Yes Bill has a head for stuff like this..You should see some of the shit he has done over the years!! Steve yes the front on it make it look like something.. Never got a chance to get at the rack yet..My daily driver had to be taken off the road for a bit!!so only got one rig on the road and running the wife to and from work is putting a damper into flatliner time!!
Ok after many pow wows and lots of research I figure I get at the rack.. so this is what I did and I learned alot as I did it.there is always things you over look but I think I have it all figured out now.. So I started off with first installing the stock parts in the car.I am using the center link and tie rods in this project so had to set up the car in stock form and weld the center link to the frame so to keep it in stock location. then I removed all the parts I didnt need and cut the ends off the center link leaving only the points where the tie rods mount.
Next I figured out where I wanted the rack and the angle I want it on.. needed to take in account that there had to be room for the tie rods to pass the mount for the rack..I had some 2x3 3/16 wall steel so I cut off 8 inchs of it and cut it from corner to corner to get two peiced..I then figured out the location of the mounting holes and drill them and made a cross brace to keep it all square..Cut and trimed the peices till I was happy with how they mounted as well as the angle it was on. welded it in place then cut the bottom off with the cross brace.
Ok next i mounted the rack and figured out how to mount the rack to the center link.. I used a peice of 1/2 in thick by 3 inch flat bar..want it to be strong. so after figuring out the angles I cut and drilled the place and dressed it then bolted it to the rack and set the rack on the middle. I then tacked the plate to the centerlink and cut the center link removed it with the plate and weled it all up. then as the day ended i bolt it all togeather and did a quick check of everthing.. Now the fun begins!!
well with it all togeather The first thing i noticed was that when turning the rack from side to side the tie rods would hit the frame!! Thinking about i realized that the stock center link moved in a ark from side to side cause of the pittman arm and steering box. So to fix this I just cut a inch out of it and welded it back togeather.Just tacked it here just in case I had to change anything agian. with this done it turned nicely from side to side. One thing i new i was going to run into was that tires would rub on the ends of the rack.. quick fix for this is to ajust the stops on each wheel to keep it from hitting..
Ok all that figure out.. The tie rods had lots of clearance on the rack mounts so that was not a issue.. Now here comes a problem I am still working on but I think I got it figure out. The rack where the plate mount has movement up and down. At the centerlink it is about a 1/4 of a inch total.This is a major no no in my books.. Some guys have done this setup and say there is no problems with the steering in the car.I can clearly see bumpsteer when I move it. What I plan to do is mount a guide off the back of the centerlink and have it run to a slotin the cross member and line it with a liner that will let the guide move side to side with out any trouble and also so there is no rattle of steel on steel. I have a sample of my idea in picture..This is my next job and then it is on to the joining the rack to the colume.. but first fix this up and down movement. I hope by weeks end I will have this fixed..i hope!!
Now that's some damn fine home-built car stuff there, Fitz. Excellent work. And boy would I love to seek a peek at a Canadian hotrod powow! I picture y'all wrapped in a caribou hide sitting around the ice fishing hut chewing jerky and sipping whiskey . . . maybe some Yukon Jack . . .
You need the strong steel guide plate as wide as possible to make sure it can't dig in to the plastic liner. Not likely to happen, but better to make sure it can't happen, period. It's the same amount of work either way... I would make a U shaped retainer to weld to the crossmember and have a piece of hard, self lubing plastic cut to fit into it and then slotted to allow the guide to fit. You could maybe use a piece of square tube...cut a side so that the resulting U still has a portion of the cut side on top and bottom to retain the plastic and then press the plastic in from the side. Don't need the steel guide to reach all the way into the groove, but having the plastic in one piece makes it much easier to mount into the U channel. It will hold its shape without sagging etc. The rack movement is linear so there will be no arc to compensate for. If anyone sees an issue with any of this, your input is welcome!
I read this today and found it very funny.. only thing neather bill or me drinks!! lol.. Now a Tims coffee is always involved in our pow wows..lol
this will work. when you talk about the plastic how thick you think I should have this plastic?.Was out looking around for ideas for this.never came across any plastic tho.. Going to call around tomorrow see what I can come up with. Like to find something ready made!! lol.I can only wish for that!!lol
well sence I never had any materials to build the guide I decided to give the steering shaft a try..I was almost sure I was going to have to have 3 joints in the shaft..but after playing around with it I got it build with only two.. Still have to fine tune it but it works great. a bit close to the control arm so I have to keep a eye on that and see where the control arm is when the car lays frame.so another part figured out..
just looked at that picture..took that on a poor angle!! looks like the shaft is on the control arm!! but in fact there is like 2 inch there where it goes over the control arm!!
lol it is not in the clear yet.. Played arounf tonight with laying freame and The tie rods are hitting rack mounts.. need to notch them. dented control arm and it looks like it just might clear when I lay frame. Still fine tuning everthing..
already sizing up cutting the front rails off the 4 door 52 with the rad mount and graphing them into the front of the S10 frame. I need something there to mount rad and bumpers too so this is what I might do.
Ok it been awhile and I hate to say it but never touch the car.. had some things at the shop that need to be finshed and worked on so my own project was put on hold.. I need something to get me going on this so I decided to open my shop to the public for a day and chop the flatliner.I been asked alot about when I will be doing it and seems there is alot of interest in it. so Saturday march 3rd,not this Saturday but the next one I will be chopping the roof on the car and all are invited. around here this is not a ever day event and many have never seen a chop ever so it will be interesting to see what kind of responds I get from this.. till them I will prep the body and have it all ready for next saturday..
I would love to drop in Tony but unfortunately I will be working, hope you get some guys around to help or B.S. or even cook.
Oh yes lots of pictures.. That is a must.. Might be getting in over my head yet..seems the word is getting around.. Im starting to wonder if it will be too many bodies there!! lol
designated photographer!! I say there be more then one taking pictures..lol.someone offered today to take a video!! lol
The Jalopy Journal
