Converting Unibody 4th gen to Solid Frame?
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
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From: Hou. TX.
Not much progress so far. The temps have been in the 30's lately. I got the broke rearend and what was left of the exhaust off the donor. I also cut out all the Monsoon wiring. I've got some dolly wheels I'm going to weld under it so I can roll it around. That's it for the moment.
Last edited by JasonWW; Dec 16, 2008 at 11:19 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
Likes: 3
From: Hou. TX.
SuperSports idea is basically the same as mine. Use the stock unibody structure to keep everything square. Brace up the car from front to rear very well, as well as side to side. Cut out the entire floor from the firewall back to wherever the body ties back into the rear subframe.
Then you can build your whole frame onto the car. I dont think another set of rails is necessary in the middle, but might work well if you cant use material of any height where the seats go. Then build a simple floor from scratch. Its not that difficult at all really. You can buy prebent tunnels, or just bend one over an argon bottle or even a tree works. You wont need molded carpet or any of that mess either.
Then you can build your whole frame onto the car. I dont think another set of rails is necessary in the middle, but might work well if you cant use material of any height where the seats go. Then build a simple floor from scratch. Its not that difficult at all really. You can buy prebent tunnels, or just bend one over an argon bottle or even a tree works. You wont need molded carpet or any of that mess either.
I'll probably be good to cut the top off at this time as well. After that I'll have to stop until I figure out the driveline in more detail.
Last edited by JasonWW; Dec 16, 2008 at 11:33 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
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From: Hou. TX.
What about fixed doors? It sure would be nice to have a steel bar going across at shoulder level in case of a side impact, a vehicle hitting me or else me sliding into a tree. Real good idea from a safety standpoint. It would strengthen the whole frame as well. Plus I could make some kind of big woofer box in the door. I could even make a one piece fiberglass mold of the whole side. That way the door would look molded in, plus be really light.
I could make the roof like a pair of T-tops hinged in the middle. When I push the remote button, the T-tops swing up and the side window rolls down. Then I can just hop in over the low door.
It also let's me cruise with only the windows down.
I'd gain a lot and only lose open air driving. I'd say that's a good deal.
I could make the roof like a pair of T-tops hinged in the middle. When I push the remote button, the T-tops swing up and the side window rolls down. Then I can just hop in over the low door.
It also let's me cruise with only the windows down.
I'd gain a lot and only lose open air driving. I'd say that's a good deal.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
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From: Hou. TX.
I'm a little iffy on the doors. Would having doors make it classier?
I don't mind stepping over the doors to get in and it's real easy since they are so low, plus it's not going to be a daily driver. Or would having to hop in make it more unique and exotic?
I'm 50/50. It would certainly confuse a thief.
Here are some pics of RagenZ28's car. I plan to do the same except keep the firewall and loose the roof.
I don't mind stepping over the doors to get in and it's real easy since they are so low, plus it's not going to be a daily driver. Or would having to hop in make it more unique and exotic?
I'm 50/50. It would certainly confuse a thief.
Here are some pics of RagenZ28's car. I plan to do the same except keep the firewall and loose the roof.
Last edited by JasonWW; Dec 17, 2008 at 08:07 AM.
TECH Fanatic
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You have the right idea. Now is finding the time to do it. I dont know about the doors as far as safety, how tall is the door going to be? If your that worried about impact, put bars in with the doors still being able to open. I think it would look funny without the body lines there.
You will have to step over a bar about what 20" off the ground? If I was going to go crazy with the car as it is, I think I would lambo the doors and t-top portion together. That or a gullwing. With the total height being so short, wouldn't it make it easier to get in and out?
You will have to step over a bar about what 20" off the ground? If I was going to go crazy with the car as it is, I think I would lambo the doors and t-top portion together. That or a gullwing. With the total height being so short, wouldn't it make it easier to get in and out?
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
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From: Hou. TX.
The door is massively thick. It's mostly wasted space. I don't know. I'll keep thinking about the doors.
Maybe it will be running on 2010? I don't know, there's no deadline.
Maybe it will be running on 2010? I don't know, there's no deadline.
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
Likes: 3
From: Hou. TX.
I just found an amazing link of a guy building his own mid-engine car just like me! He's really starting from scratch whereas I have a few of the main pieces due to my donor car. He's using an LS1, auto trans and C5 differential just like I was thinking about. It's kind of eerie.
Here you go. Follow along as he builds it up.
3 ***** Racing
Here you go. Follow along as he builds it up.
3 ***** Racing
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2007
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He is a good engineer, but not so good a fabricator. Im suprised track tech passed some of those welds.
You have a lot more base to work off of if you use some of the factory suspension pieces. The front K-member helps too. I was looking at a car the other day and I dont see why your car cant be built the same way.
Basically stock unibody chassis, and its a convertable. Has an aftermarket subframe in the front and a custom 4-link in the rear. Looking at that car I was able to see how this could be done without the full chassis.
You have a lot more base to work off of if you use some of the factory suspension pieces. The front K-member helps too. I was looking at a car the other day and I dont see why your car cant be built the same way.
