Here’s what you want to see after the stock tubs have been sliced away from their stock resting places. All cuts must be as straight and clean as possible for a sanitary outcome. |
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Even on non-undercoated California cars like this Dart, you’ll find heavy sprayed-on sound deadener in the wheel tubs. It must be scraped away at the adjoining edges where welding will take place. |
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The 2 inches of additional tub are gained by simply remounting the wheel tub sections on top of the existing floor pan cut line. Light shines through the gaps when the tubs are pulled inboard. On this altered wheelbase Dart, the space usually occupied by the rear side window regulators has been gutted to make room for the relocation of the rear axle and floor module (see Dart Attack, MoparMax archives for more). |
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Here’s a close up showing how the flanged edges of the tubs are set down on top of the floor pan. With all sound deadener and undercoating scraped away, the two panels can be welded together. |
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Some areas of the tubs must be flattened to match the contours of the floor pan using a body hammer. Reducing the gaps allows better welds when they are joined together. |
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After making sure the tubs are correctly aligned with the floor pan, a continuous bead of weld is applied. |
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Here’s a look at the fully welded tub on the passenger side of the car. Notice how the 90-degree corners merge easily with the floor pan. Making the filler strips is next. |
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Dale uses a cut off wheel to trim a pair of 2 inch wide strips from a sheet of 0.030 thick steel. |
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The 2 inch wheel tub gaps are patched with the welded in filler strips. Dale went over the top with seamless welds to ensure water tightness and to prevent tire smoke from entering the cabin during burnouts. |
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After all the welding is completed, the widened wheel tub looks right at home. We’re not concerned with maintaining strict factory appearances on this altered wheelbase match race tribute car so we won’t bother with grinding the welds or smoothing the work with filler. In true funny car fashion, a liberal coat of Zolotone trunk paint will be applied later. |
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For the sake of comparison, here’s a look at the Dart’s wheel tub area before the altered wheelbase and mini tub treatments were applied. Notice how the package shelf and trunk hinge supports are attached to the top of the tub. |
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After mini-tubbing, you can barely get a finger between the wheel tubs and frame rails. Tire sidewall clearance has increased by 2 inches so there’s no chance of contact with the Dart’s Radir 10.00-15 nostalgia drag slicks. |
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