Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Build Diaries => Topic started by: tauruck on September 11, 2013, 11:42:10 PM
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Guys, I've tried to start this thread five times but when trying to attach the images of the liner chassis I get an error message saying that I've already posted them and when I go back the copy is gone.
The long car is 33ft long and will be very similar to the Maro Special. I named it the Springfield Flyer after the suburb I grew up in. I'll shoot pics of the progress this weekend and retry posting.
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Here goes. The chassis on the table.
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Seems to be working now. I got a great deal on tubing. I tried to get the supplier to sponsor the material but ended up paying cost plus delivery. The tubing is not a standard stock item so the stuff arrived in batches of five or six lengths. I found a new company to do the bending for me and for all the work he charged me a whopping $75 to collect and turn out components with a 3mm tolerance. I waited two months but it was worth it. The work is spot on.
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Things are really taking off with this build. I wanted to use plummer blocks for the front and rear suspension so I got in touch with my rod end sponsor but the company changed ownership since the original deal was struck (years ago) and it took some serious work with the new management to put a new one together. It panned out better than expected. Schaeffler (Fag and Ina bearings) are on board and will cover my needs. I've got the reps from Boys Town coming over at ten this morning to discuss a training programme where I'll be involved in getting young guys working with their hands and hopefully give them a chance at finding jobs in the auto industry.
I was going to tig weld the chassis but we couldn't get Argon here for a month so I had to go with mig.
The chassis is on the table and I'm tacking all the triangulation components. My original plasma cutter had been giving trouble from day one (2008) and if I've used it for a full day since then it'd be a lot. My supplier Guido replaced the thing six or seven times but it just blew. He gave me a brand new machine without an internal compressor and is also built by the same company that makes my welding machines. It's perfect. I have about 74 pipes to fish mouth and have done only 20 or so. Also wrecked a fair few of the weird angled variety.
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Long way to go but it's coming.
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That is one long car. Will it fit in the garage? Do you need to make a hole in the garage door for it to stick through?
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Nice start Mike. We'll follow this one with interest! :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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Thanks guys. Bo, it's long but luckily so is the garage. The guy we bought the house from built a big boat and the garage had to accomodate it. The trick will be getting the car out into the driveway. It's a 90* with not much space. Peter, I know your input and advice will always be a big advantage. :cheers:
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Looking good Mike! Can't wait to see this one progess! :cheers:
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Thanks Buddy and sorry I wasn't online to wish you luck when you ran. Your coupe is the dogs B**&^% :-D
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Thanks guys. Bo, it's long but luckily so is the garage. The guy we bought the house from built a big boat and the garage had to accomodate it. The trick will be getting the car out into the driveway. It's a 90* with not much space. Peter, I know your input and advice will always be a big advantage. :cheers:
Car casters, you can turn it on a dime. Looking good!
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Awesome Mike! Good progress man. :cheers: I'll be watching this one for sure!
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Joe, I still owe you and Capthudarr moon discs but fear not Christmas will be cool this year and hopefully early from my side. Santa out!. :wink:
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Thanks guys. Bo, it's long but luckily so is the garage. The guy we bought the house from built a big boat and the garage had to accomodate it. The trick will be getting the car out into the driveway. It's a 90* with not much space. Peter, I know your input and advice will always be a big advantage. :cheers:
Car casters, you can turn it on a dime. Looking good!
Trent, I'm on it. Bag full of tricks. TIA (This is Africa). I'll be making some next week hopefully.
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No build progress today. Meetings, meetings and reps. The Boys Town people were here today but it almost never happened. Their GPS clearly didn't work and they got lost 15 miles from my place so the wife went to lead them in. What a woman. She took the morning off work to be here to provide coffee and cakes for the visitors and still drove to get them. It all worked out great. I'll be training 7 youngsters in the art of fabrication, composites and general workshop stuff. Hopefully they'll be inspired to use their hands in some way towards creating a future for themselves. These kids are at Boys Town due to discipline issues and not crime related problems as I suspected. It turns out that the after hours activities are going to the drag strip, the ice rink and the movies. I may have mentioned that I got into fibreglass at the tender age of 13 making goalie masks for my younger brother so the ice rink thing should be a hoot. MO is to pretend I can't skate and take lessons. :-D :-D :-D. There's a woman now living in Australia who is a decendant of the Van Gogh family that "took" me skating once back in the early 90s that hasn't spoken to me since.
It's all good and as I don't have children of my own this will be an opportunity to help in some small way. They call South Africa the Rainbow Nation so I've ripped of the #24 pit crew and called my crew the "Rainbow Warriors". Hopefully by this time next year they will have been to the salt (even if it looks like El Mirage) and experienced a liner running. It's about the journey more than the destination as they say and I'm up for it. I posted earlier on the Tauruck thread that my woman sold one of her Fiats to put some funding into my liner. It turns out that the husband of the buyer has a freight company and when I asked about his trucks he said he has 14 triple axle rigs. Guess who is going to transport the car to the salt?. :-D I've got one pic of where I got to yesterday but I must have wrecked a dozen tubes on the fish mouth deal. Some days you just need to go fishing. :oops: Ignore the bow tie in picture!.
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Ain't nothing wrong with bow ties :-D. Don't know how I have been missing your posts. Your progress looks good. Hope everyone is well.
Frank.
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That is great what you are doing with those kids. Some of the squirreliest ones grow up to take big responsibility. It should be a lot of fun for them and you.
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Ain't nothing wrong with bow ties :-D. Don't know how I have been missing your posts. Your progress looks good. Hope everyone is well.
Frank.
I'm a Ford guy but the wife developed a taste for the enemy. :evil: All well here thanks man.
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That is great what you are doing with those kids. Some of the squirreliest ones grow up to take big responsibility. It should be a lot of fun for them and you.
How cool would it be to find one or two guys that are naturals that might want to work with me after they finish their schooling. We're going to have fun for sure.
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Made some more progress today putting in braces. I wrecked a few pipes but used them later in other areas. I'm working 8 hours a day and I think I should have all triangulation done by month's end. Some pics.
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Last two.
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Looks awesome Mike!
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Do you think too much triangulation will lead to a ruling regarding a frame that
is too rigid? Maybe it would put too much stress on the driver in a crash.
It may create a need for crush zones.
FREUD
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Areas well worth thinking about.
In the mid-late '80's North East Modifieds drivers didn't fare well while the entire chassis/cage didn't move between the front and rear nerf bars during incidents. When they started building chassis to let the front and rear clips give while keeping the main center chassis/cage section strength the safety record improved.
Ed
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(http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13166.0;attach=42971;image)
Looks to me he has the heavy triangulation in the driver's area and I don't think you can have too much there. You don't want that area crushing in an accident.
For most of us designing a crush zone or break-away chassis is probably beyond our engineering limits. I know it is past mine :cry:. I'm trying to protect the driver according to SCTA recommendations/rules and building the rest so that it is strong enough to work to the best of my abilities,
Sum
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I appreciate all the input and advice because this is the first liner I'm building. Mine is similar to the Maro Special chassis in most areas. A Carbon/AluminiumHoneycomb tub will install from the bottom and be bolted and bonded to the chassis via 18 locators. I've designed the tub already but I'll only assemble it once the chassis is completed. I'm a small guy (5'7") and weigh around 150lbs. so the tub is a box within a box and when finished will have the wiring and other components running through it from the motor through glands built into it. I still have the seat from my F2 car that was custom made in that monocoque so I've based the driver's cell on those dimensions. It's a tight fit with no wiggle room. I built a Carbon head support for side to side movement that is similar to the NASCAR ones and based on my Simpson helmet there is very little gap (1/4"). It is the strongest, stiffest component I've ever made. 14 layers of the black stuff over a high density core material. I've already welded in the mounts on the roll cage but will only bond in the locators on the support once I've had a chance to sit in the car suited up and strapped in. My only concern is that in a roll over ones legs tend to come off the floor and as someone missing a Patella or two and having a steel pin in my left leg I kinda want to protect the legs. Any ideas on leg protection above the knees?.
I was going to fabricate a Butterfly style steering from metal but I have so much Carbon fabric here I decided to go the composite route. It too is super strong but the cool thing is that it's formed to the shape of my hands. No I never duct taped my hands to it a went to sleep with it while the resin cured. :-D. The Canadians had me pee in my new skates and sleep with those strapped on. Only did it once. The wheel isn't quite finished yet but here's a pic of what it looks like without the centre cover.
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Mike. this is a dumb question from a bike guy. Why do car builders fab frames with round tubing when it is so much easier to use square? Bike builders are like this, too. They prefer round tube. I never knew why.
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I can answer the bike one. It's easier to bend round than square and it looks cool. Some car guys use a combination but it must be to do with bending. There are quite a few liners I've seen built with square tubing.
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This is for Bo. On Friday night I got out of the house for a few hours. I haven't left my yard in a while so I went with my bud Guido to his weekly English classic car get together. They all talk Austin, MG, Jag and Rover there. Not my taste but the guys are cool. I saw this old bike on display that will be taking part in the annual DJ race. It's 450 miles from Durban to Johannesburg only open to vintage bikes. I snapped a few pics for you man. Enjoy.
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There sure are a lot of control levers and such. I hope they are not trying to do the 450 miles in one day. That sure looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for showing the photos.
The fab shop at my job wants me to design stuff with square tubes. They say it is easier for them. I have never asked them to bend anything. Maybe the next design I send their way will have a bunch of bends in it. I will go watch and see how they do it.
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Bo, the guy that used to do my stuff coiled a 2" square tube for a spiral staircase. 6m length in one go. He did have 40 years in the game and CNC equipment. I was just reading about LSRJunkie hitting the wall on work he was doing. I also had problems today but luckily I got through it. I used up 3 front roll cage hoops before I finally got the length right. It's a good thing I had extras bent up. Note to self. Always tackle the difficult jobs in the morning when you're still fresh!!!.
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Wow, now that's progress. You can't build it strong enough, overkill is your friend. Looking fantastic.
Skip
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Skip, you're so right. Rex also said the same thing about all the strengthening. On this one I will hang out with Mr. Overkill. I got some more work done today. I did have the morning off for a meeting with Pulp Films about the documentary they might do on the project. I'm serious about this car and I build in my head while lying in bed at night. The next morning I know exactly what the plan of action is. I never go out and hate traffic so when I got home it took a while to readjust. This other stuff breaks the concentration. I've got the top hoop of the cage in place and mostly welded. It's a dual piece with two braces. I also added another support bar between the the front and rear hoops. The cage will get a 2mm plate over it with some holes in it to make it look sporty. :-D.
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The support bars. Two per side!!!
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The right side is done and tomorrow I start with the left. My intention is to have that done by Sunday.
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A few more from different angles.
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Last one. We went from winter to summer overnight here. Spring never even showed. It's boiling hot and I have to wait for the summer blend hardener for the Epoxy. The current stuff will cure while being mixed at these temps. I have a few trick pieces I want to make. BTW, I finished the Carbon oil pan. I think it came out great and I'll put up pics of it in the AM. I've never had such a good time building anything before and my gut tells me that this is the "one". :cheers: :cheers:
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Looks good Mikey! I like the way you made the rays of the joint angles meet to prevent folds and bends, weakness areas. in the cage. That takes a great amount of planning and work to do! :cheers:
PM me your address so I can send a replacement banner for that Miller one. I think I have a Welcome Race Fans I can send, don't remember the brand. Can't have the place missing important motivational info for the students.
Geo
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Hey Geo, I appreciate what you're saying about the chassis but I can't take the credit for the design. It's Tom Hannah. I based mine on the Maro Special he built for Bobby Moore. Thanks for the offer on the banner. The students don't need to see the one I have, don't want them getting ideas. It's gone in the morning. I'll email you on the Jag dash later.
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Some days you work like crazy and get nowhere. Not today. Gee, I can't believe how smooth it went. I got two uprights and six cross braces in. Looks good and I'll sleep like a puppy tonight. Three pics. :cheers: :cheers:
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Last one of the left side. Not long now.
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Don't put too many bars on there. You need to get in an out. That truss work looks to be real strong. Is the idea to brace your cockpit so it is will not bend and to make the rest of the car weaker so it crumples during a crash and absorbs energy?
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When I was a kid I read this. "If you build a cage, throw a chicken in there and if it gets out add more bars!". This came from American hot rodders. :-D :-D :-D
No Bo, I've copied another car because Tom Hanna built it and it's strong. The idea is probably for it to break off behind the cage but I also don't have the know how about how it all works. I'll say one thing, cutting the pipes to fit is a chore. I'm getting there and I just love this car. I've got blinders on and all I can see is the finish line.
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You may want to fill all the holes with plates or just put .060 - .090 sheet bottom, sides, front and back. Also consider putting it over the top of the head cage. It will protect you from anything coming in on you during an incident.
Put a bar in 4 inches below your shoulders to mount your seat belts... you want those as short as possible.
Put on a firesuit, hans and helmet and climb in and out prior to placing the bars across the top for a dash.
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Thanks Bob, will do and I hope you're feeling better. I wrote this long reply with a bunch of pics I just shot. I got an error message that the images had already been posted. I just took them????
No chassis and bars pics today. You guys must be sick of them.
Here's the oil pan. Galleys bonded in, extra Carbon on the inside and a lick of the special clear coat. The filter housings get bonded on the inside and the filters install from the outside and kept in position by the female fitting. I'll weld the fitting onto the flange over the weekend.
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Fittings. There are O rings that seal the deal when it's all bolted together.
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One more from the side. Other fittings beside the three will be mounted once the motor is in place.
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I have been following this build.
you do very nice work.
good luck.
Bf
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Coming from a biker that even counts for more. :lol: Thanks bf.
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I managed to finish welding the cockpit section today. Next on the list is to build in the bulkheads for front and rear suspension. I had a plug from another project out in the yard. Actually part of a fishing ski I designed a few years ago. Why I never threw it out I'll never know but I flipped it over and offered it up to the chassis. It's pretty close, not perfect but a starting point. I like the lines and after some mods I'll use it. No CAD drawings, flow visualizations here just good old instinct. I can't wait to start. The SALT FEVER has taken hold.
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That canopy would look good in my shop!
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Sure Trent, when I'm done with it. Today was a tough one but I'm fighting. The bearing blocks I'll be using on the suspension are out of stock and will only be here first week in November. That's seven weeks!!!. I thanked my sponsor and said no problem. There's lots of other things to do in the meantime. I know most of you have day jobs and can't be on your own projects all day. I'm on this one all day and the last time I was in bed before 9 was during basic training. Tried watching GaTech vs NCarolina, fell asleep. Sprint Cup at Loudon, watched the young girl do the anthem (very nicely done BTW) and woke up this morning. :-D not because I was rested but Dodge although mommy is a small woman she snores like a bear. Like I know what one sounds like.
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The "main" part of the chassis is done. I need to fabricate the front and rear clips, fit motor and gearbox plates and then I can get onto the thousand small brackets she'll need. It's a difficult one to photograph because I can't get far enough back for a decent shot.
Also going to start with the suspension this weekend and that should be interesting. I need a few days off. The fishmouthing thing is nuts but I can say the Starrett hole saws stood up great as expected. One broke but it was my fault.
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Some fitment.
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Some other angles. Steering box mount is in etc.
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Mike, That thing is starting to get busy. great progress.
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I second that! Great progress Mike!! :cheers:
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Looking good Mike, impressive progress.
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You're not mucking around Mike,nice work,using the Maro as inspiration is a good start, do you sleep?
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Thanks gents. I have to keep at it if I want to finish and run next year. You guys have day jobs but I work from home so while I don't have work coming in I have to get stuck in. Sleep is a luxury and I go to bed early but not much happens. I'm constantly building im my mind. :lol:
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It looks like a lot of issues discussed on Landracing.com and their solutions have found their way onto that liner. You are way ahead in that respect, like with the larger diameter tube and the heavy triangulation around the driver cage. A lot of folks watch. Not that many see and learn.
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Bo, I get all my inspiration here on the forum and as you know the guys all help where they can. It's a tough deal building this car but the advice I get is invaluable. It would be nice if I lived closer though. :-D
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Today I "built" my top wishbone for the front suspension. I got half way through the fabrication when I realised it was junk. It would never work. Have you ever said to yourself "what was I thinking?". I went away and came back with a much better solution. I said "now you're thinking!!!". Wasted some nicely machined parts but better that than find out later. I'll go to the lathe and mill on Monday to redo the parts. :oops:
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You are not alone. Yup, not only what be why didn't I in the first place. In the middle of a re do right now, ironically a wishbone set up for a rear end. FWIW pinion and rear axle centerlines can be two different heights from the track surface........... :roll: :oops:
Ed
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Definitely not alone Mikey, I'm sure we all have a few "Mk1s" under our build tables
FWIW pinion and rear axle centerlines can be two different heights from the track surface........... :roll: :oops:
Try to keep the pinion shaft and gearbox shaft fairly close to parallel so your front and back Uni-joint are at the same angles (actually opposite angles).
You can get some vibration if the front and rear angles are different.
jon
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Sorry to hear that RidgeRunner. That's a big one. I'm actually working half cocked here but once I get the inserts for the rod ends machined I can start putting stuff together and then we'll see if a redo is in order. Kiwi Belly Tank has been giving me great advice but it's like me teaching him Carbon work. We both don't quite get it. Maybe I should have gone rigid up front?. I'm confused but at least I'll learn something by trial and error. :-)
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Try to keep the pinion shaft and gearbox shaft fairly close to parallel so your front and back Uni-joint are at the same angles (actually opposite angles).
You can get some vibration if the front and rear angles are different.
jon
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Jon,
Thanks for keeping me thinking straight. I've been following your build, great thoughts and execution.
What I thought we had covered except fuzzy logic crept in during hasty layout calculations - I forgot about, and didn't factor in, the pinion C/L being offset from the axle C/L. Come put together time and we couldn't raise the pinion nose and drop the rear of the power train enough to get everything in range, drive shaft started to hit the wishbone mount on the chassis. New crossmember in mounted lower yesterday and old one cut out. We should have plenty of room now to get a proper drive line up with the chassis at the ride height we want to start with - which we also changed after the initial layout. Now we should also have plenty of room for any further adjustments in the future if the need arises.
Things get tight in lakesters as well as 'liners real quick. Small dimension differences, especially with angles, can have huge effects.
Ed
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Mike,
For some reason I seem to remember best when the knock was the hardest :-D This one wasn't the first and I don't expect it to be the last.
I have been following your builds as well and have admired your tenacity and ability to get the job out.
Have you tried fish mouthing tube ends with a chop or hacksaw? If not google "chop saw tube notching" several sites should come up that might help you. Another deal that I was late catching on to.......
Ed
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Ed, I don't have a problem with tube notching but I did see one Youtube video that was quite funny. I've got a tube notcher, hole saws, a plasma cutter and a CP reciprocating saw for tubing. My problem is designing a front suspension with what's available locally on spindles.
Normally on Google here all these darn parasite search engines pop up with thousands of results. Type in "Chicken Teeth" and they'll come up with thousands of results. Rocking Horse dung even worse. 1940 Ford front spindles??????, NADA, nothing, zero, zip. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
I haven't laughed this much in a long time. Hey, I'll get over the hump but I need to slow down some. We'll end up making spindles or buy some. The Paypal is another story. We left bucks in the account for a very long time and forgot the password. Trying to retrieve the password was a joke, I was talking to guys in the Bahamas and other places that couldn't get the accent. :lol: There's nothing left in the account by now. The suspensh is killing me.
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As far as pinion angles are concerned, the pinion can even be pointed up or off set to the side. The only thing that matters is the angles on both ends need to be within 1.0 degrees of each other. The rear axle on tandem trucks is mounted in this manner. Google "driveline angles".
Ron
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Taruck,
check out fleabay http://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-1941-Early-Ford-Spindles-1928-29-30-31-32-33-34-37-40-46-47-48-Made-in-USA-/331016422316?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d121dc3ac&vxp=mtr (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-1941-Early-Ford-Spindles-1928-29-30-31-32-33-34-37-40-46-47-48-Made-in-USA-/331016422316?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d121dc3ac&vxp=mtr) they claim to be "1937-1941 Early Ford Spindles " but the shipping & currency conversion might make them prohibitive for you
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Thanks Roy, I'll do that. Sid Gyde also emailed me a few links and I can see that they are a simpler solution. Thank you all for chipping in with all the advice. It's nice to have this kind of backup. Regards, Mikey.
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The saying goes, If you build it they will come. Sponsor #24 came on board today. Gates belts and hoses!. Local distributor is a great guy. I think having this many sponsors is a record on it's own. I hear drivers say it wouldn't be possible without their sponsors. In my case it really is the truth.
I had a customer over today who needs a Carbon oil pan for his 572 so I covered the liner. I had to lie when he asked what was concealed. Airplane project. I don't want the locals knowing what I'm up to. :-D
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The dealer!!.
I needed some special Ally plate and the supplier that keeps the good stuff made in Austria is 30 miles away. He won't deliver and I won't go near the traffic for any reason. I'm sitting here pondering the situation and an email comes in from one of my Harley customers looking for a part I have. He needs it bad so I make a deal with him. Buy the Aluminium for me and the part is yours. The customer and supplier are 5 miles apart. Now you tell me there isn't a Greater Power involved in this build. It's frightening sometimes. Check out the bike. The fenders, tank and neck were all made in my shop.
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Where there is a will, there is a way. If we were on the same continent I would run errands for you all day in exchange for some of your carbon fiber parts. You do amazing work.
Glad to hear sponsors are coming aboard. Their help always speeds up the process. Great build keep the photos coming. I promise not to tell your neighbors!
BR
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Thanks brother, you made my day. God Bless you.
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It is the same way here. I need to keep a low profile and the bike is under cover when I am not working on it. Things vanish if I do not do this.
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Bo, you get visitors??? I thought you were a recluse like I am?.
We had drama here today. Our Jack Russel, Calamity died at the ripe old age of 18. Never sick, not once in all that time. She's been unwell the last few weeks and Zina took her to the vet last Saturday. She was lethargic and off color. Today she went back and had a seizure at the vet's rooms. The wife feels like she was judge, jury and executioner. I've been with the woman 23 years and today was the first time she's brought a "bottle" into the house. It wasn't man size but she asked a Scotch be poured. It's a tough deal because the Jacks are like children here. We are down to five now. It's going to be hard for the next few weeks but we'll get over it eventually.
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You have my sympathies Mike.
I've found it's more difficult when I've lost a dog than when I've lost a family member. The difference is that basically the dog and I are around each other every day and spend special time together walking most days. On the other hand while I have always stayed on good terms with the members of my family I'm hundreds, if not thousands of miles from most of them and only speak to them occasionally and rarely see them.
Dogs (or other important pets) rule!
Pete
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It's never easy to lose a pet, we lost our two doxies in one year and really miss the little buggers.We have another long hair black and tan doxie that controls my wife, i clean up after her and give her treats. Yes they are family. :-(
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Sorry to hear about the dog.
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Tough deal Mike. Hang in there man.
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My condolences to you both- one of my dogs (Paddy) made it to 19 years- the next one (Tipper) only got to 8 years (snakebite) My current best mate, Danny, is 14 years young, a red kelpie. I often say "I 've met more dogs that I like, than people that I like" Hang in there
Sincere regards, Denis
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Condolences as well Mike. We have a houseful of rescue cats (6) that Amy has had with her for years. A few have been with her through some tough times. We also have 3 rescue dog outside. I have had to put 3 of mine down over the years and it's the hardest thing I've had to do. Bless you both.
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We just lost a 16 year old cat and the boy at 6 years old was pretty torn up. We now have a memorial out behind the shop where Pecosa is buried.
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Thank you Trent, Joe, Frank, Denis, Glen and Pete. We made a decision not to get another dog for obvious reasons. Like Pete said it's harder than losing a family member. Trent, sorry to hear about the cat. Bless you all.
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I had a great day today. Met with two of my sponsors. First was HellermannTyton. They manufacture electrical equipment and things like zip ties, heat shrink and related products. I had to give them a list of what I wanted and then they added to it. More than enough for 10 cars I'd say but the cherry on top is the electrical tester designed for automotive use. I did get a box of cable ties for starters. Lovely people.
Later the guys from SafeQuip turned up, with design engineers in tow. They are going to fit the liner with a state of the art fire suppression system. I just nodded and pretended I knew what they were talking about. Put it this way, I won't have powder coming into the cockpit. They are also supplying the compressed air units for the chutes. It was nice to have people come visit for a change. I just wish I had a car on wheels to show them. :lol:
Tomorrow I'm off on a long trip of one whole mile to 3M South Africa to collect some "flooring" adhesive. Boeing spec flooring adhesive. :-D :-D :-D
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Taking the day off. Suspension is driving me insane. I just don't know what I'm doing. :oops:
Have any of you ever used Southco quarter turn fasteners like this?. It's a CS slotted version with a sleeve (10mm) that I think would be perfect for bonding to composite body panels. The OD of the fastener itself is 8mm and total length is 24mm. I was quoted $7.70 a unit without the receptacle. Could someone in the US check on a price for me on this?. I think the price I was quoted here is a bit steep. I'm not tight when it comes to money when I have it but seventy seven bucks is harsh. Maybe the local agent is doing a number on me. I'll probably need 100.
Rob's machine screws look awfully interesting right now when compared.
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Mike, when you have a question like that go into aircraftspruce.com and check out what they've got. If you check under fasteners I think you'll find what you're looking at under a slightly different name. Aircraft Spruce supply a lot of parts for race cars even though their specialty is aircraft.
Pete
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Pete, I checked out aircraft spruce but didn't find what I was looking for. I'll come right one way or another and thanks for the help. I have the rep from Eaton (Aeroquip) coming over today to see what I need on fittings and hoses. From the discussion I had with his manager Eaton will make up the hoses for fuel and oil based on my measurements. I've made up hoses in the past but the experts are way better at it so I'll leave it to them.
I fried up the gearbox mounting twice yesterday. The first one off the chassis and that never turned out good at all. I need to take a step back and slow down a bit. I hope to have the block and gearbox dummied up and in the chassis by Friday. Tomorrow is stub axle day. I'm going to Guido's place to use the lathe and milling machine. We have to fabricate a set of stub axles for the car in order to complete the suspension. This is exciting and I'll have pics tomorrow.
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I've got the C4 box bolted into the chassis. Should I build in extra mountings in the bell housing area bearing in mind I'll be using a front motor plate?. Thanks guys.
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El Piggy Bank, she's full again. I'll be giving shopping lessons to all the ladies. Yes it is a target, not a limit. :-D
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The irony is that working on a Chevy project is funding my Ford. :-o The flyer is waiting for materials coming next week so I've been busy on an oil pan for a dry sump setup on a 572 BBC. The customer wants a Carbon version for his build. It's a Chevy Lumina where space height wise is a problem. Some pics of the plug I'm busy on. As usual the customer in all his wisdom got stuck into me about my passion for the blue oval. Been there before a gazillion times!!! I never draw first blood but these zealots come in all guns blazing. My ears don't work and I have the skin of a Rhino. He compared his BBC to my Cleveland. I've opened a can of worms now. :-D :-D :-D
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Different angles.
