SXOR single seater build

ridered3 · Feb 17, 2014

Good looking progress pictures!

hokie_yj · Feb 17, 2014

Thanks, after tonight I'm off until Friday so hopefully there will be more progress this week.

hokie_yj · Feb 18, 2014

I got a little time in the shop this afternoon. While I've got the knuckles off the front axle I figured I'd work on getting the Spidertrax brakes mocked up.

You can see I had to modify the knuckles just a little to make everything fit. The "wings" had to be cut off the knuckle because they interfered with the rotor, and I had to grind down around the original caliper bolt holes to clear the mounting ears on the Wilwood calipers. The original caliper bolts are a funky M11 thread that I couldn't find anywhere so I tapped them out to 7/16"-14.

I just made a simple, ugly, but functional caliper bracket out of some 2"x.25" flat bar and some .5"x.6875" spacers. I drilled and tapped the spacers to 3/8"-24. The caliper bolts to the bracket from the front, and then the bracket bolts to the knuckle from the back.

Like I said, they're ugly, but they'll work.

hokie_yj · Feb 20, 2014

I didn't have a lot of time in the shop today so there's not a lot of real progress. I did get a few things done though.

I cleaned and spray bombed the wheels. If I get some time tomorrow afternoon I may start mounting the tires.

After that I put the GTO oil pan on the engine, and put on the fittings to adapt the steam ports to -4 AN. And I figured I'd stick the headers on for a test fit. They're OBX LS turbo headers. They're supposed to come up and froward, but it makes them too wide to fit the chassis. This way they're narrow enough, but it's gonna be tight with the steering pump. I've got the engine bracket kit from Wide Open Design that I think will move it up high enough, I just have to get a new water pump before I can put it on. I also put in new spark plugs, and Taylor Thundervolt plug wires with heat shield boots.

hokie_yj · Mar 1, 2014

When time has allowed over the last week I've been working on installing the WOD LS engine bracket kit. Along with a new water pump, alternator, and PSC CBR pump. It's a very nice kit, and the install was very easy. I only had a couple if minor problems with the power coat being too thick in a few holes. That was easily solved. Also, I bought the belt they recommended for the kit, but it was too long. I stepped down to a slightly shorter belt. Maybe one of my pulleys is a different size than what they spec'd it for. Just something to keep in mind if you're installing this kit.

Today I cut a couple of pieces of 1/4" plate and formed them to the bottom of both axle housings to act as a skid plate since the housings are just 1/8" thick. Definitely not fancy, but it will work.

After that I spent the rest of the day mounting the tires on the beadlocks. That's definitely not a job I want to do again any time soon. It about wore me out.

Not a lot of progress, but at least it is moving forward. Friday starts my long weekend though, I'll be off for 9 days, Hopefully I'll make some good progress during that time. My next goal is getting it back to a roller, and the start mocking up the drivetrain.

hokie_yj · Mar 12, 2014

It may not look like a lot, but by my standards I've gotten quite a bit done the last couple of days.

First off I installed the inner axle seals in both housings. I used the seals Trail-Gear sales for their 9" housings. Mine used the 2.75" I.D. seals. Even though the rear is FF I'm using seals on it too. The center section will have to be over filled for the flipped pinion and I didn't want to have the tubes full too. I didn't get any pics, but they were a pretty simple install.

Then I got the axles and ORI's hung.

Then bolted on the rear brakes and checked the clearance with these wheels. Like I had expected it looks like I will have to run wheel spacers. It's that or new wheels, and I really just don't want to go to all that trouble right now. I already had some spacers, so these pics are with 1.5" spacers installed.

Then I got the Dynatrac ball joints installed and the knuckles back on the axle. The unit bearings and brakes bolted up to check clearance. And mounted the ram and measured for my tie rods. I'll cut them tomorrow. I can't bolt the front wheels on yet because I'm a dummy that didn't order lug nuts when I ordered studs. They'll be here sometime this week though.

