4-bar / back half the HemiDenny / HDK way

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this Dart will be low, the actual ground level (up 3") simulated by hi-tech stacked 2 x 6 scraps. Gas tank will be 8" off the ground. Plenty of room for the rear mounted coil overs , panard bar and tail pipes running between the rear frame rails and gas tank.

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HemiDenny said:
this Dart will be low, the actual ground level (up 3") simulated by hi-tech stacked 2 x 6 scraps. Gas tank will be 8" off the ground. Plenty of room for the rear mounted coil overs , panard bar and tail pipes. They have plenty of room between the rear frame rails and gas tank.

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Just curious how you arrived at 8 inches being plenty? This is something I’m working on with my fuel cell
 
I know from previous lowered Dart builds the lowest point is normally the bottom of the exhaust collector(s) @ around 4-1/2" to 5". If I'm above that by point by 3" to 3-1/2" ....I can live with it. I considered moving the trunk floor along with the fuel assembly higher, but with the bottom of the tank already higher than the 4 x 3 dipped in the center crossmember / lower driveshaft loop, I did not see the value of the increased effort.

I'm not a fan of fuel cells, especially located in the trunk of a street car. I like the design / function of a steel / OEM style tank installed outside any enclosed space with 20 ga sheet metal between any occupants and fuel. While the tank will fill from inside the trunk, the filler will utilize a sealed cap with nothing venting inside the trunk area.

Just the way I like to do things....others may vary.

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HemiDenny said:
I know from previous lowered Dart builds the lowest point is normally the bottom of the exhaust collector(s) @ around 4-1/2" to 5". If I'm above that by point by 3" to 3-1/2" ....I can live with it. I considered moving the trunk floor along with the fuel assembly higher, but with the bottom of the tank already higher than the 4 x 3 dipped in the center crossmember / lower driveshaft loop, I did not see the value of the increased effort.

I'm not a fan of fuel cells, especially located in the trunk of a street car. I like the design / function of a steel / OEM style tank installed outside any enclosed space with 20 ga sheet metal between any occupants and fuel. While the tank will fill from inside the trunk, the filler will utilize a sealed cap with nothing venting inside the trunk area.

Just the way I like to do things....others may vary.

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My fuel cell is actually going to be mounted in a cage, beneath the trunk floor and with a SCCA approved fuel cell firewall between that. It’s also got an impact bladder rated for 180 mph, set me back a small fortune but we share the same concerns. Mine is also set up to use the factory fill location and vent out will be routed to outside the car, just haven’t decided where exactly
 
dukeboy_318 said:
My fuel cell is actually going to be mounted in a cage, beneath the trunk floor and with a SCCA approved fuel cell firewall between that. It’s also got an impact bladder rated for 180 mph, set me back a small fortune but we share the same concerns. Mine is also set up to use the factory fill location and vent out will be routed to outside the car, just haven’t decided where exactly
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I understand....but the big difference is you obviously build cars destined for the track. While I supply a lot of front ends for drag racers, other than the restoration of The California Flash, all my personal and shop builds are 100% street cars. I like to tie the front / rear together and add necessary strength wherever it makes functional sense, but stay away from rollbars and rollcages. I do not want to drive around with a helmet on, it is not good for my hair. Last thing I want to do is have a street car with the weight of a tank.

Incorporating a high $$$ fuel cell along with all the other safety requirements of a competitive race car is just not my cup of tea, however I enjoy watching innovative builders like you that take up that challenge.

Hope all is well and have a happy 4th.

Denny
 
HemiDenny said:
I understand....but the big difference is you obviously build cars destined for the track. While I supply a lot of front ends for drag racers, other than the restoration of The California Flash, all my personal and shop builds are 100% street cars. I like to tie the front / rear together and add necessary strength wherever it makes functional sense, but stay away from rollbars and rollcages. I do not want to drive around with a helmet on, it is not good for my hair. Last thing I want to do is have a street car with the weight of a tank.

Incorporating a high $$$ fuel cell along with all the other safety requirements of a competitive race car is just not my cup of tea, however I enjoy watching innovative builders like you that take up that challenge.

