Project 440DD

[pikewi]

Finally got the bottom end all together. With some super happy help.

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Please do something about that tripod engine stand.

 

[Unconventional]

Finally got the bottom end all together. With some super happy help.

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Standin' next to a BB Mopar and wearing bib overalls, I think ya got a keeper

 

[dukeboy440]

Please do something about that tripod engine stand.

???

 

[jaws]

That type of stand has a tendency to tip over.

 

[Demonracer]

They are telling you that the 3 castered stand might tip over if not very careful. I welded a bar with two casters across the single caster on the front, it's much more stable now.

 

[dukeboy440]

They are telling you that the 3 castered stand might tip over if not very careful. I welded a bar with two casters across the single caster on the front, it's much more stable now.

It comes off tomorrow and into the Cradle again. I never move the stand with the engine on it.

 

[Demonracer]

Okay, that's all we needed to know. Broken blocks are no fun, not to mention someone getting hurt. Good luck with your build, you have some great helpers.

 

[dukeboy440]

This should do, at least for now

 

[dukeboy440]

Decided I’d try and find out if all the measuring I’d done was correct and if everything would clear.
First pic is of the tire that came off the dart all those years ago when I started for comparison sake. Tire in the left is the new one, tire on right is the factory size.

 

[dukeboy440]

These pics are of the left front, at measured ride height I took the shock out of the coil over, measured maximum extended length, then the fully collapsed length and divided the difference and set the control arms according. Do note, these are with the Adjustable control arms, top and bottom, extended all the way out, with just 3 threads turned in. They just clear at ride height.

 

[dukeboy440]

These next couple pics are with the adjustable control arms still fully out, but the tires raised as far as I could go. This is about an inch from Max travel of the lower control arms. , and about the point where the shock would be bottoming out. As you can see, they get into the fender lip a bit.

 

[dukeboy440]

Now, these next ones, I took everything apart and turned the heims and delrins all the way in as far as they could go and still have the jamb nut on. This really freed up room in a big way and nothing hits the inside or the outside. These pics here were taken with the suspension fully maxed out vertically, over an inch more than the point where the shock would be fully bottomed out. Nothing hits the outside, nor the inside when turning. It gets very very close to the frame rail when turning all the way left, but with the rack installed, and adjusted properly, it still clears, barely. Of course with the rack out, it’ll hit every time lol.

but it clears the lips of the fender and all the suspension components with room to spare.

 

[dukeboy440]

And not for the rears. This is the part in really thrilled about, I managed to get my front and rear track widths dead on identical. That was one of my goals with this whole thing because I hated that weird look of the darts with the wide front tracks and narrow rears. Should help with handling a bit too.

gives me enough room to get the tire on and off along side the road if I ever need too. So now, it’s finally at the point i feel completely comfortable with stuff fitting like it should to completely weld up the quarter and tubs. Right now, they’re just tacked into place for fitment

 

[mygasser]

re setting ride height with coilovers. the shock should be 1/3 compressed at ride height so it has 2/3 bump and 1/3 rebound. if you set ride height at 1/2 of the shock travel it will bottom out a lot, unless the springs are too hard and then you'll likely get the springs rattling loose on full extension.
neil.

 

[dukeboy440]

re setting ride height with coilovers. the shock should be 1/3 compressed at ride height so it has 2/3 bump and 1/3 rebound. if you set ride height at 1/2 of the shock travel it will bottom out a lot, unless the springs are too hard and then you'll likely get the springs rattling loose on full extension.
neil.

Thanks! That helps a lot!

 

[HemiDenny]

I'm more of a believer the shock can ride pretty much in the middle of the stroke with the spring compressing 25 to 33%.

 

[dukeboy440]

I'm more of a believer the shock can ride pretty much in the middle of the stroke with the spring compressing 25 to 33%.

cool thanks. I’m gonna wait to lock that part fully down once the engine and trans and the full weight are back in the car in a couple months so I’ll keep all this in mind. Thanks Denny

 

[dukeboy440]

Oh In case anyone was wondering, tires are 275/35/18s all around.


front rims are 18x9s with a 30 offset, or 6.18 backspace
Rears are 18x10 45 mm offset or 7.20 backspace.

 

[dukeboy440]

So I took the day off and since it was cold inside the shop, decided to spend the day outside touring a junkyard. I took close to 400 pictures as this place is huge and 80-90 percent mopars from the 20s to mid 2000s . Here’s a few samples

 

[dukeboy440]

A few more

 

[dukeboy440]

Finally got the AMD rockers mocked up. Hoping to weld these in Thursday morning.

 

[famous bob]

They are telling you that the 3 castered stand might tip over if not very careful. I welded a bar with two casters across the single caster on the front, it's much more stable now.

Did the same thing---------

 

[RustyRatRod]

Nice progress! I keep comin in here when this thread pops up lookin for 44dds. Dangit.

 

[dukeboy440]

Nice progress! I keep comin in here when this thread pops up lookin for 44dds. Dangit.

thanks.

There will be some eventually. I have a graphic artist working on a twist to the swinger emblem that you’ll love

 

[dukeboy440]

DS rocker is on. Starting on the part I’ve had mad anxiety on for years. The welding of the 1/4. I’m gonna turn up the gas and hope for the best