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Stomis' 94 Street Truck - Snail Trail

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So I narrowed a steering rack today. That was a new adventure that was surprisingly easy. The rack placement just was too much work leaving it full length. So I chopped the rack down from 24.5" joint to joint to 22in joint to joint. This effectively will let me mount the rack 2.5" lower on the truck while still maintaining correct geometry.


Still need to tig it back together at work tomorrow then I'll snap some pics. Guess I can add rack narrowing to the repertoire lol. $120 stock width rack and 3.5hrs worth of time sure does beat a $400-$600 narrowed flaming river rack!
 
Getting there.


Rack is back together. Mounts are located on a scab plate which I goofed on. I made the plate even with the mounts when it needs to be even with the edge of the rack, so I'll be adding onto that....


 
There you go. At least it's not far from what you had in mind anyway then. That just kinda forced you to
Make it a little bigger to cover. Cool.
 
Got the mount done so Im gonna get it in position on the truck tomorrow night. Then its onto channeling the frame for the steering shaft and setting up the steering shaft. I already drilled the knuckles for 5/8 bolts, was messy but surprisingly easy with a cordless.

The mount wound up being 1/8 skinned over 3/16ths. Plug welds through the 3/16ths into the back of the studs, rosette welds all over and perimeter welded. I gotta get a TIG for the garage... Gonna need it when I open my doors in VA anyway.









I also dont know if I ever mentioned this but over the last 3 or so months at work Ive been doing CNC programming/running and 3d modelling in solidworks. We're finally coming up on having a finished production piece. Over a few drafts I took this BMW M50 manifold flange to build a turbo manifold on from a 4 hour cut time to roughly 80 mins now. Being really limited by feed capacity on our mill that we're looking to upgrade. Could have it down to 45 mins easily.










The purpose of the piece is A) to smoothly transition from the head port shape to common exhaust tubing sizes for building a header and B) Get the heat from the first weld way away from the actual flange.

We're hoping to offer LS pieces soon. Should be super gravy :D
 
Team208Motorsports said:
I know a turbo engine getting built real soon..... Cough cough


Looks killer!
Click to expand...

Im gonna push my boss to start the r&d on the LS stuff this coming week. Would you be looking for stainless or mild? We did some in 316L but I havent touched the programming yet for that. My boss' brother did it and it takes 12 hours to make a pair of flanges...
 
Stomis said:
Im gonna push my boss to start the r&d on the LS stuff this coming week. Would you be looking for stainless or mild? We did some in 316L but I havent touched the programming yet for that. My boss' brother did it and it takes 12 hours to make a pair of flanges...
Click to expand...


Mild then I would hot coat.
 
I tried looking but must have missed it... but whats the benefit of narrowing the rack..? looks great by the way:waytogo:
 
shady said:
I tried looking but must have missed it... but whats the benefit of narrowing the rack..? looks great by the way:waytogo:
Click to expand...
To get the inner tie rod pivot in line with the suspension geometry in a place where I could mount the rack physically. At full width the rack would have to be through the frame.
 
just never heard of it needing to be done
 
shady said:
just never heard of it needing to be done
Click to expand...

Well normally you dont hear too much about guys putting racks on something they dont sell a kit for. Unless you hang out on HAMB forums for the old school hotrodder guys. A lot of aftermarket retrofits use narrowed or custom width racks.


I further continued the rack mods today by shortening the steering shaft input/rack pinion. The stock one was about 3 in longer. Theyre made that way to get the u joint around the mustang K member. Was just a hassle for me though.





Huge stocker

MustangIIRackAndPinionSteeringPolished_R0Q0069.jpg




This will save some serious channeling in the engine crossmember. I tell ya it a lot of work getting one of these into uncharted territory.
 
Threw the rack back together. Pretty ****ty day overall though.


I made some calls to some friends. I should have a JD2 model 2 coming to me in exchange for some fab work for a good friend. Hes just too busy to be getting crazy with fabbing stuff anymore.

Also swung by another friends and picked up a cheapy DC tig machine hes gonna let me try out. Not sure how Im gonna like it since Im accustom to using good high end machines at work but if it can do the job to TIG steel and chromo I'll be happy.




 
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