CK5
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The Willomet Charger
- Thread starter AgDieseler
- Start date
A desecration to Mopar nuts everywhere, this is my protouring, LS-powered, 1970 Dodge Charger; built at my shop, Willomet Motor & Fabrication.
Man, I get this. I'm still trying to square away a chassis builder. Seems like everyone claims to build custom chassis, but they only wanna build what they wanna build within very specific parameters.
It's their custom chassis not customized to your specifications
Very few builders (and their clients) need anything more than wheelbase adjustments. Custom is truly unique, and that probably means you’re building it yourself.
Truly. It’s a volume business.
This is flanged and into the refinement stage.
David
That looks super nice!
Work and chasing deer pulled me away from the car for a couple of weeks, but I’m back on it again. Little tasks are piling up, so I’m going to clean slate those this weekend.
Snagged a set of used 305s for the front mock-up.
Need to find some half decent 325+ for the rear.
David
Snagged a set of used 305s for the front mock-up.
Need to find some half decent 325+ for the rear.
David
I got tired of all the muck and crud that accumulated on the frame, so I plugged a couple of hours to clean it up.
Then, I adjusted the flange on the wheelhouse to get a tighter fit, and proceeded to sil-brz most of the front corner weld seams. There's still a fair bit of blending to do.
David
Then, I adjusted the flange on the wheelhouse to get a tighter fit, and proceeded to sil-brz most of the front corner weld seams. There's still a fair bit of blending to do.
David
Inner wheelhouses are pretty much done for now.
I’ve had that last photo in my head for a few weeks.
David
I’ve had that last photo in my head for a few weeks.
David
What’s next? Floor skins?
Rear suspension, a handful of crossmembers, yet another set of engine mounts, cowl reforming, firewall and dog house, and it's hard for me to see past that very clearly.
David
That should keep ya busy for a while!
Goal for ‘23 is to make it a roller. Not a very complete roller, but on tires at least.
David
Rev3 engine mounts - lighter, spread the load more broadly across the frame, and have a lower radar signature.
Frame side is all mild steel. The plates where the tubes will land are 4130. Installing the deeply setback engine and trans requires a lot of extra room, so these have to be modular.
Sides are blended to look like they were made in a press brake.
All burned in. The open corners are tricky when managing gas flow, but doable.
Next is to add some strategic bracing to avoid the frame spreading under load.
I've been prepping Secret Squirrel for EJS, and that has meant pulling time from this.
David
Frame side is all mild steel. The plates where the tubes will land are 4130. Installing the deeply setback engine and trans requires a lot of extra room, so these have to be modular.
Sides are blended to look like they were made in a press brake.
All burned in. The open corners are tricky when managing gas flow, but doable.
Next is to add some strategic bracing to avoid the frame spreading under load.
I've been prepping Secret Squirrel for EJS, and that has meant pulling time from this.
David
As always your work is impeccable, always enjoy following your builds.
most chronic case of OCD i have ever witnessed.....yet i cannot not follow every update. amazing work.
*Taps microphone*
"Is this things still on?"
I've been spending some hot quality time with the car. Seriously, it's 105 most days, the fans are off because I'm welding or filming or both, but it's the only way I plan to spend my work hours for most of the rest of the year.
New (again) engine mounts. Ultralight 4130 and far simpler.
I've MIG welded with the Multimatic exactly twice.
The start of my K member bracing.
I'm wanted to keep the 4x2 rails from deflecting just from the weight of the powertrain, because the engine as it mounts puts a pretty good twist on the frame, and it would sag about 1/4" at the front. Maybe not a big deal once the cage is in, but most every sporty car has little braces like this, so it only made sense.
And a few more braces tying the engine mounts to the front strut bars. This is all about preventing the frame twist from the cantilevered engine mounting.
I also tied the lower a arm to the crossmember and added a front anti-twist. These small tubes are 7/8x.058.
All of that work is prep for the chassisworks front suspension pieces. The uprights have the lower joints pressed in, so that's pretty much permanent.
305s clear at full lock, handily.
Front suspension is pushed forward 1.5" or 2". I drew this frame in 2019, and can't really remember.
That whole fender opening is going to move forward and up just a bit.
I almost forgot what it looked like. Scott Martin said it best, "That car is about to take up a lot more space."
He's not wrong. It's a factory wide body, and the fender swallows the 305. I measured the car before disassembly, and the front of the fender will touch the mill while the rear quarter is about 2" away from the garage door. There will probably be a few Austin Powers moments ahead.
This project teaches me a ton, and it's such a great feeling to be back spending dedicated time on it. Everything else is safe and in the dry at the OP, which is good, because my head is right here for some time to come.
David
"Is this things still on?"
I've been spending some hot quality time with the car. Seriously, it's 105 most days, the fans are off because I'm welding or filming or both, but it's the only way I plan to spend my work hours for most of the rest of the year.
New (again) engine mounts. Ultralight 4130 and far simpler.
I've MIG welded with the Multimatic exactly twice.
The start of my K member bracing.
I'm wanted to keep the 4x2 rails from deflecting just from the weight of the powertrain, because the engine as it mounts puts a pretty good twist on the frame, and it would sag about 1/4" at the front. Maybe not a big deal once the cage is in, but most every sporty car has little braces like this, so it only made sense.
And a few more braces tying the engine mounts to the front strut bars. This is all about preventing the frame twist from the cantilevered engine mounting.
I also tied the lower a arm to the crossmember and added a front anti-twist. These small tubes are 7/8x.058.
All of that work is prep for the chassisworks front suspension pieces. The uprights have the lower joints pressed in, so that's pretty much permanent.
305s clear at full lock, handily.
Front suspension is pushed forward 1.5" or 2". I drew this frame in 2019, and can't really remember.
That whole fender opening is going to move forward and up just a bit.
I almost forgot what it looked like. Scott Martin said it best, "That car is about to take up a lot more space."
He's not wrong. It's a factory wide body, and the fender swallows the 305. I measured the car before disassembly, and the front of the fender will touch the mill while the rear quarter is about 2" away from the garage door. There will probably be a few Austin Powers moments ahead.
This project teaches me a ton, and it's such a great feeling to be back spending dedicated time on it. Everything else is safe and in the dry at the OP, which is good, because my head is right here for some time to come.
David
I thought I remembered you were going to move the engine slightly towards the passenger side. I'm I misremembering, or did you change your mind?
