Bugnotti Build Begins

[HoosierGTA]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

Live near your citys name sake in Indiana , Nice project . Excellent documentation (Photos)

[CM325]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

When you said tobacco warehouse I knew it had to be KY. My mom and sister live up in Maysville. I was in Shelbyville in my Roadrunner in the summer of 07 visiting a moparts.com member. Your car is going to be one really cool project. I've run alot of 235's and 261's. If theres 2 (II) hash marks above the starter and below the intake manifold its a 261, they had a bigger bore and heavier rods. That saginaw 3 speed with 4:10's will leave you wanting more gears. What are your plans for the engine?

I'm pretty sure that It's a 235 but I'll check none the less. Right now I'm just trying to get it all sorted. I'm not planning on big performance mods (yet) not that i can get a whole lot out of it. With in reason. So I'll probably just get duals on it for now. Everything needs a good cleaning and paint.I need to find some dress up stuff . I'll more than likely go with the t5 not real excited about it, but given the narrow band on the 235 and high rear I now that it'll be out of 1st in like 2 feet and into third within 20'. We'll see.

Live near your citys name sake in Indiana , Nice project . Excellent documentation (Photos)

Thanks man. I love looking through builds and I'm always a little disappointed when there are huge gaps in the builds.I've figured out so many things just looking at the diffrent ways people do things. I'm really into chassis and suspension design so of course my favorite part of any build is the very beginning.
Thanks
Chris

[CM325]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

Well,
Didn't get as much done as I would've liked this weekend but so is life. I did however get the rear springs where there going. I'm waiting for a package today with my u-bolts and new axle pad. So I'm planning on getting the rear nailed down this week. I still need to hang the front as well.
Trevor started painting the Apache sat. so my engine is now stuck behind a wall of plastic. I guess I'll focus on the front axle for now. I was really planning on building it from the back forward, but i guess a little jumping around won't hurt.

Removed the ugly bracing as seem above. And got the crossmember welded in. It's pie cut like the frame rails.


Heres how i hung the chassis off the axle. (no flaming on the spring restack, I've consulted a tech with Speedway who suggested it)


just another shot looking down it.


So there you go guys.
Chris

[milner351]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

NICE!

I'm assuming you'll be using some kind of "bumper" as a suspension travel limiter?

What about shock location / configuration - everything looks very tight as far as suspension travel.

interesting - I love the progress pics! you're inspiring!

[CM325]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

NICE!

I'm assuming you'll be using some kind of "bumper" as a suspension travel limiter?

What about shock location / configuration - everything looks very tight as far as suspension travel.

interesting - I love the progress pics! you're inspiring!

It's not as tight as it looks most rods only have 2.5" of travel anyway. I can already tell I'm going to have to remove a leaf or two.It's pretty stiff right now I might get .25" out of it now. But that's minus a whole lot of weight. The shocks will be friction, haven't decided wether they'll be outside the frame (exposed) or tucked away inside (most likely). I have decided on a bump stop yet. Some sort of silosto (sp?) bumpstop. Because of their tunability. I really don't want something that sends my spring rate to infinity all of a sudden.
Thanks, glad to be a motivator. I've been by so many on so many forums car shows and racetracks. Glad that i can contribute.
Chris

Ups man just came in dropped my package. I'm off to lunch (read no lunch )I'll snap a couple pics for ya.

[CM325]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

K so now that I've got the U-bolts and perches I can start to concrete somethings. I've figured how I want to mount the front axle (I think :) Pulled some dimensions off it and am going to stop by my fab guy and have him knock out some brackets to hang the front and the shackles.
Here's those pics for you Milner.
I guess i should've mentioned that a notch under the rear isn't in yet. I plan on cutting a 3" piece of pipe in half and laying it in the notch. So I should have around 3" of clearance hopefully they'll be just enough. I'm still young enough that if it's not I'll leave the springs super stiff. We'll see.





The front end mocked up. The pipes will be recessed into the frame the rear one will more than likely be cut off inside the frame with some gusseting to keep it all in place.


Chris

[milner351]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

LOVE IT ;D

looks like the driveshaft will end up being almost perfectly straight and perhaps end up goin "uphill" to get to the rear axle.... shouldn't have to worry about stressing out an U Joints.

Do you have Leo Santucci's book yet?

I picked up a copy and have read most of it twice now - lots of great pointers in there, but it's mostly about the 250 - 292, not much information on the 235.... probably have to hang out on inliners, stovebolt, langdons, or clifford to find what you want about those.

This thing is going to be a ball with the T5 and those axle gears, which first gear ratio does your T5 have?
I would recomend a positive stop shifter for it - I'm sure you'll fab up your own lever and knob - but the mechanicals of a pro 5.0 or similar shifter are worth picking up at a swap or on ebay - just to have the tunable stops, so you don't have to worry about breaking a shift fork.

