Mini tub S197

[psfracer]

Does anyone know anybody that has done this vs the typical back-half?

I will be going with a 15X12 wheel with single beadlock, on my current 29.5X10.5W M/T slicks. I want the car to sit over and the tire, vs on top of it--I really don't see how to accomplish this with a 30 tall tire without a mini tub.

Also considering ditching the 3 link setup and going with a ladder bar.

 

[luv2cheat]

I have not seen one.

Any particular reason you don't want to back half it?

 

[05moneypit]

Mike at PowerHouse is building an X275 car from an 06. I have some pictures but not on this computer. I don't recall but I don't think he mini tubed it. They did cut and notch the frame rails for coil overs and move the lower control arms in, it still has the 3 link with a wish bone set-up.

 

[wazslow]

Just as a heads up. Backhalved cars seem to have a much lower resell value if/when you ever decide to sell the car. With all the advancement in stock style suspension racing, I would NEVER back-half a car. 275 drag radial cars on stock style suspension go low 1.1x 60 foots.

Minitub it, narrow the rear a little and put the tire you want on the car.

 

[CPRsm]

Not going to fit over the tire without one. I've got 15x12 with 3.5in of BS and 325/15 mickeys. Their site says the 10.5w is about .5 narrower than the radial. And I just don't see .5 being enough to sit over it. It's not bad now, but you might be able sit down a little farther than the tread but that's about it. I can tell ya from the little I had to cut into the frame it's not as easy as older models. They've got stiffening everywhere in there. I didn't do one though. I only touched the frame little because I shortened the rear so much the caliper was pushed into the frame lol. Don't have any of the bulge that sticks out though.

 

[psfracer]

Yes, definitely a mini-tub vs a back half---just because a 29.5X10.5W is alot of tire already and it hooks on that fine, so I can accomplish what I want to do with just a mini tub.

I just want to avoid what happened at the track in April, get a mean stance on the car, and run a rear wheel with some depth to it. Currently I have 10 wide with 7.5 inches of backspacing and they are very shallow. I think a 15X12 with 6.5 inches of backspacing would look nice.

On the LCAs, moving in the rear mount is self explanatory, but the front mount off of the frame, trying to envision what would be done there?

 

[Mike K]

Do you have more pics of your car CPRsm?

 

[psfracer]

Not going to fit over the tire without one. I've got 15x12 with 3.5in of BS and 325/15 mickeys. Their site says the 10.5w is about .5 narrower than the radial.

What about a 15X12 with 6.5 backspacing vs the 3.5 that you have? Do you remember how much you narrowed the rearend on each side? I was thinking 2 inches on each side. I have 15X10s right now with 7.5 inches of backspacing.

Time for me to do some measuring.

 

[Bud]

Yes, definitely a mini-tub vs a back half---just because a 29.5X10.5W is alot of tire already and it hooks on that fine, so I can accomplish what I want to do with just a mini tub.

I just want to avoid what happened at the track in April, get a mean stance on the car, and run a rear wheel with some depth to it. Currently I have 10 wide with 7.5 inches of backspacing and they are very shallow. I think a 15X12 with 6.5 inches of backspacing would look nice.

On the LCAs, moving in the rear mount is self explanatory, but the front mount off of the frame, trying to envision what would be done there?

Could you just do a crossmember to mount the front of the LCA's to like a ladder bar car does?

I have 15x10 with 6.5" backspacing and not a huge difference in looks. 15x12 w/ 6.5" would definitely look good. With the shock and LCA out of the way I'm curious how quick a person gets into the rear frame rail for clearance issues, especially when you lower it more.

 

[CPRsm]

The backspace won't make a difference. Overall width is still the same. Only cutting I did was remove the bump stop frame and notch for the caliper. I put Wilwoods on the back because they're lower profile. W the stock brakes it would been horrible. Can't remember exactly but it was 5 or 6in I took off. I lost everything. Control arm mounts, shock mount, bumpstop mount lol. So I ended up just knocking out the spot welds, put in chrome moly tubes, stood the shocks up and started over. Real pain, a ton of work. You'll see when you look to trim what the limit is going to be.

 

[psfracer]

The backspace won't make a difference. Overall width is still the same. Only cutting I did was remove the bump stop frame and notch for the caliper. I put Wilwoods on the back because they're lower profile.

Agreed, so that is why your backspacing is only 3.5, because you narrowed the rearend quite a bit. I am thinking 2-3 inches on each side.

I have strange drag race brakes which give you days of room.

Ok I will measure and check it out.

 

[CPRsm]

On the LCAs, moving in the rear mount is self explanatory, but the front mount off of the frame, trying to envision what would be done there?

It's not terribly invasive up front. A few spot welds and remove the bracket. Welded in some custom stuff I had water jetted for adjustabilty like a 4link. A few pics from the build thread.

Yeah if you keep the shortening to a minimum it shouldn't be the end of the world. And enough back space to keep the brakes tucked you're good.

Do you have more pics of your car CPRsm?

I've only got a few of the car itself really.

 

[Hiltsy845]

Not running 12" wide wheels, but here is mine with the rear end narrowed 3/4" per side. 15x10 & 28x13.5-15 Hoosier QTP. No more room side to side, but I could comfortably run a taller tire.

 

[05moneypit]

Very nice looking work!! Is the cage tied into the upper control arm mount?

It's not terribly invasive up front. A few spot welds and remove the bracket. Welded in some custom stuff I had water jetted for adjustabilty like a 4link. A few pics from the build thread.

 

[Mike K]

I'll have to look but I think Matt D started a thread on this also.

Never mind he just had a couple asking about narrowing the rears.

 

[Wicked97]

It's not terribly invasive up front. A few spot welds and remove the bracket. Welded in some custom stuff I had water jetted for adjustabilty like a 4link. A few pics from the build thread.

Yeah if you keep the shortening to a minimum it shouldn't be the end of the world. And enough back space to keep the brakes tucked you're good.

I've only got a few of the car itself really.

Thats Legit!!



I called you... call me back!!

 

[CPRsm]

Just left you a message lol

Very nice looking work!! Is the cage tied into the upper control arm mount?

Thank you. No cage yet. When I get it here back at the shop gonna ditch the twins and the TR6060, but no cage quite yet. Probably the racecraft pre notched deal.

 

[86GT351]

Contact DMC Racing in New England. I am not sure but they might sell a kit for the S197 cars!

 

[kdanner]

You know you can have both. Here's a car retaining both stock suspension mounts plus 4 link, so it can be switched back and forth.

http://9500rpm.com/jronzello/JRCJ002.html

 

[psfracer]

^^^interesting, all though he switches out the rearend also, and the wheel tubs are stock. But that is a sweet 4 link set up.


"The four link brackets were located inside of the OEM lower control arm brackets. The rear tubs were left stock. Jimmys Cobra Jet can run Super Stock with the 4 link and narrowed nine inch rearend, and can also run Stock by changing back to a stock Cobra Jet nine inch rear end which utilizes the OEM lower control brackets.