The other alternative, build custom units.
The other alternative, build custom units.
Since they are gone, and they are ugly, and you have a nice smooth pretty firewall - seems like a great opportunity to fab up something that serves the purpose and is a bit better looking. Just a thought.
It's definitely got me thinking of a different design. I've been looking for a good reason to buy a couple of dimple hole dies for detail, lightening holes. Anyone ever seen something fabricated, and stronger too?
I would just build your own since your not going for a stock restored look anyway. Something fully enclosed and smooth would look nice, and add the dimpled holes if you want to lighten it up and give it a bit more style. You can just weld a plate and nut on the inside so you can just use a bolt up through the frame from the bottom instead of the nut and bolt stock set up. Position wise I would just get the body mounted on your new frame first, then it would be easier to figure out what you need to build to fill in the gap.
Biggest thing is that a smooth piece would require bracing the firewall from the inside to have the same structural integrity. You'd still have a mount that was forward of the firewall unless you moved the frame brackets too - and that would require a bit of planning to avoid interference issues. But it can be done I'd think.
Yep, you would have make sure you weren't losing any strength or have it be in the way of anything else. That's why I would design it and mock it up with the body on the frame, then remove the body to finish all the needed welding. Could just be a boxed in version of the stock brace too just to make it look better.
I would, but I'm hoping to make it easier to sell after taking all the other small parts I need off of it. It would be a cheap $1800 start to a drag car as a roller, mostly needing a fiberglass front clip that show up cheap from time to time.
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Last edited by 55 Rescue Dog; 01-26-2018 at 02:46 PM.