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My helmet is going to my mate Ashley tomorrow for airbrushing so I figured it was time sit in the chassis to check how I fit and look at clearances. This is a one man build so I don't have guys to help out. I rope in the missus and walk her around the chassis. Take two pics from here, then here and here. OK??? Yes is the answer. I get into the car and I'm balancing on a panel and holding onto the cage. After an eternity she says she's done.
Before I gave her the phone I took a few pics showing her how to use it. Check before and after.
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Here are more.
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I downloaded the pics and they look kinda blurry to me so I call her and show her. She says, nothing wrong, it looks like the car is going fast!!! Cheeky little B.... No lady you were going fast....... to get back to your house work. :-D
Guys, there seems to be enough room for padding and other things but I was happy the cold air connection on top of the helmet is clear of the cage.
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I collected the Aluminium plate for making the engine plates. Lots of machining required but we'll get stuck in tomorrow. The water pump plate for the motor is an old one that's past it's best so I robbed the front pan gasket channel off it and we'll mill a groove for the front crank seal. It makes a nice change to go to the engineering shop.
I want to thank Sid for all the help and advice he's been giving me on all aspects of the build. I owe you man. God Bless. :cheers:
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I was just reading what Sparky said about having a "honey do" that put the Widl Weasel on hold. :-D
I've been mentally preparing myself for a week to start cutting the Carbon/honeycomb panels I'll be using fror making up the driver's cell.
Useless information probably but if you ever have to cut or route cured Carbon fiber use air tools. Carbon fragments and dust destroy electric power tools. If you have to use electric cover all vent holes with tape and make sure the duty cycle is short.
If you thought Fiberglass could make you itch Carbon will kill ya!. No bull. You'll beg for a bullet.
I have a "suit" I use. A towel over my head then a hoodie. 3M mask, motocross goggles and gloves that are duct taped over the sleeves. Denims also taped over the boots. I'm in this for the long haul. I'm just about ready to start routing and then MICKEY!!!!! the washing machine....... water all over....... I think it's the pump?.
After the rant, rave and repair everything I touched turned to junk. Back to the washing machine. I turned the thing on it's side and took the back panel off looking for the pump. It's attached to the front panel and you can't get it off from the inside. I somehow missed the cover on the bottom front of the machine that has two quarter turn fasteners that allow for pump servicing and filter removal. 2 hours of foul language and trying to impress on the woman that I don't know Jack about washing machines, toasters, dish washers or boilers. They give you that look. They glance towards the shop indicating that you're building a car but YOU can't solve a small problem on a washing machine. Honey I don't even think I know what I'm doing in the shop either!.
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Years ago I worked with one of my aunts in a business where we moved bee hives, removed hornet nests, etc. We had one-piece suits with a face masks that were comfortable and easy to put on take off. Maybe they make something similar for your work. It was pleasant to work in them.
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I can't do the bees either. The doctor said after the last time I can't afford another sting. :
Check the before and after Bo. Do I look motivated?. The second one was for effect. I have a mold for the Darth Vader thing for a welding helmet I made.
Luke, I'm not your Vader!. :roll: Vader is the Dutch for father.
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That's a great look Mike!
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Bro, I got contaminated. My wrists are itchy as hell. Stage one done. I'll put up with it because I have to. It will be worth it in the end. :lol:
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He he he he, great look Mike. Sorry for the laugh, I spent a high school summer installing fiberglass insulation in houses. :-P
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Mike, have you tried barrier cream where it is the worst?
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Thanks Bo, I used aqueous cream. I's fine now. Frank, no problem, you can laugh. It's part of the job and I know what you went through. I never have this problem in my day to day operation but these are special panels made by Lockheed. The process used consolidates the fibers to such an extent that when you cut using a fast machine it gets painfull. I did learn the hard way the first time. At least I wasn't cutting doorways in a yacht with a grinder dressed in sandals and shorts. :-D :-D :-D
The great news is that my new Crower custom rods are on the way. I've never owned a two grand set of rods in my life. Some motors I've had weren't worth that much. These things are so sexy it will be a pity to hide them in the motor. I'm shaking just thinking about them. You guys have no idea how much fun I'm having with this build. I bitch all the time but it's how I get myself motivated. There is nothing like it, never was and never will be. LSR is the true test.
I pitched the biggest car insurance company over here for sponsorship. The marketing guy gets back to me and says my thing is not their target market. It's a car like no other ever built here and if you know South Africans they are car crazy. You mean it won't get huge attention?. It got nasty and the pencil pusher went on to tell me how they "stick to their knitting". That was enough for me. I wrote back telling him that he would never die from prostrate cancer and my statement must be very "reassuring" for him. :lol: I've never done this before and have handled the rejection with dignity but this dude's attitude stank.
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Good with the bad Mike, good with the bad. Good for you and your successes.
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It is possible to put so many nice, expensive, and beautiful parts in a motor that you do not want to run it hard and take the chance of blowing it apart. Don't ask me how I learned this.
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Bo, it's a one shot deal and I've been through the blowing things apart too. If there's anything that humbles a racer it's that. Have you ever seen the look on the face of a guy that's had a catastrophic failure?. It's priceless. :-D :cheers:
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If you haven't blown up your race motor, you probably left some speed on the track. We run them harder and harder every pass, trying to get to the number. Sometimes you find the limits of the parts...
that's racing :cheers:
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It is possible to put so many nice, expensive, and beautiful parts in a motor that you do not want to run it hard and take the chance of blowing it apart. Don't ask me how I learned this.
I find that to be a strange attitude for a racer. We always keep pushing the limit with the knowledge that at some point it is probable that there is going to be some sort of adverse event, catastrophic or otherwise. :-o :-o :-o
Pete
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Yup Pete. Just like baking a cake. Some of them flop. :-D
I had a really interesting day. Remember all the precautions I took to not get Carbon dust on the skin?. I got hit by a Claymore today.
I use a circular saw with a homemade filter over the vent when I cut the Carbon panels. It works fine and today I decided to use the saw for some 8mm Aluminium.
It's boiling hot here so I'm in shorts and it's not a long cut so I use eye protection only. The silly fool that I am, I forgot to clean the machine with the air duster after finishing the Carbon job. As I hit the button I knew I'd messed up. There was a black cloud of dust and I could feel the fragments that were left over in the saw hitting my feet and legs. :-D :-D :-D
I've kept it quiet here because if I mention it to mommy she'll start scratching in sympathy. Actually, she'll say I've contaminated the whole house. I had a shower but it's of little consolation. I put my head down and worked instead.
I got a lot done. The floor and sides of the driver's cell are jigged and bonded. I collected my Aluminium motor plates from Geraldo. The rear plate went on perfectly and only needs shaping. I had to drill all the holes for the front plate and do the cutouts for the water pump. He just milled the recess for the crank seal and it all turned out great. That one will get final finishing tomorrow.
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It's the nasty characteristics of carbon that cause a lot of fabrications that may be in direct contact with the driver in the case of a mishap to be lined with a layer of kevlar. It helps keep the carbon shards from getting to the driver.
Pete
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Mving along nicely Mike. :cheers:
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Thanks Frank. Pete, no kevlar in this instance but when it's done you'll understand why. :-)
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The Carbon tub is made up of a lot of flat panels. The technique is called cut and fold. I wish it was Origami but hey I chose this path.
The finished product will be two rectangular torsion boxes, one inside the other. The inner is configured to my body as close as I could get it. I sat on the floor against a sheet of cardboard and the missus drew lines. Next step was to cut a template. Blind faith but lo and behold it turned out perfect.
I cut all the panels and bonded them. I wanted to use the autoclave but it's a little too short and making up a vacuum bag that would keep it's integrity with all the clamps and brackets on the part would have been a nightmare. I let it air cure.
The inner box is a five section setup. The main section, the foot box, two short sides and the top. Once they all go together the completed part gets 4 layers of unidirectional Carbon that are layed up with the angle of the fibres running at different angles for each layer and a final twill weave layer that gives it the distinctive look.
The Main section and foot box. I sat in it and it's good. I won't be using a lot of seat foam around the shoulder area. Arm movement is unrestricted.
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View from the rear. When all the pieces are together there will be a void between the inner and outer boxes. The water pipes and wiring glands will run through the tub at the bottom on each side. The Aluminium tubing gets bonded before the outer box is attached. You can see the holes already cut.
Starrett make the best holesaw ever.
8-)
I cut Fiberglass, Kevlar, Carbon and all the metals. I can't kill the saws. It's unreal.
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Motor plates went in great. They need to be shaped some but all in all I'm happy.
Mounting brackets from the chassis to the plates are next.
As long as the car is, she seems to get smaller by the day.
The next big decision is how to run the headers.
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I'm thinking I'll weld brakets to the top, bottom and diagonal rails to give three mountings per side. Is this overkill?.
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Holy crap, look at him go!
No such thing as overkill.
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I agree! Lookin real good Mike! :cheers:
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You guys all keep me going. Thanks.
We're going to machine new front hubs and spindles. The bearing rep is coming by for a chat. I asked about ceramic bearings so he's bringing a few samples for me to look at. I want to go bigger than the stock tapered bearing but he only has 2" OD, 1" ID standard bearings.
The hard part of this build isn't doing the work, it's making the right desisions. :-o
Every single move I make is based on a decision and I don't know enough to do the right thing so I call in "overkill". :-D
Here, "bare neccessity" seems to be the rule so over the counter "overkill" is in short supply. Everything I need on bearings is ex Germany!!!!.
No wonder the Allies were so hell bent on those bearing factories.
When one starts fooling around with hubs, spindles and bearings you need to have your stuff together and all I have are the materials and machines to work them.
I feel just like my pumpkin friend here! :-D BTW, Happy Halloween guys. Rats got to my only surviving Jack 'O'.
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Big freakin rats!
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I haven't seen many cats around here so maybe pumpkins aren't the only thing they eat. I'm sure I could make huge bucks with Jack 'O' Lanterns here. The local stuff never gets to this size. Anyone got leftover seeds?. I have a project to fund. :-D
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You want MOTIVATION???? I just got some. :-D :-D
Thanks Geo and that's for everything. God Bless you man. You rock. :cheers: :cheers:
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I got into building my headers over the weekend. The concensus is that runner length isn't as important on turbo applications so my objective was to keep the pipes away from the starter and other components.
I ran them near the chassis rails and they'll merge like the one's on Speed Demon. That seemed to be the neatest arrangement. Two are welded and the third is tacked. I back purged the process and for my first attempt at welding Stainless Steel tubing I'm pretty pleased. Vince Roman's advice on lower amperage and less speed proved to be spot on. Thanks Burns Stainless.
I did find out that I needed glasses but I have that sorted. :-D
Other work needs to be done so I'll put an hour or two into the system after hours.
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Hey Mikey,
Glad to help out! Great looking welds on the headers. What welder are you using? What did you cut the SS tube with?
Geo
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Thanks Geoff. I used Starrett hacksaw blades. The 90* bends were supplied. I'm using a small Tig machine. I'll be wrapping the pipes with exhaust wrap when it's all finished.
Check the new wallpaper. I can't hang the Valvoline in the shop. Royal Purple might have a problem with that. :-D
It makes a nice change and I lurve the plates. I feel like a dodge tourist already!!!
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I think I'd feel right at home there brother! Glad to brighten up the place and inspire those that enter.
Mike's a bit off the beaten path but still involved like your friend down the street. Glad to see his posts and learn a little from someone with a perspective not influenced by the years of racing here.
Keep after it Mike and let me know if you need anything.
Geo
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I was influenced by the guys from FAG Bearings. On Friday they came around to discuss ceramic bearings. They brought me two bearing catalogues.
The big one is as thick as a Bible. I mentioned it to them and they said that that's what it was called back at the office. We had a little chuckle about it. I decided to have some fun. I tucked the big book under my arm and we went for a walk up the road. The two young dudes were in hysterics. I purposely stopped at Peter X's place and rang the bell.
Peter poked his head around the corner and said "Hi Mike" and then it took a split second before he noticed the book and the two guys with me. He started to stutter....Uh, er, hey Mike, I'm on an important call in the house, can you come back tomorrow?.
He disappeared and the laughing began. The two reps were hanging onto each other and the one was crying. It was the stuff that makes your stomach muscles hurt. :-D
Peter, you're a naughty boy!!
This is a big book and I'd guess every bearing ever made must be in it. Yes, I'm still confused about what bearings to use in the front hubs but we'll get there.
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Mike, I received a tech manual from that company years ago; whenever a bearing question came up I used to get quizzical looks when I said I'd have to consult the FAG manual. :-D
Good info, though.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Neil, I just checked. It has 1650 pages. Too much information for me but it leaves one with no excuses. My bearings are in there, I just have to find them. :-D
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Doesn't everyone have a bearing bible? I do, a CR one along with the Wagner Brake Bible.
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Well, yes...but only the truly informed have a FAG manual. :roll:
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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I wish I had a kit or a shopping list Neil. It would be so much simpler. This car is driving me insane. :|
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... This car is driving me insane. :|
Short drive Mikey, short drive.... :cheers:
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:-D Thanks Bob and for the other help.
I got another half of a header pipe tacked this weekend. Once I've trimmed the motor plate I can finish the set.
The weekend was interesting. I email Geo and I'm telling him how long the Carbon tub is that's going into the car. 57". After I sent the mail I went back into the shop to check. Yup 57" long so I get in to see how comfortable I am. Great without the pedal box. :?
Major surgery on the tub and a bit on the chassis. Sid, you warned me and I said Yes, Yes. I still messed up. Better to find out now rather than later.
I had to extend the foot box by another 12" and it's not too bad because the tub was only 60% done. This isn't the first or last mistake and I'm handling it.
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I'm building a custom inlet manifold for the motor to accomodate the fuel rails, runners and the Carbon plenum.
It should be a trick part when it's done. I started off by buying some plate that got cut to my specs. I had to cut out the ovals so I first used a hole saw to get it close.
The die grinder is fine but the burrs get clogged with Ally and seeing that I didn't want to transport the cylinder heads to where the milling machine is I used the approach I was used to before the fancy tool era :-D YOU make a plan.
I used Dychem on the plate and bolted it to the head. I fabbed a scribe tool from some 3mm Stainless wire and went to work.
After marking I put the plate on the drill press and as you can see it was a labour intensive thing.
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After breaking out the pieces I didn't need I moved over to the other three ports until I had the holes at "almost" and then got the die grinder involved.
It must have taken about three hours total doing it this way but I figured the plasma cutter might create a problem on the accuracy etc.
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It turned out pretty nice for a hand job :-D
Where do you see ports the size of a Cleveland port?. You could lose small children in there.
The last pic is of the finished port area. Polished to purrrfection 8-)with the flapper wheel and matched 100%.
It makes a nice change to win for once. This car's had me on the ropes over the last few weeks.
When the second plate is done I'll bolt the the three pieces into the jig and get all the bolt spacers welded on as well once they're drilled and cut to the correct angles.
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The trumpets/venturis will look like this.
I did some work for Nissan on aero stuff in 1999 but it eventually morphed into induction stuff and this is the trumpet we used. I modded this one to make a plug for the molding process.
It's not quite done in that it doesn't have the locating disc about two thirds of the way down. The disc will be used to locate the trumpet on the runner that goes to the inlet plate. I haven't figured how to incorporate the disc section into the mold yet.
The trumpet changes from round to oval so that it will mate perfectly with the runner.
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Other angles.
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Getting 8 trumpets into the base of the plenum and lining up perfectly with the risers from the heads is going to be my most challenging project ever.
One disc to locate on the riser and one for the plenum. Kinda like building a fleet of ships in one bottle.
There's always a first time hey?. :cheers:
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Looking REAL good Mike.....Quality work as usual! :cheers:
Where do you see ports the size of a Cleveland port?. You could lose small children in there.
LMAO! :-D
Gregg
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Mikey, buy a toilet to floor seal ring... they are bees wax... keep dipping the grinding burr in the wax as you grind, it will help keep the burr from loading with aluminum.
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Bob, that's the best advice I've had in a long time. I don't normally have this problem as bad but the material I'm using is like butter. We've got wax here and I'll definitely use it. :cheers:
:-D Gregg, those ports make me smile too. Thanks for the kind words. They make me work harder!.
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Mikey, buy a toilet to floor seal ring... they are bees wax... keep dipping the grinding burr in the wax as you grind, it will help keep the burr from loading with aluminum.
Auto trans fluid work well as well. :-D Cleans the burr when you dip it in. Some hand jobs are better than others. :-D
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Aw, geez Frank. I threw out a gallon of ATF a week ago. Yes it was in a sealed container.
FYI, I started making the new mold for the wheel discs!!!! Soon brother, soon. :-D
Pics later.
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Try different alloys. We have 6061T6 and 2024T4 readily available here. Both are machineable. You might prefer one over the other for certain jobs. Jobs with burr, end mill, or file work seem to be easier with the 2024, at least for me.
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Thanks Bo, The material I got was said to be the machinable variety but I never collected it in person. We also have all the different grades here and in future I'll pay better attention. I need to start writing stuff down because there are so many variants. I'm losing track of lots of what I consider the not critical.
We're waiting on delivery of the six billets for making the wheels. Two spare, what a pleasure.
Believe me I know what grade that ALLY is. :-D :-D :-D
This here be a salty roller coaster and I'm strapped in.
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I have a situation here that I think you guys could advise on.
I'm based in South Africa as you know. There are international companies with agencies here. Obviously people and product differ.
My first sponsor for my LSR project was 3M South Africa. No money involved but I was promised 100% support on aerospace Epoxy adhesives, tapes and spray adhesives.
There is a limited amount one can use on a car so I haven't been greedy.
I had to sign a disclaimer attached to the agreement to the effect that 3M would not be responsible for any untoward problems, failures related to LSR and their product. They gave me the decals and sew on patches I asked for and all was fine.
A new MD took over and things changed. My liason stopped answering my email, phone calls and visits. I was left in reception for an hour waiting for attention.
I wrote to 3M HQ in the States complaining about the service and within 2 hours I had a response. They would pass on the info to 3M SA. After two weeks I get a short email from the assistant to the MD saying she is aware of my complaint but needed more detail.
I complied but still nothing happened so I write back and the story is that they had dignitaries from overseas and have been too busy.
Today I get email saying that the MD says he's not offering sponsorship at this time. Bear in mind I have a signed sponsorship agreement in my posession. It's not about product but about ethics. What should I do?. :?
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Thats a huge bummer...
Keep trying to push, you have proof of an established sponsorship.
Or, find another company that offers similar products (i know, very hard to come by due to 3M buying all of them) and shoot for a sponsorship with them.
Carry all the 3m propaganda back into the office and dump it on his desk after you do.
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To be perfectly honest I'm surprised at the amount of sponsorship you seem to be able to raise. My inclination would be to back off and keep track of what's going on within the company. Executives often change and the opportunity may come up again in the future. In the meantime you may be able to get a lower level of help by working with a local rep. Don't go burning a bridge because you feel let down at the moment.
Sponsorships are generally raised through personal relationships and are often lost through a change in management. Not every manager is a fan of speed and racing. Look for other help in the same field but it's difficult to replace a company like 3M. If you take a combative attitude in this you're liable to annoy the person who might help you next, so stick to negotiation.
Pete
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If you get another sponsor, put a small 3M decal right next to theirs with red circle around it with a red line through it.
It would be an interesting talking point and let you vent to anyone who asked. Good negative publicity, especially when you go fast.
Ron
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That's completely wrong. I would escalate it by writing to the Executive VP of Marketing Ian Hardgroveand and cc the CEO Inge Thulin. To make sure you get it in their hands don't type the letter, but hand write it and mail it. Its more personal and will make it past the secretary. Believe me the sh** will hit the fan and your unit MD. Tony
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That's completely wrong. I would escalate it by writing to the Executive VP of Marketing Ian Hardgroveand and cc the CEO Inge Thulin. To make sure you get it in their hands don't type the letter, but hand write it and mail it. Its more personal and will make it past the secretary. Believe me the sh** will hit the fan and your unit MD. Tony
In this case I'd probably defer to Tony as he's probably had a lot more to do with 3M and their direct involvement in racing. They tend to be very active in the field.
Pete
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To be perfectly honest I'm surprised at the amount of sponsorship you seem to be able to raise. My inclination would be to back off and keep track of what's going on within the company. Executives often change and the opportunity may come up again in the future. In the meantime you may be able to get a lower level of help by working with a local rep. Don't go burning a bridge because you feel let down at the moment.
Sponsorships are generally raised through personal relationships and are often lost through a change in management. Not every manager is a fan of speed and racing. Look for other help in the same field but it's difficult to replace a company like 3M. If you take a combative attitude in this you're liable to annoy the person who might help you next, so stick to negotiation.
Pete
In another life I managed motorsports marketing for the largest private distributor of Toyota vehicles and parts in the US. I have seen racers handle sponsorship turn downs in many ways. Let me say as directly as I can, like Peter Jack said, do not burn bridges. Your situation is likely caused by an internal management change at 3M. The guy that signed your deal with you has probably been over ruled and is embarrassed as heck. Even in the car business VP's would be over me that hated motorsports and thought stick and ball sports were the only way to market cars.
The other thing is if you voice your dissatisfaction in a public or flamboyant way the word will get out. Marketing mangers move from company to company, the person you crossed up with at X company is now working at Y company. You could need Y company in the future. The best thing to do is to send them a polite letter explaining that you are ready, willing and able to uphold your end of the sponsorship agreement but that there seems to be a change of direction at the company. If that be the case then please notify me in writing releasing me of the obligations for the sponsorship. Offer a hopeful statement that you can both work together in the future and let them know you are willing to help them in any way you can. The other option is to state you understand but remain loyal and will promote their products even with out the sponsorship side of the agreement. Sometimes loyalty is rewarded. If you are a hot head the word will get around.
I had a guy we helped in import drag racing and when he moved to NHRA pro stock he ran Toyota Truck decals even though at the time Toyota was only involved with Alan Johnson and Gary Selzi and their fuel funny car. Matt told me if it were not for Toyota helping him in the beginning he would not be racing at the pro level. He still talks with the Toyota people regularly and who knows, some day that loyalty might pay big dividends.
Stay positive and good things happen, dwell on the negative and that is what you will train your eyes to see.
You have a great build going, I am impressed with the speed that you are making progress.
My 2 cents.
BR
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But now that I read Tony's post he makes a good point.
Good luck,
BR
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BR, well said. :cheers:
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Just to add to it, like others have said don't be combative, just show your disappointment and talk on their level. A few months ago a friend of mine had a Toyota Prius that needed a new electric system. The dealer kept blaming the towing company and everyone ells and gave him the run around for about four months. We wrote a letter to both the North American and Japan CEO's and low and behold it got fixed in hurry with an apology. Tony
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You all make good points and this is proof I can count on you guys. 100% friends. I used to be a hot head and that developed over time into sarcasm.
I still have to bite my tongue and keep away from the keyboard. I never made any waves but called the guy who was with 3M until the new MD took over. He told me that the new guy sent down a directive to cease the support. My liason didn't have the guts to tell me so he thought by ignoring me I'd just give up and disappear.
The thing is that I do have a signed document and boxes of product. I don't really need any more tape or adhesives so I'm thinking I should just carry on as I have been. Put the patches on the suit, decals on the car etc and concentrate on building and running the car.
If things carry on happening as they have been then the right guys will see the project and whatever happens from there on in is bonus.
The passion I have for this game does cloud the judgement and I honestly can't handle the rejection. When a potential sponsor says no it cuts deep but my batting average is excellent. I have 24 local and five US based sponsors so far.
I only approached companies I respected. I knew the product, it was good and I asked.
God works in mysterious ways. After the 3M upset I landed a huge deal with the biggest Aluminum foundry/producer in Africa. The guy is giving me 6 billets to make wheels from. He emailed later and asked what it would take to brand the whole car. I said he could have any area above the belt line but not the vertical stabilizer. He wanted to supply sheeets of Ally to build body work from but I'm not greedy so I settled for some round bar I could use.
This is going to be big. Then two reps from a company called WIKA turned up. They are going to supply temperature sensors and digital readouts for the whole car. The two are gearheads and asked to be crew members. How could I say no.
My Carbon guy sends me email to say that the German HQ has material that they say is past it's sell by date. The airplane manufacturers can't use it and do I want it???.
No bull. What started out as a nightmare turned into some heck of a day. I'm scared to open email right now. You couldn't make this stuff up. I'm in shock and I thank the Lord for carrying me. This is all a bit too much right now. I never got any work done today but hey there's tomorrow.
The best move I've made in a long time was joining this forum. You guys have motivated me from day one. Thanks so much. I won't let you down.
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When it rains, it pours. Good luck.
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Christmas came early this year. :cheers:
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Good for you Mike, Keep the focus and keep the faith. :cheers: The folk on this site are a rare breed. Competitive and giving, ya gotta love em. :cheers:
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Mike,
Great news. I am glad you have new support to replace the 3M deal.
BR
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Thanks. It was a hectic day to say the least.
I was looking at some pics I downloaded a while back. I have one of Mike Cook's red car. It's a roadster.
The current record holder here in South Africa used a very similar car to set the record.
I know it's a Steve Schmidt car and went back to the States shortly after.
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Mike, in response to your question about the 3M sponsorship. The best way to end things is by writing a kind letter thanking them for their past support. The "rule of thumb" is accentuate and acknowledge the positive. Ignore the negative.
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Hey Bo, I think the new regime at 3M has their wires crossed so I'm just going to let it ride. We'll see what happens. :lol:
Friday was computer day again. It blew for the sixth time in a year. I spent the weekend working long hours and got quite a bit done.
My engine mountings front and rear are finally done. I can now finish the headers and hang the oil pump so I'll be kept busy for another week or so.
I had to use the hand drill to perforate the 8mm plate because the noise from the riciprocating saw would have brought the police out at 3AM. It all worked out fine and when I refitted the motor the plates went straight onto the mounts. No play whatsoever.
I'm really pleased with how things are going right now.
Some progress pics.
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The rear plate finished and ready for installation.
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Nice piece Mike!
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Thanks Joe.
I can run the pipes to where I have to build the collector. This will be a major task but we'll figure it out.
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Su weet Mike (joe,mike,joe) Mike. Sometimes ya just got to whittle away at it . good progress.
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He he he, Frank :-D.
You want to see my birth certificate. I think the only Saint's name I never got was Joseph.
It's war out here but I'm avoiding the Claymores.
Working on a sponsor but he's very good at Chess and if I pull it off it will be well woth it.
Back on composite work for a while. Got some neat stuff I'm doing for export. :-D
In addition to that I started making some chute tubes.
37" long and it's on the mandrel with a layer of Peel Ply over it.
The good smooth side is on the inside where it counts. Three more to go.
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Are you going to connect the headers as 4 into 2 into 1 or as 4 into 1?
