RX323 Project - Chassis Brackets

[MikeLMR]

Slowy getting back into this now ... did a bit of head scratching and planning today, I\'ve hit a few problems with the fool injection fitment so we\'ve abandoned the engine side of things for a bit and moved on to fitting the roll cage in a temporary fashion to brace the shell so that the rear chassis can be cut off and replaced with the new narrow rear end.

Also had a good tidy up and it\'s starting to feel like we are ready to start rebuilding again Woo! anyway on to the photos Sorry for blured ones but it was really too dark to get the auto focus working properly.

New things to note, relocated lighting wiring loom to inner wing and seperated engine loom and stripped and moved inside the car ready for fitting to the ECU and the new engine loom.

Also the radiator and oil cooler mountings, I am planning on paneling these in later with aluminium.

Plus a photo of the 4 link kit ... will make fitting the rear axle all that much easier, have also got a set of fully adjustable coilover mounting brackets to fit as well. All parts are from Competition engineering, appart from the rod ends which are PTFE lined chromolly jobbies from a short oval supplier who\'s name I forget!

[metalhead]

Nice work, loving it!

Mine\'s progressing slowly too.  Still not finished the cage or bodywork, partly as I went away over christmas, but getting there slowly.

[MikeLMR]

Well I have been doing a bit of work, been really busy!. Loads going on at the moment + my camera decided to play up but here we are, it\'s now February 2007 (crikey is it really!) and we have actually been quietly making some progress!

Hit a bit of a stumbling block with the fuel side of things so did what we do best and have ignored it and got on with somthing fun while we think about it. Result = visible progress and much higher spirtits

Work done over the past 2 weeks involves fitting the start of the cage (this is only a 1st fit to hold the car square while it is cut! hehe

The sills have been reinforced too, and tied into the cage mountings front and rear.

And finally ... we chopped the rear chassis rails out and tied in the new crossmember (still needs more work but thats for later on) so we can start fabricating the new rear chassis. Should be fun. There are some shots of the mockup rear tyre in there somewhere as well and the rot trap at the back of sills which is all being cut out anyway

Oh and we should have an overall shot of the car as it stands ... realised that  I hadn\'t got one for a long time!! I stood on the bench to get this one ... aren\'t high ceilings great!

guide to photos

1 = rear passenger side
2 = drivers side through rear hatch
3 = reinforced sill (those aren\'t repair patches!)
4 = drivers side arch ... notice tyre
5 = Tyre "in place" yeah right
6 = mmmm rusty
7 = random 1/4 panel shot ?
8 = overall giants view shot

[Brett]

Looking good Mike  Gonna be ready for RS5?

[Ricco_04]

Very nice - wish I was half as good!

[MikeLMR]

Looking good Mike  Gonna be ready for RS5?

RSn+1 I think LoL  No, I am hoping it will be done. It won\'t be fast, it won\'t be loud. But we will have built it and had fun and thats the main thing.

got to get some 38mm CDS tubing (might go to 45mm if it\'s reasonable) bent for chassis rails now. Decided to go tube frame at the back as it\'s lighter than the classic yank "chassis rail" approach. Rest of the back end will be ali panels.

[dubber91]

is that tube up to drag racing spec? obviously you dont need it for RWYB but for the future...like...

[travellinbob]

Damn your engine is so far back in the bay! Are you reinforcing the transmission tunnel around where the flywheel is? I reckon it would be about ankle level! Thinking about putting a strip of 3mm over the top of my tunnel just in case.
 top work mike, looks like a busy weekend ahead!
 cheers, michael.

[MikeLMR]

Michael all that was discussed a few pages ago LoL there is a SFI approved blanket on the front of the car in those photos and there will be some steel and Kevlar around that area too. Not decided yet. the trans tunnel isn\'t finished yet. Just getting the bare bones fleshed out at the moment.

The tube is to MSA specs. Not that I can prove it as it is an old cage. I doubt I will ever log book the car. It is being built for the fun of it and nowt else

[travellinbob]

Danm this thread i sso long I must have forgotten!

[MikeLMR]

hehehe it\'s hard to keep up. Given up updating the two others I had on various other boards ages ago

[MikeLMR]

been doing some working out regarding the 4 link this weekend, didn\'t get much done yesterday but a plan is starting to form (watch this space it\'s a cunning one )  but here is a few piccies from the laying out and measuring from today ... oh and a photo of a few bits that are kicking about waiting for their turn

[travellinbob]

Nice one Mike. Sometimes the planning takes alot longer than the doing which can be frustrating!
 I like the wheels! wide enough?

[MikeLMR]

should be wide enough, might have to go for larger diamter just so I can find tyres to suit though (the 235\'s are a little streched)  and not a flared arch or body kit in sight if I could get 15x10 wellers I\'d be stoked but they don\'t make em

[MikeLMR]

The plan for tommorow night is to knock the theory on the head and tack the chassis brackets on the car and make a dummy axle out of some 3" dia tube we have knocking about (well about 7metres of it in fact!!)  then we can make the entire rear end without having to worry about chopping the axle to slide the brackets over (and to narrow it) we can then move everything around to our hearts content and then just make the volvo axle match the dummy one a cunning plan and a good practical look at how all this going to work out geometry wise.