Bombshell Betty v3.0: Part 1, The Evolution of a Flatfender

Betty is a testament to the ability of a light, nimble trail buggy.
Her builder plans on retaining this these important qualities
 in the next rendition.

You can learn a great deal about a builder by taking a good look at what he is driving. For most, their own rig is always a testbed. Its a vehicle to push the envelope of your ability and knowledge to gain the experience of doing what you've never done before. For Tyler Garret of Rock Solid Fabrication, that rig has always been Bombshell Betty, his 1946 Willys Flatfender. Just like an employee on the payroll, Betty has evolved and grown with the business and her builders skill. Powered by a 4.3 v6 turning two stoutly built dana 44 axles held on the ground by 4 ORI struts, Betty is rarely denied most places she goes. However as her builder's skill improved the next evolution was hurtling closer. Once the right stack of parts was assembled it was time to bring her in for deconstruction.

Wheeled once and not even washed. Betty came into the shop for a complete deconstruction. Every piece of drivetrain, suspension, and axles were to be removed. Since major chassis modifications were to be made to accommodate the new drivetrain the modified yj frame that forms the lower belly of the chassis was to be completely removed as well.

 Out came the venerable throttle-body injected 4.3. This motor has rested in this jeep as long as I have known Tyler and it has never had an issue through the many relentless beatings I've witnessed. The old chevy v6 has been wearing a host of modifications for many years and has definitely proven itself as a reliable engine, however as with all things it was time for something with just a bit more go.

Stripped of all drivetrain and wiring it was time to meet the sawzall. With much of the lower chassis going into the scrap pile, the plan is to rebuild it as a tube buggy to overcome the deficiencies of a modified production frame. The end result will retain the nimble qualities of the flatfender platform with the power and precision of a tube chassis.

Full fresh start! The whole chassis was completely cut out to accommodate the new LS drivetrain as well as much more improved suspension mounts.

The heart of version three is a 6.0 liter lq4 mated to a 4l60e and an Advance Adapters  3.0 Atlas transfer case. Sadly the long tube headers didn't make the cut, as the collector ran directly in the path of the driveshaft.

 If the motor seems like it fits all too well its because Betty was designed with future ls power in mind. The motor sits very tight in the chassis and is slightly offset to the passenger side to accommodate the drivelines as well as offset the drivers weight. Achieving a better weight balance and center of gravity were important goals in the redesign.

New front frame tubes were bent and tacked.

As well as the drivetrain cradle

The end result is a chassis that is much slimmer with the ability to tuck all the suspension components flat on the skid and deliver a much better center of gravity. Stay tuned for more updates as we really start to throw some tube at the chassis.