CTS Spider

[Mater]

Light car, torquey motor, boost, wet roads. No, this won't be a problem...

got that right it will be fun :D

[Darren N.]

Sweet new parts!

I'm looking forward to your header build.

[milner351]

Wow
you're a glutton for punishment - but this thing is going to be fun as hell when you're done!

[Bob Holmes]

This thing is cooking along nicely. 1* negative is fine for street duty (might even go .75*). For the track...I like to be able to adjust up to 3* negative. What's your camber gain look like?

SVOs had 7.5 traction lok, 3.73 gears, disc brakes. That gear might be a bit deep given how torquey this thing should be.

On reflection, yep those gears are too deep...this is a fuel economy build.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I don't have a number for camber gain (yet) until now, I've looked the set up and either thought "looks good" or "needs more"... I probably should get more scientific... and as I'm thinking about it, maybe I should simply go with completely adjustable upper control arms...

3.73 would be way too much gear, stock these motors have 252 ft lbs torque... plus the 6 speed I'm putting in the car has a 4:1 1st gear...

off to pick up axles today

[Beagle]

it's also got a short tire on it - 3.73 would make it tough to stall. I bet you could just drop the clutch, arfff, it's moving. 3.08 would give it plenty of legs with a six speed I'm guessing.

You work freaking fast! Slow times at the office, or no sleep?

[SuperBuickGuy]

the fab work goes pretty quickly; it's the wiring and bodywork (especially the bodywork) that'll take the time.

as for time - I put in 1-2 hours every night and 3-4 most Sundays.... it adds up pretty quickly - it also helps that I've seen this done before on a Sunbeam...

[SuperBuickGuy]

tool related update.

So the headers are going to be stainless steel, and my old welder didn't a foot control - so I upgraded (very very cheap, bought at auction upgraded) welders.... (the foot control was something I already had access to)

and built a cart for it


and rescued it from a hack - note the awesome weld at the corner.... there's another one where they welded the upright together...

[milner351]

HUGE SCORE - well done!

[SuperBuickGuy]

well, I got a little bit done today.... hate days that seem a waste at the end...

Ordered some Ford motor mounts - not installed yet


new crossmember


Did the trans mount - amazingly, the GM transmission mount simply bolts in place of the funky Caddy one


now that the back is set, I can do the front ones - but I may have to pull the motor since it's a 1/2" to the left (and I need all the room I can get on the left side) and a bolt on the alternator is causing me grief

[SuperBuickGuy]

Milestone.... motor is sitting on its own motor mounts





and the hood even still closes (but boy is it close)


next up.... headers (well, maybe I'll brace the motor mounts - then headers)

[Beagle]

SWEET!

I brought the '79 home this weekend... hood fell off and landed on the trailer at 70 (?!!!). It stayed on long enough for me to stop and put it in the bed of the truck. Broke at the spot tacks on the pivot. I'm still not sure how it didn't frisbee.

I was eyeballing mine and and looking at where you've done all this work, thinking wow, that is a TON of work, and there's no Fiat left in the front end of yours at all. Awesome! The stuff on mine is about the same size as my EZ-GO. I'm not sure, the golf cart stuff may be heavier duty. I'd love to be completely inspired and driven, but I think I'm gonna call uncle and fill mine with a v-twin from my riding tractor and turn it into a golf cart. I think I can use a Snapper riding mower disc to make a right angle drive for it.

That is great work, you're flying through it!

[milner351]

Sweet mother of progress!

I'm assuming you're adding some type of gusset to those flat plate motor mounts?

I can't believe how quickly you've mowed through this project. You're making me feel even more worthless and weak than usual.

[SuperBuickGuy]

SWEET!

I brought the '79 home this weekend... hood fell off and landed on the trailer at 70 (?!!!). It stayed on long enough for me to stop and put it in the bed of the truck. Broke at the spot tacks on the pivot. I'm still not sure how it didn't frisbee.

I was eyeballing mine and and looking at where you've done all this work, thinking wow, that is a TON of work, and there's no Fiat left in the front end of yours at all. Awesome! The stuff on mine is about the same size as my EZ-GO. I'm not sure, the golf cart stuff may be heavier duty. I'd love to be completely inspired and driven, but I think I'm gonna call uncle and fill mine with a v-twin from my riding tractor and turn it into a golf cart. I think I can use a Snapper riding mower disc to make a right angle drive for it.

That is great work, you're flying through it!

I didn't realize you had a 79 too.... very cool

If I weren't going for mileage, I'm pretty certain I'd be putting a turbo rotary motor in it.... but I also knew what I was getting into - somewhere in googleland there's a picture or two of a Fiat with a 302 ford in it..... the front pulley is at the grill, and the radiator is attached to the front of the bumper (yeah, really attractive). I also would do this a bit different - I'd remove everything from the hoodline down and simply start there... would make life lots easier (and the wheels would fit with modern, negative offset wheels).... the next one with an LS motor will apply these principles I'm learning.


John - yep, bracing the motor mounts, but first going to brace the top of the lower control arm then attach to that plate.... biggest issue is I don't want to lose real estate for the turbos and their pipes.

[Bob Holmes]

This "If I weren't going for mileage" is incongruent with "for the turbos and their pipes."

But what a build!!!