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Mike,
I like the way you are mixing the aluminum we think is light weight with carbon we think is lighter weight. Great to see you using something we would not consider. Might change some of the long time engrained views we have here.
Nice job on the hand milling machine to make the engine plate! I have one of those here as there is no room for the big cast machine I would like. Keep after it. I found the list getting longer for quite a time period before it became shorter. The big parts were completed and then the details began.
Geo
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Bo, 4 into 1. I have to still find/make some SSteel rings for joining the tubes. I have a pile of suspension parts I need to collect from my engineer Geraldo.
Money is tight but he's cool. I drop of material and drawings, he does the work, I collect and when I bring the next batch I pay.
I tried three different versions of front suspension that wouldn't work but I might have come up with the best compromise yet. Space is at a premium and the packaging is a nightmare. I have about 8 inches between the spindles to work with.
Geoff, I used Carbon because the Aluminum tubing available in that size is heavy wall stuff and the steel has a weld seam. Imagine having to choose the black stuff over steel! :-D The materials are here and I have to use them.
The resin I use to build gas tanks is obviously chemical resistant and that makes it very good at handling heat but doesn't have what I'd call a shelf life. A 5 gallon keg runs at about 3 grand and my experience has been that once you open the can you'd better use it.
I have to use the resin and because I have good Carbon and not so good looking Carbon I made the decision to do the tubes with the fabric that has a few blemishes.
It took about 25 minutes to wrap. I'm doing an oil pan for a 572 Chevy at the same time so there's no waste.
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Those cute tubes are cool. I would love to have something like that!
BTW, how are the wheel disks coming?
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Can the supplier package the resin for you in smaller cans? I ask for that a lot with specialty paints, race fuel, etc. Sometimes there is a small extra charge for the service. It is worth it, though, to be working with liquid from a newly opened can.
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Trent, I'm busy on the new mold for the wheel discs. The old one lost a big chunk of Gel coat. I've been at this composite thing for a long time and could never get to grips with Epoxy Gel coats. We hate each other. I use Polyester Gel coat for molds and on parts that require tight accuracy I back that with Epoxy because Polly supposedly shrinks between 2 and 5% on curing.
I need to get a mechanical bond between the Polyester Gel coat and the Epoxy laminate but I screwed up on the process so I got a big breakout. It rarely happens but I'm human. It beats finishing a big job only to see the hardener still on the bench. :-D :-D I think I cried or started drinking that day. Maybe both.
The new mold will be completed tomorrow. I have promised two sets to friends and I won't let them down. :oops:
Bo, The guys here are thieves when it comes to decanting. If the material costs $200 for 5 gallons and you only want 1 they'll hit you $140. The man on the street doesn't count it seems. Little glassfiber repair kits (500ml) cost more than 300% of the value. First we pay ten times more than you guys do and still get taken to the cleaners again after that. They say we have the most expensive cell phone rates in the world here. We manufacture lots of cars here. A Toyota Landcruiser built here and exported to Australia is half the price there. You'd have the best vacation here Dollar wise.
The front suspension is coming along nicely and I should have the major bits mocked up this week. I can't give her 100% due to work commitments and I hate it. When I was a long haired teenager playing hockey the guys had a saying that said if the game interferes with your job, leave your job!. I did and they're all old men still doing the same work. :lol:
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A little diversion from my build but it bodes well for the future.
I've been playing with Carbon Fiber since 1988 and being self taught for the most part I've seen all the highs and lows.
Every part I've ever made came out of the mold with pin holes and ask anyone who knows this industry and they'll tell you it's the most annoying part in the process.
Not today. I laminated this Carbon oil pan on Friday using a new resin system. I normally buy pre accelerated resin but the company wouldn't formulate this one so I had to go it alone. These high temp systems have a short pot life at the best of times so you have about 15 minutes to laminate, add all the vacuum technology materials like bleeder film, peel ply and breather layer plus getting it into the vac bag and sealing it.
I gave it my best shot but spent the weekend dreading today. I thought I'd have to redo the job. For the first time in my career there will be no finishing required. Not a pin hole in sight. I just won the Black Art lotto!!!!
I used the same material for the chute tubes and there's a bunch of other parts in the pipeline that will get the same.
I even feel some affection for the 572 the pan is going to. :-D
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Ain't that a great feeling...? In some cases I've found that letting the resin kick a bit before applying pressure to the bag can really help surface finish, but like many things in composites there is some luck involved getting that timing just right. It might make the part a bit more resin rich but it hardly matters in most cases.
I've been thinking about trying infusion, apparently its easier to achieve class A finishes with this method. I haven't because I'm always concerned that the part would not infuse correctly and I'd waste a bunch of material, at least with wet layup I know its correctly saturated before applying pressure.
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Oh yes that is slick Mike. Congrats for mastering one of the black arts!!!
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Mike, what I am talking about is not buying a small quantity. That is often difficult for supplier. They need to set everything up make the little batch, make it, then do all of the cleanup. That makes the small quantity cost a lot.
What I do is to buy the the big quantity they usually make and to have them split it into smaller containers for shipping so it is more convenient to store and to use. I just did this with race gas. It is only blended a drum at a time, so I ordered a drum and asked for it to be split into smaller containers.
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Josh, a man after my own heart. You understand the inner workings. In the early days I panicked and pulled vacuum to early. I had the nasty job of opening the pump and spending hours cleaning it. I had to throw the non return vlaves away and at 600 bucks a pop it really hurt but it was a good lesson.
There is a guy called Nick that is/was the best welder in our country until he left for Oz. He said that the first time he struck an arc he just knew that that was going to be his trade. It came naturally. I never knew it at the time but I was also blessed to do what I do. I love the stuff.
Maybe you should give the infusion a try. I've watched it being done but found the sealing strip was too time consuming for my liking. Building the female part into each and every mold was a chore and might be great for production but for my one off lifestyle the old bag works.
Wet lay up is like you say more predictable. I always see the guys in the white suits and dust masks in the "lab" doing the F1 pre preg thing and I always ask myself how many started with wet lay up?. :-D
Frank, thanks. Well find out how well I've mastered the art when you get the discs. I'm on it brother.
Do any of you guys know Chris Raschke from ARP?.
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Mike, what I am talking about is not buying a small quantity. That is often difficult for supplier. They need to set everything up make the little batch, make it, then do all of the cleanup. That makes the small quantity cost a lot.
What I do is to buy the the big quantity they usually make and to have them split it into smaller containers for shipping so it is more convenient to store and to use. I just did this with race gas. It is only blended a drum at a time, so I ordered a drum and asked for it to be split into smaller containers.
I hear you Bo. This place is weird. I've tried what you suggested but they won't go for it.
I've had big fights here over this very thing. A while back I needed some Polystyrene sheet cut to a certain thickness (5mm) and all the woman on the phone did was tell me repeatedly what they "don't do". I got frustrated and told her that the "Americans" don't tell me what they can't do but ask how they can get involved and when do I want it?. Was I right????
I asked to buy a 20kg keg of resin and was quoted R1000. I wanted them to decant into 4 smaller cans. The total was R2000. I can't win here. The service isn't good. Only big deals interest most companies.
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Mike, it is a people thing. Nationality isn't a big factor. There are parts made for me in in town here, in England, and Australia 'cause they are people I can communicate with and who are willing to do special work. The customs and duty our government charges are a problem. I wonder if the Chinese need to pay the same customs and duty for all of their stuff they ship here?
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Don't get me started.
We used to have a garment industry here. Thousands out of work. One example.
I had an interesting day yesterday. Guido and I took a trip to my engineer to collect components but we stopped off at a friend of his. This old guy called Pierino is a sheetmetal guy. He got hold of a Ferrari 348 wreck and used the components to build a 1964 250LM replica. He hand shaped all the Aluminum body panels and I never knew it was a retro until they told me.
He also has an MG from the 20s or 30s that he's restoring. I never knew there was a guy like this living ten miles away. Unbelievable. I'll get pics next time.
I designed some stuff a while back for mounting braces from the roll cage back to the chassis. I obviously won't be able to get the motor in or out with the braces welded in so this clevis type system should do the trick. They'll also be used to attach the front and rear chassis sections that house the chute tubes and the water tank front. The bullet noses are to make fitting easier but I'll cut half round sections out where required.
The other parts are the rod end inserts for the front suspension.
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Not much work got done today. Visitors, but they were welcome. It seemed like everyone arrived at once. My Jack Russells were spoilt for choice. They didn't know who to jump on first. One thing about this shop is that you'll get a warm welcome.
The aeroquip rep arrived along with the the guy who'll be supplying thermocouples and digital gauges for the systems and they both brought colleagues. Then Guido arrived. I've been keeping the build a secret and he thought I was still working on the truck. He was a little surprised when he saw the long car.
It all turned out good and based on his passion for what I'm doing and the effort he's put into the project I asked Riaan Lingenfelter (Eaton/Aeroquip) if he'd like to be the team mannager. Victor Moore is also a gear head (Wika measuring equipment) so he wants in as pit crew. So far I have four guys on the team with each being an expert in his field. I figure there will be ten guys on this project before we get to run the car.
It's a good feeling to have backup and there is a good vibe among the guys. After everyone left I got back to work and welded on the eight connectors for the nose and tail sections. It looks good and the end result should be a simple bolt on. I need to get the male fittings machined next.
I might weld up the upper front wishbone tonight but it's based on energy. I find that tig goes better when I'm fresh.
I was hoping to have a rolling chassis by year's end but it's doubtful with the shut down but I'll give it a go no matter what.
Some pics of the work.
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Keep at it Mike! I enjoy having people stop by the shop, but it always seems to happen when I'm really making a lot of progress. So goes life.
Yer bounds ahead of me as far as any team goes. I've got a good friend helping here and there, and that's about it. Hank has been a one man show for some time now. My engine builder is really excited about the project, but due to work load he may not be able to be on the salt with me.
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Joe, this car is big news here because it's the first one and guys all want to be involved. We'll see how things work out when they have to take a week off work and drive 800 miles to the track.
I used to race F2 cars in the 80s and the volunteers fell by the wayside when it came to crunch time. I used to load the car, drive to away races, unload and do the setup myself. Mike Nish was here in those days and he at least had a crew.
I was exhausted by the time we lined up for the start.
You have no idea how cool it is to have someone get you out of the deck chair and say the car's ready. No junk on your hands, no gear oil smell. I hate that smell. It makes me want to throw up. :-D
Building the car is a big part but even though I haven't done LSR my feeling is that having a good crew to be at the track is just as important. You and I lead similar lives in that the build is a one man project and we'll need good guys behind us when the time comes.
In my case these dudes are employed by the sponsors so I think they'll be OK with getting time off.
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Front suspension is finally looking like getting done.
The fourth version is my best attempt IMO.
I did have to cut the steering box mounting off and I learned a big lesson. More tack less cutting and grinding.
I won't be fully welding anything until I know it works.
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I made up the components from materials that I had here.
The upright is made up of two bike necks I did some time ago. I have the shafts, bearings and other hardware here already so all I need to do is machine the spindles and make the carriers.
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The system will consist of two wishbones, one running one way and the other the opposite.
I need to get the pushrod to the bell crank at the top of the chassis so I oriented the wishbone so that it wouldn't interfere with the travel.
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All the good rod ends are still on the truck project so I'll be stripping the suspension to get them.
I dummied up the set up so you can see more or less what it will look like when it's done.
The height is not accurate in the photo but you'll get the idea.
It has to work. It's prototype #4. :|
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Mike,
With the way your "front axle" is made I am going to assume that your front wheels have sufficient off set to get the center line of the "spindle" to fall pretty close to the center of the proposed tire contact point, i.e. not much scrub radius. It looks very strong which I really like. Keep at it Mike you are on a great roll.
Rex
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Rex, Thank you. I'm not known for being a BSer so i'll tell you straight up. I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm winging it. It's hit and hope.
I have two opposing wishbones of the same length with rod ends at all points. There is adjustment built in and my thinking is that the suspension will travel up and down just fine. There's zero camber and I can get the caster spot on by adjusting the rod ends.
My worry is roll. I don't know if what I have will cut it.
I'm here to learn and the amount of knowledge you guys have is vast so I'm sure you'll point out the wekness in the design.
Some images. The long bar is the pushrod and will move down when I cut a piece of chassis tubing away.
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The top wish bone isn't done yet but I'll get onto it tomorrow.
Some other angles of the "masterpiece". :|
:x
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Tauruck:
If your fab work is winging it then mine is pure metal butchery! Your fab work and the speed at which you accomplish it amaze me. Seems when you lack a tool you substitute ingenuity and elbow grease. I respect that.
Keep it up, the guys here will nudge you if something concerns them.
When is your first run target date?
BR
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Bill, I'm winging it on the design and that's where the problem is :-D.
I got that nudge you speak of. Rex Schimmer sent me an email and thanks to him I'll get one major flaw sorted. Buickguy, Sid Gyde, Freud, Geo, Jono and others have all had input. This is what makes this forum what it is. IMO, if you screw up on your build you only have yourself to blame.
The Hawks (good Hawks though) here don't miss a thing and you'll get nudged in the right direction.
I'm rushing and therein lies the problem. I've made commitments to sponsors and others that I'll run at Hakskeen Pan in late August next year and I can't let them down.
I have 27 sponsors and I don't think even a top NASCAR team can boast that many. I'm in deep Do Do if I don't produce.
The thing is out of control and we wouldn't be having this conversation if I was US based.
There is no LSR in South Africa. We have FIA records for all the classes but they are based on modified production vehicles that ran over a timed distance at military airfields, closed off highways and stuff. No SCTA type clubs here yet.
It's big news and now the media wants in. Too many distractions.
My work is suffering as a result and I need to keep my clients here happy. :cry:
Must be salt fever or something. :lol:
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Tauruck,
You are probably correct to be concerned about the roll behavior of the front suspension. The upper, front, single ball joint and the lower, rear, single ball joint would constitute an axis about which the carrier can pivot. Rather like the steering head angle on a motorcycle, but swept rearward instead of forward. If it were a motorcycle, this arrangement would be unstable, the carrier wanting to fall over to one side or the other. Only the track width of your front wheels would keep this from happening.
Of more concern is what may happen as the wheels drive over an uneven surface, tilting the carrier about this axis. This may produce some spooky, unwanted steering inputs which is not something that would be appreciated by the driver. Further, when the rear tires then go over the same uneven patch, the reverse would happen. Other things like side wind or cornering that would tend to induce a rolling motion to the chassis would also contribute. Whether any of this effect is large enough to be significant is hard to tell, especially since the actual steering arrangement is yet to be disclosed. That may moderate or accentuate the behavior. But in any case, it would be wise to more fully evaluate the whole system before getting too far further into the fabrication. Or, build it out and do some in-shop testing to see what the motions are like.
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I wanted (tried) to build an upper and lower swingarm (rectangular boxes) and hang the axle system off that.
My concern was how to get adjustability into it. That would be the easier option.
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I'm ready to throw in the towel.
I don't have the engineering savvy to design a front suspension.
An inline is probably better but if I can't get the side by side working my chances of pulling of the former are super slim.
I thought I might get a chance in the "bigs" but I was wrong. I'm done, well done. :-D :cry:
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Mike, what about using a Mustang II front end and suspension? It is designed already by Ford. Guys around here have them on their street rods.
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Too wide Bo!
Mike, I sent you a PM.
Pete
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Second PM sent.
Good luck Mike. You'll find your way out of the woods! :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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Mike, if you post photos of how the front axle mounts to the chassis right now I may be able to give you a little more help.
You WILL get this sorted.
Pete
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You'll get it Mike! That car is way cool and it needs to go down the track! Keep at it brother. If yer having problems, do what I do. Work on something else for awhile. I've found when I do that then come back to the part that was giving me so much grief it just falls into place!
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Mike, step back and take a breather for a few days/weeks. Come back to it later and you'll get everything figured out.
I had to do that with my truck and I'm just now starting back on it.
Gregg
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The tribe has spoken :-D :-D :-D
Thanks guys. You're right. I took a break albeit a short one.
I never looked at HER today.
I went to meet my tool sponsor and collect the decals and product.
I don't drive over here. I leave that to the little woman. It's safer and I try not watching the circus.
You guys wouldn't understand. There are 7 million new drivers here and I know 75% got their licenses under the table, at the back door or just for free because they know someone.
Throw in the latest gadget, the Almighty mobile phone. Mix that with poor depth perception and a touch of pure ignorance and Wallah, you have a Johannesburg driver.
Does Guy Fieri ever come on the forum?. He can start a new show. Drivers, Deliveries and Drunks.
Head down Mike, she'll get you there. Zina "drives" when she has to. :-D
Made it there and back, collected my sanity at the gate and began opening the packages.
Russell from King Tony gave me a pile of good stuff. 2 torque wrenches to boot. Great people, down to earth and very interested in the project.
He said if you need anything, but I mean anything just shout. Thank you so much Russell, but i'm thinking what would happen if he knew I'm getting a beating back at the shop from :-) the suspension..
I bought pulleys for my Weaver pump today as well so I'm pretty pleased.
I'm going to start narrowing my 9" tomorrow. Must be easier than building a front suspension. :cheers:
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You'll get it Mike! That car is way cool and it needs to go down the track! Keep at it brother. If yer having problems, do what I do. Work on something else for awhile. I've found when I do that then come back to the part that was giving me so much grief it just falls into place!
Don't lie Joe, you go drink a beer and come back later! :cheers:
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Exactly,
Move to the rear axle. A straight up project clears your head. Continue to ask and gather ideas and it will come to you. Sometimes you have to give the problem to your subconscious and let it grind on it for a few days, weeks.
BR
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Hey Mikey
Remember to Breath. :-D
Pete
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Hey Pete, Shoooo, I was blue in the face there for a while. :-D
You're right and thanks.
On the war path here but it's starting to take shape.
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How much suspension travel do you feel like you have to have?
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Mike, I'm no expert just looking at your project. What about building a top link like the lower one but shorter, to get your caster. Turn it in the opposite direction with the two links connected to the frame. May need to make the top connection on the axle a little taller and keep the upper and lower A-arms parallel. This mite make it more like a four link with out the panhard bar problem. Then I assume you are going to mount short coil over shocks in front of the axle. You can get them with a three inch travel.
It's just metal Cut and Weld.
Richard
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Thank you both for your input/advice.
I was going to run a pushrod suspension with the shocks behind the bulkhead but I've scrapped the side by side in favour of a tandem system.
I don't have pics yet but I am working on it right now.
It will allow me the swoopy body lines I wanted. My car was going to look a lot like Bobby Moore's Maro special but now I can give the nose a better aero profile.
I used a few design cues from other tandem liners along with my own ideas and I feel I'll only be building one version this time.
I wasted quite a few inserts and other bits on the failed designs but I can save them I guess.
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Luckily Mike, I've never spent a bunch of time working on and idea, only to scrap it and start over! :roll:
That stuff happens man! Good to see yer keeping yer head up and moving forward. If you have access to a lathe, recovering your threaded inserts is a lot easier than one would think!
Keep fighting the good fight man. You'll get it!
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Thanks Joe.
I built the pushrod suspension on the truck in short time and it was cool.
This one??????
Guido is currently driving 450 miles to a classic car show in a Rover 90 that was built in the 50s. Brave dude. I was going to get to his spot to use the lathe this weekend but it will have to wait until Tuesday.
I've got enough inserts to go on with so I should be OK.
I spend December on my own with six Jack Russells because the missus goes to Scotland to visit her daughter. The plan is to get as much material and product together so I can work non stop for a month.
It's the summer holidays here and companies are closing by the hour so it's quite comical running from door to door trying to buy stuff you'll need.
I hope to put a big dent in this thing over the next month. I'm motivated and up for it.
Geo and I communicate almost daily and I made a statement this morning that is so true.
I'm in Africa building an American car and it's only happening because of this forum. Where else could I go to get all the help and advice I get here?. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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HOW much suspension travel are you trying to obtain--I do not remember this as being part of the discussion.
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Sparky, not much.
Maybe an inch and a half.
Ted Garstang from Bilstein and I go way back so I have the best of the best at my disposal.
Even though we live in Africa he is probably one of the best in the world at what he does.
I have quite a collection of Bilstein shocks here that have never been used so I might do a deal on swopping some for a custom set.
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I do not know what speeds you are shooting for but I would sure be concerned about lift and roll in the range you are most likely shooting for. Some type of leading arm or trailing arm suspension with 3/4" travel and adjustable bump stops maybe made like a lot of trucks have-- that are progressive rate one might even have the suspension made from them with you friends choice of shocks. This is a no engineers opinion but I have see the results of things that fly literally and not figuretively. Body lift, asymetrical air flow, and angle of attack changes are not our friends above 2 .
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Sparky we're shooting for 450, just like George Poteet.
I'll post pics of my flying machine when it's done.
I started cutting the 9" to narrow it. So far so good.
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^^^^ Wondering what gear ratios (and other things) you'll be using with that rearend to go 450 mph?
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Gotcha!!!
I was hoping Sparky would reply.
450KPH. :-D :-D
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1.75:1 :-o :-o :-o :-o :-D
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Frank, he he he. First I have to hear back from Craig Liberty. He is key to our success.
Riaan from Eaton (Aeroquip) was at my shop along with a a few of my friends.
He asked what the liner really needed to do the business?.
A miracle was my answer and it was called a Liberty 5 speed but cost 95 grand plus shipping.
My one good friend says, "so where's the problem?". Get all the details, we'll sort something out.
It was ten in the morning, he doesn't drink or lie. What do you think?. :-o :wink: :wink:
I need the box, the rubber and about 75lbs of epoxy and I'm done. The rest is construction.
SA Bolt manufactures fasteners for all the OEM car manufacturers here like VW, BMW, Ford, Mazda, Nissan etc and they are also on board.
I got my first shipment of bolts yesterday. They don't do threes and fours. I got boxes and boxes of imperial and metric Allen bolts. The even supplied custom lengths. 8-)
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On Wednesday afternoon I switched on the PC and the power pack blew in spectacular fashion.
I jumped out of the chair. It was one of those "Incoming" moments. :-D
It's better than ever today. Faster?.
I got quite a bit done on my tandem front wheel setup since then.
Frame is all welded and a few areas where the original was cut away needs dressing.
I have the first swingarm on the jig but still setting it all up.
I'm happy I couldn't make the side by side thing work. Now we're building something special.
Some images.
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Other angles.
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Building the liner has distracted me from earning a living so when I ran short on funds I had to put my rearend into gear and finish some work.
I built an oil pan for AJ. He has a 572 BBC going into a smallish car and was limited around the crossmember. This is the finished product.
I put clear on it yesterday and shot a few pics during a break in the rain. I waited four days for good weather. The body shops are all closed so I got into it myself.
It came out awesome. The guy is cool, he never nagged once and I think it makes for a better finished product.
The Carbon doesn't photograph well IMO but this thing is as close to perfect as I'll ever get. :cheers: :cheers:
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Two more.
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so just "where" would you like Sparky to jump
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Absolutely EXCELLENT.
FREUD
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so just "where" would you like Sparky to jump
I was joking about the speed and meant no harm Sparky. I'm sorry if you think I was being nasty. :-)
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Dang that is sweet Mike :cheers:
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Mike, all of that car stuff is beyond me. It sure looks like you are having fun. That is the important thing.
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Thank you Freud, Frank and Bo.
I love every aspect.
This stuff will keep you young and working to get the bucks to fund the project is very interesting.
Every email that comes in gets a valuation on it.
What can I buy with the money from the job?.
:evil:
I suppose it's a good thing I don't have children to support. :-D
I come from a family that loves the "horses" more than most but I won't get involved trying to make a quick buck.
Work is my solution. :cheers:
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Keeping the faith.
No immediate prospects but I have a payment coming for the oil pan.
I've been told there's a package waiting for me at my importer.
It's from ARP. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
God Bless you Chris Raschke.
My tandem front suspension setup is coming along great and I'll have pics of parts soon.
A while back I fabricated a pedal for the truck project and I just finished assembling the parts.
I took a Balsa template off my race boot and over a few weeks and in between other work I got the shape right.
It got seven layers of Carbon Fiber and a lick of clear.
Bonded in some threaded inserts for the Aluminum cap and then bolted the pedal to the base.
It's a hydraulic system from CNC so routing the hose shouldn't be a problem.
I'm very pleased with the end result.
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A lot of the parts I made for both projects are interchangeable so when I do get back to the truck eventually I can move the pedal box over.
This pedal is for the Flyer right now and it's one less part to work on.
Some other views.
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Mike,
You know, of course that when people see this pedal that you won't have any time to work on the Flyer. You'll be too busy making more pedals. Very nice work, as usual.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Your talents are to be envied.
FREUD
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I agree! That pedal is trick! Now if I could just find a carbon oil pan for a 302 Jimmy... :-D
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Just send your VISA card number and he will probably
be able to answer your Santa wish list.
Remember, it's summer where he lives and the evenings are long.
FREUD
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Ha ha ha.
Freud, the evenings are long but we're getting rained on like crazy.
The lightning here is a little different, I swear it hunts.
It loves my yard.
Forget the Visa card, just send a GREEN one Joe!!!
Let me just finish the wheel discs first. :-D :cheers:
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My build involves a lot.
I pray, submit proposals, build components and try to be positive at all times even though I get beat down regularly.
Prayers do get answered and I'm so thankful for all the support.
I can't do this project without sponsors or the motivation I get on the forum.
My Christmas present from ARP arrived yesterday and I just collected it.
Thanks Chris Raschke.
AWESOME!!!!!!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I was joking about the speed and meant no harm Sparky. I'm sorry if you think I was being nasty. smiley
Mickey---I have been off line for nearly 2 weeks---that was my way of asking what subject you wanted me to JUMP ON--nasty lord no---lol
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Thanks Sparky. :cheers:
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The inline tandem built on the walking beam principle has a lot going for it:
When the front tire goes over a 1" bump the pivot only goes up 1/2; it also is easy to build a "mud flap" between the two tires and with the stops I mentioned earlier the car is still a tricycle if one happens to loose a tire be sure and slightly offset the alignment of the center lines of the two tires a shock for each tire is required as they are considered "sprung" . It is not necessary to deal with the concentric arcs but I would let the weight ride on a brg. much like a lot of I beam axels---try to eliminate the scrub radius.
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Sparky, I have what you could call two single sided bike swing arms.
One left and one right.
I have a lot of stuff to collect from the engineer tomorrow and as much to drop off.
My gut tells me I got it right this time. With help of course.
Tom Burkland hasn't left out even the smallest detail in the regular advice he sends and if I had "only" been contemplating a liner build I can say I would have found something else to do.
Can you imagine John Force giving me gidance on building a Funny Car???? :-D
Simply put, if I screw up now I only have myself to blame.
The tandem just feels right and the engineering is going the way I'd wanted.
There will still be hiccups but I'm up for it. :cheers:
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It shames me that somehow I have managed to overlook this build. Just spent over an hour and a half reading this diary and it's Xmas Eve time well spent. Very cool build, Sid's advice is irreplaceable to me also. Looking forward to seeing how your tandem front end turns out, I too have been kicking a similar idea around.
