Finally getting started

[66/440]

My wife gave me a '76 Town and Country for Christmas a year ago. I started a to do list and quickly realized that I was under water with all the other projects I had and I was going to have to finish one of them before I started something else. I also decided that my space would just not allow me the room I needed with the current inventory. So after finishing up a project my son and I had been working on for 3+ years and moving to a larger space I am finally ready to get started.

I purchased a stub frame and had it sand blasted, epoxy primed and painted with an epoxy in black. I plan on building the suspension, brakes, engine and transmission on this frame and then doing a complete swap with everything already in place. I have done this in lots of K frame cars and it works really well.



I plan on new torsion bars, sway bar and steering box from Firmfeel. I plan on using the 11.75 rotors for now but with 4 piston calipers.


In the mean time I have the fuel tank out and am cleaning it up. It had about 1/2" of undercoat and asphalt on it. Looks like it was driven down a freshly paved road once up on a time.

Rear springs are tired and I will look for a new set.

Looking for a C body 8 3/4" rather than the 9 1/4"

Got some rust in the rockers but everything else looks good.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Why change rearends the 9 1/4 is a very good unit look at all the dodge trucks and vans it has been holding up all these years.

 

[66/440]

Why change rearends the 9 1/4 is a very good unit look at all the dodge trucks and vans it has been holding up all these years.

Never been a fan of C clip rear ends. Have a bunch of 8 3/4 posi 3rd members with different gear sets I have collected over the years so I can change to suit. I plan to add rear disc at some time in the future and it is a lot easier to pull the axles on the 8 3/4 to facilitate the conversion and over all I think it is a stronger unit than the 9 1/4. AND they are less expensive than having my current unit rebuilt, which it needs. Also I will be rebuilding the transmission sometime in the future using a lower ratio 1st gear set. When that happens I will need to change my differential gears and having the 8 3/4 just makes that easier to do. My goal is to make this my daily driver and as dependable as possible.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

The ease of gear change in a 8 3/4 can't be beat. The 9 1/4 rear is a strong as you will find and now with torsen diff's available very difficult to break.

 

[commando1]

Never been a fan of C clip rear ends. Have a bunch of 8 3/4 posi 3rd members with different gear sets I have collected over the years so I can change to suit. I plan to add rear disc at some time in the future and it is a lot easier to pull the axles on the 8 3/4 to facilitate the conversion and over all I think it is a stronger unit than the 9 1/4. AND they are less expensive than having my current unit rebuilt, which it needs. Also I will be rebuilding the transmission sometime in the future using a lower ratio 1st gear set. When that happens I will need to change my differential gears and having the 8 3/4 just makes that easier to do. My goal is to make this my daily driver and as dependable as possible.

Damn, you know your ****!
How do you think what route you will go in the 4 piston caliber conversion. That sounds intriguing.

 

[mr. fix it]

Another Stub frame project! keep us posted!

 

[66/440]

I intend to do something LIKE this, http://www.doctordiff.com/viper-caliper-mounting-brackets-for-mopar-drum-knuckles.html
not this particular one. There are some technical drawings/ prints floating around on the internet that I believe can be modified easily to fit a "C" body. You are aware that the '73 C body spindles in in demand for a performance build for B and E bodies and I believe that I read a thread on ProTouring Mopars that addresses the build of a caliper bracket to accommodate the 4 piston calipers.
I found the link: http://www.protouringmopar.com/show...-Body-spindles-on-a-E-Body&highlight=brads+70
If he can make it work for his E body it should be easy to do it for a C body.

 

[66/440]

Another Stub frame project! keep us posted!View attachment 48320View attachment 48321

Looks great. How long have you been working on it?
I found someone locally that blasted and painted mine for $200
If I had to sand and wheel all that off it would have taken forever.
I still need to go back and grind and re-weld some of the factory stuff. I want to add some gussets around the steering box mounts and I am going to look at seeing if there is a simple way of tying the front and rear stubs together.

