wheel tubs

[ramneon]

I've got a stupid question. I plan on putting a 4-link rear in my Duster(no problem with this) but I do want to use aluminum tubs and floor. How do I connect the aluminum to the original steel on the car. Tubs to the quarters for example. Would I be better off just sticking with steel

[rumblefish360]

Hmmmmmm....rivets???

[The Dartman]

Obviously, the answer is rivets, but there are some tricky areas to attach when doing a tub job - namely the tub flanges and trunk panel extensions. As far as the trunk panel extensions, these can be supported by a steel understructure that will will help support the trunk extension and keep the quarter panel rigid. The wheel tubs themselves are generally NOT attached to the quarter panels themselves. Leave about 1/8 to a 1/4 inch gap and fill it with a high a quality silicone. Butting it up directly to the quarter panel will cause it to gradually wear through, squeek and rattle, and will totally demolish fiberglass quarters from the inside out (well, I guess you don't have those...). The rest of the attachments can be made just plain old rivets to the existing steel.

[MoparBilly G]

Unless you really hate your paint Job, or want rivets on the outside of your car...you don't attach them to the quarters!!!!!
You cut them to fit snug against the quarter...attach them to the floor with rivets..then fill the gap between the quarters and tubs with silicone....kinda like cualking a window in the frame.

[prostreetchallenger]

leave about half an inch between your wheel tub and your quarter,fill the gap with some good rubber and silicone it to the quarter and tub. don't try to fit it snug against each other, you will be prone to denting the upper part of your quarter from the inside out.

[Hybridized]

How wide/tall are your tires? I have 10 wide tires within the wheel well and that is with SS springs. Remove the springs and you may be able to fit in a 12-13" wide tire within the stock wheel wells.

May save yourself some unecessary work.

[pro-street dart]

I'm also installing tubbs but on my Dart Sport. What's the best way to mark the contour of the fenders onto the tubb? ProstreetChallenger mention putting rubber around the tubb to act kinda like a cushion, where could I find something like that?

[The Dartman]

The best way to get a good fit is to use the round inner section riveted or panel clipped in place without the top of tub in place in the seam. Mark and take measurements every inch or so along the radius to the quarter and transfer them to a piece of cardboard. You can use the radius to mark the inside of the quarter approximately were to take themeasurements from. Once the cardboard is setup, install it into the pittsburgh seam like you would the tub itself and check the fit and make changes with a razor knife. Once the cardboard fits like you want it, transfer the measurements over to the aluminum tub itself and make your cuts. Remember to measure twice and cut once!!

There was a really good article in National Dragster about 8 years ago that had the bust tubout article I've ever seen.

[Ausydad]

Online at Duster Homepage, it has links to other sites. Go to Doug's '73 Project. You'll see Dilley 340's project Duster with a really nice tub setup. Might give you some ideas. Good Luck!

[gwaii]

I had tubbed a car some years back and did it pretty much the same way that dart man had explained.One thing that i did do different and made things a bit easier was to take a small piece of scrap metal ,bend it at a right angle then attach it to a felt marker with a small hose clamp as close to the tip as possible then i just followed the contour of the inside of the quarter panel with the piece of scrap metal(pointer)and the marker transfered that contour onto the card board almost exactly .( I did slip a few times ,lol)Cut ,check fit ,then transfer the contour to the steel or aluminum wheel tub you are going to use.Hope this helps.

[DartMan360]

Dont be easy on the caulk eighter. Do it from under the car so you cant see it if your redoing the trunk floor also. See alot of people with more smoke in the car then outside the car when they get done with their burnout.

[PRO]

Make all contour templates out of cardboard first then transfer it to the tubs,leave a minimum of 1/4" clearance between the 1/4 panel and your tub and seal it with Seam Sealer,available at any auto paint store,this is the same stuff your trunk seams are sealed with.........PRO......

[Challenger]

Instead of using silicone to seal between the quarter and the tub, I like to use the urethane epoxy that comes in a tube that you put in a caulking gun. The urethane epoxy is the same thing that you use to put windshields in. You can pick up a tube from 3M usually at any parts store.

[pro-street dart]

I finished mine awhile back now already and did pretty much as has been described, between the tub and the fender I used of all things the rubber door moldings off of a Jetta!! - go figure!! Worked perfectly and adds a nice rubber cushion between the two surfaces. I then sealed both edges with silicone. There'll be no smoking in my car!

[DAVE JONES]

ramneon's question wasnt stupid, mine is. Correct me if I'm wrong but if steel tubs are used then its a simple cut, weld and grind job.....no problem except for weight. Correct or in the weeds....thanks.....Dave

[pro-street dart]

From what I understand you don't want to weld the tub to the fender, hense I put a rubber cushion in between. Once all the bracing is in place it's a fairly strudy assembly or at least mine is.

[cuda66273]

Just finished painting my sheet metal in the 66 Barracuda yesterday..here's what we did:
Move the springs into the frame, we didn't use the kit, we cut the frame and boxed it back in with the original front hangers, just welded the hangers in place. Next we built a set of dog leg shackles to line up the rear hangers...worked perfect.

To mini tub it we just cut about 1" back from where the original tub welded to the inner 1/4 panel, cut the floor back to the edge of frame, nipped it straight across front and rear on the bottom. I love my new Sawzall!

We used 20 ga. steel 12 " wide, tacked it at the back and just rolled it around on the original lip making 1" tack welds as we went. Nice smooth curve, carefully cut a piece of 18"x48" 20 ga. to fit the floor line nice and tight, marked a line and cut the curve, use this one as a pattern for the othe side. A little grinding and we tacked it in place and turned it over to the welder, who welded it solid all along the seam, grind, sand and coat with truck bed liner....perfect!

The 10" x 29" x 11.8" sectional Goodyears slipped right in...we did have a Dana 60 cut to 49" to accomodate the 7" offset 10" center lines.

I think that the Cuda was easier than a Dart or other conventional body. The Cuda has the wheel tubs in the passenger compartment almost like a station wagon so access was easy. My pit crew also consists of a professional welder and a tin smith, which didn't hurt the project, they had it cut, fitted, tacked and welded solid, both sides in about 6 hours......zoooom, what's next?

Don