D8: Engine fit #2

Today I got the engine positioned for the second time and this time with pictures. It fits much better with real mounts and not 2x4s screwed together. Also, the transmission still sits a little high, so I'm going to drop that crossbar by another inch. This will put it just above the front sub frame.

I've got a few more pics of the clearance underneath and the engine mounts in action after the jump. Notice the oil pan sits just above the front sub frame. I love when calculations actually come out right.

D7: Engine Mounts

This weekend was spent working on engine mounts. For everyone that looked at the engine mount design and asked "what am I looking at?", I've added a few more pictures after the jump. They can be seen "mocked up" in the current status pic. Just keep in mind the frame is upside down at the moment and they will actually be flipped over for installation. I've built these to use the stock engine mounts and position the bottom of the oil pan at the same level as the front sub frame. I've also got the inside pieces cut and tacked from the sub frame to the transmission tunnel. Engine fitting #2, here we come.

D6: Engine Fitting, Engine Mount Design

I know, I know... with a title of "Engine Fitting", you'd expect a slightly more exciting photo. I didn't even think about it until the frame was back on the table. So, all you get is the current state and the modified transmission tunnel opening. With the frame as is, the bell housing sits on that crossbar. So, I've lowered the center section by 2in to eliminate this and allow the engine to sit horizontal. Otherwise, it looks like everything is going fit great with plenty of space to work with. I've also included a drawing of the engine mount. On a side note, when moving large objects (like a frame) around your garage... watch out for light bulbs. They are very fragile and tend to explode on contact.

D5: Welding, Grinding, Front Sub Frame

Not a huge amount of progress today, but the frame is now fully welded. I've also done most of the grinding as well. I've learned that I'm not the best welder, but I'm pretty good at grinding to make up for it.

I've also tacked the front sub frame that will hold the steering rack and lower control arms.

D4: More Frame Building

Here's my progress after day 4 of frame building. The remaining major crossbars have been cut and tacked in place and the steering rack/lower control arm mount has been cut. I think I'm ready to start the final welding of the frame at this point. This will be the moment of truth to see how much welding skill I've retained over the past few years away from it. Also, side note, I've decided to use flux core for the final weld. A couple of reasons... first, I don't have to get a tank and get it filled. Second, I can run at a lower amperage which gives me a little better of a duty cycle and less down time waiting for the welder to cool down.

Below are pics of the steering/lower control arm mount. I used the factory unit and just cut it to fit my frame. The idea here was to minimize the effort in getting the steering positioning perfect by utilizing the factory geometry for the steering rack and lower control arm. This crossmember was also where the engine mounts were fixed but the new engine position will be farther to the rear and so new mounts will have to be custom made.

I started with a template with geometry and rough positioning from the CAD drawing of the bottom of the frame. With the template printed I marked the crossmember on both sides and started cutting. It's not pretty but it will get the job done.

The crossmember after cutting...

...positioned in the frame...

...and with the steering rack.

A few design pics...

For those of you that care, here are the design drawings that I've been using to date. Let me know if you have any questions or want more details on them. I'll try to upload new ones as I finish them.

D3: Frame Top

Today I had my buddy Joshua over to help out with some construction. We got most of the top cut and tacked. The pressure is now on to get the rear end designed.

On a side note, I just picked up a second welding helmet so no more "Close your eyes!".

D2: Frame Bottom

Second day working on the frame and all the pieces to the bottom and front have been cut and tacked. It's been several years since I've welded, so it's been fun picking it back up. I'm still trying to decide if it's worth getting a tank for the final welding of the frame or to just use the flux core wire for the entire frame build. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

D1:In the beginning there was a '92 BMW 318is...

So... as many of my friends know, I've been planning a locost project for some time. About a year ago I bought a wrecked '92 BMW 318is as a donor car for the project. It took about 2 weeks of work over the past year to tear it down. I really hope this isn't going to be the normal speed going forward.

Here's the plan: Use most of the mechanical from the 318 including the engine/transmission, rear end, front end(minus the macpherson struts), electrical, steering, computers, fuel delivery(minus the tank), and most importantly, work the twin kidney grills into the nose cone. The chassis is based on the book chassis except about eight to ten inches longer (haven't finished the rear design), six inches wider and three inches taller. I'm 6'2" and wanted a car I could fit into hence the larger frame. I'm not building this to be a track machine so a little larger and heavier isn't really a concern. I'm going to attempt to shape all the body pieces myself including the nose cone and fenders. That's about all I've got figured out for sure at this point.

Here's the current state: The garage is cleaned up and organized (...mostly), I've got 80% of a frame designed in CAD, the build table is finished, the frame tubing has been purchased, and the bottom pieces to the frame have all been cut and are waiting to be tacked together.

I've also posted a few pics of the process so far including (last pic) the current state of the garage.