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Pics of custom TT cage


bjhines

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Well I already did the X today, but I used .5 x .5 x .065 tube so the weight is probably 2 lb or so, using a bit more than 4 ft. I think the strength should be enough to prevent issues with the radiator at least. I was thinking the same thing about the brace from the strut tower to the rear of the frame rail, but then I have that braced already in that plane to the rocker tip, so it's a bit redundant. I was talking to Cary about this and I'm going to try and figure out some more strut tower brace ideas, but that will have to wait until the engine is back in the car, which is a long way off for me.

 

I had also thought about doing a clamp style rad mount. I might still do that too, but I hadn't ever had any cooling issues with the standard 3 core brass radiators, just kept cracking the tanks, so I wasn't sure that I wanted an aluminum radiator which would require that type of setup. This way if I buy a bolt in brass radiator from a local shop I won't worry.

 

I don't think what I've done will hurt at all, and I'm pretty sure the radiators will live a better longer life. If I wasted a couple hours, well, worse things have happened. We should let this thread get back to bjhines's project. I think I've jacked it enough.

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I had also thought about doing a clamp style rad mount. I might still do that too' date=' but I hadn't ever had any cooling issues with the standard 3 core brass radiators, just kept cracking the tanks, so I wasn't sure that I wanted an aluminum radiator which would require that type of setup. This way if I buy a bolt in brass radiator from a local shop I won't worry.

 

I don't think what I've done will hurt at all, and I'm pretty sure the radiators will live a better longer life. If I wasted a couple hours, well, worse things have happened. We should let this thread get back to bjhines's project. I think I've jacked it enough.[/quote']

 

OK last one then it can get back to twin turbo rollcages ... I was thinking of still using the stock type brass radiator just make a soft mount for it instead of having to go to high $ alluminum unit. Anyway what you did should probably work.

 

Cameron

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  • 4 weeks later...

More progress... I have just a few more things to do and I am on the schedule to get it final-welded this weekend...

 

 

Reinforced the rear upper crossmember with a hunk of 14g plug welded between the rear suspension mounting points...

rearuppercrossmemberreinforcement.jpg

 

 

 

 

Then I skinned the areas between the chassis frame rails and the fuel cell support rails... 18g... should provide some gusseting as well... It is welded to both sides of everything it touches...

fuelcellframeskin.jpg

 

 

 

The diagonals for the rear hoop are done.... the lower/ extra diagonals are to reinforce the tunnel areas... right where the inside front pivot of the rear control arms are mounted... this is also where the front of the differential puts pressure...

rearhoopdiagonals.jpg

 

 

 

 

this is the 3x3x 1/8" mounting pad is welded directly over the bottom cross-rail...

tunnelbracemountingpad.jpg

 

 

 

 

Ohh... and one of my little helpers was mousing around the shop...

Delilah.jpg

 

....

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I worked on seating this evening...

 

I removed stock slider rails from an old set of stock seats.... carefully cleaned and relubricated them... and installed them on the Corbeu seats I am using in this project...

 

The first thing I found was that the seats were WAY TOO HIGH... with my helmet on I had <2" clearance to the roof... Im 6'... I have no problem with the Recaros on stock sliders in one of my other cars... ohh well... every seat is different...

 

The seat mounts had to come out... I wanted something a little tougher than the flimsy stamping the the factory intalled... the original front mounting showed cracks and fatigue around the bolt holes...

 

The front mount is very tall ~4"... the rear mounts are only about 2.5" tall... this provides an extreme rake back for aftermarket buckets... it is hard to apply pressure to the pedals without forcing your legs into the bolster...

 

I decided to remove the front stamping entirely... I cut away all of the rear spampings except the rear part attached to the rear siffener strip on the floor... I seam welded the remainder of the rear mounts to the rear stiffener...

 

I cut 2 4x6" plates to attach the front cross mount to the side of the transmission tunnel and the rocker/floor junction... I used 1.5" square tubing... coped to fit... I mocked it all up several times..

 

I built in a slight rake back... and I centered the seat better than the original mounting holes did.. this replaces the original seat mounts with a much lower, stronger, better angled, and properly lined up mounting surface...

 

I drilled 1" holes from the bottom to allow access from underneath to the mounting nuts using a deep well socket... I will use rubber plugs to seal the holes... As a final touch I cross drilled lightening holes everywhere...

 

Driverssideseatmount1.jpg

 

I still have to tie the floor into the inside of the rocker with another plate...

Driverssideseatmount2.jpg

 

 

Driverssideseatmockup.jpg

 

 

 

The front cross bar will also be tied into the subframe connectors with 2 L-gussets.. I have to mount the connectors and then finalize this part of the seat mount...

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Looks pretty familiar. I see some of the same holes that I had in the floor after removing the stock seat brackets. That sucker is REALLY welded in there, huh? Removing those things was way harder than removing the frame rails from the floor.

 

One question I have. Instead of swiss cheesing your heavier frames, why not start with smaller tubing? I used 1x1x.063 on the seat and will do the same on the fuel cell. It weighs .79 lb/ft and I just don't feel a need to lighten it more than that. Might make your life a bit easier.

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I don't think 1" tubing would leave sufficient room inside for mounting nuts and washers... I would have used 2" tubing but It would have left the rear mounting points almost as high as the originals... unless I dropped the tubing through the floor..

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Good point, didn't think of that. On mine I used angle iron welded to the top of the 1x1, because my sliders bolted horizontally instead of vertically.

 

I suppose another option would have been to drill a hole in the bottom of the tube and weld bolts so that the threaded end stuck straight up, then just plug the bracket onto the exposed studs and use nuts on top. 6 of one, half dozen of the other I suppose.

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  • 2 weeks later...

more progress....

 

First off... I decided to lower the rear part of the seat mounts even more...

 

reducedmount.jpg

 

 

mounttieintoSFC.jpg

 

 

completedseatmount.jpg

 

 

CorbeuForzamodification.jpg

 

 

 

 

Then I got started on installing the subframe connectors...

 

 

SFCprepped.jpg

 

 

SFCrearinstalled.jpg

 

 

SFCrearangle.jpg

 

 

SFCfrontframearea.jpg

 

 

SFCtoTCcupjunction.jpg

 

 

mounttieintoSFC.jpg

 

 

 

 

there is still some work to be done... more welding and closing up the holes in the floors...

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very nice job. im just letting someone else worry about my cage for $240... cant beat it haha.

 

im working on finishing up a backhalf of a 240Z. i just ran 1x3 tubing through the passanger compartment through the firewall and then Ted it into the front subframe about the same place you have your tube. i want some more support so i think that ill add a tube like yours also.

 

PS love that custom paint job on the rear 1/4 :P

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  • 3 weeks later...

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