I re-adjusted my temporary engine mounts so I could install the oil pan. The pan is a 6 quart with internal flapper valve from a 1966 Corvette. (if I remember the year correctly). A very nice piece. As you can see in the picture the pan takes up a lot of real estate. I will likely use the side engine mounts and set steering box forward in the frame. I added a drawing laying out my plan which is the same set up I ran on my previous axle car.
The stock steering box location, and cross steer, kind of requires the drag link to go through the pan. I think you're on the right path, there...
A bit of tinkering on the frame engine mounts today. I decided go use the side engine mount set up as it appears to align my steering much better. Chopped up some 3/16" steel and tubing and tacked the upper mount into position. I will work on the angled support tomorrow, the drivers side will be notched to provide clearance for the steering shaft. I also picked up some old low back bucket seats from an 80's Ford Bronco. Will need recovering but the price was right!
Well acquired some old school rollers for the 63 today. Old bf g's with a great tread pattern I had mounted to the old Olds steel wheels. Nothing I will use on the street, but they hold air and will be used as rollers. Also got a pair of skinny front tires. Both the front and rear are shorter in height then I plan on using for the road, they are equally short in height so it works it self out down the road. I was also given a set of 14 x 9.5 sprint type wheels. I was told they are magnesium although they appear to be made of aluminum. I am not familiar with magnesium at all...... The only markings I can find are the load rating and "Made in the USA" "14". Anyone out there know anything about them?
They look aluminum to me. Mag turns dark gray with age. That style wheel was almost always aluminum, as far as I know.
Unfortunately not 5x5....... the tire shop guy gifted em to me. Said they were taken up space! Cant say no to that!
Just caught your build...I am a gasser fan....nice set of slots at the right price...an who doesn't need a set of may pops for rollers.....lol...on my gasser build I pushed the front wheels about 4 inch's forward...you can not really tell but made it look better...you did a really nice job on the sub frame...looks to be canted down to get the stance you want...witch you will need to have in pace when you set the axle caster
Been a busy week around the house this week so not as much progress as I had hoped..... I cut out and tacked in the engine frame mount support which includes the steering joint notch. I roughly mocked the steering box in position and it seems at this point all will clear well including the drag link when the suspension is in. I also spent some time working out the leaf spring mounts. Using cardboard I worked out the mounting bracket drop and shackle length which gets everything aligned nicely. The rear leaf mount will pick up the 3/8" firewall mount further supporting the subframe rails, should be strong. I am ready to tack in the rear spring mounts although that'll be another day....
Well another busy week...... I was only able to get a small amount of work done on the front leaf spring mounts and shackles. Hopefully tomorrow I will sneak some time to get the leaf mounts tacked in place on the subframe....... hopefully.... Check that. Got some time today. Rear leaf spring mounts tacked in place. Fronts are temporary and clamped for now. All is square and aligned. Tomorrow I will tinker with the tube axle!
Excuse me if I am incorrect here.. But should the shackles go to the rear of the spring? I know the CJ guys do it on there Jeeps to help with bump steer and better ride characteristics, When they move the shackle to the rear from front of springs...
Nope shackles can go front or rear. Typically Chevy's ran em up front back in the late 60s which is the era of build I am aiming for. This will be the second axle car I have built, shackles up front. My understanding is that 4x4 folk run shackles at the rear which allows for better articulation when bashing against rocks and hilly terrain.
I have read people's thoughts, theories and suggestions on shackle location which as you may know all differ. My own experience is what I draw on, I built a 56 chevy axle car years back, it was a bbc/4- speed car. I used an old 50's chev truck I beam axle and leafs. I ran it the same way I am building this car, shackles in the front, steering box/drag link out front, tie rods behind the axle ensuring that everything is parallel to the axle and level to the ground. The 56 had zero bump steer and I could cruise that car along the hwy at 100km/h all day.
