This is my first build also and I'm in the same boat. They don't have much travel so the bars only need 1 1/2" inches of clearance. Mine is coil over and I can tell you that a 15" coil over only has about 2 inches of travel each way. I plan on raising the floor from the front of the seat back to the Z and I'm going to build a tunnel for the drive shaft. Wait till you get to the front, it has less travel.
All I am going to throw in is that you need to get your chassis up to the point where the engine, trans and driveshaft are in place and you are seriously close on the ride height for the chassis and then set the body on it and start figuring out how you are going to build the floorboard to clear the ladder bars and driveshaft. When you want one that low you build around the pieces that take up space that might not normally be taken up on a ride that isn't that low.
That's a very nice solution to the problem. Just forget the idea of this straight 1 pc rear sub rail. It needs a Bump up to play well with the rear Z. 3 bumps, 2 for the bars ans one for the drive shaft looks like it's supposed to be that way.
@jetdocmodelA has posted an excellent solution (twice). Small tunnels for the suspension. You can use exhaust tubing as a start. Also listen to @Mr48chev.
A HUGE thank for all the help guys. I have sat out there in 100+ degrees heat staring at this thing for hours. Just couldn't get my brain to wrap around what needed to be done. I jumped in and started doing things a couple years ago thinking I had done my homework pretty good. I think I will steal that design jetdocmodelA. It looks really good. Mr48chev - I do not have a drive shaft yet. My plan was to get one off a donor car and have it cut down to the correct length. After I do that I will proceed with the subrails. As far as being able to place the body down and check things I have to build it as I go. The body is totally apart and from 4 or five different cars. I was going to build the body on a table on the original subrails first but chose to get the subrails correct on this frame then build the body.
I would just cut some slots on the floor where the ladder bars are being offensive. Maybe you can build a little cover for them which will end up being little bumps in the floor but its a hot rod, right? Real hot rods rattle, and the wind blows through every crack and crevice, they are noisy and have noises that you are not even sure what causes them and they are usually a little bit uncomfortable. If something protrudes into the cab it is just trying to fit in. Let it be a hot rod that is what it wants.
You are going to find that a lot of the time my advice is not considered to be acceptable. I am a little less refined that most of the new millennium rodders. I never got out of my beginnings. I think that they are missing a lot of fun, but I am biased.
Ha - I'm an older baby Boomer just starting late. I'm going from muscle cars and a 57 Nomad I just sold to my first ground up build.
Two things I can add that may help you as you move forward. If you are hanging exhaust under the car, plan for that now. Also get the radiator/shell that you plan to use BEFORE you get much farther.
So I contacted Eric and see he sells these floor set ups. I think I'll try to do it myself, have to go dig up some steel. Stock Racer, as far as the exhaust I;m leaning towards Lake Style but not 100 percent sure yet. Will be using a stock 29 Model A radiator shell. I see so many 32's on rods and kinda like the 29's. I have a radiator but need to change it to a small block set up.
The Jalopy Journal
