Tachout's Build Thread

Well the UPS guy visited me yesterday. I was not here when it came, but got to check it out last night, and then today I thought I would take some pictures to share with everyone.

Single Blade Throttle Body - Checked off list of parts.

Well today I have done some grinding to get rid of some old welds.... I have also got the rear bars from the hoop to the back half cut and sized. I put the door parts in, but will need to cut them once I size the front of the cage. I need to start on the halo, and front bars next, and that will be in just a little bit. It is hot and I decided tot take a drink break, shoot some pictures and post them. I plan on sizing the front bars, and the Halo tonight, and then want to do a little more in the next few days leading up to the weekend. This weekend I hope to weld in most of the cage, other than the front two bars that connect the cage with the front frame under the hood that go through the firewall. First I need to address the firewall, and then once the engine and trans are in, I will put these two bars in around the turbo's. Maybe if all goes well, by the end of next weekend around all that is going on I will be able to cut the actual Vette frame out of my way, and start patching the scars in the body with some sheet metal before I start rolling the tubs, and sizing them and all. Either way here are some pics so far today.























I still have some fitting and sizing, and I want to grind a bit off of the bottom of the main hoop so that I can put plates between the roll cage, and the frame. I am fairly happy with the fit, and I think it will be a fair match between body and cage. For anyone who has ever put a cage in, getting a good fit to the body makes a world of difference and I am glad I am taking the time to grind it tight. So many cages you see in C4's the main hoop is straight, and not bent to contour the body, and after that the seats fit bad, and you can see the cage just does not look right. Mind you it takes a lot more work to get it right, but I think it is worth it. Putting in the other door bars, the front bars, dash bar and halo should complete a very tight cage.

Well I did not get near as far as I wanted to. The Halo is close to where I want it size wise. Next I need to work on the front legs. Two considerations here though.... I need to get them as tight forward as I can, and also fit the halo the way I want it to. Might have to do a little bend on the end but still considering what I want to do there. Then I want to size the dash bar, and the rear bar that goes across at shoulder height. From there the side bars will need to be put in. The main bar, shoulder to floor in the front should lay in pretty easy. The ones that criss cross will take quite a bit more work. I want these as low as possible, but I want them right at the same time. From there it is a matter of supporting bars and stuff. Hopefully I can get enough time this week to get to sizing all of that, or I am going to put off welding for a week till it is all done. I am going to leave off the bar that goes from the dash bar/ front down bar to the frame under the hood until I get the engine in, and the turbos in, and all, and then I will work around everything to put them in.

Well here are some pics. I zip tied some stuff together to get an idea how stuff lays, and also to know where I need to do what to pieces without having to have someone stand in the garage and hold everything. (Not that I have not had a ton of offers to hold stuff)

Well have been swamped at work, and honestly between working a few hours at work on Saturday, and the Midnights the night before I did not feel like working on my car. Today I had to clean out the garage to dig something out for something for someone, and had to move my rear diff. I decided to see what it looks like hanging in there so decided to finger tight it in place. I can tell I need to shorten all the 4-Link Bars by atleast 4" and rethread them, but I could tell that was coming.

Well when I was at the track last night I picked up a set of used junk tires to use for mock up and also to help in sizing. I rolled them under and decided that I just had to take a few pictures. This car is going to look wicked when she is done!

Well I got the chance this afternoon and evening to go do a little work. I am happy with the results of tonight. Tonight I got out there, took the main hoop and set it in its spot with the two rear bars that go to the shock towers, and tacked them into place. Then I pulled it out of the car, and put it in the driveway to clean and weld.... Ok I tacked it, went to remove it and found one was not tacked, so I had to get it all squared and set again, and then tack it again before removing. Welded it, cleaned spots and welded some more till I had a good weld all the way around the down tubes, working first a small area on one, and going back and forth. Felt really good, and I can say looks pretty good too. I will still put some gussets on it, and all but that can be done a bit later. I then started cleaning up since I wanted to take a nap before going in to work tonight around midnight. I took some pictures, and then put it back in the car, and guess what, it fit, and nothing moved due to heat! It will come back out again and I need to clean the floor, and put in a couple of plates, and then weld the main hoop to the floor. I will then weld the halo, and set the front down tubes and weld them, and then start working on the dash and door bars. After that the support bars...

