July-Sept, 2012
Cut and fab minitubs. Based
on the tire size that I want in the rear of this car there needed to be some
work done to the wheel houses. At the
moment I am looking in the size range of 305x45x18 or about a 12” wide by 27”
tall tire. Somewhere in that zone
anyway. We took a picture with a 31” tall truck tire
crammed inside the wheel well, and I do believe it is a little too much
tire. J
The first thing I did was to cut out the inner wheel
houses so I could weld in two extra inches, taking the wheel house all the way
back to the rear frame rail. Yes, there
are companies that sell pre-fabbed oversize inner wheel houses for this very
purpose, but why spend $300 when you can just cut out the old and weld them back
in place with an added 2” strip of metal your son has given you???? (Roof AC Unit) That is a much better plan if you ask me. Besides, you have to save any money you can especially when your so-called "friend" has ripped you off for $4,800 on the project.
Cutting them out was very easy, I just used the
cutting wheel attached to one of the Harbor Freight grinders that I push to the
limit almost daily. The torture we administer on these cheap $10.00 grinders
almost make them worth their weight in gold. (Almost) Most of the wheel house could be cut from the
inside of the car, but a few inches had to be cut from below. The portion where the package tray support
ties into the wheel house could not be cut from inside, and was cut from
outside the car. Once out, it was a
simple matter of cleaning up the edges for welding. I also notched the flange lip and turned it
back into the inside of the car as a base for the bottom of the wheel
house. The cutout pieces fit quite nicely
when slid over 2” and I was excited to see the finished product. I cut two long strips of sheet metal that
were 3” wide. (1/2” for each side to
overlap and weld and then the 2” added space)
Working slowly with the pieces, clamping them
carefully to keep the edges straight I moved around the length welding them
together. Once the strip and inner wheel
house were welded, I test fit and adjusted as needed into the car. There wasn’t much modification needed here,
they still fit pretty well. When I welded
in the pieces I started with the top area or the new strip of sheet metal where
it attaches to the outer wheel house. I
welded this length all the way, then using clamps and a little bit of weight to
hold the bottom section down flush I started welding this area to the floor of
the car. It all sealed up very nicely
and is quite solid.
In moving the wheel house over to the rear frame
rails we had to remove the axle bumpers completely but I will replace them on
the inside of the frame rail with a different sort of axle bumper. Next will be some work on the outer wheel
houses and trunk close out panels.
Stock passenger side before cutting.
Stock driver's side before cutting.
Driver's side after cutting.
Passenger side after cutting.
Test fit before welding driver's side.
Test fit passenger side before welding.
Welding strip onto inner wheel house, and still learning to weld sheet metal. It ain't easy!!
All welded in here. Welds were all done on the outside surface of the tubs.
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