Weekend Project Step notching a 51 Chevy

Its a 4 day weekend, why not start a project!

This weekend I hope to step notch my 51 and get it back on the road by Monday. I worked on it about 5 hours so far. I got the gas tank out, the wheel wells out, trunk floor is gone and most of the notch plates are cut.

Pics:

This is the basic notch plate I made. I needs final trimming before being welded in:



Here are pics of the trunk and frame rails:



You can see in these pics the old bag mounts. the upper was welded to the bottom of the frame and the lower was bolted to the leaf. I highly recommend NOT doing your bags this way. You dont get much lift from it, and the ride SUCKS! Not to mention the strain it puts on the leaf spring.





I will update this thread as I get more done.

 

Suprised the leaf hasn't snapped yet---you are changing it out, right?

 

eventually, I plan on 3 linking it.

 

Are you gonna relocate the bag mounts? We notched and bagged a '54 with the torque-tube and the stock leaf springs, bridged the notches and mounted the bags on the axle and bridge. The travel was pretty decent for that style of setup.

Bryan

 

Ya I am going to mount the bags between the axle and the bridge. That seems like a good way to do it.

 

Interesting, I will follow this one....also !
Please keep us posted and ofcourse.....love the pics part of it.
/ primerkid

 

Cool...keep the pics coming. I'm about to notch another car and I'm always interested in seeing others techniques and styles.

Bryan

 

Looks like you'll be following the same route they did in LowRider Mag

http://www.lowridermagazine.com/tech/0604lrm_air_bag_suspension/


I'll be attempting the same come January....

Keep the pics coming!!

 

Well I doubt I will have this done by Monday. It seems I have less and less time to work on it. I thougt I was going to have a nice 220 to weld with, but that didnt happen, instead its a Lincoln weldpak, but whatever it works. Here is what I have done so far.

Side Plates:



Top and bottom plates:



And what I have done so far:

 

seems like a really big notch. i guess you plan on rasing the trans tunnel to use all of that???

 

you really shouldn't be using a "weldpac" welder to do a job like this. looks like flux core over rust? or am I mistaken.

if you have access to a 220 welder wait and use that one. if you insist on using the weldpak bevel every joint and clean it to nice shiney metal. weld every weldable surface solid. inside and out. don't grind anything.. but really that welder is not up to par for this type of work. save it for the sheetmetal work you'll be doing later.

 

yeah, you're never gonna law the car down that far unless you cut the bottom of the body off like that god-awful fleetline posted a few weels ago.

 

I must say your notch is a bit odd...and TALL too!

See mine during build up and this is w/ the frame laying on the ground: http://www.flickr.com/photos/53747716@N00/

You really do need to look into getting professional welder set up or have a pro weld that in for you.

If you have any questions, please ask me and I will be more then happy to assist.

Steve

 

I appreciate all the imput. The frame doesnt have any rust on it, in fact all teh parts are clean metal. It is a flux core, but I am taking my time and making sure the welds penetrate, most of the joints are welded from both sides. I did a tall notch so that I can run a taller tire for road trips.

 

The frame doesnt have any rust on it, in fact all teh parts are clean metal

uh... I can see the rust in the picture. I see no clean metal other than your new parts.

but I am taking my time and making sure the welds penetrate,

you WILL NOT get good penetration with a weld pac.

there is a very good chance of failure there due to poor welds. sorry for shitting on your parade, but you really should be using a 220 welder.

 

Nevermind.

 

hey, don't upset cause a few guys are giving you pointers on how to build a safe car!

i ain't gonna tell you not to use the welder that you are using. but please clean the areas you are welding! you MUST grind or wire brush the surface rust off the frame before you start, and if the plate you made the step notch out of is hot rolled steel, you MUST grind the scale off where you are welding! also, if you have a torch handy, preheat the areas you will weld, and you'll get much better penetration.

and sorry, but there is no way in hell a tall tire is gonna put the axle that high. grab a tape measure, you'll have to cut holes in the upper quarter panel for the tires to stick out.

just don't get discouraged, we want to see the rest of the project.