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Thanks SteelMan.
Sid is my mate and he along with all the other guys here on the forum put up with all my dumb questions.
I still need to embrace the tack first weld later principle. :oops:
One would love to be able to pick up the phone and invite the guys around for a bench racing session and run ideas by them but the location makes it impossible.
There is an upside to all the bad designs. I put the metal rejects out for a guy that digs through garbage cans for stuff he can sell.
It's not much Dollar wise but he's ever so grateful. :cheers:
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mine go into my recycle pile---when I am building something it is amazing to me how much stuff I pull out and whack of some part of it to make a bracket, brace or mount :lol:
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Mickey what is up with the fishing lures :?
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I made Carbon lures for quite a while but I couldn't produce the numbers guys wanted.
I made the mistake of sending a few to a big tackle store in CA.
The guy caught a near record size Rooster fish on his first cast.
Why do you ask?.
Here's my favourite fish lure or live. Yellowfin Tuna. They will loosen all your fillings. :-D
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No problem---you just need to raise the price until you are comfortable with the stress of production requirements!!
Most folks who want --World class results expect to pay the big bucks!! I know of a Hunt that the entry fee just to be in the auction is over $200,000. US
ps I was just cruzin your photo bucket pages
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Zoiks Mike, thats a sweet looking little tuna. :cheers:
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Incredible parts you build, young man. People should have to pay dearly for your talents.
Ron
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Thanks all.
It would be cool if my countrymen felt the same way.
About 10 years ago I met a Belgian diamond dealer called David. I built him a custom bike. He said I should get out of SA and go where I'd be appreciated.
He's married to an African woman and to cut a long story short his daughter got into kart racing. Dave is a big guy and couldn't do more than a lap or two in a kart so I would drive his kart and show Naomi the lines. I would test different makes to get the best chassis for her. I was her driving coach in the early days but I'm not good at spectating. I could probably watch tennis though. :-D
Dave really wanted me to be her manager but I'd probably be looking for a ride for myself more than mamaging Naomi.
Check her out. She's done quite well.
https://www.google.co.za/#q=naomi+schiff
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It looks like she races a wide variety of cars. It would be hard to do that here. Those little formula 1 type cars seem like a lot of fun.
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I don't have much contact with them anymore but last time I spoke to her father she was racing Porsche Cup in China.
He's one of those guys that made a small fortune out of racing.
He started with a big one!. :-D
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I suspect we will hear her name in the future.
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I wish my late dad gave me just one chance.
I was into soap box cars from an early age and there was a yearly race at the show grounds.
I built my own car without help and the old man promised to take me to the race but on race day he went to the track to see a bookie about a horse/donkey. :-D
I never forgave him, honest.
A year later he died at 36.
Any kid who gets help from the parents in racing should get down on their knees every night and thank the Lord.
I did things the hard way and they still never quite worked out but it made me tougher and wiser.
My last ride.
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When I was 13 I met the Bamine brothers.
They built a T bucket and I was hooked.
It grew and I got into the Altereds. I never saw one outside of the magazines because we never had TV here in those days but you could just tell they were EVIL!!! :-D
Nanook, Pure Hell, Panic, Bad Habit and Mondello & Matsubara. :cheers:
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Nanook, Pure Hell, Panic, Bad Habit and Mondello & Matsubara. :cheers:
Mike, Thanks for the pic of the Nanook Fuel Altered and a trip down memory lane! :cheers:
I lived in Southern California from 1969 - 1972 (to me, the Golden Age of Drag Racing) and went to many races at Irwindale, Lions and Orange County dragstrips.
Although Top Fuel is/was my favorite class, the Fuel Alterds were VERY exciting to watch.....You never knew what was going to happen!
One team you did not mention was Willie Borsch and Al Marcellus' Winged Express. How Willie drove that with one hand is still incredible to me!
Here is a link to the NHRA site that has him ranked at 34 of the 50 best drivers ever: http://www.nhra.net/50th/top50/W_Borsch34.html
EDITED TO ADD PICTURES:
The Wild One!
(http://s3.amazonaws.com/findagrave/photos/2001/222/borschwilliebio.jpg)
Thought you might like this one of Nanook!
(http://svammelsurium.blogg.se/images/2009/fuel-altered-nanook_29936475.jpg)
Here is a real good link to NHRA about Fuel Altereds:
http://www.nhra.com/userfiles/file/NDLiveFiles/Features/FuelAltereds.pdf
I saw quite a few of these.....Good memories and thanks again!
Gregg
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Here's a picture of two 200 MPH roadsters after the Hot Rod magazine show this year. But they're a little different.
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I ended up checking out Willie Borsch and yes I do remember him. You can even buy a "missing arm" on Ebay. :-D
Thanks Gregg and Stan.
I think all the drag racing I saw in the magazines had a huge effect.
I used to get very frustrated as a kid when I saw how local guys interpreted things and I could always identify a local rod or one from the UK. There was just something missing. They looked different.
I watched a whole bunch of Youtube stuff and ended up on Big Daddy. He was a hero back then but now I have a deeper understanding of the man. Things have come a long way. :cheers:
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Wild Willie Borsch ( a boyhood Hero ) and the Winged Express, 8-) 8-) 8-)
Pete
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Here's a picture of two 200 MPH roadsters after the Hot Rod magazine show this year. But they're a little different.
(http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13166.0;attach=44498;image)
Stan, Yes, they are different but both are absolutely gorgeous!
Gregg
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I watched a whole bunch of Youtube stuff and ended up on Big Daddy. He was a hero back then but now I have a deeper understanding of the man. Things have come a long way. :cheers:
Mike, when you do get over here, PLEASE make plans to visit Big's museum in Ocala, Florida.
http://www.garlits.com/
I've only been once, back in 1987.....Man did that place bring back memories with the cars he has in there.
The Wife and I are doing a two week road trip to Florida in a few weeks and his place is on the list.
Gregg
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Do you think Wheelrdealer will show me around?. :wink:
I'd really like to see all of the cars he has there.
With all the places I'd like to visit I need about ten years. :-D
Gregg, when you go please get me some pics?.
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Do you think Wheelrdealer will show me around?. :wink:
I'd really like to see all of the cars he has there.
With all the places I'd like to visit I need about ten years. :-D
Gregg, when you go please get me some pics?.
As for Bill, I'm sure he will!
Ten years is still probably not enough time to see everything! :-D
All the traveling that my Wife and I are doing are really hurting progress on the Rampage. :cry:
Sure thing on the pics.....Really looking forward to it!
Gregg
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Mikey,
A good few years ago a friend and I stopped off to have a look round both parts of the museum on our way upto Gainsville for the AMA/Prostar dragbike finals (that dates it :-D )
Whilst looking at Bo O'Brochta (Spelling ?) TF drag bike, who walks up but the man himself. He then took us round on a guided tour, and after finishing off the road vehicle museum he took us for tea with his mother who was still as sharp as a pin, way cool :cheers:
Neil
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Neil, that's what humble guys do.
It must have been a great experience. Thanks for sharing it with us. :cheers:
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I have the first trailing arm for the tanden steer front end 80% done.
Some images of the fabrication.
I built it on a jig but sometimes I forget to take photos. :roll:
I found a very good use for hard drive magnets. They need some sort of handle built on or they are difficult to handle.
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The welding.
Quite a few components.
I cleaned and cleaned just to make sure.
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The back.
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The uprights are also made up using quite a few parts.
The cylinders are actually necks I had from bike projects and will take tapered bearings.
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Boxed and ready to go to the engineering shop for facing.
The welding did a number on the backing plate.
It's got a slight bow in it even though I had it bolted to a 1/2" plate.
I should get them back on Friday.
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Mikey,
Looking good. Must not be too hot there to weld that much! :-P You are living up to your tag line! :cheers:
Geo
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The trailing arm in the chassis.
The slotted holes are for the caster adjustment.
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Thanks Geoff.
It looks like the rain has finally gone. There were stars out when I let the dogs out earlier. It's going to be a hot one I hope.
Two views of the trailing arm with the upright, spindle and hub. The proper parts are being machined but I just had to see what it looked like.
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I think the trailing arm needs additional bracing but I'm waiting for confirmation.
I was thinking to add a second tube above the one already there and one angled from the pivot point to merge.
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I love my job.
Whenever I have some new part in a mold It's like opening a Christmas present.
Even after all the years I still get excited.
The only thing thing is that even if you've been a good little boy you don't always get what you asked for. :-D :-D :-D
The composite Santa has a wicked sense of humor.
Glassfiber can be fixed if it's not great but the black stuff is a hit or miss.
I put more work into this water neck than it's worth but the OEM Ford was just a straight up tube on a flange so it needed to go.
A piece of useless info is that the flange on the Cleveland water neck is identical to the exhaust flange on a Harley.
That was the starting point.
Today I got to open a mold and I just know the part in there is a good one.
Some images. It still has the release agent on it but I love it.
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The flange will get two Aluminum inserts bonded in after drilling.
Two coats of clear and she's good to go.
I was up at 3AM for this one. :cheers: :cheers:
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Mikey,
Looking good. Must not be too hot there to weld that much! :-P You are living up to your tag line! :cheers:
Geo
Check it out. What do you think?.
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Mickey, I would get one of the engineer types to give their opinion but I would want some extra thought on your system---there are some very complex stress going to be induced into that part!
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I've been waiting for you Sparky.
The arm is the same as the one on the Speed Demon but I haven't added the brace that goes from the pivot tube to the curved part.
I'm going to add that piece once I hear from Tom Burkland.
I just hope I'm in the ball park.
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Mike,
You definitely need some additional structure in your trailing arm, as Sparky said there are some stresses associated with your design that you may not recognize. Look at some of the late model "crotch rocket" bikes that have a single sided swing arm to see what is required to be able to carry the offset loads. To minimize scrub radius you will also need a wheel with a lot of back spacing or you need to angle the head stock tube to give you some angle and get the centerline of the steering pivot close to the center of the tire patch.
Rex
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lol---I must be getting set in my ways :-o if I am that predictable--lol
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Thanks Rex, the component is still under development and exactly what you say is true. :cheers:
Tom Burkland wrote me last night with a very detailed description of the loads involved and what I need to do to improve the construction of the trailing arm.
This is serious stuff we're dealing with here.
I'll be making the improvements and upgrades over the next week.
Sparky, my mate!. I was waiting for you to give your impressions/advice but by the time I posted you'd logged off.
You were right about getting engineers to look at the trailing arm setup and I take your inputs seriously.
Predictable?, hell yeah, why not?. :-D
If you're not set in your ways by now you may never be. You need to please give me your email address so I can keep in touch.
I can't build this car without you guys and at least I'll be able to say "THEY made me do it!!! :-D :evil:
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Maybe I need to go this route?. :-D
http://motowheels.com/i-12315994-bst-single-sided-swing-arm-ducati-848-1098-1198.html
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Good things for a hangover?
It's 8AM here right now and I'm using a whole bunch of things for the proverbial hangover.
Here's the list.
Die Grinder.
Cut off saw.
Hand held grinder.
My all time favourite the CP reciprocating saw.
Ear splitting stuff that will surely do damage.
It's not for me. It's for my dumb drunken neighbors who kept me awake until the wee hours and frightened the life out of my Jack Russels with their fireworks. :-D :-D :-D :-D :evil:
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It looks like you can save major $ by making those arms. That is a lot of money.
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My tendency would be to prove the concept in steel before I went the carbon fibre route. With steel the load paths are easier to follow and the structure is much closer to a known. At the same time it's quite possible that a carbon arm could be made lighter and stronger once you have a basic system working. The front arm with the need to incorporate steering is going to supply enough complexity in itself. The problem with these parts is that a failure could be fatal.
That being said, I'm not being negative. I really like the concept and it's one I'd like to see followed to a successful conclusion. A lot of my concerns probably come with my familiarity with steel fabrication rather than with carbon.
Keep up the good work Mike. Your's is a fascinating project that I wish I was somewhat closer so I could contribute hands on. The design debates could be a lot of fun!
Pete
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Thanks guys, That suggestion I made was tongue in cheek. :-D
Those guys make some nice stuff but I wouldn't get involved in a Carbon trailing arm.
I'm busy on plan B right now and it's got to be the one. :x
The tandem thing is really bugging me and if I wasn't so stubborn I'd probably walk away from the project completely.
Pete you have no idea how great it would be if we were closer. I could use some help here.
I'm tired, dirty and smelly but time is short and it has to be done. :cheers:
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The arm I built is almost identical to the one in picture (Speed Demon).
I hope Ray doesn't mind me using the image?.
I can't see why there is concern about the integrity of the one I made bearing in mind that it wasn't a completed component when I posted.
I've built a new part that wouldn't look out of place on a Cat earthmover. :-D
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One could do much worse than follow the example set by that car. I like where the suspension system is located so that the loads aren't being fed through a large portion of the length of the arm. There will still be a fair amount of torsion forces but I would think that the round main member is of such a wall thickness that it sufficiently handles those forces.
I've always thought that a similar suspension system would work well on a streamliner. This is the first time that I've really noticed one being used. While those suspension units appear to be rubber I've been thinking of using urethane as it's available in different densities so the suspension rates could be tuned and it's self damping such that there would be no need for supplementary shocks. If a supplementary shock was still required for tech purposes a simple friction shock set very close to zero could do the trick.
Keep up the good work Mike. It sure looks like you're on the right track. :-D :-D :-D
I hope the New Year brings you success with this project.
Pete
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Here's my Cat trailing arm before I put the brace in the corner and give it a skin on each side.
It's called the A1 Abe arm. :-D
I'll do the mirror for the front wheel over the next week and they're going on the car!. :evil:
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As in Abraham Tank :-o
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Mike, you planing to push boulders with the pointy end of that liner? :-D
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Something you might find useful, from the junkyards. The 4Runner rear suspension, back in '96-'97 was prone to hitting the axle bump stops when heavy loads were put in the back (or too much tongue weight on a trailer....like we'd EVER do that, right?!). Anyway, to make a long story short, there was a service bulletin that allowed fitting different rear coil springs and bump stops based on customer need.
Those '99 and newer rear axle bump stops are urethane and progressive action. You will find the same progressize, urethane bump stops (but in different lenghts and diameters) under the back end of various vans. Same problem, so to speak, of too much variation in load usage by the customers.
Some of the off-road guys have learned they can "adjust" the urethane by how much they cut off (it is tapered and stage-stepped in various applications). This lets them get a quicker take-up of the load, at end of travel. Pretty cool stuff, and not "rebound springy" like rubber can be.
JimL
PS: Time to mention the engine/transaxle shock absorber on front-wheel drive vehicles. They have this neat little, short, booted shock absorber with zero-zero valving. It is made to handle very heavy unsprung mass, to keep the powertrain from jumping up and down under the hood (on segmented concrete highways and such). You will find them bolted between the bell housing and frame, toward the front center of the engine bay.
The upper cushions can be adjusted for clamp tension with the double locking upper nut, which lets you adjust how much movement to allow before your shock takes over. Heres a pic of one from a Camry, as I used on a street rod front axle.
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Jim, any chance that you will attend the GNRS?
If so look us up.
Any chance for the Bonneville NW Reunion?
FREUD
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Sparky, yes as in Abrams tank. :-D Miss Overkill?.
Jim, thanks for that piece of info. I'll look into that for sure. You saved me a bunch of running around. :cheers:
Pete, I sent you email.
Frank, I hope I don't see any boulders, not from any angle especially from an overhead view. :lol:
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Progressing but I don't have pics. PC broken, spare laptop in use.
Tom Burkland and Peter Jack thanks for all the advice. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I temporarily mounted the first trailing arm.
I cut the crossmember out at the top so that the arm could be raised to facilitate wheel servicing.
There is no shortcut to changing out wheels on the tandem setup but I think this is the best compromise I could come up with.
I'll have a bolt in brace at top when it's all done.
The second arm is done and will be fitted over the weekend.
Some pics of the part.
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Bolted in place.
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Tigger. :-D
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That's looking stout Mike, can't wait to see the steering linkage. :cheers:
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Frank, neither can I. :-)
It's too hot to work. Man, it's cooking out there.
I decided to go to Waltons Stationers to buy some white marking pens for the Carbon work.
The missus said she'd do a lap around the lot while I ran in.
What I never figured on was that every school kid in the city was there gearing up for the start of the year.
Needless to say I never got a thing and plan on going back tomorrow morning early.
Check out the parking lot and they say the economy is BAD!. :-D
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I recognize your brand of patience Mike. I have a little of that myself. I spend a lot of time going back a second time rather than standing in a long line.
Pete
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I don't do standing in line.
I think the last time was in the military.
No option there, hurry up and wait. :-D
I've got too much on my plate right now so I've enlisted some help.
There's this dude Patrick that pulls a cart 5 miles to my suburb every Friday and does bin diving looking for plastic he can sell for recycling.
Coming here is tough but going back up the hill must be murder.
I figure any guy that is prepared to work that hard for about $5 is definitely worth a chance.
I'll get him into cleaning and sanding for a start and see how it progresses.
The liner needs to be finished by early July and earning money to fund the "black hole" is priority.
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Mike, the head carpenter is 78 and he was a shop teacher for many years. He told me that one reason Germany is such a powerful economy is its ability to let a larger portion of their population realize their potential as workers. In our part of the country the school curiculum has been demasculinized and almost all shop classes gone. Kids never know the potential they have for making stuff. The high skool auto shop is a day care for mother/students. The news a year or so ago showed these teenagers and kids making firearms in Pakistan. Not junk, but AK-47 type ones. They were kneeling and sitting on the sidewalk and making these parts out of chunks of raw metal with hand drills and files. The clowns that hire them do not even provide workbenches, shade, and decent places to sit. Those boys are developing an instinctive feel for metal. They would make great metal workers if they had a chance to fully develop their skills. There is so much untapped talent out there. It will be something special to watch this fellow develop skills. It is good that you are giving him the chance.
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Most of my school teachers were German.
They made sure you reached your potential by any means neccessary. :-D
You're right and the schools here have done away with shop classes too.
I think IT literacy has replaced the creative classes.
I've been a one man show since 1988. I've tried and tried to train youngsters but I might have been fishing in the wrong pond.
These guys want to sit at a PC all day and earn the big bucks.
I don't see passion here. Guys are in jobs just for the pay at the end of the month.
I love working but the current crop of young dudes don't show much promise.
Guido's future son in law qualified as an engineer and he couldn't pour tank sealer in his bike's tank like I instructed. Go figure.
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The new guy started today and was on time.
He's keen to learn but I gave him an easy introduction.
I'm back onto the composite side of the build tomorrow so there will be pics flowing.
I ran out of Argon so I'll do some Carbon in the meantime.
Riaan was here today and he's taking over dealing with all aspects outside of the build.
Cool dude and he's the Eton/Aeroquip rep. :-D
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Mike,
Glad you are getting some help. As you get further along it takes more for a while. And now that you have lots of free time let's see some photos. :evil:
Geo
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Hi all. My name is Riaan.
I am joining this forum as a newby, :roll:but look forward to a remarkable time.
I have joined Mike on his quest, and hope to help him where I can amids the confusion of a dayjob. Mike. Thank you for the opportunity. Promise I wont tell the Boys at CAT where the two big(70cm) Ball bearings went. :-D
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Geoff, I had to get help because I have a project destined for Kansas I need to complete. :evil:
It's priority.
Riaan, the 70s aren't big enough, we need at least 120s. :-D
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Kansas.... are there any people that live there :roll:
Are you making CF wings for the new Cessna Jet?
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Nah, but by all accounts the car it's going into will be as fast. :evil:
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Mike,
I hope you mean just as fast at half throtle. :-D
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The Kansas part id for Geo. He's a dark horse. He don't say much but he's working on something nice.
I went over to Geraldo and collected my uprights. Perfect as usual. Thanks Grappa G. :cheers:
Aj was here yesterday with his Biturbo Merc AMG. It's getting aero light in front at 180MPH. :-D
I go underneath and there's a flat plastic panel from the bumper to the cross member and then it steps down about 3 inches to another cover. Methinks that piece is the problem.
It looks like the rest of the cars of its kind but its not.
It will get a splitter next month. Nothing outrageous though.
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I got another shipment today.
People have been good to me and here's the proof.
Premium forged pistons from UEM. Thank you Glen Schierholt. This is a really special guy. He's on the ball and so willing to help. :cheers:
ATI sent the Super Damper. Thank you Mary Sue and Ricky.
The things that are happening are actually scary.
Every day is a new adventure.
This is awesome. We're getting there.
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Always a good feeling when parts start rolling in! And your front suspension is looking good too man! :cheers:
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Thanks Joe.
I'm feeling it now.
I can taste it.
Working on other projects right now. :-D
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The above post is a lie. :x
I won't get anything done today.
You have to love the weather guys. I swear they measure the temp in their offices. :-D :-D :-D :-D
44*C out there and the shop is stifling as well.
I've been in the bush in Angola in my time but haven't experienced anything like this.
I don't want to jump the wall and test the neighbour's pool, yet. :-D
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44C is about 112F FREUD
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warm
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The weather broke, well sort of.
It rained here and we hope it stays cooler for a while.
I'm busy on work related projects but I managed to put some time into the long car late last night.
The tub (driver's cell) is a little complex and you need to go a step at a time.
The middle bulkhead is bonded in. It doubles as a steering boss mount and the area around where my legs go through is going to get a protector made from high density foam and covered with a piece of Connolly leather I scrounged from Dave up the road.
Riaan went out and bought the radiator we're going to use in the ice water tank. He's a huge help right now. Thanks man. :cheers:
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Riaan decided it would be a good idea to have a logo for the car/team.
This is the result. I think it turned out great. Things have changed since he got involved.
The Pro1 thing started in 1981 when my then "Race Engineer" Martin Lewis walked into my mom's garage while I was wrenching on my first race car. He said Peter Racing Organization with only one member.
Maybe we should incorporate the logo on a T shirt other than just decals and patches?.
That's something for the future.
I found a web developer called Digital Watermelon and Daniel is going to sponsor our website. Springfield Flyer.com :cheers: :cheers:
Another gear head on board.
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Amy likes the logo, Mike. We'll take at least 4 t shirts should they come to pass. The tub looks nice as well. Keep plugging away. :cheers:
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Hi Frank, thank you. We'll chat about the shirts in due time.
I'm working on those wheel discs and the dash for Geo so hopefully you'll get them when the weather warms up enough for you to get outside. :-D
Shipping from here is crazy expensive but the speed shop I use for bringing in my parts does send a container of incorrectly supplied parts back every once in a while.
Dale will put the package in the container for us. It will save a bunch of money.
The discs morphed into quite a complex deal. From what I understand the Aluminum wheel discs fit against the inside of the lip of the rim.
The ones I'm doing will be flush with the edge of the wheel, not recessed so it necessitated producing a mold to make the locator.
I used an Aero NASCAR wheel as the plug. The trick is to bond the disc to the locator so that it runs true. It's the jig used for the operation that's taking time and believe it or not smoothing the disc plug wasn't as easy as I thought. Carbon when clear coated shows even the smallest imperfection and I'm not sending anything over that isn't perfect.
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Earning a buck has taken top spot so I've limited working on the car to two hours a day.
Lunch time progress.
I dummied up one side of the canopy plug and it looks pretty close to what I want.
Once the left side goes on I'll bridge the middle section and shape it.
The windshield's going to be lower but the rest will stay the same.
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I found a guy that blow moulds canopies for sailplanes and experimental aircraft.
He gave some expert advice on the material to be used and that saved me a lot of hassle.
Some other angles.
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I know the feeling Mikey! Looks bitchin though! :cheers: Can't wait to see the old girl with some skin on her.
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Joe, I'm going to give her the whole outfit, stilettos, stockings, pearls, the whole deal. :-P
You also said maybe it won't be the fastest but will be the best looking.
It's frustrating that it can't go for paint already. You work and work but you see very little progress.
Some guys visit a theme park for the roller coaster ride, just build a car for LSR, you won't need a roller coaster ever. :-D
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Some guys visit a theme park for the roller coaster ride, just build a car for LSR, you won't need a roller coaster ever. :-D
[/quote]
Truth and nothing but the truth there, same applies for 2 or 3 wheel rigs. :cheers:
Ed
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Some guys visit a theme park for the roller coaster ride, just build a car for LSR, you won't need a roller coaster ever. :-D
AMEN!!!!
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Most of us try real hard to avoid the "roller coaster" experience.
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Bo, I know how hard you work to avoid the ride. :-D
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Took a break from work yesterday so I could enjoy my build.
Buickguy said I shouldn't let the race car become a chore and since taking his advice it's much easier.
I tacked the frame that the Carbon driver's cell will fasten to.
I'll get gas tomorrow and weld a few sections at a time.
It's the floor of the chassis and will attach to the rails at 10 points when done.
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The tub will get Top hat bushings bonded in from the top after all the holes are drilled and there are corresponding threaded inserts going into the steel frame.
The neat thing about this modular system is that I can install the seat, wiring, switches, some of the gauges, the steering (and shaft) as well as pedals in the tub without it hampering the build.
The tub needs it's outer skins which I'll do once the wiring glands are bonded in.
Once the mounting tabs are all welded to the frame and chassis I'll get the frame coated.
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I was at the classic car club again.
Guido is playing havoc with my recluse status.
No time to change clothes, straight from work.
The strain is showing.
All three born in May. Darn Taurus's.
Rick left, he's a metalurgist and owner of some rare classic bikes like a Vincent HRD?. All round genius but unemployed for 5 years.
Guido in the middle. The Great Dane and my best mate. He has JagRover disease. I don't know why he's so happy?. :-D :-D
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Get some rest, Mike. You do look a bit fried. A trip to the coast or something like that is all you need. I go crabbing.
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Thanks Bo.
I had another setback today.
Theo can't make the billet wheels. We don't have the right size material here and the overseas vendors only ship 20 tons.
I'm trying to find 18 x 6" and 15 x 4.5" steel wheels in the US and sent out about 9 emails. So far I have 5 negatives on the 18s.
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Mike;
I use Bassett 15" wheels. 18 inchers might be hard to find.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Neil I tried all the companies guys here recommended without luck.
The two that probably have what I need don't have email addresses.
I don't know how one would fill out an order form for custom wheels without doing it via the internet.
Basset (Steve Haines) said they can't do it either.
Trudesign can do the 15s but they don't have the 18" outers right now.
This is part of the journey that is LSR.
Being from South Africa I thought buying stuff for LSR over the counter in the US would be easy.
Wrong!!!
You guys inspire me more and more every day by what you do and how resourceful you are in finding the right parts.
I've been in racing at a high level and winning is tough.
There's no winning in LSR but the commitment is ten fold.
You have to be part investigator. :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike
Try Bob Sage @The Wheel Smith
http://www.thewheelsmith.net/
I'm fairly certain he can build 18" wheels.
I've bought all my wheels from him for 20+ years and currently run his 15's on the roadster.