At work I am starting to get caught up and once it is all caught up and I am between projects, I am taking a week off, and the plans are to spend atleast 80% of my time out there and finish the welding, and sizing and all and atleast get the cage in. Who knows, I might even put in the tubs and start to finish the back and get it ready for its fuel cell, and move the battery and all. Lots of special stuff to make all that work!

Here are a few pics. Thanks to my wife, I even have some of me welding but I will only share a couple of them

Well it has been a little while since I updated and that is mostly because I have not done a thing to it. Luckily I am on Vacation this week, so I have been working a little on it. First I pulled out the hoop and downbar assembly, and welded a couple of gussets on each side. Then I went and looked at it in the car and should I weld it in or what.... Well that was easy.... NOT. I decided I needed a couple pieces of angle in there to beef it up a bit, and then was out of gas... as usual, get on a roll and need to run an errand. No matter as there was another errand I wanted to run. That took me to Morgan Utah. Met up with the nicest guy I have met in a while. He can even out talk me! Yep he has some cool cars, and was my contact for some really cool stuff for my car. He runs RAAM Audio, and has some great sound deadening stuff. Before I go and put that hoop all the way in, I wanted to deaden under the trim pieces, and since it is so tight, I am going to have to install the trim pieces too. It is starting to go back together! Right now the glue is setting up on the top layer of material, and that stuff is the best. Really surprised me how well it does. Here shortly I am going to grind down the hoop enough to clear the trim pieces inside the car, and set it in there for sizing and tacking the halo. Once it is tacked, I will just slide it forward, and make all the welds and add a couple of gussets up there. Then slide it back and that part will get fully welded in. But first I must dig through the interior parts, and find the interior trip pieces, and also pull out the screws to hold it on. Once they are in I will be taking more pics I am sure, and will also be starting to see some real progress. I want to get this assembly done and the front bars done by the end of the week, and more if I can. Also plan on trying to do some of the other bars, so I can start to put it all back together. Then cut and install the tubs, and get some sheet metal for the interior parts I am going to make floor out of. Then more sound deadening, and then carpet the whole car! We are starting to make some real progress!

I have been on Vacation this week, but still have not managed to do much. Been to busy with other things I guess. Did get some stuff done however, so I thought I would share not that the rain has started, and I need to finish some side work I am doing for someone.

Got the main hoop and rear down bars in, and all gussetted. Got the Halo in and gussetted. Got it in there in such a way that when I want to take the top off and drive it on the streets I can still get to the bolts to take the top off. I have one of the Passenger front down bar in and sized. Just tacked, as I need to put some steel in there in place of the fiberglass that is in there under the down bar now.

Still need to shorten the door bars, and planned on doing that after the down bars are completed. Then I am going to dig out a seat, and put it back in. Not bolt in, but put in. Once I do that, I will know where to locate my back bar, and can size it. I feel like it is coming together.

Once I finish the side work elevations of a cabin I am drawing, I will go back out there and work if it is not raining.

I sure am happy with how it is fitting in the car. Every place I can make it tighter to the body I do. Making it tight to the body will make it easier to get a larger opening to get in and out. Even though I have been on a diet, and have lost 70+ pounds, it is still going to be a tight fit getting in and out.

Here is a rarity. A second update in one day.... and there will be a third the way the weather is today. Man am I making some progress today. Goal today was to start sizing some stuff, and I have even managed to put a seat in and set the height of the shoulder bar. WOW is this thing going to be tough to get in and out of. Once I get the second set of bars in that make up the X in the door, and put a net in the way, it is going to be a real pain to get in and out of. Feels really really good to get far enough to say that it is going to be hard to get in and out of.

Well it has been quite some time since I updated this thread, and a couple of different people have asked me how it is going, and how come I do not post pictures any more. Well simple enough, time to update and post some pictures with comments on them





Drivers side still has a ways to go, with the cross bar being the most obvious. I have the dash bar, as well as a couple of other small things to tie on this side, and then need to go in, finish all the welding, and making it look good on this side, and also add quite a few gussetts





The passenger side is about the same as the drivers side, however I have layed in the cross bar, as I am going to start sizing this bar in place and then weld it in, and then the rest of the bars that need put in. The two pictures will show you about where the bar will line up with the door panel, and will be pretty much out of the way.






