change main frame rail?
#1
Member
CRAFTSMAN
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: racine wisconsin
Posts: 50
change main frame rail?
i have a 2x3 full chassis nova i sit right under the main hoop and there is a funny car cagr in the car. i'm 6'3'' i fit fine with no helmet or neck brace on. one cut the whole cage out and move the main hoop back change the funny car cage and every bar but the 2 a pillar bars. or cut out the 2x3 frame under my right butt cheek and put in a 1 5/8 bar, lower the seat and make a drop seat pan. and ideas thanks mike
#2
Post several of pics of the interior so we can see what you actually have to work with. Under chassis shots would help also.If you can't figger how to post on the forum, add them to your profile and then post a direct link here.
#3
Senior Member
DYNO OPERATOR
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 504
Mike, for monster size drivers I recline the seat back by moving the bottom of the seat forward and the top back to shorten your torso. You may find that changing the pedals and steering column is less work if your car has the floor space to do this. I have used round pipe ( 1 5/8" .083 molly) on square frames where your seat support is required between the inner and outer frame rails to make a lower perch. This will require you to put the sheet metal on the outside or bottom of the frame like a belly pan, which is legal. You must use .024 steel min thickness, welded in place.That will net you possibly 1 3/8" lower starting point for your seat bottom.
Bruce
Edited: Sorry, I had a dimension error guys
Bruce
Edited: Sorry, I had a dimension error guys
#4
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,137
Originally Posted by TopspeedLowet
Mike, for monster size drivers I recline the seat back by moving the bottom of the seat forward and the top back to shorten your torso. You may find that changing the pedals and steering column is less work if your car has the floor space to do this. I have used round pipe ( 1 5/8" .083 molly) on square frames where your seat support is required between the inner and outer frame rails to make a lower perch. This will require you to put the sheet metal on the outside or bottom of the frame like a belly pan, which is legal. You must use .024 steel min thickness, welded in place.That will net you possibly 2 3/8" lower starting point for your seat bottom.
Bruce
Bruce
#5
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: ohio
Posts: 816
x2 on reclineing the seat, incountered that with last 2x3 chassis i built, used kirkey seat, welded tabs on the main frame rails, and rocker bar, and braced the rocker to main frame in that location, and mounted seat to the floor.
#6
Member
CRAFTSMAN
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: racine wisconsin
Posts: 50
good ideas on the seat but let me give a little history on the car i'm the 2nd owner of the nova the other guy was about 5'10'' car was built for him. i got the car oct 08 modified the kirkley seat put a new rack and column in the car. seat is cut and i welded a wedge in it to lay it back if i try to move it forward and move the pedals my feet would be in fornt of the a pillars, rocker bars and dash dash bar only protection would be fiberglass frontend and alum. firewall i have some pictures put dont know how to upload them. if someone could do my a favor i could email them and they could upload them so everyone can see whats going on it may help to see for some ideas thanks mike [email protected]
#7
Senior Member
MASTER BUILDER
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Owingsville, Ky
Posts: 157
The inner frame rails can be 2x3 rectangular or 1 1/2" round tubing for the 25.4 spec. You could add a complete 1 1/2 inner frame rail beside the 2x3 that you notch or you can add around the notched area. I notched the frame rail on this car and I added a 1 1/2" tube from the front of the notched area out to the lower outside frame rail and then added a piece of 1 1/2" tube beside the 2x3 inner frame rail back to the rear crossmember. The other tubes necessary for seat support and the diagonals were then welded off of this inner frame rail. This allowed for me to lower the seat 1 1/2" and give a tall driver more head room in the funny car cage. I then made the floor pan to have a small well area for the seat to set down in. This car certified to SFI25.4 this spring.