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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: October 28, 2016, 11:36 am 
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Some more pictures. I like the design and I’m having fun putting this together. Have you thought of what you’re going to do with the design? I can give you files as I go along in whatever format. I haven’t started any structural yet. Pretty soon.

Keep on Building.


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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: November 7, 2016, 1:01 am 
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Location: Omaha, Nebraska
The drawings look good, Bobber. I don't know what I'll do with the design, yet.

I'm currently trying to build the rear suspension bracket mounts. They will be similar to the front, though the brackets themselves will be quite different. The upper rear control arm is mounted in a more conventional way, with bolts going through pivots/bushings at the end of each leg. Hard to describe, but I'll post pictures when there's something to look at.

It's been almost a year now since I began this build, if I count the first few weeks when I was just drafting. I'm hoping the car will be drivable in one more year. So much to do between now and then it's hard to imagine, but I think it's doable if I keep plugging away.

My next goal is to have a roller by Thanksgiving. We'll see if that happens.

-Graveyard

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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: November 24, 2016, 11:55 pm 
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I finished the suspension brackets for the rear, and I suppose I'm as happy with the result as I'm going to be with this design.

Attachment:
IMG_2737.jpg


Attachment:
IMG_2744.jpg


Attachment:
IMG_2743.jpg


The whole idea was to make it super easy to fabricate brackets, and to locate the mounting structure in a place that makes the stock mounting locations a straight shot. I do believe I succeeded at accomplishing both of those goals, and it will be easily strong enough to do the job, especially once I have the the bracing in.

The flat caps on the square tubing are the places where round tube will meet it and tie it more fully into the chassis. It's very much the same as my front suspension mounts, though the brackets will be very different.

The holes were again 1" diameter heavily beveled/chamfered and with 11 gauge tubes welded in then ground flat. The square tubing (and round) is all also 11 gauge, so it's kind of heavy, but very strong.

My one problem with this setup is that it's not very elegant looking. Maybe once the round-tube connections have been made it will look more right. I suppose the brackets will also largely cover it.

The shock mount tube, which is the short square tube standing up off of the horizontal square tube, is drilled front and side for a secure bracket attachment. Plus it is inclined 10 degrees and located such that it lines up perfectly with the stock shocks. Again, I'll run the stock shocks in the beginning and go to coilovers later. I'll only have to build a new bracket to make the change.

So, now it's time to move on to figuring out the seat and pedal mounts. I have seats which I like and I have been positioning them various ways in the car to try to find the optimal adjustment range. I also bought a pedal assembly so that I can mock them up and finalize all of the positioning. I have no idea yet how I'm going to do it, but there seems to be adequate space.

The pedal assembly I bought is the Afco reverse-mount unit. It's the same as the Willwood, but I think it's made better and it was a little cheaper. I live only about a 35 minute drive from Speedway in Lincoln, so I drove over to compare the two assemblies. I have not used it yet, obviously, but I would recommend taking a look at the Afco pedals if you're in the market.

Attachment:
IMG_2740.jpg


I'm putting off roller day until I get the seat mounts and pedal mount done. I could make my suspension brackets and roll the thing out, but I'd just have to put it back down on blocks to build the floor stuff anyway, so that fun will have to wait. It's getting cold here now, so might end up being spring before I ever see this car on its wheels.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Graveyard


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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: November 25, 2016, 2:15 pm 
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Location: Cornelius OR
Those drawings look like they are for a buggy.

9" in the front and 12" in the rear is real tall for a street machine and way tall for a track machine.

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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: November 27, 2016, 9:20 pm 
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Bent Wrench wrote:
Those drawings look like they are for a buggy.

9" in the front and 12" in the rear is real tall for a street machine and way tall for a track machine.


I agree. Those should be like half for a street car. Was the intention to make it more off road then street/track?

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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: November 28, 2016, 11:26 am 
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Those drawings do not include the subframes, which sit under the spools. The C5 subframes are at stock ride height for a C5 Corvette.

The C5 is not excessively high, by any means, but I can also lower it if I don't like it.

-Graveyard

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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: November 28, 2016, 11:30 am 
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Location: Denver Co
got ya

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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: December 1, 2016, 12:43 am 
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Location: Colorado
Definitely following this one, loving your work!

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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: December 4, 2016, 10:47 pm 
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Not the most productive week, but I got a few things done. One simple thing was taking off the factory LS1 manifold and putting on (setting on, for now) the Victor Jr. manifold I plan to use. It looks like business.

