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Post by hcwt25 on Sept 29, 2019 22:13:39 GMT -5
Building for some 80s and newer stock class type shows. Hard nosed bumpers or tube with factory brackets welded to the first 4" of frame,3 4" welds per side of hood and trunk, 5 lug non braced rears, spring spacers allowed but no welded or solid suspension, 3/4" thread rod through core mount and hood, 4 point cage with down bars in 4 corners to sheet metal, sliders and columns allowed. No bracing or protectors of any kind. Stock body mounts and no other frame welding allowed just to give some basics. I'm thinking I could build 3-4 79-97 Vic's to do decent in these shows. I'm looking to do the least amount of work to have a competitive car in this class. I'm thinking my refreshed sbc 350/400 combo. Oval slider to a 10/12 bolt 31 spline hybrid. Tube bumper front 3x6x3/16. Stock column guts redone to mimic the fancy aftermarket stuff. A few patches to hold the doors shut and go. I'd like to hear your recipe for such builds or your must haves in addition to my thoughts.
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Post by klicky96 on Sept 30, 2019 8:41:44 GMT -5
I think your minimum effort will net you minimum results. If you want maximum results, you give the maximum effort. The tubing as a bumper being 3/16 won't hold up at all.
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Post by smashford on Sept 30, 2019 9:03:22 GMT -5
It's probably rules, we are only allowed 3/16 with a skin
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Post by cheezwhiz31 on Sept 30, 2019 10:17:57 GMT -5
SBC with Th400 and 31 spline rear with slider is far from minimal effort to me and a good start. Now a good radiator with good hoses with a nice power steering set up and column with shifter gas pedal trans cooler good cage ball joints change tires and rims nice ride height bumpers all on good rear frame set up to roll good. Lots of this stuff is some effort and some equipment. Make it so the thing will drive when it is 4 feet shorter then factory and you will be good.
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Post by hcwt25 on Sept 30, 2019 15:09:09 GMT -5
The cars come to me completely stripped including all of the drivetrain components. They come into my shop as a body mounted to a frame with front suspension and tires on it. This is how every car I build comes from the guy I pay to strip them. I am already set up with a few Chevy drivetrains of the sort so it's not like I'm going out and buying pieces or putting things together to have this set up I have a couple of them that are Turn-Key drive trains they get pulled from each car with all the wiring and everything still intact. I simply replace motor and transmission mounts is needed change the fluids and drop it into the car. Hook up a fuel line and my transmission lines and it's ready to go. I also run the same size of aluminum radiators and every car I build with mounts built for them to drop it in Bolt in place. so as far as the component side of thing goes I already have set up stuff it these kinds of cars and they are really mostly just drop in and tighten some bolts and go. Most of what I'm referring to is the aspect of the actual building of the car itself not the components that go into it. For example making cages really simple to cut out and swap to the next car, minimal welding patches needed on the doors to hold them shut safely, bumpers that can be left on the car and thrown away. That sort of thing. Where I would typically be welding a bit more of a welded type class. Fully welding all exterior door hood and trunk seams with 2.5x1/4" strapping, putting bolts in ever place allowed, fully welding all cage components to as much interior sheet metal as possible, etc. Trilogy just going to doing the most important things to keep the car running driving and steering. Without going as excessive with all of those little details trying to make the car a tank.
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Post by 513monster on Sept 30, 2019 15:45:03 GMT -5
I mean it sounds like you have it figured out already to me... Maybe purchase a well built bolt in cage. As far as leaving bumpers on, why? If my bumper has another solid run in it, its getting cut off... It doesn't take long to sawzall/torch off right behind the plate and do a little grinding, and you're ready to weld it on another car. Unless you are buying fabbed bumpers(such as smith metal works or DEC), vic bumpers let alone old iron bumpers are getting harder and harder to find for a decent price/clean.
aside from that... maybe buy multiples of things.
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Post by cheezwhiz31 on Sept 30, 2019 16:48:18 GMT -5
sounds like you answered your own question for the most part. Now it would just be what year ford you want to run(some are better then others for stock stuff but i'd say if your not too concerned they are all ok) Bumper i would build a decent one and cut off car to car or weld a plate to the frame with say 8 grade 8 bolts holding the bumper on and then pull the bolts and the bumper off and all your out is a plate that you can have a stack of to run. Cage build a bolt in one like suggested. Some rear bumpers on these cars will work just fine so weld shock where you want and bumper on and leave it on there when done... Have some housings and axles ready for spares too... front springs we change have it down to 30 min process or so if everything is already changed(ball joints,sway bar,80's spindle,80's upper a-arms, sometimes 2 bolt instead of 4 bolt steering box have had good luck with 4's though) Run factory 80's lower ford engine mounts so then you don't have to cut off and save and they fit pretty close with some shimming they are good and hold up well. Cross members some are better then others so you may want to stock up on them. Hoods and Trunks cause sometimes you will run into not steel ones.
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