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Very cool, I have had this in my head, and have much of the drivetrain parts laying around for years. I've always thought the rear C% stuff up front would be interesting to make work. Do you have any dimensions/diagrams for the frame mounting points for the A arms to fab up?
Regarding track width, it should not matter. Really, only matters that the overall rolling radius is the same between the tires is the same. If you could match a set, the fronts and rears could be different widths. Looks like you have a BW1372 or 4472 T case.. Thing about how many AWD Astros, Bravadas, etc, were out there, any normal tire wear, mismatched tires, low pressure, etc, they can handle a little variation. I believe the manual calls for 3/16" variation max between tires. I have a 4472 Bravada case that I've been saving for something like that.
Very cool to see it moving forward. So many AWD builds, including my own, never get off paper.
My only concern with using rear vette control arms upfront is clearance when turning. I did a quick mock up and it should clear hopefully. I dont have any dimensions or schematics. I am going to build a track width jig and bolt on the spindles with the control arms to it. Once I have it where I want it, I'll build the tubing around it and make mounts for it. I'll be using the same jig for the rear when I do the rear cradle, that way the track width is the same.
I'm using a trailblazer SS transfercase NP120 , awd only. The Silverado 4x4 front diff should allow me to disengage the front so I can do rear wheel burn outs.
I've been busy with life and work lately so its been hard to get time in. I had to cut some tube floor out since I moved the engine back 10" more to fit the front diff. Once I redo the floor again, I'll start working in the suspension. Goal is to have it rolling by the end of the year.
Originally Posted by Haggar
Very cool, I have had this in my head, and have much of the drivetrain parts laying around for years. I've always thought the rear C% stuff up front would be interesting to make work. Do you have any dimensions/diagrams for the frame mounting points for the A arms to fab up?
Regarding track width, it should not matter. Really, only matters that the overall rolling radius is the same between the tires is the same. If you could match a set, the fronts and rears could be different widths. Looks like you have a BW1372 or 4472 T case.. Thing about how many AWD Astros, Bravadas, etc, were out there, any normal tire wear, mismatched tires, low pressure, etc, they can handle a little variation. I believe the manual calls for 3/16" variation max between tires. I have a 4472 Bravada case that I've been saving for something like that.
Very cool to see it moving forward. So many AWD builds, including my own, never get off paper.
Damn! The Benz cars are known for being overly complex. I would think integrating the on board electronics and safety features will be a bitch. Good luck and I am looking forward to following your build
That's exactly why I wont be using ANYTHING off the Benz. I'm literally only keeping the body. I'll be making a new wiring harness and fusebox for all the electronics, like lights and windows. Engine harness will be standalone, with aftermarket gauges. This car will be as plain as can be, no radio, no airbags, just a caged and 5 point seatbelts. It wont be a daily driver, itll be a weekend cruiser, track car.
Originally Posted by BadgeZ28
Damn! The Benz cars are known for being overly complex. I would think integrating the on board electronics and safety features will be a bitch. Good luck and I am looking forward to following your build
So, I'm guessing cup holders are not going to be part of this build?
It takes some serious ***** to cut up the car the way you did. Even if I labeled everything and put stuff in bags, I'd never get a car like that back together. Nice build.
From scratch is an understatement lol... a lot going on with this car, figured I'd make it my own, instead of just swapping an LS and calling it a day.
Decided to cut out MORE sheet metal and further the weight reduction on this originally 4600lb car....
Cutting out the trunk and spring perches, it just lost roughly 200lbs of useless sheetmetal.
Still need to trim a lot more, and cut out the tube floor I originally did. I'll be caging the entire car now, not just the floor and front half.
Here's a quick basic, and I mean really basic tubing I'll be doing for the car, obviously more cross tubes and support will be added, but atleast you'll get the jist of it. It isnt autocads or solidworks and looks like a 5 y/o did it but oh well! Lol
I admire the effort, my guess is this will take years...
Not much, redoing the tubing completely so I cut out the old and started on the new. Wasnt really planning on posting until I got further along with it, but here u go... and yes, this will take years lol, hoping to have it rolling around atleast by the end of the year.
Also, south Florida humidity is crazy, all my tubing has surface rust from sitting but itll all get sand blasted before paint.
Anyone can put an LSx engine in a Fox Mustang and too many people put exhaust and floor mats in their car can call it a 'build' but THIS is a BUILD! Wow, glad I stumbled on this thread! Keep us updated!
This is going to be so great, really nice progress. I built mine kind of the same way but all old stuff...a regular tube chassis then dropped the body on top, I used a straight axle in front mainly because locker/posi is easier to source. Its well worth the effort though, regular garbage tires all the way around hook better on the street than a rwd car with fresh MT Pro radials!
Its def a huge undertaking, but I'm loving every moment of it . Hopefully by the end of this week I'll have the rear diff mount 100% with the rear half complete, structural and all. Then I'll move onto the front (that'll be a whole different, harder challenge). Once both front and rear diffs r mounted, including motor/tranny mounts... I'll raise the car to riding height and begin on mounting control arms. Riding height should be roughly 2.5-3" off the ground, itll be bagged of course, so itll be kissing the ground when parked.
This is going to be so great, really nice progress. I built mine kind of the same way but all old stuff...a regular tube chassis then dropped the body on top, I used a straight axle in front mainly because locker/posi is easier to source. Its well worth the effort though, regular garbage tires all the way around hook better on the street than a rwd car with fresh MT Pro radials!
I saw yours! Badass for sure! Lol. I was planning on building the tube chassis first and drop the body on it like u did, but I decided to keep the convertible hardtop working, but manually. So I didnt want to build up on the tubes I'm the rear and end up not being able to fully retract the top into the trunk. And I'm glad ur garbage tires hook better than rwd radials lol, damn tires are expensive!
Still waiting on parts so I havent done much. I got my SL65 headlights , which look way more aggressive than my old lights. I ended up putting the front end on, so I can start doing the front tubing. I forgot how long the front end is on this car, I have roughly 3-4ft of emptiness between the front of the engine to the bumper. So I'll have a ton of room for pushrod suspension, turbos, radiator...everything.
04-10-2019, 03:09 PM
