Projects AWB Chevy II build

I've got the frame 90% welded up... what's left is on the bottom. I'll probably get it on 4 wheels and then put it on the lift and weld the bottom. My welds aren't beautiful but they will hold. You can see I got the jack stands under the frame instead of the rockers.








"Keep on keepin' on"

 

There was a huge heated argument a couple days ago on what a AWB really is. What I do know for fact is try Gassers of the day NEVER had altered Wheelbase. It was not allowed by the rules. Gassers at Gas burning coups and sedans. The post '64 body styles with altered wheelbases were classed as A/FX "factory experimental"IN '64 . The radically altered Mopars were Banned in '65 by the NHRA. AHRA Allowed them In a new class ,...that designation was SX I think.
Too many newbies are calling everything that is jacked up with an axel a Gasser but in reality they should be called A/FX or B/FX Depending on cubic inches. And really building an authentic FXer is even more cool than a mis labeled Gasser or Street Freak.. there are way too many wannabe Gassers and way too few BADASS Post '64 style FX AWB Cars!!


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Thank you for learning me.. I definitely see that everyone calls a straight axle car that's raised in the front a gasser. I saw a guy wanted to make a two door jeep Cherokee a gasser... and also, people are big on "it's your car build it how you want it!"... which is fine until it contradicts history... anyways, I appreciate some schooling. It's always helpful!


"Keep on keepin' on"

 

You say A/FX and B/FX is decided by cubic inch... how exactly?


"Keep on keepin' on"

 

usually a pounds per cubic inch limit for each letter.

 

here's part of the 1964 NHRA rule book.

 

You know, FX must have been for current year cars only, at that time. There definitely where 62 and 63 Tempests in those years

 

I haven't given up you guys... I'm still here. Things got slow but I'll start working on it again.

I got an axle. It got me excited


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

heh...I remember doing that! but I used the nice original frame members that came on the car...

 

Good axle choice


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Do you plan on a transverse spring up front, as in what that axle was originally set up for? Probably more of the earlier AWB cars used a transverse spring, as well as the "Gassers", and other Altered class cars. A lot of guys referred to them as "suicide front ends"; slam on the brakes too hard, and some would collapse. When I was in high school (66-69), one of the upper classmen, BMOC auto shop guys, had a 64, 2 door sedan, Model 300 Chevelle. Stock white with a factory red interior (low mileage, grandma type car). Had a transverse axle on the front; very nice looking car; built small block and 4 speed. In the parking lot one day, he slammed the brakes on, and the front end folded under. Very nice car, and done by a local, well known shop (they campaigned 2 drag cars, a Vette-65-67 style, and a 65 Impala-both dark green, axles, injection, etc, and were both known as "The Jolly Green Giant" out of Lynnwood, Wa.). Always liked the 62-65, boxy Nova/Chevy II cars. Your in good company with those. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

...cool project,...always liked the Chevy II sedans, nice work.

 

What size wire are you using?
Can I make a suggestion here?

 

It's my grandpas welder, whatever he had in it.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Yes I plan on using a transverse front suspension style with radius rods... I found a model A spring I really liked because it had a decently high arch, but it's going to be too narrow according to speedways method of measuring for a spring.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Okay. Looks like .035 , which is okay to use ,with enough amperage.
Problem is , with all those tack welds, it's hard to run over them and make a nice looking, sound weld.
You don't need all those tack on that stub, until it's finalized into position . Just put a tack on each corner until it's all squared up. Right now, it's fixed into position , and not even finish welded.
Also, you might want to bolt your upper plates into position, so you can used then for temporary angle braces to hold your stubs in position.
Again , just a suggestion or two.

 

Yeah, .035 is right, thanks for the tips. I've been stuck on whether or not to bolt them on or weld them on. I'm leaning towards welding them on.



Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I think the surface that it bolts to is several layers of relatively thin sheet metal. I would bolt it on, which is how the car is designed. But if you are going to add some "real" frame rails from front to back, you should consider cutting off the subframe mounting surface, and use a continuous frame rail.

 

Just thinking out load.....I would have started with a good plan on paper then executed it.
You put frame rails inside the car but stopped short to hook up or weld the front rails to.
The bottom of the firewall looks so rusted that I would not use it as an attachment point.
I would have run that new frame rail from front to rear.

 

Engineering is more difficult than fabricating....

 

Yep, and an engineering background always comes in handy. Otherwise you need to spend about 50 years to find out what doesn't work.
Most of us started with the basics. Slapper bars, then maybe moving the springs in , then welding in sub-frame connectors. Building full frame cars came much later for me, and I've been welding since high school.
Nothing personal towards our friend here, but stick -building and practice welding on what could potentially be a 10 second car, just doesn't set too well with me.
How about you guys?

 

It'll be alright. I've got a lot of guys thatve been building cars since the early 70s watch me as I go.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I don't want to be a dark cloud over here,but I'm kinda in agreement with Mark Yac on a couple things here:
1:It would have been pretty easy to just continue the brand new fabricated rails out to the front of the car in one piece,since you don't have to work around the stock floors or anything,being that you're starting from scratch,and all.Most guys do a front subframe stub deal if they're working with a semi-stock tub,but you've got a blank page.I'd be more prone to go that way for real strength and integrity.
2:Everything behind those plates the subframe bolts to,which you chose to weld to,looks like the inside of a goat's stomach,it's so rusty.I wouldn't trust that in a radio flyer wagon,let alone a car that's ultimately going to see some horsepower and wheels-up launches.
You might want to take a minute and re-think things before you go too far down this road.
I know you have "guys watching you",but it looks like they may end up watching you drive this thing right into the rhubarb when the front end buckles when the wheels touch down...?

Scott


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

I just started watching this build and the argument over altered wheelbase cars. The mopars ran B and C altered until the SX and FX classes were established. I remember several cars that ran at Miami-Hollywood back then . A guy I knew bought a brand new 65 Malibu SS 6 cylinder 3 speed car drove it to his shop and gutted it and sold all the pieces back to the Chevy dealer for a crate L-88. Put a straight axle in it moved the rear forward . Put a crane roller cam and a stack injection unit on it and match raced it and ran B/Alt.
You basically need to make your car so that you could drive it without the body. The body is just for decoration. Trust rusty 50 plus year old sheetmetal not to buckle or crack could be asking for trouble.
I am building a Morris Minor Gasser and all I used was the outside skin and door posts.
Your car , build it your way. I have a double frame rail one at the rocker and the main rail.

 

What's holding those plates to the body? I zoomed in and can't see any bolts. Anyone?

 

this is what it looks like when it's solid.

 

I drilled the holes and threw a few bolts in it... I used all of my metal so I'll need to order more to do the other frame rail. I plan on getting the front frame section, and the diagonal tube supports on the car and then I will probably move to the back of the car. I'll have a lot more involvement of a good friend of ours when it comes to the rear sheet metal. He's pretty incredible with that sorta stuff. I'm still trying to figure out how to fit the rear end under the car with out narrowing the rear end. If I can make the steel wheels work that my dad has, then I think he will just let me have them, but with a 10 inch slick, it's probably going to be too wide. I'm thinking I might just run a 9 inch slick. (The wheels are 15x8)


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

And, I'm trying to keep from radiusing the wheel fenders, but it's not completely out of the equation.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

What is the welding I'm seeing behind the vertical body piece where the plate is bolted on ?
Again now , if it was me , I'd trim away all that rusty, jagged metal , up to where it's at least solid. I'd end up having to go get a tetanus shot the first day, working around that.