Ned's Barracuda - Metal Work, take 2 - Bruning Auto Design

[MoparCar]

TJ,
What are you doing for the rear tubs/rails? Are you accepting tire width limits or are you relocating or notching the rear frame rails for tire clearance with the tubs?

Thanks, Wes

[Bruning Auto Design]

What's the name of this Southern Oregon shop?

"Race Rodz" but they no longer exist.  Go figure...  They also botched a paint job on a 68 Camaro.  It's now at Comp Specialties in Massachusetts getting the full treatment.
 

looks great!  i hate fixing other peoples' crap work...its the worst!  what kind of "pullmax" is that in the background of one of the pictures?

It is a ~'62 Vibro-Shear.  A bit different than a Pullmax, but a great machine.

TJ,
What are you doing for the rear tubs/rails? Are you accepting tire width limits or are you relocating or notching the rear frame rails for tire clearance with the tubs?

Thanks, Wes

The driver's side tub clears the tire. The passenger side hits in the upper corner of the tub.  I would love to cut them out and start over from scratch, but it isn't in the owner's budget.  What sucks is the guy who built them had the right idea, but he got lazy half way through the job and hacked them in the rest of the way....

[MoparCar]

The driver's side tub clears the tire. The passenger side hits in the upper corner of the tub.  I would love to cut them out and start over from scratch, but it isn't in the owner's budget.  What sucks is the guy who built them had the right idea, but he got lazy half way through the job and hacked them in the rest of the way....

Are the tubs just to the frame rails then? Or are they notched? Tire size anticipated?
Thanks, Wes

[Bruning Auto Design]

Are the tubs just to the frame rails then? Or are they notched? Tire size anticipated?
Thanks, Wes

335-30 20.  The lower links on the air bar were narrowed and the tubs go to the frame rail (except for the inner corner on the passenger side???).  The wheel lip area will need to be trimmed, but the tire will fit, but backspace and axle width will have to be spot on.

[MoparCar]

Thanks, that's what I was interested regarding the clearance.
Wes

[conv340]

I have been talking to Ted recently. His nightmare was incredible. I'm glad he hooked up with you guys your work is beyond first rate. He will be very happy. I have done all my own work on " twisted Fish " But looking at top builders inspires me on how far you can go and how much more I have to learn 

[Bruning Auto Design]

I have been talking to Ted recently. His nightmare was incredible. I'm glad he hooked up with you guys your work is beyond first rate. He will be very happy. I have done all my own work on " twisted Fish " But looking at top builders inspires me on how far you can go and how much more I have to learn 

Thanks man - I've been following your build for a while now.  I like the "channeled/sectioned" concept to achieve a lower ride height. Something different and unique.  The chassis we built for the Challenger is also built for a low ride heigth.   We're doing a Demon right now as well with a 6.1 HEMI and ultra low ride height.  Raised the alterK up 2" as well as the motor, sectioned sub rails, triangulated 4 link (also built at the low ride heigth), new raised inner fenders, coil over's, etc... 

Ride height with 4 3/4" of ground clearance at the alter k cross member.  Three piece 18 & 19's, 4l65RR paddle shifter trans


We like em' low and your Cuda fits the bill...

[IMNCARN82]

Dang!           TJ that looks just amazing!!!   You got some incredible skills man!!  I want you to do mine like that!!!!      WoW !!!   I had to say... I just got a welder. There is no way even I could have done that crappy of a job. I watch you guys here and do it like that.  There are soooooo many cars on here that are just over the top!!   

[Bruning Auto Design]

Finished with most of the metal work.  We are going to work on tucking the rear bumper and doing a few mods to the lower valance before the customer drives up from Northern California to pick it up...

Discovered that the driver quarter skin replacement needed to be re-done (new quarter).  The body line was way off and the upper hip line was about a 1/2" lower than the passenger side.  Also fab'd up a spoiler






We also finished the inner fenders - we added a recessed area and also modified the core support to mount a wider Ron Davis radiator.





Front sheet metal fitment is dialed in.  The customer will need to do something about the fiberglass Year One hood.  Fits like ....  This is an air ride car.  I'm trying to convince him to go for a lower ride height...



Recent picture of the Demon.  This is ride height with 4 3/4" clearance at the lowest point - steering rack mount.  The Cuda has 4 1/4" clearance at the same point and sits much higher off the ground.  The Demon is a coil over suspension car. 



Tons of build photos on our website - www.bruningautodesign.com

[MoparCar]

We're doing a Demon right now as well with a 6.1 HEMI and ultra low ride height.  Raised the alterK up 2" as well as the motor, sectioned sub rails, triangulated 4 link (also built at the low ride heigth), new raised inner fenders, coil over's, etc... 

Ride height with 4 3/4" of ground clearance at the alter k cross member.  Three piece 18 & 19's, 4l65RR paddle shifter trans


We like em' low and your Cuda fits the bill...

TJ,
Nice update on these two cars. When you said you sectioned the sub rails are you meaning the front rails? In other words, did you raise the rails to meet the rad support higher with a larger offset up? I see where you modified the alterkation and set it higher.

Thanks-Great Work

[Bruning Auto Design]

TJ,
Nice update on these two cars. When you said you sectioned the sub rails are you meaning the front rails? In other words, did you raise the rails to meet the rad support higher with a larger offset up? I see where you modified the alterkation and set it higher.

Thanks-Great Work

Thanks- The sub rails hang down pretty low when they go under the firewall area.  We shortened the height of the sub rails for additional ground clearance.  The subframe no longer hangs below the pinch seams when looking from a side view.  No changes to the rails in the engine bay in regards to location. 

[MoparCar]

Now I understand.
Thanks-I like learning the details that make cars like yours stand out and how you actually get the results intended.

[hemiken]

Hi Guys, you are doing some fantastic metal work but i was wondering why don't you do a cut and shut on the ugly factory join where the turret meets the quarter panel This area was only lead wiped for ease of assembly and would be a much nicer job if it was aproached the same way that you have been doing the fender and wheel arch disecting and stretching like you did on the Challenger just a thought as even lead when wiped in can bubble back out over time as you would know. 
And it is a very strong section of the roof where the turret and quarter meet, and their is no way they would buckle over time, i personally think that this is one of the problem areas from original on any E-body that needs to be addressed.
But unreal progress with all your projects, that is for sure

[Tubbed440]

You guys do a fine job on the chassis and metal work that you have posted up.  I'm sure you'll never go hungry. 

[Bruning Auto Design]

Hi Guys, you are doing some fantastic metal work but i was wondering why don't you do a cut and shut on the ugly factory join where the turret meets the quarter panel This area was only lead wiped for ease of assembly and would be a much nicer job if it was aproached the same way that you have been doing the fender and wheel arch disecting and stretching like you did on the Challenger just a thought as even lead when wiped in can bubble back out over time as you would know. 
And it is a very strong section of the roof where the turret and quarter meet, and their is no way they would buckle over time, i personally think that this is one of the problem areas from original on any E-body that needs to be addressed.
But unreal progress with all your projects, that is for sure

I agree with your reasoning and wish it was possible.  Cutting out that section and welding in a filler panel isn't the problem - but metal working the weld seam is.  You can't get a dolly behind it to stretch the weld areas to make the section flat (like we did on the Challenger fenders).  You would end up needing to fill the lows with some sort of filler.  We were able to remove the inner structure/brace on the fenders to hammer/dolly the weld seam.  When we do a patch panel (marker lights, sail panel seams,etc), we cut the panel so that the patch piece fits perfectly into the opening.  Even with a tight no-gap tig-welded seam, the panel will "wad" up and need to be worked flat.