Project Stiffy - Tube Chassis Build

[brentjj]

I figure it is about time for me to start a build thread on my project since quite a few people have asked and now that school has started up again I've had some time. So here it is: !

I started with a 1993 240sx.

KA was blowing white smoke, figured the head gasket was gone. Pulled the engine apart then ended up scrapping it. Sourced a new engine.



VG time! I knew it was a hard swap to do, but that just made it more interesting for me.
I wasn't happy with the amount of rust in the front end of the car, so I cut it off. Time for Tubs and tube front end.



With the front end missing it was pretty simple to get the VG into the car. Just some subframe mods for engine mounts and it fit pretty good. Only complication was the drivers side turbo rubbing on the steering column. Easy fix.


Next to tackle was the wiring.


Then cooling.

With the front end missing I decided to up my game on the rebuild. I got my self a tube bender.

I started with a rad support made of square 1" tube but shortly after constructing it I was dissapointed in my self and knew some thing much better could be done. So like any person with common sense... I hacked off the strut towers.


The plan was to box in the original upper strut tower rails and run tubes from there to new tubular towers.




I cut my strut towers with an angle grinder and a pencil grinder. It took for ever but came out decent. I integrated camber adjustment into the tower directly.

New towers all tig'd up.

In the mean time I figured I'd lighten the car up by pulling some layers out of it since the cage will pretty much hold the car together. Every thing I removed was done with a spot weld remover. Spent waaaay too much time drilling welds out.



I hacked all the vibration weights off the subframe at the same time.
\
I eventually got to the point to where I had found so much rust on the car I fugred I should just source a new shell. Then I thought, why not build my own chassis and drop a shell over top. So to AutoCad I went.

After a few days and alot of planning I had my frame layout.

I cut and welded my rails from 2"x3" tubing.

Then I welded them up parallel and mounted the front subframe.

I went with a center x brace with a driveshaft loop. In designing the new frame I was able to move the engine backwards almost a foot and a half backwards. I moved the passenger compartment backward as well and brought the rear end forward towards the front by a few inches. I moved the front driveline up by 4 inches as well and spaced the rear end out 6 inches per side and the front by 4.5 inches per side. As of now with the z32 transmission and s13 diff, the driveshaft is under 3 feet long.



I started bending some tube.

And at the same time I split the shell off the original s13 body.


I pulled my VG apart to get a build going on it and picked up 2 sr's as well just for the hell of it.


Mmm, dry sump

With the engine put aside for the time being I went ahead and figured out my suspension set up.

I got the first corner on the car and made pretty good progress from there.

Soon the front end was rolling.

A fresh coat of paint to stop surface rust and things were looking good.

Got the main hoop in next.

Then the halo and first A pillar.

And that is how it sits now. More updates to come!

[Phlip]

There was so much frame rust that I just made my own damned frame.

Wow

[crash n' burn]

subscribed..

looks like the drift hilux build; i like where this is going. nice to see someone using a VG as well.

Originally Posted by brentjj

I cut my strut towers with an angle grinder and a pencil grinder. It took for ever but came out decent. I integrated camber adjustment into the tower directly.

why the camber adjustment here though? typically the coilovers have a decent amount of adjustment already. i'd think it'd be wiser to integrate a way to adjust caster instead.

[TheFresHesT]

This is insane even if I was a master mech I don't think I would try this.

Good stuff please keep it coming

[SupaDoopa]

If only I took engineering in school instead of joining the military.

[tdaffern]

I have no words. Just amazing!!

[FKNGRSY]

Incredible. Sub'd.

[ayrtonlucyk]

some amazing fab work, subscribed!

[mechanicalmoron]

Subscribed as fuck.


Are you going to put another bar down to the rail, to the rear of the strut tower?

How are you going to put the shell on? Is it just going to be sitting there, like a full on race car, where you can unfasten it and lift the whole thing off?

Are you making any suspension geometry or design changes?

Props for not trashing a shell because of rust (like people love to do) but just going way harder.

You are awesome.

[jbt_92]

Gangster shit.

[brentjj]

Originally Posted by crash n' burn

subscribed..

looks like the drift hilux build; i like where this is going. nice to see someone using a VG as well.




why the camber adjustment here though? typically the coilovers have a decent amount of adjustment already. i'd think it'd be wiser to integrate a way to adjust caster instead.

It pretty much just uses the same adjustment as most camber plates do on coilovers. All I did was remove the camber plate and included multiple different bolt locations in the tower. Caster adjustment is a great idea though. I will look in to that. Thanks!

Originally Posted by mechanicalmoron

Subscribed as fuck.


Are you going to put another bar down to the rail, to the rear of the strut tower?

Yeah I have alot of bracing left to do still. I'm going to truss the front towers in completly. This is just a rough outline of the chassis still.

How are you going to put the shell on? Is it just going to be sitting there, like a full on race car, where you can unfasten it and lift the whole thing off?

I am going to attempt my own carbon shell. I have experience with carbon and think it will be cool to try. It won't be all one piece though like nascar. It will have individual panels for the roof, rear quarters and such.

