PROJECT WHITE WAGON: PROJECT WHITE WAGON: ADDING THE REAR FRAME RAILS

BLASTING AWAY - Using the Jegs pot blaster enables us to create a good surface to weld situation.

EXTRA SUPPORT - We connected the .125-inch plate to the stock frame rail so we can attach the rear bar (1.265 X .083) rear cross member. The reason for the larger piece and thicker wall is the two frame rails, upper rails and parachute mount will attach to this bar. Chassis builder Tom Lukans, of TL Race Cars opted to use something a little heavier due to the load it will carry.

IT STARTS WITH A BAR - The first section of the rear frame rail (SFI 2B, 1.50 X .065). We jig this on the bench to get a perfectly square unit as this is the foundation for the rear frame rails. (8412 – below) The rear frame rail. There are critical points in this construction. You must maintain enough room for shock ride height while still following NHRA Super Stock rules mandating the two frame rails added cannot be higher than the stock frame rail. This is a difficult balance to keep this in check.

ADDED BAR - Our added bar attached to the stock frame rail. From here we will built the mounts for the Jegs fuel cell and battery mount.

The rear section with the RJ Race Cars rear end added along with Santhuff shocks. Santhuff made a specific measured length shock for Project White Wagon. In the next update, we will focus in on the specific installation and mounting for this application. (8429) Maintaining a level foundation throughout the project is crucial.

SAVING WEIGHT - Excess metal removed mains weight savings for a breed of car which was never designed to be a race car.

FITS LIKE A GLOVE - Some aspects of the build you get one shot at great or you can end up a blooming idiot. In this instance, chassis building Tom Lukans showed off his prowess in incorporating the driveshaft safety loop tubing with the floor pan. Notice the close fit around the tubing. We were able to get a close fit by using a file-fitting process. It’s a tedious operation comprised of marking off the floor pan to locate the proper location. Note this process was performed with a scribe for better accuracy.

PROVIDING EXTRA SUPPORT - This photo showcases our drive shaft safety loop as per NHRA rules and what lies beneath the JW Nova floorpan. We have installed the upward bars, using 1.250 X .058 tubing which connects to the upper frame rail cross bar and to the lower four-link chassis bar. The triangulated angle of this helps ensure the chassis integrity and provide extra support to the rear frame rails.

THE PUZZLE CONTINUES TO REVEAL ITSELF - This is another angle of the above photo. In addition to what we discussed in the previous picture, you will see the tight fits around the tubing and where we will soon incorporate the sheet metal. Just like a puzzle, one move dictates what the next must be.

PLATE WELDING - No matter where we attach a piece of tubing to the original shell, we always plate weld first and then add our tubing. We do this because its NHRA mandated plus it adds rigidity to the overall structure by welding to the plate.

ANOTHER LOOK - Another angle of above photo showing where we angled the rear cross bar to be able to weld completely around it. This bar holds up the back of the car and other items such as batteries, fuel cell and parachute mount will attach, so the structure must be installed correctly. Also not forgetting per NHRA rules, the tubing cannot be any higher than the floorpan. All of these details have to be taken into consideration.

A GRADE ABOVE - The bar which is squared to the upward bar from above is usually what you would see in a pro-style doorslammer and it gives rigidity to the upper four-link mount giving the structure tremendous strength effectively preventing flex when the car launches. Any chassis builder worth their salt will tell you the closer the fit on the tubing, the stronger the car will be. Never depend on the weld to fill the gap and sometimes the rod isn’t big enough.

PAST INSTALLMENTS
* Part 1, Outlining The Project
* Part 2, Getting The Car on The Jig
* Part 3, Preparing for the Four-Link
* Part 4, Preparing the Cylinder Heads
* Part 5, Project Gains A Purpose
* Part 6, Shocking the Wagon
* Part 7, A Real Clutch Player
* Part 8, Nova Body Parts Done Right
* Part 9, Space Age Intake Meets The Basket Case
* Part 10, Dart Aftermarket Blocks Poised to Fly in Stk/SS
* Part 11, We Are Rolling Again
* Part 12, Now That's A Rearend
* Part 13, The Devil Is In The Detail
* Part 14, Popping Wheelies The Right Way

PROJECT WHITE WAGON SUPPORTERS

TL Race Cars (864) 427-5269
Fluid Power Specialties (864) 599-1118
Minton's Wrecker Service (864) 474-2581
Fulton Competition

PART SUPPLIERS

A.E.D. Motorsports Products (tubing)
Applied Racing Technologies (A.R.T)
Aeromotive Inc. (fuel system)
Autometer Guages (tech, engine gauges)
Bill Miller Engineering (rods, pistons)
Browell Bellhousings (bellhousing)
CFE Heads (cylinder heads, intake)
CFM Composites (seats)
Carson's Nut-Bolt and Tool
Comp Cams (camshaft)
Dart Engineering  (Engine Block)
Flatout Gaskets (engine gaskets)
Hedman Headers (headers)
I.R.C. (wheelie bar wheels, bracketry)
Jegs Mail Order (misc.)
J&W Nova Parts (body panels and body sheetmetal)
Liberty's Transmissions (Transmission, Gears)
Matco Tools - (tools, tool box)
Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels (front tires, slicks)
Moroso Performance (valve covers)
QA-1 (Rod Ends)
Quartermax Racing & Chassis Components (suspension, chassis components, axles)
Ram Clutches
Santhuff Shocks (front, rear shocks)
Simpson Safety - (Helmet, Firesuit)
Strange Engineering (Axles, Rearend companents)
Weld Racing        (front, rear wheels)
Winberg Crankshafts (crankshaft)

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