The Willomet Charger

[1970RT]

Finally able setup driving position.


Shifter is exactly in line with the steering wheel - just where I want it - no bent shifters in this muscle car.


Pretty proud of this one - midengine, LS, Charger.


Setup for a flat bottom, with only the oil pan and bellhousing dipping a couple of inches below the rocker beams.


A friend performing driver position duties.


The work continues.

David

[1970RT]

Eyes on the apex. We're coming into a big turn.



The Willomet Charger is getting a massive infusion of pro-touring DNA: namely a new 4x2 chassis and some select systems from Chassisworks. Specifically, we'll use the watts link Fab9 rear, and the aluminum upright front system.

It's a great leap forward for the project, and I'm excited to get started. As usual, the entire process will be on display here, and I’ll post separately as to where you can find it on YouTube. Yep, I’m going to video the whole darned thing for y’all - got my fancy GoPro and everything, so brace yourselves.

Let's get to measuring. In total, I needed to complete two worksheets and markup one assembly drawing:

• Front crossmember and suspension worksheet - determines the width of the crossmember, rack and pinion, standard or wide track A arm, and a handful of small assembly details
• Rear suspension and Fab9 worksheet - determines wide of the rear frame rails and axle housing and the location of suspension pickup points
• 68-72 Chevelle assembly drawing - they don't have a b-body Mopar drawing (yet), so I'm marking up their largest GM assembly drawing for length, width, etc. It's interesting how similar the Charger and Chevelle are in a few key dimensions.

To complete all these with a high level of accuracy, I mounted and roughly gapped the front fender and used the mockup 305 tire to determine the placement for the tire, which backs me into wheelbase and a ballpark backspacing. The car is pretty much a factory widebody, so everything measures larger than the Chevelle. Fortunately, the front fenders are fairly cavernous, so the tires can push to the outside with ease. How I control for tolerance creep: the front of the car is 0" and the rear is about 185", and the suspension centerlines, torque boxes, rockers, etc. are all measurements within that range. Using a T square, I just translate those critical points to the frame table.

Front fender on, 305 at ride height 6" below the rocker. I had to cut the internal fender bracing to fit. The front suspension is pushed forward by 1.5".



For reference, max bump with the original inner fender. These are commonly cut to fit anything larger than a 285.



Cut and at ride height, level to the front. I'll dial in the suspension stance much later in the process, as everything has to be built level to the frame table.





This is my "evaluation pose". I'm trying to relocate the tire in the center of the wheel arch. Originally, the axle was pushed fairly far back in the slot, which I think was a styling consideration so the fender swept down and over a larger portion of the rear sidewall. I prefer the tire to be centered, because it satisfies my OCD. To achieve that, the rear axle moved forward 1.75". Wheelbase is planned at 116.75".



I'm headed to pickup a whole mess of 3" square tube so I can brace up the unibody externally and begin the cutting.

David

[WSSix]

So no more using your frame? Love the rendering, too!

[1970RT]

Originally Posted by WSSix

So no more using your frame? Love the rendering, too!

Nope. Cutting it all out to fit the Chassisworks from suspension system.

David

[214Chevy]

Originally Posted by 1970RT

Nope. Cutting it all out for the Chassisworks system.

David

David, what made you decide to abandon your chassis with all of the hard work you put into it and opt for an aftermarket chassis?

[rrunner68]

Since you're tossing the frame, good time to toss the LS too. That way you can get a reliable engine in there.

[1970RT]

Originally Posted by 214Chevelle

David, what made you decide to abandon your chassis with all of the hard work you put into it and opt for an aftermarket chassis?

Having worked my way up to choosing their front and rear suspensions, including the rear frame clip, it made some sense to rethink the construction up to that point. In general, the total system gets the car where it needs to be, much more quickly. It's always been about doing the most right thing for the car.

Originally Posted by rrunner68

Since you're tossing the frame, good time to toss the LS too. That way you can get a reliable engine in there.

I have been thinking about an LT4 lately.

Originally Posted by WSSix

So no more using your frame? Love the rendering, too!

Forgot to say "thank you". Working with Ben at SRD was a good process, and I really had to think through what I wanted from the car.

David

[jarhead]

Nice work David, congrats on the frame, its going to make things go faster. I wish i had done that as well.

Love the rendering, Ben does an awesome job.

I always look froward to the posts on Instagram as well Joe T. or (jarhead1017)

[CJD Automotive]

Originally Posted by 1970RT

It's always been about doing the most right thing for the car.

I have been thinking about an LT4 lately

David

Hellcat crate about the same cost as an LT4, just sayin...

[1970RT]

Originally Posted by CJD Automotive

Hellcat crate about the same cost as an LT4, just sayin...

I was just joking about the LT4. The narrow LS is the ticket to accommodate my engine setback and still run the header design I have in mind. Rev0 is my LQ4, and I’ll build an all aluminum as a Rev1.

David