watching your Porsche build since your 4th or 5th post. I have a 69 911 I'm going to do if I don't sell it before SEMA. I haven't seen but one other adapter for the C5 differential and they wouldn't sell it. Plus I'm almost done.

I just got the input shaft in now to make the press on sleeve for the clip ring and bearing face and we're done.

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/03/s-5.jpg

LET THERE BE BOOST!!!!

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/03/s-1.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/03/s-2.jpg

http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/03/s-3.jpg http://www.hotrodjim.com/immages/pro...ate/03/s-4.jpg

-Russell