Skip Pipes
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Thanks Skip, I tried but there's no email address there.
I asked the holding Company? for their email but haven't heard yet. :cheers:
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M E Miller (www.millertire.com)tire has 18 X 5.5 rims you could put your centers in. Look under wheels, then tractor/implement front. Don't know if these would work for you, just a thought.
Ron
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Mike, What ever rims you go with make sure they can take the air pressures of an LSR tire. Some of the manufacturers I talked to thought I was crazy when it old them the air pressure of 80 -120 lbs of a LSR tire. One of the things the high pressure does is to keep the tires from pulling in at speed when the tire starts to crown. You might also want to think of double bead locks. Tony
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M E Miller (www.millertire.com)tire has 18 X 5.5 rims you could put your centers in. Look under wheels, then tractor/implement front. Don't know if these would work for you, just a thought.
Ron
Ron, I checked them out yesterday and found outers for $74 so it got me thinking about local so I contacted two wheel manufacturers, Titan and Global wheels.
Global hasn't come back but Titan has front and rear outers that are a little too wide but are potentials if we get into some engineering. The rear is $61 and front $50.
The hunt goes on and I'm getting close. Thanks for the advice, every bit helps. :cheers:
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The way wheel rims are made could be changed a little. I think it's all a matter of how the forming rollers are adjusted. Maybe one of the locals could SPONSOR you and make a set of the thickness you need (per Tony's post) and size. You've had very good luck finding sponsors. :-D
Ron
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On the wheels, call Wheel Smith in Corona CA 1-800-854-8937 or 1-951-898-6514.
Talk to Rex he can bend the centers on a 15"x4.5" wheel to a 4" back spacing.
email; rex@thewheelsmith.net
Richard 2
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I emailed Rex just now. Thanks Richard. :cheers:
Hey Ron, I'm working on something and I have been lucky but I might be running out of talent.
I'm in the bigs now. :-D
What made things easy for sponsors was that they had the product on the shelf and I organised the shipping.
Theo, the original sponsor was going to machine a set of billet wheels but TIA (This Is Africa) and the material isn't available in the OD we need.
I got the biggest Aluminum foundry in Africa to come on board but they didn't want to spring for a 20 ton import order just to build 4 wheels. "And I thought they were nice Guys!!!" :evil:
MRT can do the wheels and my contact there, Brant is waiting for backspace and hub dimensions from me. If LSR was easy everybody would be doing it Right?.
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I found a wheel solution locally.
Why I didn't Google "truck rims" before I'll never know.
This company sells outers, 2 piece outers, dished centres and will build the wheels with some high tech equipment they have.
The guy said I might not want his wheels because they're heavy. :-D
$30 for the two piece 15" outer and $40 for the 18".
We're going over on Monday to give them the backspacing and hub sizes.
By all accounts I might just have to put a few decals on the car and transporter.
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If that fails we can get you to the right folks over here.
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Mikey, don't think you can use two piece wheels. check the rulebook, I'm not near mine but I don't think split rims are allowed.
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Mike,
Those two piece wheels are known in the trade as "Widow Makers". Not allowed to even mount tires on them. We are using 18X4 wheels. They are Nissan Murano spare tire wheels. We will put in our own centers. Lots of them on Ebay.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Vintage tractor suppliers sell really nice 18" hoops in narrow sizes. I think it was Udo here that had some killer centeres lazer cut that I would copy if I was starting fresh.
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Bobby Moore used three piece wheels on the Maro special so I think they are legal for liners.
In my case I'm going to use these heavy duty truck outers and the wheel manufacturer is going to weld in the centres.
The rims are the same type that Millertire sells.
I'm going to see the wheels Monday and we'll make a decision.
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Bobby Moore used three piece wheels on the Maro special so I think they are legal for liners.
In my case I'm going to use these heavy duty truck outers and the wheel manufacturer is going to weld in the centres.
The rims are the same type that Millertire sells.
I'm going to see the wheels Monday and we'll make a decision.
If they are the ones Miller has they are the same repops I was talking about in my last post.
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Mike, the top picture shows an old style two piece wheel. They are killers, literally. Don't have anything to do with them.
Race car three piece wheels feature many bolts holding them together and are a totally different construction. The wheels you are referencing were probably a special order custom built item. The engineering involved in a multi part wheel where the rim is in two separate parts will be very extensive. The combination of high pressures combined with shock loads can create a rather serious bomb.
Pete
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Mike,
Don't touch them if they are anything like these.
Doug
https://www.google.com/search?q=widowmaker+wheels&tbm=isch&imgil=FDquACBoyw5QXM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcTHUnjUKEiD0Oh56JMPnhjrcVz53IDup6GQoFZc0UUdJPl4X2-R%253B850%253B571%253BE2F58mbEPkAzFM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.fatfenderedtrucks.com%25252Fwidowmaker.html&source=iu&usg=__QmXZoL_hAqx2RdOqAxFJHfubArY%3D&sa=X&ei=rBHrUqn5JqOWyAGCyoGoAg&sqi=2&ved=0CCkQ9QEwAQ&biw=1280&bih=633#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=FDquACBoyw5QXM%253A%3BE2F58mbEPkAzFM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.fatfenderedtrucks.com%252Fscans%252Fwidowmaker_05.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.fatfenderedtrucks.com%252Fwidowmaker.html%3B850%3B571
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While we are talking about widow makers, Don't weld on rims with tires mounted on them even if they have no air in them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uScd7nFzfQE
notice the tire blows up after the welding is done.
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Charlie Timmons, Tom Burkland and Bobby Moore told me that the wheels on the Maro were BBS outers mounted on custom centres.
OK, so what you're all saying is that we shouldn't weld those two piece rims?
I get it.
Tom Burkland has advised that I get Titan Wheel SA to roll me sets of narrower wheels so I'll speak to them today.
Rex from Wheelsmith got back to me last night and I honestly can't afford his wheels. I know they would be perfect in every respect but with our exchange rate and shipping I'd have to sell the house. :-D
MRT has yet to quote but based on the info Brant sent I think we could afford their wheels.
This is the learning curve and at first I was annoyed at how difficult getting wheels was. Now, I'm learning and looking forward to all the challenges.
One thing is certain. With all the help and advice I get from you guys the wheels that go onto the car will be the right ones.
Imagine me trying to do this on my own?. :roll:
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BINGO!!!!!!
I wanted to buy blank outer rims from Metaforge and one thig led to another.
I get ziss call from Markus Glumb, who iss ziss Chermann guy who has 15 x 4.5 and 18 x 6 outer rimzzz und I haff to go zee him Monday zo vee can start to make ze wheels to spek. :-D :-D :-D
He gave me the rundown on how the wheel is made with the custom centre being CNCd and a whole lot of other processes.
He knows his stuff and he's going to manufacture 8 wheels.
I'll post pics on Monday.
There's a book deal looming. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I found a better guy. :wink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bkxJxhWoNw
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Mike, That's hilarious!
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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So what you're saying is that I shouldn't use him?????. :evil:
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Mike, those guys are pseudohillbillies. The proper way to make wide wheels is to use two old wheels for each new one. Cut one wheel's flange as close to the middle as possible. Cut the other's flange as close to the outside as you can. You will have one wide and one narrow middle section. There will be one wide and one narrow outer section. Weld the wide inner to the wide outer. With just one weld, you have a wide wheel, as ANY backwoods mechanic knows how to do.
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Hey Bo, my garden furniture used be my lounge furniture.
I'm off to Boys Town to meet the youngsters.
I'm stoked. Mommy will drive, I'll read the March 2012 edition of Hot Rod. :-D :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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We got there and back safely.
Met a good bunch of kids and there are 35 that want to assist on the project.
We can only take seven but it's not my decision.
It was a good time and both Riaan and I are looking forward to working with them.
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Very cool. Good on ya! :cheers:
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Thanks man.
I was a liitle sad when I heard some of the stories.
I though most guys were there for reasons other than what I was told.
The staff are a little jaded I think.
Something good will come out of this for sure.
Riaan is a father, I'm not. My experience in dealing with young guys comes from being an instructor in the military. Same deal, different circumstances.
The missus supplied a bunch of vitamins sponsored by the company she works for.
All in all it was a great day and I really enjoyed the drive out into the country. These guys live in a paradise. The bird life is awesome and the hills around the facility are a fantastic site.
They could have been stuck in a concrete block like Riaan said. It's not all bad but having Riaan involved is a big win. He didn't have to do it and his commitment is a sure sign that the liner is going to be a success Boys Town aside.
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Breakfast time at Springfield Flyer HQ.
Pierre is the dude. He hangs out with Jack Russells and is first in the chow line.
He waltzed up the driveway a few weeks ago and won't leave. Chickens aren't something we see in our neighbourhood so we have no idea where he came from.
He looked kinda French so the name stuck. The dogs got one warning and have left him alone since.
If Zee had her way we'd have our own safari park. She once brought an endangered species home but I made here take it back where she found it. Could have got us both locked up. :-D
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Mike,
If you ever get to the Salt it would be cool if some of your "Crew" could attend ,too. Every Speed Week some of the schools in the Salt Lake area bring bus' loaded with kids to the Salt for the experience of a lifetime. We always try to take time to show them around the car and let as many as want to sit in the car. After that, they are hooked. One of the most enjoyable parts of the week for us, too.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mikey, in the south part of our country Pierre would be welcomed to breakfast .... with waffles :roll:
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That's nothing.
I don't know how he made it down the road to get here.
Maybe he was dodging a pot and got lucky. :-D :-D :-D
Your South and mine are no different.
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I've got the Carbon tub just about ready.
I need to bond in the wiring glands and also the two side panels that will cover them.
After that it's a simple matter of making it look good, taking the gloss off the fresh Carbon.
I sat in it just to get a feel for it and it's small, real small. No wriggle room at all.
The thing that was immediately apparent was that there is no place for instruments at all.
They'll have to be mounted in the canopy ala Tom Burkland.
I made a f1 style steering wheel and I gues a few switches might fit there with all the idiot lights going onto the bulkhead.
I'm 5'7" and it's tight. How you non "Race Driver" size guys fit these cars amazes me.
Sid says I should lie down in the car. I listened. Hey KIWI, I can't see over the wheel, thanks a bunch!!! :-D
Geez, I love this thing. There can't be a better deal than this. I thank the Lord every day for finding this forum for me. I was nowhere, bored, jaded with no motivation but now I have Insomnia, Panic Attacks, financial woes and all the other great ills associated with the fever. :cheers:
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You've got it all Mike. :cheers:
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Sounds like the standard symptoms. :-D
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It amazes me every year to see cars with a plethora of instruments. In maybe 50cc bikes you've got time to look at them all. But not a lot when you're a rookie driver in a rookie car. And for you guise in data-ackquisitionmobiles, you can ponder over them at dinner and beyond. Your venture may not require as many as you think you can study.
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tach for shifting -- oil and water for peace of mind only 2 or 3 glances on a normal run 8-) all the rest DATA LOG :cheers:
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tach for shifting -- oil and water for peace of mind only 2 or 3 glances on a normal run 8-) all the rest DATA LOG :cheers:
I'll second that Sparky and add, use analog instruments and rotate them so everything points up when everything is normal! :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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Mike,
I can tell you that on Salt Cat ll we have several gauges and Frank looks at them just before he closes the canopy. I have a tach and two big red lights. The tach for shift points [sort of] and one light for overheat that means if I'm at the three mile and it comes on I should probably lift. If I'm at the 4 1/2 mile I should stay in it a few seconds longer. The other is the oil pressure light. If it comes on it's already hurt and if it's a record run we've got all Winter to fix it so don't waste the run by lifting. Believe me when I say you don't have any time to look at gauges. When we built the Salt Cat1 Jag we put in a whole rack of gauges for me to look at. After a run Frank would ask what this and that was and I said how the hell should I know. Later we put in a camera to read them later. Now the datalog does that. Above 200 mph you have too much other stuff on your mind.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I put in a shift light after Pork Pie made me aware that the tach needle was jumpy at 12K, and difficult to determine when he was really at the RPM I wanted him to shift. We also have an oil light. We had an A/F gauge when we started running the turbo, saved the motor several times, but it is very hard to look at anything but the track by the time you pass the three.
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The Triumph has a few gauges on it during dyno work and development. All are removed for the race except the tach and the antiknock light. The tach is in the center of the dash, high, and as far away from me as I can get it. This way, I need to shift focus and line of sight very little in order to read it.
The tach is used to make sure the engine is at 8,000 rpm for the shift into fifth and, usually halfway through the mile, to check the engine rpm. I try to set the gearing so the engine runs as close as possible to 7,300 rpm. A low or high tach reading says rear sprocket needs to be a tooth bigger or smaller. The tach is also used to help me run at a slower speed as is done for qualifying. Record return runs are done with no looking at any instruments.
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I could put the gauges face up in the area on top of the tub where the MSD will be. We're going to want to check temps and pressures before closing the canopy. They will be easy for the crew to scan.
The tach will sit where I need it and I'll have the warning lights built into the steering wheel.
Do you think that's a plan?. There's a wasted area on top of the tub between the steering bulk head and the pedal box inspection port. :cheers:
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"but it is very hard to look at anything but the track by the time you pass the three." :cheers:
In my car by the 2 1/4 the driving is mostly over, the last shift is done and the car seldom has any more traction problems--"driver " is now just like that space monkey--just sitting on top of the rocket---he is along for "the ride"-- as long as he can keep it between the flags and his foot down --
I have been told by several---that will most likely change with hair driers :-P
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Mount the tach almost in your way. In your face so to speak. No time to look down.
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And as far away a possible---so that the focal length of your scan doesn't have to change---I am exploring putting my A/F ratio gauge on top with tach.--- oil and water down lower---they will be glanced at around the 2 A/F will be my focus and the tach will satisfy my curiosity ---how fast--- oh I have been known to talk to it on a run encouraging it on its upward journey---much like a lot of golfers talk to the ball during flight or roll out :-D
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Great, thanks.
Go go go! :cheers:
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My case in point about looking at the gauges: A few years ago I was on a run (motorcycle) and knew the rear wheel was spinning up. I started moving around on the bike to see if there was more traction here or there from my weight being placed in different locations. I was watching the tach to see wheel spin - and watching the tach - and watching the tach - - but not the race course.
After a second or three I looked up and saw the 4 mile marker dead ahead and about 50 yards away and closing fast. Let's see -- going 200 (which I was at the time) how long does it take to cover those 50 yards? Answer: Not nearly long enough to take effective action to avoid it. I'm not in the small club of bike racers that have taken out a mile marker at Bonneville.
Moral of the story: Studying the gauges - even the tach - can mess up a run. Mount it so you can see in one glance what you need to know and not have to look at, say, the numbers on the tach.
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The tach will sit where I need it and I'll have the warning lights built into the steering wheel.
The steering wheel's way too low and close. The lights should be in the line of sight and well toward the front of the cockpit.
Pete
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Wheels are no longer a problem.
I went to visit Markus at the factory.
He showed me around and has all the equipment to produce what I need.
The 8 outers have been ordered from Germany and he had the dishes there already.
They need to go onto the CNC mill for shaping, drilling etc.
I should have unpainted wheels by the end of April. Time to manufacture is 5 days once the outers get here.
I took a few pics of the some of the machinery.
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A few more.
One machine is something supposedly special.
It's an arc welder that feeds electrode but the wheel is encapsulated in Flux.
You guys would probably know more.
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He could definitely get some stateside business if he wants it with that kind of service.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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The arc welder is a submerged arc machine. The process is commonly used to build large pressure vessels because the weld quality it produces is really high.
Pete
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He did say it was some special stuff but I never asked to see the finishes.
Markus and I hit it off straightaway. Good dude who wants to help and knows his job.
I asked how much the 8 wheels were going to cost?. Don't worry, we etch our logo on the wheels OK????? :-D
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I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!!!!!! Everything Mike touches turns to "SPONSORS". Good on you, everyone needs all the help they can get.
Ron
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Hey Ron, I hope he wasn't joking. :-D
Do you think admin would have a problem if I gave my current list of sponsors?.
It's a miracle actually. I have around 30.
Thanks for the compliment. I couldn't do this without them and that's not cliche!! :cheers:
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No - I don't have any reason why you shouldn't list your sponsors on this Forum. It might help one or more of us -- because your sponsor would be so happy for the extra exposure to the marketplace that he'd give us some help, too. Go right ahead, and thanks for even thinking about it.
Jon a/k/a SSS
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This is the list of Sponsors.
My success is related to my location and the fact that LSR is a new branch of motorsport in South Africa.
I prayed and asked for guidance before I sent out the first email. I'm blessed.
3M. Adhesives and tapes. Local manager pulled the support after I’d received the products.
Makita Power Tools.
NCS Resins. Polyester gel coat, resin, acetone and glassfiber.
NGK Spark plugs.
Exide Batteries.
Guth Stainless Steel. Exhaust material.
Strongman Tools. Tube Notcher and pipe bender.
Sprayon Paints. High Temp coatings.
Statelec powder coaters.
Starrett. Hole saws and Hacksaw blades.
Somta Machine Tools.
HellermannTyton. Cable ties, wiring accessories and testing equipment.
Safe Quip. Fire suppression system.
BASF coatings.
Norton Abrasives. Cutting, grinding discs.
GrindTech. Metal burrs.
Wika. Measuring equipment, thermocouples.
SA Bolt. Fasteners.
SA Ladder. Caster wheels, storage bins.
Digital Watermelon web developers. Site under construction.
Rivco. Rivnuts, rivets.
King Tony Tools.
Gates. Belts and hoses.
Eaton. Aeroquip hoses and fittings.
Saertex. Carbon Fiber.
Willdotek. Welding and plasma equipment. (Guido).
CHC Resources. Lexan.
Alert Steel. Discount structure.
US based.
ARP. Chris Raschke.
UEM Pistons. Icon Premium forged. Glen Schierholt.
ATI. Damper. Mary Sue Rooney.
Crower. Con Rods. Susie Teague.
Royal Purple??????? Pending. Randy Fisher.
There are others I'm waiting on. I may have left someone out but I need to check.
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Holy cow Mike, that's fantastic! :cheers:
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You should send pictures to each one of the sponsors to show your status and a big thanks. They almost always love to see progress and the use of their products. I am really enjoying the build, wish you were closer tom see it live. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing. :cheers:
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For that matter, Tom, how 'bout if you send your sponsors links to your build diary here on landracing.com? They could see the work as it progresses and could also see how you use their products. And, of course -- they could see that you are talking about them. All of that makes a sponsor happy, and happy sponsors are generous sponsors. Everybody wins. :cheers:
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Jon send him some LSR decals to display on his car and tool box. :cheers:
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Mike,
How about writing a tutorial for, ah, ol' one run, 'cause he needs help getting a real sponsor. :mrgreen:
After writing it for him, post it here for the rest of us.
Mike
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I asked Jon for the type face or a pic of the logo so I could have decals made.
He's been busy and we'll get it sorted when the time comes I guess.
I left a company out.
Schaeffler Bearing. The FAG and INA supplier. :cheers:
There's no secret to finding product sponsorship, it's a little luck and a whole lot of divine intervention.
I had three companies turn me down. I wanted those deals real bad but they weren't meant to be.
One in particular, a well known company did a very bad thing.
I asked for a few things and they agreed. After a few months I got the call that the product, decals and other branding were ready for collection.
Their HQ is about 400 miles away so I tell my rep that my missus is going to be in their city on business and could she collect the product on my behalf.
No problem she says.
The wife is standing at reception when I get a call to check my email. Some guy in the organization wants me to submit info on my record attempt.
I read between the lines and the tone of his email is questioning my honesty.
He wants a covering letter from Motorsport SA stating that I have made submission to them to do the record attempt.
I get on the phone and talk to the guy. I tell him no I don't have proof to send him and from his email he's calling me a fraud.
His answer is "you said it, not me but without a letter from MSA I'm not giving you a thing".
MSA only accepts submissions 2 months in advance of the record run. There is a non refundable deposit.
He sent my wife away and was not too diplomatic about it.
There I was a year away from doing the run and this guy wants me to pay $2000 so I can get his $250 worth of product.
My instinct was to hop on a plane and do the manly thing but sanity prevailed.
I started building my own version of the product and I know it will be as good as or better than his.
There might even be a small market for it in racing circles.
:-D
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With all of those sponsors you won't have room for paint. :-D
My nephew made and donated Landracing decals to Jon.
He was able to copy the logo off of the home page.
Don
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Thanks Don.
I'll copy that when the time comes. :cheers:
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With all of those sponsors you won't have room for paint. :-D
My nephew made and donated Landracing decals to Jon.
He was able to copy the logo off of the home page.
Don
Oh? Not to derail the threads but are those decals still available for purchase?
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They sure are available. We had a batch made up for the GNRS - and still have a few dozen. Send me all of the money you've got* and I'll send you a few of them.
*I know you're a land speed racer and that means you sure as heck don't have much money. :evil: Try something like $5 for three of 'em, and maybe toss in an extra buck or so for postage. You're welcome to send the $$ via Paypal, and I ask that you try clicking the "gift" button -- so they don't take their pound of flesh as commission. Make sure you include a mailing address on the PP form. Thanks.
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I received the art work from Jon and it will go to my sign guy this week. Thanks Jon.
The driver's cell is just about done.
Before I changed to a tandem steer front end I was going to run the water lines through the sides of the tub.
Seeing that the holes were already there and I had cut the Aluminum to length I decided to bond them in and use them as wiring glands.
It should keep the cables out of the way and make for a neater job.
I've got two on the right and one on the left.
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Some photos of work done on the chassis.
Front trailing arm mounted and chassis modified to allow rotation of the arm in order to fit or remove wheels.
Nose mount bracketry welded in.
Steering pivot mounting welded in as well.
I have a bunch of mounting plates coming that I'm going weld on for mounting body panels and floor tray.
The front is almost done now.
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More pics.
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A few more.
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Last one.
Back to work, the clock is ticking. :-D
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Looking good Mike! Keep at it brother! :cheers:
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and as my G'dad used to say "And moving right along---" :cheers: :cheers:
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I had to take care of other work today but here's a side shot of the tandem steer.
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Not much to report on here.
We were going to build the tail section of the chassis as a seperate component due to a perceived problem getting the car around the corner coming out of the work shop.
Clive and I remeasured and it seems we were wrong originally. One piece chassis coming up.
Pics tomorrow, :cheers:
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:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks Frank.
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It`s been tomorrow for a looong time now, so where`s the pics? :-D
no, seriously, love following this build :cheers:
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Sounds like Mike and I work on the same calendar. :roll: Tomorrow could be two weeks from now.
Keep fighting the good fight Mikey. I love this build. Looking forward to more! :cheers:
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Hi guys, I was a bit under the weather. Stomach bug of mass destruction. What a mess :-o but I'm feeling better. Nearly two weeks, I thought I was a goner.
To my Danish friend, thank you and I'll have pics when I get working on Monday.
Joe, we're joined at the hip brother. :-D
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Glad your onthe mend, I was getting worried.
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We all get a bug and seem to just go away, however we do notice and care. It's not always easy to notify the web site but wonder whats is happening. Glad you are getting over the bug and working on your super liner, we all want to see it run. :cheers:
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Back on it again.
Thanks for the kind words guys. Feeling much better.
Did a little today just to check out the "system" and I figure I'm good to go.
Pics in the AM. :cheers: :cheers:
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Just two lousy pics of the fuel cell frame I built.
I fitted it to the chassis tonight but I'm poked so I'll shoot pics in the morning.
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I had quite an eventful day yesterday and was in bed early last night.
The insomnia is gone thanks to some local herb called Sceletium. :-D
I built a set of dollies yesterday so I can now get the chassis off the big table. Huge milestone.
I need to paint the dollies and bolt on the castors and we're good to go.
My team manager Riaan came around early yesterday morning with a contribution to the cause. He brought two wheels we'll use to make a dolly that will help to get the car turned around after a run etc.
We'll build a setup like the Speed Demon has.
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Two pics of the fuel cell tacked on to the back of the chassis.
I was using the jig table to build the dollies and I dropped a clamp so I had to get to it and in doing so I bumped my forehead on a Kevlar box that has a sharp lip around the top.
I hardly touched the thing IMO but it cut me to the bone. Shop safety???, Do I have to wear a helmet there as well?.
No time for going to doctors, some Mercurochrome and band aid did the trick.
In the second pic you can see the offending yellow box on the left of the chassis.
We need to have a big clean up this weekend, the place is too cluttered and dangerous.
Freud sent me some cool Target 550 stickers. Thanks for the inspiration. Every bit helps.
Crower wrote to say the con rods are on the way so that was great news too. :cheers:
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The Carbon driver's cell is done and needs some clear coat to make it look nice so I've been sanding the surface to get a good finish.
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Just a few pics of the dolly I built for the liner.
I put male locators on the top tube and there are female versions on the chassis to prevent movement.
Waiting for castors with braking system to arrive so I can move the car.
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Dang Mike, you sure do feel better, awsome progress. :cheers: :cheers: I can't wait for this last icky weather of this winter to pass so I can get busy on Amy's camaro. Great progress. Watch the noggin.
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So I'll use your unfortunate injury to get on my bandstand to ask if you (and everyone) has a proper first aid kit in the shop. Yes, I do -- in fact, there's one in the pickup and one at the store and one in the race trailer. And I keep them filled with supplies and even now and then check to make shure that things like the little alcohol swab packets haven't somehow dried out and become pretty useless.
Do you all do this? It sounds kinda anal -- but, just like having fire extinguishers handy everyplace, it isn't silly when you need one right now. :cheers:
Sorry for your bonked head. I've nicked and cut myself so dang many times that I finally admitted that the first aid kit being right there -- is the way to go.
Now maybe I'll go make a similar post in the safety thread. . .
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A couple of other things to add is liquid bandage ( AKA new skin) and a ace elastic bandage and eye wash. :cheers:
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Thanks for the concern guys.
My shop is attached to the house so getting to the first aid kit is just a few steps away. Zina keeps it well stocked. She's a rep in the medical field so I'm pretty well taken care of.
I have 3 fire extinguishers. One in the kitchen and two in the shop.
The cut on the head was my fault completely and we're going to tidy up the shop this weekend.
It's a mine field. You get so hung up on doing the work you neglect cleaning the place.
I'll whip the bandaid off in a few days. It's nothing really.
I was chowed by the dog we had about 10 years ago. That was a blood bath. The Boerbul is a South African bred farm dog. Bitches are cool but the dogs can be bad news.
Joker blew a gasket and jumped me for no reason. 40 minute fight and doctors said I'd never use my arm again. 3 surgeries to try fix things. I guess the experts were wrong. My arm is OK. My left hand isn't perfect. Put it this way, if I tighten a bolt with it you need a wrench to loosen it but I don't wave to people using it in case they think I'm "queer". A bit of Crocodile in that hand. Cuts on the head, I'll take every day. When I got to the hospital these three young surgeon ladies said they had to stabilize the arm and it involved sticking a probe (big needle connected to an electrical supply) into my arm pit to locate a nerve. It took 10 attempts. :-D
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Mike, don't tell people here about those dogs or they'll want them here. Pit Bulls are bad enough. Out here they're like the Wolves, a shoot on sight animal.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Fire ext. and a .45 ACP. Neither are ever out of my reach.
