Thread: 57 Chevy Cruizer

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Originally Posted by 1gary

Dave-the one in the pic that you're using,are you rotating that with a long pipe as a lever??.

Nope, just one had to rotate the car, and someone to remove and reinstall the pin. Just a matter of getting the balance dialed in right when you put the car on it.....

Yeah Dave-I have had the materials to build one twice.Well really a frame jig that rotates.

The nightmare is the car taking off lifting me off my feet,hurting me and the car.Well a really bad day in general.

In my mind,level is very important.Refence points to level that is.So in what I had in mind,there is no rollers,just adjustment feet to make level.Doesn't get moved until done.

Originally Posted by 1gary

Yeah Dave-I have had the materials to build one twice.Well really a frame jig that rotates.

The nightmare is the car taking off lifting me off my feet,hurting me and the car.Well a really bad day in general.

In my mind,level is very important.Refence points to level that is.So in what I had in mind,there is no rollers,just adjustment feet to make level.Doesn't get moved until done.

I have a fixed and very heavy duty chassis table. Bolted to the floor, 2x4 11 ga. frame with a 3/8" steel top.. Has a few referece lines cut in as well as a center line for measurements. The rotissierie is mainly for the bodies when the project gets a bit on the intense side like this one. Also works great for detailing and painting on the frames once they come off the chassis table. Wouldn't want to even try building a complete without either of them anymore, easy to get spoiled!!!

Some of the ideas I actually stole from Jegs chassis shop yrs ago when they still had that running.After a Indy Drag Racers auction we stopped by to pick up a Super Gasser roller from them.

Dave how easy is it to mount the body to the rotissierie? Do you need several people or is it something that you can just roll up to the body, bolt on, and then jack up or down to the proper height?

Originally Posted by stovens

Dave how easy is it to mount the body to the rotissierie? Do you need several people or is it something that you can just roll up to the body, bolt on, and then jack up or down to the proper height?

Most every car is different Steve. Like on the Plymouth coupe that was on it before, I had built a rolled pan for the back, so the rear fixture needed arms that dropped down 8" to clear the rolled pan, then went back up the same amount and 2- 3"X5" on each side with matching plates on the inside to bolt to the trunk floor. The '57 was a lot easier to mount, just a couple tubes with a 5" drop and a mount on either side to bolt to the floor supports.

When I put the body on the rotissierie, I get the frame unbolted from the body, support the body with jack stands and some roll bar tubing from side to side between the body and jack stand, lower the frame from under the car and slide it out of the way, then bolt the body to the rotissierie. The new stands I'm building will have hydraulic cylinders to raise and lower the body to the correct height that it will rotate 360 degrees, for this pair I use a cherry picker on either end to lift the body up....

I'd really prefer having a set (at least on the rear) that have SFI 15-1 spec on them.... Had one rear wheel break hitting 3rd once, not a good ride!!!! Yet to find anything with the nostalgia look and SFI spec!!!! Might get a race wheel for the slicks, then something else for the street.

I'm sorta' leaning the same way. Use the wheels I have now for the street and get a separate set for the track. Leaning toward bead locks for the track. Might scrub a little speed off, but better to scrub the speed than me.

Yeah, funny stuff can happen with some big horse and cheap wheels!!!! Probably end up with a pair of Convos or Stars for the slicks and Torque Thrusts for the street==with long studs and open ended lug nuts. I like being safe, or maybe I just finally got a bit smarter??????

Lots of little work that takes lots of time and doesn't look like you did anything this week on the '57... Also had to start getting some work done on a customer's car, too. Need to get 2 projects finshed up, then I'm going to TRY to take a month off to do my '57. Here's some pics of the bottom of the floor supports. Trying to get the gussets installed and welding done tomorrow....

Its hard to just keep air in the tires here . Then you go popping out another Hot rod a Gasser yet . But this 57 is tops don't think much is around with the look .

Originally Posted by bluestang67

Its hard to just keep air in the tires here . Then you go popping out another Hot rod a Gasser yet . But this 57 is tops don't think much is around with the look .

Yeah well Bobby, you know I can't leave anything alone!!!! Concentrating on getting as much weight out as I can, then going to do some serious playing with the suspension and stuff too. Some things I've been wanting to try, the '57 should make a good test mule!!!!!

Good mule it will be taking you down some straight concrete . You better get some good shoes on it !! Just reading from you adventures , the 8 pistons you put in will be rodeo ride I am sure .

It'll do some time at the dragstrip, but some street use too. I've got a lot of experimenting I want to do with some shocks, and use the adjustability in them to maintian consistency in the car. Everyone always sez a 4 speed is too inconsistent to drag race, but I've done well with them an observed most of the auto tranny guys want to do their chassis tuning with a throttle stop or delay box instead of the chassis. Launch and 60' times are so critical, think I've been leaving a bit on the table by not having adjustability where I want it. Shocks are so critical to a good launch and shocks can be easily tuned to match changing track conditions....

Dave, have you considered using coil springs in the rear instead of stock type leaf springs? Coils are infinitely more tuneable than leaves. There are dozens of different spring rates available and, by using stock-car style weight jackers, you can infinitely adjust the pre-load on them. I have coils with weight jackers in the back of my coupe and it is NOT a posi rear end. By giving my right rear spring a couple of turns of pre-load on the jacker, the car launches with almost no wheel spin and it's equal on both sides.

Ooooh! Throttle stops, delay boxes, stutter boxes, and even tranny brakes; DIRTY WORDS!! I hate them all. All that crap should be outlawed; use an old-fashioned line-lock and make the drivers DRIVE. I rarely go to the drags any more because it's a bunch of slot cars where everything is computer controlled except the steering wheel. If the sanctioning organizations would bring back the old gasser classes with NO electronics and NO computers, I know about six guys locally (including me) who would be scrambling to get back into drag racing...