68 charger with amnesia build

[Tilar]

How I missed this thread I'll never know... It's Interesting to say the least and while I haven't read every post, it is a little intriguing. However I have one question...

Luggage rack?





   ok just kidding. Seemed like the thing to say at the time. 

[Baldwinvette77]

I love this idea, but am concerned with the 2x2 inside the original frame rails. This looks like it could be taking valuable space needed for headers. Could you not go under the frame rails and build brackets for the lower control arms??  If the mustang crossmember is the reason, baybe steel from it's design and build your own. I'm sure yours would be stronger anyway!!!!

yeah i was thinking about possible header problems too, ill need an engine before i can work around it though, but still this is just my 2nd design and i think it has lots of potential since its pretty basic, i'll forge onward and see what happens, worst case scenario, is scrap k-members all together and just weld the mustang 2 crossmember directly to the framerails, but thats last resort 

[Baldwinvette77]

How I missed this thread I'll never know... It's Interesting to say the least and while I haven't read every post, it is a little intriguing. However I have one question...

Luggage rack?





   ok just kidding. Seemed like the thing to say at the time. 

a 2x2 .083 wall luggage rack is a kickass idea, especially since the gas tank eats up most of the trunk, but i was never really a fan of them   

[Steve P.]

No idea what you are thinking for an engine, but I have a 440 pan from a truck that is rear sump and 1/2 inch pick up. I wish I could tell you for sure what I pulled it from, but I believe it was a motorhome or a van.... My memory just plain sucks these days..

Take a look at the XV Motorsports K-member. They use corvette control arms and spindles from late model. I am not an engineer, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express once.. I like the longer control arms as they have much more controllability. Or maybe more tunability. They are really big on tightening up the entire frame and core support to gain tunability in the entire car... I learned a lot from their designs. Also the front tubular supports inside the fenderwell... You GOTTA LOVE THEM!!!

[Mike DC]

                          
The benefit of longer arms is that it means the roll center geometry changes less for a given amount of wheel travel.  A hypothetical set of arms 5-6 feet long would have a roll center that practically stays fixed from full compression to full droop.  Even if the design of the geometry was goofed up pretty badly, it would still be a goofed-up design that doesn't move around.  

Chrysler could only make the arms on our cars so long from the factory because the longer the LCAs, the farther inward the front T-bars also had to be mounted.    

   

The chassis tightening makes the whole car respond better.  A flexy chassis is basically a big spring between the diagonal corners of the car without a shock absorber on it.  If you try to make the wheel springs too stiff then pretty soon the wheel springs are holding still while the chassis flexes.    

[Steve P.]

Damn Mike, that was a great explanation!!!! 

I think I read something of this once about Ferds TWIN I-BEAM front suspension. lol...

[djcarguy]

    missing progress updates and mopar pix fixes of ya build..........  was following three builds now seems all are slowing or less post... man i need a mopar fix an soon...ha ha ha  keep up the good work.later dj

[Indygenerallee]

Thanks for adding the "Bro" the world is now back in balance!!  Keep it up.

[Baldwinvette77]

    missing progress updates and mopar pix fixes of ya build..........  was following three builds now seems all are slowing or less post... man i need a mopar fix an soon...ha ha ha  keep up the good work.later dj

yeah stuff has kinda slowed down, been busy all week, between work, graduation, and now parties  getting a new highend welder as a graduation gift, and once i do ill be able to finished welding the thick steel on my k-member but i do still need to finish fabricating the crossmember, i just need time 

[Cooter]

Don't Worry Baldwin, your time will run shorter and shorter as you get older. So, only right now will you have enough energy to complete the tasks you set before you. Once you hit the mid life mark, you will find that time speeds up.

[Baldwinvette77]

Don't Worry Baldwin, your time will run shorter and shorter as you get older. So, only right now will you have enough energy to complete the tasks you set before you. Once you hit the mid life mark, you will find that time speeds up.

funny, i was just told nearly that exact thing 2 days ago  ....

