[V8Vairs] Front Suspension Settings...

[v8vairs@corvair.org]

I would have liked to get the crank center on the car's centerline, but 
space didn't permit.  One of the constraints was how much maximum offset I 
was able to get in the rear end.  In the Eldorado, the engine crank is 
offset 2" to the passenger side to make room for the differential housing. 
 I wound up with the same 2" offset although now to the drivers side. When 
I picked up the finished engine and trans the balance point seemed to be 
about 2" offset towards the transmission side, so using Cadillac's offset 
seems to work to not only optimize space but to get the center of mass 
close to the car's centerline as well.




"Chris Wills" 
Sent by: v8vairs-admin@corvair.org
12/29/2004 02:45 PM
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Re: [V8Vairs] Front Suspension Settings...






Doug,

Looking good!  One question for you - is the engine offset, or is the 
crank 
on the car centerline?

Chris Wills


>From: DEvans@csu.org
>Reply-To: v8vairs@corvair.org
>To: v8vairs@corvair.org
>Subject: Re: [V8Vairs] Front Suspension Settings...
>Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:03:14 -0700
>
>A friend of mine has photos of my project on his website.  Google
>'slownrusty' which will lead you to his Picturetrail address.  I'm under
>the Friend's Rides section.  The car is looking a bit different since the
>posted photos were shot.  Have made some progress on exterior body work.
>If you want, direct links are as follows:
>
>
>The Cad has been massaged heavily, and should produce about 500 HP.  I
>expect it to be brutal, but haven't been able to run it yet.  Shouldn't 
be
>too long.  The engine sits in the car backwards, (serpentine belt to the
>rear) and the transmission is a modified Eldorado THM-425.  I removed the
>differential for the front drive, and installed a tailshaft adapter.  I'm
>using a custom built solid rear end which uses a Ford 8.8 inch diff which
>was originally intended for high-performance Jeep front axle 
applications.
>  By remounting the diff in the normal position, I wind up with a reverse
>rotation live rear good for up to 700 HP and with the torque applied on
>the drive side of the gear teeth.  The rear wheel well were widened to
>accommodate 12" of rubber.  I suspect that I'll need it.  Amazingly, the
>500/425 drivetrain is only 48" from the front of the transmission chain
>case to the axle centerline.  The offset pinion is actually under the
>alternator as installed.
>
>I divided the interior of the car into front and rear halves by
>constructing a tubular steel bulkhead between me and the engine.  This is
>plated with steel sheet, and is now the firewall.  Since this structural
>bulkhead supports the transmission, and is welded across the car body, is
>provides a tremendous increase in stiffness.  A tubular, trussed
>structural console ties the bulkhead all the way up to the front axle. 
The
>drivetrain and the bulkhead did eat into drivers space, so I moved the
>floor 8 inches forward for more leg room, and put a fuel cell in the
>former engine compartment.  The ergonomics of this should work out pretty
>well.  The new pedals will be on the same plane as the remnants of the
>floor/wheel well, and I'll be shortening the steering column slightly to
>get a comfortable position.
>
>The entire underside of the car was rusted out, as were the fender
>bottoms.  The floor is now constructed of steel tubing and sheet.  Just
>recently I had the entire underside coated and wheel wells coated  with
>pickup-bed liner.  Now have primer on all interior surfaces after bondo
>smoothing the welds and grinds.  Mounting brackets for the three 
radiators
>have been installed, as have structural braces for the five-link
>attachments. Inside the rear arch of the integral frame rails, I doubled
>the rails with 1/4" plate to provide greater strength and for welding on
>suspension mounts and engine attachments.   Engine goes in the car again
>this weekend so I can start mocking up the headers and the engine
>cover/air cleaner.  Header construction will be very interesting, as Arte
>Johnson usta say.  No room to the rear past the axle assembly, so will
>probably have to run the collectors forward and put the muffler(s) under
>the front seats, exhausting in front of the rear wheels.
>
>Body mods include elimination of the rear outlet grille, shaved drip
>rails, side scoops, flush S-10 door handles, no trunk key, frenched
>headlight openings using gigantic Mack truck headlights, filled gas door,
>and so on.  The former engine cooling inlet is now reserved for the carb
>fresh air supply.  Unfortunately, my ambition exceeds my talent, so the
>work isn't all that smooth, but it will be with time and practice. I'm a
>first-timer at this, and live a few miles south of Colorado Springs.  I'd
>welcome more experienced builders stopping by to point out my mistakes.
>
>Doug Evans
>'67 Coupe with 500 Cad instead of a back seat.
>(719) 372-6502
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