Projects Attic Anglia

I decided to make a new rectangular tube chassis with independent front suspension, although I wouldn't rule out all new straight tube axle stuff. If anybody hears of unused Heidts or Fatman Anglia parts being offered please keep me in mind.

On a related note, I bought new hypereutectic pistons and a stout hydraulic (272 degrees duration / .500 lift) camshaft to build a 300 sixer. That will go in my son's Grabber Blue car and the engine currently powering his car will go in The Attic Anglia.

 

I started with the rear section of the frame, since the rear axle is complete and the front IFS is still TBD.





The area in the middle of the driveshaft loop will eventually be cut away - after everything else is welded together.

 

Woo Hoo! Today I ordered a front suspension from Fatmans by way of Yogi's. It will have a manual rack, Granada 5 x 4 1/2 rotors, Chevelle calipers, Mopar ball joints, coil springs and tube shocks (Fatman Stage II). So I will continue fabrication of the frame under the passenger compartment until t arrives.

I also found a new home for the original Chev 4.11 rear end, being replaced by a narrowed Ford 9 incher.

 

Yesterday my mates and I set up the individual chassis components on my garage floor and tack welded everything down. Today I did much of the finish welding and mounted the narrow 9"er under it.

 

Lookin Good! Real Good.

 

Another X-member will be added for the IFS and another set of longitudinal/diagonals will connect the other ends of the torque boxes to the rear suspension X-mbr, similar to this early construction photo of my son's Anglia we built several years ago. Before welding stuff together I inserted weld nuts into the corners of the components for body mounts and drilled and tapped each piece along its inner length for mounting attachment points for fuel lines, wiring, brake lines, etc. Much easier to do it on a drill press than laying on your back with a hand drill looking up.



I settled on this design after visiting Chuck Finders, legendary AA/GS racer and builder. He built many of the Gas Coupes for notable racers in the 60s and 70s using this same basic design. Most were blown Hemis in excess of 1500 HP. Even without the roll cage it should handle 500 HP easily.

Thanks Chuck.
Rest in Peace.

 

To locate the rear axle I used a conventional Panhard bar design. This particular part is a swap meet find. It was originally about two feet long. I liked the built-in turnbuckle for lateral adjustment. To shorten it to the proper length I cut it and insert a 1/2 inch rod plug, then rosette welded and finish welded it. The pinion mount is offset to give the longest possible length to minimize unwanted lateral movement.


The bar had a part number 22204689. Mopar maybe?

 

There are five of these locally. Here is a friends that was an old drag car out of Sacramento in the late 60's.

 

or a 250 Ford six. I have seen that series (144 170, 200 250)in the early MG T series cars. They fit easily and are no slouch for power . Boat racers up here used to band saw the cast manifold off , machine it flat and fab a twin carb intake. However knowing how much you love and how much experience you have on the 300 Ford I can understand your desire to head that way. Lucky you found an Anglia. I have an inline 6 in a foreign sedan as well but have to hide it.
don

 

I absolutely love the Anglias and would build one with a definite street bias rather than the typical gasser look.

I have seen some very nice ones and if I were to build one I would start with a Martz chassis.
They make a very nice chassis.

http://martzchassis.net/products/full-chassis/martz-chassis-anglia-chassis/

 

This will have a street bias - mild motor, power brakes, IFS, highway gears, radio, etc.

But lately I've been thinking it would look cool painted up to look like a 60s gasser. Drivers name on the door, H/G or I/G class designation, competition number, mythical speed shop sponsorship, mythical racing org "record holder" designation, CID markings on the hood. Wouldn't that look cool cruising down the freeway?

Whaddya think? Anything I'm forgetting?

Oh, yeah... bright tinted glass... and wheelie bars... and mags up front with steel rear wheels painted half white / half black...

 

I like the look that this one has at this stage.


http://www.randycolyn.com/update-on-daves-1948-ford-anglia/

 

That has a nice stance. Instead of ordering 2" dropped spindles for mine I pinched and Z'd the front end 2 1/2 inches to hopefully get a similar look. I hope it doesn't interfere with mounting the engine.

 

I like this chop and the guy drives it all over the NW pulling a small cargo trailer.

Another local car.

 

I also have to say that I feel an un-chopped Anglia has better lines by far. Once they are chopped they get a look like a kids toy that has been stepped on and squashed.
Just not quite right.

 

I agree. Unchopped looks best. Being brought up in England, Anglias, or Pops (for Popular) as we called them were the Hot Rod. Weren't many As or 32s around in those days but the Pops were everywhere. Typically they ran Rover V8s, often had Jag IFS or Alfa Romeo rear axles and most used the Vauxhall Viva A / Bedford Van IFS which was an easy bolt in. They were built up until 1959 so there are still loads around.
Loved them then and still do.
Ed

 

edward, When we built our first one I had a hard time finding a donor car that had a track width narrow enough to use in the Anglia. We finally used an Opel GT, even then it could be another 1/2" narrower on each side to look good to me. As far as the rear goes, this one we widened the rear fenders so an 11" x 15" racing slick could fit under there.


