70 dart 470 ci drag car build.

-
Well today I'm welding the subframe connectors to my rear cross member. I took the time to clean up some welds and reweld them around the structure under the main hoop and diagonal bars. Redoing stuff sucks and it hurts because it was a lot of sparks which land on my redhead.
If I had only realized from the start of the build how much I like fabrication I would have gutted this entire car and just built a tube chassis car.
This will do for now, the chassis should be strong and I'll stop looking at the torsion bar and factory front frame rails with disgust lol.
I am going to weld 4 of these bars in .

View attachment 1716206300

View attachment 1716206298
And I hate mill scale jeez.
Excellent work!
 
Well today I'm welding the subframe connectors to my rear cross member. I took the time to clean up some welds and reweld them around the structure under the main hoop and diagonal bars. Redoing stuff sucks and it hurts because it was a lot of sparks which land on my redhead.
If I had only realized from the start of the build how much I like fabrication I would have gutted this entire car and just built a tube chassis car.
This will do for now, the chassis should be strong and I'll stop looking at the torsion bar and factory front frame rails with disgust lol.
I am going to weld 4 of these bars in .

View attachment 1716206300

View attachment 1716206298
And I hate mill scale jeez.
Is there a particular reason you didn’t line up the two supports going fore and aft so the acceleration transferred straight through the frame? Would seem a straight line would be stronger?
 
Is there a particular reason you didn’t line up the two supports going fore and aft so the acceleration transferred straight through the frame? Would seem a straight line would be stronger?
He's strategically adding weight down low so the car stays planted and doesn't pull a massive wheelie. Plus although he'll never admit it, he can't wait to lose the bet to me and put on a dress. lol
 
Is there a particular reason you didn’t line up the two supports going fore and aft so the acceleration transferred straight through the frame? Would seem a straight line would be stronger?
you're talking about what used to be the subframe connectors ?
If so I just followed the straight line for to aft of the two separate frames.
Straight would have been better & I would do some stuff different if I could start over.
But everything is tied into the body of the car as it is.
 
Last edited:
This should help transfer power into the chassis

IMG_20240212_171753588_HDR.jpg


IMG_20240212_171705933_HDR.jpg


That's probably all for the day
 
He's strategically adding weight down low so the car stays planted and doesn't pull a massive wheelie. Plus although he'll never admit it, he can't wait to lose the bet to me and put on a dress. lol
I am not putting on any f'n dress bro.
Jeremiah said NO !
 
Last pictures of the day lol, I went back out and finished the frame **** I was working on.

IMG_20240212_184646533_HDR.jpg


IMG_20240212_184725949_HDR.jpg

Figured I'd remind Bill what he's going to be running up against lol.
A scrap heap
 
you're talking about what used to be the subframe connectors ?
If so I just followed the straight line for to aft of the two separate frames.
Straight would have been better & I would do some stuff different if I could start over.
But everything is tied into the body of the car as it is.
Wow I derailed this thread, went all the way to man buns!

I was wondering why the rear subframe wasn’t inline with the front. I see that you boxed it in on both sides which will be plenty strong, probably just more weight than needed. I was thinking it would have been done something like this -|-, instead of this -|_. if that makes sense. The good thing with your design is that the main hoop and kicker bar is better supported.

Wasn’t picking on it, just wondering why it was done that way. Guess I have too many years playing with submarines.:D
 
Wow I derailed this thread, went all the way to man buns!

I was wondering why the rear subframe wasn’t inline with the front. I see that you boxed it in on both sides which will be plenty strong, probably just more weight than needed. I was thinking it would have been done something like this -|-, instead of this -|_. if that makes sense. The good thing with your design is that the main hoop and kicker bar is better supported.

Wasn’t picking on it, just wondering why it was done that way. Guess I have too many years playing with submarines.:D
This is my 1st real build and it shows on some stuff lol, I guess I'm confused about what you're trying to point out ?
Can you point to a photo where you see this please and thank you!
Okay I think I know what you mean. I was trying to spread the load. On the back side of that is where my leaf spring mounts will be welded in.
 
Last edited:
This is my 1st real build and it shows on some stuff lol, I guess I'm confused about what you're trying to point out ?
Can you point to a photo where you see this please and thank you!
I have some things on my Dart I wish I would have done differently, hindsight is 20/20! Lol

What I was thinking was that basically continuing the front subframe mount all the way back to the crossbar. Pretty much between the two bars you put in, colored it in red in the pic below. Essentially you would have one boxed piece of steel from the front to the rear crossbar. The way it is now you rely on the strength of the welds, in shear, to provide strength on acceleration. When looking at the picture you can see how the forward subframe end could slide back to the crossbar without the welds being there.

Does that help, remember I’m from PBR’s neck of the woods so written word is not our strong suit?

IMG_3923.jpeg
 
I have some things on my Dart I wish I would have done differently, hindsight is 20/20! Lol

What I was thinking was that basically continuing the front subframe mount all the way back to the crossbar. Pretty much between the two bars you put in, colored it in red in the pic below. Essentially you would have one boxed piece of steel from the front to the rear crossbar. The way it is now you rely on the strength of the welds, in shear, to provide strength on acceleration. When looking at the picture you can see how the forward subframe end could slide back to the crossbar without the welds being there.

Does that help, remember I’m from PBR’s neck of the woods so written word is not our strong suit?

View attachment 1716206452
Okay I get it, yeah so I didn't feel a seam weld would pass cert & I had the idea of spreading the load from the leaf springs. On the rear subframe I will also add 1 more bar on each side that ties into my main hoop, probably right around the red line you so kindly drew for me.
You explained it fine, I just wasn't understanding what you meant lol.
I do have some 6 by 6 plates .125 that I could totally box in those 2 bars.
The real reason it is that way is because I cut out the floor and the subframe connectors were left
 
Last edited:
Okay I get it, yeah so I didn't feel a seam weld would pass cert & I had the idea of spreading the load from the leaf springs. On the rear subframe I will also add 1 more bar on each side that ties into my main hoop, probably right around the red line you so kindly drew for me.
You explained it fine, I just wasn't understanding what you meant lol.
To be honest you’re fine the way you are unless you plan on making 3K plus power and probably would still be good, was just a question.

Wouldn’t think the seam weld would be a problem with tech since a lot of roll bars are seam welded along their length when the make the tubing. Wonder if we have any guys who cert chassis on the site who could answer about that, kinda curious myself?

Keep it up man, giving me ideas for my Dart!
 
-
Back
Top