I'll be working on it more this week. I may start tomorrow on putting the drivetrain together and getting it ready to set in the chassis. At least it's kinda starting to look like something now.

highrolrcustoms · Mar 12, 2014

Really comming together Ben! One question..... looking at your pics with tires installed when it flexes will the tires get into the ori struts? Last one I built I thought I had plenty of clearance between coilover and tire on rear until I put it on the rti ramp and tire got into the coilover so I had to change mounts

hokie_yj · Mar 12, 2014

I haven't flexed it yet to see. I will as soon as I get the front wheels on though. I'm hoping they don't hit, but I know it will be close. If they do I guess I'll have to get bigger spacers, I can't move the mounts.

hokie_yj · Mar 24, 2014

I got a little bit of time to work on it today. I got the Poweglide and Atlas mated together.

I also got the tie-rods cut and the inserts welded in. Each insert got two passes with the TIG and two plug welds with the MIG. Then I hooked the tie rods up and used an air hose to cycle the steering. I don't know yet if I can use the full 8" of stroke, or if I will have to limit it.

I know the angle of the tie-rod at full lock is not ideal, but the ram is as close to the axle as I could get it.

Blase · Mar 25, 2014

I'm liking this build!!

ibrokeit · Mar 25, 2014

Cqnt wait to see this build finished.

hokie_yj · Mar 25, 2014

Thanks guys. Maybe I'll get it done sometime this decade Brock.

ibrokeit · Mar 25, 2014

hokie_yj said:
Thanks guys. Maybe I'll get it done sometime this decade Brock.

Ya need to travel down south sometime when its finished.

hokie_yj · Mar 25, 2014

I definitely plan to. I ain't no bouncer, but I'd love to come trail ride and watch the bouncers.

ToyotaTom · Mar 25, 2014

I love seeing some good penetration :dblthumb:

hokie_yj · Mar 25, 2014

Lol, I'm not much of a welder. I sure hope they burnt in good.

hokie_yj · Mar 28, 2014

I spent a few hours in the shop this afternoon. Not a lot of progress, but I got a few things done. I put the wheels and tires on the front and got it off the jack stands to get some better pictures.

Then I used the hoist to flex it out and see how everything looks. There's a couple of issues there, but I kinda expected them. The rear tires get into the shocks pretty good when it's flexed out. And the front passenger side shock hits the chassis just a little. The front will require re-doing a small section of tube, not a big deal really. I don't know whether to try to run bigger spacers on the rear to clear the shocks, or if I should just get new wheels.

I also got the transmission/t-case mated to the engine. Planning on sitting it in the chassis first thing in the morning to start working on mounting it.

paradisepwoffrd · Mar 28, 2014

Re:

Can you inboard the shocks some?

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hokie_yj · Mar 28, 2014

Not without a lot of cutting and re-doing. It's an option, but a last resort.

highrolrcustoms · Mar 28, 2014

Ben want me to come over and do some cutting... laughing1. You know me.....I can cut stuff up pretty good to make clearance :dblthumb:

hokie_yj · Mar 28, 2014

No, I'm good. Thanks. Lol.

ibrokeit · Mar 28, 2014

Being that you are already running spacers and still not enough clearance, go ahead and list the wheels for sale. You still have a good bit to do so you aren't really in a bind to sell em.

hokie_yj · Mar 28, 2014

Yeah, that's pretty much how I'm leaning.

Hotrodpayton · Mar 29, 2014

Should be a bad machine, I love a single seater.

hokie_yj · Mar 29, 2014

I sat the drivetrain in today, it's a VERY tight fit. It's just sitting on blocks right now. I still have to do a lot of measuring and checking before I start mounting it, but it's a start.

One issue is the oil pan. I'm going to have to go back to an F-Body style pan. The GTO pan just isn't going to work. The the oil filter and part of the sump want to occupy the same space as the pinion yoke. I was hoping to get farther along today, but it was slow going and I didn't get as much time in the shop as I hoped to. I snapped a few pictures, but they don't show much really.