philt
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2012
- Messages
- 178
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Orlando, FL.
- My Car
- 1972 R code Mach1. Being resto moded.
The first part of this series showed the placement of new rear frame rails mounted inward to allow 4" more clearance than the stock frame.
Today I cut out the old frame and positioned the new 15.5" wide by 16" deep wheel Tub. Here are some progress photos:
The new frame with the old cheap, thin metal frame cut out:
Really Ford? This is all the thickness you use on your unibody??? Scarey.
I imagine with 28" of soft road grabbing rubber and 700+ HP this frame would look like something made by Snyder Pretzel Company.
New Frame is 10 gauge and fastened using 1/4" steel plate at front (boxed) and 1- 3/8" .25 wall Moly in the back. More plates and crossmembers will be added as the custom 4 link goes in.
Without cutting out the old frame, it would be IMPOSSIBLE to get a 15 1/2" wide wheel well in the 71-73.
The frame will extend all the way to the front with new .25 wall sheet stock supporting the very front after the shock towers are removed.
This shows the new wheel tub:
A FULL 15.5" width, enough to get those 14" wide Michelin P345/30ZR20s. These tires have a 4.5" high tire wall so I want about an inch of wall peaking out of the well over the 20" Schott wheel. This gives me a full 2.5" extra depth in the well. The axle will bottom out before the tire hits the top of the well.
Here is a picture thru the rear tail light opening:
And here is the original Inner wheel well:
Ill be finishing the outer wall mod later today. I hope to have this well complete by the end of the weekend.
Today I cut out the old frame and positioned the new 15.5" wide by 16" deep wheel Tub. Here are some progress photos:
The new frame with the old cheap, thin metal frame cut out:
Really Ford? This is all the thickness you use on your unibody??? Scarey.
I imagine with 28" of soft road grabbing rubber and 700+ HP this frame would look like something made by Snyder Pretzel Company.
New Frame is 10 gauge and fastened using 1/4" steel plate at front (boxed) and 1- 3/8" .25 wall Moly in the back. More plates and crossmembers will be added as the custom 4 link goes in.
Without cutting out the old frame, it would be IMPOSSIBLE to get a 15 1/2" wide wheel well in the 71-73.
The frame will extend all the way to the front with new .25 wall sheet stock supporting the very front after the shock towers are removed.
This shows the new wheel tub:
A FULL 15.5" width, enough to get those 14" wide Michelin P345/30ZR20s. These tires have a 4.5" high tire wall so I want about an inch of wall peaking out of the well over the 20" Schott wheel. This gives me a full 2.5" extra depth in the well. The axle will bottom out before the tire hits the top of the well.
Here is a picture thru the rear tail light opening:
And here is the original Inner wheel well:
Ill be finishing the outer wall mod later today. I hope to have this well complete by the end of the weekend.
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