Projects 64 Comet Build for Sema.....Its build time....

I believe I forgot to show the sliced out wheel tubs for the new suspension and wheel/tire fitment. Im sure the mini tub isn't strange and new to most folks but I figured I would drop some images on here but not go to crazy with detail.

Basically all we did for this job is something anyone can do with a home garage and time. We removed the tub by first cutting around the trunk floor from back to front. Then we split it right down the center. The key here is to find an area around the inner wheel tub that is flat or at least going to make reconstruction easy when you weld in the section needed for widening. You will also have to cut the trunk mounts as well where it secures itself to the inner wheel tub on each side. Cut it at the wheel tub and leave yourself enough room to fabricate later, you'll need to do plenty of work to get them where you need them.

After that I cut the trunk floor all the way back to the subframe trying to follow the lines that the re-installed tub would follow. That reduces the amount of metalwork needed during reattachment.

By the way, sorry for the blurry as hell shot, I swear I wasnt drunk! Damn iphones---

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Here's another shot of us finishing the rear end suspension component mounts. After the in-car tack welding of all attaching 4 link components we went ahead and finish welded the bottom bar and coil over or in our case, shockwave mounts and the upper bar mounts.

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After the rear brackets are finish welded I stuck it back in the car to mock the bars back up and fabricate the coil over support/cross member. This piece will hold alot of weight and will need to do it in a fairly compact location. As well as hold the duty of a sway bar mount. The first design I came up with was scrapped due to bieng to bulky and not as streamlined as I had originally wanted. I settled on a nice piece of round 1/8 wall 1 1/2 tubing welded to steel plate that was in turn welded to the steel reinforcement plates I welded in earlier for strenth as well as to distribute the load from the bags and sway bar.

Here we are mocking it up with dummy shocks set approx at ride to see where it all looks best. Guess we got lucky the first time. I love it when that happens!

Notice that I needed to cut the floor out to move it around quite a bit. Key here is I wanted to use the factory fuel tank location. It all had to move around to accomodate the cross member.

 

I got the bar all set in the location I felt was perfect. I then mounted the bags and the sway bar tabs, followed by the sway bar. Matt had to machine bushings in the mounts to fit our bolts. After that they were a great fit . All looked good. Finish welding time.

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Here are a few more shots of the sway bar tacked up and going in.

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The Welder Series sway bar was extreamly easy to make fit and to make it very custom at the same time. Here I made it the correct length, got it set up to finish weld and got the arms ready for fitting. I found they were easiest to clamp together and drill them at the same time.

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More set up of the sway bar. You can see that I recessed the sway bar in the collar a bit to build up a nice hot weld as per the Welder Series instructions. Worked well. I also plug welded around the shaft. I ended up grinding the ends a bit smoother to even out the welds. I finish welded the mounting tabs on the bar as well as added a center "stabilizer" that will bear no weight but keep it from moving around. I got the ceter tab straight out of the Welder Series catalog as well. Thanks!

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Here are a few more on the sway bar after welding and pre-beautification. Here we are getting it in the car. Making sure to simulate full suspension travel and clearances before final welding. There is sure alot of stuff that went up in that small area. Im very happy it went up in there, and most of all it will be very road worthy and extreamly functional. I think it'll look good to at the end of the day.

Thanks!

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Now it was time to finish the wheel mini tubs. I had to remove a large part of the lower hinge support to get the tub to move in enough for the tires I wanted to put on the car (see the diff in pic 1 to pic 2). I knew this was going to be the case going in. Worth it though, I was able to get another 3 or so inches out of the wheel wells after this process. I slammed the lip of the wheel tub right against the outer frame rail. They fit quite well considering all the surgery I had performed to this car to date.

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Now it was time for me to stitch the floor pan back together. Not a really hard task, just time consuming because I wanted to use all of the factory lines. I liked them and they were very strong. So off I went....

 

In post #245,why a spacer on top of another spacer to hold the bottom of the shock?Plus all the weight of the Comet is being thrust onto a bolt in single shear!Why not use an adjustable lower mount for a coil over type shock?Just curious as I am not a fan of single shear suspension mounts! ROY.

 

roy,
that is just the way the airide kit comes,something more stable and less susceptible has already been discussed and is in the works. this just gave us the proper stand-off between the axle and and the shockwave for mock up and preliminary fabrication.

wiring this week woo hoo

 

Good to know,looked a little shaky!!! It looks like a well layed out design,otherwise!! Good luck on the wiring,not one of my favorite jobs!!!! ROY.

 

Hey Roy! Thanks for staying tuned. Missed ya at the March meet. Buried in work stuff. First time i've missed in YEARS!

Yeah- That woulda been a sketchy ride,,,,,or exciting??? with the fab spacers in there. We just had to get the distance correct.

Wiring is my least favorite part too. Matt is really good at it and must be a freak because he actually likes it, lol!

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Keep him happy,guys that like wiring are hard to find!!!! I should have known it was for mockup as everything else has been very nice!!! ROY.

 

I finished the trunk area by putting the floor back together. I wanted to keep the soft curved transition to the gas tank for originality and rigidity. When its all said and done it should be hard to tell I had to remove about a foot to accomodate the custom triangulated 4-link and air suspension. I flanged the small center filler piece as well as the larger center upper piece for strength. Originally there was a beefy cross member for the shocks under the floor there. So the new crossmember and the modified floor work should give it the strenght it needs.

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Here is the next few steps on the floor-

 

Here are the floor panels getting stitched together after the final fit.

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Sub Frame Connector time!

When I was measuring the lower forward 4 link brackets and locating them I made sure to keep the sub frame connectors in mind. I used the Falcon/Comet connectors from Global West. They just had to be trimmed a small amount and went in really smoothly. If I hadn't had custom suspension there was no need to trim them, good job Global West for a good product. These should help the car stay rigid and planted as it sits on the floor at the SEMA show...lol. Kidding, i'm gonna drive the hell out of this car!

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At Long last its time to lay some color on the bottom of the car! well, black actually....

I spent the better part of 10 hrs getting all the crud off the bottom of the car. Honestly I didnt think it was that bad. blah...

Then I spent another 3 or so hrs taping the entire car and under bits I didnt want to cover with liner. blah....again...

Tomorrow = paint!

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Finally, it always feels like when a build hits certian bench marks your on the home stretch. Finishing the underside of the car was a big one for me!

This is one of those times that it looks better in person than in an iphone pic, lol, at 11;30 at night...


Yeay! Next step!


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Gauges!

I moved into the car to do a few interior pieces. With wiring coming up I wanted to get the dash pieces done. The one that is most tome consuming is going to be the gauge panel. I need to fab the rear panel to fit the front and hold the old school looking 60's auto Meter Traditional Series gauges. The front would need to trimmed as well and the original gauges removed and the original lense needs to be trimmed and polished. Detail work that is sure to pay off if done right!

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Here is the finished panel. I like it. It has the old and the new that the whole project is trying to achieve. The factory camera case finish is awesome, but a total pain in the butt to get to stick to the plastic panel. More on that to come. Anyway, gauges...done!

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WOW;the gauge cluster turned out beautiful!!!! ROY.

 

Thanks Roy!

Now I just have to get the other panels to behave. Its a hot weekend so hopefully the paint and camera case stick to the freshly chromed pot metal. I've got a few ideas....


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your gauges do look very nice!

 

Your Project is looking great! I like that finish on the cluster!
Eric

 

Dash looks bitching cool good work and car is going to be killer. What wheel lokk did you end up going with?

 

Looking great TP!
myron_

 

Nice gauge cluster!