rat_rod_russell

QA1 DD304 Double Adjustable Coil Overs on all 4 coroners. I refuse to sell anything less to guys. Springs control the car and shocks control the springs. With out both adjustments on the shock you can't truly dial in the suspension ride and handling characteristics. Spring rates I can't help you with. Would need to know the shock angles, your suspension travel, sway bar configurations, exact wheel weight and the center of gravity so I could calculate the needed wheel rate and heave compensation for dive and squat. Or for a few bucks buy some extra springs and just do some trial and error on the car.

Some people will argue that you don't need the doubles but with over 100 frames out my doors I would contest that any day. They are only about 50.00 more expensive each and in the grand scheme of the whole car 200 bucks to decide if your able to dial in your ride and handling qualities is nothing.

Later
-Russell

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

Very true with the rates and shock angle, completely forgot about that. Either way i need to go back into working on the front end and remaking the upper and lower shock mounts. I don't like what i did a few years ago.

rat_rod_russell

You might build a front cradle to give you more room up front?

And your going to love the roadster we're working on. C5/6 suspension, 5.3L, turbo, full containment cage, 315 up front and 345 our back. Its going to be fun. I'll start a build thread on it soon. I'll be selling the front and rear cradles as well once its running and I'm happy with it.

rat_rod_russell

So this is happening. I needed to break up with my camera for a while to focus on actually building parts and tech supporting customers.


Click for full size

Basically in the down time since I last posted I've got 2 lasers up and running now, sold 8 frames in various stages, delivered 5 of them, blew the motor up in my personal car, fixed that, one minion moved, got 2 new minions, been training them, had to change banks (if your a small business you know what kind of a royal pain this is) and my local laser shop has been teaching me to program his laser so I can save a few bucks and I can quote my own projects now. Cross that with a girlfriend that lives 240 miles away and its fun fun fun and busy busy busy on all fronts. I should have more photos up within the week. Their on my computer and need to be sorted. Also waiting on other parts.

Later
-Russell

rat_rod_russell

Here are the rest.











Later
-Russell

Jimbo1367

Russell,

Outstanding work as always. Any link to that new thread you mentioned earlier?

thanks,
Jim

04600rr

iTrader: (12)

Just watched the vid of the Tri5, I don't own a Tri5 but want to buy one just to do one of these frames. Got any info on your table set up? Looks like a badass set up.

rat_rod_russell

Jim, I've been to tied up to start it. I've got a few projects I need to get tied up before I can do more work on that project. But I'll post it here when I do finally get it done.

LOL! Thanks, I'm still working on the tables. The idea is that it should be first collapsible because most of us don't need a full time fab table, second accurate and finally less than 3k which is the real problem at the moment. The ones I have were a stroke of luck from the laser shop. The quoted them at 11 gauge instead of .250 and when I showed up with the material they decided to do it for that price. They regret that and that shop went out of business because they were under pricing almost everything. Cross that with everything else and its like the thread Jim just asked about....... I'll get to it one day......

Thanks again
-Russell

rat_rod_russell

Ah man, it was so cold today that no one came into the shop all day, It was AWESOME!!!

And thanks to the quite I manged to get the gas tank about 90% worked out. I'll need to build one real quick and make sure the lower gas filler hole will let the tank fill without backing up. It should work with the vent at the top to bleed off the air but I want to make sure. The tank is only 18.5 Gallons but it under the bed and it will use the stock filler neck. I've never liked the rear bed mounting solutions with the filler in the bed but I'm also 6'2" and more room in the CAB is a must for me. For more fuel I'll just add extra tank in the bed and just let it over flow down into the bottom tank and move the filler up higher.




Later
-Russell

33willys

iTrader: (1)

Nice CAD, Excellent fab! I noticed the odd shape of the fishplates. Can you give me the reasoning behine the shape so that I can apply it to any joint that I do?

truckdoug

iTrader: (25)

i've wondered that too and asked quite few old welders and some tell it's easier to tack that shape and some said it makes a stiffer joint than a straight rectangle. origins of the word itself is tied to wooden ships' masts. good question.

rat_rod_russell

Honestly its a bit more for looks than ultimate strength. The design is intended to direct the stress to the center of each tube and away for the weld center lines.

The truly best design involves a plate with lines perfectly parallel to the metal tube then welded top and bottom but not on the front and back as that would create more heat stressing on the metal. But with that kind of plate everyone who can see it always just assumes you forgot to weld it and simply assumes that they are smarter than you despite the fact that you do this for a living. Ask me how I know.......... So this is the next best solution and I don't have to answer and explain it every 5 minutes at a show or online.

