'' PROJECT '' Pro Street Beretta

stoneyberk · Post by **stoneyberk** » August 6th, 2009, 5:28 pm

Well guys i will be posting some recent shots and info on the Beretta build in a few days... I am currently building a new larger weld booth... The old one was just to small... It measured 6'x6'x6' The new one is 8'x11' It was getting kinda cramped in there with a 5 1/2' car... Here are a few shots of the strut lower control arms installed on it... I took these shots just prior to rebuilding the booth... Once i get it all set up i will get back to the Beretta build... None of the welds have been cleaned up in these shots... So needles to say, it looks kinda rough.LOL

Here are a few of my build videos on it to date!! http://www.youtube.com/user/QSPSB2

CamaroNut · Post by **CamaroNut** » August 6th, 2009, 9:05 pm

That's a nice looking frame. Did you use cromoly tubing? How much does it weigh? When do we get to see the body?

Keep us posted!

stoneyberk · Post by **stoneyberk** » August 7th, 2009, 3:29 am

Thanks!

Welcome to the board... The chassis is built from http://www.agscompany.com/products.php?line=3
3/8'' automotive steel fuel line... I'm not quite sure what it will weigh when done... If i where to guess i would say around 50 to 70 lbs... I haven't started to build the body yet... It will be an all metal body.. '' sheet metal ''

Thanks again!

stoneyberk · Post by **stoneyberk** » August 9th, 2009, 11:57 am

Well other than organizing, The new weld booth is done... It's apox.. 8'x11'x6' A far cry from that rinky dink 6x6x6 booth i started the build in... I'll be updating the progress on the Beretta build within a week or soo..

Post by **Mike Casey** » August 9th, 2009, 4:00 pm

shop is looking really good!!!!

stoneyberk · Post by **stoneyberk** » August 10th, 2009, 11:13 am

thanks Mike... Why was you shocked?

stoneyberk · Post by **stoneyberk** » August 13th, 2009, 3:14 pm

Well as always I have to many irons in the fire to keep the Beretta build thread updated... I'll be posting a complete list of things i have in the works for the Beretta this weekend... But i thought i would stop in and share an idea i have for the Beretta steering rack... Well after locating many types of gears/racks to build one, I had a change of mind.... I'm going to use a RV rack window crank... I got it a few days ago completely disassembled it.. drilled out the pop rivets... drilled the holes for bolts for mounting it,, which will also give me access to the gears to grease/service if needed... I don't think bump steer will be an issue with this unit...

Here are a few shots of it...... Anyone else tried this before???????

Stoney

stoneyberk · Post by **stoneyberk** » August 13th, 2009, 3:22 pm

More!

Post by **Mike Casey** » August 13th, 2009, 4:07 pm

very interesting there. I had a car once that had a simular setup. I did not drive it though. It seemed to wobble a little bit though. How tight is that setup?

stoneyberk · Post by **stoneyberk** » August 13th, 2009, 4:55 pm

The input turns very freely and the rack/channel has 0 slop.. What i plan on doing is notch the ends at the desired length... then drill two holes about 1/2'' apart.. then cut a piece of 1/4'' tube to length and drill it to match the holes.. then slide into the tube and bolt it together... Then i will put a dust boot of that section... it will pivot at the steering arm like the real ones do.... I've been looking around for a strong servo to operate the steering and was told this one below will work fine for the application.. If not i will run two of them... It's going to connect to the steering column behind the dash... Totally out of sight... As it turns it will also turn the steering wheel in that direction... Should look very realistic...

troppo · Post by **troppo** » August 14th, 2009, 1:24 am

Now thats really thinking outside the box, wonderful idea and sounds like it should do the trick really well. Its things like that that really make this hobby fun and a challenge, why spend X hundreds on a fancy special RC steering rack when with a little thought and a bit of work you can have a great set-up a hell of a lot cheaper.
Good for us poor blokes too

stoneyberk · Post by **stoneyberk** » August 14th, 2009, 2:18 pm

You know it buddy.... I always think out of the box.... Well after many hours of research on the gears/rack I kinda took the cheap way out here... I had planned on cutting a 1/2'' steel pipe down the center then fit input gear/pinion.. into a half round rack that would slide on bearing at either end.. Then cut a flat steel plate to seam the two tubes back together.. Just like the real ones look like... But man O man... That even sound like a challenge i don't want to tackle unless i have no other choice... That when i came up with this bright idea... Now lets just hope it works... I really don't see why it wouldn't. Them things can crank open a window that's been closed for 10 years with ease... Well see!!!

stoneyberk · Post by **stoneyberk** » August 16th, 2009, 3:39 pm

Well other than some minor welding/grinding the lower control arm brackets are done,, I'm going to finish up the top ones soon... Then finish all the front end welds while I'm at it.. Then i will finish the lower control arms... there pretty much done as it is.. just a tad of minor welding/grinding... I ordered some bearing for them and should get them the20th,,, Once i get them all done I'm going to tackle the strut upper/lower spring retainers... And install the springs... The springs are for a manual garage door... Around 3/4'' ID X 1'' OD... They should work quite well... I'm building the spring retainers from steel conduit that attaches the conduit to the electrical box... Once i get these task out of the way I'm going build/weld in the steering rack bracket... Then hopefully i can get back to finishing up the rear end...

The last few pics are of our newest addition to the family... '' Brie '' Our 11 month old male pure breed lab... He just loves chilling on the cool basement floor in my little shop down stairs...lol..