hotkitcars.com

One of the most basic, yet crucial systems on our replica and component cars is the steering system. Everything from full custom systems to direct transplants has been used, depending on the vehicle type and complexity of the car. Without a doubt, this is one of the major headaches and challenges for a kit car manufacturer to solve. For most manufacturers, the easiest and proven path has been to base the steering system on an existing design that also fits within the vehicle’s body and structure.

For most cars, a few designs have become very popular. In the Street Rods, the Mustang II/Pinto system is the most popular-as it is compact, simple, has modern brakes, and a wide-enough track width to fit most bodies. In the Cobra replica arena, two different steering systems are prevalent. Almost exclusively, most manufacturers used the original Cobra/MGB steering system and geometry until the introduction of the Mustang II component-based IFS and steering systems came into the forefront. The MGB system is very light, has good geometry, and is easy to adapt. With the advent of the Mustang component kits, most notably the Factory Five cars, the Mustang’s suspension and steering geometry was kept along with many of the components. One of the biggest challenges was replacing the McPherson strut with an upper control arm and connecting hardware to create an upper ball joint pivot. Once all was worked out, the results have spoken for themselves. Only with the most exotic cars will you find full custom steering and suspension systems with more of a racing slant.

Over the next few pages, we’ll outline the basic groups of parts available, plus some extra mods for those who need more performance. As with other features we have presented to our readers, we’ll provide more of an overview so you can see what is available. From there you can do the needed research to select the specific components that you believe will work best for you.

Obviously, the heart of the system is the steering rack itself. Almost all replica and component cars use the modern rack-and-pinion steering setup. As described before, most manufacturers have adapted the existing suspension systems from another vehicle. Usually it is from a car that many other parts are also being donated from to complete the build. On a base level build either the existing steering rack can be used from the donor, or one can be purchased outright. Either manual steer or power assist can be used. In most cases this will deliver trouble-free steering for the life of the vehicle.

For those who demand either higher quality components, or a higher level of performance, many manufacturers offer a specially manufactured steering rack. One of the most popular and well-known is Flaming River. They manufacture steering racks for almost every application, both manual and power assist. The construction features CNC machining, premium quality materials, and a higher quality finish. For more info on the applications, check out the Flaming River Web site and use the instructions and equipment list of your vehicle as a guide.

Flaming River also offers many other parts of the steering system. Another major component is the steering column. Again, whether you are building a street rod, roadster, or other vehicle, along with transmission choice, dash design, and other factors will then determine if you need a column-and then what type. Most of the Flaming River columns are based on existing designs, so they can easily integrate into a component car, but, like the racks, feature superior construction, finish, and quality. Again, many types and variants are offered, so once you know your specific application the correct column can be chosen. In addition, many of the peripheral parts are also available, including: universal joints, steering shafts, dash mounts, floor mounts, hoses, power steering pumps and reservoirs, etc.-all from one company.

For those who demand more performance and greater steering response and accuracy, even more can be done with the steering. Kits are available to reposition the steering rack to achieve optimal steering geometry. Bumpsteer kits are there to properly position the steering arms so that the car stays straight. If using power steering, many options are available, including coolers, fluids, pumps, and more.

Take a look at what we found, consult with the kit’s manufacturer, consult friends and forums. The more education you have, the better off you’ll be when selecting parts for this most critical system on your vehicle. A properly selected system will result in more smiles as the miles pass, instead of white knuckles after hanging on for dear life.

Photo Gallery: Steering Systems – Steering Clear

Now that Project Devin is painted, we’re down to the detailing. The red stripe cried out for a contrasting pinstripe to set it apart from the black body color, so pinstriper and fine artist John Stout was called in. Stout has been pinstriping since 1956 when he was 14 and his father, a sign painter, taught him how. Over the years, Stout has striped hundreds of cars and motorcycles. Although he is now principally known as a mural artist and custom sign painter, he still enjoys laying a line on something sporty.

Stout came by the shop to give me an estimate on striping the Devin. When I readily agreed to the price and asked when he wanted to get started, he replied: “Right now!” Out came all his paints and brushes and I grabbed my camera to record the festivities.

