Midstates Update ! - Page 2

wicked fast · #21 (**permalink**) 05-17-2011, 02:52 PM

Mike,

Glad to see you getting after it.

Best,
BC

Mike_I · #22 (**permalink**) 05-17-2011, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wicked fast

Mike,
Glad to see you getting after it.
Best,
BC

Thanks Bill... Your car was also instrumental in this decision. If you get a chance, post some more pics of your car in your gallery. You probably have the most period correct midstates in existence. I'm sure there alot of people on here that would love to see more photo's of her. Thanks again for all the information.

Thanks Again, Mike

Mike_I · #23 (**permalink**) 05-23-2011, 04:49 PM

[quote=rustyBob;1129452]can you post a pic. of what you have.....
QUOTE]

Sorry it took so long. Here's a pic of the lower control arm looking forward from underneath. Notice it's pivot point in in front of and inboard of the frame rails.

-Mike

rustyBob · #24 (**permalink**) 05-23-2011, 05:18 PM

No thats ok i know how time gets away from you when you're busy.....

OK yours is like that because you have the round tube frame....i have the 2x4 tube
frame and there is a kick up on mine at the front that will let the lower control
arm to be wider where it attaches at the front crosmember....so you may be
stuck with what you have....or there are some round tube lower arms that will
fit in where the originals go and you can still run the strutrod...

mickmate · #25 (**permalink**) 05-31-2011, 08:25 PM

Geez Mike great build log. I see what you're talking on the fronts now. Why don't we make some arms shorter and conventional mounted? You've made and customised everything else! Thanks for the good press. That pinion angle I listed is on the other CCX thread but I guess they didn't read or believe it.

Mike_I · #26 (**permalink**) 06-13-2011, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickmate

Why don't we make some arms shorter and conventional mounted?.

Thanks Nick! Maybe we'll(meaning You'll) do that before its all over!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickmate

That pinion angle I listed is on the other CCX thread but I guess they didn't read or believe it.

Which thread do you list the pinion angle in? I was playing around with the diff this weekend and noticed if you put too much pinion angle in it affects the lower control arm travel. (more pinion angle causes them to move up and back instead of just up) In light of this would it be better to mount it close to zero deg as possible?

Thanks

Mike_I · #27 (**permalink**) 12-19-2011, 12:29 PM

No, I did not abandon this project!!

Just have not had time to post lately. Here goes!

Fabbed up from scratch new top and front cross members to mount the Jag IRS. This also involved painfully stringing out the car to make sure it would align properly and also have the correct 90 wheel base. I have done most of this work with a dewalt angle grinder with a cutting wheel installed. It slipped out of my hands while making the new cross member and almost removed all of my internal organs. Thank God for the heavy welding shirt I was wearing. Note to self, cut with the flow of the wheel not against it.

I mocked up a test fit prior to the final welding using the unpainted dirty rear end and some old aldans shocks on one side.. Tires fit nicely and rear is centered in car with about 1/16 toe in on either side! I adjusted toe using some GM starter shims between the fulcrum arm supports and diff. The starter shims worked perfectly.

If you look closely in the last pic you can see the mickmate OEM spec rollbar lurking in the background.. Schweeeeeeeett!

Mike_I · #28 (**permalink**) 12-19-2011, 12:31 PM

Rear end removed for clean up and new cross members fully welded and painted. Wow, this has been some tedious work so far. Not so much the fabbing, but making sure that the rear end is in square and the ride height is acceptable.

Mike_I · #29 (**permalink**) 12-19-2011, 12:41 PM

I cleaned up the rear diff, replaced all of the seals and gaskets and painted it. I also bead blasted, honed, rebuilt and painted the brake calipers. The outer dust seals were a royal pain in the @SS to get in... Wheres the tylenol when you need it?

The Diff is a 3:31 posi traction unit. Upon inspection all of the internals & gear looked great. Looks like a pretty strong diff to me!

Mike_I · #30 (**permalink**) 12-19-2011, 12:59 PM

New Half shafts.. I had a local drive shaft shop fab up some new ones using DOM tubing that I aquired online. I hope I have enough HP to spin them over.

These babies are beefy. I also ordered some new spicer u-joints online and pressed these babies in. The spicers were a very tight fit, almost like they were a little longer than the stock jag ones. I really had to work to get the retaing rings in.

rustyBob · #31 (**permalink**) 12-19-2011, 03:09 PM

Looking good Mike, keep up the good work....any ideas on the front susp. or you just going to leave it alone ??..you could make new a arms....

Mike_I · #32 (**permalink**) 12-19-2011, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyBob

Looking good Mike, keep up the good work....any ideas on the front susp. or you just going to leave it alone ??..you could make new a arms....

Thanks Bob. Still contemplating on how to narrow the front a bit. I'm thinking about ordering some tubular arms and shortening them. I think about 1/2 to 5/8 will do the trick.

I'm going to try and get the car driving with the new rear first and then tackle the front once the rear is all ironed out. I do plan on pulling the body at a later date as well to give her a coat of Guardsman blue but I want to iron out all the bugs before final paint.

I'll be working more on the Acton Custom Dash along with my custom trans tunnel supports, OEM split wheel, Smiths Gauges, VW turn Stalk and Kirkam Steering column next. Stay Tuned!