Basically stock unibody chassis, and its a convertable. Has an aftermarket subframe in the front and a custom 4-link in the rear. Looking at that car I was able to see how this could be done without the full chassis.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2009
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Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
Likes: 3
From: Hou. TX.
Hey, welcome to the forum. Definitely post some pictures if you can. I'm not sure what you mean about your box body. I need to see it. Are you building a drag race car or street car? Camaro or TA?
I picked up me a stripped 98 TA and am in the process of swapping over to some shorter aluminum front spindles. I'm doing so many things, as well as working on my 99 TA in the sig pic, that the frame construction will be a ways off.
I added some wheels so I could move it around.
I cut the nose off to make it easier to cut the shock towers. I'll get those off soon.
I think I'm going to run a one piece tilt front end of fiberglass and rework the rear of the car in fiberglass as well. A serious widebody is also in the cards. I haven't cut out too much metal just to keep the car from flexing.
Are you building a drag race car or street car? Camaro or TA?I picked up me a stripped 98 TA and am in the process of swapping over to some shorter aluminum front spindles. I'm doing so many things, as well as working on my 99 TA in the sig pic, that the frame construction will be a ways off.
I added some wheels so I could move it around.
I cut the nose off to make it easier to cut the shock towers. I'll get those off soon.
I think I'm going to run a one piece tilt front end of fiberglass and rework the rear of the car in fiberglass as well. A serious widebody is also in the cards. I haven't cut out too much metal just to keep the car from flexing.
Last edited by JasonWW; Feb 20, 2009 at 09:56 AM.
Teching In
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I should have a lot of it done by end of the weekend so i'll try and post pictures than. I actually started by hacking the front frame rails and everything with it completly out. The box that i was saying about is actually a perfectly level square tubing construction that is tack welded to the body right below the doors just to prevent anything from moving. Pretty much its just a sturdy structure "Box" that keeps anything from moving whatsoever when i cut the floor pans out. Just made out of 1.5x1.5" square tubing and within that "box" I welded more cross pieces in which my frame rails sit on. Kinda hard to explain but a few pictures will clear everything up in a heartbeat. Maybe sunday night i'll post a couple.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
Likes: 3
From: Hou. TX.
Cool.
So do you plan to use the stock doors?
I will be bracing my door jambs as well, but your way might be better. There's a 1000 ways to do this and some are better than others. If your way is better than mine, I'll use it.
Are you building a drag race car or street car?
Camaro or TA?
So do you plan to use the stock doors?
I will be bracing my door jambs as well, but your way might be better. There's a 1000 ways to do this and some are better than others. If your way is better than mine, I'll use it.
Are you building a drag race car or street car?
Camaro or TA?
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
Likes: 3
From: Hou. TX.
In case I didn't mention it, I plan to keep my 2 cars seperate. I'll be building up the newer white car with newly sourced used parts and my black car will remain intact.
[QUOTE=JasonWW;11093774]Hey, welcome to the forum. Definitely post some pictures if you can.
I added some wheels so I could move it around.
QUOTE]
That wheels able f-body move around is awesome and cool. you are good
..
yes, everyone here would like to see those pixes. It would be nice.
Keep it up and post pixes here...
I added some wheels so I could move it around.
QUOTE]That wheels able f-body move around is awesome and cool. you are good
..I'm actually performing the mad science right now. Maybe i'll get around to taking and posting some pics of for everybody to see. I've stripped the car down, built a frame chassis with a body box to hold the body in place and cut all the floors out of the car except for the firewall and a little in the trunk area for now to keep everything a little more square, after i get my first run of floor boards in and the tranny tunnel i'll hack out the firewall and trunk area and do them too. I used 2"x3" rectangular tubing for the frame rails from front to back. The car will be slammed on the ground as i set the frame rails about 2" into the body. This also gives me a perfect mounting location for my cage and tube chassis front end etc. Just thought i'd throw in my 2 cents.
Keep it up and post pixes here...
why dont you build a kit car from scratch lmao. your saying people are "conservative" for not using 4 or 5 inch round pipe ...if its such a good idea i guess thats why nascar and top fuel dragsters run them
If I were you I'd chat with this Fellow.
http://www.gmachinechassis.com/
Perhaps you could mofidy one of his earlier F-bod frames to a 4th Gen?
http://www.gmachinechassis.com/
Perhaps you could mofidy one of his earlier F-bod frames to a 4th Gen?
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,814
Likes: 3
From: Hou. TX.
That's highly unlikely.
It doesn't look like I'm going to build up my extra white chassis. Instead, I will be working on my completed black car. I have a complete IRS for it now and will be "back halving" the car. I think that's what it's called. I'll be adding steel tubing in the rear to mate up the suspension.
I'm not going to mess with the stock boxed rails and structure in the middle and front for now. Maybe later I will. I'd still like to convert the front suspension over to a short spindle design and do away with the shock towers.
It doesn't look like I'm going to build up my extra white chassis. Instead, I will be working on my completed black car. I have a complete IRS for it now and will be "back halving" the car. I think that's what it's called. I'll be adding steel tubing in the rear to mate up the suspension.
I'm not going to mess with the stock boxed rails and structure in the middle and front for now. Maybe later I will. I'd still like to convert the front suspension over to a short spindle design and do away with the shock towers.