Type 3 VolksRod - Page 55 - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

**jaransonT3** · April 28th, 2012, 09:06 PM

Since I am now just waiting for the production hood ornaments, I figured I better get back out in the garage and work on the Sled. Spent a few hours Friday and Saturday working on the rear air ride stuff.

I started out welding a couple of old pieces of the rear load floor I had saved back together so I could have a better sense of the space available for the air ride system. I then bolted this to the rear subframe and flipped the whole thing upside down.

I then started out fitting a rectangular tube I had fabricated from two pieces of angle iron between the shock towers.

and then cutting and fitting the upper bag mounts....

Plan to get out there tomorrow and get some of this welded up and the lower mounts built.

At that point I can put the rear subframe back in the car. I plan to fabricate a couple of solid spacers to use instead of the bags for the remainder of the build. When it is ready for its first drive I will swap in the bags and pumps and tanks and stuff.

**OB'S Customs** · April 29th, 2012, 06:55 AM

Nice to see you get some time for the sled...Air ride is next on my list it would be so much easier if I got rid of the heat but I live in the PNW.

1slo3 · April 29th, 2012, 06:56 PM

Good to see you back at it John!

**jaransonT3** · April 30th, 2012, 06:37 PM

Spent most of the day yesterday working on the rear air ride of the Sled. Started out making a cardboard template for the lower bracket that gets welded to the diagonal arm.

Then I cut one from some 3mm sheet metal and started bending it up on my brake...

All three steps in the process including adding the bottom cap that boxes it all in....

Trial fit with the bags...

After lots of grinding, welding, and grinding, I ended up with this. Couple of different views of the bags at Full Down, Ride Height, and Full Up...

Next, I threw the wheels on and set it on the ground and let it settle down to Full Down height. I really like the lack of camber since I flipped the diagonal arms.

I even threw in the transmission to make sure it cleared everything. So far so good...

I am going to add a couple of diagonal braces after I make sure they don't interfere with any of the fuel lines, cables, etc that exit the rear of the pan...

I am pretty happy with it so far. I bit more welding to do and some clean-up. Getting close to getting the Sled back on its own rear wheels and tires....

**Unkl Ian** · April 30th, 2012, 07:06 PM

Sweet.

fungus · April 30th, 2012, 07:10 PM

Looking good! Great to see the fab work.

**Unkl Ian** · April 30th, 2012, 07:19 PM

What was that line, from Airkwld, about "complex geometry" ?

**ThrasherBill** · May 4th, 2012, 09:13 AM

Is it done yet?

**jaransonT3** · May 13th, 2012, 08:15 PM

Got the rest of the rear air ride reinforcements welded in and the entire unit cleaned up, blasted, and painted.

I even cut up part of an old pan to make sure the reinforcements don't interfere with any of the cables and lines coming out of the rear of the tunnel/floorpan.

This is why the reinforcements are not symmetric.

I also cut some blocks of wood to act as placeholders for the airbags until I get them installed properly. Now I just need to find all the hardware to bolt the rear subframe back in and the Sled will be on its own rear tires for the first time in years.

Turbo Punk · May 14th, 2012, 01:46 AM

John, get some sleep bro.

Pure awesomeness!

Feuer_kampfer · May 14th, 2012, 07:13 AM

Looks killer!! Cant wait for more!

1slo3 · May 14th, 2012, 08:35 PM

Awesome stuff bud!

**jaransonT3** · May 27th, 2012, 11:21 PM

Over the last couple of days, I got some blocks cut to represent the airbags for the time being and decided to install the rear subframe to check fit and tire clearance.

Here is the subframe with the wooden blocks and sitting on some dollies to let me roll it into place.

Couple of pictures getting it into position under the car.

Got it all bolted up and installed the tires...

Plenty of room for the tires...

Not sure about changing a flat yet...will have to wait until I actually have the bags in to see how much clearance I have with the bags fully inflated.

I also threw together and extra front beam I had around the garage. Going to try to get it installed and get the Sled on the ground for the first time in several years.

bigguy · May 28th, 2012, 04:24 AM

Just make the fenders easily removable so you can change the tire if need be.

**bugdust** · May 28th, 2012, 08:24 AM

If you were worried about ease of tire changes you would have left it stock

I don't want to jinx myself but I don't remember the last time I had a flat tire.

**purplemyth** · May 28th, 2012, 09:15 AM

I don't think tight is the word

Git-r-dun JOHN!

markh · May 28th, 2012, 05:44 PM

There have been countless reasons why I have had to pull the wheels off. Just getting a jack under the volkster is enough a challenge!

Flipper_1938 · July 2nd, 2012, 05:15 PM

Any new pics?

**jaransonT3** · July 2nd, 2012, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flipper_1938

Any new pics?

Not yet. Been too busy getting Jill's Ghia ready for the show season and the trip to Colorado Springs (which she wasn't able to take due to some surgery), getting Sophy ready for and taking her on the Invasion trip to Colorado Springs. In Minnesota right now for a vacation and working on our cabin.

I will get back to the Sled later this month when we are back.

Slow steady progress....

1slo3 · July 2nd, 2012, 08:56 PM

Alright buddy... enjoy the time at the cabin and get some rest! Oh, and avoid the freaking heat!

**jaransonT3** · August 19th, 2012, 06:13 PM

Don't want the Sled to end up in the "Old Projects" thread, so I figured I better get out there this weekend and do something to progress her.

I had previously installed the rear subframe with the new air-ride mounts and some solid wooden blocks to represent the airbags at ride height. I installed a mock-up front end so I could put it back on the ground for the first time in years. Then I rolled it out onto the driveway for a few beauty shots...

Of course, I had to do a little PhotoShop work to get rid of the nosebleed stance....

With the front end back in, I decided it would be good to have the steering column back in to make moving her around easier.

Started out by bolting the column in without the ignition switch/turn signal housing. Also bolted in the driver's seat to make sure the steering wheel position was OK. After mocking it up, I decided to line the steering wheel up with the centerline of my eyesight instead of the cutout from the Rambler dash.

I needed to enlarge the cut-out anyway to fit the ignition switch housing so it wasn't any more work to get it where I wanted. So after some cutting and fitting This is what I ended up with...

I had to put a small depression on the left side to clear the turn signal switch. I also have some more clearancing to do around the ignition switch and then I need to weld some sheetmetal to finish off the new cut-out.

Close-up of the clearancing for the turn signal switch....

Close-up of the clearancing for the ignition switch...

And a shot with a steering wheel in place...

Still need to fabricate the column hanging bracket that the ignition switch housing bolts to and finish off the inside of the cut-out, but it looks like it is all going to work out good.

**jaransonT3** · August 19th, 2012, 06:16 PM

Oh yeah....the rear airbag mounts appear to be fine. Plenty strong.

1slo3 · August 19th, 2012, 06:21 PM

What a pile!!!

Love ya John!

JiI · August 19th, 2012, 06:28 PM

John you are one messed up mofo!!....We are sooooo proud!!!!!

: thumbsup:

Jeff

**Unkl Ian** · August 19th, 2012, 07:35 PM

SWEET.