Are you making any suspension geometry or design changes?

I have made a lot of suspension changes. Deleted the rear seats, and moved the rear wheels forwards 9 inches. I moved the engine towards the rear of the car by a foot and a half to help equal out the weight. Mid engine win! I also gave the front end 1 inch of anti aquat and the rear has 2 inches anti squat. Deleted the rear subframe completely too. Oh and the front end is 4.5 inches wider, rear is 6 inches wider. Per side... lol so the car is a whole foot wider than factory in the rear with out the use of spacers. The front end is slightly less wide because I have to run spacers so my tires clear the coils. Widening the stance like this came with alot of problems though. Redesigned steering knuckles to avoid skid steer, new custom half shafts in the back, so on and so on... But the car will be properly widened so I'm pretty stoked on that. Picture below of how it sits now after I worked on it for a few hours this weekend. I just bolted the factory rims on the front quick so that I could roll it around. I have the halo and A pillars done now too.

Props for not trashing a shell because of rust (like people love to do) but just going way harder.

You are awesome.

Please ignore the rust. The humidity was killer this weekend and I haven't had time to get a coat of paint on the newer tubes. I have a lot more wire wheeling to do now.

[Oakville]

this is killer man! Where abouts are you? I'd like to see this when its done.

[first_choice]

Do you have an engineering degree? If so, from where?

[brentjj]

Originally Posted by Oakville

this is killer man! Where abouts are you? I'd like to see this when its done.

I'm in Hamilton!

Originally Posted by first_choice

Do you have an engineering degree? If so, from where?

I'm a student actually. Mechanical engineering, 3rd year.

[mechanicalmoron]

Are you going to use any parts of the original shell, then? or are you pretty much walking away from the chassis, other than for the bits that make it go?

Do you plan on it being street-able, regestered, and all that? That'd be pretty cool.

[brentjj]

Originally Posted by mechanicalmoron

Are you going to use any parts of the original shell, then? or are you pretty much walking away from the chassis, other than for the bits that make it go?

Do you plan on it being street-able, regestered, and all that? That'd be pretty cool.

As it is now, I am going to use the doors from the original chassis. That's about it. I've actully had a hard time with the doors so far because of the windows with proper sealing with rubber stripping and fitment.

When it is done I do wish to drive it on the road. It will be a massive pain getting it to that point, but I think it is possible.

[erict90]

badass!! subscribed

[Oakville]

Will it still look like a 240? haha

And nice, well as you can tell im 20 mins down the QEW and at U of T. Good luck on the build man!

[brentjj]

Originally Posted by Oakville

Will it still look like a 240? haha

And nice, well as you can tell im 20 mins down the QEW and at U of T. Good luck on the build man!

I actully have no idea what it will look like when it's done. Once I get the chassis finished and it's rolling on 4 wheels I'll have a better idea of what I can do for the body.

And keep an eye on the build if you can. You aren't far from me at all. I'm always free to let guys come by the garage and check things out.

[5280VertDET]

Cut front end: with ya.
Bought tube bender: with ya
Removed entire chassis and body: with ya?
Auto cad the BUILT the entire chassis: WTF....

[Oakville]

Of course man, my classes are spaced out quite a bit so I end up sitting on campus plugging around zilvia/gtrc; I'll always have my eye on this.

I'm always down to come chat cars/see whats going on. How long do you think the build will take? and where are you at school?

[brentjj]

Originally Posted by Oakville

Of course man, my classes are spaced out quite a bit so I end up sitting on campus plugging around zilvia/gtrc; I'll always have my eye on this.

I'm always down to come chat cars/see whats going on. How long do you think the build will take? and where are you at school?

I'm just at Mohawk. I don't have a time goal in mind for the car. I just work on it here and there a few hours a week. It's hard to get work done with school and stuff but to get me to the point where I am now has been a year. I figure by spring I will have it driving, just no body. My VG still sits in 2000 pieces so I will probably source another VG and run it pretty much stock for a while and build up my current VG at the same time.

[Oakville]

Originally Posted by brentjj

I'm just at Mohawk. I don't have a time goal in mind for the car. I just work on it here and there a few hours a week. It's hard to get work done with school and stuff but to get me to the point where I am now has been a year. I figure by spring I will have it driving, just no body. My VG still sits in 2000 pieces so I will probably source another VG and run it pretty much stock for a while and build up my current VG at the same time.

Right on. If you need a cheap VG, a buddy of mine is selling one for dirt cheap, its NA though. He bought it as a spare motor but is now deciding to go 1JZ.

[spaten]

Sick build man

[7x13]

Holy Sh!t!!!

Sub'd

[bova17]

nice as hell

[Tim_Zenki]

holy fuck, subscribed to this asap lol

[EmpyreS13]

Wow, just fucking wow. No other words. Subscribed. Looking forward to see where this is going

[PeaceOnesxWai]

INSANE!!


Are you related to Nigel @ Engineeredtoslide?

[future]

First build thread on zilvia where there is no hate. And I see why, this shit is insane. Possible first tube chassis street 240?