Photo Gallery: Pinstripe Basics – Kit Car Magazine

One of the great joys of building a replica vehicle is that there is no correct way of doing anything! In direct contrast to the restoration of classics, antiques, and muscle cars, we are given carte blanche when it comes to choices and options. When have you ever seen two identical street rods, Cobras, dune buggies, Speedsters, or any other vehicle covered by this magazine at any event? Good money is on never. Yes, a unique exception is a minority of replica owners who build a “tribute” car, in which the whole idea is to re-create the flavor of the original. Back to the choices, in almost every vehicle here, there are decisions for all parts of the car: paint, wheels, tires, interior, suspension, motors, and even the color of the seats. But, there has traditionally been one area where our choices are few: transmissions and shifters.

Since replicas are re-creations of a special car made eons ago, the originals used much older technology. Street rods are a perfect example, with the original manual transmissions having the shifters located directly centered in the gearbox part of the trans. The original Cobras had the problem of the shift linkage of the T10′s putting the shifter handle back at the driver’s hips. A simple solution was to mount a Mustang shifter handle backwards to have the knob closer to a regular position. It worked, but the pattern has always been awkward. Other replica vehicles have all suffered the same problem and coped with it in some manner. The only exceptions have been the family of cars with the drivelines out back, and the shifters are always a remote unit.

For a large percentage of street rods, a simple and practical solution has been to use an automatic transmission. It makes for much simpler installation, eliminates all clutch linkage, and the freedom to use any shifter for an automatic transmission is available due to either simple cable or a single rod connection. A little known fact is that an automatic transmission was offered on the original Cobras, but the final production numbers can probably be counted on two hands.

So, for those of us who like to “row the box,” and demand a shifter-to-driver position that is comfortable and similar to our everyday performance cars, what are our choices? Happily, in the last few years, we have more than most know about. There are a few transmission choices, a myriad of shifter choices, even the ability to move the shifter. We also now can mate different engines and transmissions than offered by the factories. Your days of suffering with an awkward upshift or downshift are over! For those of us who race, we’re doing handstands! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bungled a shift in my FFR roadster on the racetrack due to the awkward shift. So, may we offer some choices and information?

Probably the biggest challenge in this area is if you’re contemplating a build, in the process of building, or have a complete car. This subject usually comes as an afterthought once the car is done. By doing more research, you can make a critical choice that will affect the entire ownership experience of your car. Sure, it may look great, but is it really a joy to drive? Is throwing a fast shift quick and easy, or is it a dreaded event? Wouldn’t you really rather have that shifter right out front, just like in your Saab? So, what can you do?

It’s actually very straightforward. Depending on your vehicle, the biggest factor is your driveline, more specifically, the motor and transmission. If your car is already built, what transmission is in it? If you’re building the car, do you already have a driveline? If not, what are you considering? For all the previous questions, can the transmission you’re using have the shifter moved? Big question. If you’re serious about a new shifter location, this could lead to a new transmission purchase and very large cash expenditure, not to mention the physical effort of performing the swap. If you have a Tremec T5, T56, TKO 500/600/3550/3560, or other transmission that has the flexibility of re-locating the shifter, does your car allow for that? Where do you want the new location of the shifter to be? Are there frame or sheetmetal problems? If you don’t want to pull the transmission out of the car and open it up, what about an external kit to relocate the transmission?

Now that we have thoroughly confused you, time to answer all the questions we just posed. We’ll start with the easiest, and progress from there. We’re sure you have heard of the term “mid-shift,” but may not really know what it pertains to. In its most simplified form, a “mid-shift” conversion moves the shifter handle and/or mechanism farther forward towards the engine and/or the front of your interior. This is accomplished by relocating the shifter location in the transmission to a more centered, or “mid body” location. This can be done both internally or externally, depending on your vehicle, budget, and transmission. Allow us to further explain.

