Project : X-BOMB

In reply to TheV8Kid :

I’m pretty sure you guys could build a faster car in 5 days than I could with 100 days so I’m a little concerned. 

Day 10 - October 28, 2016

Patched in all the gaps in the left side wheel tub.

Day 11 - October 29, 2016

Started work on right inner.

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Day 12 - October 30, 2016

Prepare right inner wheel well.

Day 13 - October 31, 2016

Finished right wheel tub. Ground welds on wheel tubs. Primed.

Do you guys use a spray bomb primer for small stuff like this or do you load up a gun? 

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

For the small stuff, we use Rustoleum Rusty Metal primer in spray cans. Light coats to prevent runs.

Golly, this is fantastic!

wheelsmithy said:

Golly, this is fantastic!

Thanks! It gets better.

I'm in for updates!  Looking great.  I'm super excited to see the fab tricks.

wheels777 said: We are anxious to run boost. 

This is going to be like Dylan discovering electricity.

I skipped this thread for weeks, because I thought it was was a zombie thread of a former PACC project. Do I remember correctly, a Nelson owned Nova that was sold off before much work ensued because an offer that couldn't be refused was made? Regardless, It is really appreciated that all you fine folks would take time out of your busy schedules to take us to school. I'll be watching intently.

Also, was Chevy good enough to leave room for the mini tubs without having to move the rear frame rails? Looks like a sizeable amount of room for meats was gained back there. 

Edit, I looked again, and saw the rear rails being cut and patched. No more questions. for now.

Day 14 - November 2, 2016

Tire fit test and rearend measurements.

In reply to TheV8Kid :

The secret's out of the bag now. Y'all draw much better diagrams than I do. That must be the difference. 

Day 15 - November 6, 2016

Cut brackets off of rear and started fabbing link brackets.

wheelsmithy said:

wheels777 said: We are anxious to run boost. 

This is going to be like Dylan discovering electricity.

 

I skipped this thread for weeks, because I thought it was was a zombie thread of a former PACC project. Do I remember correctly, a Nelson owned Nova that was sold off before much work ensued because an offer that couldn't be refused was made? Regardless, It is really appreciated that all you fine folks would take time out of your busy schedules to take us to school. I'll be watching intently.

Also, was Chevy good enough to leave room for the mini tubs without having to move the rear frame rails? Looks like a sizeable amount of room for meats was gained back there. 

 

Edit, I looked again, and saw the rear rails being cut and patched. No more questions. for now.

You are quoting what happened to the first Challenge Nova. We built it for the $2003 event and was offered stupid $, so it was sold. 

The black 1977 Nova that showed up in $2004 was our first event. That car was eventually junked. 

This thread is Challenge Nova 3.0 according the me because it's the 3rd Nova built for the Challenge. However Fuzzy is calling it 2.0 because it will be the second Nova we bring to the big event. 

Ultimately, it is being built now/today and was not sold. It is being publically shared to Hopefully calm some hostility. There will still be a lot of that. We bought the shell for $50 and shared that info when it happened. Then, we picked up a fiberglass front end for $100 at the flea market. One of the many reasons we are able to do low buck builds is do in part to having multiple barns. If we get stalled on a part, we push the car out of the way and wait till a budget friendly solution arrives. Plus, we buy stuff when we don't need it and it eventually cycles into a build. I probably have (16) sets of aftermarket axles. The most expensive set from the flea market was $80. We have (15) 9" spools - all cheap from the flea market when you don't need them. The Nova is being built around a set of axles and spool. Two weeks ago I found another set with identical dimensions.  Many of our competitors have realized the benefits of our "stash". We sell the stuff at the price we buy it at. 

In reply to wheels777 :

I wouldn't worry about the haters. You guys do things right and it's because you're a nice guy that the haters bother you. I couldn't see anyone meeting you in person and not understanding the kind of guy you are and how your whole family is. 

In reply to wheels777 :

Still trying to explain to SWMBO that I'm not buying stuff I don't need, I'm buying stuff I just don't need yet. 

I'm really looking forward to getting to play with all of you in Gainesville some time. 

TheV8Kid said:

Day 14 - November 2, 2017

Tire fit test and rearend measurements.

hopefully this doesn't derail things too much, and please don't view this as being a... derogatory comment, but this seems like the most relevant place to ask the following question:
why do drag cars/racers usually cut in towards the center of the car in order to fit "wide meats" vs. cutting the outer fender and adding flares ala Dusterbd13?

Is this a classing thing?  A "it's better for the rear axles" thing?

Watching some of the drag week coverage, I was struck by how this seems relatively common amongst drag cars, and seems to provoke some lateral... er, um, side-to-side... instability that would/could be overcome with the wider stance.  Clearly, I am missing something?

In reply to sleepyhead :

Less axle weight.

Less housing deflection.

Less frontal Area

Less yaw rotation with a tire slip.

Lower stance

Lower CG needed with higher HP

Lower Aero Drag numbers

Looks better (If its not a Gasser...Love me some Gassers!!)

Crackers said:

In reply to wheels777 :

Still trying to explain to SWMBO that I'm not buying stuff I don't need, I'm buying stuff I just don't need yet. 

I'm really looking forward to getting to play with all of you in Gainesville some time. 

Good luck with the spouse....my bride knew what she was getting into...and has been a big part of our successes...

We look forward to you getting to the Big Event too!

wheels777 said:

In reply to sleepyhead :

Less axle weight.

Less housing deflection.

Less frontal Area

Less yaw rotation with a tire slip.

Lower stance

Lower CG needed with higher HP

Lower Aero Drag numbers

Looks better (If its not a Gasser...Love me some Gassers!!)

 

less external bodywork too.  flares are cool, building them over and over is not. 

Day 16 - November 7, 2016

Welded lower 4 link bars.

Day 17 - November 9, 2016

Made pieces for upper  and lower 4 link mounts. Lower 4 link bars will mount on the original leaf spring mounts.

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In reply to sleepyhead :

Torque = Force x Radius

A lot of times what you are seeing when a car is not going straight on a drag strip is tire spin. Sometimes both tires start spinning at the same time. Most of the time they don't immediately. Thus one tire is spinning and the other is not. A force with a tangential component is being applied at a certain distance from the center of the car ie torque. This torque pushes the car to left or right, depending on which tire is still getting traction. The further away from the center that the tire is, the more torque will be applied given by the above formula. The more torque applied the more it will steer the car.

This is all assuming the car has a locked differential.

Did you guys narrow this housing? Any pictures of that process if you did?