Coach's Custom Parts...

[Alky V6]

Congratulations. That is quite an accomplishment.

 

[just plain john]

Very nice work in all aspects. I salute you sir.

 

[49-blues]

Nice work! Very Creative! i too had a set of control arms similar to these but probably not as good-i think they were mark jackson arms. im interested in a booster plate if you have an extra?

 

[xcessiv6]

How much for the seatbelt brackets

 

[coach]

Motorcycle wheel

Hey guys,
Just wanted to post some design pics and then a few pics of a motorcycle rim we are making for a guy who works with us. He designed it himself. It is a little different, but to each his own. It was solid when we started.

Thanks
Coach

 

[GNBRETT]

Awesome stuff. How much do those seat bealts go for?

 

[coach]

I got mine for about $115.00 for the pair shipped.
Replacement seat belts for Cars, Trucks, Vans, Jeeps, Classic Cars, Vintage, Street Rods & RV's is where I got them. I made the brackets to mount them to the floor of the GN.

Thanks
Coach

 

[coach]

My max wedge as requested.

This is a pic of my 64 Max Wedge car with my father standing in front of it. I got a PM requesting a pic of it since I posted my 409. It is not a very good one. I will try to find others.

Thanks
Coach

 

[toofastforyou]

Just made this Saturday. Got a bracket off of a column shift Regal. Had to grind off some of the bracket thickness so they lined up. Made a shaft with the flats so it lined up as on the tranny and welded together. Now I do not have to run wires for my rev lights and I still have column lock and car will only start in park, just like factory. Still had to drill hole in floor for shifter cable to come thru for B&M shifter, but everything else stayed the same. I will post pics of the console mods as I do it.

Get to the junk yard and find these column shift brackets.

Thanks
Coach

Coach, what do you mean by ""grind off some of the bracket thickness" , and why ?...I'm asking this because I do have a bracket off a column shift Regal, and plan to fabricate a bracket like you did (as soon as my new shifter gets here) and I'm trying to gather as much info as possible about all the little details, needed to make a clean installation similar to yours. The main difference with yours is that I decided to retain the stock console cover to which I'll install a custom overlay from Mark at http://buickgn.com/console.htm (look at bottom of page)
thanks,

Claude. :wink:

P.S: You have great fabricating skills!...w-o-w!...(especially the trailing arms and the custom motorcycle wheels!... )

 

[coach]

You will see what I mean when you get your shifter. If you just stack the B&M bracket and the GM bracket on the shift stud, there is not enough thread left to put a nut on. I had to grind away the backside of the GM bracket and the outside face of the B&M bracket to about half of what they were so they now equal the total of one or the other. Then I used a jam nut, not a regular nut to install.( Look at the pic real close.) After they are welded they are just as strong as before. Do not worry about that. They only move the shaft, they have no reason for being made as thick as they were. If you are not in a huge hurry to get this done, you can send them to me and I will do exactly what I did and you will have no problems at all. I have a surface grinder that grinds nothing but flatness. It takes 20 min and 5 min to weld. You let me know.

Are you going to Norwalk today?(Sunday) I will be there about 10 or so this morning. If you are, look for me. I will be the guy in the black GN...LOL

Coach

 

[toofastforyou]

If you are not in a huge hurry to get this done, you can send them to me and I will do exactly what I did
Coach

Thanks for explaining. I might just do that...! I just have to wait 'til the shifter gets here and I'll "pm" you again about this. Also, would you weld them together in the correct position for me please? :redface: Let me know how much "$" and I'll include a money order in the parcel. A big thanks for the offer, I appreciate! :wink:
I thank you and talk to you soon,
regards,

Claude.

 

[coach]

Latest design for my trailing arms.

Hey Guys,
Here is a step by step look at making the new set of training arms for my GN. I am running an HR Parts rear drag bar so I eliminated the need for the holes in the arm for the sway bar to bolt to. Now they are just thick aluminum "I" beams with greasable bushings. 1/2 inch wall thickness everywhere and strength radius carved out of the middle.
Pictures are as follows:
1. 12' long bar of 6061-T6511 Aircraft grade Aluminum on the saw.
2. 22 inch long piece mounted in the vises on the CNC maching center.
3. Mastercam 3D view of what part will look like when cut.
4. Mastercam tool path being dry run. If you look real close, you see yellow lines showing where the cutter will go.
5. Arm being cut under high pressure coolant to avoid the cutter from clogging with chips.
6. The outsides and bushing holes are finished.
7. The edges and bushing holes have been chamfered so the bushings fit correctly.
8. Machining is ready for the reverse side.
9. Now both sides match.
10. The extra metal is removed to lighten the arm. The pocket is a large bowl radius for strength. Sharp corners are weak points.
11. Close up of the bowl shape. It is just roughed out. It will get much smoother before it is done.
12. The bowl shape after smoothed finish cut was taken.
13. The finished arm sitting on a blank and a finished arm of my first design.

Hope this was interesting to you all. This fabrication thread was ment so guys could see homemade parts to use on each others cars. I love making parts and think most guy find it interesting to see something go from a bar of aluminum to a custom control arm in less than 2 hours.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Thanks
Coach

 

[coach]

Pictures 6-8

pictures 6-8

 

[coach]

Pictures 9-13

 

[GNBRETT]

Impressive stuff.

 

[Alky V6]

Looking good, Coach. I know you're probably designing for street, but what about incorporating spherical joints into the ends instead of bushings?

Dang, I wish I had me one a them magical machines.

 

[Squid4life]

Sexy stuff here Coach!

 

[coach]

Looking good, Coach. I know you're probably designing for street, but what about incorporating spherical joints into the ends instead of bushings?

Dang, I wish I had me one a them magical machines.

It is mostly street. If I were to build race arms, it would not require any machining. Mostly cutting and welding. You made yours using chromemoly tubing,correct? The lighter the better. How much does a set of your arms weigh? I have no idea and was wanting to compare. The new uppers I am buying from HR Parts are like the ones you built Donnie. My car is only going to go mid 10's at its fastest. Your beast of a car has twice as much power. My next project is the arm brace I told you about.

Thanks
Coach

 

[Alky V6]

It is mostly street. If I were to build race arms, it would not require any machining. Mostly cutting and welding. You made yours using chromemoly tubing,correct? The lighter the better. How much does a set of your arms weigh? I have no idea and was wanting to compare. The new uppers I am buying from HR Parts are like the ones you built Donnie. My car is only going to go mid 10's at its fastest. Your beast of a car has twice as much power. My next project is the arm brace I told you about.

Thanks
Coach

That's a good question, Coach. Dang, I should have weighed them.
Yes, I did use .120" wall chromoly tubing. I do recall them being lighter than the stock arms.

 

[Pronto]

Very cool. Next one's you make, design in a Power 6 logo. That would put it over the top!