Since March, the suspension design has gone through it's final iteration and it's now an almost perfectly balanced (suspension wise anyway) design, front to rear. Again, a HUGE thanks to Bryce for taking my design, making it WAY better and getting it just right. Unfortunately this means I have to scrap the LCA's I built for some new ones, replace the UCA's with ones slightly longer, and build new brackets. I'm having Art Morrison bend up a new front cross member from 2x4 and am hoping to have them install the lugs for the LCA's and the steering rack, I should hear back on that in the next couple days. At the same time, I'm going to have them bend up new rear frame rails in a different design so I can have some extra room for a Rick's Tank under the trunk floor. Another reason for the new rails is I pumped WAY too much heat into these rear rails and warped the drivers rail so much that the rear tire has oodles of positive camber (painful lesson to learn). Rather than cutting, bending, rewelding, etc, I decide to replace it with a one piece rail, should work out awesome! I've been ordering a ton of parts throughout the year and have a lot more to go. These include:
Ride Tech Select Series Shockwaves, essentially a Viper kit but with a convoluted bag on the rear instead of rolling sleeve.
fiberglass hood with a Viper hood skin grafted to it. this is not finished yet and the builder will be pulling a mold from it to resale once finished.
I ordered a fiberglass decklid which I will be building a custom spoiler into and incorporating a Gen 3 Viper brake light, picked up some new US Body fenders for 1/2 off from a guy that decided to use steel instead. I ordered a ton of hardware and miscellaneous items for the build and for the rotisserie I'm building. A very cool and modern rear defrost setup from frost fighter. Some items for chassisworks, more panels from AMD will be on there way soon too. I ordered a Woodward Steering rack yesterday. The new UCA's (front and rear) will be bearing mounts from Joes Racing. Some header parts from Stainless Headers to build a set for the new motor, a bunch of new tools to make building easier, a Ford GT-40 lemans filler cap that will be recessed into either the top of the quarter panel or the middle of the deck lid filler panel. A TIG welder, cuz I figure if I'm building stainless headers, I should TIG them (another new skill to learn), and a bunch of other fun stuff.
I'll be sure to post pics of my new toys as they arrive, cuz that's all I really have to keep me going the next three months.
Come January, I'll be ordering an ididit column and my Rick's Tank probably in February.
That pretty much brings us up to date, with the exception of the engine. When I first saw the 5.7 Hemi I wanted one for my build. I got a great deal on one and was good to go. As the build evolved into the Viper inspired project it is now, I continued to ponder the significance of a V10. I was finally harassed into doing the V10 and got a good deal on one pulled from a 2000 RT/10. It's a Gen 2 which is only 450 hp, 490 ft/lbs, but with a few simple mods I'll easily 550-600 at the wheels. Now I just need to figure out how to maintain some semblance of leg room.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
Hybrid Mode
