Jeff Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 The floor pans are almost complete and it's time to move on to the frame rails. What sources has everyone used and how was the quality. I used Zedd Findings for the floor pans and was happy with the heavier gauge of metal, but they required quite a bit of massaging to fit well. My plan is to drop in a SBC in the 300 to 350 hp range. The transmission will either be a T5 or T56. With this setup should I consider fabricating my own rails? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 I made my own floors and put in subframe connectors to replace the sorry excuse for "frame rails" that Datsun had in the 240Z. You can see some of this at: http://members.home.net/pparaska/structuralmods.htm The front frame rail replacement is there as well. All the stuff was from scratch using thin walled tubing and flat sheet stock. That's the way I did it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 I am using the 2"x3" .083" wall tubing as my frame rails as Pete did. I actually just went to Petes web site and wrote down the stock he used and ordered me some. When the the material came in, a couple of guys in the shop questioned my use of the .083" rect. tubing, and said they would have used something thicker(.125") though these guys admittadly over build everything. I figured the .083" wall seamless tubing is thicker than the stock stamped rails and should work fine. I also have an Autopower rollcage to help tighten up the chassis. I will be tying the roll cage into the front frame rails like on Ron Jone's car. Pete, do you see a problem with using the same 2"x3" tubing as front frame rails? Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 30, 2001 Share Posted April 30, 2001 I'd talk to a few shops that build race cars. I think that you need to consider that .125 tubing is not a ton more weight. If I were to do it again, I'd probably do .125" wall. However, the place I bought the tubing from does circle and drag car fabrication and they thought that for what I was doing, 0.083 was enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted April 30, 2001 Author Share Posted April 30, 2001 Thanks Pete, I had looked at your information in the past and wasn't sure if I wanted to attempt the fabrication. I like the idea of the added strength and will definetly go for it now. Your project is an inspiration and I know you must be psyched at being so close to completion. Thanks for all the great info on your web site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted May 1, 2001 Share Posted May 1, 2001 Psyched - yeah, I never thought I'd ever be this close! I am positively itching to drive it. I'm trying to get the correct mind set. Yes, it will be faster than 99% of the cars I meet, but that other 1% means quite a few cars that can take it. I have to keep reminding myself I didn't build a barn burner but a nice GT. That said, I'm STOKED !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 Pete, Did you do anything with the seat mountings? I put a Recaro in the drivers side and would like to do the same with the passenger side (after I've re-mortgaged the house) and found that with the height of the rails across the floor that the seats mount to, my head is very close to the roof. Too close to the roof. I was thinking of re-fabricating those rails and making them lower. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 On the driver's side, I kept the stock seat mounts. I had to build new ones on the passenger side (right), but made them stock height. For my Corbeau A4s on the 240Z slides, the seats sit a bit high. But if I lower them, I will loose rear adjustment range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 On the driver's side, I kept the stock seat mounts. I had to build new ones on the passenger side (right), but made them stock height. For my Corbeau A4s on the 240Z slides, the seats sit a bit high. But if I lower them, I will lose rear adjustment range since they hit the subframe connector where it climbs the slope to the raised floor. I need the A4 seat almost all the way back, one notch from all the way back anyway. I have about 3" above my head to the sheet metal of the roof. [ May 06, 2001: Message edited by: pparaska ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 Hmm, I'm 6'2 so I tend to have my seat quite far back, too far and the "shoulder wings" foul the sides. My wife is a lot shorter 5'4 and if I want a quiet life she has to be able to drive it as well. Think I'd better do some experimenting while it's an empty shell. Have to work out where the roll cage goes yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 I used Pete's design and 0.120 because thats all they had. Man, those things are heavy though! Had a hard time welding the thin sheet metal floor to the thick subframe connectors. I think the ready made floor pans are ok but I already knew my T-56 + 3" muffler tubing took up a lot of room so I went with making my own floors. Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Daddyrick Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 Jeff, I followed what Pete did for the frame rails and used .083 for thickness (2x3). I completely boxed both sides of the front of each frame where they join the front subframe. I also connected the rear of each frame to the differential support so the frame is very solid. I cut the floorboard from single flat stock and welded it across the top of the frame rails so my floor is completely flat. A couple of smaller frame stock was welded from the new frame rails to the outer body rocker frame to give additional support under the floor. It was then easy to make seat brackets since I had a flat surface to work with. This plus a 6-point rollbar make the car much, much more rigid than stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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