015 - Front Suspension


I haven't felt like writing much lately, but it was time for an update so here it is!

There's no anecdote, just some actual car building and a whole bunch of research happening in the background because there are a lot of decisions to make.  Some of those decisions may hold us up in the near future so I'm trying to get ahead of things.

With the parts painted we installed the rest of the front suspension  For those that understand what you're looking at, the upper control arms are very adjustable to dial in camber, caster, and toe once the car is ready for an alignment.




Here it is again with the wheel bearings (hubs) and steering rod connected.  



The brake rotors are two parts each and held together with 12 bolts that have to be tightened to a very specific torque setting.  This is true of lots of the parts we are installing.  In addition the bolts on these rotors have holes for safety wiring which is only a requirement for race cars, but we did it anyway because it's another layer of safety and it doesn't hurt anything.  A safety wire prevents the bolt from completely backing out in the unlikely event that it loosens.  Knowing that we will be driving this car at some point, I've been keeping a careful eye on every bolt that needs to be tightened and the exact torque setting.  I don't want there to be any doubts in my mind the first time we take this on the street.




And here's one of the rotors on the car with some temporary lug nuts until we install the wheels.  Wheels are one of those items that I'm currently completely incapable of making a decision on.  Fortunately there's time, but much like the ultimate color of the car it changes weekly.




That's it for now.  We have plans to make lots of progress this summer, but Jack recently bought an older Jeep Cherokee that needs some work so we now have 2 car projects!!


Popular posts from this blog

004 - Ride Along

Image
Now that we all had seen a Daytona Coupe in person it was time to go for a ride in one. During a family road trip we stopped to meet a lovely gentleman who offered to show off his Daytona Coupe and take us all for rides.  "Mild to Wild" as he put it.  Jack and I opted for wild, Lena mild, and Elizabeth opted to settle for sitting in the drivers seat for a moment. The most evident aspect of his car.  His pride.  Pride that he built this.  That he knew every nut, bolt, success, and misstep along the way.  Pride that he completed this journey.  But Scott's is not my story to tell.  It is his own, and it is special. Read about it here if you're so inclined. FFR - The Race Is On The funniest thing about his car was the color. Some builders will obsess over the exact color whether it's period correct, or some vision they're trying to achieve.  For Scott.  Red.  His painter asked what color, and he said "Red".  There are a billion sha...
Read more

002 - Drivetrain

Image
This part is out of order, and usually comes much later in the build.  But there's a reason which will become evident as we begin. We contemplated building an engine from the block up but that quickly became complicated due to registration and emissions.  It's not all that interesting but it involved buying a running pre-emissions vehicle and crushing it before registering our Daytona Coupe.  Seems like unnecessary nonsense.  The more achievable path became a crate motor from Ford Performance.  A Gen III Coyote 5.0 Liter V8.  Or what's found in modern Mustangs.  Comes with an OBD II Port for diagnostics that all modern vehicles have.  Along with that we picked up a Tremec T56 6 speed manual transmission and some other odds and ends to assemble the whole package. If you share a passion for all things mechanical and automotive a visit to Mike Forte in Framingham MA should be on your list.  He's wonderful.  If you had a week to spend at hi...
Read more

001 - Introduction

Image
Myself aged 5 won't be that far removed from myself at age 50. One adorable little brain enamored by all things wheeled since first holding a matchbox car.  Motorized or not, as long as the means of propulsion is a wheel.  Boats boring, Planes boring, but cars, bikes, motorcycles, tractors, scooters, and so on.  Amazing. Cars are freedom, my heart desires to wax eloquent, but there's nothing to say not already been said.  The best of what we can manufacture wrapped up in one package. Mechanical, electrical, upholstery, form, aerodynamics, and art in the best cases.  Some merely conveyances, but the best grab hold of hearts and dreams and become more than mere transportation. One such car has held my heart for years, but the real thing is unobtainable.  Only 6 were ever produced and they are the stuff of legend, so much more than just the sum of their parts.  Many have written about the history beyond what I could achieve, if you're interested seek out ...
Read more