Nice!

I like me some Krylon.

BADASSNESS! :icon_tup::icon_tup:

Can my SE be next :drool5:

.

I'm not too thrilled with it, but it's only there to keep the rust off until I'm finished and can blast it all back off anyway. I'm partial to PPG products for paint, but that's a whole lot more work and expense than I can justify doing more than once.

Thanks. I don't think you would want to do it this way. Way too many hours involved. I have worked out a few easier, faster, and better ways to accomplish something similar. You always do after the fact. :lol: I'm committed now (or maybe that's "should be committed now") and have to do it this way. It's the part about keeping it under the stock sheet metal that has really complicated things.

I got the suspension bolted back in. I had to make a bunch of studs for the adjustment boxes which took a fair bit of time. Went in with no problems for a change and left me just slightly negative of zero camber at the full out position. I was trying for zero, but I got about .2 of a degree negative. Close enough. I haven't checked caster yet, but the eyeball-o-meter says it's pretty close as well.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3908/...f8e8612c53.jpgsuspension back in 1 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5558/...6b94bcfbf4.jpgsuspension back in 2 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

And surprise, surprise, the tires actually center in the openings this time. I did wipe it down for the photo, it was getting pretty grimy from sitting on stands for so long. Next check all measurements again and get the coilovers mounted. Then finish the lower K member or vice versa, either way.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5488/...7000f72c_z.jpgsuspension back in - side shot 2 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

I had to put in a second shot 'cuz I'm liking the side view sitting at ride height. This was the look I was trying for. :)

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3852/...4aebaf7d_z.jpgsuspension back in - side shot 1 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

Nice!

See. I am doing something out in the shop.

I do spend an inordinate amount of time wandering around trying to remember where I set my tools down though. :(

Story of my life.

Gunny that's cause your old. You might not remember your bang stick if it wasn't the scent of blood on it.

Anyway looking good dude!

Not old, merely, well aged like a fine wine.



... that and well hung. ;)

Car is looking good Gunny can't wait to see it next year and what magic will happen under the cramped engine bay.



You know you're old when your blood type is discontinued.:lol:

Next year for sure, even if I have to tow the stupid thing there and use it as a conversation piece. The engine will just be the NA FC 13B I've been running. Eventually I'll be trying to pretty much duplicate yours. It's almost exactly what I've been wanting to shoot for.

After fighting with my front subframe all weekend, I give up. (on the subframe, not the car :lol:) Trying to adapt the manufacturer's frame to the car is a PITA. It was none too great from the get go. Between fixing the original poor fitment and my modifications it's completely screwed. Time to throw that one out and build my own damn subframe from scratch. What's a little more fabrication?

Do it! Get to the choppa!

Tomorrow. My frustration level maxed out. Every time I changed one thing, the angles and placement elsewhere would change. Finished with chasing problems around in a circle. We'll just start over and hopefully do it right this time. :07:

Stare at it a lot then dream the solutuion.

Stare at it while drinking... Alcohol, the lubricant of creativity :cheers2:

If you do too much of that your nuts will fall off. :lol:

Or nut as it would seem.

For those interested in exactly what idiotic plan I have in mind to build a new lower subframe.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3866/...38723815_z.jpglower subframe version 2.0 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

I set up a jig of the frame rails on my welding bench and did a solid tack on 1/4" thick 1.5" angle for the base. I'm using schedule 40 pipe (.2" thick) and cutting out 1/4" rounds with the proper 5/8" center holes to make up the A arm mounts. I had to have something to keep the arms in alignment as I moved it around to get the proper inward and downward angles. Welded the first one down and am building a front support piece from 3/16" plate. Then I have to figure out how to mirror all the angles and distances on the other side. Once both sides are in and correct, I will weld in the cross brace and studs to support the steering rack. I figure I can cut away the unneeded excess when everything is solid. That's the plan anyway. :suspect:

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3910/...efe35e6d_z.jpgsupports in and boxed by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

supports in and boxed.

crazy ass..... getting crazier the older you get..... and better with all the fab shit too....... Looks really good.. Especially loving the ride height... looks spot on homer

Thanks Brian. Working away at it. Unfortunately I seem to keep finding things that bother me enough to go in and redo it. My father claims I'll be 95 and still puttering around trying to get it to done. :lol:

Probably.... I've dubbed it the Curse of the Craftsman... I'll never be done with ANY of my cars because I'll always find better, stronger, lighter, faster, cleaner ways to do things...... Just make it DRIVEABLE!!!!

:squint:

That bit of advice would be a lot more believable coming from somebody else.

Really? I've got more running rotaries than anyone in BAW to my knowledge.... and a few BAW members rotaries are under my cock.... I mean knife....

This is why living in an area that gets so much snow is a good thing.... give you a few months to get yer shit together...

hmmm. You may be the only one in BAW with a running rotary. Except AJ and Dan'l who don't count. AJ because he never gets anything done beyond the stock setup and Dan'l because he can't actually drive the thing.

You have more than three? Mine always run. Replacing the A/C on the blue one so Mom will drive it.

I was wondering how long it would take you to chime in. Yes amazingly enough, yours do run. A last gen 8 I would expect, but the FC is a "Christmas miracle" as they say.

I also keep them close to stock. So that makes them less likely to break. From a 9999999595955959 percent chance to 999999999393939 chance.

In the continuing saga of the silly old bastard trying stupid stuff out in the shop..


