marshall_mosty
08-26-2012, 08:40 PM
Since I dislocated my shoulder, I knew I had some time between Hallett and ECR... Something Richard Pedersen said at Hallett really struck me.
"Why try and move everything to the back for weight balance when you can just move the entire car..."
Well, that's what I've done.. The rear axle is now 1" further forward and the front hubs are 2 1/2" further forward since the last time anyone has seen the car.
Rear End
I started by cutting out the rear torque boxes (they suck anyway, right) and building my own boxes from 1/4" and 1/8" plate. This would allow me to go from a 14" tubular rear control arm to a 23" tubular rear control arm, ala "World Challenge" of the early 90's... The torque arm frame mount was welded in, so I had to shorten the torque arm by an inch. Since the rear end was 1" further forward, I wanted to keep the relative angle of the rear shocks the same, so we built some aluminum spacers 1" thick in the same contour as the shock mount. I had to have a custom driveshaft built which is 1.5" shorter than stock to ensure I don't destroy the tranny under bump. I can't leave well enough alone, and to allow for more tuning, I cut out the panhard bar and installed a Griggs Racing Watts Link so I can adjust the rear roll center. With the rear moved forward 1", the tire still can go thru full compression without hitting the wheel well. I still have to flare to use the 1" spacers. For ECR, it will most likely run a narrow track width, unless I get really good at building flares between then and now...
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/408268_3103427564029_1401406890_n.jpg?oh=a97449f6f 6d9b0c1b1ee1fa686880737&oe=54983AC8&__gda__=1418952879_dbe915114ac459765f14eb89f4a0e31 2
Marshall's take on World Challenge torque boxes
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/542515_3103428324048_2169973_n.jpg
Here they are installed.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/546018_3103428764059_1843823615_n.jpg
Torque arm in pieces
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/293070_3103429884087_1209841472_n.jpg
Torque arm back together
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/419939_3103433964189_203392341_n.jpg
Rear partially assembled with rear shock spacers installed.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/542315_3103434524203_1590373625_n.jpg
Watts link partially installed (no frame mount yet)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/320174_3103441644381_2013401700_n.jpg?oh=dc1de8126 71908c90f924184f4410b91&oe=54A05478&__gda__=1419326899_63c6126738df9d0d2a416ba8cc1eeca f
Rear moved forward 1".
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/422328_3103442124393_2096168614_n.jpg
What I will eventually cover with some flares, which hopefully will be integrated into side skirts... maybe. :)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/529512_3747758031888_1966058698_n.jpg?oh=a5b8d356b c11d8fa53966189ac57de94&oe=5482B843&__gda__=1419788659_7ca5f8e9db360aaf3aab772deea1011 c
Here are the flares without the side skirts.
Front End
To move the front track forward, my idea was to utilize the stock MM K-member and modify the lower arms to accept heim joints and them push the arms further forward. Nothing that a few weld inserts and rod ends from Coleman can't handle. The front went forward about 2 1/2", so I had to move the rack as well. I was able to get right at an inch of foward movement before the front oil pan sump stopped me. There is no real way to move the rack in front of the oil pan (at least that I could tell). I still have to finish cutting the fenders and dealing with how to flare/cover what I have left.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/292063_3103430644106_6449415_n.jpg
Control arms in pieces
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/405206_3103435004215_847687107_n.jpg
Here is a picture of the front assembled, but without the spacers between the rod ends and the heim joints... Those were custom made to measure.
https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/253875_3103435404225_1276744554_n.jpg?oh=4d3f6ba1e f1e05f34f0caf76a5a86cf2&oe=549CAD51
Silver spacers on the rack and pinion.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/539064_3103436524253_270991026_n.jpg
Here is what I ended up with... 102.25" wheelbase
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/546501_3103440884362_2117999520_n.jpg
Flares anyone??
https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/310495_3147230019063_1666397257_n.jpg?oh=e5e91e10c 36ec1c813657f65b015a61f&oe=548E7C33
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/644656_3147232099115_884078269_n.jpg?oh=84a7b9424b 35ebdeca6147e65e9d73d3&oe=549C0A31&__gda__=1418035356_223b6b1eada3091bfaea05f4973fe08 4
Do we ever get done jacking with any of our crap??? Now I just need to build a compliant dash <sigh>....
