Just thought I would update my Topolino project

[maddog]

Hey dog,
New direction looks good.

Jeff

Thanks, Hows your new ride? and your welding?

 

[maddog]

Maddog,
I like that new look you got going on the topo. Low and mean...

Hey Flat, Low and mean is exactly the right look for any rat. Being the rooky I am at building HotRods I am still trying to find the tricks to doing that. For example the sloped chop. Sometimes the smallest most sutble things can do that for you. I just dont know yet what they are.

If you have any "low and mean" tips, let me have them.

I knoticed you drew your wife into this Thats a good trick. I wish I could figure that one out. I have a hard time getting mine to ride in my truck.

 

[chop509]

Thanks, Hows your new ride? and your welding?

Welding is done, much simpler than I expected.
I’d be back on the street if I wouldn’t have gotten laid up with my bad back for the last 4 weeks.
Gotta install turn signals, wire them up, and then I’m pretty much there.
Still should have a good 3 months left this season.

 

[joehalford01]

glad to see u back maddog, that car is going to be really different when it's done, which is a good thing. you could use those quick dicconect fastners that summit sells to attach the body. or you could hinge it at the rear with some hydraulics and delete the doors completly. just lift open the whole body and crawl out.

 

[maddog]

glad to see u back maddog, that car is going to be really different when it's done, which is a good thing. you could use those quick dicconect fastners that summit sells to attach the body. or you could hinge it at the rear with some hydraulics and delete the doors completly. just lift open the whole body and crawl out.

Nice sugestion but-- thats been done before. I am hoping to do something that you never or almost never see. When was the last time you saw the body next to the car at a cruise in? Thats what I thought. This is just an idea I am kicking around. The body would have to have some structure added to it. Might not be worth the trouble, but I sure like the ease of working on something like that.

Thanks for the welcome back.

 

[maddog]

Well I have made a few decisions and can now move on to other questions. I am gona use quarter eliptical springs on the front. This allows me to have the axle where I want it, forward of the grill shell, with the tie rod behind the axle and also in front of the grill shell. the frame will be behind the grill shell. I didnt want to look at all that frame and spring stuff hanging out in front of that cool grill. I think friction shocks are appropriate for this look. Any thoughts?

The wheel base is 114" in the pictures here. Long enough but not too long.

Currently excepting any and all pictures or suggestions on this front end set-up.

I have the axle shown in the model and I also have an I-beam (not dropped). I dont know which one to use. The I-beam is kind of beat up and this one is kinda new. Any ideas?

 

[maddog]

Welding is done, much simpler than I expected.
I’d be back on the street if I wouldn’t have gotten laid up with my bad back for the last 4 weeks.
Gotta install turn signals, wire them up, and then I’m pretty much there.
Still should have a good 3 months left this season.

Sorry to hear about you back, Chop. A bad back will sure slow you down, dont it?

I hope your on the mend.

 

[Bonehead]

I think it is a wise choice. Are you going to use a kit or build it yourself?
(Don't even get me started about bad backs)

 

[Bonehead]

Here is my favorite QE setup.

 

[maddog]

I think it is a wise choice. Are you going to use a kit or build it yourself?
(Don't even get me started about bad backs)

I think I will build it myself. Of course I will need to buy some stuff, but the bulk of the parts will be built by me. Except for the skull shifter. ( How much are those babies anyway?) After all, thats art and I am not that kind of artist.

Nice looking front end in that photo. I did a search for quarter eliptical on the hamb and saved every picture. Now I just study them from time to time. There must be 1000 different ways to do it. I like the range of freedom in making something like this a little different than the norm.

So, about your back....... sorry.

 

[Bonehead]

I built one for a rock buggy that worked well, by cutting some jeep wrangler springs off a few inches from the center pin hole. Then I dropped the cut off spring into some rectangular tubing. This was for a buggy, so I made one end of the tubing attach with a pin that hinged off the frame. I built adjustible stops for the tubing. Way more articulation then a hot rod would ever need. But the spring did bolt into the tubing through the existing center pin hole.

 

[maddog]

That makes sense to me. I now need to figure out how much spring to use. If I follow my usual pattern, I will blow through it just to get it on the road, then correct it later if its not quite right.

I am also considering a roll cage. What size tubing did you use? In my race car the cage stiffened the frame and that was good. How does a stiff frame work on the road?

 

[Tripper]

Love those front tires!

Here is my favorite QE setup.

Bonehead,
I love that set up & I really love those front tires too!

Maddog,
Mock-ups r lookin' good! Can't wait!!!

BoB

 

[Bonehead]

That makes sense to me. I now need to figure out how much spring to use. If I follow my usual pattern, I will blow through it just to get it on the road, then correct it later if its not quite right.

I am also considering a roll cage. What size tubing did you use? In my race car the cage stiffened the frame and that was good. How does a stiff frame work on the road?

If I was to recomend a tube for cage, I would say 1 3/4 DOM. I used 1 5/8 tube because it is what I had on hand.

The rear section of my frame is very rigid, the front has a little flex in it. It moves a little like a top fuler, with that little bounce you've seen, only not nearly as much. I put stiffer springs in the back, because I kept bending them on hard take offs. Now, mine rides a pretty rough. But I notice it more since I hurt my back. I think it is mostly the rear springs. The chassis on my rock buggy, offers no flex, it is all in the suspension, and tires. It rides very well.

 

[maddog]

Everytime I use this 3D program I have to learn something new. I just figured out how to make a drawing of an assembly and not have all the hidden parts show up. I have several different configurations of the front end in this assembly. Quarter elipticals, half elipticals, coil overs, spring behind, etc.

I threw a couple dimensions on there and thought it might be interesting to share with you guys.

Note the overall height of 43 1/2" and the 2" of ground clearance.

I had to get the tape in my desk drawer and pull it out to 43". Woa, thats low.
This is with a 3"chop.

 

[Bonehead]

These drawings are very cool. It is really neat to see and old style rod made from high tech design work.
Something I forgot to mention in the roll cage post. NHRA has requirements for tubing wall thickness for under 9 second cars. Just thought I would let you know just in case.

 

[maddog]

These drawings are very cool. It is really neat to see and old style rod made from high tech design work.
Something I forgot to mention in the roll cage post. NHRA has requirements for tubing wall thickness for under 9 second cars. Just thought I would let you know just in case.

Thanks Bonehead. I wanted to ask you, why DOM and not just welded seem tubing?

 

[Bonehead]

EWT is probably fine in the right wall thickness. DOM is much stronger. Guys in Rockcrawling go for DOM because they plan on turning it over. I have seen Jeeps Roll several times and land on the wheels and just keep going. DOM will hold it's shape in a roll. Another way to go is use DOM afor the main hoop and EWT for the rest. DOM is getting pricey.