So this time I decided to order a complete aftermarket assembly - very uncharacteristic for me. I prefer junk yard scrounging. Sometimes it is just more cost effective to order up the right stuff. Rebuilding that Opel front end nickle-dimed us to death.

 

Well the Viva A front is very narrow. They're still out there but rare. The Viva A was an early sixties model but the Bedford van was a commercial based on the Viva and remained in production basically unchanged until 1980. eBay.co.uk is the best place to look for one.

 

I started the Fatmans IFS installation.

 

VERY VERY NICE, Mikey like.

 

I have never liked Fatmans stuff.
IMO they change and go away from OEM design too much, one example is that their upper shock towers do not have the 10 degree sideways canted angle for the spring.
There are other details that make their stuff a poor compromise in a front end design.
Their stuff is based on the Mustang II and poorly designed.
Add in the extreme narrowness of the Anglia front end and you have a basically cobbled up attempt at a proper IFS.
I still say that it is hard to beat the Anglia chassis offered by March.

 

Well on that we can agree to disagree. I must say they provide complete instructions that are easy to follow even for a first-timer car builder (which I'm not). I just got off the phone with their rep as I had a couple of questions on minor details and he seemed knowledgeable and not impatient to dispatch me. As far as canting their springs "sideways" their instructions say the lower control arm should be level +/- 1 inch, and their upper spring towers very nearly center the spring vertically. I think they would have canted it outward if they felt it was needed, as it wouldn't have cost them anything to make that change. I think they pretty much have correct geometry with Antidive, Ackerman, proper Camber Curve and no Bumpsteer. Time will tell.

Here is a Google photo of the Phase II system I am using:



Another thing that I liked: when I ordered the kit I told them to include a front sway (anti-roll) bar kit. They told me one would not be needed for my application - only one was needed at the rear of the car. Well, he could have sold me an unnecessary kit and increased his profit and I'd have been none the wiser.

Another another thing I liked - the plans listed part numbers for all the consumable replacement parts, what model years they fit, and alternative part numbers if available.

If I have one teensy-weensy complaint it is that some parts arrived painted, necessitating the need to remove the paint before welding. And you know the quality of most pre-painted parts is just barely adequate to keep things from rusting in the warehouse shelves, which I suspect is usually why these things get paint at all. It just means all their paint will need to be stripped before real paint can be applied.

I don't plan to ever drive this thing over 130 or so, so it should be up to the task. The parts certainly seem beefy enough.

 

You may be happy with what they have sold you and maybe it will work.
Ask this Hamb member what he thinks of their stuff
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/members/elpolacko.296/

 

About 10 years on the Fatman front end in my Anglia. No problems. Standard height spindles.
I have an anti sway bar in the rear. None in front.

 

That is a nice Anglia Bob. I like the hood side panels with the canted louvers. Is that 9 inch rear? Who's rear sway bar did you use back there? It looks like you have 2 inch wider rear fenders. What size tires are you using in front and rear? What engine? Thanks

 

Thanks for the compliments, TFF. We talked on the phone when you first began planning your project. Also, you have helped me with ideas for the 300 Ford 6 in my HA/GR-style dragster. The Anglia is stored for the winter and I don't remember tires sizes. Roughly 185-15 metrics on the front and 235/70-15 rears. It has a narrowed 9" from Currie, but it is a stock rear end that has been narrowed, not a new housing. I have a Chris Alston 4 link back half in it. Because of body lean I put a Chris Alston anti-sway bar in the rear. It is a drag race piece and is not calibrated for the car weight. It works fine for normal driving but probably isn't right for hard cornering. However, I drive like a little old man, which is what I am, so no problem. The rear fenders are the third set I have tried. They are 2" wider but retain a small wheel cutout, not sized for tall slicks like many of the fenders available. The company has been out of business for a long time.
You are doing an excellent job of fabrication on your car.

 

I found this in my coloring book:
I've never built a car and painted it green. Maybe its time.

 

I installed the upper spring / shock towers and upper A-arms. Essentially all of the hard work is done. Just need to tack in the tower gussets and then add a few more welds before removing the temporary frame braces. Then rough in the placement of the block / oil pan before putting this project to bed for a while.

 

Today the Attic Anglia chassis saw the light of day for the first time. My Speedway 4-bars also arrived and I painted the rotors with hi-temp aluminum paint.

 

I use this sectioned block for welding up custom oil pans, but it is also handy for setting up the engine motor mounts. The motor mount plates will need to be trimmed to clear the upper A-arms. I placed a block of 1" thick Styrofoam under the IFS crossmember to give the needed clearance. The oil pan I'm using is a rear sump pan. Ford made two basic styles of pans - rear sump and mid-sump. The rear sump hugs the front of the crank tighter - good for tight spaces - bad for max power, which is of little concern on this build. Steering linkage is going to be TIGHT. Probably three-piece. It has taken exactly one month from the time pieces were laid on the garage floor to get this far.