18 year old with Mopar project NEED ADVICE!!!

There is volumes written on drag chassis constuction, we can't possibly cover all of it. Allston's book is dated but still a very good one. You still got some good reading weather up there in MI. Pickup a couple good chassis books and put your nose in them. Just be sure you have a nice level floor to work on. Level the car both ways, even though you may want some rake to it later. You've got to have a constant(level),because everything else is variables. One of the last things you'll do is put the car on 4 wheel scales. And you want the scales to be dead level. I shoot mine with a transit. Even though Milan or Martin starting line may not be level, You have to have a constant. Keep that in mind when building the cage and chassis

I have no knowledge on this subject. but i think the best advice so far is that the door should fit nice and all the other panels.......then braced, then cage.
Reading up from some chassie books as well as you Teacher. There is a lot of good knowledge you're about to get.

bentdart47 said:

Sorry just jumping in here... Think triangulation. The firewall and frame rails being two sides of that triangle if looking from the side. You are missing one side of the triangle to tie everything together which would normally be your inner fenders.

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I see what you mean. Thank you very much!

Dana said:

There is volumes written on drag chassis constuction, we can't possibly cover all of it. Allston's book is dated but still a very good one. You still got some good reading weather up there in MI. Pickup a couple good chassis books and put your nose in them. Just be sure you have a nice level floor to work on. Level the car both ways, even though you may want some rake to it later. You've got to have a constant(level),because everything else is variables. One of the last things you'll do is put the car on 4 wheel scales. And you want the scales to be dead level. I shoot mine with a transit. Even though Milan or Martin starting line may not be level, You have to have a constant. Keep that in mind when building the cage and chassis

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^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


You should start with the Alston book if you can find it. It isn't really dated, it's just basic. But it's correct. Start with that. The Doorslammer book from Dave Morgan is good. Very good. It has math the Alson book doesn't. Still, I love the Alston book. Then, Jerry Bickel wrote his book. It's very good as well.

Chassis is misunderstood. The relationship between Instant Center/shock settings/clutch-converter is so interrelated so as to be incestuous. I forgot to mention spring rates and how they fit in. You can't ignore any of them, or how they relate or you leave it on the table.

You can't make most chassis too stiff. Some will argue this, but some will argue water is wet. As the chassis becomes more stiff, you need LESS spring rate. If your car flexes like a slinky, you'll need relatively stiff spring rates.

Before you notch a tube, turn on a welder or pick up a square, spend some time reading and learning. A little time spent learning now will pay off in spades down the road.

Mopar118 said:

After I graduate high school I'm enrolled to start college at UNOH (University of Northwestern Ohio) for High Performace Motorsports. After that I'm pretty much open to anything as long as my carrer involves high performace vehicles. I have the tools and space to make this car right so now its just earning the money and building the car!

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Good. Stay focused. Its far easier when your young and have little to no responsibilities.