Here's my deal. i've read every post with the word "wheelbase" in the hamb archives(literaly)! i've talked to countles people who should know! HERE'S THE QUESTION!! (I'M BUILDING A MODIFIED) WHAT'S THE OPTIMUM WHEELBASE? OR AT LEAST, WHATS THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM RECOMENDED? i have'nt read or been told the same thing twice!! normaly i'm the "**** it, it looks good to me, RUN IT" type. BUT... it's getting a 400+ hp motor ,i kinda want it to be right. know what i mean? SO....WHAT'S THE REAL ANSWER?? ANYBODY KNOW?
Hi, YSOB. You didn't post any info on you car in your profile, which would have helped. What are you building? In general, a longer wheelbase will make for a more stable straight-line car. A shorter wheelase will give you better cornering, but may be twitchier at high speeds. That's why the SCTA has wheelbase rules. NHRA dragsters (and funny cars) have long wheelbases (and big turning circles) because they basically only need to go straight. What's your car intended for? --Matt
hey deuce, i built a chasis out of 2x3 3/16 wall box tubing basicly to the specs of a set of model a rails, pinched in the same places to the same width,etc. it's got a 68 mopar driveline (440hp motor, a833 4speed, 8 3/4 rearend). 40 ford frontend with quarter eliptic springs, and split wishbones.model t gas tank.as of right now if i can't find any pre war mopar tin i'm running a 34 ford pu cab with no roof. basicly, the car's gonna be for blasting around town (30-40 mile radius). i would like it to be drivable enough to not worry about the freeway or distance though.
Generally Modifieds have about 1/2 to 3/4 of the front tire diameter in front of the grille shell. Plot the shell and radiator thickness, how much room the engine needs to the firewall, the length of the roadster p/u body or touring front half or whatever you're using for a body and then mount the rear right behind it and the gastank over it. i'm guessing you're gonna need 104 to 110 inches. I'd lay out the parts, make a frame plan and then start the build...not the other way around. They are small cars, and depending on how big you are, you are going to need to do some packaging engineering. Charlie
that's how i laid it out. started at the cab and worked forward. the problem is i came out with almost 120" center to center on the wheels. now i'm being told that's to long. i can probably shorten it 4-5" without having much trouble, but i'm not sure if that's to long. P.S. i'm 5'6" size is not a big issue!!
stock '34 Pickup is 112" so i'm told. But when I built my ch***is - i copied a '34 Ford Pickup that was in our shop and I know that I got 118" for a wheel base (yeh it was a 1/2 ton truck that i took measurments from) there was another guy on here with a low slung '34 P/u that had a 124" wheellbase. Truck was in Bare metal and I think he was from Michigan but posted some picts of his truck @ Indy? - I think it was "Jake//NC\\MI" ???or something like that "Spitshine" also has a '33/'34 PU and the WB is 123" I think he hold me. 120" might not be too bad...does it look long? when you have the wheels on it with the cab mounted? I think the biggest issue is the turning radius but i'm not sure. I had the same questions about my frame when I found out that the stock '34 PU was supposed to be 112 not 118 - so now i'm paranoid about the handling of the truck as well and sondering if I should shorten it a couple of inches
no it does'nt look bad, i think it's gonna look sick. i'm just worried now becouse i was told 110" was optimum for a modified. at 120" or so am i going to run into turning radius, or other problems?
Agreed, the wheelbase on my 34 pickup project is 120". No way to get it shorter that I could find, without putting the rear tires where the seats go Our blue A tub was pretty long too, something like 118" if I recall correctly. No issues at all with the longer cars of they're built right and aligned well. Never had the blue car is a situation where I felt it needed to turn tighter.
I have to say that I think 120" is too long visually. My Fairlane has a 120" wheelbase and I moved the front axle forward about 3 or 4". A '63 Fairlane is a pretty long car. The Willys hoopty I am building has a 111" wheelbase. Ratster's Es*** roadster has a 108" wheelbase. I think SamIyam stated at one point that his BFD dragster had a 96" wheelbase. In general, I think someting around 108" to 110" is pretty much a good rule of thumb when building an early styled modified, or roadster.
I had no pre-conceived idea of what my wheelbase should be. I measured all the bits, did a scale drawing from that of how I thought it should look and it came in at 109". IMO it looks just right (on paper). Haven't had a full mockup yet but have done the main elements and it looks good. Reckon I'd be struggling to get it much shorter. (28A modified, 401, suicide '48 front, rear spring behind axle, 16" steelies + blackwalls.) Pete
The Beater is on a 100" wheelbase. Rides decent, handles like poo. Guess 30's era technology w/bias plies rally don't help much.
well.... i went down to my sac (spousal avoidance center) this morning and did some moving around of parts. it looks like i can get too 110" without having to sit on my motor, or making the front end look like i ran it into a brick wall! it looks kinda short in the garage, but i'm sure it wont be.
In order to place the radiator behind the tie rod, keep ample room between the radiator and the fan, add the overall length of the engine/****** combination, and keep a reasonable length driveshaft, this one will be 106". I may be able to squeeze it down to 104" or so with a little fudging. The whole trick is.....measure, measure, measure !!!
Really short cars need IRS so the driveshaft length, or shortness, isn't an issue. Ford Model A's were 103.5" B's were about 106". Corvettes started out 102", went down to 98" with the Stingrays and now are back at 102". Jag XK-E, 96" (as is a Cobra I think) New Honda Civic's are 104.3" (I only included that because it's a fairly good handling car and I happened to have the stats sitting here because Wife's probably going to get one.) The point? Just that that's the general range of good handling "sports car's" wheelbases. What is a modified if it's not a "sports car"? I just had a thought, isn't the NHRA minimum wb 98"? If so, that just lets Corvette Stingrays in and Jags ruled out!... Curious...
My '23 T roadster (body is about 51" long?)which is built more or less modified style, with a aluminum tank right behind the body rather than a pickup bed, is 100" wheelbase. It could have easily been 3" shorter. I have pics and could e-mail them but they're too large to post here. Let me know if you want them. winterlynn@charter.net johnny fast.....I think the proportions of the car on your drawing are "right on"
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