It really is a shame to cover this up. It should be in a museum for the whole world to admire lol!
BUILD THREAD “The Juggernaut”
- Thread starter Rktpwrd
- Start date
Now the REALLY intense fabrication started...
When I bought the front ShockWave air bag kit, it was the correct application for a G body. So upon receiving it, I opened up the box and proceeded to read through the instructions. I'm paraphrasing a bit here, but essentially, it was something like "it is the users responsibility to ensure that the airspring doesn't rub on any part of the frame, the opening will need to be trimmed back and a section of the outside of the frame will need to be removed."
WHAT????
First of all, you're compromising the structural rigidity of the frame, and second, it's going to look terrible!
So, unable to live with leaving the frame as they suggested, I took matters into my own hands, and came up with a solution. This is what I did:
After trimming away the interfering section of frame, I calculated the maximum width of the bag in its compressed state. This was around 7". I took an 8" grinding disk into a metal fabrication shop, and had them run a couple 1/8" plates through their slip roller until they matched the 8" diameter I needed. This would give me a 1/2" of clearance around the side of the bag.
The frame was then positioned so that the new piece was straight and level when tacked onto the side, and gave me a baseline for repeatability when it came to duplicate it on the other side.
The swaybar was then mocked up and centered to check for clearance.
As you can see in this pic, the clearance just wasn't enough for my liking.
However, after pie cutting a small section out of the stock frame and adjusting the new piece, I was able to get the clearance I wanted to see.
I did however have lots of clearance to the outside edge of the 'bag.
After determining the proper location of the outside piece, a template of the "floor" (actually the "roof" 'cause it's upside down) was made, transferred to steel, cut out and tacked into place. The 2 small "scabs" on the outside were to hold everything square and in place during fitment and welding.
Then it was fully burned in.
When I bought the front ShockWave air bag kit, it was the correct application for a G body. So upon receiving it, I opened up the box and proceeded to read through the instructions. I'm paraphrasing a bit here, but essentially, it was something like "it is the users responsibility to ensure that the airspring doesn't rub on any part of the frame, the opening will need to be trimmed back and a section of the outside of the frame will need to be removed."
WHAT????
First of all, you're compromising the structural rigidity of the frame, and second, it's going to look terrible!
So, unable to live with leaving the frame as they suggested, I took matters into my own hands, and came up with a solution. This is what I did:
After trimming away the interfering section of frame, I calculated the maximum width of the bag in its compressed state. This was around 7". I took an 8" grinding disk into a metal fabrication shop, and had them run a couple 1/8" plates through their slip roller until they matched the 8" diameter I needed. This would give me a 1/2" of clearance around the side of the bag.
The frame was then positioned so that the new piece was straight and level when tacked onto the side, and gave me a baseline for repeatability when it came to duplicate it on the other side.
The swaybar was then mocked up and centered to check for clearance.
As you can see in this pic, the clearance just wasn't enough for my liking.
However, after pie cutting a small section out of the stock frame and adjusting the new piece, I was able to get the clearance I wanted to see.
I did however have lots of clearance to the outside edge of the 'bag.
After determining the proper location of the outside piece, a template of the "floor" (actually the "roof" 'cause it's upside down) was made, transferred to steel, cut out and tacked into place. The 2 small "scabs" on the outside were to hold everything square and in place during fitment and welding.
Then it was fully burned in.
After the "roof" was burned in, it was ground smooth and the scabs removed.
The outside piece was re-fit, marked for trimming to shape, and held in place for welding.
As you can see by this inside shot, the fit was very good, with just the right gap for good penetration.
The outsides were burned in next...
...followed by the inside.
The outside piece was re-fit, marked for trimming to shape, and held in place for welding.
As you can see by this inside shot, the fit was very good, with just the right gap for good penetration.
The outsides were burned in next...
...followed by the inside.
After the welding smoke cleared, and the welds were dressed down, this is what I was left with.
After many long hours and lots of welding wire later, the same procedure was duplicated on the other side and the front suspension mocked up to check everything. Note the frame is still upside down, the modifications still weren't done... There was still the topside to complete!
Once the suspension mockup clearances were verified, everything came back off again, and the frame was flipped right side up. This is what I was faced with. At first I was unsure as to how I was going to continue, and what I could do to make it complete, but after some head scratching and visualizing, I decided on mirroring the curved shape of the outside piece I had just finished. It was back to the fab shop to have some more pieces rolled...
The raw piece from the fab shop, sitting in place. Note the height of it. It would seem that its a lot taller than it needs to be, but there's a reason for it...
...and with some of the excess trimmed away, you can see why. the additional height was needed to make up the "sides", helping to close things in and look more complete.
Now fully trimmed, tacked into place, and the upper piece fully welded.
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Here the outer piece was removed so that the upper weld could be cleaned up and ground.
Millscale removed, fit, and ready for welding.
And Presto! Through the magic of photography, it's magically welded in, ground, and shaped!
LOL
Seriously tho, it WAS a lot of work, but it was actually a lot of fun too!
And of course, the same procedure was once again repeated on the other side.
The upper control arm was test fit to ensure everything fit and worked well. Note I still have complete access to the upper control arm splined mounting bolts. They have been know to turn and strip inside their holes, and access needed to be left in case of replacement.
Thank you! I'm glad that all that work is appreciated. Always happy to hear positive feedback. Must mean I'm doing something right!
Thanks for the kind words.
As with any performance car, it's usually what's hiding under the skin that tells the real story. In all honesty, I just wanted to do the best job I could, not because somebody else might see it, but because I could, and I know it's there. Of course, if somebody wanted to get down and inspect the underside, they'd have plenty to look at...
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