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Dana_Duncan
Freshman Member
Offline
Greetings Everyone,
Back around April or so I started some posts about a Spitfire I had aquired for the Grassroots Motorsports $200X Challenge. I've posted a few written updates and promised some pictures. I tried to search and reference my old threads by I can't seem to find them.
To fill you in, the previous owner had started the project but to be honest his plan was not going to work, at least not well. He had completely chopped off the rear frame just in front of the dif and was going to attach an RX-7 stick axle. He gave up on the task and sold me the car. Another fellow I found had started a rotary powered Opel project but changed directions. I picked up the motor and all the Miata suspension bits from him, including boxes of all types of assorted pieces parts.
I built a table to set the chassis on that was level. I then bolted the frame to the table so it would be square and not move during welding.
The string is the vehicle center line.
I then placed the Miata rear sub-frame where I wanted it and used blocks to fix it so the hubs were at the same level as the front hubs. The guy I bought the Opel project from had already narrowed the sub-frame and Miata diff.
After that I used 1.5x3 box tube to connect the dots.
If you can see the bar clamped to the table, that's my reference for the center line of the rear axle.
Once I had the rear in place I used basically the same method to set the front uprights. I clamped them at the evelvation and width I wanted and extended the lower control arms and addapted them to the miata ball joints. The paper is so I can transfer lines and measurements, if I mess up I tear up the paper and start again.
I still need to complete the uppers but I plan to use the ends to connect to the uppers and some round stock and heim joint ends I got from the 4-link the first owner planned to make new UCA's. I have no idea where these came from but they're getting cut up now.
I hope this anwers some of the questions several of you had asked when I made my original posts.
Wish me luck, and buy some of my left over Spit parts, I need to knock the $$ off my Challenge budget!!
Thanks, Dana
Back around April or so I started some posts about a Spitfire I had aquired for the Grassroots Motorsports $200X Challenge. I've posted a few written updates and promised some pictures. I tried to search and reference my old threads by I can't seem to find them.
To fill you in, the previous owner had started the project but to be honest his plan was not going to work, at least not well. He had completely chopped off the rear frame just in front of the dif and was going to attach an RX-7 stick axle. He gave up on the task and sold me the car. Another fellow I found had started a rotary powered Opel project but changed directions. I picked up the motor and all the Miata suspension bits from him, including boxes of all types of assorted pieces parts.
I built a table to set the chassis on that was level. I then bolted the frame to the table so it would be square and not move during welding.
The string is the vehicle center line.
I then placed the Miata rear sub-frame where I wanted it and used blocks to fix it so the hubs were at the same level as the front hubs. The guy I bought the Opel project from had already narrowed the sub-frame and Miata diff.
After that I used 1.5x3 box tube to connect the dots.
If you can see the bar clamped to the table, that's my reference for the center line of the rear axle.
Once I had the rear in place I used basically the same method to set the front uprights. I clamped them at the evelvation and width I wanted and extended the lower control arms and addapted them to the miata ball joints. The paper is so I can transfer lines and measurements, if I mess up I tear up the paper and start again.
I still need to complete the uppers but I plan to use the ends to connect to the uppers and some round stock and heim joint ends I got from the 4-link the first owner planned to make new UCA's. I have no idea where these came from but they're getting cut up now.
I hope this anwers some of the questions several of you had asked when I made my original posts.
Wish me luck, and buy some of my left over Spit parts, I need to knock the $$ off my Challenge budget!!
Thanks, Dana
