Over the last month the team over at Steen Chassis has been hammering away on the RTR-X. While they have been slaving, cutting, and welding, I have been chasing parts, working with partners, confirming timelines, and working on the next steps with the Twins. We are still on pretty much perfect schedule and we hope to keep the momentum going. Most all of the chassis components have arrived, including the unbelievable custom Art Morrison subframe they built for us.
Another piece of functional art work; the Maier Racing Extreme rear suspension package is mocked up and installed.
Progress on the cage is being made very rapidly as well!
Here is about 15 percent of the parts that have been ordered and delivered. Brand new Dynacorn bumpers, fenders, hood, dash pad, and rear quarter extensions. Some Falken RT615-K's for mockup and deciding sizing.
The custom Art Morrison subframe was built to the exact specs and the requests I gave them based on ride height, steering angle, scrub, ackerman, and the need to be a performing beast!
Just look at this piece of work!
You think the guys at Art Morrison take pride in their work? I think YES!
Art Morrison custom control arms as well. Again, custom built for the RTR-X. Huge thanks to the team at Art Morrison for turning this around so quickly for us. The pictures just don't do the quality justice.
Our donor seats. These are actually prototype Ford GT seats; they hold you amazingly. They are all carbon, fully adjustable, and super light. Perfect for the RTR-X!
The brand new Ford Racing Boss 302 R1 six-speed transmission that will mate up to the new 5.0L V8. I cannot wait to feel this gearbox. I have heard great things about it from those that have tested the new Ford Racing Boss 302 race car!
The guys at Steen did not waste any time getting the Art Morrsion subframe mocked up. Notice how narrow it is in the front end? Anyone know why it would be so narrow in the front end?
I'll give you a hint… First word is "steering" and second word starts with an "A"!
The strings don't lie! Seriously, I have heard great things about Art Morrison prior to this project, but the proof is right here in the final product. I cannot express how impressed I am with their work. I imagine the majority of you will agree it is quite impressive.
Once again with no time to waste, the Maier Racing-built cantilever push/pull rod style rear suspension was mocked up.
Complete with adjustable control arms.
A full floater rear-end with a Watts link attached instead of your traditional panhard bar.
This setup has been developed and tested over the last couple years by Mike Maier. I have never driven on a Watts link, but from the research I have done, it should work perfect for drifting and has already proven itself in racing.
Like our shocks? I figured we would do something really different which will allow us to get super dooper hella flush gangster fitment!
This shot gives you an idea of the view you would have from peeking in the rear window of the RTR-X. 
I feel like this art should be on my dining room table or something!
Okay last shot of this… I really can't stop looking at it, is that weird?
The cage is also making progress rapidly. The goal is to make the chassis as strong as possible and have the cage as tight as possible to the body.
The '69 Mustang chassis can't handle the abuse modern cars can. Considering my plans for the RTR-X, the last thing I want is to come off the track after day one and the entire car be twisted without even smacking a wall.
Initially I was going to leather-wrap the cage, but after discussing with Gary at Steen Chassis, we decided it was much smarter to tie the cage into the body rather then leaving a gap for leather wrapping.
I am really looking forward to sitting in this seat come November!
Nice and tight!
Here is a good view to give you an idea of my seating postion of the RTR-X. It is on sliders for letting shorter friends take it for a spin! cough… Rod… cough…
Obviously the Steen Chassis crew is no joke!
The brand new Dynacorn dash and dashpad mocked up and sitting in with the cage.
As you can see the chassis is really coming along and should be completely done in a couple of weeks. The fun has officially begun!
Stay tuned!
- Vaughn Gittin Jr.
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
I love it, a classic muscle car with all the perks of a high-performance track machine! Cant wait to see this thing sideways!!!!
congratulations JR, i love this car, good luck in the formula drift, daijiro RIP, JEJEJE
Oh man what great looking chassis work. The welds are a beauty. So excited to see this finished.
This build is mind boggingly Awesrome! Loving the Watts link at the rear!
Wow... that thing is hot!
The welds are just pure sex!
With that narrow frame in front your going to have hellasteeringlock
very rad, cant wait to see it finished
Oh Dang! This is looking amazing. Art Morrison and Maier are tops! Wow!
