wheel base and z problem!!!!

I'm building a 27 T RPU. I'm trying to lay my frame out and I am having a tough time with the what length I want to make my wheel base. Also trying to figure out how/where to make my z in the front. My motor measures 31" from the front of the water pump to the back of the motor. I will be using a electric fan for cooling the motor. Don't know what the common depth of radiators are. I'm curious how much room you need to leave for the radiator and fan, plus motor before z'ing down. Any help or input would be nice.

B-dub

 

Bttt

 

I think to get any input, you're gonna have to add a bit more info. For starters, are you fabricating a brand new frame or altering an existing one? It is a stock T frame? What sort of front suspension are you going to use...spring over axle or what? What sort of motor are you using? Does your '27 have a stock firewall? Do you like short cars or stretched out ones?

 

Which front axle? Dropped or not, and if so, how much. Give us as much detail as you can.

 

I'm using a 4" dropped axle, spring over and going to build a brand new frame. Fleetside66: the firewall is stock and the motor is a 440 with a 727 tranny. I don't prefer short cars nor do I prefer really stretched out cars.

 

Planning what the wheelbase might be in advance is doing it back-asswards.
Since you are building the frame from scratch, get Tex Smith's book. Any kinks in the frame would be put there to accomodate whatever body/drivetrain/ suspension configuration you are going for.


With axles on blocks, decide if you want the radiator in front of, or behind the front axle. Fan clearance is the key for motor fore/aft positioning. The body goes where you like it in relationship to the motor/cowl plan. Rear axle final position would be where the wheels would fit in the fenders. If fenderless, put them where the fenders would be anyhow. Wheelbase is a happenstance without any prior plan of actual dimension.

 

Say what?

 

mock it up in tack welds to get your tolorances & stance. Check out my 28 rpu album. it's z'd front & back & that was the only way I could get the suspension really dialed in with the stance I wanted.

 

If you have all your parts mock it up and see what works.
If not, maybe you should get all your parts so you can mock it up and see what works.

 

Yeah in this situation I would suggest that you gather as many parts as you can and do a mock up. Sometimes times just measuring stuff and imagining it in your head doesn't work too well. You need to see as much of it as you can to get a picture of the aesthetic direction you are headed in.

 

I have plenty of parts to do the mock up. I think I will try to layout everything and see what happens. I have found that the 28-29 Grill shells are 5" depth and most radiators are 4" depth. I have popped chalk line and sprayed clear paint over it so it stays. This will be my center and then I can square the front off that and measure out from the front and work my way back. Hopefully being somewhere around 115".

 

Why don't you put the engine at ride height, then put your body behind it and roll your tires in the spot that looks the best. Now this would be better if you can get far away from it to get a good look.
Another alternative is to build a mockup frame out of 2X4 wood, it's the same size as most tubing used to build a scratch frame. The wood will hold the weight of the body, engine and axles if braced correctly. When you have what you're looking for the wood becomes your pattern to lay on your steel stock.

 

my blown big block, elec pump/fan 30-31 sedan will be 109.5"
all the mock up shows it fitting together well

I did my initial mock up in a simple cad drawling, but the 2x4 wood is an excellent idea for some real world measurements.

 

swade41 that sounds like a good idea. I appreciate the input and will try and post a build thread. Thanks for all the help and info guys...

B-dub

 

Streetwerks, I am going to try and draw in CAD tonight. I want to make sure some other items will not be an issue.