fiero308 Buildup thread (LOTS OF PIX!!!! ; ))

[fiero308]

alright I forgot to add the 2nd pic

[cowans]

Graeme, great work! Just a thought for you..... your lower arm looks very similar to mine and I would like to suggest a mod for it. By the pic above your trailing support arm is welded to the 2" main. Cut that off and weld plates (horizontal) to each with 2 large holes through both. Use 2 grade 8 bolts to attach together. What that will do is allow you to easily adjust caster. Simply loosen the bolts, push/pull the 2" main and tighten back up..... allows easy adjustment! Mine were built by CK3 and are real easy for adjustment. Use 3/16 to 1/4" plate. The only pic I have is from the front, but you can see the bolts at the rear and just surmise 2 horizontal plates, 1 welded to the 2" arm, the other to the trailing arm. again, good work...
Sandy

[fiero308]

hey Sandy
thanks for the input; I ......see........ two bolts sticking out the bottom; I presume those are the ones you are talking about; if possible maybe a pic from the back?
The car isn't going anywhere .........today......... or maybe even tomorrow.
If you get a chance would appreciate it.
thx!
gp

[fiero308]

well got my jig made up and got ALMOST both upper shock mounts made.
Little difference between this pic and the one at the top of the page; can you see it?
Prizes to the most observant!!!

 

[cowans]

OK, took this shot for you Graeme....
Sandy

[Gizmo]

Fantastic postings, I'm eager to see this first-hand!

[fiero308]

thanks, Nick! nice to see that someone is looking at this; I don't think ANYone will copy it and I would advise them to get their HEAD READ first if they wanted to!! 
It has been a long haul but I am making progress finally.
Today I take my hubs and wheel ass'y's to the machine shop to get my front caliper bracket made up and will get the rotors drilled and slotted too. When I put the whole thing together the big flat rotors look like those fake pie plate brake covers that you can get at Cdn Tire etc so drilling and/or slotting is almost a MUST!

I hope to finish fitting up the drivers side front corner; shock mount etc etc and get that together too.

Ordered a ball joint and both outer tie rod ends; should be in today.
Will have to get a pair of new 'rear' wheel bearings soon....... THAT will cost a penny or two.

But hoping to get a good wknd of work on them this wknd and that should make a difference!  We'll see how today goes. Nice to make progress after waiting all this time.

[fiero308]

Sandy; thx for the 2nd pic; it is the two 'bottom right' bolts that are the adjustment?
I think I can make out slotted holes (on one?) Is that right?
I am thinking about doing this or something; the control arms are a TIGHT FIT!!!! all adjustments are with the upper arm and/or balljoint as per stock.

I might leave it for now; simply (HUGELY) anxious to get it rolling and then be prepared to take apart and paint things over the winter.

Who is CK3; do you have a link etc? Not familiar with them; is that the outfit in Texas?
Thanks for helping!
Graeme

[cowans]

Yes, both holes are slotted, allowing a fair bit of adjustment! CK3 was a company out of Calgary AB with some of the best (arguebly) replicas out there. Unfortunately, the Pres got greedy and was shut down with many lawsuits around the globe!No link, they are out of business. But, the  guys that worked there were very skilled and knew their stuff! Using the slotted adjustment allows very easy caster adjustments without having to 'shim/washer' the upper arm.
Sandy

[dguy]

Little difference between this pic and the one at the top of the page; can you see it?
Prizes to the most observant!!!

I spy with my little eye, a steering rack attached to the chassis!

[fiero308]

and if you look real close, a coil over shock. Finally 

But a setback today; I went to install the LEFT front lower control arm and somehow it doesn't line up. SO it goes back to the shop tomorrow. I compared it to the stock one and it WAS off (sounds logical, right?  )  I hope they can fix it there or at least by end of day friday. I am getting really antsy on getting this thing rolling.

NNNNOOOTTTTTT that I am 'stuck' for things to work on ROLLEYESBIGTIME but I was HOPING to finish the front. Anway
this weekend it is on to the drivers side rear corner and the frame mods. I am hoping to have pretty substantial gains by end of monday coming up. Like be "CLOSE" to it rolling on its own......
we'll see.

[fiero308]

well about 2 1/2 hours later; I got the front left corner fixed up; had to grind the upper existing spring tower some to clear the new coil over; did that and it opened up some spaces between the top plate and the 'shroud' around the stock spring (for lack of a better term)
see pic for clarity.

The spaces were too big to just fill in with weld; well.......I guessssss I coulda.....
but it would have been messy. Grapes and gobs all over.

So I trimmed up some 'slivers' of 1/8" flat bar to fit and welded them in. Then I put 'straps' on the sides to help hold the top plate to the stock lower piece (again, the piece that 'wraps' around the stock spring)

so anyway I welded that up; added a heavy; hi strength washer to the rear-most bolt hole for the lower control arm (welded that in place) and then added a gusset to that bracket too. It is a pretty long, flimsy bracket so maybe that will help.  Got all new hi strength bolts and locking nuts and put them in place.

Then REpainted all the stuff I burned up welding  .

The only thing to do is a bit of tweaking to the upper control arm so the ball joint sits down flat and that corner is done.

I took in my hub and wheel and brake assy's to the machine shop so they can fab up a connecting bracket between my new calipers and my knuckles. They are also going to slot and Xdrill the rotors. Said it would be a wk to a wk and a half.

So this week I will finish the front left corner and switch to left rear where I have to cut the frame and insert a straight portion with 'pockets' for the new upper control arm (as is already done on the right side).

that's it for today; tomorrow clean up and get back at 'er.
gp

[fiero308]

todays update
cleaned up the AWFUL mess that someone left in the garage.........
took most of the day I think.
Also got the outer tie rod ends for the rack;
got a ball joint for the lower of the left front control arm (still have to press it in)
touched up the upper control arm for the LF and installed it;
proof is pic one

So that is all I can do on the front until I get my hubs and wheels and stuff back; prob by end next wk.

next on the list is the left rear......... LOTS to do.
let's see
remove the control arm bolts and bushings......
remove the ball joint for replacement with new.......
nothing to it, right?
Been there, done that. Just not with THIS control arm. So we'll see how it goes.
I am allotting one hour for that job.
more to come.

[fiero308]

gonna go out on a limb here and force myself into a situation.
I am hoping/planning to have a 'rollable' chassis by the end of monday (long wknd). I say rollable because I have taken my front wheels and spindle assy's in to the machine shop so they won't be back for about a wk.
but KNOWING it will roll is a biggie.

Have a great wknd, everyone!
gp

[aaron88]

Good luck I'm sure the effort will be worth it.

Aaron

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