The car formally known "Rain Maker" and for a while represented as just a flying middle finger, has finally hit the ground to be reborn "Dead Cat."
As in "you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a pro-touring 69 camaro"
The guys at 21st Century finished up the install of their C5 drop subframe, did a mild mini tub to fit the 285/19's in the rear along with building me a new 9 inch. The roll bar/cage is finished and the rest of the suspension is about to be installed so they can complete my exhaust. Then it is off to paint.
Please note that the doors and fenders are not mine, but off of another car in the shop just to get an idea of clearence and stance. The rear should come down another 2 inches after the car is finished due to weight, the front is set at ride height.
Thanks for giving it a look. I know it is not much now but it is the first time the car has been on the ground at ride height in 3.5 years...its the small stuff that makes you smile.
If it leaves 21st century in two weeks, hopefully in paint by june 1st, and then it is up to me to put it all together...I will guess August 1st. Of coarse I thought that I was going to take it on the power tour in 2004 and you can see how well that worked out.
Thanks for the response guys. I will try and get some measurements as far as how low it is and try to compare it to stock. The subframe is a 1 inch drop plus another .5 inches in subframe bushings. Although you cannot tell in the photo, the only thing that you can see hanging below the rockers are the DSE subframe connectors. The exhaust when built will be the lowest part of the car. I am guessing about 4.5 inches at the lowest point. You cannot run a stock 1st gen suspension this low without it having about 1 inch of travel or less.
The color is going to be yellow. After seeing Steve's new 68 I almost went with that color, but I have been saying for 3.5 years it is going to be yellow so there you have it. I will be running an SS hood as well.
Payton the frame clearance is no different than the stock ride version you drove in our test car. You'll recall we didn't have any clearnce issues in and out of driveways and ramps.I believe I remember the clearance to be in the five and a half inch range. We'll go back and check though. The way our drop version of the frame works is that it drops the body over the frame and drivetrain which is why it was necessary to modify Payton's firewall and trans tunnel. The exhaust will be the lowest part of the car but Payton's going with a 3 inch to breath that strong LS motor he'll be running. Still I don't believe there will much of a problem if any.I'm out of town so the photos are the first time I've seen it on the ground. I'm almost as excited as Payton is. Can't wait to see it in paint Payton. Ed
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
Dead Cat spy shot
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