Those are just a couple of Misc. shots I took from the back window. I know the drivers seat looks really high. Right now the seat track is all the way up, and since they are power seats, and the battery is disconnected they will stay that way until I get a ton closer to putting it all back together. The seats and tracks still need to come out and all the sound deadening, and carpet need to go in before I do the final install of them anyway.

Hopefully this weekend, around a couple of other projects, I am going to be able to get in there and start getting the rest of the cage in. After that the tubs will go in, and be sized and all. Still a ton of work to get to a point of going back together, but the rear is all bolted in, and I know about how much each bar will need to be shorted by, and then rethreaded for the 4-Link. Lost of sheet metal work and all to do, but this sure is a fun project.

If there is anything anyone is looking at, that wants a specific pic post it up on here. I know a couple people following a thread on a forum have asked, so I have tried to post what they want.

It has been a while since I updated this becasue I have just not gotten out there to work in it. Well today I stole a couple of hours and got the passenger side door bars in. Just have a few more parts to size and tack in, and then it will all need cleaned and finish welded, and I can move on to the tubs and interior work. Anyway here are pics from today.

Well I gotta say today was a perfect weather day for working on the car. I did not get started as early as I wanted to, nor did I get done all that I wanted to, but I did get the drivers side cross bars completed. I am really close on sizing the dash bar, and that will just leave the kickers, and the trans crossmember for the interior, and then the two bars under the hood. From there is is up to me for what I want to add. Have some interior modifications to do, but that was expected. Starting to really come along. Several people have asked me how hard is it going to be to get in and out of. Look for your self, it is not that bad, and I was able to get in and out pretty easy today. I know it will be easier to get into when it is on the ground too, but it was not that bad at all now.

Well I got the dash bar in, and test fit the top for the first time since the cage started to go in the car. The top Fits! Also put in both seats, and climbed in the car and out several times. I must say something is really wrong. The cage is not as uncomftorable as I would have thought, and it does not hurt to climb in and out of. I have actually not hit my head once on it (Yet.) I am looking forward to getting that trans mount done, and the wheel tubs, and back sheet metal work done so I can button up the interior, and get it on the ground to roll around. Wont be long after that and we can load this gun! After that the real work begins!

Got a new part for my car. It is the new Battery Box for the rear mount Battery. I think it will have to be powdercoated bright Red! Hopefully tomorrow I will be out there doing some welding, and some of the finish welding work.

Well things are going to still progress some while I am not working, but there will not be any new parts for some time.

In the mean time thought I would post a couple of cute pictures.

My daughter and Grandson are home for a visit. She is on leave from the Navy and about to deploy. She is going to be here till the 13th and then has to report to her ship so while she is out to sea, we get to have our grandson stay with us.



My son got really jelous of Douglas getting the chance to drive the vette so he had to have Dad Climb in and let him drive too!



Cannot wait to get this pig finished and the track open so I can take it for a couple passes!

I decided I was going to go out to the garage for a little while today. Today was also take the tree down day, and cut it up to burn. I did not get out there till after 2:00 as I was also preping for dinner (Stay tuned for pics of dinner too!).

I went in and started to unpack the wheel tubs that have been here for what seems like forever. Thought I would start getting some measurements. The best way to put in a set of tubs, and to get them to install with a good tight fit, but without the worries of interference issues, and to make them look good from the word go is right here in these first few steps. Careful planning, and measuring and making a template and making sure it is perfect before cutting any steel is key.

Today I started by cutting the box open, and here is a big hint. Be careful cutting the box, and make sure you save the cardboard and cut as I did.... you can use that cardboard for your template.



First cut along the top of the box.



Then each side



This piece is the flat inner fenderwell



Careful placement and making sure it is in the right place is going to be key. I just stuck it in, and decided I am going to have to do some cutting just to test fit the part, and decide where I want to put it.





