215 replies to this topic

[rodomo]

What it looses in the front it will gain in the rear....................compared to a taxi.

[Neils LX]

I owned a VR with irs, could not fault going around corners only chewing out inside rear tyres (no burnouts).
Should be a mad track torodore when your finished.

[rodomo]

Thanks yoose blokes for your comments. I appreciate them all.

A couple of things to consider?
I bought the rolling VQ shell with hang on's for $195.
I don't think I could have bought a rolling rust free Torana front cut for that?

I've also done a bit of research re strut V double wishbone.
1979 A9X Bathurst qualifying was 1 second quicker than 1980 VB Commodore with struts.
Not bad over a 6k circuit and the VB wasn't IRS.
If my memory is correct, HDT struggeled initially with the strut front end as they had no reference.
The european shells weren't running V8's.
Surely the increase in track front and rear will be a bonus too?
Having said all that, I'm happy

This is where it was up to last night but too late for good pics.
While the front was up on it's nose, I trimmed the floor pan to suit the Torana sills.
I'd left about 25mm of the Torana pan in along the sills.
I then notched out "V"s at the base of the Torana firewall and slid the whole assy in.
The firewalls are getting closer to each other and some more trimming is happening.
Tonight I drilled out a squillion spot welds of the sides of the Commy strut tower braces...................LH removed, RH tomorrow night then hopefully more pics.

Attached Files

•  Floor pan 12.jpg   82.07K   7 downloads
•  Floor pan 13.jpg   121.87K   7 downloads
•  Floor pan 14.jpg   112.32K   7 downloads
•  Floor pan 15.jpg   105.84K   11 downloads

[TerrA LX]

VX on have an extra adjustment on the IRS to help with alignment issues.

[76lxhatch]

I was curious about the track change so I looked it up, not as big a difference in the factory specs as I would have thought (given the different offset wheels), would have to be similar to a flared Torana with wide wheels anyway (especially with the narrow front end on the pre-VR Commodores). Got to be enough of an increase to be noticeable, but the main improvement has to be the improved roll centres.

If you didn't have a Torana front end to put in it then the Commodore conversion is logical, and at least you know it all works together and is nothing completely untested. A coilover conversion is suddenly very easy too!

Although as pointed out the IRS isn't exactly an ideal system its gotta be some way ahead of the factory Torana rear end. I don't think the alignment would be as much of an issue here as it is with a Commodore because you'll be able to install it at the correct height to begin with (no camber correction required) and I'd imagine there will be a little less suspension travel to induce dynamic changes in the Torana too.

You've obviously done your homework with the cutting, its cool how well everything seems to match up.

Disclaimer: all of this is just my opinion and you know what that's worth! Whatever way you look at it the handling has to come out pretty reasonable, and its a cool project.

[TerrA LX]

You've obviously done your homework with the cutting, its cool how well everything seems to match up.

Gonna take alot of mig wire to fill that gap in the firewall tho.

[76lxhatch]

Yeah but he doesn't have to lower it (in terms of bringing the wheels upward in relation to the diff) - he can install the diff at the desired height, giving the best possible alignment

[r2160]

Given that you clearly have far more knowledge than I do to even attempt this, would it not have been easier to graft on the suspension points rather than the whole front and back end?

Installing some suspension points and setting them to get the geometry where you want might have been easier wouldnt it?

Please don't take this as a criticism. It is certainly not meant that way. I have thought about grafting front commodore struts onto a torana to get a better system, but think it is too ambitious for me to attempt.

cheers
Glenn

[76lxhatch]

^ Interesting question but I think given the lack of backbone structure in both vehicles being more monocoque than chassis constructed, it would be best (and easiest) to cut and shut. The Skyline IRS conversion that brett32i (I think?) did is an interesting contrast as that used more of the original car, but rodomo told us he doesn't have that in the front end anyway! In the rear end the cut and shut allows you to place the suspension better (the floor pan and existing rails would have been well and truly in the way).

Based on the images in the OP, it's way too bloody low to get decent tyre wear.

Good point, I just assumed (hehe that word) that was just sitting there not actually close to final position. I would certainly be attempting to lift that floor higher so it all sits right.

[rodomo]

turn they tyres on the rims after each meet to minimise tyre damage. Turning the tyres means to flip the tyre on the rim so the inside egde is mounted to the outside for those who were about to ask.

I'd have to swap them left to right on the rims as they are directional.
1-2 degrees neg. camber is what I'm aiming for on the rear and 0-1mm toe in. Front will run 3-4 degrees neg.
It's not a road car.
I haven't looked too hard at it but if I have to move the rear arm mounts, I will.
I should be able to measure/adjust this on the floor before the rear assy. is welded into the shell, at the moment the shell is just sitting on it.

Not much to report and no worthy pics tonight.
Trim, trim, trim, measure measure but the firewalls are getting closer together.
I have to start using my brayn now and work out which part of which firewall stays and which goes.
The brake booster holes line up so that's a bonus, the steering shaft might be a challenge?

Edited by rodomo, 04 October 2011 - 08:34 PM.