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Projects My 1947 Ford COE Build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 4Nines, Apr 23, 2012.

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  1. xtremek
    Joined: May 1, 2011
    Posts: 78

    xtremek
    Member

    Subscribed. Looks like fun.
     
  2. cabover1948
    Joined: Aug 17, 2013
    Posts: 1

    cabover1948
    Member

    My 48 has a 460 Ford with a big fiberglass box, don't know where to put my feet!
     
  3. oldcarguygazok
    Joined: Jun 20, 2012
    Posts: 401

    oldcarguygazok
    Member
    from AUSTRALIA.

    No good without pic's mate!
     
  4. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    X2! Lets see this :)
     
  5. I like the chopped top. Any pictures from the side and back view? How much chop? 4"?
    I'm still trying to figure out what you did with the grille? Was it lengthened or the rest shortened up? Looking forward to the rest of your build.
     
  6. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    I don't have any other pictures of it at this time, but I hope to dive back into it soon and post some more photos. The original grill slats stopped about 6'' from the bottom of the fenders. So I took out the solid bottom and hope to just run my grill as low as possible with a minimal amount of framing around it.

    You can see how short the original grill was here:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    mgtstumpy likes this.
  7. sigfurniture
    Joined: Sep 28, 2013
    Posts: 132

    sigfurniture
    Member

    ohhhhh! that is a thing of beauty!:)
     
  8. Hey 4nines ,I will be in Austin first of Nov . to go to the top chopping class . Lets drink a beer and shoot the shit .Are you going to hotrods an hotties at mercury charley's on sat. ? Blue
     
  9. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    Right on! I'm completely out of tune to what is happening in Austin. What's the date on Mercury Charley's get together?
     
  10. Top chop class with gene Winfield is 11-2 11-3 . Music is 11-2 I think . Pull up his web site . My wife and I should get to Austin on first coming back from trip to Fl. Sounds like a good time , hope to see your coe . Will pm you over weekend . Blue
     
  11. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    Sounds good! I will try and make it for at least the Hot Rods N Honeys :)
     
  12. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    I decided to take the year off from racing so that I could finish up this project. So I've been hot and heavy on it lately and here's where I am at.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Does anyone have any experience with crossboxes like they use in tractor pulling? From all my research I think this is the best way to run a twin engine set up and still be able drive the COE on the street and at the strip. What I'm trying to figure out now is what to run between the engines and the crossbox. Tractor pullers run a clutch system and uneven couplers, but I would like to run at least a 4 speed out to my rear differential.
     
  13. Glad to see you posting again .
     
  14. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    Thanks! I'm glad to finally get back on this project :)
     
  15. xtremek
    Joined: May 1, 2011
    Posts: 78

    xtremek
    Member

    This looks like it's going to be wicked.
     
  16. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    The wheels and tires I just had laying around from other projects. I set them in place to help me determine right height and visualize where everything needs to go.

    I have 20x8's for the front and 20x16's for the rears on order :)
     
  17. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    Anyone have any recommendations about what independent front suspension I should run? I was looking to just do a new Mustang II IFS, but I didn't know if there was something else out there I should consider?

    I'm going to bend my own chassis around the engines out of parallel 1.5'' tube and connect it to the front and rear suspension set ups. Any suggestions on what IFS would be the best for this?
     
  18. kscarguy
    Joined: Aug 22, 2007
    Posts: 1,610

    kscarguy
    Member

    We've been discussing this on another thread. Dodge van (drag link design), dodge Dakota (good width, large brakes, R&P) are decent but hard to install. I'd stay away from MII as it is too light for what you are doing. Since you are building your own chassis, consider something that uses a drag link or rack and pinion to control steering. Steering box placement is the hardest part of the build.
     
  19. Find a picture of Mickey Thompson's Challenger that had 4 engines. He used solid axles that had 2 pumpkins in each. I'd tip the engines so the cranks would be closer to the frame centerline for better packaging.
     
  20. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    Since I won't have anything under the cab will the steering still be an issue? I figured I had a ton of space to route the steering straight up into the cab?
     
