74 Super with Longitudinal Acura 3.2 V6 - Page 3 - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

**V8Transporter** · March 17th, 2018, 08:22 AM

The stock 'bumpers' are essentially a curved channel. How about beefing up the inside of the channel? To help take an 'impact' use some 1/4" x 2" plate bent to match the inner curve, running across the inside of the bumper all the way to the outer flanges of the stock mounts, and sandwiched between the bumper and the mount. The bolts securing the bumper hold it all together. Between where the rear mounts touch the plate, Skip weld a curved length of 3/4" steel rod to further beef this up. Looks like a 'T' on its' side.

In '75 or so I did this on my Corvair powered '71 Bug so I could mount a trailer hitch, which I needed to tow a Baja project from Santa Rosa to San Jose and back. Yup, I gotta a lot of strange looks.

carwhisperer · March 17th, 2018, 07:53 PM

You guys make some good points. I’m no expert on these bumpers but it’s my impression that the 74 bumper is significantly stronger than a 73. But that doesn’t really mean it’s all that strong.

Also, as silly as it sounds, I don’t want to hang extra weight back there, as I’m already asking the existing structure, albeit reinforced with the subframe I made out of 1x2 .060 wall to hold quite a bit of extra weight.

And yes I realize I could save a little weight with 73 bumpers. Or no bumpers

carwhisperer · March 18th, 2018, 08:47 AM

V8T, I just noticed you live in N CA. I was up in your neck of the woods a few weeks ago. I would like to move to Fort Bragg some day do I was looking at real estate. I crossed the Russian river on my way home. Beautiful country up there

**V8Transporter** · March 18th, 2018, 09:50 AM

My late aunt lived in Fort Bragg for a number of years. Nice town.

We live just outside of greater downtown Forestville, which boasts, among other small town things, two STOP signs, four cross walks, a couple of nice public parks and a lot of great people.

Give me a heads up next time you're out this way.

carwhisperer · March 19th, 2018, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8Transporter

My late aunt lived in Fort Bragg for a number of years. Nice town.

We live just outside of greater downtown Forestville, which boasts, among other small town things, two STOP signs, four cross walks, a couple of nice public parks and a lot of great people.

Give me a heads up next time you're out this way.

I drove right through forestville on the way back! Will do

carwhisperer · March 19th, 2018, 06:24 PM

I added a 5th mount to the back of the trans, which is really more of a snubber. The Acura chassis has 5 mounts. I also reinforced the cutout in the apron. I found some paint at Lowe’s that’s a decent match

**alykat** · March 20th, 2018, 08:03 AM

Just keeps on getting better and better. Good job.

**V8Transporter** · March 20th, 2018, 06:17 PM

^ x 2!

carwhisperer · March 23rd, 2018, 08:28 AM

I started working on my hybrid axles. I welded the couplers to plates so that I could bolt them to the drill press table in the Auto Shop at the high school where I teach math. I bought a cheap 1-3/8" drill bit. It drilled the first chromoly steel coupler like butter but then I overheated it on the 2nd one. I wasn't able to drill as far as I wanted. But I have more engagement on the 2nd one than the first, because the first one needed to be shorter, so they should both be equally as strong, or weak, haha. I pressed the Acura sides in. The drill press had a noticeable wobble but post press measurements indicate I am within .008" of center. I have found in the past, that this part doesn't matter all that much. There is no way to keep them straight as you weld, because as the weld cools it distorts the shape. Truing them up with V blocks, a dial indicator and an H press (or maybe a big hammer) are where you get them straight.

I also ordered a spherical aluminum shift knob. Looks like a doorknob, doesn't it? It had a 10mm threaded hole. I drilled it out and rethreaded it (crookedly

) for 12x1.5. I held it in my hand (so I didn't scratch it) while drilling it out in small increments on my little drill press.

It has the wrong shift pattern (5 speed) stenciled on top, but I think it will wear off. I think I figured out that my shift pattern is backward, 1st gear forward and to the right. I obviously couldn't find a knob with that pattern. I think I will go to a graphic artist and have a sticker made for the dash with my 6 speed pattern, once I'm sure what it is.

carwhisperer · March 23rd, 2018, 07:20 PM

**SCOTTRODS** · March 24th, 2018, 08:07 AM

Acetone should remove the decal on the shift knob without hurting the finish. but if it has a clear coat on it... all bets are off on even that...

**V8Transporter** · March 24th, 2018, 02:24 PM

Slick plan for building your own axles.