Tread pattern on those old BFG's is almost identical to the American Racer Tire's(formerly McCreary tire and Rubber) D.O.T. Street Stock Dirt patterns "CC" and "BB". They make a decent low cost "cheater" tire that works good for street/strip use even though it is a dirt circle track tire. Too bad the wheels are only 14", sticky tires for that diameter are few. I've not seen Fenton's that didn't have "Fenton Gyro" cast into the back, and the size and max weight rating....those look like either Appliance Wheel or Western Wheel Corp. generic slots. Looks like aluminum to me also...test an out of the way spot with white vinegar....if it fizzes it is magnesium, no obvious reaction aluminum https://americanraceronline.com/tires/dot-street-stock/
Well I spent some time today on the tube axle. It's an old sprint car axle and needed to have the brackets removed............ it took waaaaaaay longer then I expected. First I cut the brackets off, ground a portion down with a grinding disc before using a flapper wheel. The remainder was done by hand with a file. The results are good. Still some more filing but very close. I hope to keep the original paint layers and chips on the axle and will try and match the areas I cleaned up for the axle pads. Otherwise I trimmed the axle pads to fit the larger diameter, 2 3/8" axle tube. I am not overly happy with the fitment so a bit more work is needed. For now, I have the axle temporarily clamped in the car and it looks fantastic!
Well pretty sure this is what people call a street freak........lol (the pictures are deceiving, it's up there!) we are about 4 inches taller then I had hoped. I kinda knew this would be the case though. With some tinkering and adjustment with the spring pack I am about 1" away from my target height, this is with about 100lbs packed on the nose to compensate for the radiator, bumper, hood, fluids and such. I think with some adjustments including lower profile spring perches and replacing the temporary shackle mounts with the one I made, I should be very close......... to be continued!
on my Chevy II, I took out leafs until the springs were almost flat. It works great. Give it a try. Although you might have the shackle mount too far back?
Yah I have removed one as well. The leafs are relatively flat and that last pictures is unloaded so they do flatten out more. I am using temporary front shackle mounts so I can clamp them in place, easier to move vs the weld, grind, move weld method.... should have er pretty close soon enough.
Absolutely! I've built probably 8 or 9 straight ale cars, and always put shackles on the opposite side the drag link is on. If the drag link is on the same side as the shackle the steering will be pushing and pulling against the shackles causing deflection. It will work either way, but steering is more precise if the shackles are opposite side to the drag link. I usually take about half those leafs out also. Just started driving my '39 project, and it's a rough ride with all the leafs still there. Plan to get it down to the three longest, and then see if it is OK, or if I need to go to just the two longest.
Yesterday I spent some time adjust the leaf spring pack and replaced my temporary shackle mounts with the ones I built myself which are 1/2 shorter. Overall I managed to drop the frontend almost 2" unweighted. I am very happy with the height now. I also created my front bumper mounts which I wanted to do before I mount the steering box. Still fighting with the kingpin bushings I had made for the tube axle...... that saga continues.
Some steering work done.... I have a good idea where the drag link will be located (and there is only really one spot I can put the steering box) so I tacked in the saginaw 525 steering box, located my steering column and built up the steering shaft: I know the flaming river u- joints are not correct, but it's what I have. I used a left over lower firewall steering column mount from my 1956 build - broke slightly to match the column angle. The upper mount uses the factory mounts. Overall ever thing looks, fits and feels very good.
Hell yes!!! I skimmed around and already love it. I will come back and pay proper attention. Looking forward to more.
Finally! King pins fit. Time to get this front end finished! Built up a "temporary"shock to aid in locating my upper and lower shock mounts. I also order the shocks I will be using. Nothing special but will get the job done.
Well I managed to get the 63 down on its four wheels today, despite incorrect parts sent from Speedway. My GM disc brake conversion kit included calipers brackets for a ford F150....... besides that everything else was correct. I am extremely happy with the stance and placement of the wheel in the fender opening. Oh couldn't help myself and ordered two american racing cast finished torque thrust d wheels 15x4's....... on to mounting the shocks!
The Jalopy Journal
