FE-EK Chassis mod pictures and tips please

[fe-with-rb30]

Hi

I want to know a few things.

a) are the chassis/frames of an fc/fe exactly the same (underbody chassis) as an fb?
b) cab anyone privide me with some pictures of some chassis they have done
c) is it best to use a gasless mig or tig for welding 3mm pieces back in? (arc would burn holes perhaps).

Basically I wanna do my FE but it will have rb30 non turbo standard motor with hr front, hq stubbs and brakes and a v8 salisbury rear with 5 speed vl box.

I am in Victoria. Can anyone definitely verify if there is a weight rule also for power to weight (if ever wanted to turbo it down track).

any advice would be great.

[Harv]

Hi fe-with-rb30,

For my EK wagon (SBC/TH350/Conformadore diff/brakes) I used the Castlemaine Rod Shop (CRS) Chassis. The chassis is a 3/4 job - extensions tie the front subframe to the crossmember, rails run from there to the rear spring hangers. Kit comes with a tailshaft loop. My kit was arc welded in (admittedly by a boilermaker, whose welding astounds me everytime). I also used the CRS modified HR front crossmember. The CRS kit is readily available, weld quality looks good (on mine anyway) and fits. Some argue it is expensive for what it is, but for someone doing their first chassis upgrade it's not a bad place to start.

One of the forum members (kiid from memory) was selling chassis kits a while ago. If my (blurry ) memory is right, kiid's kit was a bolt-in at the rear spring hanger (instead of weld-in).

Try a search both here and on the FE/FC forum for the subframe swap question - from memory, someone asked the same thing not many months ago.

[fe-with-rb30]

I didn't wanna mention any brands up front, but I am very aware of the CRS, but I wanted to give some of it a fair go myself, yes those boilermakers are freaks how they strike an arc with their hands tied behind their backs upside down! hmmm thats sounds a bit weird and reminds me when.......na I don't need to share that anyways.......

Its interesting the bolt on option, I have a lot of work to do as the front cross members is completely stuffed, but gets better at rear. I suppose I need to pay extra attention to where the front schocks area is.

Do you reckon with an RB-30 it would get passed? About twice the power of original engine. I suppose it depends on the engineer.

Pics would be good if anyone has any.

[kiid61]

There are some pics in my for sale thread fe-rb.. Might give ya some ideas

[Blacky]

Do you reckon with an RB-30 it would get passed? About twice the power of original engine. I suppose it depends on the engineer.

Pics would be good if anyone has any.

You need to get yourself an engineer before you get much further with your project , I cant see this swap being an issue seeing as the RB30 isnt a big cube motor - but if you have an engineer look at your proposal he can advise on what will be required for rego.