86 WH1 restomod
- Thread starter Mike E
- Start date
I worked at my friends shop until 1:00 AM last night finishing the frame notch. Then I loaded up the frame on a trailer and made the hour drive home. I'm absoluetly beat today. I didn't get enough sleep, my arms are sunburned from two days of cutting and welding and my eyes got a little arc flash and are bothering me a bit today. But, it was worth the trouble. I ended up notching the frame ~1.5" and big enough for at least a 31" tire. I'll get pictures tonight when I get home.
Just a little bit of grinding left before I put the final coat of paint on the frame and hopefully I can get it put back under the body this weekend.
Just a little bit of grinding left before I put the final coat of paint on the frame and hopefully I can get it put back under the body this weekend.
I finished grinding and put the final coat of paint on the frame. Then with the help of a friend I slid it under the body and bolted it up with some new poly bushings.
The frame notch worked out great. I would have to minitub the car to take full advantage of how much I cut out, but for now the stock tubs are staying.
The frame notch worked out great. I would have to minitub the car to take full advantage of how much I cut out, but for now the stock tubs are staying.
I probably wouldn't have put as large of a notch in the frame if I weren't planning to tie it all into my cage. I would have thought it would have made the frame extra flimsy also, but honestly I think it's stiffer now than it was before. I plated the notch with 3/16" plate and that helped tremendously with up and down flexing compared to the thin stock frame material. That combined with the braces in the pics below it really stiffened up the frame. Now the weak point is the factory rear crossmember that the upper control arms bolt into. It is still very flimsy and when you flex the frame, that's the part that moves. If you added another crossmember behind the springs, I'm confident it would be much stronger than stock and not need a cage in a mild street car. But, mild street car isnt' my plan. :biggrin:
When you make the frame width really thin, it is easier for the rear part of the rails to flex side to side. These gussets fix that. There is a similar factory brace/gusset near the front part of the notch.
Not much progress lately. That pesky job thing keeps taking up all my spare time.
I put an s-10 manual steering box, jeep steering shaft, new drag link, idler arm and new inner tie rods on. I ordered some QA1 heim joints today to make the outer tie rods.
I also started on a block off plate template. I think I'll make the final product from aluminum with the power 6 emblem bead rolled into it.
I put an s-10 manual steering box, jeep steering shaft, new drag link, idler arm and new inner tie rods on. I ordered some QA1 heim joints today to make the outer tie rods.
I also started on a block off plate template. I think I'll make the final product from aluminum with the power 6 emblem bead rolled into it.
I finally got more time to work on the car today. I finished the template for my heater blockoff and transfered it over to some .040" aluminum. I got the power 6 logo laid out and tomorrow I'm going to a friends shop to do the bead rolling.
I bought an 1.125 bore Mopar master cylinder and mounted it up using the stock Powermaster mounting plate. The Mopar master cylinder uses a different register OD and different bolt spacing than the Powermaster, so I cut the factory studs off and remachined the holes for the new bolt spacing. Then I made a plate that matched the Mopar unit and welded it in place.
I bought an 1.125 bore Mopar master cylinder and mounted it up using the stock Powermaster mounting plate. The Mopar master cylinder uses a different register OD and different bolt spacing than the Powermaster, so I cut the factory studs off and remachined the holes for the new bolt spacing. Then I made a plate that matched the Mopar unit and welded it in place.
WOW!
Just wow. Now you've got me thinking of a frame-off resto... it seems to be just time, and not much money. Right now, I've got more of the former than the latter... I wouldn't do any boxing, I plan to keep it mostly stock, and really don't need it. But what you're doing is inspiring. Great work!
Just wow. Now you've got me thinking of a frame-off resto... it seems to be just time, and not much money. Right now, I've got more of the former than the latter... I wouldn't do any boxing, I plan to keep it mostly stock, and really don't need it. But what you're doing is inspiring. Great work!
regal81455
Member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
nice work mike! im thinking im going to be replacing/redoing my block off again mysel - plan on using some black anodized aluminum plate that ive got laying around...
gotta question for you since Im not quite ready to rehang the doors for fitment - would you be willing to rebuild my hinges too? lmk
TIA
Josh
gotta question for you since Im not quite ready to rehang the doors for fitment - would you be willing to rebuild my hinges too? lmk
TIA
Josh
Thanks. I'm glad to hear it's inspiring. I was wondering if anyone was even reading about the work I'm doing because I don't get a lot of replies. I haven't spent much on the car, but I do have a small fortune tied up in machines and tools. But, with a welder, drill press and some good tools, it wouldn't take much money to do a nice frame off resto on a budget.
If you can take them off and send them to me, I can rebuild them. I made a template for the block-off that I might be able to transfer to paper if you need it.
turboc87gn
Darkside in Detroit
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
Wow mike i may send you a set of hinges too.. One thing you may want to add while ur at it is a bar to connect your lower control arm mounts together...A well known vendor told me thats whats really needed to stop the frame rails from flexing when you have the frame notched....
regal81455
Member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
Ive got them off just need to know where Id need to send them - shoot me a PM with your addy and Ill get them out asap. Thats really nice of you - thanks!
Thanks for the offer but Ive actually got my old block I originally did + I saved the cardboard template I made too!!
restore
work looks great! but I think you have hit the barrel on the head. Some think its the money, Ive found the money is not the cost its the time. the money comes with interior and motor rebuilds the body work is time and patiences My nexted steps is firewall clean up, rehanging all the front end sheet metal and painting out the trunk.
car was totally stripped and blasted from the ground up but its just time The work is awsome the pics help and inspire all of us jon 83ttype
work looks great! but I think you have hit the barrel on the head. Some think its the money, Ive found the money is not the cost its the time. the money comes with interior and motor rebuilds the body work is time and patiences My nexted steps is firewall clean up, rehanging all the front end sheet metal and painting out the trunk.
car was totally stripped and blasted from the ground up but its just time The work is awsome the pics help and inspire all of us
jon 83ttype
