johnc Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 Just got the Z back from Bill Savage. Here are some shots of the fabrication work on the strut towers and the firewall. The braces will be made once my motor is installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 Excellent work, and design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
383 240z Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 Wish I could weld like that VERY NICE WORK!!!! I have to show these to the chassis shop near me I want a set Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 Yup, the guy CAN weld! Lordy, those are some beautiful welds. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 I'm drooling, John! That looks really sweet! Nice workmanship! Just wondering about something though. You said something a while ago about the problem with the strut towers being that they twist (I'm assuming about a vertical axis?) If so, I was wondering if it was better to mount the strut bars so that they intersect the top of the tower more like tangent to the top circular form, to react the moments. That is, instead of in line with the strut cartridge end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zphreek Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 thats so...so...beutiful! i am going to build a set of those one of these days to replace the ones i have on right now. that guy must have the steadiest freakin hands! wonder how straight he can cut with a torch? heheh... (zphreek dreaming to himself... someday i will be able to weld like that...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted June 22, 2002 Author Share Posted June 22, 2002 The strut towers don't twist in a perfect circle around the strut axis. They kind of wallow in, back, out, and then forward. The amount of movement is very small and the forces aren't that great - as long as spring rates are kept "reasonable." Most anything rigid and braced well will stop the movement. My old strut bar had rod ends (which are designed to allow axial movement - something wrong with that huh?) captured with washers and a lot of bolt torque. It was a bad design "fixed" with brute force and it worked well enough to keep the front camber stable even with 275 lb. in. springs. The pictures don't do justice to Bill and his assistant Dave's work. Its a shame to have to paint the mounts, but I can't spend the rest of my life scrubbing them with Scotch Brite and spraying them with WD40. Bill did my fuel cell mount. I'll have pictures of that posted in the appropriate forum in a day or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZROSSA Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 Bummer, I thought we were about to get some welding lessons. I sure could use some. I have just started using a mig and they look nothing like that but i am getting good penetration so they wont fall to pits. I have one roll cage tube going through the fire wall to the strut on my corolla. I have been pondering running more tubes to the strut like a lot of modern uni body race cars but the fabrication was going to be a nightmare for me. I then had the idea of using 2ml sheet to make up gussets from the srutt to the fire wall and the inner gaurd. I think it will work very well and it looks good as well. The cage and the body now act like a super strong monocouque(sp) . I might even fill it with structural foam. lets see if that baby twists. Are you not allowed to run the cage to the struts? Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 I'm not a welder by trade, but those look like TIG welds instead of MIG welds. I that correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 Thats what I think it looks like as well Terry, the pools are so evenly sized and evenly overlaped, which is way slower, but the result is stunning when a guy can wield a tig and us it like that. (if its not tig that I'm even more impressed!) I must learn tig and eventually get one, if I could weld aluminum half as pretty as that steel is welded, I'd be happy as a punk in a pickle patch. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted June 22, 2002 Author Share Posted June 22, 2002 Its TIG. I work with a couple fabricators (Bill Savage and Andy Bondio) and all they will use is TIG. They feel MIG welders are for welding trailers - which goes along with a common welder put down, "You're a good trailer welder." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted June 22, 2002 Author Share Posted June 22, 2002 Douglas, The class I'm building the car for does not allow the roll cage/bar structure to pass the firewall. Technically, what is welded to the firewall is also illegal but, 1) since there's no structure behind it in the cowl and, 2) I'll run those sanctioned events without the fore/aft bracing I don't think it will be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 hey john, you wouldnt happen to have a CAD file of those mounts would you? sure are purdy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted June 24, 2002 Author Share Posted June 24, 2002 I'm sure Bll Savage does. I'm also sure he'll be willing to sell you those files... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 A welding putdown in our shop was motioning with your hands that your squeezing a pigeon and dropping welds which look about as pretty. The name pigeon $hit welder got tossed around alot. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two40MuscleZ Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 Outstanding job. Some of the best welding I've seen. Very fortunate to have found someone with so much talent. Look forward to seeing future innovations. Comps, 2thumbs: VAN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 I guess a $500 investment in a high frequency converter for my crackerbox is looking more viable everytime I read these posts. Oh, by the way: "punk in a pickle patch, and "pigeon $#it welder"? Some day I'm gonna meet Lone and most likely enjoy the colorful conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 Right back at ya Terry, we'll meet sometime, it'll be grins... Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 All I can say is I want to be there! I'll fly anywhere you guys want to do that little HybridZ get together! I definitely feel a kinship with you two characters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 27, 2002 Share Posted June 27, 2002 I don't know about that MIG vs TIG. I have seen MIG as clean as that before. Depends on the welder. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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