• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

Tom MarVolvo Riddle: My 122 SS build.

If you don't feel comfortable, don't do it. It would be better to pay someone. Better than ending up maimed or worse. Just my 2?.
That said, I have enjoyed following along!
 
If you don't feel comfortable, don't do it. It would be better to pay someone. Better than ending up maimed or worse. Just my 2?.
That said, I have enjoyed following along!

Very much how I'm thinking at the moment. I honestly don't really think anything could go wrong, catastrophically, I'm actually a bit more worried about damaging a part. I think I might pinch that jackstand, but that most likely wouldn't be an explosion. More like melting butter.
 
Craig (canuck) is a font of useful info, he knows his shiit! If your thinking of doing your own subframe you should check out this guys stuff:

https://www.welderseries.com/Frame-Curves-p49939496

Agreed on the awesomeness of Craig! Glad he chose a Volvo so that I found his amazing thread! Also, those frame curves are incredible! Super glad I know they exist. Seems like it'd be cheaper and less stressful to just get some bent though. I just need simple frame rails that don't look anything like the 122 frame rails lol
 
Just for reference, the parts I had bent by Art Morrison were $500 shipped (only to the border - not the rest of the way to my garage). Those welder series parts are bunch cheaper. I've used their stuff a lot. One thing to consider is that the bends are all made from 3/16" not 1/8 (or 120 wall) - so it matches the outside dimension of the tube (assuming your using the standard 3 X 2 X 120 wall - there is really no reason a 122 would need a 3/16" wall tubular frame) so you can't internally reinforce the weld area. You then have an externally reinforce the joint. You could make a swagged joining plate. Anyway, it adds a layer of complexity that you may not want to consider.
 
Just for reference, the parts I had bent by Art Morrison were $500 shipped (only to the border - not the rest of the way to my garage). Those welder series parts are bunch cheaper. I've used their stuff a lot. One thing to consider is that the bends are all made from 3/16" not 1/8 (or 120 wall) - so it matches the outside dimension of the tube (assuming your using the standard 3 X 2 X 120 wall - there is really no reason a 122 would need a 3/16" wall tubular frame) so you can't internally reinforce the weld area. You then have an externally reinforce the joint. You could make a swagged joining plate. Anyway, it adds a layer of complexity that you may not want to consider.

Well, I might have been too quick to call it expensive! Ha! I did think about it again, and what I'm most worried about is if I buy two of these joints, in 2x3 trim, I feel totally confident welding that up and adding a gusset similar to the one you have used, but using it on the outside. Or, I do know a guy with a CNC mill. I'm sure I could step the 1/8" out of one side of a 3/16" gusset and use it internally as a tab exactly the way you have.

My thoughts then are what would it result in? I get two of these, I cut them in half on the radius and flip them so I end up with a parallel angle for the existing frame rail, and my new frame rail. How would I control the height of the new frame rails? I'd have to add another small section in between these? As in, I use half of the welder series "elbow" to angle up, the other half of it to return the angle to parallel. If that happens to not be as high as I want, I'd have to add material, which would be four entire weld arounds per side or something. That's what seems off to me, or what I'd need to figure out.
 
Here's a pic from their website.

BcDRtPp.png


Seems that's the rub. I suppose that's no big deal...just a lot of opportunity for warpage that will be difficult to arrest.

And here's a quick sketchup of what it would get me if I just flipped it.

qLXxn3v.png


Exactly 5 1/2" of height. That's not that bad actually. I'll have to see if I can work with that. I'm putting the cart before the horse again though. This is a six-month-from-now-if-I'm-lucky problem lol.
 
Just a thought - when you know your frame needs, just get the bend you need water jet cut from 1/8" plate. You could draw it up and send it out and include the little tabs to located the top and bottom parts. The Welder's Series stuff is laser cut and then the closing panels are rolled. The result is very nice, but could be easily achieved. Fewer weld joints is a good idea.
 
Just a thought - when you know your frame needs, just get the bend you need water jet cut from 1/8" plate. You could draw it up and send it out and include the little tabs to located the top and bottom parts. The Welder's Series stuff is laser cut and then the closing panels are rolled. The result is very nice, but could be easily achieved. Fewer weld joints is a good idea.

I'm with you on the water jet cutting for the sides. I don't know about the closing panels though. I'd have a hard time (impossible) doing that with my tools. I don't have a roller.
 