And how much clearance will be between the tire and the wheel well? Lets see this tire (No not the one going on the car, but a tire used for mock up) will have 5" clearance all the way around if I center it in the wheel well..... and it is a 31" tire. So if I go to a 33" I will still have a 4" clearance if it is centered. My goal here is to have the center of the tire about center of the well, and if needed we push the well up in the body to get ride height corrected. Lots of test fitting here.





Now as stated here is what is for dinner... Northern beans and ham, and Corn Bread. Dinner is going to be good tonight.

I was looking for something else, and found some pictures. This is the a group of pictures of my Corvette when I first had it home. I bought it, and as soon as the guy left I started cleaning it up. When I first looked at it, I thought it had grey carpet as he used the floor boards for an ashtray. The stereo was not bad and it had the Carbon Fiber dash kit and I could tell the body would shine with a bath. The paint looked like flat paint. It was down right nasty. These pics were taken infront of our home in Cali before I ever moved to Utah. Well here are the pictures.

Well with today's weather being so nice, after I got some errands done, and got the nasty bird pooh off the truck I decided it was time to start getting that piece of frame rail out of the way. Once I get it out of the way, and I get the frame all welded up there, and all, I will be ready for the Wheel Tubs. It is going to take quite a bit of work, but well worth it.





I decided that I need to cut this out, and then work to put the tub around it. and do the best I can without moving the front of the wheel well. Still not sure if the rear of the wheel well will need to be moved, but I am going to do what I can to not have to move that part. I am starting on the passenger side, and will move to the drivers side to hopefully get these cut out in the next couple of weeks as long as the weather cooperates.









I also added a couple of decals to my car. I know most of you guys do not like decals, but these I am proud of and will fly from now on.



And now something really cool photo wise. First are a couple shots of me using the Plasma Cutter





And yes I am married to a great woman. When we go out to work on the car yes she does come out to help. How many of you guys go out to the garage, and your woman uses the Plasma Cutter too. I bet by the time I get the Vette done there will not be much that she cannot do to a car either.

Well I got a little more done tonight. Hopefully we can have a little more warm weather, and also some sunshine tomorrow and I can finish this side. Maybe I can also start to size the wheel tub for this side before the day is out.











Mind you I need to finish welding in the box, and finish off the side the best I can, but for the most part, the bottom of the box is coming out nice.

Well I have been shoping for something for the Vette the last little while, and tonight I got a deal on what I was looking for. Got the center section for the rear end. More details and better pics later, once I get it out of the truck and go install it. Got home late, and it is like cold out there.

Well thanks to Highpockets, I now have the rods that came with the motor I bought for the Vette a while back. The guy I bought the motor from finally dropped them off at his shop, and today I went down and picked them up. There is nothing that makes you feel better than getting new parts (or used parts that are new to me). I am so happy that things are now moving along again. Now I just need some weather to cooperate and me not be so tired or lazy, and get out there and make some real progress.

Here are a couple of pics of them:

Well could we ask for better weather to work out on the Vette? I got a slow start as I had some errands I wanted to run this morning. Spent quite a bit of time getting ready for the undertaking of putting that heavy pig in there. Keep in mind how fat I am. I crawled under the car, squeezed in between the 4-Link suspension and diff, and picked it up, and bolted it in.

I decided to just throw a gasket on to keep the moisture out, as it is going to be a bit before I button it up. I need to press off the old bearings, take the housing out of the car, and clean it, and get it ready and put new axle seals in it. First off there are no axle seals in it right now, and second those bearings look and feel terrible. Kind of like they have sand in them as you rotate them. I just decided today is not the day to take on the battle of finding axle bearings, and seals. I asked for the gasket for a 9" ford rear end and Autozone said they could not find one for me. I needed to tell them the car that it was in so I said 1990 Chevy Corvette and waited for the look. No look, just tried to find it on the computer. I had to say, "No it is a Ford rear end" and she said she could not find a listing for a Ford 9" Rear for the Corvette and wondered if I might have the wrong rear end.... Now I have been going to the same autozone for like 2 years, so they know what I am doing to my car. Then she asked me what did I get the rear end out of, and I said the guy I bought it from had it in his Chevelle... and she wanted to know the year so she could look it up. I again explained that Ford did not come in a Chevy in any year.... Well I went down the street and ran into an old friend of mine at another auto parts store, and he found what I was looking for in less than 2 minutes. Just walked to a book (No Computer go figure) and looked something up, walked to the shelf and pulled it right off. Told me when I am ready for bearings and seals, I should mic the housing, bring in the old axles, with bearings, or better yet just the old bearings and he can look up the parts... and at that time I just wanted to get the thing in there and out of the back of the suburban. I am planing on doing some clean up and repainting of the whole rear end when I go to do brakes anyway so I said I would just come back.

