Tom’s Car9 – LS3 Build

[seattletom]

Is the top rail bent in two, ummm, planes, I guess would be the right term? Or is it a a single bend...?

JD said it right. It has in a single bend (in a singe plane), but is rotated. Hence the need for the three point mock-up for each side rail. Once in position, the front of the upper rail gets an angular trim to match the front bulkhead and the rear gets fishmouthed to mate with the main roll hoop. A little fiddly to get this right, but then all the other tubes become "filler" and no there is tunnel structure to build

I'm interested in the use of the "double wide" rectangular tubing along with the round.

JD, the midship verticals are actually triple wide (1 x 3's). In addition to providing vertical support for the main dash hoop, they tie into the 16g dimpled sheet facing between the inner and outer dash hoops (aka a Tilly hoop, I think), the floor level crossmember (1 x 3 on edge), and provide the trailing arm mounting points. Busy little things.
The mix and match of round, square and rectangular tube is to make the best weight/strength/fabrication tradeoffs. Marcus can probably add more on the tube selection choices.

Thanks for all the encouragement. Hope I'm over my "fabricator's block" now.

[GonzoRacer]

Hi Tom-
Thanks for the explanation! I considered using 1X3 for the lower rails in my car, but decided it was overkill for such a light overall design. I still see some advantages to having a "wide side" that can be oriented for extra strength or, as in Car9, for mounting things like control arms. When I do it all over again... TWWTFM would kill me, never mind...

Hope I'm over my "fabricator's block" now.

There is definitely a "Geronimo Moment" when you have to take a deep breath and start doing something. One thing to talk about it, another to do it. I think we can all relate. I know I can, but mine goes back to building fender flares on the MGB. I sat and stared and remeasured and stared and remeasured and... For about 15 minutes... But, once I made that first cut, it went right along afterwards. I'm bettin' the same for you!


JDK

[seattletom]

There is definitely a "Geronimo Moment" when you have to take a deep breath and start doing something.

JD, you said it oh so much more delicately than I
I think the trick is to start with some small things (and some "practice" parts) in order to build confidence and momentum...

So...your a wood burner...me to...

Don, for you I built the wood bridge across the back and I'll probably build one across the front, too

Still rampin' up...

[krepus]

Whew... I was sweating a bit trying to interpret that into a hand sketch for a local shop! Glad it's simple... I'm hoping I won't be far behind you guys...

[DonChez]

Whew... I was sweating a bit trying to interpret that into a hand sketch for a local shop! Glad it's simple... I'm hoping I won't be far behind you guys...

so...you build'en one of these 9cars to?

[seattletom]

Whew... I was sweating a bit trying to interpret that into a hand sketch for a local shop! Glad it's simple... I'm hoping I won't be far behind you guys...

Krepus, the latest SketchUp download on the Car9 website includes a set of "drawings" for the chassis tubes, so you won't have to do any hand sketches. https://sites.google.com/site/car9buildit/

Each drawing is a single plane view except for the kick-up at the rear of the lower chassis rails which are described. Just zoom in on the "drawings", do a screen print and take them to your guy. Check with Horizonjob to make sure you have the latest versions.

And welcome aboard

[GonzoRacer]

I think the trick is to start with some small things (and some "practice" parts) in order to build confidence and momentum...

HA! I bought an upper control arm from Speedway. Just one. Carried it around with me. Called it "My Project Car". Told people about it. It was just to prove to me that I was serious, and to let friends know what I was up to, so there was some "Peer pressure," or maybe I mean support, for the project.

Between that and my general pig-headedness, it got me started...

Looks like you're started too, Bro. Keep after it!

JDK

[krepus]

Each drawing is a single plane view except for the kick-up at the rear of the lower chassis rails which are described. Just zoom in on the "drawings", do a screen print and take them to your guy. Check with Horizonjob to make sure you have the latest versions.

And welcome aboard

I don't know why that never crossed my mind, to just do a print screen... oh man... The most recent download I have is dated January 28; is there a more recent version?


Yup my intentions are get it welded up and at least an engine in place by fall... things are more in my favor at the moment than ever before, so it might really happen this time. I've had two false starts, one actually documented here on the site... a bit ashamed of that, to be honest.

Car9 really appeals to me in that fact that it is an updated design, inspired by the 7 but purposed around modern components without having to re-engineer the wheel to get modern parts to fit. Most of the altered frames of the original design just seem a bit off to me, for some reason.

[GonzoRacer]

Most of the altered frames of the original design just seem a bit off to me, for some reason.

You think the frames are "a bit off"??? You should see the guys building 'em!
Uhhh, did I just type that out loud? Sorry...

[krepus]

I meant proportionately speaking... lol!

[GonzoRacer]

I meant proportionately speaking...

SO DID I!!!

[krepus]

Ah hell, now I've gone n done it...!

[seattletom]

I don't know why that never crossed my mind, to just do a print screen... oh man... The most recent download I have is dated January 28; is there a more recent version?

Yup my intentions are get it welded up and at least an engine in place by fall... things are more in my favor at the moment than ever before, so it might really happen this time. I've had two false starts, one actually documented here on the site... a bit ashamed of that, to be honest.

Car9 really appeals to me in that fact that it is an updated design, inspired by the 7 but purposed around modern components without having to re-engineer the wheel to get modern parts to fit. Most of the altered frames of the original design just seem a bit off to me, for some reason.

Krepus, great to have another Car9 build going! I believe the January 28 model is the latest version posted, but Marcus may have a couple of tweaks in work. One thought on on the tubes: Have them made with a couple of inches added to all the ends. This gives you some leeway in matching up the mating surfaces to suit your particular assembly and relieves the tube bending guy of that responsibility. So what you want is the right bends in the right places with extra length on the ends. Particularly useful to have extra length on the roll hoop legs, but also true for everything else.

[horizenjob]

Here's a picture of some model updating to help you plan your front bulkhead. The model layer for 17" wheels has 25" tires. I added a blue/grey ground surface to that layer at the ground level. This can help you measure the heights of things compared to ground. The green spots on the bulkhead are where I think Charlie put holes on mine.

You can see I started to work on suspension tabs for the upper wishbone on passenger side. One tab is on Charlie's holes for the upper wishbone and would be about right for the Willwood spindle. The other tab is for mounting holes spaces a little closer together.

So I'll update the drawing when we know a little more about ball joints we will use.

[GonzoRacer]

Have them made with a couple of inches added to all the ends. This gives you some leeway in matching up the mating surfaces to suit your particular assembly and relieves the tube bending guy of that responsibility. So what you want is the right bends in the right places with extra length on the ends. Particularly useful to have extra length on the roll hoop legs, but also true for everything else.

Or, as Melvin Brown, my old construction crew foreman used to say, "You can cut 'em shorter but you can't cut 'em longer!" Actually, he'd throw a few functional adverbs in there, but this is a PG-rated forum...