BrianChevy

Friends,

I am always trying to document what I'm doing to share with the community and make things easier for you guys. My latest project is front and rear tow hooks for the IROC. It is an Autocross car, but there is no reason why this wouldn't work for other drag cars, road race cars (perhaps a bit different).

The work quality isn't AWESOME, but I am happy with the outcome. Here's the way I did it.

First I found a piece of 3.5 inch wide 1/4 inch steel and measured the templates.

cardboard templates first.



Cut them out with a 2.5 inch hole saw and round the ends.


Now drill some holes to match up with the frame holes in the passenger side just below the old Fog Light hole (mine has a 4 inch RAM-AIR intake there, but it still works). Underneath the crash bar there are 3 bolt holes, I just opened 2 of them up wider and used them, then the steel pokes thru the front.

Put a little bit of a bend at the 3" point to make it work


Throw some red rust-o-leum paint on there and let it dry while you go work on the rear.


Identify the spot in the rear, mark and cut with a razor blade the bumper guard in 2 places, first here


and then here


The install the bolts (i used some pretty large 3/8 HW to hold it on)

Step back and admire your handiwork. And now perhaps you have the good karma to not need a Tow, but if you do, you're easy to hook to..







This weekend I'm going to buying some "TOW--->" stickers (small ones) to put on there, and then it will really be done.


And that's how I built some tow hooks. with some straight steel. We'll try it out this weekend at the track and see how it works.

Brian

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

How long are the plates? I didn't see the lengths listed.

BrianChevy

I forgot to measure them. I think 14 inches front and back 9, but i'm NOT sure. I'll do that and report back to you guys.

Brian

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

It looks like it's tongue is sticking out

AlkyIROC

I need to do something like that on my car. I hate having to open the hood and wrap a strap around the rad support to get pulled onto a deck truck, A mount like that would also work well for winching a car into a trailer.

Because I have very little structural stuff up front, I was always considering some way to make a front mount. A simple tube through the nose between the fog light holes that a pin could fit through was what I was considering but this idea look a bit better. If you paint it the same color as the car, it won't stand out as much. Because I can easily remove the nose from my car, I need a way to easily disconnect the tow plate from the car to take the nose on and off.

Also need to move this to the fabrication section where it will be better suited.

BrianChevy

I am required to paint mine a bright color so that the corner workers can find it quickly and get you off track (or OUT of a pile of tires). I understand what you are saying though about the body color. I COULD have made it shorted, or even attached it to the left of this one and gone DIRECTLY onto the unibody, but it would have required much more work to cut holes. This requires ZERO front cuts to make it work. That's why i wanted to share it with you. I hope some of you guys can build this and be happy with it. I'm REALLY trying to make deposits into the bank of good karma. This has been a long project and I need some good spirits working with me. Since it's in the fabrication section, i'll put a link here to the build thread for anybody who wants to see the progress. This is the 3rd time i have built this car -- yeah, wow.. i keep building it to make it faster and faster, eventually it will be fast. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/orga...-my-car-c.html

BrianChevy

I have received a couple of requests for pictures from the underside of these tow hooks. So here you go.
FIRST, the REAR, it looks real good. I am happy with how it tucks in nicely into the bumper and connects to the rear crash bar with 2 bolts.





Then the front, it doesn't look as nice, and i had to put 1 bolt on upside down because of clearance inside that wouldn't let me. But nobody should be laying under my car looking at that stuff anyway. it's a Tow Hook!!!

taonindo

looks functional to me. hope you never need them

Camaro-Drew

who would've thought tow hooks would look so cool, that's awesome, good job!!!

clutchkicker123

Hi, I'm on my phone so it's very possible that I missed the picture... but I was wondering where you mounted that hook on the front... I know you described it, but I lost you... I have an 86 sport coupe which is stock for the most part... the plan is to change that, and where I won't be putting it on a track, I happen to find D-ring tow hooks sexy as h*ll... I just wouldn't know where to mount it... again, it'll be just for looks, but it has to LOOK functional... any recommendations? Thanks man! And sweet car... XD I love that paint job

tonys91rs

iTrader: (17)

nice design. i was in the process of making the same. for the front im working on a design where the mount is a quick release. the front willl mount sideways or reverse and upon needing it yyou pull the pins and extend it out for use, when done tuck it away