Attachment:
IMG_2770.jpg

Attachment:
IMG_2771.jpg

Attachment:
IMG_2772.jpg


Yes, I plan to run a carb. Probably a Holley 650 cfm double pumper, manual choke or no choke at all. MSD will control the ignition. Old-school hot rod stuff. Don't hate.

I originally thought I'd be adding some weight when I traded the plastic intake for this cast aluminum piece, but when I took off the factory manifold with the throttle body injectors and fuel rails it was incredibly heavy. I didn't bother to weigh stuff to compare weight, but if I end up with a newer aluminum Holley the weight might be about the same.

I also fitted the bracing on the cowl. Much better than my old design however many pages back.

Attachment:
IMG_2773.jpg


And I fitted the tubes that link the ends of the front suspension mounts across the spool. I needed to fit these because tubes will go from these to the tops of the 'A tubes' that form the middle of the cowl, and I need to have those in place to figure out the pedal assembly mounting.

Attachment:
IMG_2774.jpg


It's about to get cold here, so I think I'm in the market for a garage heater. Can't lose 3 months like last Winter if I want to be driving by next November.

-Graveyard


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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: December 7, 2016, 8:46 am 
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If there is natural gas or propane in the garage, a Modine Hot Dawg heater is a great choice. Before I bought one of them, I found a used forced hot air furnace out of an old mobile home for $100 on the local CraigsList. We installed it in the rafters of a 2-car garage with ducting and registers from the front to the back to even out the heat throughout the space.

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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: January 1, 2017, 10:16 pm 
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Pushed the car outside today for the first time to get a better look. Not really roller day, as it's not yet supporting its own weight, but I was happy to see it in the real world. I've finished the pedal mount stuff, but no pictures of that yet today.

Attachment:
IMG_2841.jpg


Attachment:
IMG_2844.jpg


Attachment:
IMG_2845.jpg


Attachment:
IMG_2838.jpg


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IMG_2842.jpg


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IMG_2839.jpg


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IMG_2849.jpg


Attachment:
IMG_2852.jpg


I have to say I'm generally happy with the look. If doing it again I'd move a few things an inch this way or that way, but I think it mostly captures the right shape and proportion. It may look cheesy, but I do like the rear 'spoiler'.

It is 1.5" lowered in these pictures, which is close to where I will probably run it on track. On the street it will go back up. So, in these pictures the top of the roll bar is 46.5", the street height will be right at 48".

Till next log,
Graveyard


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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: January 1, 2017, 10:25 pm 
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Location: Denver Co
Nice work sir

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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: January 2, 2017, 11:24 am 
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Location: Fort Worth, Texas
One question, and you may have answered it earlier, why not shorten the torque tube and move the engine back a little? It appears you have the room.

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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: January 3, 2017, 3:11 am 
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Good question, I don't think I've addressed it.

There are a few reasons I've left the torque tube stock length.

First, moving the engine back means moving the driver back, and that means the drivers hips end up at the front of the transmission. The front of the transmission is 13" wide, while the torque tube is 5". The car would have to be 8" wider. I just don't think it makes packaging sense to put the driver's hips in line with the widest point of the transmission.

Second, I like the roll bar where it is, aesthetically. I tried out lots of different proportions on paper, but this was the only version I liked enough to build.

Third, the space behind the driver will allow me to put the battery and fuel load in front of the the rear wheels and all the way down at the ground clearance line. It should help me to better centralize and lower these heavy components.

Fourth, it's cheaper now, and replacement/upgrade parts will be cheaper and more widely available.

I should be able to achieve about a 50/50 weight balance with the engine where it is, if I can make the rear-mount radiator work. It will occupy that same space between the roll hoop and the rear wheels.

If I'm looking only at heavy components: the engine weighs 420lbs or so with everything, and the transmission/differential together weigh 225lbs, so the driveline leaves the front roughly 200 pounds heavier. Add to the back 100+ pounds for a small fuel load, battery, and a somewhat rear-heavy chassis (22lbs more right now, but it will be more) and the difference is down to well under 100lbs. So putting the radiator in the back should bring the balance very close. The driver's center of gravity is about a foot nearer the rear axle than the front.

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 Post subject: Re: Exo Hot Rod
PostPosted: January 3, 2017, 12:27 pm 
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Location: Fort Worth, Texas
I see what you're saying and there are things that I couldn't see in that side view picture. What it appeared to me in the pic was that you could move the engine back and it wouldn't interfere with your leg room so you wouldn't have to move the driver back.

With a front transmission you run into issues with transmission width when you move it back, but with the torque tube I didn't think it would require any added width in the car/chassis.

Carry on, don't let us in the peanut gallery bother you.

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