Mid-Engine Sandrail Project

[zmotorsports]

I know for a fact that motor will catch the eyes of the LS1/v8 sand rail crowd. First, they'll want to know what it is...then when you tell them its a 1.3L, they'll crap their pants. Nothing turns heads like the sound of a pissed off weedwacker.

What are you running for a transmission? VW Bus swingarm?

I am running a Rhino cased type 1 swingaxle with all the good stuff inside (Super-Diff, Sway-A-Way axles, billet side covers, chromoly pinion nut, Weddle gears, Kennedy clutch).

It will definately have that unique rotary sound and HP to weight ratio should be much better than some of the heavier long travel cars running the V8s. Mike.

[zmotorsports]

Very nice work! Your a lucky man to have the time to build something like that.

I don't know how much luck there is involved. I work 10 hours a day at my full-time job then come home and put in another 4-6 hours working on other people's toys/vehicles. If there is any time left over then I get to work on keeping my house up, our vehicles and then maybe get to work on something that I want to. Luck would be if I were to have 10 hours a day working on my toys and only had to work at my full-time job for 3-4 hours a day.

But like everyone else I guess we just keep doing the best we can. Mike.

[c wagner]

Pure awesome!!!
I can't wait to pictures of it out on the dunes with huge roosts of sand coming off the paddles!!!

[zmotorsports]

Well I was able to get some small items taken care of over the holiday weekend.

I want it to have smooth steering so I machined a piece of tubing that will incorporate two needle bearings and seals in which the steering shaft will pass through. This assembly will be welded to the crossbar on the 'A' pillar.


Bearings and seals.


Here are all the parts cut and waiting for welding.


Here is the drop-down bracket welded to the crossbar.

[zmotorsports]

This is the tachometer mount which is just to the left of the steering wheel.


This is the completed/welded steering column assmebly welded to the crossbar.


Here is the crossbar tack welded into the car.


Transaxle mocked into place.

[zmotorsports]

Here are the brackets for the trailing arm mounts.


This is the trailing arm brackets tack welded to the chassis.


These are the lights I am going to run. I machined the small bungs that the lights thread on to. They will be welded into the tube just ahead of the 'A' pillar and the wires will be ran inside the tubing.


This is a picture of the fuel tank mounts, battery box mounted and radiator mounting without the seats. Thanks for looking. Will post up more pics as work continues. Mike.

[Rbeckett]

Mike, that is a sweet looking build. Congrats on the progress and good luck getting it all done. Good eye on the tab detail, the little stuff is what makes it a great job.
Bob

[zmotorsports]

Mike, that is a sweet looking build. Congrats on the progress and good luck getting it all done. Good eye on the tab detail, the little stuff is what makes it a great job.
Bob

Thanks Bob. You are correct, it is the little details that make the difference between an OK job and a show quality job. Mike.

[On fire most of the time]

That thing is turning out awesome. It looks like you have a very well setup shop at your house as well. I am envious. I am slowly amassing tools...but it will be awhile before I have space (or funds) for a lathe.

I find that the details are the bulk of the project as well. It really sucks when you spend a bunch of time on a particular set, and then someone else cuts them out because "They were in the way of ..."

[zmotorsports]

That thing is turning out awesome. It looks like you have a very well setup shop at your house as well. I am envious. I am slowly amassing tools...but it will be awhile before I have space (or funds) for a lathe.

I find that the details are the bulk of the project as well. It really sucks when you spend a bunch of time on a particular set, and then someone else cuts them out because "They were in the way of ..."

Thanks for the comments. I now have a pretty nice setup at home to work out of, after only twenty plus years of collecting tools and equipment. I would take a small portion of whatever money I made off of various side jobs that I was doing and set it aside. When I had enough money for a particular tool or piece of equipment that I was needing I would buy it and then start all over for the next item.

It is nice after twenty plus years to be able to purchase more parts for projects than tools to work on the projects.

The lathe/mill was one of the hardest tools to purchase because it is not something that I use all the time. When I am using it I am glad I purchased it but when not using it and looking at it sitting in the shop I think about all the money that I spent on it and the tooling. It is not a real high quality setup but for the one off and custom projects I am able to hold some pretty tight tolerances and it does a nice job. If I were doing more production work I don't think it would cut it. Thanks again, Mike.