Thread: 1949 Chevy, Viper powered

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More progress. Modified the cab mounts and fabricated some rear cab mounts since the driveshaft runs right through the original center mount. New firewall, new floor, new drive shaft, lots of hours in fabricating all that sheet metal to fit correctly and look correct. the firewall and setback was all done completely off the truck, just the "measure twice, cut once" method, and it all turned out correctly. Floor was done mounted to the frame, because i had to square the cab up and mount it then put the floor in. Was about an inch out of square. Truck had a drivers side impact that had been repaired previously, so might be the cause of it being out of square. Pretty interesting stuff. One cab mount you could see through, so it got cut out and replaced. Made a makeshift jig to hold the cab in place while changing the cab mount out. Every task that should take 5 minutes, takes hours. Coming along though.

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Did some more work. Slow going. I'll try to keep it more up to date, even these pics are a few months old.

Just looked through this thread, and you're building one amazing truck!! One question, in the second and third pictures above your panhard bar is quite short. Have you looked at the arc that the bar travels on full travel of your suspension? Maybe the suspension is tight and won't move much? Regardless, you're doing some great work!

Amazing work......love the stance that you are giving the truck......Great fabrication.

Dan

The panhard bar is set up so that when the truck is at ride height, the bar pointed down, about the same as its pointed up now. Its on air bags, i measured the arc, calculated it in, its all free and clear, nothing will rub or hit. I'm going to drive it before paint, so if it does, i will just modify it. made it once, can make it again. Was limited on my options with the way the rear is set up, so i ended up with the bar shorter than i wanted. Oh well, not building a road racer or drag truck, just nice driver (thats fast). working now on getting the drivers door to fit. The cab is tweaked so the door is out of square, gotta build a bit of a jig to use the porta power to get the door frame squared up.

passenger door or course fit perfectly, and thats the one i put on first, such high hopes when i went around to the other side...

Originally Posted by RadRidesByDan

Amazing work......love the stance that you are giving the truck......Great fabrication.

Dan

That stance is with it lowered, not ride height, but it looks sweet. Should be about 6 inches from the ground to the bottom of the fenders at ride height. its about 2.5 inches when its lowered.

Man, this thing is smokin! You will definitely have the only one like it at your local rod run.

Originally Posted by toofast_28

The panhard bar is set up so that when the truck is at ride height, the bar pointed down, about the same as its pointed up now. Its on air bags, i measured the arc, calculated it in, its all free and clear, nothing will rub or hit. I'm going to drive it before paint, so if it does, i will just modify it. made it once, can make it again. Was limited on my options with the way the rear is set up, so i ended up with the bar shorter than i wanted. Oh well, not building a road racer or drag truck, just nice driver (thats fast). working now on getting the drivers door to fit. The cab is tweaked so the door is out of square, gotta build a bit of a jig to use the porta power to get the door frame squared up.

My concern would be binding the 4-link by the panhard pushing the differential to the side as it flexes. Seems to me that the ideal would have the panhard bar level at loaded ride height, then any movement up or down would be coming back to a center, no stress position. It'll probably be fine.

Originally Posted by rspears

My concern would be binding the 4-link by the panhard pushing the differential to the side as it flexes. Seems to me that the ideal would have the panhard bar level at loaded ride height, then any movement up or down would be coming back to a center, no stress position. It'll probably be fine.

Moves 3/16 total, side to side. Rubber mounted 4 link on each end. Im not worried about binding. it'll be straight at ride height. Going to get a sway bar on it too. No room cause of the bed, and the way all the mounts are made, to get the panhard level at ride height. If i were building a track car i would redesign it all to be optimal, and if its not to my liking, i can change it. I've seen much worse panhard designs. Seen lots better too of course.

Yeah, you've got it covered. Just caught my eye in the photo being a short bar at an angle. Rubber mounts wil take the movement OK.

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some more work. Gotta modify the radiator inlet and outlet to make it work. Passenger door fits like a glove, made new running board mounts to make room to run the exhaust on top of them (adding a diagonal brace after the exhaust is placed). Side exit exhaust tip installed, more work to come on that to mitigate heat issues.

I was looking at the photos and I thought about a hot foot. Then I read the text about more work on the side exit exhaust work! Sure looks like a nice truck.

Finally got it set on the ground to see how it looks. running boards are in the stock location, but it looks like they run downhill (in comparison to the cab and frame) Not sure if i will change it or leave it. Would have to remake all of the mounts if i level them out. I'll see how everything else goes together... Sits a little higher in the rear than i wanted, but i didn't want to channel the frame and have the rear end stick through the bed, i think that looks worse than it sitting a touch high. Should be a good driving height, i plan to drive it, not be a garage ornament.IMG_0946.jpgIMG_0945.jpgIMG_0947.jpg

The boards did have a weird angle stock,,,,, a bit of extra work but levelling them with the cab is worth it! Ride height and stance look great, sure is some nice old tin!!!!