Jerry;
I would not worry about breaking a Corvair rear axle; the u- joints are far more likely to break. If the axle fails (very unlikely) it is probably just going to twist rather than suddenly fail catastrophically.
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Jerry;
I would not worry about breaking a Corvair rear axle; the u- joints are far more likely to break. If the axle fails (very unlikely) it is probably just going to twist rather than suddenly fail catastrophically.
These are Spicers, heavy duty, I think they are forged, no zerk fitting, external c clip, I am going with these.
They are part number 5-1310X
Attachment 471
Attachment 484
New starter has a 4-1 reduction for higher torque.
Everywhere possible get weight off the fat end of the car.
Trans going in ....
Attachment 489
Attachment 488
Looks good Jerry! What do you have holding the frame up suspended?
It's on jackstands. There are two more now in the back since it is more rear heavy now.
In the interest of promoting safety, don't do it the way I just did it, put the extra stands under the rear first, then put in the engine and trans. wink
My camera does not like the lighting. Poor picture quality. The halfshafts and lower dog bone bars are in. With the lighting turned up the silver and chrome looks grey.
Attachment 492
Nice work, Jerry.
Thanks Neil,
Morning lighting a little better ...
Attachment 493
These are junk wheels. Front wheels need to have less offset and there is too much toeout right now but it's going to be a fun gocart.
That's a great overhead shot of the Manta Mirage frame. I saved this one!
Thanks Sully.
I got the brakes and clutch bled and working.
This helps me deal with the front body piece.
I need to be able to put it on the car, put it on a trailer, work on it and not scratch it ...
http://mantacarsforum.com/attachment...ntid=516&stc=1
That's a great idea, Jerry. Is the structure wood or metal?
My picture quality and afternoon lighting is not so good.
Here you can see what's going on to answer that question.
My friend said that this frame for the car part is called a "buck".
http://mantacarsforum.com/attachment...ntid=518&stc=1
I think next I will make one for the rear. Maybe a simple smaller one.
For my application, prior to cutting the front panel up into two separate smaller pieces, I used a similar arrangement (for both the front and rear panels) with a single long rope, 8 pulleys, and coated hooks on two steel tubes (the width of the body panel) which spaced the rope out the proper length, I lifted the body on and off the car that way (using the pulley system instead of the winch). This system allowed me to lift it evenly or tilt it as needed in the lift/lower work. Because it was a single rope threaded through the eight pulleys, it could be lifted/lowered in just about any reasonable angle, and still keep the hooks out of the way from interfering with the chassis fitment. The second photo shows the body lowered onto the car, with the tube/hooks/pulleys for the front lying on the floor in front of the panel. You can also see portions of the long single rope, threaded up down, over, up, down, over, etc to may a single long continuous loop (four "down's" visible in the photo)
http://www.fototime.com/757396665FF37BB/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/1445DDFAD70CC9F/standard.jpg
Later on in the project timeline, I fabricated a bar that would bolt onto the open rear panel (with a movement limiting catch at the top), that had loops on it to be used with a winch/strap to lift the panel off the hinges in a controlled, single person operation. It worked very well, so I'm planning on doing the same with the front panel as well. It can be bolted onto the panel is about 10 minutes, used to relieve the weight on the hinge pins which allows me to remove them, and then the panel is simply pulled away from the frame and lowered to the ground (see attachment and photo below)
Here you can see the reinforcement plates (at the inside edges of the rear vents, at the very bottom or very rear of this panel) which I used to attach the lift-bar. If you look closely, you can see the 3/8" holes where a bolt passes through each plate, and into the end of the lift-bar. The catch at the top is also bolt-on, which attaches to the horizontal reinforcement plates at the very front of the ram-tube opening.
http://www.fototime.com/EA2BA79C0E81E8C/standard.jpg
It's nice to get the body parts way up so they don't take up 1 inch of your shop space when you don't need them.
It's tricks like that, that make guys in a garage able to do a project that complex.
I appreciate suggestions like these from anyone and everyone - Thanks
Cleaning and scuffing fiberglass parts.
The drivers tub has a metal plate I took out. It was cut out here to clear the lower front suspension. I am going to glass this. Also the bulkhead/firewall is warped in two areas and I am working on that.
http://mantacarsforum.com/attachment...ntid=520&stc=1
I don't recall seeing that in the passenger footwell of my Manta Mirage.