 

LOL, I didnt mean nevermind because I was mad. I posted that after I wrote something up that made no sense once posted. I appreciate the imput from those more experienced. I did wire wheel where I was welding, its just hard to tell in the pics. And unfortunatly I dont have access to a 220 welder, or a place to plug it in.

 

So.... how'd the weekend turn out now that you have to head back to work on Monday? Will you be dricing the '51?

 

don't trip Blown240.I've done plenty of this stuff with a 110 weldpak.they are in right in that the metal should be clean.but that's a given.the flux core is a little more forgiving to dirt/rust.but still clean it with a sanding disc,not a wire wheel.looks good so far.put that fuckin'welder on "D" and go for it!!

 

flux core does burn hotter, so as long as its clean and beveled, you SHOULD be ok..remember frame is only 14 ga....but you can lay frame with the bottom of notch only like 2 inches above the top of original frame. Not sure I would use that welder on a four link though.

 

The notch seems tall to me to, but I guess too much is ok in some instances.

 

OK time for an update. I didnt have enough time to finish it over the weekend, but I did get quite a bit done, I did run into a couple small problems though.

Here are some pics:

about ready to cut out the frame:



Here is what it looks like cut:



The tunnel starting to come out:



I ran into a couple small issues though. This is where you guys can be of some assistance.

1. My rear flex line is too short because the bracket is bent. I plan on cutting it off and moving it. Worst case I need a longer rear flex line. (I hate bleeding brakes)



Problem 2: I need to cut the floor more. It looks like I am going to have to cut it all the way under the front seat. Not that big of deal, only a bit more cutting.

Problem 3: even though the axle is centered in the notch the bracket that the u bolts wrap arround is getting in the way. It doesnt hit the notch YET, but its too clost for comfort. Is it possible to more the axle back on the leaf spring? Maybe 3/8 to 1/2 inch?

Finally here is a pic of the rear x member sitting on a piece of 6 inch square tubing. The car is lower than it was before, but soon it will be 5-6 inches lower than it is.



I was thinking that the notch would be a bit tall,(its about 8-9 inches) but with the car laying on the ground, there is only 1 1/2 inches between the axle and the notch, perfect for a bit taller tire on road trips, and maybe a small bump stop.

 

You could re-drill the perch, but your axle wouldn't be centered anymore.

That thing's gonna be slammed, but it looks like you'll have to cut the tops off your quarters to get your axle near the top of that notch...you wouldn't be the first.

Are you going to run shocks?

Bryan

 

Ya, I will have shocks. And there is more room than it looks between the tire and the quarter. It may never get a REAL wheelwell though. Just something to keep the dirt out.

People have actually cut the quarters? doesnt that look like crap?

 

Do you realize what your plate says? LOL

 

ya, I know...

 

The only reason I asked about the shocks was to mention a friend who had used the stock leaf springs and left the stock shock locations. On the way back from BilletProof, the lower shock mount broke, presumably because of the angle when sitting that low. Just something to watch.

It totally does! There was a thread a few weeks ago with a '50 or something Chevy at a show that was super slammed...I think the rocker panels had been cut and the wheel-wells were sticking out of the trunk...yuck! I'll try to find it for ya.

Bryan

 

I will have to figure out a proper way to run the shocks. If you could find that thread that would be cool.

 

I have small tires on my 49. 24 1/2 inches tall. as my car sits right now I have 34 1/4 inches from the floor to top of the inner fenderwell inside. I have 8 3/4" from the floor to the frame right in front of the front spring mounting point. I have 10 inches between the top of the tire and the top of the inner fenderwell.

so if I were to drop my car keeping the frame level until the frame hit the ground I would still have 1 1/4 inches between the tire and the top of the inside fenderwell.

lets say I like a tall tire... say 28 inches. I could cut the top of my inner fenderwell off and raise it about 4" then weld it back together before it would interfere with the lip around the trunk.

I'd be done. I'd have inner fenderwells. my frame would be on the ground.

of course I am only addressing the inner fenderwell issue here. the floor over the rear end would need to be raised, along with trimming the inner part of the wheelwell to match. I just see way too many 49 - 52 chevys running around without fenderwells or floors in the back to not feel the need to speak up

you really need to think these things through and not be in a hurry