Thanks for the educated question. I actually appreciate good conversation about design and structure.
-Russell

truckdoug

iTrader: (25)

haha design meets customer expectation. damn do i know that story.

keep up the fine work. your attention to detail will sustain you.

rat_rod_russell

Gas tanks has been finalized and send to the laser for the first one. I still need to test my design to make sure it won't slow flow due to the height of the filler inlet. The Vent should be large enough to compensate.

Also finally found a CNC tubing bender that isn't insane about his prices. So I drew up the back half of the exhaust and send that and the program off to bend them this morning. This is my first jump into CNC bending so here's hoping its painless. If it is I'm going to be able to cut an easy 200-250 bucks off the cost of the exhaust systems for the Nerd Rods Frames.

The turquoises parts on the frame are revised from the first frames we built and sold thanks to this project and some feedback from guys who wanted to bit the bullet even though I've not gotten as far as I would have liked on this project yet. Nothing major, just subtle things, increasing or decreasing tolerances of different parts or keys. Adding little extensions and there was one slot I forgot to put into a rail but that's all taken care of now.

Later
-Russell

rat_rod_russell

More updates, The exhaust front part is too complex to have 1 piece bent. Some of the bends are too close together and the motors are mounting is different frame to frame so that bit need a little custom attention to make fit exactly. So we got this part mocked up and the braided brake lines finally showed up. I have to order custom lines to have an AN-3 on one end and the 10mm on the other AND have a DOT stamp on the lines. Kore 3 does good work with quality American parts so I don't mind the short wait. These are getting on and worked out as well. The rear half exhaust has been XYZ'd and has been ordered.

Now for the real reason most of you are here, pretty pictures!!!!







Later
-Russell

rat_rod_russell

Alright! CNC Bent exhaust back half was a success! Unfortunately its not but a few buck cheaper after shipping but its still WAY nicer and there might be some discounts in the future when I start working in some kind of volume.






Gas tank is also completely welded. I just need to install the pump and sending unit to finish it up and have the hold down brackets finished up then it will be ready for powder coating. Once we finish the heat shields for the mufflers then it will be ready for final install.

One thing is for certain, I need my own sheetmetal brake and soon. The brake I've been using isn't well cared for and I end up setting it up each time but on this tank the setup was a bit off because I didn't bring my mic's with me and it shows if you know what to look for. That's why I sanded off a good chunk of the welds and smoothed them out.










I'm also making a drive shaft protection that will be sold with the tank as well so if a U-Joint breaks the drive shaft will be held in with steel not banging into your aluminum fuel tank. Although if you think you might rupture a drive shaft then this tank isn't for you and I don't think it will clear a live axle anyway.


But it looks good in the frame!







Later
-Russell

DW SD

impressive, as always. I used Viking double adjustable coil-over shocks, recently on my '51 Ford F1 after converting the rear to a triangulated 4 link and doing a heidt's IFS upfront. The founders left QA1 to start Viking. Their products are american made.

I'm really impressed with their products. They also recently released a fully driver adjustable setup that looks excellent. I became a dealer even though my volume would be very limited.

rat_rod_russell

I'll need to look into them. I'm just always put off by their website and its lack of information about the shocks specifically. In reality I do the QA1 as a performance per dollar choice. I need my customer to have double adjustable for tuning at the end of the build. For customers who know and respect a set of coil overs JRi or Penske is where I go if they want beyond that Pfadt is out of the game. Thanks for the reminder!

Later
-Russell

rat_rod_russell

Update Time!

Logistics, logistics, logistics. Mainly on wheels for George. We finally had Ben @ Hermance Designs do a rending for him to try our several wheels after looking at some very expensive options he landed on the Showwheels and here we are.



We've also been busy with the version 7 TriFive Car frame and lots of carts and other fabrication and handling equipment here in the shop. Its been busy, just doesn't look that way from the outside looking in.

Here's just one of the rolling chassis's that's been pushed out the door since we've been out of touch.
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128100

And a roadster we've started on recently as well.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...track-toy.html

But the CAM is in as of today, and the wheels should be here shortly. So next the truck can come in and we can lock down the chassis. More photos to come shortly.

Later
-Russell

MX442

Russel, thank you for sharing your skills! I have been following your builds in planning my own C4 IRS truck swap, and have a couple questions.
Do you sell a rear toe bar flip kit?
From your pics and drawings, it looks like your engine and pinion angles are parallel with the frame? Is there any advantage to changing the engine (crankshaft) angle to pointing 2-3 degrees down? I'm trying to figure this out before I mount my rear end. Thanks