[Brian_B]

Originally Posted by Nightfire

Download these plans

*

They show you how to make the frame, how to scratch build your front axel, and how to scratch build your radius rods. This can all be done low buck. I got free 2x3 tubing by poking around at salvage yards etc. Dont be shy, set yourself a plan and go to it, but dont rush it or expect inmediate results. The frustration will only get greater if you want it rightaways



Mike

Anyone know where else I can download those plans? The URL has been edited and/or removed. Its just an * now.

[farna]

wishnevsky, you can go back and put a T tub on that frame. Just remove one or two of the short leaves from the rear springs and order a custom set of front springs or convert to coil overs in front. Coil Spring Specialties (http://www.coilsprings.com/) will make you a set to your specs for the same as new replacements. They should have the specs for the stock springs, which would help in figuring out what rates you need. A better idea is to weight the front (front wheels on, rear wheels off a freight scale) with the full boady and engine, then weigh it again after the mods have been made. CSS should be able to come up with a recommendation based on weight reduction, or you can.

[wishnevsky]

thanks, but i think im back to plan "A" of chopping the toyota body, and moving it back enough to put the 230 in it... The anachronistic idea of using the 80 body appeals to me... after all a 25 year old body in 2006 is just the same as using a 1930 body in 1955... But your hint on springs is most appreciated. I will need to do that, for sure..

[Chopt 48]

Hotrod 389! I like that car, the front end is right on the money for what I was trying to say/explain in a previous post.
The whole car looks right, It sits great, everything gells together and it is has a,n extremely high Cool factor.
A strong frame with pickup/nascar track bar rear suspension. Basically the same design as under any mid 60's chev pickup and all NASCAR cars.
A cleaned up front axle converted to cross leaf or?
Low buck body that others in the area probably passed up because it was to much work.
an engine that definetly isn't a belly button engine.
Right on.

[h0trod389]

exactly my design of the rear suspension, made it after a deal for a rearend didnt go through(or i wasnt patient enough) from a 65 chevy truck, but im going with coil springs and shocks inside the springs. (poor mans coil over)
the front is going to have a cross leaf attached to the radius rods, the axle was a twin leaf axle off the 30 olds. i cut off the tabs, machined a piece of stainless 1.75" round stock with a hole to accept the spring perches., gussets will be added 2 on the inside (top n bottom) and one in the middle twards the king pins. i flipped and pie cut the radius rods for more strength.
just need to order some weld in bungs and rod ends. when i machined the radius rod mount i also machined 2 extra to weld in the frame for the rod ends.
spindles were machined to accept mid 70's disc brakes. caliper brackets yet to come.

the engine makes a whopping 65 HP!!! prolly @ redline which is 3k ).
i got the engine from a friend so i had to use it, im building plans for a pontiac 421. but the plans are cheaper than the block itself. drivetrain isnt my consern, chassis is! i want the chassis to beable to handle over 1k hp for future use! it will be caged.
the rearend is a mid 70's truck 10 bolt, the carrier will be replaced after i blow it.
the body was a struggle, and still is now that its comming time to fab the doors up and rockers,
the doors will be suicided. with the stock latches. hindges are next, ill have to refresh my memory on cboy's page later.
i still have mods to do to the channel, i want to get it on the rims and tires im going to use before i finialize the body.

steering and braking are yet to come, then i can blast it all apart for final welding!
Thanks again
Brian

[dorksrock]

jerry, if ur looking for a good place to find some parts for you rod, you should go to the jefferson wisconsin swap meets. they have both a spring and fall meet. cboy, u go to jefferson?

[cboy]

Originally Posted by dorksrock

cboy, u go to jefferson?

Yup, but not every year. While the swap meet is excellent, the "car show" part of the event doesn't draw that many great cars. So unless I'm searching for some specific part(s), I normally don't go. The other great swap meet in Wisconsin is, of course, Iola, normally held on the second weekend in July. If you can't it at Iola or Jefferson, chances are you are not going to find it.

[wishnevsky]

Thanks for the help, i plan to have the toyota frame towed home this week... I think its going to be a boat tail roadster...i want to play with fiberglass...

They tell me that those have torsion bar suspensions, and you can drop the front end by turning two bolts..

Next dumb question. Somebody wants to give me a 70 Opal kadett wagon. It is kind of cute, if you like boxes... Does anybody know what engine is in those, and what i can put in there, this side of making a frame and making a gasser?

It is supposed to run, but if not, then what?. Thanks in advance.

[home brew]

This will give you some info:

http://www.cardomain.com/Make/Opel

[JerryMopar]

Originally Posted by dorksrock

jerry, if ur looking for a good place to find some parts for you rod, you should go to the jefferson wisconsin swap meets. they have both a spring and fall meet.

I love the jefferson swap meet! Have gone there for 1 1/2 years.I was thinking about that the other day of trying to find a t- body at jefferson this spring.

[farna]

You mean a wagon like this one: http://www.opelgtsource.com/press/station.htm

Larger Opels, and the "mini Corvette" Opel GT had a 1.9L engine. I've seen a Rover V-8 (Buick 215) stuffed in a GT, but it's a tight fit! A modern 2.0L EFI four would be nice in that little thing, and make it just about a hot rod if it's got the old 1.1L four now. Of course a narrow V-6 would be nice engine -- even an 86 or later 2.8L EFI would make it a nice little hot rod!

[Chopt 48]

If I remember correctly the Opal had a unibody = no separate frame.
Like Farna Suggested I would go for a zinger four banger or a narrow V6.
I'd get under the hood of a v6 Mustang with a tape measure.
Any big V8 installation would mean chopping the car up and probably take a custom frame to work.
Those are nifty little cars that could look pretty neat with some nice touches.

[dorksrock]

Originally Posted by JerryMopar

I love the jefferson swap meet! Have gone there for 1 1/2 years.I was thinking about that the other day of trying to find a t- body at jefferson this spring.

thats what im looking for at the swap this year, along with flathead stuff. i gotta get som money first tho!

[timothale]

California custon roadster has a set of t bucket plans for $20. I built 2 frames last year one I extended 8 inches and the other 4 inches. it is a lot easier in the long run to start with 2 x 3 or 2x 4 tubing. If you make your own hairpins and steering tie rods and have to internal thread the dom tubing cut them one inch longer than the plan. Then i would drill out the holes one step at a time until i got the correct size for the tap then drill out the one inch overage with the drill for the final bolt size 5/8 hole for a 5/8 tap the threads will be cutting in the 37/64 ? (i think) portion but the 5/8 portion holds the tap straight into the hole. when you tap in a far as you can go cut off the extra i inch then redrill for the tap and tap to the correct depth doing this keeps your tap holes straight and prevents drunken threads.

[willowbilly3]

I scratch built my first jalopy when I was about 15-16 but used a 49 chevy pickup frame rails. I learned more on thaat build than any thing I have ever done since. Do study other cars and decide the look you want. Just spending a couple hundred on a good cowl and maybe backhalf will make a much cooler looking ride than you can ever hope to fabricate. If you decide to build on a pickup frame, look at cars built that way. Most of them end up with the radiator about 2 feet further foreward than it should be. And then you put a whole bunch of work in to a car that is butt ugly when only a small amount of research and planning would yield an attractive car with the same amout of time and money.