1932 Pontiac Six build

[Rattiac]

My shims arrived today.  Also heard from Sid and he said he'll be in next week to start on my spindles.  So things are going to sit for awhile.  😔
Well this weekend is World of Speed and going back to Bonneville.  Wont be doing any volunteering, the streamliner is done for the year but I will be out doing some filming.  Actually got a itch to work on that 66 schwinn and ride it on the salt.  Should be fun. 😎
Talk to you all next week. 

[sixball]

Looking forward to pictures!

[Rattiac]

 CJ5 Sway bar arrived today. The plan is use the cj bar and use the XJ links to mount it up to the 50 chevy shock mounts.  Gonna have to cut 2 holes in the front apron but it's all rusted out so not hurting anything.
Also have some new/used bushings I can recycle.  Love when I get to use free stuff. 😉

[Rattiac]

I mounted the swaybar last weekend.  It was put as far forward as I could get it and still get a bolt through the frame.  Tried heating and bending the 50 chev shock mounts but couldn't get em to budge,  they will work for the lower swaybar endlinks.
Doesn't look too bad with the bar through the apron. Should add some stability with the wind on highways.
Also installed the 4 degree shims.  Im now at 8 degrees caster.

Packages arrived with the spindles/kingpins and disc brake adapter kit.
This weekend I'll still need to find the end links (broke one of the XJ end-links) and shock mounts.
Hoping to be back on the road in a week or two. 
50 chev Steering arms will need to modified a bit.

[sixball]

Good idea. good work. This is going to drive really well.

[Rattiac]

I hope so.  Now that I have salt fever I kinda want to enter the 130 club.  I doubt I'd ever break 130 but would be fun to crack 100 on the salt. 
So what I'll need is H-rated tires and metal valve stems.  Of course will need seat belts and driveshaft loop.
At this point I can start building in that direction considering the steel conversion, I may add 3 point seat belts.
Anyways I can keep the car streetable and not have to cage it.

[Essex_29]

Good work on the sway bar. I'd like to know how that affects driveability, also the caster. I assume it will be a lot better after these mods.

[sixball]

I don't think any of my Bonneville dreams will come true but my old Dodge six gets to go play there but doesn't race. Too big for the vintage classes too slow for the rest.

[Rattiac]

Went to throw it all together and, of course.  Not enough bolts.
Today it's together but looking like "toe-in" on the driver's side.
Sounds about right,  with that bent axle.
Also decided to keep the aftermarket steering arms. Compared to the 50 chev,  No difference in length,  just dropped more and not enough beef.
Since these are bigger spindles,  the bottom holes are lower by a 1/2" .

I'll get the tires on it and take measurements.  Good thing the tubing is threaded in alot. I can just hack the tubing down and get close.
Also my tierod clearance has greatly improved.  Before , everything was closer together. 

[sixball]

Good work, no one said it would be easy! 

[Rattiac]

Had a few extra hours today and worked on the car.
Shortened the tierod on the driver's side 1 inch.  Taking measurements from the front/back of the spindles 51-1/4" + a 1/16th at the rear should put me close enough to drive to the alignment shop. 

Also ran a string from the center of the kingpins to the rear axle and yes I have proper Ackerman angle.  With the heim joints just to the inside of the string. 
All that's left is install the rotors / brakes and shocks.

[sixball]

That looks good. nice work. Is the Ackerman angle used for all builds? I've just seen it with Ford type suspension but that is mostly all we see. It would make sense and certainly not hurt to have that relationship to get the center of the rear tracking in line with the front steering points.

[Essex_29]

Front end work is looking good, Rattiac, I'm sure you get to enjoy a much better
driving car after this work.

sixball, since I'm a front end geometry nerd, I can't but comment on your question.

The ackerman angle is what makes the wheels toe out on turn. The inner wheel
experiences a smaller radius turn than the outer wheel, hence the inner wheel
has to turn more.
If the car in question has front steering (tie rod in front of the axle) you do it  the
same way Rattiac eyeballed his Ackerman angle, only the lines are going through
the balljoints and further forward, coinciding with the tie rod ends in front of the
axle, in this case they should be outboard of the ball joints to give the same toe
out on turn effect.
The ackerman angle is usually built in on production cars, as the steering arm is
part of the knuckle.

In practice this angle is not that critical, a normal car will drive decently with no
ackerman angle whatsoever, evedent if you look at the steering geometry of an
eighties full size GM car. This because the tie rod ends and the front tires would
otherwise occupy the same piece of estate.  The downside to this is that the
tires scrub a lot when turning tightly for instance on a parking lot, my'85 Caprice
needs a good amount of gas to drive through a full lock turn.

Oops that was a lot. I guess I outstayed my welcome for today.

[sixball]

Thanks, I sorta' get it. What if the tie rod is behind the axle?

[Rattiac]

Thanks Essex and Sixball.  Having driven straight axle jeeps the last 20yrs , they can drive nice.
Mine is behind axle steering.  On my jeep is front axle steering but... the arms are inline with the ball joints which is parallel steering (hardly any toe-out when turned). Found a image that drifters use to set up thier cars.