I got a transmission shell from the local shop and a buddy gave me a
rear end out of a Camaro. Also made the hairpins to locate the front
axle. I'll do the same for the rear axle.
I got a body from Spirit Industries in Mountain Home. I guess their frame
is longer than mine because the body didn't fit. I sawed a section out of each
side to let the frame poke through. The little pickup bed will cover this up.
Other than that, it's fine. I want the engine to be as close as possible to
the body and the little pickup bed to be only a foot or so long.
I bought some sprint car style headers on Ebay, so I thought I better mock them
up here to make sure everything is going to clear.
Got some pretty slick chrome coil-overs on Ebay, mounted on the rear. Here's one
with the body off and one with it on. Back to the body work.
Well, the frame sat too low and the rear end hit the body if you bumped it. So I
redid the rear springs. Then I put some tires on the back with 2x4's under them
to simulate the size of the rear tires and put jack stands under the front spindles
to set the front end the right height off the ground. This is pretty much how
the car will sit. It has a drastic rake toward the front, but the engine tilts
back, making the engine level while the car rakes toward the front.
Made a bracket for the steering box. It's a Corvair box, reversed so the pittman
arm comes out on the outside. You can see the shaft on the inside of the body just
above the fiberglass dust.
Had to make the tie rod brackets, etc. Here's the front suspension complete with all
steering gear hooked up.
Finally got the wheels and tires so I put them on to see just how the car is
going to sit. There's six inches between the front axle and the ground. The
car will truly be "in the weeds".
