The Willomet Charger

[ckessel]

OE from that era wouldn't fit as nice.

 

[1970RT]

New engine mounts - lighter, spread the load more broadly across the frame, and have a lower radar signature.

Frame side is all mild steel. The plates where the tubes will land are 4130.

Sides are blended to look like they were made in a press brake.

All burned in. The open corners are tricky when managing gas flow, but doable.

Next is to add some strategic bracing to avoid the frame spreading under load.

Installing the deeply setback engine and trans requires a lot of extra room, so these have to be modular.

David

 

[8stackhemi]

Wow, bootiful work!!! You should be proud!

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

Metal art!!!!

 

[ckessel]

How do you like that Everlast machine? I want to get a Dynasty to replace my existing unit but about faint at the price. I've trained on it plus had a year or so of daily usage and love being able to change parameters with it. My unit doesn't give me that capability. Also I see on the MIG, they have a couple that allow pulse welding. I tried out a Miller unit some years ago at SEMA and man what a difference pulsed can make. It's like night and day. Someday want to replace my Lincoln Power Mig 215 with one of those. Just need money.

 

[72 Satellite]

Metal art!!!!

More like Mopar ****!!

 

[1970RT]

How do you like that Everlast machine?

Fantastic piece of gear, and an exceptional value. It’s 95% as good as a dynasty for whatever the fractional price.

I could go on, but I’m usually quick to recommend the 210EXT or the 255, and to spend the savings over a dynasty on higher quality speed parts.

David

 

[ckessel]

Someday in the future. For now, utilize what I have. Nice to get feedback from a user of said units.

 

[1970RT]

Spring and Summer offroading is done, and I've been sweating it out in the shop on the car.

Engine is placed and mounts are done. For good time time. No more revisions. These are completely burned in.

They're light and very strong. All 4130, and the tube is 1-1/4x.065. It's such a joy to weld chromoly.

The heavily offset mounts from Chassisworks made it easy to push the engine back and maintain clearance for the exhaust primaries.

I added lower reinforcement for the suspension crossmember. It's common on all the new pony cars and even my truck has some bars that connect the torque box-ish area to the engine cradle. This was the start of my K member.

You can start to see how deeply setback the engine is. Net is about 12.5" not inclusive of the 1.5" or 2" the front suspension is pushed forward.

Added some 7/8x.058 from the anti-twist engine frame mounts, which is about the time when I started seeing this as a K member.

Also added these lower A arm braces to tie the lower chassis bars together.

And it's no time at all before the chassisworks suspension comes together. Final width is about 60.5", but as you'll see, the factory wide body absorbs it all with ease.

David

 

[Ghostrider 67]

Spring and Summer offroading is done, and I've been sweating it out in the shop on the car.

Engine is placed and mounts are done. For good time time. No more revisions. These are completely burned in.

View attachment 1511317

They're light and very strong. All 4130, and the tube is 1-1/4x.065. It's such a joy to weld chromoly.

View attachment 1511318

The heavily offset mounts from Chassisworks made it easy to push the engine back and maintain clearance for the exhaust primaries.

View attachment 1511319

View attachment 1511320

I added lower reinforcement for the suspension crossmember. It's common on all the new pony cars and even my truck has some bars that connect the torque box-ish area to the engine cradle. This was the start of my K member.


View attachment 1511321

You can start to see how deeply setback the engine is. Net is about 12.5" not inclusive of the 1.5" or 2" the front suspension is pushed forward.

View attachment 1511325

Added some 7/8x.058 from the anti-twist engine frame mounts, which is about the time when I started seeing this as a K member.

View attachment 1511322

View attachment 1511323

Also added these lower A arm braces to tie the lower chassis bars together.

View attachment 1511324

And it's no time at all before the chassisworks suspension comes together. Final width is about 60.5", but as you'll see, the factory wide body absorbs it all with ease.

View attachment 1511327

David

Full on, A #1 masterpiece!

 

[1970RT]

Full on, A #1 masterpiece!

Thanks bud. It feels so good to be back working on it.

Found a set of used 305s for mockup. I'm on the hunt for rear 325s. This is the first time I put tires on it, and I just couldn't help but stare. It's been a long time.

Good birds eye view of the k member and suspension.

And the fender absolutely swallows the 305. This opening and the marker will get moved forward and up just a bit. It's been four years since I drew and built the frame, and I truly can't remember exactly how far forward this is, but it's 1.5" or 2"...probably.

I almost forgot what the car looked like, but this is the only thing I'm working on until I go to SEMA, heat or no.

David

 

[ckessel]

Great to see you back on the car. I have that Speedway tool also. Saw it at last years SEMA. Have not used it yet but will in the future.

 

[1970RT]

I have that Speedway tool also. Saw it at last years SEMA. Have not used it yet but will in the future.

It’s probably the best value wheel mock-up tool going. I’m a fan so far.

David

 

[1970RT]

Got some photos from the folks at Speedkore. These are raw carbon, since the car will be painted rather than cleared.

I’ll get some more photos when they make the hood.

David

 

[1970RT]

Frame extension and sway bar are in and fit snugly. Cycling the suspension, everything clears from lock to lock. I’ll pull this all back apart, brace, and burn it all in.

At full stuff, the tires and the valve covers are about level. I’m pretty excited about modifying the fenders to fit all this.

David

 

[Ghostrider 67]

Fantastic!

 

[Torkmnstr]

Nice, I just found you on the gram. Nice to see here too. Beautiful work my friend.

 

[1970RT]

Fantastic!

Thanks man. I always appreciate your support.

Nice, I just found you on the gram. Nice to see here too. Beautiful work my friend.

Quoting the philosopher John McClane, "Welcome to the party, pal!"

Lots of small steps add up.

First, all clamps are out of the car. It's the little things, but it felt like a real change to not have tooling stored in the car any more.

Cleaned up the rear axle, and started rough assembly in preparation for fixing it all in place in the car.

Watts link with adjustable roll center.

Strange HD center. Forged s-trac, 35 spline, 4.11.

Picked up some used C6 parking brakes to see what I might adapt for a the car. The answer is, "not much." Still working on this problem, since the unit bearing is about the size of a half ton truck, so nothing off the shelf fits. Still fiddling with a custom backing plate and this corvette shoe.

Did preassembly on a bunch of lower link and watts brackets.

David

 

[1970RT]

Tires are settled. Front is 305/30R19, rear is 325/30R19

Ready for fitup.

I pushed the tire forward from stock position about 3/4 so it better follows the front opening. I know factory had different wheelbase options for these b-bodies, and this was a great opportunity to get the aesthetics just right for this. It's been rattling around in my mind for months now.

The 325s push to the edge of the quarter by design, and I have some tin work ahead to make everything play nice at full bump.

That floating piece of square tube is "the ground."

Next up, front frame horns.

David

 

[Jesse6869]

The welds to me are inspirational, bad ***. Thanks for sharing. Show off.