I've had yet another idea rolling around in my head. Ideas for me are often just brain farts and this time my brain may have just **** my pants. My current COE will be a workhorse when done with the ability to tow fairly heavy loads and generally be a backup to our primary truck. I love the looks of the fairly short COE pickups and wouldn't mind maybe adding one as a fun driver. I've seen pickups from the early 40's to late 50's with C4 suspension both front and rear. Would the Corvette suspension be heavy enough to handle a shorty AD COE? Since the bed wouldn't be used for hauling it might be possible to move the engine to the bed to balance the weight somewhat. Doing that would likely also dictate a bed that might not be overly short, but the ride would be smoother. Thoughts?
I would look at the vette track width and compare it to your truck. Also what type of wheels you need to run to maintain correct geometry (scrub radius). What is the steering layout on a vette? Rack&pinion? Personally, I would keep the engine up front as I dislike the looooong box look.
Sure, why not. Mid engine + Independent rear suspension = no driveshaft = short bed length. Steering rack is front mounted...i.e., easy alignment with COE column. They are plentiful and semi-inexpensive. You will need a wider frame width in the rear, than a truck, so the rear suspension trailing arms will maintain the correct geometry. Otherwise it seems easy. Do it now and take pictures. FYI - My advice comes with a limited warranty. It is limited by my belief that I know exactly what I am doing...or maybe I just stayed at a Holiday Inn last night
CG right now i`m working on stuffing a complete C6 Vette drivetrain under a `54 chevy truck, so for your project i would look into a C5/6 as well. the transaxle IRS of the C5/6 would be ideal for a mid engine setup (engine would mount directly to the transaxle = you need only a fairly short bed to hide it) here is a pic of the `54/C6 i`m working on; i tweaked the wb to 108" for the truck (from the stock 105.7") but if you look at the ch***is from the side ... ... and picture the engine flange`d to the transaxle without torque tube, the wb could possibly be even a little shorter. (note that the cab is not finally fitted and is still sitting a little too high in that last pic ...) your weight distribution would be almost rear heavy ... it would definitely handle very well compared to a traditional front heavy truck
Stephan, that has got to be the coolest truck ch***is I've ever seen. I had considered a C5/6 setup but before seeing this I couldn't picture how it could be done. That is absolutely incredible. Now I'm going to have to give this serious thought.
Kscar lol ... i used to build desert/sand rails for a living, so that ch***is was actually fairly "easy" to build the main reason for the many tubes is that i had to build the ch***is around the two stock Vette saddle tanks it needed also to be extremely rigid for possible track time obviously the truck does not fit the HAMB forum (not even close lol), so i posted the build thread over at GJ CG ; here is the link if you (or somebody else) is interested to see more details; http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=248328
Stephan, you have taken what I thought was a brain fart and made it smell delicious. I am just absolutely stunned by this build. I freaking love it! I just read the entire thread over at garage journal. Like your friend I too have a terrible need for speed that is slightly overpowered by my love of handling. This setup under a COE could combine my p***ion for big trucks with good handling and reasonable speed. ****, now I need to figure out how to make it happen! Here's a picture to show how serious I am about handling, speed, and old trucks.
B-bop, I'm actually working on getting a second cab and I need the first one I get done to be a "real" useable truck. However, if I can figure out how to do a second one with reasonable handling as a fun daily driver I might just try something like this. I know the CofG will always be too high with a COE for great handling, but the setup Stephan has designed could certainly make what might be the worlds best handling COE. My fear was that the C4 suspension might not be strong enough to handle the weight, but I see no reason the C5/6 suspension mated to a ch***is like that wouldn't be fine. With this setup it would have no truck duties, no towing, and no hauling other than occasionally hauling ***. If you think I'm wrong please say so. Of course a lot will depend on what kind of toy the wife wants next.
haha I was yanking your chain, I meant are you going to mount the maroon colored GM truck on the Blue, INDY type car in the foreground.
C.G. Back many a year ago, I offered to paint an formula car like yours for free...the owner was thrilled (for a few seconds) and then realized that my real motive was to drive it on the street! FYI - If yours runs...bring it over and I'll put a paint job on it...for free.
Haha, good one b-bop! See I really do have brain farts! If I tried to put the 46 on the Dallara ch***is I'd need to add a long bed because the truck is actually the shortest of the two. The real problem would be trying to figure out how to mount it on a composite ch***is (carbon fiber) car. Every other Formula Car I've driven was a tube frame car so at least there would have been something to weld on. Maybe I should just unbolt the the front and rear wings and add them to the 46 and call it the 46 ricer...
KS, this would be a lot less work than painting a truck. LOL http://rush49.com/rustywallace_new.jsp?gclid=COTkx5Gzgr8CFcI7MgodKxkAqQ
KS, last week I seriously had a guy offer to paint it for the cost of materials and one or two laps on the track. The problem is that you really need to work yourself up to a downforce car. I would honestly love to let a lot of my friends drive the car but I'm afraid they'd kill themselves -- and break my car. However, if you ever get the chance to drive one of these things, the steep learning curve is worth the risk! Think about trying to go around a curve at 100mph and spinning off of the track because you were actually going too slow. Now try to make your brain believe that you really needed to be going 125mph to make the curve. It takes a leap of faith that's hard to believe. Of course the real reason you stay on the track may have more to do with the suction your **** pucker puts on the track than the downforce from the wings...
I sure thought I replied to daddio's pist with the yellow truck. I've seen pics of the truck and remember it being for sale, but I sure didn't remember that it was an oversized C5. Pretty cool!
You know CG, sometimes it just seems like a small world. Serious about handling, speed and old trucks you say? Yea, I can relate. Not quite the power to weight as your open wheel, but I can drive it on the street. Rob
The guys on BBC's Top Gear had a test session in an F3 car. They plug the circuit into the onboard computer and if the car isn't going slow enough for the tires to grip or fast enough for the ground effects to work it shuts itself off.
I'll have to look that show up. It sounds like I'd love it -- not that I don't love the show anyway. It really is a weirdly fine balancing act driving these things properly. I try to drive properly -- I don't always succeed. No, I don't think the Corvette drivetrain is strong enough to pull heavy loads. The first one I plan to finish will be on a truck ch***is with a ***mins. I may well be dreaming but I'd like to build a second, non-towing more daily driver truck with as much handling as possible.
The Jalopy Journal
