Mini Tubs

[John]

Hey Guys
I'm going to do minitubs and have some questions before i start cutting. Should I cut on the seam, just to the side of the seam on the trunk pan or on the wheel well just above the seam. I was thinking if iI cut about 1/2" away from the seam on the trunk pan then after i trim the trunk to size it would be easyer to weld back together. Any:rolleyes: suggestion
John

[Hotroddder]

Here is how I did it. About 3" from the tub. Too close and it makes it hard to grind the welds if the body is on the frame. If the body is off then it does not matter.

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL752/3147329/13912798/244586517.jpg


End result


http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL752/3147329/13912798/249966198.jpg

[walrus]

Hotrodder, Really nice work on the tubs , looks factory,,,,,,,

[Rick_L]

I made my cuts almost identical to where hotrodder shows.

If you use a saw to make the cuts, you need that bit of extra width too.

[Sweden]

Really nice work Hotrodder.

[ScottyB]

Yes, very nice and thanks for the pics. I have been considering this as a winter project.

[DUKEOFBLUZ]

On the tub itself, stay atleast a inch from the outer side, makes it easier to weld. The far back cut right at the seam, it stays the same but moves over. Where the tub meets the floor, cut the floor 4 inches away. Then cut about a inch off the tub, this keeps the stock radius when you weld it all back together.
Duke
http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL610/3413303/8494894/114709764.jpg

http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL610/3413303/8494894/114710004.jpg

http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL610/3413303/8494894/114709819.jpg

http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL610/3413303/8494894/114709815.jpg

http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL610/3413303/8494894/114709814.jpg

http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL610/3413303/8494894/114709730.jpg

http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL610/3413303/8494894/114710035.jpg

http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL610/3413303/8494894/114710019.jpg

See it looks stock, it you dont trim any off the bottom of the tub, it would be straight across.

[DUKEOFBLUZ]

Another tip, I used scrap brake lines tacked to hold everything together. I did all this myself so I duct taped strips of poster board from the under side of the gap, then traced them with a marker. Work in 6" to 8" pieces at a time don't try to cut one big strip, it wont work with the radius.
If you want to talk it over, PM me and ill give ya my phone #
Duke

[Sweden]

Hi.

It looks like a lot of the folks here wants to put bigger tires in the back.

I had to go i little different way because it was a lot of rust in the inner wheel house, here is some pictures how i did it.

http://www.owehellberg.name/_attachments/2717261/Tomt%20hjulhus.gif
http://www.owehellberg.name/_attachments/2717261/Punktsvets.gif
http://www.owehellberg.name/_attachments/2717261/Bagage.gif
http://www.owehellberg.name/_attachments/2717261/Bagage%202.gif

[John]

Thanks guys
The pictures and all the info was just what I needed to encourage me to start cutting today. I will take pictures and post my progress.
Thanks John:D

[Jemo]

There was a really good, step by step article with pics on how to do this about a year ago....I think in the Classic Chevy magazine. I'll have to see if I can find it.

[the4x4pig]

There was a really good, step by step article with pics on how to do this about a year ago....I think in the Classic Chevy magazine. I'll have to see if I can find it.

That would be great. I think that I am going to do this project this winter, just collecting info right now.

[AlwaysWantedA55]

Guys, I hope I'm not asking something really dumb here...I've only had my 55 a few days and it's currently in storage so I can't just go poke my head in and look. But based on a picture I took, it looks like the bracket for the deck lid hinge is ON the inner wheelhouse--more on the side than directly on top of the wheelhouse. With that in mind, how do you deal with that when mini-tubbing?

Thanks!

Jay

[DUKEOFBLUZ]

http://pic15.picturetrail.com/VOL610/3413303/8494894/114710030.jpg

[Racer Dan]

Great pix of some really good work, guys. One of the things I like about mini-tubbing a Tri-5 is that there is 15" between the outside of the frame, and the inner lip of the wheelwell. Plenty of room for up to a 13" wide tire (tread) and the really great thing is, you don't have to cut the frame.......which means you don't have to have a roll bar/cage, because you don't lose any structural integrity, in the process.

[twolaneblacktop]

hey alwayswanteda55.....the decklid brackets
fit even better after I mini tubbed my 55 You don't have to move it at all!! just re-weld it to the tub when it's in the moved over position....almost like it was designed to be minitubbed!!

[56-210sedan]

hey alwayswanteda55.....the decklid brackets
fit even better after I mini tubbed my 55 You don't have to move it at all!! just re-weld it to the tub when it's in the moved over position....almost like it was designed to be minitubbed!!

Approximately how many spot welds are there holding the trunk bracket to the fender tub? what is the best way to remove them without causing added work?

[drew57]

Hey thanks to all of you who posted, this is on my laundry list, and now I have all the ammo I need, to get the job done...:tu

All the input and pics are great..

drew57 andy

[Rick_L]

"what is the best way to remove them without causing added work?"

The easiest and fastest way to do this is to just slice the brace in two with a saw or cutoff wheel. Then after you cut the tub out of the car, you can remove the lower half from the tub much easier. Also it's difficult to get to what's left of the brace up on the hinge box. Once the tub is out, just grind what's left of the brace flush with the hinge box. After the tub is back in place, make a new brace from sheet metal. An alternate way is to leave the lower half on the tub, grind the cut edge smooth, and cut a new piece of metal to go from the stub to the hinge box, on the other side from where it was originally.

[drew57]

Hey John,

This thread has brought out some great info on the process.. and thanks Rick L. for extra tip..

Thanks

drew57 andy

[Russell@NerdRods]

We were more concerned with the negative camber on our rear suspension so we took made ours square

http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/001s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/001.jpg) http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/002s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/002.jpg) http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/003s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/003.jpg) http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/004s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/004.jpg)

http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/005s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/005.jpg) http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/006s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/006.jpg) http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/007s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/007.jpg) http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/008s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/008.jpg)

http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/009s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/009.jpg) http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/010s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/010.jpg) http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/011s.jpg (http://www.hrjinc.com/immages/projects/in_progress/Metteor/build/sheetmetal/011.jpg)