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Craig the wheels look incredible. I can't wait to see this car as a roller.
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Thanks!
Couple updates. I'm slacking a little. I've been trying to work on this a few hours at night and on weekends, but after working in the shop 10 hours during the day, with the temperature at 100 degrees with ridiculous humidity, I'm about done at the days end. Got the down bars cut off and prepped for what Ron suggested, a Ness bar. The down bars need to connect to the new rear frame rails, problem was, my new rails are about 10" narrower than my existing down bars. Cutting mine out and installing new ones really wasn't an option. These were welded to the main hoop when the cage was dropped so the tops could be welded. Now that the cage is lifted into position and welded in place, you can't get to the tops of the existing down bars to cut, or be able to weld in new ones. Ron came up with a wrap around bar, or Ness bar. This allows the down bars to be further out, and to be honest, frees up some real estate to put additional items back there. http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psx67hikcb.jpghttp://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5rtochd5.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psusx9al6h.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psiwi6e1tr.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8intxhpa.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pski8id52t.jpg The Ness bar will make an excellent place to attach the cover for the rear seat area. This all becomes home to the rear end accel/decel links, oil tank, battery, etc. |
I call it a Ness bar, because the first time I saw that wrap around shape to tie the main hoop, down bars & rear struts all together was on a Don Ness Pro/Stock car in the 80's. I do it differently on my Track-Warrior tube chassis cars. But on Craig's Cuda, which still has the floor & already had a roll cage this was just another way of skinning the cat.
P.S. Looking good Craig ! :cheers: |
Couple updates. Got put on hold while waiting NASA and SCCA cage approval. I've been debating cutting some out and redoing it to the "letter of the law", but have decided to roll with what I got and add to the existing structure. It's already 1-3/4 DOM .120 wall and tucked up nice and tight, so I'll add a few more bars and install permanent door bars.
Still gussets to install after I get this fully welded. http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psnm2mb5oz.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psjhbv1153.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psgfzvda0m.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7kmprntg.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psayo9yimp.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psgtvm53xh.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pskeexgx5j.jpg PS Ron, I landed those uprights dead on your spec's! |
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Sweet ! |
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Sweet ! |
Really digging this build. Keep it up! :thumbsup:
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Nice work with the bars!
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Thanks guys!
Few more. Progress is stalled waiting parts. Should have seats in a few weeks so I can fit door and roof bars. You can see the sway bar tube and Watt's link installed. http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psrq8korj3.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psxreof5i7.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psmb2akjps.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psz5wd3d6n.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psvciwgna4.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psnyc0sjiq.jpg |
Craig,
Car looks awesome and the more I see track cars being built the more I love them. This one being a Cuda is even better. :hail: |
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Some may be wondering on the angled cage bars... This is a two fold solution for me. The NASA/SCCA rule for the cage requires two diagonal main hoop supports to the frame. Doesn't say where. The tech guys okay'd this. Second, this is how a rally cage is built. I personally like the support of the middle hoop, you just never know if it got on the lid, where or what you could hit (besides, I can get to the tube and do a full 360 weld in the middle!) It will have two more bars, directly on the the other side of these, angled out from the middle to the front hoop/down bar junction to provide the roof support, which will tie into the "FIA bars" still to be added. http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psckuzqx7f.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps85j7bki0.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pswdyzabku.jpg |
Couple more.
Rear end showed today, a solid 6 months from when ordered. At this rate, going to take awhile to get this thing together. Went ahead and threw it in epoxy, and did a few quick measurements. Ron had me send my Brembo E-brake calipers to him so Speedway could fit the brackets. They did, but for a 12" rotor, not 13". Guess I'll cut those off and redo later...and I paid to have this done! On the plus side, I have a Moser 9", and comparing it to the Speedway is no contest. This Speedway housing is just super trick, from inside to out. Still debating color on everything including cage and rear end, etc.. Car is staying orange. Opinions/suggestions on color are welcome! http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pscp8tfphx.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psme4sfsfu.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pswuiuc53p.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psgy7uzv6k.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pse8xzdgvo.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psfevi0nv6.jpg |
Cage is progressing. Still waiting seats to do the door and roof bars. Pic of the 3 link attachment.