  21. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    NOW this is good stuff! Thanks for the tip! I'm also considering tipping the engines outwards. Just need to wrap my mind around getting them connected first. If I have to run them exactly they way they are there is still room. It looks like they are on the edge of the cab, which they are, but then the fenders stick out a least another 12'' past that. I'm thinking the headers out of the engines will flow down in place of the running boards :)

    [​IMG]
     
  22. Speedwrench
    Joined: Nov 21, 2009
    Posts: 1,032

    Speedwrench
    Member

    Does anyone have any experience with crossboxes like they use in tractor pulling? From all my research I think this is the best way to run a twin engine set up and still be able drive the COE on the street and at the strip. What I'm trying to figure out now is what to run between the engines and the crossbox. Tractor pullers run a clutch system and uneven couplers, but I would like to run at least a 4 speed out to my rear differential.[/QUOTE]

    Check with Tim Engler at Engler Machine in Indiana.
    http://www.englermachine.com/
     
  23. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    Check with Tim Engler at Engler Machine in Indiana.
    http://www.englermachine.com/[/QUOTE]

    I will give him a call :)
     
  24. Think about Jaguar IFS. It is built for a 4000 lb sedan, and the beauty is it ublots out of the donor car. Has everything connected to the crossmember, incl the rack and pinion steeering. Only thing you have to fabricate is the upper shock mounts. It is easy to swap onto an oolder frame as the crossmember is wide enough and also pretty much flat. Just pay attention to caster.

    Here is what it looks like after removal from the donor:
    [​IMG]

    The Jag has 5 on 4.75 (aka Chevy midsize car) bolt pattern. So a lot of wheel choices, the only small issue is the Jag hub is larger than GM, so stock GM steel wheels will not bolt on without some modification work. Most aftermarket wheels have a larger center hub, so just check on that dimension first. I put Jag IFS into my 52 GMC project and it is very easy swap.
     
  25. xtremek
    Joined: May 1, 2011
    Posts: 78

    xtremek
    Member

    What about a 1/2 ton Chevy pickup front suspension? No Limit Engineering makes a wicked front end for early Chevy pick ups that handle so well, their trucks are beating Camaros and Mustangs. And from what the magazines are saying, they're totally streetable.
     
  26. kscarguy
    Joined: Aug 22, 2007
    Posts: 1,610

    kscarguy
    Member

    The issue with steering is getting the box and column aligned. A rack would work better than a box as it can be rotated to point upwards. Chevy truck front ends have the box on the outside of the frame and that is out of alignment by about 8". If the donor box came on the inside of the donor frame, it is better. The next issue becomes upward angle. A car box points backwards and you need it to point more upwards to work well in a COE...i.e., the rack is better.

    To get the wheelbase you've laid out, you might have to run an independent setup. The length of the box connecting the engines plus a transmission plus any driveshaft length, might result in pushing the axle backwards from your design. An independent rear would shorten your wheelbase a whole lot.

    I look forward to watching this build.
     
  27. Cool project! Subscribed...
     
  28. 4Nines
    Joined: Mar 26, 2012
    Posts: 34

    4Nines
    Member
    from TX

    Interesting! The bolt pattern certainly works for the wheels I ordered and I like how it unbolts easily. I will have to do some research on this.

    I like the idea of having a good handling vehicle and not just a set up for looks.

    Thanks for the info on the steering. This is certainly a major thing to consider. I will see if I can find something with a rack.

    The cross box is only a few inches wide and as of right now the plan is to run two transmissions. This will help to sync the engines and allow me to build two solid transmissions that will easily handle the power of each engine. Instead of trying to build one insane transmission to handle 2,000+ hp. From the front of the grill to the back of the engines is only about 8.5'. Add the transmissions at about 26'' and say another 6'' or so to adapt it to the crossbox, and I'm about 11' or so. I can run a super short drive shaft out of the crossbox to the rear diff. My worries about an IRS would be strength. I think I'm going to need something that will handle about 3,000+ hp.
     
  29. The jag front is rear steer. Not what I consider ideal for a cabover.
     

  30. I would say more like 1.5" out of alignment. Here is my simple steering setup.

    1938 ford cabover
    1987 R20 chassis
    1992 G20 steering box and hybrid centerlink.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Look at where the van box is mounted on the frame. Then look at where it comes through the toe board and connects to the column. Now imagine where a rack would mount and how much more work it would be to get it through the toe board and connected to a column. In my opinion, this setup is ideal for a '38-'47 ford cabover.

    I challenge anyone to show me a better or simpler setup than this. I want to see it installed with pictures showing every aspect of their setup.
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2014
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