This thing is already off the chain. I can't wait to see it when it's DONE.
Awesome build!
Just a little trick i learnt about when i got my cage upholstered in leather.
If the cage tubing is tight against the chassis, you can get suitable sized pvc pipe,
cut a line along the pipe, pad and wrap it, and then snap in place over the cage tubing.
hope this makes sense.
The front cage tubing is trimmed together with the A-pillar, essentially blending the cage into the pillar visually, like a hidden cage.
All this done cos essentially cars with rollcages are not street-legal here in Malaysia
hope this helps...
awesome build, can't wait to see the results
Incredible work on the car JR. It will definetely be a stuner!!!
OM* that's a HELL of an update man! Such a bada$$ and UNIQUE build! It reminds me of the GARAGE ITO GT-R build which was also featured here http://www.speedhunters.com/archive/2010/03/04/car-feature-gt-gt-garage-ito-with-prostock-gt-r.aspx
Kudos to you and I CAN'T wait till this thing starts shredding rubber! 60's club outfit for the debut? xD
That rear suspension may be dangerous... you may be tempted to look at it while it's at work, through your rear view mirror when the car is in motion!
As others have stated, the welding work is definitely true craftsmanship.
JR it isnt wierd that u can't stop lookin at it ... its just beatiful craftmanship ... im truly amazed
Looking forward to following this build. So much better having lots of progression pics. I hate when someone just post a sneak peek. Then you're left wondering for months on how the build will turn out. Amazing work and i'm in love with that suspension set up.
Im a bit concerned about the old style watts-link on the rear diff... ive seen those things snap endlessly in the Australian V8 supercar series over here from slight taps sideways to the rear wheels :S. A bite from the gator might be enough to snap it unless you have something abnormally strong as the central bolt. Just my 2 cents, im sure as a professional driver you've already considered this
p.s. HOT CAR!
awesome work..love this car shape..Cant wait this RTR reveal for formula drift..
Wow, I haven't said that in a while for a car, this car looks like it will be a top notch car. Seeing how even the smallest of details count, I am hoping the final product is beyond awesome.
nice, can't wait to see more on this thing, keep it comin JR!
The angle you'll be able to achieve is gonna be nuts!!! Full 90 degrees (or more)?!?!
super dooper ultra hella flush dope status gnarly slammed poke stretch fitment right therrr
Incredible build! However, why are you using non-independent rear suspension? Money doesn't seem to be an issue with this project so either a double wishbone or multi-link rear axle would be cream de cream on this great project.
Love it, how I wish I could have started with a brand new shell. Can't wait to see more progress JR.
THat´s such a "OMG" Project. Nice.
i am soooo jealous and im a hardcore dodge guy. please please come to canada and take me for a ride!
That cantilever rear suspension design is infinitely cooler than an IRS setup... In a full-out race car there is not a whole lot of advantage to IRS... When properly setup this suspension could probably keep up with an IRS setup... I have seen race cars where the class evolved to allow teams to run either IRS or a live axle setup, and there was no real advantage either way... IRS really only improves ride quality say if the track is really bumpy... IRS can end up weighing more too, but not always...
Leather wrapped cage in a drift car?!?! really?? Why is the main hoop so close to the driver seat? Anyways the Car is absolutely amazing and can not wait to see this beast done!
Im so jealous of your narrow frame rails dude! I have Maier widebody fenders on the drift patrol to shroud my roughlly 3" widened track, and am STILL htitting frame rails! Dont worry about "your Watts-link breaking". I have been using the Griggs Adjustable Watts-link for 5 years and have NEVER had an issue with it. I am surprised however you arent running a adjustable caster-link (2-piece) LCA so that you can easily adjust the castor. Either way, it looks badass and cant wait to see it finished!
nic
You are becoming quite the car builder/designer Mr Vaughn...I wish you many great successes!
Man this is awesome I can't wait to see this. I'm a big time ford guy and it just so happens that a 1969 fastback mustang is my favorite looking car. I cant get over this build its exactly the kind of thing I would do if i had the money and the time. I love the idea that yall are useing the new 5.0 with the six speed trans and push rod rear suspension and a watts link. This is the stuff that dreams are made of.
The RTR-X build is full-steam ahead. Gary and his son Jayson at Steen Chassis have been working long