The V8 Owners Forum -

I fancy back halving my mk1, so i can put a set of ladder bars in, i am ok on all the rear sections, but i arent sure on the best way of connecting the new cross member the ladders will be hung from to the existing floor, do i just weld some box in forward? it will be hung down low if its beneath the existing floor line, and i dont particularly want to take allthe floors and bulkheads out just yet!

Hi
Do you have a cage in the car? just if it were me I would start by tieing the cage fully into the chassis so it will hold the floor pan and rear bulkhead in place when you start cutting everything out, then mount the cross member for the ladders onto the cage and tie the floor to both with gussets and plates to the original steel, remember this is a '60 designed chassis/ body and nothing like as rigid as a modern design. I would look at effectivly having the rear bulkhead as the main structural component joining the rollcage/existing floorpan and chassis to a tube chassis rear end feeding the loads from the suspension directly into the bulkhead and the body pannels hung from lighter tubes framing the back of the car.
Best regards
Mike

try this from chris alston chassisworks

http://www.cachassisworks.com/Stories/H ... 01_WEB.pdf

Not a back half by any means. But here afre some pics of when I chucked a 4 link etc into mine.

Its a little different now, but that's the pics from back in 2003 or so when I did it.

I just welded a crossmember in to which I welded the 4 link brackets etc. All 4 link parts and crossmember supplied by Hauser. Think it was a Moser kit

http://gallery30279.fotopic.net/c78707.html

Thanks for the advice, those pics of the Granny are great, lots of help thanks.

the car doesnt have a cxage, so im thinking of reinforcing the inner sills with 16guage steel sheet, a 3x2 xmember, tied into the floor and 2 new 2x2 chassis rails going back to the new coilover xmember im going to install (all new box will be eigth wall, 3mm thick). I have made some 6mm thick axle brackets that i need to drill up (great having a good school workshop!) and the front brackets will be 6mm thick too. Front rod ends will be 3/4 x 3/4 unf, rears 5/8 x 5/8 unf with a 5/8 ended diagonal track locater like steves.

after all thats in, it will get some 2x2 box put under the floor to meet up with the front sub chassis, and i will weld some 16guage strip under the floor first to help reinforce it a tad!

thats the plan anyhow so far, all made by me, will buy the box section, rodends and coilovers, everything else i will be making, including the ldder bars, but i arent starting untill later next year once the engines back in and i can afford the stuff!

I will keep the car rolling on its stock suspension until all the parts are tacked in, to keep it square and the geometry correct, but i will raise it up to allow for positional welding

sounds easy when i say it quickly!

Be aware of the points, you will be well beyond the amount of points needed to qualify for the dreaded BIVA? test, which, if you can get a Mk1 capri thru the test you will probably end up with a Q plate, have a ask on RodsNsods they are very well briefed on these problems.

when i chatted to my guy who has done my car for the past 14yrs regarding cutting my rear end out and 4 linking it all etc,
he said, dont bother me as will know will be done right and be safe, BUT he did warn me that the car would be more than at risk for the test and he may have to declare it
hence the reason we are not going 4 link for next year as waiting to see how strict the ruleing is going to be,

You may be OK Tony, as your car has been built for over 14 years I think its exempt as it is allready highly modified

possible mate, but dont want to take the risk just yet, so will leave her on the springs for next year, which with the new setup we recon should do what we want her to do and not rip apart like it did on its first run this year

well i could stay with the leaves and still add ladder bars with rollers, but i sold my single leafs ages ago and they seem very expensive these days, so thought a step to coilovers a wise move.

Never really thought about all that really, just thought he would check for play in the rose joints really!

nosman, whats the reason from going away from the leafs? and what specs your engine, power etc,

Its only a 3.5 with a typoon cam and a few other bits, around 230 horse when its fighting fit, ive lightened the car substantially (have some pics in the your cars bit somewhere!) a direct hit of trevors finest (75bhp) but ive always suffered the worst wheelspin, im going to an lsd, and soon some better tyres first money permitting, just fancied getting my 60ft's down to something sensible really so i can then strt running some serious nitrous and a progressive controller

edit, link to my car!
http://www.v8forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7668

im running 1.9 60ft without gas on leafs and drag radials with the new 4.6 engine mate, (then broke it).
ran constant 1.8 60fts with a 150bhp progressive trevor hit on the 3.9 also on drag radials and leaf springs,

im told its my tyres that are the real let down, seconded by the open diff, so im going to fit the slipper during the engine rebuild, but while the axle is out i will nail the ladder bar mounts on for the future!

will be running it between times to see how it effects things, but i cant get r888's or anything for my size wheels, and i dont want slicks as i am sad enough to keep it so i know itsthe same on the street, so slicks are out!

my mate has an mnr on 15" 205 r888's, so im going to do a pass on those next year see how uch difference it makes

im running 15" drag radials, which are street legal,
and yes ditch the open diff mate,
i just sold two capri lsd axles to make way for the mustang axle,