http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psvpopdrpk.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3cst4mvh.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pswvaur08h.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psgjsgph81.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1pfqrszc.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psxdcjcu5u.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psrwjlx0bt.jpg |
Great progress! I still think white or some shade of gray would look good and racey
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Seats showed the other day. We went and got fitted when we were in Charlotte for Ron's Workshop. I got two, one for me and my wife. She wants to drive some CAM and track day stuff and with so much cage close to your head, wanted a halo for even the slow speed stuff. You'll hear me never ending bitch about Mopars and lack of this or that, but when it comes to body width, I'll take this over any Chevy or Ford any day. Got plenty of room for door bars without being squeezed. http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psyvpqggpr.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psrxe6ftsv.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psxdfinuyi.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pssyq62ewz.jpg |
Is that seat powdercoated? Looks great. Did you have that done or did Butler do that for ya?
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Yep, powder coated. Butler offers it, so had them do it. There powder coat looks good, but peels off pretty easy, so I don't recommend it. Seats were definitely more than I wanted to spend! We looked at the different seats, was going to go with the model down, based on price, and my wife says, "look what you spent on wheels, your going to get cheap now on the safety?". Made sense, so got these! She has no idea what the Ron part cost... |
Went ahead and epoxied what I've done so far, but not the final color. It's Florida, humid, and my shop isn't air conditioned. Sweating and climbing around to fit and weld had me constantly chasing rust. Still waiting on a pretty trick fuel cell from Fuel Safe to arrive so I can build that structure and then start the sheetmetal.
Decided to make my life a little easier and not do door bars until the back is done. It already sucks climbing in and out at the height it's set at. Door bars would just make it worse! http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psuzs1bm98.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pshrbeor4u.jpg ...and the front clip showed up this morning...6 months later than promised. I think we got a theme going here. I'll post up lots of pics because I know some of you have been wanting to see what the RSRT clip looks like. http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psyhw83tmt.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psm3pztqk9.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5wzem2xt.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psthbaizqv.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psjbzxmfo5.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3tqlpa9k.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psonlovkqm.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psdm2ezvbc.jpg |
Hubba hubba... Very nice!!
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Wow that looks amazing. If you know what you're looking at, and I think I do, its even more impressive.
I can remember thinking a nice Art Morrison subframe looked pretty hot with the Corvette parts on it many years ago. Compared to this frame those seem more like a Street Rod IFS Mustang II crossmember setup you still see advertised. |
Wow, definitely some rugged looking parts right there! Nice!
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That's quite the jungle gym you have back there! Awesome work, and extra props for TIGing everything! We're tuned in to see whats next.
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I'm going to say it takes 3 to 4 times as long to TIG it than MIG it. Still wondering why I'm doing it that way... |
How are the seats mounted to the floor?
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http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pslknlcgmk.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pssu5kizem.jpg |
That front end is a thing of serious thought and planning. I don't even know how to cut the slots for all of those adjustment slugs, but wow, the level of precise adjustability on all of the parts is just nuts. I'm also impressed with the diversity of tubing (no bendy round tube!) used on the subframe; I've been trying to use more 1x when it's possible, along with thinner-wall tubing. Clearly, Ron Sutton knows how to calculate where you need what for certain load paths, which also helps in weight management.
If you haven't yet, you might want to compare the brackets used on Kirkey seats. While the sliding adjustments on the Butlers shown may seem convenient . . . Keep up the killer build! |
Do the Butler seats not have integral places to run bolts through on the sides like the Kirkey seats ? Been thinking about getting a Butler seat but looking at that picture I'm not sure I see any way to use my current brackets.
Do you have other pictures of Butler seat mounts ? |
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You drill the holes for the bolts on Butlers. They double up the aluminum in the area where you would attach them. Butler provides a sheet to tell you where they recommend you drill them. |
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270 mph is scary fast !!! Kudo's to you for building a cart that can safely do it. |
This thing is just awesome! I get scared at 145, 270 is nuts. Oh and I just got a Sparco fixed back mounted in my Cuda, wooo what a difference!!
