56 pro touring build

[hotrod1]

forgot the pictures.

[ratty 46]

You can NEVER have enough cage!! Overkill = safely leaving the confines of your vehicle when it ends up on its lid!!

Looking good so far.

Ratty 46

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by hotrod1

The question is, it this a foolish to have this many bends and contour as they weaken a cage too much? Or is it minimal and no big deal. Should we stay with a straight bar down from the top bend which goes to the main hoop?

Sorry for the late response on this question, but yes it has too many bends when it follows the A pillar. If it ever does get used, it'll fold up like an accordion right where the bends are. Can you just do a main hoop behind you and then run a diagonal bar down to the floor next to the seat? Do you need a front "hoop"? If so maybe you could build a halo, and then a straighter bar up to it a little farther back, then gusset the top joint with another tube (really hard to explain without drawing a picture).

Also, you may want to hard-mount the body to the frame with no bushings between it, otherwise I could see it tearing the cab around those plates on the back of the cab and on the floor.

[hotrod1]

thanks for the reply. You are right. Our bar is bent too much. We will probably redo the a bar to maybe something like this truck (picture) has or maybe even straight. It is difficult balancing between safety and ease of use.

[xpickup]

hotrod1, Great looking tube work. I looked for my pictures and they 35 MM film or just didn't take any pictures. Looking great.

Shannon

[hotrod1]

Needed a break from the tubing. Boxed the rear of the frame from the axle back. Bought a dimple die from ebay. Very nice quality. Drilled the boxing plate and used the die with a 12 ton press. Did not work too well. The plate is 3/16. Then used the torch to heat up the area surrounding the hole and then pressed. It still caused distortion of the plate. I guess that it was not wide enough and did not have enough material on the sides of the holes. Had to heat the plate after it was dimpled and had to pound it straight. Finally came out OK. A lot of work. Welded them to the frame.

[BC Toy chest]

Looking good. Sounds like you need a break from the dimple die and go back to the tubing, lol. Lots of work but think of all the $$ you are saving. I don't know because I am asking but BLUEJEEP said .... Also, you may want to hard-mount the body to the frame with no bushings between it, otherwise I could see it tearing the cab around those plates on the back of the cab and on the floor.
What about solid aluminum bushings? I guess I would have to have someone draw a pic. lol so I could understand.

[BigDan3131]

I've been looking at your pics and as long as your not going to drag race it at an NHRA track the curvy bars should be fine if you have it connected across the top front and back and a mid bar in the middle of the dash. I think to fully secure it you will need to have runners going to the front of the frame.
On the rear, where you have that what looks like a temp bar. Is that your coilover shock mounting point? Is that also at ride height or will the rear be lower from the frame than it is now? Before you go any further I suggest you either stop by a pro chassis builders shop or have one come out to you to look over your work. After everything you have done it might save you some headaches latter on.
If I were still in Cali I would go to:

Chuck's Performance Welding
(562) 461-9649

He did the cage on my friends truck which you can see at www.kellyandsoncrazypainters.com its in the gallery under Green Tandem

[hotrod1]

Hi Guys:

Thanks for the feedback. We did get solid aluminum stock to make solid mounts. Appreciate the suggestion.

We have also mocked up the truck to see ride height. The lowest part of the cab will be about 6" from the ground. Maybe 1 to 1.5 inches of rake at most. We are probably going to recess the firewall more so we can move the engine 3 to 4 inches back and drop it another 1" to account for better center of gravity and weight distributions. Now we just have to figure out a different motor mounting system because we had the engines weight distributed on the front cross member. It is an evolving project doing and then redoing things. I guess as you get more information from people (like in this forum), you then find different ways that you should have done in the first place.

[hotrod1]

Oh, Bigdan:

Thanks for the pics of the green truck and the phone number.

[noonzor]

great looking build! keep up the good work!

[BigDan3131]

Your welcome HR1, The truck started out like any other. Mild smallblock and just a driver, but he came into a large bonus and started out building it. Its a near 1000hp BB Chevy and he drives it every where. He had Mickey Thompson pro street tires that lasted about a month then switched to dirt track rubber for a harder tire.

[69CST-V]

Just remember to make it stronger than you think. You always seem to add more HP. Flex is not your friend.

[69CST-V]

Actually let me say this another way. Triangulate and think through your design. I doesn't have to be heavy to be strong and resist torsion.

[ratty 46]

That '55 has to have some decent power to motivate it wheels up like that. It gives me goose bumps.

Ratty 46

[hotrod1]

my stock frame looked like that just sitting on the jack stands.

[69CST-V]

Thats a full tube chassis. Thing hooks like crazy.

[69CST-V]

Here's another just as the tranny let go. Last one don't want to hijack.

Let's see some more progress pic's.

[hotrod1]

We have a 21 gal tank that sits in the back to help distribute weight. It slides in from the back. Wanted to make sure that it is protected from steep driveways so we build nerf bars to drag before the tank. Not an easy thing to bend a bar to match up with the frame tubes. You have to be right on. Scrapped a couple of pieces getting them correct.

[hotrod1]

here is the end cap of the rear of the frame. Strong enough to protect that tank. Overkill yes, but better that than sorry.

[Kim57]

Looking good. I think the holes are a nice touch.
Kim

[hotrod1]

Thanks for the look.

I like lightening holes. The weight of the plugs compensates for all the tubing that we have back there. Just kidding. We are trying to achieve the proper weight balance for the vehicle (50% front, 50% back) for handling. I imagine that we would have had to add weight to the back anyways to achieve this as trucks do not have a good amount of weight back there. We are going to move the motor back 3 1/2 inches and try to get it lower as well. After all the nonsense in the back is done and the cage is complete, we will be recessing the firewall for the engine accommodation.

[69CST-V]

Nice work. Great progress.

[Fleet '66]

Pretty Amazing build! Subscribed.

[hotrod1]

Built some pillow blocks for the rear 3 piece sway bar.