Volvo 122S Build Thread: Scope-creep the Sequel

[Tuff240]

Yeah, I read and watch everything too, but your pretty far above most peoples ability to comment, including myself.
Wish I could offer food for thought type comments, but above my pay grade here.

[Tfrasca]

I'll add my name to this list of people who watch all the videos but can only provide superlatives for commentary. "Incredible."

[Canuck]

Thanks Guys - didn't mean for my comment to sound like I was fishing for a complement. I'm only putting the effort into the video stuff to take the heat off keeping this thread going. It's also a great motivator to keep on top of the project. I'm happy with the 50 guys that tune in! I've learned (and continue to learn) from this forum all the time - just trying to pay back a little.

[Canuck]

Getting the IRS installed. Lots of drilling and grinding in this one!

https://youtu.be/s4YgHnJOna0

[SML]

Then how to implement this...well the box that joins the inner fenders was always coming out as it gets in the way of where I need the engine. The firewall can then be doubled up (ie either a box section (most likely) or tube (if needed) inside the car and can stretch all the way across the firewall not just ending at the inner fenders.

I haven't done that part just yet as I'm waiting to see where the engine ends up and how much of the front of the tunnel I need to take off.

So if you didn't want the tube solution (which is dramatic) then I would go with a variant of what I have shown in cardboard. There is room to do this without fouling the fender stiffening panel and you can always add to the fire wall inside the car to help out there. Then I would bridge the frame where it goes under the car and turn it from being a dirt/leaf trap into a more useful structural piece.

Gotcha. Makes sense. I'll be doing tube to ensure my own freedom since I'll be putting the subframe of an entirely different vehicle under it. Just to be clear is this what you mean:

[Canuck]

Yes, that tube would be behind the firewall...it's just a straw model - and while scaled, it is only approximate. The vertical straws are the A pillar. So some of this is sort of fictional in the model which was created as a test of structure.

[MDVLN]

Originally Posted by Canuck

Lots of drilling and grinding in this one!

I'll be sure to put some slow music on

Thanks for sharing these with us!

[SML]

Originally Posted by Canuck

Yes, that tube would be behind the firewall...it's just a straw model - and while scaled, it is only approximate. The vertical straws are the A pillar. So some of this is sort of fictional in the model which was created as a test of structure.

Makes perfect sense to me. That's similar to be what I was thinking. There might be a temptation to bend the tubes that go from firewall to grill, but other than that, I had in mind the same sort of idea minus that firewall trick. I think I'll do that. It makes me feel much better about the stresses under hard cornering going into a structural tube and the body rather than just the body. I would feel much safer.

Keep it up!

[Canuck]

I guess I forgot to take pictures when I was welding up the UCA brackets. I did take this one. Note the 3/4 aluminum plate I'm using as a heat sink...I don't want this sucker to warp. And it didn't (well, not much).



I added the front side supports to provide registration on the frame rail and add some strength to the part. The backside of this bracket has 3 - 1/4" thick brackets.

The K-member has been vexing me all week. It was just missing something. So with it all mocked up for welding, I got some inspiration last night and came up with this idea.



The part I was fretting over was the front mount point. It only went to the bottom of the frame. I need it to get some method of registering it to the side of the frame rail. This will allow me to ensure that things are going to stay square and parallel.

So I just added this bracket.



It fits like this.


Then settled in for a long dime stacking session.





And done! Had to stretch it a little post weld to get it all back straight. I'm happy with how it all turned out.



Next up. Steering bracket. I'll probably mock this up on the frame first then get it fitted into the car...then dick around with this weldment.





Moving on to this next mock up tomorrow.

[LC4CARL]

Beautiful.

[Canuck]

Ever have one of those weeks where you're out in the garage daily working your tail off and seem to get nowhere? That was this week. With the frame tacked together, it was time to make the reference jig to get the thing grounded on the frame table. This next phase is critical as getting the subframe square and centred in the car is important.

I designed and build that basics of the jig and just couldn't get the level of precision I think I need with the tools that I have. So I had to spend a few nights working on some tools.

I needed some big squares...like really big.



This of course means a trip to get steel and the usual fiddling around to get the parts square. So it took 3 days.

That got me these done - the larger of the two is 12" tall (smaller is 8") and they can be used like a planar gauge or a set of right angles. I needed these to get the uprights positioned on the beams across the jig - they have to be dead square to get the correct measurement at the top. Now, normally, I'd just cut a top bar - but with the stuff in the way, that wasn't going to work.



Started the first quick mock up - pretty clear that there was some pull during the welding...had to take a night to straighten that out.



Looks like it will work once I figure out how much of the back bar to cut off.



With the rails up and level...a new problem.





The rail went a little further up than planned - I double checked, but once installed, this is what we have.

So the pedal box has to go up the firewall a little...good thing I haven't welded it in yet. It does need to be welded in before the rail goes in for welding.

That caused the former complex shape to bind and cause problems.

That gap isn't going to work.



The gaps to the floor are worse.



So that's going to need some work. So I grabbled my flow-forming tool and bashed the floor sheet metal around a little to get some relief.



Make up a cardboard template and get some sheet metal bent up.



Then I'll mod the front to fit better.

[oldschoolvolvo]

Wow. I respect all the fab work. Looks great.

[Canuck]

A little cutting and folding later and we had this.



It fits like this.



And with the pedal box front lip all fixed up...it all goes together like this.



That's where the weekend went. Still have some final trimming to do on both parts and then workout where it all fits. I'll get that worked out this week.

