Well I finally started building the frame for my sedan. I'm bagging the front and rear, so today I ordered the Traditional Front Air kit from Worm at Cen-pen. Installed with the grille on, the bags are very hidden in the front crossmember, so it looks like a mono-leafed straight axle still. Up front I'm running a 4-inch SuperBell I-beam and split bones. The front kit will get here next week early, so today I started building the frame from the firewall back. My sedans body will lay completely out when the bags are aired out. I will have to z the front for sure, but wont know til I get the Front kit next week. I'm figuring on a 3"-5" z up fron will do it. For the rear I'm running 16" steelies with 7.50/16's(the mock-up rears are 15's). This means a HUGE rear kick-up to let the rear lay out, since the rear tires are almost 32" tall. My rear kick-up is 18.5", so the rear floor will be a package tray. I built a wood 2x4 mock up frame the check it out, and it will work out fine, so I got the rear frame section(from the firewall forward) built today. Its built from 2x3 rect. box tubing. For now I left the rails 6" longer in front then they will end up, but I'll trim them to length once the front z is figured out and I build the front rails. When I build the front rails, my z-ed front will hide behind the firewall, and I will build the front rails from the firewall forward to taper like A-rails, and I'll add frame horns of course. My rear axle will be located by a wishboned 3-link, with the outside parallel bars being 20" long, and the wishbone similiar length. My sedan when aired out will be like the sedan in the first picture I attached, except it will look pretty crazy with the 32" tall rear tires, and the roof of the sedan only 41" off the ground aired out. Ride height will be about 5" off the ground, with max lift about 6" in front and 8" in the rear. Heres some pics of tonights progress, I'll keep adding to this as I get the frame built, whick I plan on having to a roller within a couple weeks, so I'm excited. Sorry for the LONG post
Nice work. I have been following your build and you're making me wish I hadn't chopped my fordor into a tub.
I totally look to foward to your updates. Makes me want to build a Fordor, although I don't think I would do as good a job. Great work! Woody
Thank you very much fellas, I appreciate! I was originally gonna build this into a modified roadster body, because I really wanted a tudor body, but couldn't afford one. Now that its starting to look like something I really like that its a fordor. I just can't wait to get the frame done. I'm gonna go finish up the other rear rail, I ran out of box tubing. I'll get another stick, finish the rear rails and post update pics tonight
Small update, got both rear rails done from the firewall back. My front suspension stuff should be here early next week, so I can build the front rails and have a roller. Heres couple pics from today
A little bit of both. My plan was never to have a back seat, and since the stance will be so low the rear door only opens 1/2 way before it hits the tire, though it will open slightly more when the bags are fully inflated. The rear doors will let me stuff **** in the back, thats about all. If I wasn't bagging it of course I wouldn't need a 18.5" rear kick up either, more like a 13", so it would only come to the top of the rear wheelwell. But again, since I'm bagging it to lay out on a 32" rear tire, thats the reason for the huge kick-up(and lack of backseat). I guess I'll have to keep my girl on the pill so I don't NEED a backseat to haul any pesky lil critters around
with a 32" tire and a 4" axle housing you only need a 17.5 inches to the bottom of the kick up to sit it on the frame. the side walls of the tire will deflect atleast 1/2" in building my pickup im fighting for any extra room i can get. you spent all the time making the rear doors pit and opwn and close. why waste all that work to have the frame rall and subframe limiting more of your space ???
I know what you're saying about the door, but I didn't spend the time because I had intentions of having a back seat. I knew with the amount I chopped and channeled it that my front seats would have to tilt back a bit to sit comfortably. And again the doors will open 1/2 way still, and give me access to the rear to store stuff ect. Yeah, I could have built the kick-up 1" shorter, but I don't want the axle to sit against the frame rail when aired out, I will have a short bump stop there. So at this point of the game another inch to me is no biggie. And my goal with the car wasn't for a cross-country comfy four-seater. The car will still look cool with the rear doors opening as far as they will, plus giving me a little access to the rear interior area. And with the way I built the rear door jams I will be able to adjust the rear door in any direction needed to allow the beltlines and rear door to match up perfectly too.
Looks real good Keep us updated. I get my frame rails tomorrow hopefully I can get started by the end of the week.
I'd have to agree ..i've got a 4 door made into a two...people tell me "it looks too long,shorten it " i disagree i think long and low is automatic style and elegance no matter the condition of the ride..
dodgerodder....."For the rear I'm running 16" steelies with 7.50/16's(the mock-up rears are 15's). This means a HUGE rear kick-up to let the rear lay out, since the rear tires are almost 32" tall." What are you using for 7.50/16's and where are you getting them ? What width rim will they need ? Very cool and well thought out car, BTW.
Hello JohnnyFast, thanks for the nice words! For rear tires I'm running Firestone 7.50/16s, on a 6" wide steel wheel. On front I've got 6.00/16s on 16"x4" 40 ford steelies. Alot of guys run 7.50 rears on 4" or 4.5" wide steelies for the back as well, but I wanted a slightly wider rear wheel. Plus my rear end is a 5-on-5 bolt pattern, so I just bought 16x6 steelies(and my tires)from Coker. The 7.50 rear tires are actually 31.5" tall. Heres a pic of a sedan(not mine)that I like with the same tire combo(except I choose www's/w trim ring)to give you an idea about the look. Hope this helps!
Well today I got the olds mocked up at its correct height, I think it'll end up looking real good. I quick-built a rack to hold the motor there outta some s**** steel. This tuesday I get my front suspension set-up from Worm @ Cen-Pen so I can finish the front rails and figure out how much I'll have to Z the front so it all lays out. I sat inside and looked thru the windshield and all you see is carbs, I was so excited. Heres some pics
Dodge, Your posts are amazing. Write all you want. This stuff is pure gold. I wish I had the time and skillset to keep mine as a Fordor, but for me the easy way out, and the only way to actually get my project finished, is to make it an RPU. Nice work!
Thanks guys! Theres nothing wrong with a rpu, that was my original plan, I love rpu's. After all the work it took building the new subframe(which I STILL have a couple days on to finish) I questioned my decision daily! I'll be getting my front susp. stuff tomorrow, I love getting parts! Its like xmas [QUOTE='29MurrayTub]Dodge, Your posts are amazing. Write all you want. This stuff is pure gold. I wish I had the time and skillset to keep mine as a Fordor, but for me the easy way out, and the only way to actually get my project finished, is to make it an RPU. Nice work![/QUOTE]
Well today I set-up the Cen-Pen front end and figured out I'll have to run my front end suicided to let it lay out, but thats ok. I'll weld bungs into my 38' wishbones and attach the lift bars to the bones. I still had to run a 6.5" Z in the front, but thats ok. I left the front rails a little long until I figure out my final wheelbase. Once I do I will taper the front rails from the firewall forward model a style, except I'll now have no front horns that I'm suiciding it. Heres some progress pics as I left it tonight though
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