So im tossing around adding 3" to the front of my cradle to move the axles back 3". Cupla questions
Will the harness, fuel, and coolant lines have room or will they need to be extended? Do folks usually just cut the trunk out since the exhaust is right there? Will the coilovers have to get moved back at the top? Will the ebrake and shift cables reach? Anything else im missing
For a frame stretch the cradle doesn't move back, the entire ass end gets cut and moves back. Here is a pic of the stretch....keep in mind this is an 11" stretch for a Lambo replica:
For a 3" stretch you'll likely have to modify and extend all of the lines and components... don't count on there being extra slack. Having tight lines is just a recipe for disaster down the line (no pun intended). As mentioned above you should do a full frame stretch. This will keep your suspension oem.
[This message has been edited by Neils88 (edited 04-01-2018).]
U guys r awesome thanks for the replies n pics! For my f40 replica its got the stock fiero wheel base thats 3" shorter than the real thing. I was thinking to move the cradle attachment points further forward so the cradle sits back. I know the muffler would hit and was planning for all the lines being to short. Ddnt even think about the wheelwell issue. Now that I think of it, it has no wheel wells! yay one less thing. Going to air bag it so the rear coilovers going eventually. and making new control arms to fit wheels. The rear of my car is a bit short in the front and big in the rear(sounds like its owner) by about 3" . Never seen what a real stretch entailed thanks for the pic.
or I could cut the 3" outta the back section and fb it back together. Thats easy peasy. yeah. thanks yall!
Here's your car. I meant the rear wheel won't be centered in the opening if you move it back 3-inches.
Thats one of the things that I have been debating myself. In that pic, the rear wheel looks normal but the front wheel looks shifted back. If you look at pics of the other side, the rear wheel is forward and the front wheel looks normal.
[This message has been edited by IMSA GT (edited 04-02-2018).]
I dont think the front wheels were perfectly straight in those pics. The front always lined up pretty good but the back is a bit forward for the wheel well opening and the wheelbase of the real thing. Heres an updated pic
Ive brought the front edge of the front wheel to curve around the tire, but the main back trunk sections too long. Im cutting it either way to shorten it so its proportional to the rest o the car - or funagle the rear axle back to a 96" wheelbase and fill in the front of the rear wheel well with what I cut outta the rear wheelwell. With whats going to be involved in a real stretch(moving fuel lines, shif cables etc), I might as well do a swap. Which I cant do in ca. The cradle extension sounds pretty easy n something I can do. I jjust started welding n dont trust me cutting the car in two just yet, car might break in half after a schweet jump. If the trunk areas the only thing in my way i could just remove it or scoot it back. decisions decisions
(this is an 11" stretch...but I hope the pics explain the steps required to do the stretch)
Doing the stretch isn't overly difficult. The most important step is to scribe alignment marks; matching points on both sides of the frame/cradle that you can cross measure to ensure everything is straight.
Thats awesome thanks for the pics of the process! Looks like too much work for me for the 3". What are you doing for shift cables n AC lines?
shem
In my case...AC lines will be custom made (mating 4.9L Caddy AC compressor to Grand Prix AC) and I'm actually using the stock shift cables since they are going to be driven by an engine-compartment-mounted high speed servo control box....(with Mitsubishi Lancer paddle shifters).
My project has brought me to a point where I don't fear completely custom components being built.
