Installing a new Ron Sutton front clip

So now it is time to install the new clip onto the frame.  This will involve welding on critically stressed components, so I call my friend Roland Phillips for some help. I just don't trust my skills for this type of task.

Here we had to extend the new doglegs to meet up with my old framerails.  I think I measured wrong back when giving all the info to Ron.

 Done with important welding.

 Hey, I still had some custom engine mount plates for a Big Block Buick in a tube chassis Super Gas car I used to own.  Surely they will work, right?  Nope.

Look carefully at the torque arm cross member.  You can see that it has the mount for the torque arm on the back, and that it now has the rear trans mount on the front. Using this cross member for two purposes subscribes to the Lotus Engineering principle of "add lightness and simplicity". 

I designed some custom front engine plates on my CAD, and had them laser cut from 1/2" 6061 Aluminum.  Here we are machining the bolt holes on my friend Cobb's mill.

Parts like this deserve to spend some time on the kitchen table. At least until the wife says otherwise.

This is as low as the engine can go into the chassis without a stock depth oil pan hanging below the chassis.

Oh yea, the same friend that owns a mill, will also likely own a lathe.  In this case, it is true with my friend Cobb.  While working on the engine plates, we machined down some aluminum body mounts from ABC Performance.  The car will be low due to a few things. The aftermarket frame is 1" thinner than stock, shaved body bushings, and raised floorpans for exhaust clearance.  

One more of Roland, even though you really can't tell who he is.