Well here are a couple pics of the Pig, and then with it in the car.













The rest of the afternoon I am going to do a little cleaning of the floor under the car, and get it ready for what comes tomorrow.

I am going to throw some ribs, and bonless ribs on the smoker, and then am going to get back on the wheel tubs, and putting in some more of the rear roll cage.

Well I got out there, cleaned the floor a bit, and then decided I had to make just a bit more mess. I went in, cut out the frame rail parts on the passenger side, and did about half of the welding to get it preped and ready for the tubs. I will post a couple of pics on the end of this post. I shut everything down and got ready for dinner, and then a couple of you stopped by. Thanks for the visit. Had dinner, and now I am going to relax for the evening. Tomorrow it will be doing some cage work to strengthen the back end a bit more, and then start laying out the tubs, and doing some interior tin work. Also going to do some ribs on the grill! I think spring heard me ask for some nice weather and said why not. I bet I will be sore monday, but getting some stuff done and buttoned up sure has felt good.



This is what I am going to match tomorrow, and will have it finished. Beyond that, I want to get some of the edges cleaned up, and then finish installing the tubs.



Probably the first of the steel floor I will add will be the center of the frame rails, and then I can put the wheel tubs in and then will just need to do the finish work beyond that.

Well today my attention was not really with me working on my car. It was more about relaxing because it is going to be a long week at work. I mostly relaxed. I did get the frame box done on the drivers side. After that I basically just concentrated on smoking some ribs, boneless ribs, and listening to the Nascar Race. Did some surfing for rims and tires and weighing my options but really just fliped different parts catolog pages. Would love to be able to roll the car in and out of the garage to work on it outside in the daylight.

Well I do not know about the rest of you but today the weather was just outstanding! Had to run a bunch this Morning. Got my axles droped off and will pick them up monday. They are going to press off the old bearings, and put on some brand new ones, and while the bearings are off, they are going to press on a set of brand new wheel studs, and going to beadblast the axles and clean them up. Come monday evening I can put them back in the car, and fill the diff with oil, and it will be complete. Once they are all put back together I am going to verify the rear wheel spacing and order my rims. I have decided on what rims I will run in the back, and want to make sure on the tire size before ordering, but hopefully by next weekend I will be able to bolt the wheels on the rear of the car, bolt the stock wheels on the front, and roll the car out of the garage to work in some nice weather rather than in the dark garage.

Today I put in the kickers, and looked over what else I need to do to the cage. Looks like I just need to clean it all up, then go in and finish weld, all of the welds. Then I can hopefully get it certified. I will then put in the rear wheel wells, and the rest of the tin in the back, and then decide how I am going to finish off the rear of the frame, and put back on the car. Once it is certified, I can also get the interior put back together, get the trans cross member made, and start working in earnest on the engine and trans!

Today was just some simple burgers on the grill, but I am sure next weekend the menu will be better. I am thinking of maybe some chicken!

Pics from today:

Cut a small piece of the backing out, and will be enclosing this with sheet metal when I put the wheel tubs in the car.


Cut the bar, notched it, trimmed the end, and welded it in place


Did the other side


And it was time to start the BBQ and have them burgers for dinner.




Once I got the burgers started, I decided to take a shot of the garage. What a mess, I need to do some cleaning out there soon. Hopefully once I get the wheels on it and I can roll it in and out of the garage, I ca clean it up some. And once I can start putting the interior back in, I will have a ton more room.



Once the burgers were done we had a little time to eat outside before it got dark.