No other like it.

[8literbeater]

I'm gonna give this build thread a good try. [S

I've been sorta hiding this project from the public. It saves me from doing a lot of explaining. Now I'm gonna put it on here in front of 11,000 some members of this forum, and see what happens.

I got 98% of the pipe for free, the engine (250ci) was free, the transmission was free, the rear end was 75 bucks. The front end was a Dana 44 off a Chevy, I got it for $20 because the axles were messed up. I cut the center out and made the rest to fit. The rear suspension top links were for a Kubota tractor or something, $16 each. The rear springs are the main leaves from a one ton dodge rear spring pack, free. I paid $500 for the donor '42 Chevy, and kept a few parts and scrapped the rest for about $250 back. The front springs are torsion bars off of some Japanese mini SUV like a Honda pathfinder or something. I found out that they're the same thing on the Isuzu rodeos, kinda strange. Anyway, that was about $40.

I'm sure you all don't really care what I spent on it, but hell, I might as well use this as a record for myself to check back on.

The whole thing is welded with a Lincoln AC225 welder.

Oh, and yes, that's a propane tank. I got that whole setup for $200. I plan to run it on propane only, and with a small turbo. I got a turbo from a Mazda for $60.

We'll see how it goes...

 

[Charley Davidson]

Looks um ....... interesting[S[P

 

[Snake Farm]

Very interesting build! [cl[cl[cl and I like that tow truck too

Carry on, I'll be right here. [P[P[P

 

[Bonehead]

The overall look is pretty cool. I like the oversized frame, and the oversized tires and wheels. My only thought is how the tie rod works with the suspension. You are thinking outside the box, and I really like that.

 

[falconvan]

God help the other car if you ever have a fender bender with this beast. That would be like getting hit with a wrecking ball! That's as heavy duty as they come.

 

[Old Iron]

With my post you only have 10,996 more questions to answer [ddev
What year vehicle is the engine out of ? I think those have 2 bbl carbs on them right ?
Since your goin with propane, If you decide to sell the carb, intake and exhaust manifolds, let me know
I also like the tow rig [cl

Jim

 

[skull]

frame

l like it [cl

gives the term ''tube frame'' a whole new dimension

Later

 

[RAT IHC]

That thing is going to look killer! Questions...how does the suspension travel...I might be missing something, but it looks like everything is welded together up front?? Also what kind of pipe are you using?

Keep up the good work![cl[cl[cl

-Troy

 

[donsrods]

I thought the same thing, Troy, but after looking closer I realized those big tubes are holding torsion bars (see the adjusters on the backside?) and the fronts pivot on the tubes, they are not fixed.

Don

 

[BigIrish]

I really like the idea behind that front end, but the tie rod setup is going to cause major bump steer. As those suspension arms pivot up/down, you are going to shorten the distance between the wheels, and the tie rod connecting the two will force the wheels to turn outward.

 

[rat rodder 37]

frame

wow i see everything now do u work for the water dept with that size pipe this thing is to heavy to put on a lift if u wanted to good luck looks like it's coming along

 

[RAT IHC]

I thought the same thing, Troy, but after looking closer I realized those big tubes are holding torsion bars (see the adjusters on the backside?) and the fronts pivot on the tubes, they are not fixed.

Don

Ok, I see that, but it looks like the tubes are welded together...but it's hard to tell in the picture. Innovative to say the lease...curious how it's going to turn out...I agree with BigIrish on the bumpsteer.

-Troy

 

[38fordtruck]

what about the rear suspension? shoudnt the rods be vertical? it looks like it would work. might not have full suspension travel though

it looks good though

 

[8literbeater]

That thing is going to look killer! Questions...how does the suspension travel...I might be missing something, but it looks like everything is welded together up front?? Also what kind of pipe are you using?

Keep up the good work![cl[cl[cl

-Troy

I see you got the suspension pivot thing worked out. I'll put up some closer pics hopefully today. I kind of intended it to be a little mysterious and take close inspection to figure out how it works. It is welded together though, in the sense that I can't disassemble it without a torch.

The main suspension pivot tubes are heavy wall DOM tubing, the rest of the frame and pretty much everything else is fire sprinkler pipe. I'm sure some roll cage fabricators somewhere are rubbing their foreheads in frustration.
The large pipe is a little over 6 1/2 inches, and came in what I think was 21 foot lengths, maybe 20. When I went to haul the stuff home, I could grab a full length pipe and throw it up over my shoulder by myself and carry it to the trailer, and I'm only 165 pounds and 6'3". During the construction of the frame, I was able to just move it around by hand and lift it up to put blocks under it, etc.

