Widebody FB with FD Running Gear

[Antnicuk]

I thought I would start a new thread for my next project. As you may know I have Ian's old black series 3 and I want add full FD running gear and a widebody kit. I have been slowly stripping the FD shell that I have and today i removed the last of the running gear and then took the shell to the scrappy's.

From this .....


to this





Here is the running gear that i have to fit




I will be grafting the running gear on in the next couple of weeks. Although this project will take some time, I am under a bit of pressure to get the FB shell rolling as it is in my cousins workshop and he is moving at the end of the month so i have to get it rolling and drag it home within 2 weeks. Once at home i will remove the subframes and start stripping them and will try to get them sand blasted and poly bushed. I will also paint what isnt aliminium.

Thats it for now.

to this



and when i add this



and this



with some spit and chewing gum, it will hopefully look something like this

[ian65]

I'm really looking forward to seeing this build.... some serious engineering going on here....

good luck with it!

[Lucky]

Yep, likewise. Watching avidly lol. Even though my soul is still gently weeping at the sight of that poor murdered FD

That black widebody SA22 is one of my favouritest ever RX-7s, if you can even come close to that it'll be mega

[Antnicuk]

i must try and remember to get my phone out and take pictures at the appropriate times, which isnt always easy when i'm on a roll getting things fitted.

[Steve-A]

I'll be keeping a close eye on this too!

Good luck with it, I'm sure it'll be amazing when it comes together.

[RamoNZ]

[Chud]

The yogurt truck will be well and truly crashed if it ends up looking like that IMSA SA.

[Antnicuk]

yogurt truck?

making some progress, all cut out ready for welding in the bits i want to put back.

Before I removed the subframes i took a load of measurement so I could make sure that they go into the FB at the correct angles and heights in relation to the chassis rails, floor and the other (front/rear) subframe. The front has proved to be fairly easy. Before I took the FD to be crushed, I cut out the front section of the chassis rails as they incorporate the upper wish bone mounts. The same piece of chassis rail also mounts to the subframe. By bolting them in place on the subframe and then bolting the wishbones to them, the geometry is correct which is important to me. The FD has a very good fully adjustable set up so I want to make sure that I keep it that way. If the upper wishbone mounts are slightly wrong, it can change the castor, camber and the KPI.

Once I had decided exactly where I wanted the front subframe I marked where it was going to go and then cut out the parts of the chassis rails on the FB to the same size as the replacement FD ones. Quite handy really as the drivers side FB was a little perforated with rust.











To get the rear subframe in the right place took a little more work, The subframe needed to be quite high up in the chassis to keep the optimum geometry. Also, the FB doesnt use coil overs at the rear but a shock and spring meaning there is no turret. So out came the grinder and gone was the boot floor, the inner arches and some parts of the rear chassis rails. The rear chassis rails will be replaced around the subframe once in and will also incorporate the turrets and a half cage in the rear.

Having played with both cars, the FB chassis is substantially stronger and heavier than the FD. The FD's strength is in the subframes and reinforcing bars underneath the car. I wouldnt be doing this to make a lighter car than the FD. It is amazing how close the measurements are on the 2 chassis' considering how many years apart they were made.

[Lucky]

Top work, Tony . I need a week to work up enough bravery to try and stick a numberplate on straight

yogurt truck?

You probably don't wanna know It's an allusion to tummy custard, I think you'll find

[Johnnyboy]

Super stuff.

I like the way you make it sound so easy.