I'm with you on the water jet cutting for the sides. I don't know about the closing panels though. I'd have a hard time (impossible) doing that with my tools. I don't have a roller.

Set up the front edges so they are square and an about 1.5" apart to the outside...then tack the front top plate and warm up the plate with a torch. Then just bend to fit. That's how I'd do it. Once you've got one done, tack the other end, flip it over and plate the other side. Then when cool, cut the tacks and weld it up. If it's all 1/8" - it'll move pretty easily.

Where are you going to make the join into the original frame? I think I may still have my front frame bend drawings if you need the dimensions.
 
Set up the front edges so they are square and an about 1.5" apart to the outside...then tack the front top plate and warm up the plate with a torch. Then just bend to fit. That's how I'd do it. Once you've got one done, tack the other end, flip it over and plate the other side. Then when cool, cut the tacks and weld it up. If it's all 1/8" - it'll move pretty easily.

Where are you going to make the join into the original frame? I think I may still have my front frame bend drawings if you need the dimensions.

That makes more sense. I will definitely plan on this for sure. It seems like it would have the least amount of welds and I could even make it like an "S" with extended tails so the joint is further from the very apex of the curve if I went this route. I don't know if that would be "stronger" or just stronger. Either way it's a good strategy! Thanks for the help!

Also, I don't remember reading about this, but it seems like your Art Morrison rails were cut and welded to some channel stock for under the car. Was that just for better registration to the body?

In answer to your question, I'd love to bring it as far back as possible. It's so comparatively cheap to just extend it under the seats or thereabouts, that I've just assumed that was the way to go.
 
Last edited:
I had rails made to extend all the way back to the cross member behind the front seat. I gave the dimensions to the local metal bashers (they make truck boxes etc and have a few 100T press brakes) and they knocked out the parts for what seemed like a good price. They've done other work for me and it's always easier and cheaper than working it out on my own. I looked and can't find the drawings - it was about 3 computers ago...sorry.

The main reason I went with the mandrel bent rails from AME instead of doing as I'm suggesting is that I don't have access to a local water-jet company. All that work has to be done in Calgary for me which is a PITA as I have to get friends to pick it up and it's phone calls and travel (about 2 hours away) etc. I could plasma it myself, but I'm unsure if that would work out to my retentive needs. So it was far easier to just call up the pros and have them done. It was fast and painless - those guys are good.

The stock frame is wider than 2" so I designed a frame leg that would extend from the new front rectangular section and have the same look (it's tapered from 3" at the front to 2" or so at the rear in height as per the original). I also made the out riggers. People always try to use that part of the frame as a jack point and quickly find out that it's only 18 ga and bends/deforms easily. Mine were so abused that it was easier to future proof the problem and make them from 10 ga. The rear chassis leg is also 10 ga - I'm planning on having 400 ish WHP in this thing, and I drive hard (track - not in my head) so I know what happens. Strength and a bit of weight down low hurts nothing.
 
Really cool build, I am currently putting a miata front subframe in my 67 122. I am not a professional fabricator by any means, but it has gone together fairly well. Its getting an ecotec ltg and a 6 speed. I thought about the ls, and might still go with one because the wiring is 10x easier than the turbo ecotec. Looking forward to your build!
 
Wow, I am still not aware that its 2020. Its been a whole year since this. Sorry!

I've only just been able to resurface in this whole project. I took a job as a project manager, away from my brewery, for some months and it was...stressful. I took a job working for an automotive media company about an hour from where I live. Thought it would be fun to hang out with fellow enthusiasts and get paid, turned out to be the hardest job I've ever had. I did go in repping the colors though:
AEwHQRl

<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="a/lFVu83V"><a href="//imgur.com/a/lFVu83V">best shirt</a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
As far as the Volvo goes, I will never give up on this unless Im' starving or something. Progess stalled right where this post leaves off. Still haven't fully disassembled my Nissan running gear. Once I do that, it's strip, refurbish and paint. Then I'll get back to the Volvo itself and start cutting vigorously and regretting my other life choices.

It's good to be back!
 
whats the status of this bad boy??

I finally logged back on here to update my build thread and remembered your build. gonna be badass for sure
 
Still in progress... I hate myself. I suck at life and so haven't worked on my car in a while.
 
Back
Top