Without a doubt, the easiest scenario is when you’re still building the car, and collecting parts. Your choice of driveline is the key. Which transmission is sitting in your garage? If you have any of the current “rail” shifter transmissions, such as the family of Tremecs, you have many choices. You can buy a kit to actually relocate the shifter on the transmission. The older T5 and T56′s only have one alternate position to move the shifter forwards roughly 8-12 inches on center, depending on the kit selected, but that may require a new tailshaft housing on the older transmissions. The modern TKO’s all have the flexibility of two other shifter locations on the transmission. From here, both kits for the user, or a pre-converted transmission are available. Once you choose which transmission you’ll use, and where you want the shifter to be located, the choices all will become quickly clear.

If your car is complete, or going inside the transmission is an option you wish to avoid, a solution is to mount an external mid-shift conversion, which relocates the shifter handle forwards and closer to the driver, but can reduce the ‘snick-snick’ feeling of a direct shifter. Another consideration with this conversion is access to the transmission and any obstacles from the vehicle chassis itself.

Rather than get into a lengthy technical discussion on each shifter and conversion, we will show you as an overview the most common problems, their corresponding solutions, and some interesting options to allow you more flexibility and creativity in your build. If you have any serious technical questions, please contact one of the sources listed at the end of the article. They are the true experts in this very technical field. Be sure to tell them that KIT CAR sent you.

So, when grabbing that next gear, make sure it’s a fun one!

Photo Gallery: Mid-Shift Kit – Kit Car Magazine

One of the most visually important parts of kit and custom cars is the grille, since that’s the first thing people see. In the 1950s, many custom cars featured grilles with square or rectangular patterns made from flat metal stock, which became known as egg-crate grilles. Many production cars also used similar grilles, including 289 street Cobras, most Ferraris, and the 1965-67 Sting Ray. Custom car builders usually made their own grilles from aluminum bar stock, and they’re easy to fab yourself using only a tape measure, a chisel, and a table saw. I made one for my Devin project car, and although the first one was thrown in the scrap bin, I learned enough to not make the same mistakes twice!

Photo Gallery: How To Make An Egg-Crate Grille – Kit Car Magazine

There comes a time in every kit builder’s life when they’ll need to know where the engine and transmission will be located in their ride. That time has come for the California Hauler, and since we opted to run a V-8 in place of the stock Chevy S-10 engine with our Auto Classic Willys truck project, it changed the location of everything in the engine compartment.

The good news is since we’re locating the engine, we can move it more than a foot rearward from where the original motor sat, which will improve the truck’s center of gravity. And when its combined with a future lowering job, it will give us a vehicle that should handle more like a slot car than a pickup truck!

When it was time to figure out what would power the California Hauler, the choices were limitless. A blown Hemi? A Chevy small-block with injection sticking through the hood? A stroked Ford V-8? As it turned out, Smeding Performance in Rancho Cordova, California, can supply just about anything on anyone’s wish list who has either Ford or Chevy powerplants-from mild to wild.

Although we’ll highlight the particular engine and transmission we’ll be using in a future issue, once we decided what to use, we needed to figure out where it should fit in the S-10 chassis.

There is a combination of common sense and science when locating an engine. We’ll explain both sides of the equation

The common sense side deals with centering the engine and trans between the framerails as a starting point in order to make sure that whatever you plan to bolt to the engine, from AC pulleys to induction and exhaust systems, will be able to clear the crossmember, framerails, and hood. Our stock S-10 chassis turned out to be a perfect candidate for a V-8, as the chassis widens in just at the right spot for a small-block (or even a big-block) to slide right in.

The design of the cab and chassis also allows us to raise the engine high in the frame, so not much of the engine and trans hangs below the framerails. Having the engine/trans installed this way not only looks better, but will keep the engine or trans pan from scraping over a speed bump or driveway.

Since the engine is in a brand new location, we’ll fabricate our own engine mounts from scratch, which will be featured in the next installment of this series. The science side of the engine and trans install formula will also be covered in the next issue, and includes figuring out pinion angles and how they relate to the wear and tear on the driveshaft’s U-joints.

Photo Gallery: California Hauler – Kit Car Project