Quarter Panel Dent?

[NY Twin Turbo]

Hey Guys,

I'm thinking of having my frame notched. And although I've been told it wont happen I'm afraid I will get the infamous dent in the quarter panel after the first hard launch. Each time I look down the staging lanes, I can pick-out all the sub-ten second Buicks by their dented quarter panels. Each one suffering severe frame kinks during wheel-stand launches with frame notches. If I notch my frame and my quarter panels dent, I will drive the Buick off the first cliff I find. This is totally unacceptable. This would make me borderline suicidal.

How do you avoid this? Extra material welded behind the notch? Bracing?

If I do a notch it's going to be a full removal of the outside of the rail. I would be leaving only the inner wall. Otherwise I don't think its worth it. I try not to do anything unless I go all the way. And yes, I realize I have to have it mini-tubbed and move the lower shock mount as well.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

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[ALBERTAN]

I've done a lot of reading in preparation for my frame notch Joey. I would tend to agree it's probably not an issue for most cars. With the power you are making though, I would be very concerned. The people telling you it won't be a problem are likely referring to the more common notch to the seam on the rail rather than right to the inner rail. You appear to understand that you will need to mini-tub the car to take advantage of a notch right to the inner rail, as the seam notch usually brings the rail in line with the stock wheel wells. Is your car caged? I don't recall. I'd want at least a six point roll bar before I'd even consider it. I think a 10 point cage, a plate on the inside of the remaining rail, a brace across the upper spring perches, and something out back (Watts link or another brace across the rear rails) would be ideal. Make sure you understand exactly what you are going to be able to run afterwards, and determine if it's even worth the risk. When I talked to Mark Savitske about it last month, I had to take a step back and ask the same question.

 

[larry33kc]

Hey Joey, I know Cotton runs an extra bar from the cage to the rear frame horn to support the frame to keep it from happening.

I've been thinking about the same thing.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

Yes, it will be Brian Cotton doing the work and Jack will charge me twice as much because I will be helping.

I believe Brian has done about a million frame notches but I still can't get over this sense of paranoia. Jack's Pumpkin has the "Dent From Hell" on it's quarter, and he jokes and says "it gives it character." Also he has put the car on the bumper a thousand times. I don't go to the track much. His notch was done about 13 years ago and a lot has been done to combat this problem since then. I am also worried because I do a lot of street driving and potholes are going to be terrible this spring. Along with uneven surfaces like pulling into driveways and parking lots.

I have a 6 point cage in the car. This is not getting upgraded......not now, at least. I just installed a new interior and have no desire to strip it out again for the 20th time.

I have about a million wires and hoses that run through my frame on the passenger's side rail. I think about all the work and mess this is going to make and I feel sick. This is one of only a few things I haven't planned for in advance. Any job that is done on any Buick takes 3 times as long when I do it. Because I have a chronic case of OCD. And I feel I will be out of commission all summer because of this. After the bulk work is completed at Cotton's, I will need many hours of nights and weekends to get it back to show and go status. If this weather wasn't so bad I would have possibly been doing this as we speak.

If I was able to get over the fear of the "Quarter Dent paranoia", that is.

 

[ALBERTAN]

How big a tire are Cottons telling you can run after the notch? And how much wider is that than what you are running now?

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

How big a tire are Cottons telling you can run after the notch? And how much wider is that than what you are running now?

He didn't say. But I figure if I order rims with the same backspace I could add another inch or 2 to the width and to the tire. I am running 325/50R15 MT drag radial right now. I could possibly put an 18" rim and use the 345/35R18. This would make a BIG statement on the street. At the track I would use a 15" rim with the widest 28 inch tall slick I could find. This is how it sits now. I like the tire flush with the wheel-well openings. I don't want to tuck the tire to far under the car.

 

[ALBERTAN]

Nice looking ride. I was scratching my head on the 325s with no notch, until I saw the pics.

Regarding the tire upgrade, as a Canuck, I can advise you that there are 25mm in an inch. So going from a 325 to a 345 is only going to be roughly 3/4" wider. Six point bar should be fine. That's all I have planned for mine at the moment. I'd box the C channels of the frame if they're not done.

I want to say it's not worth it to go from 325 to 345. But I'm still contemplating a seam notch on mine to go from 275/295 to 295/305. But that's only because I will have the whole frame out anyways. Best of luck with your decision.

 

[novaderrik]

add some crossmembers to the frame: a couple of tubes welded under or near the stock stamped steel crossmember above the rear end where the suspension links and shocks mount up should tie everything together better.

 

[2QUICK2B6]

ive ran 10's no notch or quarter dents

 

[2QUICK2B6]

275/60/15 on 8,5 wheels

 

[2QUICK2B6]

secnd pic of silver car tires are sticking out past rear ? I want a notch on my GN to tuck the rears an not look like my tta. mini tub the tta to make it look right

 

[2QUICK2B6]

how much jack charge ?

 

[Pronto]

If you look at Samballs pics of he car you can see some of the bracing done to reinforce the frame. What track lets you run 9s with a 6 point? At 9.99 it should be caged.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

If you look at Samballs pics of he car you can see some of the bracing done to reinforce the frame. What track lets you run 9s with a 6 point? At 9.99 it should be caged.

None. But we got away with 3 of them at Cecil. After looking at the MPH and the data recording we knew it would go high 8's. The problem was on the last pass. We turned up the boost 2 lbs and Brian drove the car a 1/2 mile down a 1/4 dragway! No traction/no way/no how. So.........hence my possible decision to go with a frame notch.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

how much jack charge ?

I never ask. I just wait till he drops the hammer. Like I said.....I will be helping. So he will charge me double.

 

[ALBERTAN]

What track lets you run 9s with a 6 point? At 9.99 it should be caged.

The same track that let's guys like Brian Lorenz and Marty Green run in the 9's with no cage at all. You guys have some interesting interpretations of the rule book down there...

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

The same track that let's guys like Brian Lorenz and Marty Green run in the 9's with no cage at all. You guys have some interesting interpretations of the rule book down there...

Land of the Free.........Home of the Brave!
And you need to be brave to run those numbers without a cage. I wouldn't do it. That's what Brian is for.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

Nice looking ride. I was scratching my head on the 325s with no notch, until I saw the pics.

Regarding the tire upgrade, as a Canuck, I can advise you that there are 25mm in an inch. So going from a 325 to a 345 is only going to be roughly 3/4" wider. Six point bar should be fine. That's all I have planned for mine at the moment. I'd box the C channels of the frame if they're not done.

I want to say it's not worth it to go from 325 to 345. But I'm still contemplating a seam notch on mine to go from 275/295 to 295/305. But that's only because I will have the whole frame out anyways. Best of luck with your decision.

According to Summit's catalog the 345/35-R18's are almost 2 inches wider on the tread. 1.8 inches to be exact. I'm looking for that +/- 2 inches.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

Thank's guys. I'll do a search on some of the pics posted from other frame notches. And then, If I do this, I'll keep my fingers crossed.