Gordo's X8 Ramblings

[Gordo 0]

The Missle looks to be identical to Lucas's, but the quality isn't there, as it will take a lot of finnishing work to get all the blems out.

Like I said, I probably would have bought one here, but my PM got lost.

Hopefully his are better quality.

[Gordo 0]

Well, after a full 125cf bottle of argon, I am just about done.

(as in had my fill of this fucking welding bull shit)

 

Front & rear plates are on

Cross tube in

front crossmember fully seam welded

10 gussets in

Doubled the amount of weld where for the front diff mount pocket in the front crossmember

 

Still a few places to address, as soon as I pick up more argon,

but not much, as it's way stronger that any X8 subframe that I've ever seen before.

Would have done more if the 30 psi turbo project hadn'r been dropped.

 

 

[Bowlsclubboy 0]

How much weight do you think you've added Gordo?
Great work btw, but would that top tube have been better off along the bottom of the member due to the solid bushings at the top resisting most of the the flex?

[Gordo 0]

Don't think so.

I have poly subframe mounts, that will allow some movement,

and side loading would make the subframe to twist a little before both rear mounts would load up.

Not that solid mounts would do much better, as it still bolts to unibody that wasn't designed for what I do with the car.

 

Weight, maybe 7-8 pounds.

The piece of 1.25" tube was the heaviest, then the 2 plates, and a small handfull of gussets.

I only used 10 of them so far, but do see a few more places that could possibly use some.

 

Interestinly, under the lower gusset in the 3rd picture, the factory welds were already pulling apart.

Some of the factory welds look as bad as mine, so they must have old guys working at Toyota,

or fucking automated welding robots are not as good as they are hyped to be.

 

Thanks, I don't like the welds, as my hands shake a lot, and I was constantly either putting the tungsten into the weld, or touching it with the filler rod.......

But that is the way thing get when you get old & decrepit.

In my youth, I could stick weld 20 gage steel to make bike pipes, and they looked nice.

Not any more.........

[gameface 0]

was gonna say they look like old man welds

 

how about some pics of your car?

[Gordo 0]

Same old white whale,

that sits too tall for most of you, but sits too low for me to climb out of easily.

 

BN nose & skirts are sitting in my living room, gathering cat hair.

I may get them on some time...........

The 16" Volks are going by-by, as I have a set of 17" BBS LMs, that will go on as soon as I get one back from the wheel straitening people, and can afford another set of Toyo R1Rs.

 

[Gordo 0]

Finished up the subframe with a final sand blast, a little grinding here & there, primed and painted.

Crap, rustoleum rattle cans spray like shit.......

Just a subframe, so no real biggie.

 

[gameface 0]

looks good man, nice work

[Gordo 0]

Managed to get the rear diff mounts machined today.

 

[warped83 0]

Liked, very much at that too! May I ask why the intermittent tacks on the front and rear plates, why not a continuous seam?

[Gordo 0]

Monkey see, monkey do.......

I've seen a lot of other things done that way.

[Demesio 0]

you're staying with the three diff mounts? why not be four mounts like the supra?

[Kyle 0]

I spy kingsford. Why not real hardwood charcoal?

[Gordo 0]

Demesio, A lot of work for 1 extra bolt.

The car that Gaijin Smash has (my old X8) has the Supra diff in, and it took a bunch of work to get the pinion angle correct.

The subframe has to be caved in to get the nose of the housing to sit high enough.

And I was planning on completely changing that by making a new box section at the rear so that I could use the Supra rear cover, and use all 6 bolts.

But that car was getting a 30 pounds of boost.

I don't think my 7MGE will make enough to harm anything on this one.

 

Kyle, Kingsford is the best for barbequing stray dogs.

I also use paint thinner to light the stuff, it's cheaper than the faggity stuff in a bottle you buy in the grill section of HEB.

[brian 0]

installing the big 220mm diff?

[Gordo 0]

Nope, I will just stick with my T2 helical.

[Gordo 0]

Gathering pieces for the suspension that I have had stashed around the house for years into one pile.

I am just waiting for the steel tube for the rear lower control arm, and a few rod end boots.

The section universal arm adjusters will be welded to 1.5" DOM,

with a 'fork' ends from a spare set of stock lateral rods will be welded to the outer end.

 

Not sure if I am going to use the JIC tension rod, as I am having a hard time understanding why I would need an adjustable one that weighs twice as much.

(chime in if you know something I am missing on this)

 

Don't know if any of you remember, but the Supra spherical bushing that I am using, also fits where the tension rod attaches to the carrier. So I may jump on the net, and order another pair of those.

 

 

[Gordo 0]

Tube material came in today, so I machined the 2 LRCAs, and the adjustment bodies to fit into them.

The adjustment bodies are a slight press fit.

The forked ends are from the stock tension rods, as they have the correct bolt hole, and spacing.

Just needs to be welded up.

 

[Gordo 0]

Rear lower arms 90% done.

Still have to add a little bracing on the outer fork.

But I killed off another bottle of argon, so everything is on hold.

 

 

[Kyle 0]

So what swaybars are you going with?

[Gordo 0]

I have a Lagus front, and the 280Z rear on it right now.

I have an even larger ARC from a MkIII Supra sitting in here, but I doubt I will need it, just going to wait & see how it handles with the 17s and what ever tires I end up with.

[Gordo 0]

Finished arms yesterday.

Painted them a bright pastel fag color (just kidding)

 

Now to work on the front lower arms.

They already have the adjustable end mod, but have no reinforcement of any kind.

 

By the way, anyone have a set of stock tension rods ?

Don't want to start buchering mine, as they are still on the car.

 

[DiscoShit 0]

^ they look good. really makes me consider making my own as well.

[Gordo 0]

I've posted this elsewhere before, but here is where you can get the double adjustment assembly, and they come already welded to a tube:

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Lightweight-Chromoly-Adjustable-Panhard-Bar-3-1-2-Inch-Bend,38227.html

 

Cut the tube to the length you need, and weld on a forked end, and sway bar tabs.

The only non off the shelf item would be the spacers for the rod end to 14mm bolt.

Simple stepped sleeve that any machine shop can make.

Or possibly, off the shelf rod end reducers, and a stack of washers on each end......

Most of the circle track suppliers have all sorts of that shit on the shelf. Just google rod end reducers, spacers, cone washers, etc..

 

In fact, the ones that came with these section assemblies are the wrong size, only 12mm ID, and not long enough.

So as soon as a piece of stainless round bar gets here, I will be cutting those out.

[Gordo 0]

I found a spare tire to fit over my 330mm front disks.

G35 aluminum spare, 17", and weighs just 24.5 pounds.

I may buy another, and use them at the strip.

Hopefully the tire won't blow off the rim above 50 mph.