Wheelhouse notch - dimensions?

I am currently doing sheetmetal work on my tub and am ready to cut the wheelhouse notches. '53 3B with Holbrook longleafs (3" lift) and planning to run at least 31's. Picture shows 7.00 x 16 which are 30" dia. Will be using new seats, type unknown with manual Saginaw steering. Not sure if i'll go for tilt column. After searching threads I am thinking of cutting the notch 2.5inches deep and as wide as the end of the angle brace for wheelhouse/tub side. Will this give enough wheel clearance? Do you think I'm ready to start cutting or are there other things I need to consider first? Thanks.

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A Canuck with a Hokies banner? What gives?

Great looking frame and axles! Here's Mike Boyink's writeup on the wheelhouse notch, he lists the dimensions he used: http://boyink.com/cj6/wheelhouse-notch/

 

Looking back, the frame, axles and drive train were the easy parts as I was near Portland, OR at the time. Nickmil and Herm helped me get that far. Then my job took me across the border and the resto-mod ground to a halt with the challenge of the body work. But I'm back at it now.

I did see Boyink's work, just wondered if his 1 3/4" depth was good, was more better, especially since I had the longleafs. Didn't want to get to the point of buying seats and then wishing I had more relief. I am a VT grad ('81) and grew up in Southwest VA, hence the Hokie flag. Cheers.

 

Boyink's writeup is a good place to start. My rig is lifted so even running 35's I don't have an issue with the tire hitting the "notch". I also moved my axle back about 8 inches. Here's a few pics of what I did. I used a piece of 3/8" steel plate to beat the flanges over. Didn't have the use of a brake. You might want to cut the hole and wait to fab your filler until you have the tub on so you can check for clearance. It's worth the time and labor to get the room. I went back about 2 1/2". I cut the width just enough to let the seat go back.

 

Those 7.00 x 16's are pretty hard to find, by my research. What brand are they/where to find? Thx in advance.

 

These are retreaded Riverside "Moneymakers". The retread is stamped Les Schwab, who is a Western US tire dealer. Acutally I picked these up with the wheels off of a FC 170 with the hope that they would clear my disc brakes. No such luck, so I ended up putting on 1 1/8" wheel spacers. They are intended only for rolling stock during the rebuild. They have a lot of age on them so they too may be a thing of the past. Sorry I couldn't help more.

 

kaiserwillys.com has some NDT from Firestone and some other company....

EDIT: Ya, right here with square or round shoulders....

http://www.kaiserwillys.com/category/willys-jeep-tires-rims-tires-parts-accessories

 

nice.I did the same to mine in order to gain more seat movement. I felt I was sitting too close to the steering wheel. I have plenty of room now. I cut a little further back though on both sides. Running 32x11.5x15.

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That is a great notch job and it looks like something I will have to do on my 74. I don't mean to highjack this post put I have one question for Posimoto, you stated in this post that you moved your rear axle back 8" do you have any pictures or tech on how you did it? I am in the process of doing it on mine and was going with Toyota leafs. Any issues or problem you may have run across.

 

Wow, those are awesome! Especially the red one! What kind of seats did you use with that notch? I can't imagine my stock '56 vintage seats would work without extensive mods to the seat frames. But that's why I have two sets of frames.

 

I am using Corbeau Baja S seats with their racing style seat mounts. I can slide way forward and way back. Tons of room.

 

Man, your paint job looks wonderful too! Is that President Red? That's the original color of my '56 and what I'm going back with.