LUVTruck.com

I am currently in process of designing a full fender tilt front for the luv may take a while or maybe not?

I'm after that full fender tilt front end it will be on the street or else I might consider having a pin on front end. A bolt together design would allow to salvage any good parts, fenders and hood would need bracing to be rigid. I also want it to look clean at the same time (I am not fond of the 1" sq. tube frame on my truck but it was good for an at home job.) and last of all opperate flawless.

So far i am shooting for a
double hinge with a spring assist
powder coat parts
stainless steel nuts and bolts
and cable opperated spring loaded latches (that's a mouthful!)

So some more R&D I am almost there on my design on paper but to will hopefully have a prototype soon!

any luck yet. i have a truck with bad fenders and hood that i am going to guinea pig before i try on any of the others

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I'm one more LUV away from divorce! at least i don't have to worry about her taking them

oh yeah I think I have it for sure! what I propose is to slide approx. 3" forward than tilts with gas shocks instead of springs most likely. and the cool part is the bumper will still act as a bumper when tilt is closed (which was a concern) but the bumper will tilt as well. I'm going to install the slide-out ball bearing track inside the frame with a heavy duty latch inside the frame and have a cover on bottom side of frame. I chose inside the frame because of dirt and grit could get into the track outside and won't notice it will be hidden. I have been thinking about this concept this whole week.

I tested the design on paper using a side view picture of a luv than made another print and just cut out the fender from it attached a pin where my hinge point would be after i slide and it clears tire and door

the frame work for the tilt is what I will need to make look clean and able to adjust and bolt on I am thinking I can do it this way but I may end up welding it all up? I will have to do some designing on this as well.

oh and if this doesn't work I have another idea.

some may be skeptical of the frame modification but I think it will be fine if need be I can gusset the inside corners

that is all for now i will finish my white russian

thats the idea i was told about and it does work. he said.. go for it

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My old but now gone Luv...

what might be tricky is hooking up an actuator to move it but I will just manually move it for now!

the good thing is that the luv door line is straight and not like a 70's camaro curved door that would change the whole perspective.

ooooohhhhhh wait I totally just thought of something with out cutting into the frame haha! yes!!!! a sub-frame mounted underneath the frame using pillow blocks for slide mechanics it will be boxed in. the frame can stay un-molested much better glad I corrected my idea. k well I ll take a break for now tonight

update later

that’s what the guy was saying , unlatch it slide forward by hand about 2 inches and tilt up, sounds like you have a good start... you will have to stop by the shop next time your up this way

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My old but now gone Luv...

yeah that would be cool stop up by the shop. I still need to get some pics of the fenders for you.

Using Shelby tubing where one slides inside in the other also makes a good setup.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

You might want to take a look at .... of course ... Saab 900 hood hinges. They are a cantilevered design, mount to the top of the core support and the hood opens from the back, clamshell style, sort of.

When you release the hood latch, a catch in front allows the front edge of the hood to pop up, release this latch, pull forward on the hood and it rolls towards you and the front flips down. It's not exactly what you are describing, but if the one piece front end were fiberglass (ctman!) then this type of system could easily work.

It's pretty trick for a factory setup. The cantilever portion is the actual hinge itself, and can be removed from both the hood and the core support. I'm very confident it would fit under a LUV hood and possibly on top of the core support. One of my Saab's has torn the sheetmetal where the hinge mounts, so I've been spending a lot of time looking at it. It looks narrow enough to fit between the LUV fenders with out any mods. I can maybe take a video opening one up, it's hard to describe. Or just stop by the wrecking yard and open the hood on an old ('79-'92) Saab 900. It's already engineered, with a safety latch and hood release cable. I bet you could make it work. It may actually be strong enough to flip a metal front end, IDK, the Saab hood is pretty heavy. The only other component to the system is the rear rails. Trailing edge of the hood sits in these for alignment, they are 'U' channel and the hood has little wheels on it that sit down on them. They would be very easy to duplicate for the type of front end you are describing.

Good luck, please take some photos when you start to mock this up...

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

my tilt front end designed by me going to put a shock on both sides like one on the back window of a blazer so when i pull the hood latch it pops open its self. yeah it shuts like the hood did origanally except the whole front end now.

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6.0l ls1 swap th350

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.c ... D=40581086

What would be used for inner fenders?

most of the time they're not use on a tilt

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I'm one more LUV away from divorce! at least i don't have to worry about her taking them

this may help http://www.chevyluv.zoomshare.com/1.sht ... ront%20end

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My old but now gone Luv...

No inner fenders ...i am going to turbo my ls1 6.0l and need the room plus it wont be driven daily or in bad weather just a ratrod.

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6.0l ls1 swap th350

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.c ... D=40581086

well that's cool brandon but I am looking to get the whole fender to tilt without cutting bottom portion.

I have seen tabs welded to the inside of the fenders and trailer fenders installed. Not on a LUV though. Don't see why it wouldn't work...

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If you think no one cares, try missing a couple of payments...



FIAA!

SFPP!

i think it would clear but i cut mine anyways!

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6.0l ls1 swap th350

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.c ... D=40581086

The trailer fender idea sounds interesting, maybe a spring project unless somebody beats me to it

ive seen some on here with trailer inner fenders because they are bagged but none were tilt front ends

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6.0l ls1 swap th350

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.c ... D=40581086

look at this design he doesn't really show his hinge but its a nice setup, slides then tilts. I take back what I said on 1" sq. tube it can look nice. Soon the frame and hinge design will take place just been planning I may change some things so will try to update again.