"Why try and move everything to the back for weight balance when you can just move the entire car..."
Well, that's what I've done.. The rear axle is now 1" further forward and the front hubs are 2 1/2" further forward since the last time anyone has seen the car.
Rear End
I started by cutting out the rear torque boxes (they suck anyway, right) and building my own boxes from 1/4" and 1/8" plate. This would allow me to go from a 14" tubular rear control arm to a 23" tubular rear control arm, ala "World Challenge" of the early 90's... The torque arm frame mount was welded in, so I had to shorten the torque arm by an inch. Since the rear end was 1" further forward, I wanted to keep the relative angle of the rear shocks the same, so we built some aluminum spacers 1" thick in the same contour as the shock mount. I had to have a custom driveshaft built which is 1.5" shorter than stock to ensure I don't destroy the tranny under bump. I can't leave well enough alone, and to allow for more tuning, I cut out the panhard bar and installed a Griggs Racing Watts Link so I can adjust the rear roll center. With the rear moved forward 1", the tire still can go thru full compression without hitting the wheel well. I still have to flare to use the 1" spacers. For ECR, it will most likely run a narrow track width, unless I get really good at building flares between then and now...
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/408268_3103427564029_1401406890_n.jpg?oh=a97449f6f 6d9b0c1b1ee1fa686880737&oe=54983AC8&__gda__=1418952879_dbe915114ac459765f14eb89f4a0e31 2
Marshall's take on World Challenge torque boxes
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/542515_3103428324048_2169973_n.jpg
Here they are installed.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/546018_3103428764059_1843823615_n.jpg
Torque arm in pieces
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/293070_3103429884087_1209841472_n.jpg
Torque arm back together
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/419939_3103433964189_203392341_n.jpg
Rear partially assembled with rear shock spacers installed.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/542315_3103434524203_1590373625_n.jpg
Watts link partially installed (no frame mount yet)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/320174_3103441644381_2013401700_n.jpg?oh=dc1de8126 71908c90f924184f4410b91&oe=54A05478&__gda__=1419326899_63c6126738df9d0d2a416ba8cc1eeca f
Rear moved forward 1".
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/422328_3103442124393_2096168614_n.jpg
What I will eventually cover with some flares, which hopefully will be integrated into side skirts... maybe. :)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/529512_3747758031888_1966058698_n.jpg?oh=a5b8d356b c11d8fa53966189ac57de94&oe=5482B843&__gda__=1419788659_7ca5f8e9db360aaf3aab772deea1011 c
Here are the flares without the side skirts.
Front End
To move the front track forward, my idea was to utilize the stock MM K-member and modify the lower arms to accept heim joints and them push the arms further forward. Nothing that a few weld inserts and rod ends from Coleman can't handle. The front went forward about 2 1/2", so I had to move the rack as well. I was able to get right at an inch of foward movement before the front oil pan sump stopped me. There is no real way to move the rack in front of the oil pan (at least that I could tell). I still have to finish cutting the fenders and dealing with how to flare/cover what I have left.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/292063_3103430644106_6449415_n.jpg
Control arms in pieces
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/405206_3103435004215_847687107_n.jpg
Here is a picture of the front assembled, but without the spacers between the rod ends and the heim joints... Those were custom made to measure.
https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/253875_3103435404225_1276744554_n.jpg?oh=4d3f6ba1e f1e05f34f0caf76a5a86cf2&oe=549CAD51
Silver spacers on the rack and pinion.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/539064_3103436524253_270991026_n.jpg
Here is what I ended up with... 102.25" wheelbase
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/546501_3103440884362_2117999520_n.jpg
Flares anyone??
https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/310495_3147230019063_1666397257_n.jpg?oh=e5e91e10c 36ec1c813657f65b015a61f&oe=548E7C33
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/644656_3147232099115_884078269_n.jpg?oh=84a7b9424b 35ebdeca6147e65e9d73d3&oe=549C0A31&__gda__=1418035356_223b6b1eada3091bfaea05f4973fe08 4
Do we ever get done jacking with any of our crap??? Now I just need to build a compliant dash <sigh>....