You have different front suspension. This plate is getting tossed.
I am working on the bulkhead/firewall. Sanding out every gelcoat crack and filling. Gelcoat is nicer to work with than fiberglass. It's not too bad.
I went to ebay for tail light lens' s.
Attachment 568
Now everyone can see pictures on this forum, without logging in. And see full size if registered. Thanks Sulley.
It's getting hard to find these 1976 chevy van tail lights.
that's what this kit car calls for.
I polished out the stains on the white plastic bezels.
I made a silicone mold.
Attachment 569
That was fun now back to the real work.
The orange car parts are from a Manta that was a track car in Texas. They cut out the tail light panel and ran the exhaust pipes out that hole. Now I am reworking ALL the fiberglass parts to like new, original, no body mods.
Jerry;Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerry
I cut out the same panel to clear my transaxle. I may still have it here somewhere; if I do, would you like to have it?
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
Neil,
I have the panel. Thank you for offering yours. Is that the 930 transaxle that is too long?
I am glassing in the panel now.
Jerry
I'm using a G50 and my rear chassis is completely different.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
"The tail light licence plate panel is glassed in. I took a lot of time to make sure it is square and level in its place. Taking time now saves time later when doing final fillers as needed. The only fillers I have used up to this stage are long fiber filled or short fiber filled.
Glass mat used on the inside.
http://mantacarsforum.com/attachment...ntid=702&stc=1
Now I need to get a small block and sandpaper and get this bevel finished really nice.
That bevel on the rear panel was probably the hardest part of the bodywork I had to negotiate. Eventually I bought some Home Depot 1" angle aluminum, and put some PSA sandpaper on it and used it to finally get a straight edge and angle on the bevel, even in the corners (where the angle aluminum was cut at 45º to promote a sharp corner. It was a frustrating process prior to that. A short sanding block is pretty good once you get the bodywork shaped correctly. A long board (what I call an "idiot Stick" because it allows even a novice a better chance at a straight body) ensures long flat areas and long curves/corners are flat (something about the length of an air-file or the standard PSA paper). Once I'm ready for wet sanding, I start using the smaller blocks or pads. By then, it's a lot harder to sand waves or imperfections into the panels.
Some of my favorite hand tools to get a perfect body:
The best small sanding block I've ever used. The same size as a typical small sanding block:
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Stikit-Atta...sanding+blocks
A great intermediary block that is longer than the small ones, but shorter than the idiot sticks:
http://www.amazon.com/3M-5441-Stikit...sanding+blocks
About the best "long" sanding block out there:
http://www.hillas.com/Categories/3M-...4toaAi_t8P8HAQ
A good soft 600 grit or finer sanding block. It conforms to a lot of small curves and corners:
http://www.amazon.com/3M-05442-Stiki...sanding+blocks
The old-style blocks where the paper is folded under and punctured by three nails works okay, but they rarely are perfectly flat. The 3M stuff is about as good as it gets.
That was real creative with the rear tail lights!
Prepping fiberglass parts.
Attachment 709
Many more areas to fix.
Not sure what I am looking at other than some vise-grips on the right side.
The rear hatch. The back window is above the visegrip. Previous owner cut out this area, I am putting the glass back. Just 1 of many cut or drilled or damaged places that need to be redone.
The hatch closes and does not look right on the passenger side.
From the drivers side I made a wood template.
Here it is, flipped over to the passenger side.
Attachment 715
When I close the rear hatch the passenger side does not match up so good.
Attachment 716
The hatch is warped. The geometry of the wood is right. The fiberglass needs to be reshaped so it matches the template.
When I was remaking my bodywork, I felt the OEM Manta body panels were not "warped", but simply laid on a asymmetric molds.
I think you are right. That area does look asymmetric. The previous owner cut out the webbing, as if to clear the 45 deg roll bar. I glassed it and now I am reglassing it in a little different position.
When the webbing was cut, the hatch shell shape opened up some.
like this:
Attachment 717
the white area was mostly cut out. I glassed it back but the shape had opened up.
To bring it back I made the cut you see, pulled the side in, clamped it, and glassed a small tab.
Now I will remove the clamp and shut the hatch and check the work.
Better fit now is less bondo.