total performance 23t

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Why don't you keep posting pictures and updates as you go in case some others are thinking of the same or a similar car?

Don

---

Like me :)

Actually, looking at my finances, I'm probably going to be saving more for a new house than a car.. but I may get around to building something someday... :rolleyes:

I'm curious about the shock mounting brackets... wouldn't getting longer bolts and using big locknuts on the other sides, and Loctiting the bleep out of them work out okay?? Obviously it wouldn't be as strong as a weld, but would that do?? The reason being is I'm definately no welder... so I was wondering if there was a viable alternative...(forgive my ignorance if I'm completely off base here... just trying to learn something...)

I've been looking hard at the CCR bucket package as well... I wonder if they use the same type of bolts in their suspension or if they do more welding... I sure like a lot of the features they have... just not sure if I could put one together properly wihtout any directions to go by....

I also picked up the Lakes modified 101 tape from Zipper motors, and am interested in seeing how that goes together (as soon as I find a bleeping VCR to view it.... get with the times, guys... Geesh! :mad: ). I saw one at the Goodguys meet up here this summer and it looked great... definately more room in that than a 23 T :D

Keep the pics coming, I'm definately interested in seeing more of this build!

No, you can't run bolts through box tubing and put nuts on the other side because it will only suck in the sides and not hold well. You could weld in some tubes to pass the bolts through, and that would hold, if they were welded in place, or what we also do is weld some thick flat stock to the outside rail, then drill and tap it for threads. That will hold.

In the picture below that oval plate is 3/8 thick steel, and we welded it all around the perimeter, then drilled and tapped it. When the 3/8 is welded to something like the 3/16 thick frame rail, it provides lots of meat to hold the threads.

Don

i took youre advice guys , had my buddy weld the motor crossmember and rear shock mounts, we even removed the bolts and filled in the holes with weld . no i feel a little safer. any more better ideas are always welcome.
allthe welds were grided smooth and filled with bondo, after two days of prep to the frame i layed down two coates of that new body shop by duplicolor, ive been wanting to try it its sprayable right out of the can. i then layed three coates of clear. but know im concerned because the paint is laquer, and ive herd bad things about laquer. like cracking and stuff, so know im thinking of stripping it off and going back to spraying it with urathane
heres some pics

Much better Glenn. Now you can stomp on it all you like and not worry about something letting go. :3dSMILE: :3dSMILE:


Don

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Much better Glenn. Now you can stomp on it all you like and not worry about something letting go. :3dSMILE: :3dSMILE:
Don

---

Now that you have the bolt vs welding problem fixed - I hope you did a fit up with the engine in place and the body on as Chebbies are real tight to the firewall -

I have another item that I may have discussed before(I'm too lazy to reread this thread) and it's the steering connector to the steering box. It WILL split - I'm aware of three including mine that did. Mickey's answer to me was "Hmm, that's never happened before. I'm going to have to look at the machining and the cutter".

This is what I did. I got a race car type U-joint from Speedway and had it machined to fit my steering column shaft, pinned in place(photo doesn't show it tho) then I used an aluminum Corvair box that I had that had a splined input. If you have the type with 2 pins, you would have to do a thru pin arrangement or other method to attach the shaft. No big problem - as long as it is safer then Mickey's.

Also, the front suspension bolts don't have cotter pins. You need to drill them and replace the nuts with castellated. One of them is bound to fall off - I dropped the drag link bolt but the suspension caster kept the car straight.

hey guys ,
its been a while . just wanted to show you were im at with the T , Next is the front brake and rotor kit

This may be a dumb question,But why is there 2 panhard bars in the rear?I have never seen 2.Always just been 1.

there not panhard bars there called watts linkage

Yep, actually better than a panhard as it equally pulls the axle as it rises and falls, whereas a panhard tends to slightly move it one way.

I like your T.........sure looks familiar to me........ :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: Wish we could have used those TP front steering arms that help correct ackerman, but we had no room with our big rotors.

Very nice solid platform for your rod. Keep us updated with pictures as you go.

Don

thanks guys! ill keep ya posted

BTW Glenn, two things that we learned on Don's T that I might pass along. The brake pedal needs heated and bent about an inch to an inch and a half toward the passenger side to clear the steering column. We first bent it at about a 45 degree angle right after it exited the floorboard, then bent it straight back up a couple of inches later. Now the pedal pad clears the column.

Secondly, there is a sticker on the chrome cover for the front perch that says trim the perch ubolts so that they are shorter. We didn't see the sticker on the first chrome cover and when we bolted it on the too tall bolts dimpled it. $ 55 later we had a new chrome cover and cut the bolts shorter so there was no contact. New one fits fine now.

Don

thanks itoldyouso, i see i have to heat and bend the pedal and i cut the front u bolts today ,i want that chrome purch cover too. i think the next thing im going to buy is the wood kit for the body
keep you posted
glenn

Glenn, when you install the wood kit it will look something like the picture below. At first I thought it was a goofy way to do it, but when it is done it actually stiffens the body up a lot. Total also leaves the back portion of the body loose, by design, and it just sort of lays up against your floor. Mickey told me that the body will stress crack if it doesn't have a place to release that tension. I hope he is wrong because my T body is wooded and glassed totally solid. But TP has been doing this for a long time, and knows what works with their kits.

Don

really nice pics man,thank you so much ,ill store them on my file for future references. i really thank you guys for all youre help
thank you