PFM - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

PJLOval · August 2nd, 2006, 10:23 AM

I started with a body I got from a friend and started fabing up a chassis that will use an Audi A4 five speed trans and a Scirroco 16 valve 1.8. It will be Pushing From The Middle (PFM). The front suspension is Mustang II type with stock spindles and tubular A arms. The back will be S-10 4x4 front spindles and bearing hubs with custom made upper and lower A arms. Well here's what I have so far.

PJLOval · August 8th, 2006, 09:24 AM

Getting stuff ready to add the divider between the engine and passenger compartment. I'm going to section an old windshield frame and put it between me and the engine. I'll make a new flat bottom section with a removeable bottom panel for engine access. I'll quick pin the seats in so I can pop them out. Yes it will be a pain to get to the engine! I better build it right the first time. Actually the engine and trans will slide out the rear so I'm doing the removable rear apron too. Now Oil changes and tuneups.......

PJLOval · August 8th, 2006, 05:06 PM

Did some test fitting to see if this idea is going to work. I'm mounting the frame with the "inside" still in the inside. I'll make filler panels for the sides and a flanged flat bottom for the seal.
This picture is through the front windshield,

Inside corner detail. I want to finish this out to look kinda factory so a head liner will fit in like the stock one does at the windshield.

From outside the quarter window. I think if I paint this side matt black it will tone this back a little.

PJLOval · August 9th, 2006, 02:31 PM

Edited.......

PJLOval · September 14th, 2006, 09:57 AM

Changed Rear uprights to S-10 4x4Front Spindles and Bearing Hubs

PJLOval · October 6th, 2006, 08:11 AM

Not much done in a while. Repairing the exterior of the house and that's taking all my time. Also going to start rebuilding the 72 after the fire for my daughter.

PJLOval · April 14th, 2007, 05:36 AM

Finally some sort of progress. I found a guy that is converting his S-10 4X4 to a strait front axle and is letting me have all his front end. This will provide the uprights, bearing hubs and brake rotors so I can start building the rear suspension. I'll get some pictures up as soon as I get the parts off the truck.

I got the idea to use the S-10 parts while reading about Dick Bear's Mcbearen/Mclaren. He used Jeep Grand Cherokee uprights though but still very similar. He's also using a MII front end like I will be using.
http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4020

Thanks Dick!

PJLOval · April 28th, 2007, 03:53 PM

I picked up my S-10 spindles and bearing hubs today. Got them home and taken apart. I will start building a jig to hold them in the correct position and start mocking up the rear A arms. Early Cadillac rear disk brake calipers will bolt right to the factory mounting holes and they have the parking brake!

PJLOval · May 9th, 2007, 04:52 PM

Ordered the 1" and .75" DOM tubing to make my rear control arms. I found a place on-line that sells small quantities. I know I'm probably paying a lot per foot but I don't have to buy 20 plus feet. Metaldepot.com. I also made the templates for the frame brackets and ball joint plates and they were made today at my brother-in-law's fab shop by my nephew Jason. So if all goes well I will have my rear control arms done shortly and will post some pics.

PJLOval · May 16th, 2007, 03:19 PM

Made some progress. Waiting on the bushings and sleeves to finish this A arm.

PJLOval · March 12th, 2009, 09:25 AM

After some time off of this project, putting another car together for my youngest daughter, and marrying off my oldest Daughter this Saturday, I will be getting back to this car.

A very generous donor has given me a 3" shortened mustang rack, crossmember and upper control arms. I will post some pics as soon as I get them.

This is the plan on paper how I'm going to make it all work. I plan to use airbags and shocks.

PJLOval · April 14th, 2009, 05:37 PM

Ray, Thank you just doesn't convey how much I appreciate your donation to get this project rolling again.

PJLOval · April 18th, 2009, 09:20 AM

N/A

PJLOval · April 22nd, 2009, 05:18 AM

I spent a lot of time last night deciding where the front and rear axle center lines will be. I pulled one of the 17" wheels from my daughter's beetle and set it under the fenders. I moved it forward, back and forward about 20 times until I had it where I wanted and it looked correct and didn't hit anything. The goal will be to have the lower section of the front crossmember in place by the end of the weekend.

PJLOval · May 2nd, 2009, 07:21 PM

Made some progress this week. Waiting for the lower control arms.

PJLOval · July 22nd, 2009, 06:26 PM

Made the tunnel on Saturday. In a discussion on another board one of the guys from Art Morrison suggested a tunnel to stiffen up the chassis. So I came up with this. The car would still have a roll bar for the rear but I won't have to do a cage to stiffen it up in front.

PJLOval · September 14th, 2009, 04:55 AM

Sold the 16V head and have a buyer for the short block. Got the V8 block setting in the chassis for mock up and put the body back on to finish the front suspension.

Here's the body back on the chassis.

Now to start mocking up the upper control arm mounts. I need to trim out some space for the upper control arm. I want to add the rolled edge in the fender well like the original body work.

PJLOval · September 17th, 2009, 09:17 AM

I just cut the fender well for upper control arm clearance. I left it about 1/4" long and then rolled it to make a nice4 clean edge. I don't know if the pictures will be any good but here's what it looks like. I have some clean-up to do on the edge.

PJLOval · November 9th, 2009, 05:57 AM

Engine and Trans adapter are drawn up now. I'm making it out of two pieces and will weld the two together once the alignment is set. I'll be cutting the pieces out at my Brother-in-laws fab shop in a week or two.

PJLOval · May 5th, 2010, 12:26 PM

Well, I just saw my project referenced in another thread so I thought I should post something. A lot of things have happened this last year with the passing of my mom and father-in-law and have changed some of my major goals. One main one is building my house on 12 acres I have near Lake Livingston. The goal is having no debt by the time I move there in a few years. So all the construction is being done by me with cash. That means this project will slow way down for a while but the good news is that it's new home will be in my 30'x50' shop (pic below) that's already built on the property now! the construction is taking every weekend I have available and all the free time in between. I have a lot of equity in my current home so that will help when I sell it to move to the new DEBT FREE home!

PJLOval · April 19th, 2011, 02:04 PM

This Project has been on hold now for so long I sometimes forget it's still in the garage. We had more bad news this year with my Dad passing away on March 15th. So I will be busy settling his estate.

The good news is that my Son decided that he really likes the Bobber style trucks being built on the rat rod sites so we bought him a '36 Ford. We have already have it pulled apart and mocked it up in the drive way to set the wheelbase and frame height. I placed my first parts order from Speedway and we should be cutting up the frame by weeks end.

PJLOval · December 30th, 2012, 12:19 PM

We now have a rolling chassis and should be firing it up in the next month or so.

PJLOval · April 22nd, 2014, 04:21 PM

Man I have been gone a long time. My last post was Dec 2012! Well, we got the truck running and licensed just in time to make this year's Lone Star Round Up. We had a blast and drove it from Houston to Austin and back with no problems at all. My son is having a blast and planning the next items to tackle on the truck so I want to get back on my '54. I have to go get it out of my shed on my property.

PJLOval · May 2nd, 2014, 06:58 PM

The before and afters I have posted on another site.

Before:

After:

PJLOval · December 28th, 2014, 07:55 AM

Keeping the bug for a while longer.