Hope all is well and have a happy 4th.

Denny
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Thanks Denny, hope you have a good one too.
 
on another note, Happy July 4th

doo, doo, doo, lookin' out my back door!

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We live on the backside of a nature preserve / park / bird sanctuary / protected area and been watching them for maybe a couple of weeks (?). One early on was really rambunctious, bucking and leaping around testing out the legs. Last Saturday night we found two very young racoons hiding in the garage. I chased them out but my wife saw them the next day with another sibling walking thru the yard. Caught the whole family on the Ring cameras that night. It's a regular wild kingdom around here.
 
dukeboy_318 said:
Just curious how you arrived at 8 inches being plenty? This is something I’m working on with my fuel cell
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Hey Chris,

thanks for getting me to take another look at the gas tank installed height. I am raising the rear of the tank mount 1" and the front mount 2-1/2". I will still keep a downward slope towards the pumps on the bottom of the tank but will raise the tank in the car considerably. While ground clearance was A-OK, it was not going to be a good look with the gas tank hanging so low.

Hot rod tip 1.....tac weld and mock up, plan for easy changes if the need arises.

Hot rod tip 2.....pay attention to your FABO friends, they see things you miss.
 
HemiDenny said:
Hey Chris,

thanks for getting me to take another look at the gas tank installed height. I am raising the rear of the tank mount 1" and the front mount 2-1/2". I will still keep a downward slope towards the pumps on the bottom of the tank but will raise the tank in the car considerably. While ground clearance was A-OK, it was not going to be a good look with the gas tank hanging so low.

Hot rod tip 1.....tac weld and mock up, plan for easy changes if the need arises.

Hot rod tip 2.....pay attention to your FABO friends, they see things you miss.
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No prob. This is one area I’ve redone now 3 times. First concern was bouncing the thing off the ground on a steep incline or rail crossing. Second was getting enough clearance to try and keep it below the trunk floor. And then I noticed it was hanging stupidly too low under the valence.

Stuffing a 25 gallon fuel cell in has proven to be a pain in the ***
 
WOW! So question regarding your front end setup vs correcting issues with alignment doing upper tubular a arms only. My issue is I'm out of adjustment room as the cams have nothing left to give on drivers side. Other than replacing with a more adjustable option how difficult would your front end system be for a basic stock ride height. Buddy of mine did a coil conversion 70 Mustang required some welding I assume yours does as well at the shock tower and a arm mount. Loving the this build, well all of yours put this back yard play time guy to shame.
 
4.7Light said:
WOW! So question regarding your front end setup vs correcting issues with alignment doing upper tubular a arms only. My issue is I'm out of adjustment room as the cams have nothing left to give on drivers side. Other than replacing with a more adjustable option how difficult would your front end system be for a basic stock ride height. Buddy of mine did a coil conversion 70 Mustang required some welding I assume yours does as well at the shock tower and a arm mount. Loving the this build, well all of yours put this back yard play time guy to shame.
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The HDK UCAs are designed for more caster by placing the upper ball joint not only further rearward than OEM, but allowing easy to adjustment from 3...to 4.5...to 6 degrees positive caster while keeping the eccentric adjuster in the center of their adjustment and NOT putting the arm in a bind.

The HDK is zero customer welding including the upper shock mounts / chromoly support hoops.

BTW, thanks for the compliment.

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HemiDenny said:
The HDK UCAs are designed for more caster by placing the upper ball joint not only further rearward than OEM, but allowing easy to adjustment from 3...to 4.5...to 6 degrees positive caster while keeping the eccentric adjuster in the center of their adjustment and NOT putting the arm in a bind.

The HDK is zero customer welding including the upper shock mounts / chromoly support hoops.

BTW, thanks for the compliment.

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Awesome that makes this a lot better of a choice I think. My frontend kit was not a big investment and the steering box is still factory PS. I think rather than wasting 500 A arm for a stop gap or 50 for bushings vs years to enjoy a full change out minus worrying about things I have noticed.
 
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