<VV> power steering?

[Jay Maechtlen]

Well, lessee-
the steel skin was removed, and replaced with a custom fiberglass skin.
The steel roof is gone. There are steel tubes/pipes arching over the 
doors to the windshield frame, but they don't tie across to each other.
It was a 2-door, not a convertible, so whatever the factory might have 
done for open cars isn't there on this one.
The floor has had a hard life,  since some of it was cut away for a 
mid-engine V-8.
The V-8 is gone, but I had to cut some structure away to make room for 
the transverse V6. (the rear bulkhead and boxing between engine 
compartment and passenger compartment was all in the way. There are now 
some crossmembers, but they certainly don't add up to the stiffness of 
the original build.)

So, it has many reasons to be flexible.
The approach that appeals to me most (yes, I sometimes have a penchant 
for doing things the hard way) is
to cut the rockers out and weld a structural tube (think big driveshaft 
tubing) down each side. Weld in place, with end constraints as appropriate.
Looks like 4 1/4 - 4 1/2 " tube would fit, and stiffen the beast 
substantially. The tubing curvature could give a similar look to the 
stock rockers - though anyone looking close might get pretty confused.
When I swap the supercharged 3800  in, I will revise the connection 
scheme between the subframe and the car's structure. I hope to come up 
with a structural engine bulkhead at the same time that will stiffen the 
rear.

But I'm not in a huge rush to tackle the rocker tube project.
A usual approach would be to add a roll cage. But I really don't want a 
roll cage in the car - I like being able to get in and out easily. An 
honest roll bar is on the wanted list, though.

So, now you know much more than you wanted to...


On 5/23/2014 10:49 PM, Ron Hinz wrote:
> Flexible??  The early body is supposed to be exceptionally stiff!  
> That is, unless it's a rust hulk or has been screwed up with 
> structural mods.
>
> RonH
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Jay Maechtlen via VirtualVairs
> Sent: Friday, May 23, 2014 9:32 PM
> To: Sethracer at aol.com ; Virtualvairs at corvair.org ; 
> fastvair at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re:  power steering?
>
> On 5/23/2014 1:21 AM, Sethracer at aol.com wrote:
>> The reason I mentioned the tank, is that all of the Rack & Pinion 
>> conversions I have seen, cut through a corner of the tank. A power 
>> Rack& Pinion, maybe even an electric one would be easier to "Plumb" 
>> or "wire" - Since the Corvair is a front steer car, it would likely 
>> have to be a front-steer R&P. But they are around. The shaft from the 
>> steering column cuts through the corner of the tank to hit the 
>> Rack.    -Seth
>
> Well, a front steer would likely be easier.  But if I have to modify the
> tank even a little bit, it would make sense to modify it a lot, or even
> move it.
> I think there's be room under the rear "seat", like a modern fwd car.
> Shorter fuel and return lines, easier plumbing for fuel system 
> venting, etc.
> And room for a rear-steer r&p.
>
> I think the consensus was that my steering arms (stock '61 Pontiac
> Tempest) are even worse than stock Corvair steering arms for Ackerman.
> But they (the Tempest arms) would prob give perfect Ackerman if spindles
> and arms are swapped right-to-left, so they point to the rear.
>
> The never-ending project.
> - not even mentioning the desire to stiffen up this flexible flyer.
> Several ideas in the pipeline there.
>
> cheers
> Jay


-- 
Jay Maechtlen SoCal '61 2-dr modified w/fiberglass skin, transverse 3.8 
Buick V6 TH440T4 trans

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