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Doug, I don't think you guys would want a dog that attacks it's owner.
These are really bad news if they aren't neutered. I hate them.
Jerry, I had a piece on me but I couldn't get to it.
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Not aa lap dog for sure. Keep him there. :cheers:
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Holy MOLEY! You can come clean and admit it -- that photo has been altered, right? Is the lady that tin that the dog looks huge by comparison -- or is that the dogs' actual size? Nothing fits but the word INCREDIBLE!
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Sorry, Mike, but that one would die at my gate. I don't need to be intimidated by my pets.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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No mod on the pic. They do get that big but mine wasn't.
I had a pit bull and he actually came from a place called Roscoe in Utah.
Best dog I ever owned.
It turned out that the Boerboel I had was the result of years of in breeding.
I've since stuck to quality over quantity. Give me a Jack Russel any day. :-D :-D :-D
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That dog would be the one i would take into the bush in lion territory.
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Lions run for their lives but I don't think the farmers bred them for that.
Here's a dilemma.
It's that sponsorship thing again.
We want to use pneumatic cylinders to raise and lower the car so I get on the hunt.
5 proposals went out and within an hour I had sales managers/project engineers from all replying that they'd love to be involved.
Spoiled for choice I don't know who to go with but instinct tells me to stay in the West and go with the best. :-D
I need to get mountings fabricated and attached to the chassis ASAP and I'm impatient but very pleased with the generosity.
Nice update coming soon.
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Mike
You will never regret putting jacks on the liner.
I came across 4 "Grant King" early Indycar jacks that I used on the original build of the lakester. It made things so much easier when running, and now that I'm modifying into a liner, they get it high enough to work on comfortably. (with other support of course)
You are wise to choose the very best.
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Thanks Rick.
I went with Festo. They have a good reputation and the product looks very well built.
I'm thinking a similar setup to the Speed Demon should be the way to go.
I'll post pics as soon as I have the jacks here.
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I put 4 hydraulic lifting jacks and use a lift gate hydraulic motor pump on the Turbinator II. I have to modify one pressure line but it works well for lifting the 36 ft. long liner. Sure makes it easier to work and check out things after a run. It also keeps the tires off the ground when it in the shop and storing.
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Glen, that's good advice. Thanks man. :cheers:
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I will send you a couple of pictures of the Hyd. unit mounted on a two wheel cart. The unit has a switch to raise/lower, 12 VDC battery and hoses (AN) with a QD to attach at the car, totally portable.
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We had ours self contained in the car....
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I'm assuming that's post crash. I sure like the way the car held together. A well built chassis and cage sure pays off.
Pete
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I will send you a couple of pictures of the Hyd. unit mounted on a two wheel cart. The unit has a switch to raise/lower, 12 VDC battery and hoses (AN) with a QD to attach at the car, totally portable.
I'd appreciate it. :cheers:
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I'm assuming that's post crash. I sure like the way the car held together. A well built chassis and cage sure pays off.
Pete
Amazingly intact. Very good.
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Like Stainless and Jon, I have a totally on board system. 200psi air compressor and tanks. Or I can use remote air. Same system is backup for CO2 shifter, but the chances of the backup system being used is pretty slim.
Isn't it great when we have so many choices.
So happy that the cage worked just like it is supposed to.
Glad we still have Stainless around.
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Glad we still have Stainless around.
:cheers:
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Stainless gave a 45 minute run down of the crash at the Bonneville NW Reunion.
He had two sets of fotos from about a mile apart. It was great coverage.
You could have seen it if you had attended.
Jab Jab
FREUD
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Freud;
Was it recorded?
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Stainless gave a 45 minute run down of the crash at the Bonneville NW Reunion.
He had two sets of fotos from about a mile apart. It was great coverage.
You could have seen it if you had attended.
Jab Jab
FREUD
Freud,
if Stainless showed Larry's and my series....
Larry was somewhere between the 3 1/2 and 3 3/4 mile and he had the distance from 1/2 mile to 3/4 mile to the streamliner.
I was behind 5 1/2 mile and had the distance close to 1 3/4 mile - from my position he went sideways after he left the track.
.....I got the series from Larry and prepared them, too, for Stainless.
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P.P. Thank You for making up the series. Stainless did a good job with it
and the audience ask sensible questions and received great replies.
Ray did some still fotos of it but there is no narration.
FREUD
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Stainless bared his soul to us and the information he shared could save someone a lot of grief.
Don
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Glad we still have Stainless around.
:cheers:
+ 1...Mike, I`m not so sure 230 grain hollow points would have been enough with an animal like that.
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That is why the cage was covered with steel :-D You never know when you might get a drive by on the salt :cheers:
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I'd hoped to post a bunch of pics but for some reason even with reducing the size the file size is too big for the site. Sorry, I'll try figure what I've done wrong.
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I managed to get my chassis off the jig table.
It only took about four hours. :-)
I couldn't lift the crossbar for the block and tackle on my own so I had to use a little trickery.
I jacked the one end of the chassis a few inches off the table, installed jack stands then went to the other end and repeated the process.
Once I had the chassis up I pulled the table out and lowered each end a few inches at a time.
I did make sure that the area around where I was busy was devoid of tools and other debris in case the car fell and I needed to bolt in a hurry. :-D
Eventually it was sitting on the dollys, I was safe but exhausted.
All good.
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Before getting the chassis off the table I did manage to weld on the fuel tank box.
I added some brace bars top and bottom on both sides and boxed the sections.
I'm not done and still have to finish fitting plates fore and aft.
Yes, it sits behind the rear axle.
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I then got to do some work on the chute tube/push bar setup.
I decided after all the good advice to go with a cable and air release just to make sure.
The Carbon tubes slide over and will be bonded to the housings with Epoxy adhesive after the chassis is painted.
Housings already have female NPT fittings tigged in place.
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I haven't built the push bars yet.
I ran out of material and should have a few more lengths on Monday.
When I started out I ordered 16 lengths thinking it would be enough.......
Yup for 60% it would. :roll:
Chute tubes will sit in two half round cradles when the time comes to mount them permanently.
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Enjoy this time in the build.
As the parts get smaller it gets tedious.
Besides you can see the progress now.
That's more difficult later.
FREUD
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Thanks Freud.
Going like a Boeing here as they say.
Got a lot done today including a cleanup.
I'll have the Carbon tub dummied up in the chassis by morning. :-)
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(http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13166.0;attach=45615;image)
You're making a lot of progress :cheers:. Do you have chutes yet? Have you decided how you are going to load them?
Sum
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Amazing progress Mike, Freud's right too, enjoy this part. :cheers:
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Sum, we're having our chutes made here.
I bought the materials and there's a chute company that will do the sewing etc.
We'll have a bar between the tubes for the mounting and we'll hopefully get some help on the loading etc.
Thanks James, I have to get this car done but I'm not complaining and it is what motivates me to get up early every morning.
I got the tub into the chassis today. It was a bit of a win because it goes in from underneath and the height that the chassis sits at on the dollys was perfect.
I never had to jack and I had 5mm clearance.
A few pics of the temporary install.
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A few more angles.
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Last pic.
She's coming along very nicely and everything fits as designed. :-D
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...and we'll hopefully get some help on the loading etc. ...
One option on loading I've seen and what I hope to do is to be able to load the chute and its spring fairly easily into the tube without having to compress the spring much. Then have a mechanism that compresses the chute back from the forward part of the tube back into the spring and the release hardware. This really activates the spring so that it is compressed fully which launches the chute better. This can make packing the chute into the tube easier also. Maybe someone who has done this has pictures.
....I got the tub into the chassis today. It was a bit of a win because it goes in from underneath and the height that the chassis sits at on the dollys was perfect....
What are you doing for protection under the driver's compartment?
Sum
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How is the tub retained in the chassis such that it doesn't get pitched out in a violent accident? I really like the tub idea in that it gives excellent driver protection, especially in the leg area. I have a couple of friends that have suffered severe leg injuries in race car crashes and it seems you never fully recover from those.
Pete
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Don't laugh, OK??? :-D :-D :-D
I'm nothing like these guys but I do have my work cut out.
The place is rudimentary at best.
I don't think we'll run on the same stretch of track either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uli51c35oY4
The tub sits on a steel frame and is fastened at 12 locations.
The frame is bolted to the chassis with five fixtures on each side and two each out front and rear.
The tub also attaches directly to the chassis at four points.
Safety harness attaches to the chassis low down on the bulkhead below the roll cage and then other mountings go through the Carbon to the steel lower frame on the sides.
Believe me, if there was an easier way to fit the tub I would have used it.
A rough estimate is that it all goes together with 34 fasteners but the cool thing is that once it's all together there won't be a reason to take it apart.
Thanks for the advice on the chute system Sum. :cheers:
Pete, my orthopedic surgeon said I have so much steel in my leg that if I break it again he'll have to weld it together. :lol:
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Take time to build that rotisserie.
You will never regret it.
FREUD
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Probably a good idea to set everything up with good air filtration for the motor.
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The rotisserie I have.
I just never had the strength or enough hands to get it set up.
I've been known to build a few gates in my time and being a one man show one needs to be creative to get things done.
My engine hoist doubles as a rotisserie when needed.
I turned this gate over and over to get it all welded.
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That gate is a work of art.
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Trent, I'll do anything to get the salt fever out of my system. :-D
I did this one a long while back. I wish I had 10 more like it to do.
The green backs would be knee deep. 8-)
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That gate is beautiful!
Car is coming along nicely.
Back to work.
Geo
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Thanks Geoff.
I have another project I have high hopes for as well. :-D
I'm having a gas tank built by Franco and Alex Castagno.
They have a company that builds metal boxes and are geared up for it.
I was going to go with making a composite tank but I've never run Ethanol and don't want to take a chance for obvious reasons.
Castagno are going to put a 80mm radius on all the bends instead of a sharp 90*.
I'll have to baffle it, mount the fittings and fit the lid.
I went with steel because I don't have the experience or a welder for Aluminum.
This is a fuel injected application of which I also have no experience and I need to know how many lines to fit and what filler is best for the safety aspect.
I know most of you will have good advice and I'm looking forward to reading the replies. :cheers:
I have one of these fillers here but just need to find it.
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Mikey:
You ever get to South Florida, you can use my shop for free. I just want to hang out and watch you build cool stuff. One day its Trick Carbon Fiber, then Mansion Gates, Land Speed Car...forget that, change over to build full blown streamliner. I like the fact that you don't have a full machine shop and improvise to overcome the lack of machinery, materials or a shop monkey. Doing the best I can with what little I got is the story of my life.
Keep up the great work, guys like you inspire me.
BR
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Mike, when you make your tank it is a good idea to think of ways to keep it cool and out of the sun or engine heat. Cool fuel is best from a power viewpoint.
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You understand the value of the rotisserie and it's a sturdy one.
You had a hole card for sure.
Too bad Jason Hosking can't make a trip to visit you.
He could do your tank in aluminum.
FREUD
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Bo, it's far away from heat sources luckily.
A while back I was involved with helping race drivers doing aero and other bits.
We came up with a fuel cooler.
I set up the lathe on a slow speed and wound a thin wall Aluminium tube around a mandrel.
We ended up with a coil that we mounted in a cylindrical tank and welded the the thing up so it wouldn't leak.
The fuel would enter at the top and exit at the bottom. We filled the tank with ice, closed the lid and off they went.
Thanks Bill, I'd love to hang out there but you wouldn't be able to get rid of me. Fla is a favourite and I will say that will be my first stop when I eventually get to the States. :cheers:
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You understand the value of the rotisserie and it's a sturdy one.
You had a hole card for sure.
Too bad Jason Hosking can't make a trip to visit you.
He could do your tank in aluminum.
FREUD
There are guys here that could do an Ally tank no problem but they're all unreliable. The better the quality the more difficult they are to get to do the job.
Duncan Thersby is the son of my ex race engineer and he basically built the all of the Toyota trucks that went to the Dakar race. His Aluminum welding is the best you'd find anywhere and he's promised to come around time and again but I'm still waiting. :evil:
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The most awesome thing happened today. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
My CROWER sponsored severe duty con rods arrived.
I've never seen better quality in my life.
This is the last piece in the short block puzzle and I'm over the moon.
My thanks go out to Susie Teague, Pete Harris and Dave Crower for the faith they've shown and the way I was treated.
I've never dealt with nicer people.
The decals and patches were also exactly as required.
This is where the motivation comes from.
Great people inspire me and these are three of the best.
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Mike;
I've always liked Crower stuff. They make good parts for racing and they avoid the hype of other suppliers. Their philosophy seems to be like an old Jonathan Winters quote "Don't talk about it , Maynard-- just do it!"
...or maybe Tuco in The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: "When it's time to shoot, shoot-- don't talk about it!"
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Here's the Crower of energy boosters.
I was burning out so the missus brought me a handful of Turbovite Sachets.
Where were these guys when I was training 2 hours a day?. :-D
Never ever took any form of vitamin or supplement that worked like it said on the box until now.
There's no turbo lag here. :-D
I was so impressed with the product I contacted Nativa who manufactures Turbovite.
Ian Wright sent me a hamper of goodies about three months ago.
Nativa are now the 32nd sponsor coming on board with a monthly supply of BOOST!!
Thanks Ian. You're the man. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, how 'bout asking them to be a vendor/sponsor at SpeedWeek? A couple of years ago Monster showed up with their big trailer, some good-looking girls, free rinks, more good looking girls, a hospitality awning and finally -- a bunch of good looking girls.
The next year they were there but with lots les free drinks, and the final year was two years ago -- there for a short time. At least the girls were still with them. And I do believe that Monster was a good-sized cash sponsor to SCTA/BNI, although I doubt that Nativa would have to ante up just to be there.
But the idea of having the boost available sounds good - especially as the end of another long day draws nigh. Let me know what I can do. :-D
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Jon, They don't have an outlet in the US yet but this might be a good opportunity.
I'll chat to Ian and see what he says.
The guy is on the ball. I just received a box of 600 sachets he said he'd deliver today.
He has an American "can do" attitude. I haven't met him in person but I'm going to go all out to change that.
Victor Moore from Wika was here Monday to deliver our digital temperature sensor unit.
We'll be using it to monitor front wheel bearing temps via two thermocouples.
The only draw back is that it uses 24v but I'll use two bike batteries in series.
I think this is a good unit to have and its worth its weight in gold.
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The unit is compact and made in Japan.
Came with mounting clips and all I need to do is cut a square hole in the dash to mount it.
Very cool instrument.
Victor is also a crew member so all is good this side. :cheers:
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Guys, we had a team meeting here today.
The crew is growing in number slowly but quality over quantity is the way to go.
Riaan Lingenfelder, Justine (his wife) and Victor Moore were present.
The Lingenfelder's brought a bucket of chicken and cokes. Zina made salads and we had a good time.
We pulled the liner chassis out of the shop as far as it would go, took it off the stands and put it down on the floor.
They all brought their real cameras and there was a photo shoot of sorts.
I work on the car daily and it's always been up in the air in a fairly confined space so it's been difficult to get a good look at.
I'm impressed with how it looks even though it's just a chassis.
I honestly don't know how I got this far. It's an awesome thing building a car like this. Today is a big milestone.
I'll post the pics as soon as I get them. :cheers:
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Good On YA !!
FREUD
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That is always a big moment when it comes down off of the table. Good job.
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Riaan emailed the pics this morning.
He had to reduce them a lot.
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There are 50+ but I've picked the more interesting ones for the forum (I think).
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Two more rearward.
It's too long to get in one shot from this distance. :-D
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One of the rear section.
There are tubes to be cut out where the rear end and wheels fit.
The last one is the best we could do to get the whole chassis in the frame.
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Here's one for Stan Back.
As you guessed I still have a ways to go on the chassis.
The roll cage still needs the gussets and a cover to keep debris out. :cheers:
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:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike,
You have made tremendous progress. Some on here have spent 20-30 years to get to where you are today. Great job.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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It looks like there is room for two motors...
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Thanks Sparky and Doug. :cheers:
Bo, "that" won't happen. :-D
The open area is for the radiator box, oil tank and other necessary "baggage".
Even without experience I know that it will be tight no matter what.
One thinks the car is 33ft long and packaging would be no problem!!!.
Guys from JPL would be scratching their heads.
I have the biggest respect for anyone who ever built a lakester or a liner.
I even need a smaller battery now because I have nowhere I can get the current one to fit.
Have you ever seen the Speed Demon without the body?. :-D :-D :-D
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Deon, the rep from Festo came around earlier to drop off a sample pneumatic lift for me to test/play with.
Our 4 lifts will arrive in a week and I wanted a sample to use for making a template to make mounting plates.
No need. The lifts come with plates so I'll wait instead of creating more work for myself. :-D
The quality on these lifts is top shelf.
Now we really are in the Bigs. :cheers:
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Thanks for vindicating the many other racers that say this:
"Even without experience I know that it will be tight no matter what.
One thinks the car is 33ft long and packaging would be no problem!!!.
Guys from JPL would be scratching their heads.
I have the biggest respect for anyone who ever built a lakester or a liner.
I even need a smaller battery now because I have nowhere I can get the current one to fit."
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Outstanding Mikey! Tons of progress. It's good to see the old girl outside the confines of the shop.
These pictures are just what I needed to get my mojo back. I had a dream about being on the salt with Hank last night, then I come in today to see all the pictures of your car! Something tells me I'll be back on track in no time! Keep it up brother!
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Nice progress. They always look better outside.
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Looking good Mikey! The only issue I see is that you're getting awfully close to the flower beds and if you do damage there car construction could then become problematic! :evil: :evil: :-D
Pete
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You have done a lot of well thought out design and fabrication in 6 months, PJ and I would be there tomorrow if you lived closer. Really looking forward to seeing it run. :cheers:
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Pete,Thank you. There's a dang mole right where the rear of the car was.
He's enemy number one. He's too sharp for the Jack Russels and has the little lady in constant kill mode.
She gets home after work and doesn't even greet me. She's obsessed.
Years back I did what I called my Cu Chi thing. No tunnels after that. :evil:
It involved a gallon of gas, a length of garden hose and a lighter.
Joe, I was wondering where you were?. Good to hear from you. You'll do it. Those problems are there to be overcome. I'm rooting for you more than anyone else here on the forum. :cheers:
Trent, all the muscles are sore today. That sucker is heavy but it was worth it seeing it low down for the first time.
Glen, you and PJ would be most welcome. I really wish I lived further away from Africa though.
Guys all the kind remarks and comments are what keep me going. You all help more than you think. God Bless. :cheers:
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try googling "propane rodent blaster" :-D. Rodenator is one brand that claims to have "Worldwide Distribution "
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Just pour some stale race gas down the mole hole and the little bugger is history. It works best if you do not light it on fire. The fumes either kill it or convince it the neighbor has a nicer yard.
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Just make an extension tube for your cutting torch, stick it in the tunnel, you have an AO bomb in the tunnel now... Lighting it off could be the trick... sometimes when we fill balloons, we just use an old extension cord with the end cut off and a couple of the wire strands twisted together.... yes it might trip the breaker, but it will set off the charge. :-D
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A word of caution, static electricity can set off "acetylene balloons".
A friend of mine suffered facial burns and ruptured eardrums as the result.
Not fun, Don
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Don't get me started on the Acetylene. :-D :-D :-D
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I may or may not have sent a coffee can through the roof of a shop with acetylene. Any eye witnesses can easily be discredited because they all turned and ran at the resounding BOOM!
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Some guys I knew from a previous job separated a VW bug from its belly pan once with a garbage bag filled with acetylene and an extension cord. Think they wound up separating their ear drums and some glass from neaby windows as well lol
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This will get out of hand and I don't want the NSA to investigate me but we have a problem with Indian Minahs.
This is the most obnoxious bird ever. Some idiot brought a pair in from India a long time ago.
Now we are overrun. They kill anything they can but their chirping is like chalk on a board or gravel grating in a stainless pan.
This bird sat on my TV antenna and drove me nuts with his screeching so I modified a 2L Coke top by fitting two wires with a little silicon sealer.
Held the bottle upside down and got some Acetylene right up there. I put the bottle on the roof with the wires running down to the shop.
12V battery and I waited.
I love tig welding but I need peace and quiet because i'm not Unobtanium and this bird seems to know when I start.
Long story short. IED. IT EXPLODED DANGEROUSLY!!! Too much gas?. I don't know but I had to replace a few tiles after the feather snow.
HOOAH!!!! Gone. I actually need an air rifle. :cheers:
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Mike,
I've got an Oxy/Acety. setup that I haven't used in years. Now you've given me some new ideas. I wonder how far I can make that rabbit in the garden fly? With the right trajectory I'll bet I can hit the neighbor's house. It's only 1/4 mile away. This should be fun. I could put a video camera on the IED and film the firing.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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We used to call those baloons Megaloons. 40 years ago one of them launched my nephew across the yard. He's getting better. :wink: Wayno
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I should have kept my mouth shut (not written) about that mole. :-D :-D
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I should have kept my mouth shut (not written) about that mole. :-D :-D
Just your crazy buds trying to help :-D :cheers:
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Yeah what Stainless said :-D :evil: :cheers:
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The cool thing is that I get get to share stuff with guys as nuts as I am. :evil:
It's all good and I can imagine the Dodge you guys got up to as kids.
You had TV and I didn't. No excuses guys. :-D :-D :-D
Got to making mounting plates for the pneumatic lifts.
Did all four by clamping together 10mm plates. Hole sawing took hours on the Beijing drill press and drilled the four holes that magically lined up with the component's threads.
I've got one fried on and used the sample to see what it looks like.
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Prepped and cleaned all surfaces.
Tacked the two plates in sit u.
Tigged them on the table. Both sides because getting to the underside will be tough later.
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Set the mounting up correctly making sure I left enough space to slide the 2mm plate that will be part of the box section and also checked that when I do eventually fit the actual lifts they clear the frame rails.
After that I welded the plate in place.
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The trick is to get both lifts on the same plane because we'll be bolting a plate (that will act as a foot) to the ends of the pistons.
Came out sweet IMO.
3 to go. :cheers:
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Just a hint Mike. If you activate them with nitrogen rather than compressed air right from the start you'll keep moisture out of the system. With the stock cars and Indy cars we used nitrogen in place of compressed air for everything. It makes life pretty simple and is readily available from your welding supplier relatively inexpensively.
Pete
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Thanks Pete.
Silly me. I wanted to use CO2 but Festo said it destroys the seals so we were going to go with compressed air.
Now I know better. Imagine the H2O in that. :roll:
You're a big help. I appreciate the heads up. :cheers: :cheers:
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Do you have a plan to make something so you can lock them in the extended position?
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Festo are giving us hand operated valves for that.
That's what they said.
I'm getting all of the stuff next week.
The lifts are a custom length so they have to build them.
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Here's what the two front mounts look like.
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Rears are done too.
The plate I used to fabricate them was a little pitted on one side but I polished the heck out of the parts after cutting and drilling.
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The rear mounts are done and welded in but I forgot to take pics.
I'll do so in the AM.
Some "Unobtaniumism" :-D. I wish.
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The mounts.
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Rear lift pair mountings in.
Next hurdle!!!! :-D
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Do they need any support at the top ? I'm thinking of something to resist lateral force (people leaning on the car while gawking or working) when the jacks are extended. The bottom mounts look pretty sturdy, but the leverage that the extended jacks will have *might* create a problem. Just a thought.
Roy
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I'll be putting a top bracket in when we get the right length lifts. The one I used is a sample from the manufacturer.
Thanks for noting that Roy. :cheers:
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Gee, I should be called Herr BoxMeister or Herr Tigmeister after today!.
I put in both firewalls.
Inner and outer.
What a mission but it's done save for a few touch ups.
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There was no way I could get the inner plate into place in one piece.
I cut it in three and welded the pieces after fitting.
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Buzzing right along Mikey! Looks good man. This is my favorite part of a build, because it seems like things come in leaps and bounds!
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Mike:
Great progress.
BR
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Thanks Joe and Bill. :cheers:
All you guys must be tired of me saying I just found this sponsor or that one.
Without them this build wouldn't be happening. They are as important as the crew.
I haven't figured their investment in Dollar terms but it must be quite a lot.
I've been blessed in that I've been directed to real good people and it makes all the difference.
I need lots of Dzus type mounting brackets to mount the body work and floor pan but buying what you'd call a $2 plate is like 25 bucks here. I could use 100 and it mounts up cost wise.
I sent out emails to companies that do water jet cutting looking for sponsorship.
The short story is that three replied but the one I went with is based in Springfield about five blocks from where I grew up.
The owner Deon called and we spoke for about an hour. He lives in his factory, never goes out and hates traffic worse than me. He's all in and offered other services like CNC milling, turning and bending if needed.
What a win!!!!
He's doing all the brackets still needed and another miracle is in the bag.
Check him out if you like.
http://www.sawaterjet.co.za/photo_gallery/index2.html
Great day today. A lot off my mind. :-D :cheers:
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I think that it is great that you have the passion to pass on to sponsors to get them involved in LSR. We get a little help with product sometimes and it is a big help. Last year Mile High Crankshafts fixed our Buick crank after we damaged it on the dyno. We would have never been able to take the car to Speed Week without the fast turn around on the crank. It is very good to be able to have people to supply help when you need it. Your build is an inspiration, thank you for keeping us updated.
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Thanks Speed Limit.
It seems to me that you meet the nicest people in this game.
Things come out of left field to quote Tman.
Nothing to report on my build today but I just got some pics from Dirk via email.
He's a client and all round good guy. I built him a bunch of parts for his custom bike.
Gas tank, fenders, oil tank cover, seat pan, swingarm and a few other bits.
He's never built a bike before but I think he's done a great job with his first.
Calls it Green Slide.
Check the pics. :-D
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Hey Mike,
Glad to see photos and hear the updates on sponsors. Your winning personality is showing! Great to see the welds get better with every one you do. Now that it's cooling off you can work harder! :evil:
Geo
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Geoff, don't hate me!!!!
I'm busy as a Spelling BEEEE. :-D :-D :-D
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Love ya bro! Spelling bee is over, school champ, county champ, well up in the state competition. Now I have time to work on other things, like the cars! Need anything let me know.
Geo
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I'll mail you tonight with news on your project.
I'm being tested. :oops:
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Ha! I am being quoted now! :cheers:
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So Mike.
I hear your radio career is taking of Saturday with a live interview.
SAFM on 105.1 fm in South Africa Your a a legend. :cheers:
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Wow, Mikey a radio star. I would love to go Offside with Sheena Deepnarain, but if I must listen to you, when will you be on? We might be able to catch you on the web station broadcast.