I built my own 11-1/2" drive shaft from a 5' or so truck shaft in my small home shop. That part of my project was a lot easier than yours as I only had to cut one end.
Tacked it together a couple of times while 'hammer truing' it up.

Then skip welded it around the perimeter to keep it from doing anything interesting. The factory 'balance weight' was on the end I didn't cut and I left it in place. Never did get it balanced. That was many thousands of miles ago.

carwhisperer · March 24th, 2018, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8Transporter

Slick plan for building your own axles.

I built my own 11-1/2" drive shaft from a 5' or so truck shaft in my small home shop. That part of my project was a lot easier than yours as I only had to cut one end.
Tacked it together a couple of times while 'hammer truing' it up.

Then skip welded it around the perimeter to keep it from doing anything interesting. The factory 'balance weight' was on the end I didn't cut and I left it in place. Never did get it balanced. That was many thousands of miles ago.

And how many times have you answered the question “where did you have it balanced?”
I’ve done many RWD hollow driveshafts like that too.

I still want to see pictures of your ride!

carwhisperer · March 24th, 2018, 05:22 PM

Driver’s side is done. I plan to do the shorter passenger side tomorrow. I need an inner CV Tri-bearing for one side that came apart and one Porsche boot before I can reassemble.

DrHax · March 24th, 2018, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carwhisperer

And how many times have you answered the question “where did you have it balanced?”
I’ve done many RWD hollow driveshafts like that too.

I still want to see pictures of your ride!

We all do.

**V8Transporter** · March 25th, 2018, 01:22 PM

Okay...pictures..sigh.

I've been able to send them to E-mail addresses, but have a problem sending anywhere else.

Ms. Purp has teased me about it on a couple of occasions,

so it looks like I'm going to bite the bullet and give it another shot....

carwhisperer · March 25th, 2018, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8Transporter

Okay...pictures..sigh.

I've been able to send them to E-mail addresses, but have a problem sending anywhere else.

Ms. Purp has teased me about it on a couple of occasions,

so it looks like I'm going to bite the bullet and give it another shot....

Try imgbb.com
You create an account and upload the pictures. Then you select bb code full and hit the copy tab. Then create a new topic on the cutting board and paste them in. That’s one way to do it.

**V8Transporter** · March 25th, 2018, 07:12 PM

Riiiigght.....^

carwhisperer · March 26th, 2018, 05:08 PM

It’s not that bad!
I’ve got the passenger shaft done, assembled and installed

cretin · March 27th, 2018, 02:12 PM

Your shift knob reminded me of my old 97 Formula. I was in the USAF at the time, on a cleaning detail. Found a scrap doorknob that was a brushed nickel plated brass sphere. Brought it home and used 1/2 sch 40 PVC as a bushing to make it a shift knob for the car. Nobody ever figured out what it really was.

Sent from my SM-G930T1 using Tapatalk

Daddy o's 67 · March 27th, 2018, 03:21 PM

Running Porsche 944 trailing arms I see. Did you buy the ebrake swans from VDub Engineering so you can use the stock VW ebrake cables?

DrHax · March 28th, 2018, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8Transporter

Okay...pictures..sigh.

I've been able to send them to E-mail addresses, but have a problem sending anywhere else.

Ms. Purp has teased me about it on a couple of occasions,

so it looks like I'm going to bite the bullet and give it another shot....

you still got my email? Email them to me and I can upload them here for you.

**V8Transporter** · March 29th, 2018, 07:01 PM

Sounds like a plan. There is a shot of the Single Cab with our 22' Catalina sailboat in tow in the 'Crazy Bastard' thread.

carwhisperer · April 1st, 2018, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cretin

Your shift knob reminded me of my old 97 Formula. I was in the USAF at the time, on a cleaning detail. Found a scrap doorknob that was a brushed nickel plated brass sphere. Brought it home and used 1/2 sch 40 PVC as a bushing to make it a shift knob for the car. Nobody ever figured out what it really was.

Sent from my SM-G930T1 using Tapatalk

Awesome😅
After seeing how much it resembles a door knob I got to thinking I could have saved $11 and half a pound of curb weight!

carwhisperer · April 1st, 2018, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddy o's 67

Running Porsche 944 trailing arms I see. Did you buy the ebrake swans from VDub Engineering so you can use the stock VW ebrake cables?

No not yet! But I saw those for sale. Do they work pretty well? Do I only need the swans themselves or do I need housing extensions?