Post by zbhover on Sept 29, 2011 22:00:57 GMT -5
Just another quick update on the 1969 V8 Convertible Bug Project........
This time I got some work done on the rear suspension, I got the old spring perches cut off of the ford 8.8" rear end and some new perches to weld on. I also got some new rear shackle hangers and got those welded on.
I should have another update soon, it will be of the new transmission cross member I'm working on, etc........
You can see all the new pictures in the chassis section of www.v8beetleresource.com
or click on this direct link to the newest update: www.v8beetleresource.com/chassis16.html
Here are a few pictures:
At first I was thinking to adapt the ford 8.8" rear end to the s-10 chassis I would make some adaptor plates for the spring perches. I was thinking I could make some angled plates that would get my pinion angle correct and that were also offset to match up the leaf spring center to center width and the spring perch width.
I took a couple days off of work, and its been rare that I had time to work on the bug, so instead of wasting time making these adaptor plates I decided to buy new perches and also new rear shackle mounts. Not only did I not want to waste time when I could be making progress, but the adaptor plates would have left me with little suspension travel.
Here are the spring perches and rear shackle hangers that I got from www.ruffstuffspecialties.com The parts were of real good quality, and at the time they were the only people I could find with the offset shackle hangers, they call them way back shackle hangers, which worked better for my application. The pricing was also great!
Here I have the Ruff Stuff Specialties way back rear shackle hangers assembled and ready to weld up.
Next I needed to do some more trimming to the s-10 chassis. Before I had some shackle mounts welded into the frame rails, but this was going to leave me with little suspension travel, and I also just wasn't happy with them. So instead I cut frame rails off even with the old welded in mounts, and then welded a plate across the back of each rail. My new ruff stuff specialties hangers will then weld to these plates. This lowered my hanger mounts from where they were giving me more suspension travel and also looks nicer.
Next I welded the shackle hangers to the back end of the frame rails, I really like how these turned out versus what I had before.
You can also see that I have the rear end clamped to the springs with the new spring perches on the 8.8" rear end. I'll wait until further down the road to weld the new perches on because I want to make sure the pinion angle is just right.
I left the plates that I welded to the frame rails a little extra long yet because I'm not sure what I'm going to do for a rear cross member. I'll have a bolt in cross member at the back of the chassis to keep the end of the frame rails from twisting.
The rear tires are the same size that I will be using on the bug in the end, but the front tires are a little larger dia. I put a couple boards under the rear tires to get the same stance on the frame. It puts just a slight down hill stance from the back to the front, which I think will work perfectly. Now I can't wait to be able to drop the body back on the chassis to see what it looks like, because with the old cab and bed mounts cut off I'll be able to lower the body down to where I want it to sit.
Thanks for following my V8 Beetle project!
This time I got some work done on the rear suspension, I got the old spring perches cut off of the ford 8.8" rear end and some new perches to weld on. I also got some new rear shackle hangers and got those welded on.
I should have another update soon, it will be of the new transmission cross member I'm working on, etc........
You can see all the new pictures in the chassis section of www.v8beetleresource.com
or click on this direct link to the newest update: www.v8beetleresource.com/chassis16.html
Here are a few pictures:
At first I was thinking to adapt the ford 8.8" rear end to the s-10 chassis I would make some adaptor plates for the spring perches. I was thinking I could make some angled plates that would get my pinion angle correct and that were also offset to match up the leaf spring center to center width and the spring perch width.
I took a couple days off of work, and its been rare that I had time to work on the bug, so instead of wasting time making these adaptor plates I decided to buy new perches and also new rear shackle mounts. Not only did I not want to waste time when I could be making progress, but the adaptor plates would have left me with little suspension travel.
Here are the spring perches and rear shackle hangers that I got from www.ruffstuffspecialties.com The parts were of real good quality, and at the time they were the only people I could find with the offset shackle hangers, they call them way back shackle hangers, which worked better for my application. The pricing was also great!
Here I have the Ruff Stuff Specialties way back rear shackle hangers assembled and ready to weld up.
Next I needed to do some more trimming to the s-10 chassis. Before I had some shackle mounts welded into the frame rails, but this was going to leave me with little suspension travel, and I also just wasn't happy with them. So instead I cut frame rails off even with the old welded in mounts, and then welded a plate across the back of each rail. My new ruff stuff specialties hangers will then weld to these plates. This lowered my hanger mounts from where they were giving me more suspension travel and also looks nicer.
Next I welded the shackle hangers to the back end of the frame rails, I really like how these turned out versus what I had before.
You can also see that I have the rear end clamped to the springs with the new spring perches on the 8.8" rear end. I'll wait until further down the road to weld the new perches on because I want to make sure the pinion angle is just right.
I left the plates that I welded to the frame rails a little extra long yet because I'm not sure what I'm going to do for a rear cross member. I'll have a bolt in cross member at the back of the chassis to keep the end of the frame rails from twisting.
The rear tires are the same size that I will be using on the bug in the end, but the front tires are a little larger dia. I put a couple boards under the rear tires to get the same stance on the frame. It puts just a slight down hill stance from the back to the front, which I think will work perfectly. Now I can't wait to be able to drop the body back on the chassis to see what it looks like, because with the old cab and bed mounts cut off I'll be able to lower the body down to where I want it to sit.
Thanks for following my V8 Beetle project!