 

[8literbeater]

With my post you only have 10,996 more questions to answer [ddev
What year vehicle is the engine out of ? I think those have 2 bbl carbs on them right ?
Since your goin with propane, If you decide to sell the carb, intake and exhaust manifolds, let me know
I also like the tow rig [cl

Jim

I'm not sure on the year. I thought it was '84, then I found something that pointed to '73. it has a crapload of emissions garbage on it, and HEI, so I'm leaning more toward the 80's. It has the integrated intake manifold, the exhaust manifold has had a crack welded up, and I might end up finding a replacement myself. The carb, however, I am not planning on using!

I think I'll throw some info up on another thread somewhere for my '59. Is there a section for builds that are not low to the ground?

 

[8literbeater]

I really like the idea behind that front end, but the tie rod setup is going to cause major bump steer. As those suspension arms pivot up/down, you are going to shorten the distance between the wheels, and the tie rod connecting the two will force the wheels to turn outward.

I absolutely agree with you on the tie rod. I gave it a lot of thought before doing all those hours of welding, and here's what I decided.

The A arms, or whatever we want to call them were mounted as close as possible to the center of the frame so that they would be longer (about 20 inches) and swing a wider arc. The tie rod mounts almost directly in the center of the pivot point, so up travel and down travel will both result in momentary toe out. I think that helps, since the bumps won't cause it to cycle in/out/in/out. That just sounds like catastrophe to me.
The steering arms on the knuckles are 7 1/2 inches long from the ball joints, which will slow it down some too.

So, my thinking on this is, if I go through a good bump, and the frame cycles as much as 3 inches up, and 3 inches down, the distance between the ball joints will shorten mayyyybe [S a quarter inch total? This combined with the relatively long steering arms, I'm thinking will only throw it off a couple of degrees.

Now, while independent suspension, doesn't really mix with solid tie rods, or rat rods for that matter. I still have hope.

What do you guys think?

note on the picture: the headlights are not going to mount there, it was just a test

 

[bob w]

Wow! Absolutely out of the box building. Looks like you have plenty of fabrication skills. If there is excessive bump steer I'm sure you'll fix it.

Looks like there's room for a couple engines. (hint, hint)

 

[RAT IHC]

I see you got the suspension pivot thing worked out. I'll put up some closer pics hopefully today. I kind of intended it to be a little mysterious and take close inspection to figure out how it works. It is welded together though, in the sense that I can't disassemble it without a torch.

The main suspension pivot tubes are heavy wall DOM tubing, the rest of the frame and pretty much everything else is fire sprinkler pipe. I'm sure some roll cage fabricators somewhere are rubbing their foreheads in frustration.
The large pipe is a little over 6 1/2 inches, and came in what I think was 21 foot lengths, maybe 20. When I went to haul the stuff home, I could grab a full length pipe and throw it up over my shoulder by myself and carry it to the trailer, and I'm only 165 pounds and 6'3". During the construction of the frame, I was able to just move it around by hand and lift it up to put blocks under it, etc.

I wouldn't be using any type of sprinkler pipe in any part of your build. Keep in mind that stuff was never intended to carry a load other than it's own weight. And if you can haul a 21' piece of that 6 1/2 inch pipe on your shoulder it tells me that it isn't very thick and I see in one photo that it has a seam. I'm not trying to knock your work and I really like the looks of the large pipe like that as the frame, but I just don't think that it's safe.

38fordtruck has a good point about the hiem joints on the rear suspension. The hiem joints are not built to control movement like ones you have bolted to the frame on the rear. You might want to consider repositioning them so the bolt itself is horizontal.

Someone else might have some input on this. I really dig the innovative thinking...just want to make sure it's safe as well.

-Troy

 

[8literbeater]

what about the rear suspension? shoudnt the rods be vertical? it looks like it would work. might not have full suspension travel though

it looks good though

Hey thanks!

Here are a couple more pictures. It's basically a four link setup. The springs form the bottom link, the adjusters form the top link. I triangulated it so that it wouldn't need a panhard bar, and it eliminates body roll. If I was going to haul any amount of weight on a suspension, I wouldn't use this design because it puts torque on the axle tube to stop body roll and lateral axle movement. Since this is fairly light I don't think it will be a problem.

The up down travel is very free and smooth, partly because of the single leaves. The pivot points and link lengths are all the same length, so the axle doesn't roll front or back when it travels through the arc.

I just need some kind of cool shock absorbers now.

 

[RAT IHC]

I think you'll still have bumpsteer and might put a lot of stress on the tie rod ends...but with this thing being so different I could be completely wrong as well!

-Troy