Old track car project - new update
 

Some of you may remember that I have been working on a 56 Corvette track car ----- forever. A few months ago I finished fabricating an all new, high travel, low roll front suspension. I built several lower control arm mock-ups to work out all of the tire clearances with the 335 front tires, deep backspacing, high travel, lots of caster gain, etc. Anyway, I finally sent the chosen mock-up to my son Ryan to finish the fabrication - chrome moly, Sutton inboard bearings, Howe ball joints. He built fixtures and even built special bender shoes to get opposite direction bends very close together. He sent me these photos as he gets ready to start Tig welding. They are car porn!

Pappy

Attachment 61796

Attachment 61797

For those going through the same drill putting wide, deep backspace wheels on their projects, I thought I would post a couple of pictures of the wheel mock-up I built to verify clearances. By raising and lowering the car, turning the wheel to 30 degrees, and rotating the mock-up I was able to locate all of the areas of interference. It is amazing how much the wheel moves around in the wheel well when you go through lots of compression, especially with a good bit of caster gain. A "static" check of fitment at ride height won't catch all of the possible areas of interference.

Pappy

Attachment 61799

Looks great Pappy, you and your son both have loads of talent! Looking forward to seeing this one done.
:thumbsup:

Thank you. I got wrapped up in a couple of other projects, but I got them under control so I am back on the Vette - should make faster progress! Ryan's work is superb. He is becoming one of the best fabricators I have seen - puts me to shame.

Pappy

Looking Good Pappy !

It's been a year, but I'm back on this project with a vengeance. Finished the high travel/low roll front suspension (thanks Ron), but decided the rear suspension wasn't going to be strong enough for what I have planned, so I bought a complete Detroit Speed Decalink which I am in the process of adapting to the C1 chassis. I decided to stay with a non-traditional big block (for a road race car), so I am having a 515 inch, Brodix all aluminum motor built (3.875 stroke, 4.6 bore). Brodix heads, T&D shaft rockers, Hogan fabricated sequential injection manifold, Motec ECU, Comp Cams solid roller, Calles crank/rods, 13:1 JEs, and a Dailey Signature dry sump system. All of the parts are in except the intake and wiring harness. I purchased a Tilton triple disk carbon clutch with bellhousing, flywheel, and reverse-mounted starter. I am having to move the motor back another 5 inches (for a total of 15 inches) because the dry sump pump wouldn't clear the back of the lower control arm mounts - LOL. Pics to follow soon - I hope.

Pappy

Attachment 65622

Short stroke big block! Yes please! :bigun2:

Very cool.

That motor setup has me drooling! What a setup....

It's good to see that your grandchildren's grandchildren will have a car to drive. :D

A few new parts
 

DecaLink and Tilton 7.25 inch triple disk carbon clutch. Motor is progressing - should get the Hogan intake next week and Shane Tecklenburg is doing all of the Motec integration (computer, harness, sensors, tune).

Pappy

Attachment 65787

Attachment 65788