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The Falcon looks great. I wish I had your time and ingenuity, this is a great owner build. :thumbsup:
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Subscribed.
Really cool stuff. I was considering posting an update thread on my Ford here but that would be like me trying out for a pro football team. Just not gonna happen. You home builders are way out of my league. |
Wow!!!!! What an awesome build thread.!!!I really Dig this DIY Stuff.:welder:
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Home builds are the best cuz great ideas can come from using what you got . Love ur car also cuz its different
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Thanks for the complements. I am lucky enough to have access to all of the big boy toys at work so I can build my own parts. My boss also lets me raid the drops bin so I can get most of my stock for free. I am too cheap to buy parts from the DSE or TCP so I just build them myself. I also like to make my own parts because I get to decide what the engineering compromises are. Metal working is one of the most challenging and rewarding activities that I do. The more I learn in the shop, the better and cheaper my designs get. I feel like it helps my driving also. You have to be really smooth when you are cutting on the lathe, never force it and feel the tool feedback in your hand, just like the autocross.
I consider all of my part prototypes at this point. I am not thrilled with my lower arms so a rev 3 will likely be in the works. This is my zero dollar mini-tub (not really true, i bought a body saw and used at least $50 in wire, gas, blades and cutoff wheels): It all starts with some careful mesurments. I figured I should start with the rearend, that way I couldn't chicken out and not cut up the car. I used my layout and mockups to learn that if I moved the springs in .5" per side I would still be able to use my leaves and not have to modify my Panhard bar or exhaust. On the axle, I simply welded up the center pin hole on my perches and welded some 1/4 thick strips to the side, ground smooth, then drilled holes for the u-bolts. It saved me from having to do any major cutting on my rearend. http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...pse6d14a62.jpg You can see how one u-bolt passes through the perch, and the other touches it on the inside. I reworked my shock mount to match by welding up the outer set of holes, re-drilling, and sloting the center pin hole, then I cut off the excess material and painted black. http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...psd2f05c10.jpg I also moved the driver's side brake line mount because it was nearly rubbing the rim. I cut the front mount to match the new width (with an additional .134" per side for spring toe) and welded in some 3/16 plate I sheared up at work. I just love having a big shear at my disposal. http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps42a27eeb.jpg http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...psb5dbb2d0.jpg It was all welded in and ground smooth. Now for the big cuts. I made a cardboard template and marked the line, I was originally going to use a second set of wheel tubs so that I didn't need to add a strip, but they were a little too rusty. After looking at the DSE booth, I think the mustang tubs might be the same, it would save a bunch of extra welding, but cost about $300, so I probably wouldn't, even if I could. http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps32331a89.jpg I also bulged the other houses: http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...psa54f776d.jpg clearanced, gained 7/8" http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps88e03b83.jpg Ever so slighly bulged http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1f4faea8.jpg http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps7bc65760.jpg 2" wide 48" long 16 ga. I welded it in with about 1/8" per side overlap. I took it as far as I could without cutting the frame, gained about 1.75 inside and .875 outside. http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps305e9c05.jpg Don't worry, I seam sealed it inside and out. I took it as far as I could without cutting the frame, gained about 1.75 inside and .875 outside. http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...psde317a06.jpg http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps36761e67.jpg http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfb71a3a1.jpg I also enlarged the rear of the tunnel where I was having some drive shaft clearanc issues http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps8afd248e.jpg http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps694ed62d.jpg Enjoy. |
Got the car out to the SCCA autocross this last Sunday after a hard thrash session to get the front suspension better sorted. I had a lot of fun, but double running and spending all day in the sun took its toll on me. I played around with my GoPro and I think it will really help as a learning tool. Especially after watching some fast runs on the same track on Youtube. I am not linking the elements very well and I need to get comfortable braking hard. The star spec tires have so much more traction than the Generals I can really get on the brakes and gas hard without swapping ends. I need to learn how to use the traction. Next run will be on 5/12
Here are some of the videos I took. The sound is not too good with the solid back cover. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROEVv9U8o-Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f5L_vAcWv4 In the grid http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...psd91bc208.jpg http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps7259971f.jpg I had some clearance issues even after cutting down the shock tower supports: http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps7df38cb8.jpg Turned some "low misalignment spacers" out of 316SST and clearanced the my strut rod brackets. I ordered some 7075 and will build another set now that I got the design right. I am a little uncomfortable with a the safety factor (1.6) on the current design with 6061. 7075 is almost twice as strong and I needed to order some for some bike parts I was making so I got some more 2.25" rounds. http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...psa3938838.jpg I have not had bump stops for the last month. So I spent some quality time on the lathe making some bungs to weld into 1.25x.120 wall tube and made some round top caps. http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps6a9489d6.jpg http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps4234953f.jpg And added the Boss style shock tower gussets: http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...pse8b6cd81.jpg and some load spreaders: http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps8446a02d.jpg and welded it all in: http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps34ab6915.jpg "Finshed" Suspension: http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps6a3e8950.jpg http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps198d574a.jpg http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...psee474fdb.jpg |
I just noticed the belly bar/frame cross member you have. Have any more pictures of it and how its connected. I've been looking at beefing mine up a little. I just have the stack belly bar.
http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/a...psee474fdb.jpg Felt like I was on a boat watching that helmet cam vid LOL. I like the comments your rider made at the end. "Fun as hell" Those guys dont get to ride in older cars much and seem to really get a kick out of riding with us. |
That skid plate is fantastic. Very very cool!
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Just as expected. More Awesomeness! :cheering:
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