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The interview will go out live between 4pm and 5pm Saturday afternoon SA time (GMT+2). :mrgreen: That should be around 10amto 12am New York time. Not sure wher you are but you can work from there.
Station is SA FM 104-107 (www.sabc.co.za/safm). Hope this helps.
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4pm south africa time=7am pst 8am mst 9am cst 10am est.
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Hey Mike, just heard you on the radio :cheers:
Good stuff, but could have been a little longer. Seems soccer and cricket are the favourite sports in SA :-D
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Thanks Rasmussen, yes the soccer is important. 50 million love it but I don't watch it. Dumb game IMO.
Yes it was short due to the overtime on the game.
They want me back it seems but I learned something.
Ask what you're getting and how long. :-D
I started on doing some composite work seeing as I ran out of Argon.
I'm trying not to make molds for the car and what I'm doing is relatively new to me, I THINK.
I have sheets of 10mm Polystyrene and its not to bad on the bending process provided you don't try too tight a radius.
What I did was curve a piece over the roll cage and secure it with some square tubing and c clamps.
It followed the contour perfectly and its longer fore and aft for trimming later.
I then wet the piece with Epoxy resin and applied a layer of peel ply.
Peel ply is used to give the inside of the part being made a good surface when cured for later bonding.
If peel ply is used sanding is not required before laminating.
After that I laid up two layers of Carbon and glass fabric.
Once I'm ready to work the part for final laminating I'll pull the Polystyrene and peel ply out and then vacuum the piece with the honeycomb core and further Carbon and glass.
The shell acts as its own mold.
You could just lay the glass straight on to the Polystyrene and remove it after cure using Acetone to dissolve it but its messy and requires sanding.
The Peel ply is the cheapest fabric in composites but also one of the best.
Some pics of how it came out.
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Some other angles.
You can see the snug fit on the inside shot.
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The part is cured but I left it in place in order to start stage two.
There is no fancy drawing program or CFD on this project.
I'm relying on good old instinct and the "artistic" eye. :-o
This stage involves the canopy.
I eyeballed the shape I want and used some 12mm round bar curved gently in the fork of my favourite "Tree Bender.
Spot on, it comes to a point exactly where I want the hinges to fit.
I marked the Polly with a felt tip pen and cut the profile with a box cutter.
I put a piece down on the chassis, marked the centre line and bonded the profile to that using Epoxy filled with cotton flocks to thicken it.
I held it all in place with pins liberated from a sewing box here in the house. :wink:
It set up overnight and is about as sturdy as Polystyrene will get.
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More pics.
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Two more.
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Mike,
Knowing your skill with composites and knowing that you have a good plan in mind this is going to be a real education for the most of us that avoid this type of work. Keep the pics coming! Looking forward to seeing how this all turns out.
Rex
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Looking good!
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Hey Rex, me too.
I'm really relaxed doing this. I'm going to buy some Polystyrene adhesive tomorrow.
Using the good epoxy leftovers is OK but the cure time is really long.
Working blind in a way but solving the problems as you go.
I know what the end result will be but I need to bridge the gap.
I removed the piece and placed it on the table to add the ribs.
I weighted it down with lead ballast and bonded all the ribs in place.
Two Stringers??, not sure of the terminology are in place.
I figure that if they taper to the front the fit and finish should be better.
Guys do the same sort of rib/pattern using wood when metal forming so it should work.
The funny thing is that here in SA they can cut 10mm and 15mm Polystyrene but the can't cut 5mm.
I had a huge argument over the phone with the saleslady over the issue and she cut me off. :-D :-D :-D :-D
All I said was that you cut a 15mm section and then move the cutter's setting up 5mm as if you're going to cut a 10!!!!!
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Two more pics of my Phoenician boat building exercise. :-D :cheers:
I'm going to be offline for a while. Got lots of customer work that needs completing.
Later guys and thanks for all the motivation.
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Mike:
That white "plastic" in the mockup of the shell -- that's the polystyrene you wanted cut? Find a laser shop that's within distance to you. A laser shop that makes trophies and decorations, like ours (Kudos Laser). I'd have little trouble cutting 10mm (or even the 15mm) stuff for you, and I'd expect that anyone else with a 40- or 50-watt CO2 laser (the common kind) would be able to do it, too. You could send the parts to us and I'd do it free -- but I expect the shipping charges and time delay might make that a tad on the prohibitive side. :-D
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Mike, I love watching your fabrication. Fantastic skills. :cheers: Just a thought, what about water-jet cutting for those pieces?
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I have seen mold makers use a hot piano wire to cut foam. (A home made one at that)
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Well, now that you mention piano wire for foam-cutting -- I remember a whole bunch of years ago when I was assembling my first waterbed and wanted it to have insulation under the liner under the mattress. all I could find was 4" thick foam, so I took an old toaster apart and used the nichrome wire from it to cut the foam. I was careful to send power to the wire through a variable transformer so I didn't burn out the wire with too much voltage for the length I was using (less that one toaster's worth, that is). Other than the wire stretched/deformed when hot, so it sagged and needed restringing, it worked just dandy for cutting foam that was in 2-foot wide panels. I sliced 'em in half -- making 2-foot by 2" instead of by 4". Worked well -- for the early 1970s. :cheers:
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Jon;
A spring on one end of the Nichrome wire will take up the slack when the wire heats up and it keeps the wire tight.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Here's a request for all you engineers. I'm in deep water and any help will be greatly appreciated.
I need to build a latch system for my canopy that can be closed and opened by the driver and crew.
I have one idea on a system and I think its bad. :-D
Even a simple drawing if that even exists will help.
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Put on a door knob from the builders supply. It can be opened from both sides and you can lock it when you need some privacy. Anyway, that's the advice from the civil/environmental engineer.
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Mike,
This is like the one that we use on the lakester. There are other hardware suppliers that have them. Maybe also check with some of your friends in Formula 1. http://www.rjracecars.com/Window-Latches-600019-Prodview.html
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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On the Vesco liners we have a two button latch on each side with a cable for the operator / driver to pull to open. the canopy has two locator pins in the front to prevent lift and the two latch's are near the rear corner. I will try to get a couple of pictures when I go out to the shop in a day or so.
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Mike;
Hartwell makes some very nice stainless steel aerospace latches; they can be found sometimes on the surplus market.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks guys. :cheers: :cheers:
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The learning curve. :evil:
When you're having a bad day embrace it because the next one will be better.
Things go from euphoria to depression overnight. You wake up in the morning all fired up for a repeat of this "high" and as you walk into the shop you get a right uppercut from hell. :-)
I need to do stuff to earn an honest living and people think that because I work from home I'm a push over.
This idiot with a race car called a Formula M wants a floor tray for a badly designed car.
The story is that it was designed by real engineers with diplomas hanging on walls like stickers on a Sprint Cup car. :-D :-D :-D
Its all wrong so I try help. It never really worked and eventually it turned out that I had to give him want he wanted for the COOL look.
He kept moving the goal posts after the part was made to an agreed design.
Too long and too annoying a process and not being a rip off artist I put up with his Subaru.
He never collected the car as agreed and has not answered my emails to collect his junk.
The thing is sitting in front of my shop on stands without wheels.
He will only collect it when he comes back from his long weekend break at the ocean.
We can't park cars inside and I've had enough. I just mailed him a nice fat 2 grand addition to what he owes. That should make his weekend as cool as mine. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Check out the CAR!!!!
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That was the depression and here's my euphoria.
The canopy plug is coming along beautifully.
I'm starting to see a shape in there somewhere.
I'll only be utilizing the top 60% of the shape but it just looks right.
The Phoenician boat building process works. :wink:
I found a company up the road that sells a Styrofoam adhesive for $20/gallon so I'll be getting a delivery on Tuesday.
That will cut the curing time over the Epoxy paste by 8 hours.
She's looking good and I'm excited now.
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I'll be doing the left side next but I should wait for Tuesday and the new adhesive. :evil:
Difficult decision. I'm on a roll.
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I've decided the canopy will fit using a tongue and groove setup.
There are some lovely rubber profiles here that will make sealing dust proof and I'll get some before building the grooves.
The latching system is in the works and I'll be using a version of the 411 Tom Burkland car.
Thanks for always being there for me Tom. It is an honor to have your advice and assistance. :cheers:
One more pic.
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"This idiot with a race car called a Formula M wants a floor tray for a badly designed car."
Very small brake rotors & only 4-bolt wheel lugs?-- not much of a race car.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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I knew my car was long but since I've started working on getting the plug for the body work done it seems even longer.
I started shaping the styrofoam for the nose section today. What a mission. I need ten pairs of hands. :evil:
Some pics of the starting point.
The marks are where the ribs need to be bonded.
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Hey Mikey - I've read all 40 pages and as usual there's no compromise, just 1st class work.
It's my first post on the forum but I've been friends with Mike for a good number of years. I will now go back to lurking and reading as I've got nothing to offer but support, unless you want to talk musical instruments :-D
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Lee, if you want to talk musical instruments you should go to the Milwaukee Midget topic or to Wayno's "Utah Belly Tank", and probably others -- but those are the first two that come to mind.
MM plays the washtub/broomstick/string thing and Wayno tootles along on a bleach bottle. But they both seen to enjoy telling folks about their musical abilities. :roll:
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Hey Lee, This is cool. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Welcome and thanks.
Jon, Lee used to be the keyboard player for Johnny Clegg and Juluka.
He's probably more famous for working with me though. :-D :-D
Lee, I miss you man. I could do with a friend like you right now.
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Mike,
I thought you played backup for KISS! :evil: :-D
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Doug, I can dance some but that's where it ends. I'm as musical as an ice cube.
Johnny and Lee on the other hand caused Michael Jackson to cancel concerts in Paris because all the fans went to see them. :-D :-D
These guys are pros :cheers:
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Today I marked out and cut the profile for the nose plug.
I joined two pieces of foam because the inventory was running out.
I used the same round bar from shaping the canopy profile and tweaked it so that the profile will clear the leading tyre by enough to include the wheel tub.
Next was to mix up some Epoxy resin with micro balloons for thickening and a drop of pigment to show me the way.
Epoxy is clear and without the pigment I'd miss some bonding areas.
I cut strips of offcut foam and after laying down a bead of "Gorilla Snot" I pinned them to the base which was pre marked.
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After pinning down the strips on one side I buttered the rest for the right hand side.
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I got 80 pins for $3 and the coloured heads make them easy to spot.
I lost half of them on the canopy plug.
I left them in too long and removal was impossible after the resin had cured.
I pulled the heads off because as you guessed they are el cheapo Chinese product. :-D
I made sure I got a lot of resin into the gap between the strips.
Left side is as straight as I could get it.
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Time to fit the profile.
I got it in place and squeezed the right side strip hard against it pinning as I went.
It will be rigid enough to start bonding in the side profiles this week.
I taped two squares to the upright. One on each side to keep it in place.
Looks OK and the big work starts in a few days.
It doesn't look impressive but once the ribs go in it will start to get some personality. :evil:
It was so easy and I never battled one bit. That's a win. :cheers:
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Mikey,
You make this so easy! All I could say is Huh?, What? How'd he do that? Nice work. You need to live over here.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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You don't think about it, you do what you have to. :-D
Doug, I've had my head down on this build from day one.
The big picture is too daunting so I take little bites concentrating on the job at hand.
The missus helps where she can and you'd be shocked at some of the heavy stuff we've moved together.
I've had a setback on the wheels. I was promised I'd have them mid month and my friend Markus hasn't even ordered the blanks from Germany.
You don't want to nag people but if you don't you get left behind.
I'd love to be there, you know that. :cheers:
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Update.
New sponsor on board (99%).
Technopol produces Polystyrene sheets like what I need for the plug.
Great people to talk to and Francois wants to help.
The help locally has been overwhelming and it continues.
This deal will go a long way to getting the body work finished. :cheers:
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Francois and Lammie are delivering 25 sheets of styrofoam for the completion of the plug. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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:cheers: Outstanding Mike! That's great news man! :cheers:
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Too cool! FREE stuff is ALWAYS welcome! This thing is coming along great!
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Thanks guys.
I'm enjoying the build despite the setbacks but without them you wouldn't be achieving anything hey?.
I'm doing the plug using leftover Epoxy from "work".
It's a slow curing system so one has time to get things set up before bonding.
There always seems to be just enough to get at least one piece done. :-)
Space is at a premium lately but now it's become crazy.
Chassis on one side and soon a body plug the same size next to it. :roll:
I put the front end plug on the floor after I added the rearmost profile.
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The canopy plug has the left side done.
It's not quite the same shape.
It actually has a low spot but will be an easy fix.
I rough sanded the right side to get rid of high spots and you can see the difference between that and the left.
When I built the truck I used a very expensive body filler to shape the plug. I spent thousands on it and even more in hours sanding.
Experience taught me to be more creative and work smart rather than long.
If i'm watching Overhaulin and they get into filling and sanding I change the channel. It makes me want to throw up. :-D :-D
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Trust me Mikey! I know exactly how you feel. Hopefully I'll be done with 90% of it soon. It's been a long dusty road. Literally! Although I have become quite fond filler flavored beer!
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Mikey,
I think there should be a car body build show. "Liquid Art". Great stuff here. Wish I had part of your talent.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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This is so funny.
Joe, you make me laugh.
I get exactly what you're saying.
Some guys do it for a living for life!!! :-D :-D :-D
I check your build and say "Oh no, he's still filling and sanding!"
Once you get past that exercise you're home free.
If sanding doesn't put you off, nothing can stop you.
Thanks Doug, for having such blind faith. I won't let you down.
A Fudge Bar on a hot summer day in Montana with you sounds just about right.
It's a dream I hope will come true. :cheers:
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Vintage tractor suppliers sell really nice 18" hoops in narrow sizes. I think it was Udo here that had some killer centeres lazer cut that I would copy if I was starting fresh.
Trent, I might have to look into those wheels. My supplier here can only get 8" wide and according to the M/T guide they suggest 7" wide rims.
Does anyone have advice or knowledge on whether the 8" would work?.
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The guys were good on their word.
The truck pulled in this morning with 25 sheets of styrofoam and 6 litres of the right adhesive.
I appreciate this deal so much and they might not think it's a big thing but this will go all the way to finishing the plug.
Thanks Technopol. :cheers: :cheers:
I was using the epoxy mix this morning and it's still curing.
Added a few more ribs.
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There was a 4" sheet of high density foam on the truck being used as padding and the driver said I could have it.
It would have flown off not being tied down.
Big score and it came in very useful.
I split it down the middle with the circular saw then shaped it with a loose hack saw blade and a little palm sander work.
I'll get to profiling it better over the long weekend. We have a lot of holidays here. It's like they need them, nobody does anything anyway. :evil:
I've seen people sleeping standing up here. Maybe it's the heat?. :-D
I like these two pics very much. Kind of artistic. 8-)
I just want to get to making that vertical stabilizer!!!!!.
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Way cool Mike! I really like those shots from the front. 8-) Cool man, Cool. 8-)
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Thank you Joe.
Not much to show but I now have a skeleton nose plug I can start cladding.
How will my idea work?. We'll see but it better.
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The idea is to cut 2ft strips of the foam and bond them over the ribs starting from the bottom on one side. :-D
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I've got reinforcing panels between the ribs top and bottom just to give the skins more contact area.
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Nothings perfect but the palm sander with a 150 grit disc will flatten out any high spots.
My only concern is the density of the foam. What I have is a "15" and at only 10mm thick its fragile.
You don't look a gift horse in the mouth so i'm not going to hassle the sponsor to send a truck 60 miles
to bring a higher density product.
I'll work carefully and slowly.
The adhesive is excellent. A little thin for my liking so I added a thixotropic agent in the form of cotton flocks
and its just like putting peanut butter on bread.
The structure is pretty rigid for what it is so the next step should go well.
The pics aren't in chronological order but I think you'll get the idea.
Anyone thinking of using this "method" beware. Don't try using Polyester resin. :-D :-D :-D
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Great work Mike. I am fascinated to see how it turns out. You are the carbon fiber man!
BR
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Mike, You've got my attention. Wish we lived about 5000 miles closer. I want to si in the corner of your shop like a fly on the wall.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Got room for another fly? Nice work Mike!!
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Flies like you guys are always welcome. :evil:
I had a birthday yesterday. Boring!!.
Did nothing and stayed out of the shop.
Today I did a little.
The nose plug is about 70% and should be done this weekend.
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There are no drawings or fancy stuff going on but I'm trying to avoid building another slab sided liner as was suggested I don't do. :-D
Difficult to put swoopy lines on a rocket shape but we'll give it a go I guess.
Some pics of where things stand.
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Some side on views of the canopy/engine cover plug.
This car should be called the "Eyeball Special".
Only mishap today was that the darn rooster decided to try eat the nose plug. :-o :? :x
He set me back some.
If I was 20 years younger I would definitely have killed him. Not fitness wise, I'll still catch him no problem but wisdom etc.
Rocking the boat by murdering the pet wouldn't be too clever. :-D :cheers:
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I forgot.
The neighbor is doing the wheel tubs for me. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
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Mike, I'm sure you've done it, but give yourself at least two inches all around the circumference for tire growth. That will leave some extra to spare. You don't need any kind of contact at speed. I'm sure I'm not telling you anything new.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Hey Mikey - belated happy birthday brother. :cheers:
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Pretty bitchin looking Mike!
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Mike:
Once again... amazing.
Do you file or trim that foam to get the round shapes? You have me thinking, I want to build a body just for the challenge of making a unique shape. I cannot wait to see how this goes...learning a lot from my LSR brother from another mother on the other side of the globe. Thank you for sharing.
BR
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Hey Lee, thanks man. :cheers:
Zee made the usual breakfast and invited "friends" but not one showed up. :-D
Thanks Frankie and Bill. :cheers:
Bill, I use a fairly high density Polystyrene for the base so it retains its rigidity.
Same for the ribs. 15 to 20mm thick.
I use a box cutter to cut the shapes after I've marked them.
Wire cutters don't work for me.
The skin or surface is 10mm low density sheet that is bonded over the ribs and the high spots are sanded flat with a palm sander (150 grit disc).
For the sharp radii I'll bond short sections and keep them down with masking tape until cured, then do some more. This foam is pliable to a degree but brittle so if you ask it to do too much it breaks.
Simply put, it's like skinning an air frame but instead of rivets and Alclad we use foam and glue.
Next task is to blow mould the canopy windshield. I definitely don't want a 2D shape there. :-D :cheers:
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Mike, it is my understanding that the optics are better if you drape form the canopy rather than blow it. I don't know why. You'd have to ask a grown up. :roll: Wayno
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I'll do that Wayno. :-D
Getting it right first time is a fantasy I guess.
I was going to make a male mold until I met Gary Lavarack via email.
He blow molded a very nice piece he said is water clear.
Check his video on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9ODMVdoWXM
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Mike, a while back I tried to form a PC windshield. It is hard to get it correct and I learned that you are doing the right thing. That is to have an expert do it with formless methods. That is what I eventually did.
These windshields never come out exactly as planned based on my experience and what other have told me. One thing I will do in the future is to not build the part of the fairing around the shield until I have it on hand. This way, it will be a perfect fit when all is done. I also ordered two of them, just in case.
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I had mine formed by Aircraft Windshield in Los Alamitos, California using my mold. It came out perfect. :-D Wayno
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The guy here that does it is a nasty person.
You'd swear he was paying me so I gave him a miss.
I don't know how he gets work with his attitude.
I'll do my own blow mold and if it takes a few or four attempts so be it.
I'll learn something at least.
You guys are lucky in that you can pick and choose who you'd like to do the work.
The word 'custom' in my country seems to be seen as a tribal tradition or something. :-D :-D
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Be sure to ask Mr Google about forming polycarbonate. As I recall, it can absorb moisture vapor that needs to be driven off by warming before really heating it up for forming. Also "water clear" doesn't necessarily mean optically perfect, i.e. it *might* be perfectly clear, but have waves of distortion. The video was blowforming 1/8" -- how thick/thin was it after forming ? I *think* the windscreen needs to be 1/4" thick AFTER bending/forming. You *might* need to start with something thicker to accommodate the forming & still have the necessary thickness. You probably know this stuff, but "just-in-case"
Roy
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Be sure to ask Mr Google about forming polycarbonate. As I recall, it can absorb moisture vapor that needs to be driven off by warming before really heating it up for forming. Also "water clear" doesn't necessarily mean optically perfect, i.e. it *might* be perfectly clear, but have waves of distortion. The video was blowforming 1/8" -- how thick/thin was it after forming ? I *think* the windscreen needs to be 1/4" thick AFTER bending/forming. You *might* need to start with something thicker to accommodate the forming & still have the necessary thickness. You probably know this stuff, but "just-in-case"
Roy
These type of comments are good and informative for us that don't know, Thanks
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Wayne (Elmo), correct me if I am wrong, but I recall you used PTFE which is a far easier material to mold than PC.
I used PC and it was very difficult. The molder did a very good job. There were three problems. One, my mold was not perfectly shaped and this, compounded with the thick PC I used, made optical distortion I could not seen to be able to sand out. Lesson learned, make a real good mold and use thin plastic.
Second, the thick plastic had a memory. It did not fit real tight against the mold around the edges. It was very slightly larger than the mold. his is a problem with PC.
Third, a special dry storage area is needed in a PC molder's operation so the stuff can be stored where it does not pick up atmospheric moisture. In Oregon that requires more than a dry room cause we are so wet here. It takes a dry and dehumidified room or storage locker. The moisture makes tiny bubbles in the plastic when the PC is heated.
If I was doing it over, I would use PTFE, for sure, and as thin as possible. It is easier to work with and it has less moisture related problems than PC. It should give excellent results if your mold is good. Or, I would have it done using drop or blow forming.
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Walrus, it is actually PETG that I used. It has better optical clarity than polycarbonate. Everything else you said is correct. :cheers: By the way, when I finished my mold I for got an important part of the molding procedure. I sanded with probably 360 grit sandpaper only to have them rough it up with 40 grit. :roll: They do this so the felt that they lay over the mold doesn't slide around. Wayno
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We had no internet connection here for a few days :evil:
It just came back.
Some progress on that Polystyrene nose plug.
The low density 10mm sheet isn't optimal but I've stuck with it.
It cracked even under the slightest pressure.
Almost done and by later today I'll be able to move on to the engine cover.
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Lots and lots of masking tape going onto this but the end result will be OK. :cheers:
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The foam block needed to be cut to clear the dummy motor but I've since filled in the hole.
Some pics of the ribs.
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It's starting to look like an extended F-1 car. Those guys do a lot with a little. Maybe there's another sponsor out there with some big money.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, Are you going to add some nice radius where the canopy meets the flat part of the body?
Richard 2
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Richard, I'm a long way off but yes.
There are profiles cut and stacked all over.
I'm honestly designing as I go.
The nose was priority.
Getting that over where the wheel tubs will be was number one.
I've made sketches and have an idea of what the finished car will look like but one doesn't want to copy other cars out there.
Building the way I do is not for impatient people. The adhesive takes forever so you can only go so far.
Doug, as long as it doesn't turn out looking like the current batch!. :-D
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Doug, here's some more F1 for ya!. :-D :cheers:
The nose plug is as good as it will get fabrication wise.
Filler and some glass fabric should give me a good starting point.
It looks way better in the pics though. Its rough as a Polar Bear's behind but I know where I screwed up.
Other than the little stumble this morning. :-D :-D :-D
I tripped and put two nice holes in it.
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Other angles.
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I put the plug on the ground for a better look.
The tip needs to be radiused.
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I did some work on the engine cover/cowl in between the other work.
Its coming along and if I never see Styrofoam again it will be too soon. :-D
The shop floor is a mess but that's how I roll.
Saturday is clean up day.
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I tripped and put two nice holes in it.
Been chasing the rooster again?
Looks good! At first it reminded me of a model dinosaur kit with all the flat cross panels. I like the long taper to the canopy. Excited about seeing your ideas on the sides and tail of the body. :cheers:
Keep after it. Hey maybe you should get a hen for the rooster to keep him out of your stuff!
Geo
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Building the way I do is not for impatient people.
Patience and Perseverance. (I'm not the best with the first part, but dam hard headed about the second part).
Richard 2
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Mike:
Its taking shape, I cannot wait to watch how this converts to the real shell.
BR
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I just hope all of the above pan out.
This is a war of wills.
At present building the car is the easier part of my life.
You hear guys say they "worked" hard to get to Nirvana.
Imagine ducking snipers just to get to work every day. :evil:
I'm being bombarded over here on personal/private stuff but they won't win. :wink:
From day one you imagine what the car will look like and no amount of imagination, drawing or other medium will satisfy.
I've taped a few more sheets of foam in place along with the already bonded sections.
Now I know why they call them long cars. :-D
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More angles.
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Two more pics.
I need to get this out there. :-D :-D
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More of the foam buck.
I have a way to go but I'm happy with the rough outline.
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Mike,
Excellent progress. Wish I could be there to ride "shotgun". Tolerating Winter over here might not be so bad after-all. Snipers?
Doug :-o :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Really looking good!
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Stunning work.
Skip
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More of the foam buck.
I have a way to go but I'm happy with the rough outline.
Happy? I would be ecstatic if anything I made looked half as good.
Nice vision Mike. Impressive......
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Thanks guys.
You know I always appreciate the encouragement from all of you. :cheers:
Doug, I get sniped here at home. :evil:
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Schaeffler delivered the front wheel bearings last Friday. Limiting speed 11,900 RPM. We'll definitely test those to their limit. :-D
I'll be taking them to Geraldo so he can finish machining the hubs and stub axles.
Rear outer wheel rims (18 x 6) are on the way and I'm getting 8. I need 4 but it doesn't hurt to have extra.
15s are proving to be a little more difficult to source but stressing hasn't helped before so I'll be patient.
Body work is coming along and Epoxy resin is also on the way.
Pneumatic lifts are ready for delivery I'm told.
I'm not the only one with salt fever in the house.!!!! :-D :roll:
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Outstanding Mikey! Looking real good! :cheers: That thing has attitude to spare. Glad to see all the progress that you are making. Sometimes just waiting on parts so you can move forward is the worst part of a build. Keep on it brother! I can't wait to see this thing done.
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Thanks Joe.
You know the process all too well. :-D
Finding "Dead Presidents" is the key. :roll:
How cool would it be not to have to do other work and just concentrate on the fever?.
I always wanted a works ride now all I do is "work to ride". :cheers:
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You are better off finding "dead non-presidents" :-D :-o :cheers:
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Good one :-D.
I needed that.
Thanks man. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, as usual, all your work looks first class!
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Hey Buddy, I didn't know you were a Taurus as well?.
Happy belated birthday.
Thanks for the kind words. :cheers:
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That makes 3 of us Taurus's my birthday is Monday, the 19th, big 71!! $hit getting old sucks!
Rex
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Rex, damn sure beats the alternative...
Short Hijack
Happy Birthday all you Bulls and Bullsh....ers :roll:
OK Back to the Flyer... :cheers:
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Thanks Bob.
Buddy's crew is Bullish. Three of them.