Mostly together. Clearancing the steering rack has been a bit of a PITA. I had to keep nibbling away at the side where the steering shaft goes to get enough room, without going too far. The rack had to come down far enough that the plane of the tie rods was in line with the A arm pivots (as well as centered, with the tie rod pivot points in line with the A arm pivot points, of course). If these angles and pivots aren't pretty damn close you will have bump steer problems. I barely had enough room to make that happen.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3907/...f934ddbc_z.jpgsteering rack clearancing 1 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr


... and a shot of the steering rack sitting up against the mounting plate in it's proper position. As you can see, close, damn close.


https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2902/...e4519116_z.jpgsteering rack clearancing 2 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

I still have to weld in the mounting studs for the rack and close up the gaping holes I made for clearance. I should be done with the steering rack at that point, ... I hope. :07:

Some already know, but I'll recap for those that don't. I had a few problems with the subframe. When I cut my tack welds loose the whole thing sprang out of shape. It turns out that the table I was using to weld my jig to wasn't strong enough and had deformed under the stress. What else is new.

The mounting arms for the A arms appeared to be straight and true, but the frame mounts were off by a fair amount. So break out the cut off wheels and start modifying. :banghead:

I left the base intact to mount to the frame, but cut away the sides and fitted it to the chassis.

This is the new subframe in position. The A arms and wheels are mounted to check all the alignment specs. I'm currently using a 1/2" spacer behind my +42 wheels to allow room to go wider in the future.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3910/...c321dcf3a7.jpgcrossmember v2.2 by GySgtFrank, on Flickr


I'm still kicking around how to make it adjustable, but most likely it's going to get welded solid to the frame. I have to recheck (several more times) all of my measurements and readings before I do that though. I do NOT want to do this again.

Looks awesome so far! If I may make a suggestion though.... use a few studs per side on the framerail supported internally by some rather stout pipe and so that your new k-frame :suspect: can be removeable and or modifiable outside of the car.... This would be my suggestion... I always like it when things can unbolt or be removed... then again I'm always breaking shit and taking shit apart.... so I always try to incorporate into my designs making things easily removeable. My intercooler setup for example... as intricate as it is, there's 10 bolts and the entire setup, 85% of the ducting and both heat exchangers drop right out....

That is what the plan was, but it's starting to piss me off to the point where I'm getting really sick of dicking around with it. I already have the through holes and crush tubes in the rails to bolt it in. That's going to require some more mods since I screwed up on the mounting surface. You're right though, I should just quit whining and do it.

I think I need to walk away from it for a little bit before I break out the BFH and torch. :66:

Still haven't given up. I will out stubborn this thing yet.

I've been working a lot of hours for harvest, but have had a little time to get a few things done.

I did get the subframe fitted and bolted in with full adjustment as I had originally planned. I just needed Brian to kick me in the butt over it when I had reached saturation level on disgust.

Got the other lower arm modified to bolt the shock/strut near the ball joint.

Changed the strut over to accept the spring seat and lower heim joint.

Reassembled everything and dropped the car back on to it own springs. Finally it's sitting back on the ground without the use of jack stands!

I also installed the steering rack to ensure that it still fit. It did and the bump steer angles look a lot better than they did.

Fitted the strut/shock tops and got them welded in. The hood even shuts! That wasn't guaranteed, as the top of the shock adjusters was going to be close. I have clearance, not much clearance, but clearance nonetheless.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5598/...3453d000f1.jpgshock tops by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2942/...51cb0ab1d6.jpghood closed by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

I have to work out something to lock the tops down a little better. I'm leery that it may come loose with only three bolts holding them, even though this was how the kit was set up. I did up the bolts from 5/16" to 1/2", but would be more comfortable if I can get at least two or three more bolts holding them.

It's getting there ... slowly ... but getting there.

Looking good Gunny.

6 months to go....

Grrr... you would have to bring that up. My PITA is competing with the Cosmo for "most unlikely to ever make a DGRR" honors. :suspect:

:beatdeadhorse5:Not a whole lot to report, but I figured that I would post a few pictures so nobody would think it has whooped my butt yet.

Engine and transmission has been in and out about a dozen times. Had to be done to get the fit right and do the necessary clearancing on the subframe. I'm dropping the engine down and back 2 to 3 inches from the original position.


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7543/...a701a84a47.jpgengine mounting plate by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

Fabricated a front mounting plate using 1/4" plate and spherical ball mounts. It will be mounted to tabs welded to the frame so I can adjust the position of the lower subframe without affecting the engine placement.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8126/...e97f09c9_n.jpgengine mounting joints by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

These fit inside the tube portions on the ends of the mounting plate with the retaining rings keeping them from moving. The spherical mounts will effectively be solid mounts but still allow movement to drop the engine back to get at the transmission bolts, etc. Hopefully it will also keep anything from binding up and breaking.

The exhaust header fit, but required some clearancing (you can kind of see where I've done some grinding on the top picture where the header is closest to the subframe). I wanted to leave enough air gap so I don't melt the urethane bushings out of the inside lower control arm mounts.

Between working and all the fiddling necessary it doesn't seem to be making a lot of progress. I'll keep plugging away at it.

Countdown to DGRR. :banghead:

Hey now, I have a running rotary.

Yes you do. You did have a unique excuse for why it wasn't running for that amount of time. Fact can be stranger (and far more painful) than fiction at times. :lol:

:rofl: It runs now. That is all that matters. :rofl:

finished product.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7515/...631246c4_z.jpgengine mounting plate - finished by GySgtFrank, on Flickr

I went with urethane bushings instead of the spherical mounts because I was worried about them transmitting too much vibration and noise.