[SML]

Bummer about that pedal box! Shame it can't be fabbed up after the rails are in. By the way, I don't know if you said and I missed it or if it wasn't stated, but were the new frame rails modified in any way from the stock curve? or were they just replaced with new steel? I assume it's the former, but I was curious so I figured I'd ask!

[Canuck]

The latest installment of the video series is now up!

https://youtu.be/5jskwrfi3SA

You know you want to see if there is another train wreck!

[Canuck]

Originally Posted by SML

Bummer about that pedal box! Shame it can't be fabbed up after the rails are in. By the way, I don't know if you said and I missed it or if it wasn't stated, but were the new frame rails modified in any way from the stock curve? or were they just replaced with new steel? I assume it's the former, but I was curious so I figured I'd ask!

Good question. I only changed the width and the gauge of the material. The originals were 16 ga and the replacements are 10 ga. The old ones are a little over 2.25" wide (if memory serves or something random anyway) so I made the replacements 2" to fit the tube.

The angles are all stock.

I've had the floor tilt verified, and my floor is extra tilty - no clue why. I literally matched the bends and weld locations with the floor replacement. One side is on the tunnel and the other sits right on the sill. I only replaced the front 1/3 when I did it. so not sure why I've got about 3/4" more angle than everyone else. Maybe a Monday in Sweden?

[evolvo67]

Craig, I watched your last video with the frame rails. I found you this tool, I know how much you like good ones. Maybe you can find one on your list!

[evolvo67]

[QUOTE=Canuck;5758098 I've had the floor tilt verified, and my floor is extra tilty - no clue why. I literally matched the bends and weld locations with the floor replacement. One side is on the tunnel and the other sits right on the sill. I only replaced the front 1/3 when I did it. so not sure why I've got about 3/4" more angle than everyone else. Maybe a Monday in Sweden?[/QUOTE]

IIRC you peeled all the old front floor out and just left the channel stamping? Did you add braces while the car was without floor pans? So you think that the rockers could possibly be closer together, accounting for the steeper angle? Just a dream in a dream

[Canuck]

Originally Posted by evolvo67

Craig, I watched your last video with the frame rails. I found you this tool, I know how much you like good ones. Maybe you can find one on your list!

That's the same sort of laser that cut the tubes for the front clip. I'm having a hard time trying to find some space for an English Wheel let alone one of those monstrosities!

Originally Posted by evolvo67

IIRC you peeled all the old front floor out and just left the channel stamping? Did you add braces while the car was without floor pans? So you think that the rockers could possibly be closer together, accounting for the steeper angle? Just a dream in a dream

When I cut the front of the floors out, I did not brace the rails. I did not remove the entire floor pan. Only the front 12" of flat by the tunnel, over at an angle to about half way, then about 8" off the sill, just enough to remove all of the rotted material (basically over the out rigger). When I did that job, the engine and transmission were removed and I had nothing (suspension etc) on the front of the car. I was supporting the A-pillar with jacks. I'm pretty sure nothing could move.

The mistake was probably removing the frame rails around the same time. They would have given me a bottom reference. I did fashion the panels to match the ones that I cut out. So I'm a bit stumped. I also recall that for my car at least...that's just the way it looked. Tilted.



Old floor.



New floor.



As I look at the pictures, it does appear that I may have moved that angle (the bend up to the firewall) back towards the A-Pillar a bit (it's at the bend point in the A-Pillar closing panel. I also made the part differently (it's one piece not two). So I'm sure this accounts for the error - a little off over a longish distance is a lot off. I'm not changing it now. No point really.

Let's call it a signature!

[evolvo67]

Signed, sealed and soon to be delivered

[Canuck]

Whew - what a stupid weekend. It took all day on Saturday to get the pedal box sheet metal to fit perfectly again. Sure I could have just welded and smashed it into place, but that's not how I roll. I didn't take pictures. It fits - enough said.

Next up was pulling the frame back out of the car and onto the bench to fit up the K-member. Took all day Sunday. All damn day. Never would have believed it. Would have gone a lot faster if, say for example, the damn clip could come out of the jig without having to lift the frame every time.



Again, not snapping a lot of photo's of the process. You grind and fit until it's perfect in every dimension.









No joke...this clip came in and out of the jig at least 30 times today. I'll tack it in when my head's back in the game.

[Tfrasca]

The attention to detail you have for this stuff is mind boggling. That said, I drove on some really fun, but sometimes rough roads last weekend in California. I spent a lot of time following E30s around, and the whole time I was thinking about your car and its IRS. It's going to be awesome.

[benski]

In typical fashion, another great build on the way. Also, in typical fashion, it's great to see someone with the skills and dedication to take a usually unloved (by the rest of the world) 122 and turn it in to a work of art. Keep up the great work, and we'll see you at IPD, right? (!) 900 hrs left...piece o' cake!

[Canuck]

Originally Posted by Tfrasca

The attention to detail you have for this stuff is mind boggling. That said, I drove on some really fun, but sometimes rough roads last weekend in California. I spent a lot of time following E30s around, and the whole time I was thinking about your car and its IRS. It's going to be awesome.

Thanks - the BMW/Audi crowd were part of my motivation.

Originally Posted by benski

In typical fashion, another great build on the way. Also, in typical fashion, it's great to see someone with the skills and dedication to take a usually unloved (by the rest of the world) 122 and turn it in to a work of art. Keep up the great work, and we'll see you at IPD, right? (!) 900 hrs left...piece o' cake!

Planning on making the show...in 2020. Love the PNW. Funny, the 122 has been on my "dream car" list since I was a kid. I've just always thought they had a cool vibe.

It's motivating just to know that people are following along.

[LC4CARL]

I can weld like that too.


In my dreams...