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Thanks guys!
Few more with tires. Amazed at the turning radius and 335's. http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5ea0b84r.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0rzfgdig.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psygive73o.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1owqzrsd.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4i1yqxmv.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pssorvkwes.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...pswzhknkoo.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psn6r6ak2x.jpg http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/...psethvirre.jpg Not 100% on the curved tie rod, looks a little sketchy. Going to see if a straight one will work, but if I need it to keep the turning radius, I'll run a small gusset at the bend. |
Painting that cage was not fun I'm sure!
The front clip with those massive tires looks....... really really intimidating. |
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Also, it may be because it's off the car. but that front tire setup has to be the beefiest we've ever seen!! :confused18: |
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Going to break it down this weekend and epoxy the bare metal...then on to fitting! |
Posted up the seat mount question in Ron's Safety Thread. I'm curious too as to what is the best/safest mount style.
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I'm curious which 'level' of Ron's front clip is this? I don't recall them all, but something like the TA, TA2, GT, etc.
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Hey Bryan, My highest level front suspensions are called "Track-Star GT" & require the engine to be moved back substantially, so the pulleys are behind the front axle centerline. Craig's front suspension is my "Track-Star TA" front suspension. It is the meanest front suspension I know how to build ... without moving the engine back behind the front axle centerline. The LCAs are a special Laser cut design I did. The UCAs are on roller bearings. The shocks adjusters allow the ride height to change up to 2" without affecting the shaft gap showing on the shocks. It utilizes a special bump stop system for easy landings & consistent corner entry grip & braking. The spindles are my GT "Zero Scrub" with my GT narrow XHD hubs. Bearings have twice the rating of street car stuff. The steering arms are slugged, so Craig can make them anywhere from 4-1/4" long to 5-1/4" long. Excellent for switching from autocross to road courses, like a lot of my Optima clients do. Of course it has crazy high end hardware, Tubular Chromoly bolts with AN washers & Nylock half nuts on all the double shear mounts. 170,000 PSI 12-Point bolts & full height Nylocks for all the single shear mounts. Howe zero stiction XHD ball joints (not the standard versions). All chromoly rod ends, curved tie rods to allow the spindle to go deep into the wheels, which are 18x13 w/10" BS. Craig's TA package has all of the possible upgrades over the "standard TA package. His came with a full range (70+) of suspension slugs, Caster Slugs & Camber Shims so the geometry can be changed or optimized for any set-up or any ride height he dreams up down the road. Plus Craig's has the triple adj JRI shocks with my special Race-Star valving & the Draco 9000 Series springs. Ridetech Triples with Track-Star valving & Draco springs are standard with the TA. Front Brakes will be my new StopTech ST60 Trophy system with lightweight (16.2#) 14" x 1.25" rotors. The "Track-Star TA2" front frame & suspension is a lower cost version of the TA. It has the same frame, geometry & control arms, but uses lower cost shocks (Ridetech SA w/Track-Star Valving), Hypercoil 4000 Series springs, no C/O adjusters, TA2 Spindles & hubs with a 5/8" more scrub. It only comes with one set of slugs & Shims to optimize the suspension for the target ride height & setup. Everything else is the same. The "Track-Star TT" (TT = Track Toy) is the lowest cost version. It uses the same frame clip design as the TA & TA2. But it uses off the shelf stock car control arms (non bearing), GN spindles, GN hubs, non-slugged steering arm, etc. It uses plain ol' grade 8 hardware. But it still uses the bad ass Sweet dual power rack & Ridetech SA shocks w/Track-Star Valving. It is designed for a guy that whats to have a durable, fun, safe, good handling track car (or street & track car) but isn't trying to set lap records. The geometry is "good." It is as good as I can achieve with all the shelf LCAs & GN Spindles. So it will be very good, but not in the same league as the TA & GT stuff. Craig is pairing this with my "Track-Star GT" rear suspension which will make for one mean MoFo. :) :cheers: |
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