I asked this on another site, but I don't expect much help so I figured I would ask on here since it is more up your guy's alley.

I am replacing the front end on my Volvo and since it is my "fun car" I am going to do the "tube frame front end, with overfenders". The question is, what strength of material should I get for the tube section (inside/outside diameter) and what thickness should I use to box in the sections I need to (20 ga., 16ga.?)


Thanks in advance for any and all help.

For reference, I'm doing something like this:






But going through the cowl and firewall like this:

Why?

What's the intended use of the car?
For some extreme wierd ass use that might make sense..
Without knowing why, it is a very high chance that commenting would be assiting you to created pointless difficulties..

Why?

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
john vanlandingham
Why?

What's the intended use of the car?
For some extreme wierd ass use that might make sense..
Without knowing why, it is a very high chance that commenting would be assiting you to created pointless difficulties..

Why?

Because I kinda banged up the front end. And before all of the negatives about why fix it or its not fixable or its not worth it, I've already heard all of it before on another forum full of nay sayers and it did nothing but strengthen my resolve to get it done. I have already done the required measurements and the frame is perfectly fine and nothing is out of place. So please no comments trying to dissuade me from my current path. I have already thought of doing a panel by panel restoration to fix it, but I would rather do it this way because #becauseracecar.

I just wanted to ask on here as I figured there would be people with experience with structural tubing that could point me in the right direction as to thickness and size of tubing needed.


Before I removed the damaged sections



After I removed the damaged sections.

So what I've picked up from the other site was 4140 DOM tubing with 3" OD and 0.1" wall + gussets. Does this sound about right to you guys? Different sizes? Different material?

Looks like a waste of time. .100 wall 3" Dom is an odd size. Why not sawzall a good nose off of a junk yard car and weld it on your car. Much higher chance for sucsess. No engineering required. Your question makes me think that this idea is maybe beyond your abilities. Sorry, I don't intend to be disrespectful.

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

Quote
Rallymech
Looks like a waste of time. .100 wall 3" Dom is an odd size. Why not sawzall a good nose off of a junk yard car and weld it on your car. Much higher chance for sucsess. No engineering required. Your question makes me think that this idea is maybe beyond your abilities. Sorry, I don't intend to be disrespectful.

I completely understand your skepticism as I have already heard it all on a certain Volvo forum. And as to the sizes that is what has been recommended, and is the reason why I'm also asking on here. As for my capabilities, I am very competent welding and know how to do body modifications (chop, channel, section, tunnels, firewalls, etc.), just don't have much experience with doing tube frames. Plus this is going to be my "fun" car so it is perfect to mess around with and gain more experience.

That is the point where I would just get another volvo..

Your plan is to use some 3 inch steel tubing to support the fenders?

Also might think about this; if you put a bunch of tubes up there and run into something again, they might punch back through the firewall and skewer you.

The front tube is mainly to hold the front fenders, yes, but also to hang radiator headlights and other associated parts to make the front end "complete". Now I felt 3" might be a bit large, was actually thinking something around 2", but that is why I'm asking you guys.

1.75 .120 wall DOM plenty strong enough for your application. Gussets will help.

Is it going to tie into a roll cage?

Quote
BlackWidow
1.75 .120 wall DOM plenty strong enough for your application. Gussets will help.

Cool, thank you. I was looking for something definite and you provided.

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Greg Donovan
Is it going to tie into a roll cage?

And this point in the plan it is about getting the car together and making it driveable (well I could drive it know, but po-po wouldn't like it). Now I would like a roll cage, but I don't know how to plan/design one and when I get a roll cage I would like it to qualify for rally usage.

1) Why? It's some shitty not rare Volvo?

2) Why the death wish? The accident that initially caused the damage could become a debilatating accident after your plan. Cars that have things like that out front are either tube chassis race cars that only see track use, hot rods that are more display pieces and seldom driven, or wankers that want to be cool and take pretty pictures. Extending any tube BEYOND the front of the strut towers is technically illegal in any car built to FIA 253 Article J. There is a ton of impact energy absorption built into the front end sheet metal of cars designed to take that load.

3) Why the wasted effort on something poofy? Fuck, you want to spend a bunch of time and money on a car, build a real race car and stop trying to impress other Volvo dudes. Start impressing chicks with your ability to build an actual race car and if you win, you will really start killing it.

4) Maybe you just want to build something cool? Okay, okay, I get that. I even sometimes think I almost like the act of building and working on rally cars as much as actually competing in them (only in delusional states where I haven't driven in too much time, but it happens occasionally.) But you missed the part where you are supposed to build something cool. 90s Volvos do NOT fit that bill. 70s Volvos on the other hand...

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Grant Hughes

Quote
NoCoast
But you missed the part where you are supposed to build something cool. 90s Volvos do NOT fit that bill. 70s Volvos on the other hand...

There's a difference?

Actually there is, the wiring isn't biodegradeable on the later ones, but more of them come with auto tragic slush boxes.

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Andrew Steere
Lyndeborough, NH
KB1PJY



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/2013 09:11AM by fiasco.

Dave, weren't we trying to talk sense into you when you were initially plotting to build a 740 or whatever the current POS crashed thing WAS?

I think I vaguely suggested keep it as a street car, talk to Al Kun---the guy up the thread ^ that way a bit....and pick up a good car...aka a 240.

Well it looks you tail ended somebody real hard.. is that what happened?

You're supposed to pay attention and leave room--
-you're 'spossed to expect the unexpected. THAT IS OUR SECRET! HA!

Accidents happen, like wow, mang. But that happen for reasons.
Biggest one for tail ending and destroying cars is: too fast, and simultaneous inattention..
You were having some assistance with your inattention were you?

Well I'm fed up trying to reason with guys and then having cunts who have done nothing troll things. So I'm say it once and short---
You crashed you car in traffic...
Looks like a tail end..
Bad.
Should have paid a LOT MORE attention..
Now you want to waste time for no solid reason---a whim.
It is stupid whim.
It is your right to have whims, but don't expect any advice or asssitance in creating a totally POINTLESS problem..

Pull the powerplant, drill out spot-welds on another front end at Pick-n-pull, line up shit and weld it on..
If you can.
If you can't do that, you'll never do this silly idea..
Its silly.
RE-shell into a GOOD car...not a POS with one fucked upper link on the axle.


That's all I'll say...

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

I would seriously consider using something like one inch electrical conduit.

---

Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.