[CM325]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

That's a good question It's out of a mid 80's Z28. If that helps, I'm not real sure.
I'm ready to find out how the engine and drive shaft will sit. Up to this point everything has been done
on paper and coming out pretty close to what I need.
To be honest I'm really not worried about how much hp it makes. In the end as long as it's light enough we should be
in business. I think once you go back past the late 50's torque was king. I think those 235's are a little over 200 lbs/ft.
My bimmers fun with about 15 less and about twice the weight so I think it'll be fine.
I have thought about simply putting the 2x1 intake and fenton headers. Maybe hei dist (not sure bout that one). If power is what I'm after some forged pistons and some spray is most likely the way to go.
I don't want to waste money on power. It's like dumping 10k into a civic. Granted you have a 300hp civic, but whats that. Spend an equal amount on a motor that wants it and everyone smiles.
Chris

[morley]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

I'm really enjoying this, that is one cool project!

[milner351]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

I agree - in such a light gear with the gearing you have - (most likely a 2.8 :1 first gear as I recall) it will have plenty of umph to move such a light package.

Dual or triple carbs with split exhaust would be totally sweet - and complete the race car look as well.

From Santucci's book - distributors in the chevy 6 are pretty universal - so an upgrade to a late 70's pickup HEI should be easy - but to keep it looking more period - and electronic conversion in the distributor you have would "look" better.... I'm probably going to do that with my 292 since I already have a pertronix in the dizzy in the 235 - probably put it into a newer distributor simply because the advance mechanism in mine is pretty worn out.

clifford or offy should have an intake to give you what you want - Santucci likes side draft webers on these things... they look totally race car which would be wicked cool in your "cigar on wheels" car.

[CM325]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

I'm really enjoying this, that is one cool project!

Thanks man, I hope it turns out ok, Or just at all.

I agree - in such a light gear with the gearing you have - (most likely a 2.8 :1 first gear as I recall) it will have plenty of umph to move such a light package.

Dual or triple carbs with split exhaust would be totally sweet - and complete the race car look as well.

From Santucci's book - distributors in the chevy 6 are pretty universal - so an upgrade to a late 70's pickup HEI should be easy - but to keep it looking more period - and electronic conversion in the distributor you have would "look" better.... I'm probably going to do that with my 292 since I already have a pertronix in the dizzy in the 235 - probably put it into a newer distributor simply because the advance mechanism in mine is pretty worn out.

clifford or offy should have an intake to give you what you want - Santucci likes side draft webers on these things... they look totally race car which would be wicked cool in your "cigar on wheels" car.

There's a good thread in the H.A.M.B. about converting an old points dist to hei. That's probably the way to go.
I think side drafts would be awesome, though a little pricey. I'm trying not to get to caught up in the details yet. I need to get the important things in order first. Once the car is operational, then i can modify what ever i want (within reason).
So for now anyway I just want it all together, then i can hit the swaps and catalogues.


K, so today i went to my fab guy, figured out what i need to hang the front axle. So hopefully so they will be knocked out (brackets) by the end of the day. I still plan on having a roller by the end of the week. I sure hope so. I've got to go to Ohio fri. but i should have the weekend to get it done. It would be sweet if i could have it done by the Nats wether that happens i don't know I guess i have 7 months :o
Wish me luck.
Chris

[Caveman]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

Are you going with control arms in the back to locate the axle?
With shackles on both ends of the springs, its gonna move around... unless your welding the shackles on one end into a fixed position. Just an observation...

I can't tell from the pics what your plans are, but it looks like you're going with shackles on the forward end of the springs for the front... Just a suggestion, but you may want to consider putting them on the rear end of the front springs. Jeeps had the shackles on the front end, and that creates some wacky handling traits. For instance, my '89 YJ would nearly change lanes on me if I hit a weird pothole or bump... Jeep guys have been doing 'shackle reversals' on CJs and YJs for years: it creates better geometry, and actually helps keep it in a straight line.

How's the front axle clearance look?

[Mr4Speed]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

This link will tell you what's in your T5-

http://www.garage-scene.com/t5-into-ag-body/

Thanks for sharing this project-it's inspiring.

[Weldangrind]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

Are you going with control arms in the back to locate the axle?
With shackles on both ends of the springs, its gonna move around... unless your welding the shackles on one end into a fixed position. Just an observation...

I can't tell from the pics what your plans are, but it looks like you're going with shackles on the forward end of the springs for the front... Just a suggestion, but you may want to consider putting them on the rear end of the front springs. Jeeps had the shackles on the front end, and that creates some wacky handling traits. For instance, my '89 YJ would nearly change lanes on me if I hit a weird pothole or bump... Jeep guys have been doing 'shackle reversals' on CJs and YJs for years: it creates better geometry, and actually helps keep it in a straight line.

How's the front axle clearance look?

I had some thoughts on the rear shackles, but not from the same angle as Caveman. I presumed that only the rear (of the rear spring) would have shackles and the front of the rear springs would be a fixed pivot point. What I wondered was if the dynamics of springs vs. shackles might mean that the shackles should be on the front with an inverted spring like yours. I really don't know; it just occurred to me that flipping the springs might neccessitate swapping the shackles to the front of the rear spring. Make sense?

Bitchin' project by the way! Thanks for the photos.

[FuryUs]

Re: Bugnotti Build Begins

The back of the rear spring appears to be fixed.
Can wait to see this things rolling. I've been wanting to do something similar myself. There's a Ford cowl on craigslist calling me as a starting point.