Old Blue 2002 (1974 BMW 2002 Content)

[LJ851]

I've got a couple e21 racks, give me $40 plus shipping and you can have one. You do know that the E21 rack will slow your steering and reduce your maximum steering angle quite a bit, right?

[deutschman]

I think the steering angle can be changed by shortening the steering arms and/or the steering tie rods. There is a french guy who has done it this way and he has some good steering angle. The slower steering I dont know about. I am just going to go for it. i hate my steering box and having one rebuilt and remachined is around $500-$600. Thats still not even a close ratio box. Not worth it to me. PM about e21 rack.

[LJ851]

Yeah i've seen Nick's M2 with the welded (shortened) steering arms. I'm not too crazy about welding on a forged steering arm, though. The basic issue is the E21 has a lot shorter steering arms (levers) on the strut so if you put the E21 rack on a stock 2002 the road wheel turns a lot less for a given steering wheel movement (slow steering ratio)

[deutschman]

You can safely arc weld cat iron pieces. I'll just do all the cutting and fitting and bring them in to Al's Welding here in SF and have him arc weld them together.

[LJ851]

Yes you can weld cast iron although it is very difficult. Your steering arms however are forged steel, forged into the shape they are by an enormous many tons press while the metal is "plastic", not liquid and not solid. It creates a very strong part with excellent grain structure. A cut and welded part is compromised and will never be as strong as the original part.

Can the arms be welded? Sure! Will the be as strong/durable as the original piece? No. Will it be strong enough to withstand all the hi-jinks you subject it to ? Maybe. I would find the best welder with the most experience in that area possible, though. It's only your steering arms, whats the worst that could happen?

Remember to factor in for correct ackerman angle when you shorten the arms!

Look forward to the pics.

[deutschman]

Good thoughts and recommendations! I will take all this into account.
I really want this car to be my car. I am daring my self to dream, and then execute that dream. Living in a rigid self imposed reality that does not allow you to create and invent is BORING!

[deutschman]

Went to my local metal shop today and picked up some 1/4" scrap to do some practice welds on with my Hobart 140. I am really liking this machine and am soooooo happy I did not buy a super cheap MIG welder! I had the wire speed at 40 and the power all the way up with a nice steady bizzzzzzzzzzzzzz. For the first few beads with the 140 preheating the 1/4 helped a lot, but ones I had some welds down and and the metal was nice and hot everything was kosher.
This was my favorite weld of the day. It had good penetration, was fairly clean, and flat. Not perfect but I am a beginner so it made me happy. I was using a cursive "e" movement with the bead.
Fresh weld.

Cleaned weld.

[dnick]

looks good!!! and it just gets better ;)

[mr2peak]

And be right hand drive.

So close.

[TrentW]

This thread somehow eluded me before today--looking forward to more!

Congrats on all the work so far.

[kts]

nice job on the practice welds!

i can't wait to get my welder and start doing that!

[deutschman]

This thread somehow eluded me before today--looking forward to more!

Congrats on all the work so far.

Thanks. The real fun part starts April 1st. I have so much planned and I am taking a month off work :nice:
Engine, trans, painless wiring, steering rack conversion, custom rad support, seat relocation/lowering, and a few other bits and ends. Hope I can get it all done in that time.

nice job on the practice welds!

i can't wait to get my welder and start doing that!

Welding is fun. It opens up so many new windows of possibility. Do your self a favor and by a good brand welder like Hobart, Miller, or Lincoln. I think Hobarts are actually made by Miller. I am looooving my Hobart 140. It is perfect for the kind of fab work DIY home mechanics like us do.

[KI4UJO]

Thanks. The real fun part starts April 1st. I have so much planned and I am taking a month off work :nice:
Engine, trans, painless wiring, steering rack conversion, custom rad support, seat relocation/lowering, and a few other bits and ends. Hope I can get it all done in that time.


Welding is fun. It opens up so many new windows of possibility. Do your self a favor and by a good brand welder like Hobart, Miller, or Lincoln. I think Hobarts are actually made by Miller. I am looooving my Hobart 140. It is perfect for the kind of fab work DIY home mechanics like us do.

Where do you work!?

[deutschman]

Where do you work!?

I am a sous chef at a small catering company here in SF CA. Our business is very "seasonal" and drops off sharply during certain times of the year. On top of that my Chef and I get along really well, and we both take turns taking time off and supporting each other when we have "emergencies" that pop up. The arrangement is that Ill have a month off and come in to work for short stints of time should anything busy happen. I let them know before I got hired that this would happen so its all good.

[deutschman]