Here are a couple pictures of my spreader bar. I used 2 nine inch pieces of 2" angle to make the brackets and trimmed them to fit around the shroud, steering pump and pulley guard. I went to an auto store that specializes in dirt track racing and bought an 18" bar, 2 heim joints and 2 shock mount bracket that fit the joints perfectly. Test fit everything to make sure the bar clears the pulleys and fan hub. I will now weld the shock mount brackets to the angle iron brackets and have them powder coated. The rest is all bolt on.
Bernie

 

looks good

 

What's the estimated expense so far?

 

Bernie,
I'm using my son's pc (mine's on its last legs!!) and I cannot bring any photos up, but your parts list is easy to follow, and this is one project I'm going to do over the (Antipodean) winter break coming up.

Does the bar you bought have the threads already cut in each end?
As for twisting the bar to lengthen/shorten it, how do you do this? Does the bar come with an "inbuilt" hex on it? If not, I imagined I'd just find a big hex nut and put it in the lathe and cut out the centre until it was a snug fit on the spreader bar and TIG it on to the bar.

There are not too many shops like the one you described down here, and I don't know what is available, but I might be lucky.

Thanks again for the post and,

Regards from Down Under

aussiejohn

 

Comp you and I finally agree on something. It really looks good Bernie. Professional looking.
Couldn't buy a better one for any money.
You did a great job on trimming the angle iron

 

Is there a web site that has the dimensions for a home made one. 2nd question, can the spreader bar be used if you still have the stock fan and clutch?

Thanks

 

I appreciate the compliments on this project. The bar is 18 inches long with left and right threads machined into the ends. It is 5/8s by 20 threads. aluminum rod with a hex on one end. The bar cost $19.00. Coleman Racing also has them and it is tested to 6,000 lbs static. The heim joints are 5/8s right and left threads with jam nuts at about $10.00 each The shock mount brackets were about $15.00 each but these can be made if you can weld. The 2" angle iron was some that I had so it didn't cost anything but you should be able to get a piece cheap at a local Home Depot or hardware store.
The inspiration came from TT and Norval and, although I don't race the car, I thought the stiffer I can make it the less cracks I will get in the fiberglass.
This bar fits under the stock fan in the car. I plan on removing the fan later but I wanted to be able to use it weather or not there was a fan connected to the engine. I drilled the holes for the brackets close to the top of the angle to make sure the bar would fit under the fan.
I still have some dressing up to do to make it look nicer, weld the shock mount brackets to the angle, bead blast it again, and powder coat; or you could paint the bracket assemblies.
It was easy because guys like Norval, TT, Comp, and others have shown us that we can do these mods cheaply and even better than prefinished ones!
Bernie

 

looks great and i think i will follow your lead on that one....please post pictures when you are done....it looks like the tabs are different sizes on the angle iron? is that for a reason or just an optical illusion? thanks bob


ps....also what will the orientation of the shock mount be to the L bracket? will it be welded like you have it layed out? i think it will but i don't understand the purpose of the tabs

 

Looks excellent...

Got my 208V 60A line installed today, the TIG is mine tomorrow, now Its time to practice welding. 2 more weeks of freedom till I start the new job.

The thread has now inspired me to get on this project tomorrow.

 

 

This looks like a great mod. Definitely post pics when it's installed.
Scott

 

 

 

Curious to see what it looks like installed...

 

I left the tabs on so I would have a good shelf to rest the rod on while test fitting and marking where I want to weld the shock brackets. I think I will remove them altogether; and yes, the tabs are different widths. The way the bar is positioned in the pictures would make it impossible to install the rod with the fan on the car so I may turn the shock mounts so that the heim joints can be slid into them from the sides. I did make this to work with the fan installed so it clears the fan, pulleys and fan shaft when installed. I will take pics after the install. Thanks for appreciating my work!
Bernie

 

thats a good idea....i figured if you did it the other way you would just turn the center bar and expand it so it would "expand" into place...post pictures when your done, thanks bob