[Cooter]

Right now, Building that heap from nothing is just a novelty. Later on in life when you are making more money, you will find that there's things like 2.3 Kids running around taking up ALL YOUR TIME, a Wifey at home whining about how much time/money you are spending on that heap, a Bunch of friends that will tell you relentlessly how much of an idiot you are for even contemplating building that thing when you could just go on Evil-Bay and buy it now already done.
Yard work that has to be done weekly, Lawn mower breaking down every 5 min, house falling down/needs repairs, 'Honey do' lists that NEVER get completed, but don't let this discourage you any....


Etc, Etc, Etc...

[Baldwinvette77]

Right now, Building that heap from nothing is just a novelty. Later on in life when you are making more money, you will find that there's things like 2.3 Kids running around taking up ALL YOUR TIME, a Wifey at home whining about how much time/money you are spending on that heap, a Bunch of friends that will tell you relentlessly how much of an idiot you are for even contemplating building that thing when you could just go on Evil-Bay and buy it now already done.


Etc, Etc, Etc...

sounds like fun 

[Baldwinvette77]

continued slightly with my k-member prototype i assembled a mustang 2 crossmember and tacked it together, then cut it up slightly and tacked that to my k-member, i was told by a hotrodder to have the crossmember tilted back several degrees to compensate for mandatory musclecar rake  so i did so, also test fit the whole thing to make sure everything was level, square (ish) and that it was relatively close to the stock spindle location , i cant really go any further until my backordered control arms get here in about a month, so i'll find other things on the car to keep me occupied

[Baldwinvette77]

other related junk, its level, and its centered with the original spindle location, not much more to say 

[toocheaptosmoke]

Niiice.   That looks like it could also double for a hitch receiver in the back.   



Mandatory muscle car rake huh??? 

[Indygenerallee]

Right now, Building that heap from nothing is just a novelty. Later on in life when you are making more money, you will find that there's things like 2.3 Kids running around taking up ALL YOUR TIME, a Wifey at home whining about how much time/money you are spending on that heap, a Bunch of friends that will tell you relentlessly how much of an idiot you are for even contemplating building that thing when you could just go on Evil-Bay and buy it now already done.
Yard work that has to be done weekly, Lawn mower breaking down every 5 min, house falling down/needs repairs, 'Honey do' lists that NEVER get completed, but don't let this discourage you any....

X2 except with 4 kids running around!!

[charge69]

You have a great build going and just make it like you want it and it all will work out fine! I have grandkids that are 22 and 21 with my daughter's family and 12 and 11 on my son's family. Not to mention a wife that is not a "Car" person and gives me the stink eye whenever I spend money on the Charger but lets me anyway as she knows I am going to get what is needed, like it or not! They didn't manage to stop me and I can imagine any family isn't going to stop you!

[Baldwinvette77]

Niiice.   That looks like it could also double for a hitch receiver in the back.   



Mandatory muscle car rake huh??? 

looks like something the wicked witch of the south would ride 

[TPR]

Niiice.   That looks like it could also double for a hitch receiver in the back.   



Mandatory muscle car rake huh??? 

looks like something the wicked witch of the south would ride 

Good one. 
TPR

[Charger-Bodie]

Niiice.   That looks like it could also double for a hitch receiver in the back.   



Mandatory muscle car rake huh??? 

looks like something the wicked witch of the south would ride 

Nope. I used to be married to her and I can tell you that hers looks different.

[Baldwinvette77]

well, like i said before all my plans change slightly, my plan of using b-body upper control arms met 2 challenges, 1: they were expensive, and 2: im broke, so i  chopped out my shock towers in preparation for some modified mustang 2 hats, and coil-over shock mounts that actually came with the cross member kit  also found a 9" ford axle housing, was told it was from a Lincoln continental, which means its 64" hub - hub, about 4" wider than it should be, that could be inconvenient 

still undecided on a suspension, could use leafs (looks cool, should make for lots of powerslides) or i could do a triangulated 4 link (doesnt look as cool, and unfortunately makes the car handle well but involves cuting and welding)

i guess between the mustang front suspension and the continental axle... you could call this a  Fucked Over Rebuilt Dodge
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[toocheaptosmoke]

Ford parts are the new Dodge parts. 

[JB400]

Ford parts are the new Dodge parts. 

Ford parts do have to be good for something.

[toocheaptosmoke]

Ford parts do have to be good for something.

I have an old motorcraft carb that I literally use as a door stop.