Bride of Young Frankenstein - 1957 Buick Super

[drewskiren]

Last night I decided to make it a faux roller - just cause I couldn't stand it any longer. The rear tire is about correct sized at 27.5 inches which keeps my frame rails 5.25 inches off of the pavement at their lowest point. The crossmember will be 6.5 inches off the ground because it is such a shallow design from Jaguar. Rockers will be 7 inches off the ground. All this looks good to me, but will it be too low for everyday driving?

[FL71C10]

It looks good. But less than 6 inches seems a little close. Maybe you need to check some newer cars for ground clearance. Look at a Honda Civic or Accord to see what the lowest clearance point is.

Don't go to the mall and start crawling under cars and end up in jail!

[notchbackgta]

My stock height 3rd gen Firebird is less than that. Should be good unless you want to go driving around in the dirt/rocks

[Palf70Step]

Paved roads should be alright, the roads I go on...not so much.

[flashed]

I think it sits perfect ,I cant wait to see more .

[nlped]

That shouldn't be an issue. My M3 is 4.75" at the frame rails and rearend center section. My '93 Mustang is lower than that & it's fine unless I get on a gravel country road (even then I just slow it down and just a tailpipe will drag occasionally due to the exit route under the IRS).

[carboncrew]

So sweet!

[Advanced Design]

The ride height looks good Drew. May have occasional frame scrape of course...and will look good doing it.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice frame work/mods drew! Sorry to see about Biz's injury. Those woven wire wheels can be a bad deal for sure! The ride height should be fine. My 40 Ford was 3.5" from the ground to the bottom of the front cross member and it was ok, unless you got into a fast sloping intersection.

[drewskiren]

I had to use my noggin on this one.

Laying out exactly where to mount the crossmember, I had up and down, front and back figured out, but side to side was a tough one for a while.

I was thinking of pulling a string, but had none - then I remembered my 6 foot level/straight edge. Clamped it to the rockers on each side and lined up the lug nuts an equal distance off of the straight edge. I had already done some centering of the wheels making sure they were perfectly straight. I'll go back over everything again when I'm fresh and verify before welding or drilling out for the mounts.

[Advanced Design]

Good solution. It is always interesting solving problems like this.

[jkeating1]

I have known people to have used 8' fluorescent tubes for a straightedge for this type of thing. You may be able to clamp one (gingerly) to the flat side of the frame along the bottom of the body mounts on each side, extending it forward to just behind the IFS. That would give you a reference a little closer in to the center, where you could use a "fixed" (not turning with the spindle) point on the crossmember/suspension. Maybe the contact on the end of the fluorescent tube will actually point to something on the IFS that you can use to check symmetry.

However, looking at the illustration, that doesn't seem to put you much, if any, closer in to the center than the body edge does. But at least it would be a hard measurement from the frame.

[drewskiren]

Biz and I out in the shop today, She's on teardown duty while I'm still working on the frame adding gussets and grinding things down.

[drewskiren]

In working out my ride height, I discovered a miscalculation that required me to cut down my newly fabricated frame rails. Better to get it right now instead of having the car finished and looking ridiculous.

I also made up the front mounting brackets that will be welded to the front horns, 2 of the 4 mounting points for the Jag front crossmember.

[drewskiren]

Saturday night picture time!

All that's left is the burning.....

I'll have to say, walking up to the car this low is pretty incredible, I just hope that when I get to setting the rear suspension that it's not going to require going into the trunk.

[drewskiren]

Still plugging along here in Memphis. I know these seem like the same pictures, but I promise I'm getting things accomplished.

Today it was, final position and weld the front main brackets, then position the rear rubber mounts and locate the hole positions I need to drill out on the frame - done, and finally locate and drill out the sway bar mounts.

This week I'll finish up welding and grinding, trying to make it look pretty. I'm also waiting on my replacement rear rubber mounts that were rusty. They only cost $20 each and so I used the olds ones testing and shaping to fit tighter, now I know exactly how to shape the new ones.

[mcbassin]

Very nice progress on the chassis Drew. Keep up the good work.

[Dieselwrencher]

Looking good Drew! It will look awesome with the new stance!

[drewskiren]

As jkeating1 suggested, I also clamped my 6 foot level to the frame rails and took some measurements at the front hubs. It turns out that I was exactly where I needed to be already - but good idea to check it in a different manner.

[jkeating1]

Seeing that vent wing removed, I think it would look nice with one-piece side glass--but I don't see that happening with the forward slant of those A pillars.

[4shongo]

Subscribed!!!

[drewskiren]

Originally Posted by 4shongo

Subscribed!!!

Arlington????

You should come by and have a look! Maybe even turn a wrench.

[drewskiren]

I got a lot done tonight, but nothing worth a picture, just filling in my welding and grinding it down smooth. I need that Jag hunk out of my garage soon so I can put the Buick body over there and get cranking on the rear suspension.

[drewskiren]

Look ma, no hands!

Yes you are seeing that correctly, the complete front Jag crossmember and suspension are mounted it the Buick. No turning back now.

Now I just need to weld the nuts inside the frame for the rear mounts and the sway bar brackets, then I could weld my access plates on, grind it all smooth, clean, and paint.

[drewskiren]

One other thing, make shock towers and weld to the frame. I may wait a bit on that tedium since I'm ready to tackle the rear.