 

[66/440]

Here is a link for a rear disc bracket from Scarebird.....wow sounds like an old firebird a buddy had back in the day, anyway I would prefer to keep it all Mopar but if nothing else is available it might be worth a thought.
https://scarebird.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=64&product_id=104

 

[68plymouth383]

I've been around c bodys for years and I've never heard the c body 73 only spindle will work on a b and E body. The c bodys use a larger lower ball joint it wouldn't fit. Now the b e a bodys can use the 11.75 rotors with ease by using the 75 duster front disc setup. The suspension of a 73 c body is completely different than the suspension of a 75 formal c body. Nothing suspension related interchanges.

I intend to do something LIKE this, http://www.doctordiff.com/viper-caliper-mounting-brackets-for-mopar-drum-knuckles.html
not this particular one. There are some technical drawings/ prints floating around on the internet that I believe can be modified easily to fit a "C" body. You are aware that the '73 C body spindles in in demand for a performance build for B and E bodies and I believe that I read a thread on ProTouring Mopars that addresses the build of a caliper bracket to accommodate the 4 piston calipers.
I found the link: http://www.protouringmopar.com/show...-Body-spindles-on-a-E-Body&highlight=brads+70
If he can make it work for his E body it should be easy to do it for a C body.

 

[66/440]

I've been around c bodys for years and I've never heard the c body 73 only spindle will work on a b and E body. The c bodys use a larger lower ball joint it wouldn't fit. Now the b e a bodys can use the 11.75 rotors with ease by using the 75 duster front disc setup. The suspension of a 73 c body is completely different than the suspension of a 75 formal c body. Nothing suspension related interchanges.

If if you take a look at the thread I provided it explains in detail hew he was able to use the C body spindles on his E body.

 

[commando1]

A ☆☆MUST☆☆ read:

http://www.moparchat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117425

There was a thread here in FCBO early on about the time this forum started, where one of our members explained what had to be done to a 74+ spindle to match the 73 spindle in mounting dimensions. A TON of machining and welding had to be done but DAMN if I can find it because of the superterrific search engine here...

 

[66/440]

A ☆☆MUST☆☆ read:

http://www.moparchat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117425

There was a thread here in FCBO early on about the time this forum started, where one of our members explained what had to be done to a 74+ spindle to match the 73 spindle in mounting dimensions. A TON of machining and welding had to be done but DAMN if I can find it because of the superterrific search engine here...

I guess I need to stop and clarify that I do not plan on using the '73 spindle, it was just an example to highlight that the E and B body crowd are using C body spindles and if they can make the 4 piston calipers work for their applications then it should not be too hard to do the same for the '74 - '77 spindles.
Sorry did not mean to imply that I would be changing spindles.

 

[commando1]

Ok. Got it now. Thanks.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

You can use them on a A,B,E however they will change the geometry because they are taller. Some say it ruins the geometry some say it works toward correcting it, you choose it does put the upper ball joint even more in the way with wide 15" wheels.

 

[commando1]

I think I read that Viper calipers work on the 74+ rotors while we're on the subject.

 

[66/440]

You can use them on a A,B,E however they will change the geometry because they are taller. Some say it ruins the geometry some say it works toward correcting it, you choose it does put the upper ball joint even more in the way with wide 15" wheels.

If you read through the thread I provided for Pro touring Mopars he uses an A body LCA which is longer and a Hotchkis tubular UCA. Plus a 1/2" taller upper ball joint and adjustable strut rods. He was able to reduce his bump steer considerably and has more adjustment in his caster and camber.

 

[66/440]

Here is a photo of the Viper caliper on a C body rotor

Fits inside a 15" wheel

 

[66/440]

Got the brakes rebuilt this week. I will be working on a different system for the stub when I install it but I want to drive it in the mean time to start working some of the bugs out and have my paint and body man look it over.

 

[66/440]

I was able to locate a source for the original style 3M DI-NOC vinyl wood grain trim. There seems to be considerable more choices than were originally available. I intend to do a complete repaint and will probably use a lighter wood grain color than was available originally. I will keep the paint in the blue family but have not made a decision on exactly which shade to go with. I always liked the metallic Cadillac Firemist colors. I am going to have the interior redone in Leather and Cloth in the style of the 1960's Chrysler, Lincoln and Cadillac's. I hope to find an OEM brocade type cloth but I have to get the paint locked down first.
Here are some ideas for the interior design.