Big Block Bantam

[bob w]

I welded some mounts for the spring pivots on the top of the axle. Waiting for shackles so I can install the spring and make the suicide mount. Settled on 106" wheelbase so I cut the frame rails and added the front crossmember.

Thanks Don. I wish your son could stop in here to do some of that fine welding. These tired eyes and unsteady hands aren't doing so well lately.

Still working on the Renault. Whenever I get stuck on the Bantam I go over to the French car and move that project along.

 

[bob w]

Here's what the Lakewood ladder bars look like in roughly the position they'll be installed. The transmission crossmember will be 6" behind the front ladder bar mounting point. And that crossmember in front of the differential will have to go away.

Thanks for following along everyone. This is a fun build.

 

[bob w]

Made this suicide spring perch today. I'm expecting the spring to sag 1 1/2" when fully loaded.

 

[bob w]

Then I dug the engine and trans out of the corner and roughly blocked it in place. Trans crossmember and motor mounts are next. It's a little too far back and the tail shaft is a little too high.

 

[old28]

Car is looking real fine, but your 4 legged shop buddy get's the hand today.
[cl[cl[cl. Stay warm, both of you.

 

[bob w]

Yes, Lily is a sweetie pie. Not much help though. I fabbed a cross member to go under the engine in the motor mount area.Disregard the 1" by 1" square tube in the foreground. That is just holding the radius rods in position temporarily. Should get motor mounts done tomorrow.

Made this trans cross member too. It looks a little light duty but it will get some gussets and be part of a "K" member. That should strengthen it enough to hold all that big block power.

For those of you that thought the long "reach" of the suicide perch was l little sketchy, I added some triangular gussets and a tube through the large hole in the gussets to tie them together.

 

[Saxxon]

Cool build... Love watching people who know what they are doing. makes life easier when I try to do something similar. Less thinking time... always a good thing for me.

 

[bob w]

Made motor mounts today. There's a Pete And Jakes four bar bushing in there to provide some vibration isolation. Still have to finish weld them

Saxxon, thank you for the compliment. I rely on the old technique I used to put on blue prints. It's known as "FFF" and means, "field fabricate to fit." Things don't always line up as planned and I hate to throw anything away. So I bend and twist things to make them fit. Don't tell anyone.

 

[earthman]

I sure appreciate your photo jounalism Bob. It's quality time for me when i can sit down and look at what your building.

 

[NickFish]

I sure appreciate your photo jounalism Bob. It's quality time for me when i can sit down and look at what your building.

Ditto [P[P[P

 

[CORPO]

Looking real nice Bob... Never heard of the FFF... We generally throw around "in field to suit" it's our coverall for figure it out... Ha!

 

[DozerII]

Your just flying on this build, love it. Never heard of FFF either. always used the the TALAR method. (that looks about right)

 

[Tim...Ok]

Lovin this build Bob, and thanks for the pics..

 

[bob w]

I got these tube shocks & brackets at a swap meet a few years ago. They are for a '40 Ford but they'll work here. Made some mounting brackets out of 1/4" by 2" flat stock. The shocks will attach to the axle with a couple tabs.

Thanks, Tim & E-man.

Glad to see some of you guys have used FFF or some other similar technique. Now, I need a set of drills that make slotted holes.[S

 

[bob w]

'Nuther view. BTW, I got the parts from Mark Moriarity who has restored one of Ed Roth's bubble cars and made a clone of another one. He is a big Ed Roth fan. Motor mounts are done.

 

[I-R-POPS]

That's a good looking shock mount. I never would have thought along those lines. I like it.

 

[Camo King]

Always wanted to meet mark. He has made a couple of amazing bubble cars himself. Great imagination.

 

[05snopro440]

'Nuther view. BTW, I got the parts from Mark Moriarity who has restored one of Ed Roth's bubble cars and made a clone of another one. He is a big Ed Roth fan. Motor mounts are done.

Looking good! Do you know what your final caster angle will be? I wanted to run split wishbones on my A, but I think I like that with radius rods the caster angle is easy to adjust. The ends on those radius rods look beefy!

 

[bob w]

With the engine and trans mounted I was able to cut out the firewall bell housing area and drop it in place.

Snopro, I usually run about 5 degrees of caster, which is what it is at now. On my dragster I run 10 degrees. I'll probably settle for about 7 degrees on this one. The radius rods are '40 Ford and had the spring in front of the axle. That's why they are beefy on the upper boss.

YesterdayI was welding without gloves and when I finished I grabbed the ground clamp. It was very hot. Upon closer inspection, the clamp was quite corroded. I disassembled it and polished it all up. Replaced the bolt that holds it all together. Wow! What a difference. I actually moved down a couple heat ranges. Now, the ground clamp does not heat up.

Spent most of the day on the Renault making a driveshaft hoop and tweaking the trans tunnel.

 

[old28]

Looking real fine Bob. That BBC looks just right in the Bantam. Nice shock and motor mounts. Keep the pictures coming.[cl[P