1966 Comet door and steering modification.

[Jim Comet]

I have some old doors off a 66 Comet post car I am trying to put on my hard top. These doors have been gutted previously and weight at least 50lb each less than my fully loaded doors I took off. I like the idea of using the post doors because then I have the frame to support the Lexan. I have already sectioned the top to fit and need to cut my Lexan to fit the new shape. Has anyone else done this? I wonder if I will be able to get it to seal. Its not a big deal if it doesn't as this is a 90% strip car. I have attempted to attach a picture. Jim

[Jim Comet]

Here are a couple more pictures.

[BruceS]

Wow, can't say I've ever seen that done. It should seal if the profile of the door frame is a close match to the roof rail. Also, the Lexan should be close in thickness to the original glass for it to seal inside the frame.  How about some more info on the car?  Engine, trans, and your plans for it?

[Heo]

Are you going to have rollup or fixed windows? i use to make a
aluminium u channel around the lexan or use the stock ones and glue it on.
I leave the chanel longer so it reach down in to the door and make some sort of brackets
or you can use the chanels thats there and have rollup windows.
Thats with hardtop doors but i guess you could glue lexan in the
glass chanel or use a rubber u chanel for fixed windows

[Jim Comet]

Bruce, The car is a low to mid 12 second car. I am hoping that with the lightweight doors, fiberglass front bumper, fenders and deck lid, removal of the shock towers and conversion to rack and pinion that the car is a couple hundred pounds lighter. I am also going to build headers to take advantage of the missing shock towers. I am going to refresh my 390 and C6, install a roll bar, upgrade to a spool and bigger (more splines) axles, install monoleaf rear springs. Hopefully this will be a nice safe ride for my son when he is able to race in a year and a half.

Heo, the window was bolted at the bottom to hold it fixed in the glass channel. I plan on doing the same.

[DEANs427]

Jim,
while your at it, you should also .pull those heavy 1/4 glasses and regulators out and glue in lexan. I have my 66 sedan weight down to 2860# and that is with a roll bar like you are building. I left the front vent window frames in so the time slip lady can hand me the winning slip easily and also mounted a fan on the pass w/s post for cross ventilation with the vent windows open. Hope to see you at BIR next year!

Dean

[Jim Comet]

Here is my attempt at putting rack and pinion in my comet. I notched the cross member so I could move the engine back an inch or so. I removed the jack pad from the cross member and reboxed it for strength. By doing this I made a flat surface to which I can bolt an aluminum plate to and mount my rack. I should be able to adjust bump steer my either spacing my mount plate lower or spacing my rack up from the plate. 2 things I should have done different on the rack is get the 41 inch (I got the 45inch) rack and the short input shaft. Here is a rude mock up of setup. Blast away and let me know your thoughts. This is a drag only car and my next step is to build headers to take advantage of the shock tower removal. Jim

[Rory428]

Kinda hard to seemuch in that photo, but it appears to me that the lower control arm pivot point and the racks pivot points seem to be at least a couple of inches apart. That can cause pretty significant bump steer issues. What is that racks origional application?
Also, the racks steering shaft looks to be taking up an awful lot of prime real estate where the headers would like to go, have you had an engine in place to check that the block itself won`t hit the shaft?

[Jim Comet]

The rack is a rear steer Flaming river unit. I am waiting for my other rack mount to show and I will drop in a block with a pan on to see where the shaft ends up. Bump steer may be an issue but with only 5-6 inches of wheel travel I will set the rack in the middle of that range and hope for the best.  This is a poor boys attempt at rack and pinion. I noticed that many GM products mount their racks to the fire wall and have a center steer setup where the tie rods are a way different length than the lower arms. I will get this current set up working and measure the bump steer at this point. If it appears excessive I will make new lower arm mounts an install longer lower arms to match the rack. I am also hoping the steering shaft is close to the block without hitting it to allow header clearance. Remember the old box and arm were in that area before so I believe it cannot be any less room. I will either have to disassemble my headers to remove them or take off the steering shaft. Jim

[Heo]

I have used those GM center stear racks in some instalations
Stock the stearing rods mounts in the midle of the rack about
two inch apart.
I take a thick flat iron bar and drill mounting holes in the midle
so it fits on the rack.
Then i heat and bend till it fits the actual aplication, drill a hole
to each end and ream the to fit the cone on the rod end.
Or if i dont have the right reamer i make a cone in the lathe
heat the iron bar and hammer down the cone in the hole
It a real easy instalation.They come both Power or non Power
stearing.
I have even used one for front stear. Took some time to get used to
stear in the wrong direction ....



No i used aright hand drive one turned upside down


Funny thing ! i have a friend with a 69 Corvette that wanted
R/P stearing and i told him to make it like that
But he ordered a kit from some Corvette specialist and got
exact the same setup i have been making for years
o

[Jim Comet]

Heo, I originally used a manual rack from a 89 Cavalier and built it like you stated except I set mine up as a rear steer.  It actually was easy and worked well. The reason I took it out is the rotational forces when the tire was moved tried to rotate the center link. I just did not feel confident that the thin cast housing could stand up to any abuse so I removed it and decided to try this rear steer Flaming river rack. Again it is pretty easy installation but I won't know about the functionality until it is in and I can run the suspension through it's range of motion. Jim

[Jim Comet]

My install is almost complete. I just have to add a support at the top steering u-joint and I think it will be ready. I cut all my aluminum plate with a carbide blade in my table saw. I was pretty nervous to start cutting but it cut the 5/8 aluminum plate as easily as a piece of plywood. Hopefully I will be able to move the engine back an inch due to my new oil pan clearance. Jim