Mine although not fully assembled has gone to five. :-D
I got a call yesterday from Kevin who was part time crew with me in 85 on my F2 car.
I haven't seen him in 20 odd years. He came over for a chat and he's now involved as well.
Five guys born in May!, No Bull. :roll:
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I've been going stir crazy stuck here at home.
The recluse thing works for a while but........
Going over to Guido to swing the knobs.
The lathe is a nice change from sanding. :evil:
One steering rack mod coming up.
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It was good to take a break and I got less done than I thought but things worked out OK.
10 years ago I bought a steering rack from the Ford dealership up the road.
New rack, never been on a car other than a trial fit on my other project.
I kept it stored inside the shop and in that time the boots perished like some cheap junk.
I'm using the rack on the long car now so I decided to narrow it.
I wanted to keep the mountings so I cut a chunk out of the middle.
It will only steer the car from one side via a bell crank so the rack also got the chop.
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After stripping the unit I headed off to Guido's to use the lathe.
The casting is a good one as far as porosity goes but after shortening it showed that the boring wasn't as straight as you'd expect.
After cleaning up my uneven saw cutting job on the ends I turned a 10" Aluminum sleeve to fit inside the casting.
We put the pieces on the press and lined the mounts up.
It went as expected and it's as solid as can be. The internals all line up great but the outside casting has a slight misalignment.
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I'll bolt the steering rack to a little jig I made and weld it Monday.
The rack itself got some longer internal threads on the left side and the rod end went in perfect.
So far so good. :cheers:
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Mike;
Which model Ford was that rack used on?
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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All looking good Mike. Playing catch up. I've been busy on Amy's camaro getting ready for july meet in Ohio and other less fun stuff. Leanering from you every time I read this. :cheers:
Frank
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Neil, its off a Ford Sapphire. They were built here and in England.
I'm a Ford fan but the way the boots deteriorated and how far off the casting to boring was left me wondering.
It must have been within tolerance I guess. :-D
Thanks Frank and fear not, I'm working to get the wheel discs done. You'll get them soon.
We're busy finding a shipping agent we can afford that is into export. :-D
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Thanks, Mike. I had never seen one that small & Compact.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Neil I shortened it by about 2 feet from original.
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Aha! That's why it looked so small! :roll:
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Neil, we can't just go down to the local speed shop/race store over here so we have to improvise but in saying that LSR is something else, no matter where you live.
I ordered a special board with a melamine surface I could use as a table top to mold stuff like flat honeycomb panels.
It was a big board and took up space so I decided to cut it into sections that would make it easier to use.
Yesterday I started on molding the panel that would become my radiator box.
It should be a large cross shaped piece that would get routed and bent into shape much like a cardboard box.
Clever me!!!! :evil:
I cut the board 5" smaller than I needed. What was going to be a two step operation turned into a mission.
Measure twice, cut once. :-D
A few images of the process.
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One of my "crew" members expressed the wish to be more involved in the liner project.
A lot of partnerships have been very successful in racing and a few come to mind.
Sox & Martin.
Gapp & Roush.
Poteet & Main.
Victor Moore is now my partner on the liner.
My rendition is very amateur and Photoshopped but this is what the long car should look like. :-D
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Not bad Mikey! At least you have a picture. All I've got is a vision running around in my brain like an elusive unicorn. If there's anyone can bring it into the realm of reality it has to be you!
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What's in my head doesn't transfer to 2D that well.
I know your pain but it's good.
You have to build the real article to see what it looks like. :-D
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In among the other work I did a little on the tail.
The best solution I could come up with was a NACA 0006 profile.
Its symmetrical and offers low drag.
The plan is to get the three profiles in position, fill in the blanks with foam and then sand that down until its flush with the profiles.
After that clad with Carbon fabric. That's the simple explanation but I have high hopes. :-D
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To get everything lined up I pushed all three profiles to the bottom against the mounting box.
I then got the leading and trailing edges to line up dead centre on the line I had scribed earlier.
Clamped it all together and drilled two 3mm holes through everything.
I set the base up in the vice and spaced the profiles as required using clothes pegs to stop them sliding.
I slid some 3mm stainless steel welding rod through all three profiles and into the mounting box.
Everything looked like it lined up nicely but I needed proof so I put the laser on it. Bingo!!!!
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When I was happy I spot welded the wire first to the base and then moved up after it had cooled and all the while tweaking the levels to make sure nothing had "moved".
I then cut the foam to size and bonded sections in starting at the 19mm post.
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The lower front got the same treatment.
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I kept adding layers on both sides until the foam was proud of the steel profiles.
I'll let the bottom cure and carry on with the next level tomorrow.
I've been waiting so long to do this part and I'm loving it.
Never having done one of these before it's an adventure and I can't wait to see how it turns out.
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The work I do has a lot of hurry up and wait to it so I'm jumping around between work, the vertical stabilizer and the radiator box.
No time for idle hands here.
This is a ride of note and I don't know what I'll do when the car is done. :-D
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Building a streamliner body for Salt Cat ll comes to mind if you get bored. You could come to Montana to take measurements or come to Speed Week.
Doug :wink: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Never having done one of these before it's an adventure and I can't wait to see how it turns out.
By what I'm seeing, I would never have guessed. Good job! :cheers:
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This is a ride of note and I don't know what I'll do when the car is done. :-D
[/quote]
That's Funny
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Richard, there will be no "live action" anymore once she's done.
I'll be bored stiff. :-D
Jumping around on the build as usual.
I got most of the radiator box done using the cut and fold method only thing is that there wasn't enough room on the table to make the panel in one piece. :oops:
I need to make one side and the lid to complete the part.
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The box parts were made using a product called Nida Core sandwiched between 4 layers of Carbon and glass fabric.
The resin used is a specially formulated blend I get for making custom gas tanks.
Any resin that is resistant to harsh chemicals has great thermal qualities.
This one can handle 250*C for 8 hours or 180* indefinitely.
Its ideal for hot water and the Carbon has better heat sink properties than Aluminum.
The resin comes with its own accelerator so someone with experience can tailor pot life.
This one is particularly fast curing so I retarded it a lot.
I vacuum bagged the first layer along with the core and when cured flipped it over and repeated the process.
The panels are 20mm in cross section.
I made up 4 of the 8 mounting plates to hold the radiator not noticing there are mounting points on both sides.
More mounts to do.
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I also have Aluminum fittings I need to bond in place but hopefully I'll get that done after I learn to weld Aluminum. :-D :-D
The sponsorship thing is one of "them deals" and I'm learning fast.
I sent out proposals for material/product support to numerous companies all along and took the first positive response and told the rest I was cared for.
It doesn't always work so now I only reply when I have the goods in hand.
Good thing because I got dumped by "promises" and second in line wasted no time in sorting me out. :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike;
Are you going to use a pump to circulate the box water through the radiator or depend on thermosyphon? If so, turning the radiator to a horizontal position will improve its thermosyphon efficiency. Nice material choice for the box!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks Neil.
I can't rotate the radiator due to packaging.
It's tight and getting worse.
Here's my old school tank for my Bobber using the same resin.
Its impervious to Acetone even.
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That tank is pristine.
FREUD
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Nice work, I dig the tank!
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Thanks guys.
I might have to sell the bike project here.
I need to ship a few packages to the US in the near future so I thought I'd find a shipping agent and drop the stuff off, pay and be done with it.
RED TAPE!!!
I've had to apply for an import/export permit.
The shipping agent did it all for me which simplified things.
After all that I managed to get some work done on the mountings for the radiator box.
Bushings to be bonded from the inside and mounting plates that I can weld onto the chassis.
Next is to fabricate a metal plate that will act as a base.
Beats itchin and bitchin. :wink:
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Mikey,
The workmanship on this build is a high level for me to strive for as a garage guy. Your use of composites is expanding my universe and now I think about material other than metal when building. Thanks, brother!
The body mockup looks great! :cheers: Glad to hear your team is increasing.
Geo
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He must be a magician.
Those fiber parts look just like metal.
Technical advances combined with unique skills are amazing.
FREUD
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I would have thought the carbon composite would be more of a heat barrier/insulator than a heat sink/dissipator compared to aluminum. Guess that must be some special stuff.
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Check this link.
http://marketplace.yet2.com/app/insight/techofweek/33192?sid=350
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Thanks for the link. Great info
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Glad I could help.
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Mikey,
The workmanship on this build is a high level for me to strive for as a garage guy. Your use of composites is expanding my universe and now I think about material other than metal when building. Thanks, brother!
The body mockup looks great! :cheers: Glad to hear your team is increasing.
Geo
Geoff, the liner is on hold as of Monday. I need to get stuff done for people on the other side of the ocean. Salt fever can wait. :evil:
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That sure is some special stuff!
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Salt fever can wait. :evil:
Blasphemy!!
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maybe, but you have to make a living to satisfy the itch. Unless you were born with a silver spoon.... :cheers:
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A man must do what he promised.
I have good people waiting for parts and I don't want to disappoint them. :cry:
One week won't be that bad I hope. :-D :-D
You see, over here in South Africa we have something called a "Ja Broer" and translated it means a "Yes Brother".
Someone who says yes he will, can but does squat!!!.
I deal with them daily and hate them.
Worse than thieves IMO.
I don't want their disease. :evil:
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Gotta pay the bills!
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A man is only as good as his word. A man's word is only as good as he is.
Remember when a handshake and a smiling look in the other guy's eye was enough? I try to be like that now - and so do lots of folks. Too bad not all of them do so.
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Jon, you're so right on that one.
I can't go into detail but this thing is serious.
Someone turned my dream into a nightmare and I don't have an answer. :x
I did some work over the weekend and true to my word the long car hasn't had any attention since then.
Radiator mountings x 4 bonded and bolted.
The loose threads on the right side in the second pic are Peel Ply and it will be removed once I do the bonding.
I've still got to fabricate one side and a lid for the box.
Next weekend hopefully.
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Builders who do all of their work with metal envy your skill.
The metal is fine but everyone wanna be able to do something new.
Then they compare the time for the learning curve to the time they
can do the job the old way and they stay with the old.
It seems to me that the preferred way to learn the new method is
to get a job that teaches you. Kinda gettin' paid to learn and then
run home and apply the new skill.
One thing about salt cars is that composite isn't really needed. Weight is.
FREUD
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Nothing to do with my project but amusing all the same.
I hear lots of chatter, wrenching, cussing and grinding coming from the next door neighbor's yard last weekend but its not my business so I don't investigate. :-D
Today his dogs are going nuts so I take a peek over the wall. :evil:
Oh, so that's what he was doing!!!!! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
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About a week ago a piece of steel fell off a peg on the wall and KO'd me :-D.
Rookie mistake maybe!.
I had a piece of threaded rod between the tool chest and the wall I needed so like I've done many times before I got on my knees to reach in and retrieve it.
My only obstacle was an old fishing rod that was in the way.
I woke up with three Jack Russells running all over me, I was covered in the red stuff and my head hurt like crazy.
I know that it was the steel square that did me in because it was on the floor next to me. :evil:
Spent a day in the hospital getting stitched up and observed.
Now I can move pencils by just commanding them. :-o
All good now and back to work.
Thanks Buickguy3 :cheers: :cheers:
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Wow, the liner is exhibiting free will. It’s jealous you’re taking time out, so be extra careful.
Glad to hear your OK. :lol:
Skip Pipes
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Sage advice there Skip. :wink:
I'll have to check that out.
Thanks Skip, I'm OK. :cheers:
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When I was building the shop I had 2X4 jump off of a wall where I put it while I was knocking in a few nails... didn't knock me out, but left a mark :roll: that didn't buff out.
I told folks I learned to do what Linda asked...
it was easier than admitting being a little dumb :cheers:
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Bob, lately I've been damaging myself daily but its my fault.
Too much clutter in the shop but this will change over the weekend.
I've sold the truck project so the lack of space problem should be a thing of the past.
That peg (concrete nail) was supposed to be for hanging a steel ruler. :oops:
When I do the wrong thing here I get told "you think you're smart?, you'll have to sleep sometime pal!"
This is the same woman who poured 40 Volume Peroxide into the wound when the dog ate my arm. :-D :-D :-D
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Guys, the Speed Demon has this wheel system they use to move the car.
Their's mounts aft of the wheels.
Anything wrong with a system running ahead of the wheels?.
I don't have space out back but have a great bulk head to weld the collars to in front.
Any advice will be appreciated.
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Mikey, my guess is it is easier with the tow wheels outside the wheelbase when it is time to put it on the ground, not much room under there
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Thanks Bob.
I picked up my radiator box pipes from Duncan who did a great job welding them.
I cut the pipes to length and turned the collars as well as belling one end of the 38mm tube to fit the 45mm in a stepless, seamless fashion.
The radiator has equal size inlets but the outlet on the water pump is 45mmOD.
Duncan did one pass and incorporated the collar and the two tubes for a super neat finish.
I did grind a radius into the collar so that the joint was all neat and level with the surface.
Small parts but like everything else on LSR projects they take time.
Next step is to finish the box and bond in the tubes.
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I did do a little more work on the radiator box this past weekend and it was a real peaks and valleys deal.
Normally resin is delivered pre accelerated but the high temp one I use is not. The accelerator needs to be added to the user's preference.
It's a good thing because if one used the pack supplied in full the resin cures before you're done laminating.
I opened the can and the resin looked purple (accelerator is that color) so I thought maybe the manufacturer had already added the accelerator and supplied a separate container by mistake.
I went ahead and used a bunch of Carbon and honeycomb to make two panels.
The resin never cured. The missus calls me a color blind idiot when we checked the material in GOOD light. It wasn't purple. :oops:
Twice in 15 years ain't so bad and this was the lesser of the two.
The other one was a Trans Am Mustang front end. After hours of work the hardener was still sitting on the table. :-D
Used the hole saw to punch two holes through the radiator box for the tubes.
Laid some masking tape around the openings and roughed the area to get a good mechanical bond.
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Next was mixing the adhesive and clamping the two pipes in place.
The masking tape will come off once everything is cured.
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The side panel (#2) fully cured was trimmed Sunday night and bonded in.
The lid nets cutting to shape and there are more mountings yet to go in so there is still a lot to do on what I thought was a quickie project.
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Ha! Had to look twice at that second pic with the clamps there Mike!
Thought the clamps were hanging there doing not much, then realised you have tubes over the internal outlets!
Nice job, I like your composite alternative construction methods!
Keep it going! :cheers:
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Cobalt napthanate is often used to accelerate the curing of polyester and vinyl ester resins.
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The cobalt is the bit that was missing and the resin won't do a thing without it. :oops:
I'm having a good time doing this part.
I appreciate all the input and motivation.
Mike. :cheers:
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This radiator box project is way bigger than I previously thought.
It needs to be done right and look good at the same time.
In my F2 days I never had a budget even close to the opposition so my time was spent cleaning, polishing and making sure everything stayed attached.
I was up against teams with 6 crew members.
Before I started doing my own prep work my volunteer buddies had lots of finger trouble and we went 11 races without a finish.
Mine are the only hands that have touched the liner aside from putting it on the floor for photos.
No conflicts here, I know where stuff fits and how.
Old habits die hard and I even sanded and polished the brackets that fit inside the radiator box. No one will ever see them. :roll:
All eight were fitted and refitted over and over to make sure not one part was stressed in any way.
The rest of the guys I know spent the weekend watching sport on TV.
I still have the mounting bungs to install and a few other pieces but she's looking like I imagined.
Delta Rubber, a local gasket and seal company is making me a seal for the lid.
I was going to do a complicated rubber 'O' ring deal where the 6mm rubber was going to be recessed into both the box and lid.
Too much work. A simple system will do fine.
Pics from the weekend. I have to remount the radiator pipes. The Gorilla snot I used never cured for a lack of Cobalt. :-D
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One more for the artsy members. :-D
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Very nice work :cheers:
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Great craftsmanship, Mike. No more DNFs!.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Gentlemen, I thank you.
If she's not as fast as we hope we still would like to win a car show or ten!. :-D
I've had many loves in my life but this girl is the ONE. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Looking good Mikey! The stuff you do blows me away brother! Glad to see you are making good progress.
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Gentlemen, I thank you.
I've had many loves in my life but this girl is the ONE. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Amen to that brother, Amen :cheers:
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Cars are not my strong point so I do not know much about what I see, but it sure looks like creative thinking and good workmanship.
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Thanks guys.
This is all the motivation one needs. :cheers: :cheers:
It's winter here now and cold by my standards. I used to call it "Hockey Season" but these days not so much.
The airport about 12 miles away was closed due to ice on the runway. I had -4*C on my pyrometer the other day.
Working with resins becomes interesting and normally we switch to fast hardeners. With all that the temperature is up to T shirt territory by 10AM so you do the work a little later.
We have these rolling black outs here that some idiot from the electricity company calls "load shedding". What a muppet!!!!
The compressor was full yesterday so I had something I could do while the lights were out.
Using the dremel tool I cut the honeycomb between the panel skins in order to fill the void with resin based filler.
This will give a nice even surface for the lid to seal on.
I got the box perfectly level on the work table and waited for the electricity to come back on.
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When I worked at Adam Aircraft we used Hysol epoxy products for filling and bonding. You can find good deals on out of date products that can not be use on aircraft but are still good for everything else.
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Two hours later I had the chance to fire up the scale and weigh some resin. :-D
We take electricity for granted until we don't have it.
I poured the mix into the cavity I'd created and waited for it to settle.
The resin needs a filler to ward off exotherm. Plain resin in any thickness over a 1/4" will really generate serious heat so I fill using a concoction of micro balloons and cotton flocks.
Stirring the mix and checking how it runs off the spatula is a good indication of whether more filler is needed.
When it runs slow enough for my liking it's time to pour.
It looked good so I left it to cure and went to the classic car club with Guido.
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Very nice :cheers:
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We have these rolling black outs here that some idiot from the electricity company calls "load shedding". What a muppet!!!!
Ah the joys of systems that look out for "our" well being. :cry:
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Sparky, a few years back it was really bad and we lost a lot in earnings.
This was a long weekend here so I did manage to get quite a bit done on the car.
This radiator box is a never ending saga. :roll:
I keep finding more to do.
I needed a good way to attach the lid and at first I was going to bond and rivet angle brackets (14) to the inside wall.
That entailed a bunch of rivets, rivnuts and getting every one of them lined up exactly.
I was looking at the Aluminum rivnuts and they have a built in washer with raised areas all round the circumference for grip (I guess).
It came to me that if I inverted the rivnuts and bonded them into the walls of the box they'd be perfectly anchored.
I marked the lid carefully, drilled 14 x 1/4" holes through it and placed it accurately on the box. Then I taped it in position and drilled all the pilot holes.
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Once that was done I opened the holes on the box so that all the rivnuts would fit without interference and had some wiggle room.
I coated all the 8mm bolts with release agent and snugged the inverted rivnuts up tight.
Next was to mix some Epoxy filler and pour a decent amount into all the cavities ensuring it didn't come pouring out when I installed the lid.
Guess work for sure and I know I'll have to top up most of them after cure.
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It's lonely working the way I do but I had a visitor here this weekend. :-D
Ryan MacRitchie is family and he needed some work done on his new bike so when he asked I was eager to help.
He wanted to know what I'd charge to fit a Titanium canister to the Yamaha so I said he could just pay for Argon.
I ran out of gas and the finances are non existent at present. He said cool, paid Guido and we had gas. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I made two collars to join the Ti canister to the branch and had to weld a short section in where we cut the "cat" away.
One custom hanger bracket later we had the best sounding triple I've ever heard. In fact it is the best sounding bike I've heard.
He saved two grand, I have gas and it was cool to have the youngster here. We had a few laughs when getting the bike up on the bench.
I've watched too many "fails" on Youtube. :-D :-D :-D
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I never rode the bike but tried it on for size.
It's pretty small for what it is but the sound that it makes now is awesome.
Ryan saved about 10lbs to boot.
My monthly shave and shower are due today. :-D
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Deon and Markus from Festo delivered the pneumatic rams for the car yesterday. :cheers:
Just another piece in the puzzle.
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Wow! How do you get that kind of service? They donate lots of goodies, then hand deliver them. Pretty cool.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Yes Doug, I get lucky sometimes. :-D:cheers:
These are cool dudes and their service is excellent.
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That is looking great Mike. Tell me more of this "making money from welding" that you speak of.............. :cheers:JB
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Hey Jerry, no making money on the welding job. :-D
Just helped the youngster make some sweet sound. :cheers:
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The radiator box reverse rivnut lid mounting thing worked. :cheers:
I've got 14 embedded in the walls of the box and did a test fit with the lid.
All the holes lined up perfectly. Next step is to bond bushings in the lid.
I should have the Silicon gasket from Ken Smith at Delta Rubber this week.
They are also looking at the vibration dampers for the front end so hopefully I'll have a solution to the problem pretty soon.
Thanks Ken and Delta Rubber. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Testing out a satellite phone so I gave Mikey a call :cheers:
I wanted to hear what SA hot rodders sounded like and if I could understand them when they talked! Well I am pleased to inform the group Mike is alive and well, he can be understood when talking, his wife sounds much better than he does!
We did not get much time as the satellite went behind the building and I lost contact. Still it was fun and great to put a voice with the picture!
Now, back to text on the forum.
Geo
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I bet she sounded better looking also :roll:
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Hey Geoff, that was cool. Good to talk to you man.
Zina never quite understood and has already prepared the two spare rooms for you guys.
What time will you be here?. :-D :-D :-D
Sparky, she's better than me all round. I live like a king. I got lucky but she still won't marry me.
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Road trip today.
Swung by Delta Rubber in Eastleigh, met Ken Smith who is a really nice man and picked up decals, the Silicon gasket for the radiator box and sew on patches for the crew uniforms.
After that we went to Aquajet Profiles to collect all the brackets they'd cut for the car. Thanks Preeshan, the work is 100%.
3 hours on the road in total but well worth it.
I'm blessed to have such good people on board. :cheers: :cheers:
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I got lucky but she still won't marry me.
Well, her judgment is a little bit suspect then :evil:
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I think she's right. :-D
I'm not responsible and get involved in too many crazy projects.
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she's better than me all round. I live like a king. I got lucky but she still won't marry me.
Mike, have one just like that too... I figure one of these days she will change her mind... it's only been 24 years or so :roll:
:cheers:
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Bob, the last idiot hurt her big time so she's not looking for a repeat.
23 years together and she says it's only paper we don't need. :-D
She's behind me 100% so what more do I need?.
Rolls of Carbon on the dining room table, she covers them in plastic.
If I'm hungry I wait five minutes. :cheers:
You know exactly what I'm on about.
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Barb and I have been together 39 years [no paper].
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Big day today Doug.
That GPS speedo got me thinking so I checked out a few websites locally.
I found the normal GPS stuff but then this one was a lot different.
I sent out 5 emails as usual and two came back. One is a system used on the Dakar Rally and the other is way more sophisticated.
In short my crew could be monitoring speed, temperatures, pressures etc from the pits. It's a tracking system but with a few extras.
The guys from the company are coming around to look at the car today.
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This I want to know about!
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This I want to know about!
http://website.gpsts.co.za/GPSTS/website.gpsts.co.za/
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The guys were around to discuss the GPS system and asked a lot of questions I couldn't answer.
It all boiled down to real time or how fast I wanted the info displayed.
Maybe someone here could offer some insight?.
The speed is covered but other things like pressures and temps are the issue.
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Mike,
Are you talking about real time back to the pit/crew or the cockpit display? I'm also going to assume the faster the data gets displayed the higher the cost.
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Johan from SafeQuip was here today with the fire suppression systems.
There are two for the cockpit and up front.
The main one for the rear of the car that will cover the motor and fuel tank is a special system developed in Europe.
It's fully automated and apart from mounting it the experts will plumb the lines and do the wiring.
We found a perfect spot for it and it has built in mounts which I think is a win.
It's a really heavy setup with a price tag to with it.
I also got 4 empty bottles that I can get filled with Nitrogen for the pneumatic jacks and chute release. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Good day all round.
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More pics.
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Last one.
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Johan from SafeQuip was here today with the fire suppression systems.
There are two for the cockpit and up front.
The main one for the rear of the car that will cover the motor and fuel tank is a special system developed in Europe.
It's fully automated and apart from mounting it the experts will plumb the lines and do the wiring.
We found a perfect spot for it and it has built in mounts which I think is a win.
It's a really heavy setup with a price tag to with it.
I also got 4 empty bottles that I can get filled with Nitrogen for the pneumatic jacks and chute release. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Good day all round.
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Sorry about the above, I hit post before I types the reply. Mike, if the FireTec is a sponsorship deal see if they will give a couple of spare charged fire bottles to take with you. Whether you are on Gardner or Bonneville a minor fire with an auto system could discharge and end your racing week for lack of a spare. David Freiburger, Hot Rod Magazine, sadi it best, "Bonneville is like racing on the moon"! Very true when it comes to spares.
Project is looking good.
BR
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Mike,
Are you talking about real time back to the pit/crew or the cockpit display? I'm also going to assume the faster the data gets displayed the higher the cost.
There's no cost involved. That's for their account.
I assume it will be to the crew. The thing that came up was that by the time I saw a problem in the cockpit it might be too late but we (you) all know that already.
I'm a greenhorn when it comes to this stuff.
The guy that owns the company is a gear head and has a collection. He drove "street class" drag cars here and ran in the 10s. Pretty good for our altitude. 6000ft.
I was offered work as well. Carbon parts for his Porsche 99 something. He was here in a Nissan GTR so I asked how it ran. He said it was a Nissan and ran like one. :-D
He used language not suitable for our family oriented forum but said the gearbox was noisy, the brakes faded badly and the 11 coats of clear was BS. His cats wrecked the hood.
The deal is that they'll be back when the car is wired for sound but its looking good for now.
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Sorry about the above, I hit post before I types the reply. Mike, if the FireTec is a sponsorship deal see if they will give a couple of spare charged fire bottles to take with you. Whether you are on Gardner or Bonneville a minor fire with an auto system could discharge and end your racing week for lack of a spare. David Freiburger, Hot Rod Magazine, sadi it best, "Bonneville is like racing on the moon"! Very true when it comes to spares.
Project is looking good.
BR
Thanks Bill, I'll do that. You're right. To think I knew guys that had "fire" bottles in their cars that were actually for the nitrous system.
These guys are salt of the earth and behind me 100%. They'll give me good backup. I promise you I won't leave home without those extra charged bottles. :wink:
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Mike
What are the pressure rating the empties? If they are not high pressure bottles, you might need high pressure vessels with regulators on them to give you enough air.
Ron
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Ron, the Festo guys said I needed 6Bar bottles to be safe.
SafeQuip brought me 10Bar empties. Johan is going to get me valves for them as well.
I'm thinking of painting the non fire bottles green because they'll be filled with Nitrogen and I want to avoid confusion.
I live in a country where the odd "oops" is not uncommon. :-D
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Mike
Always good to color code for the attention deprived.
Bottom line, we do everything we can to idiot proof stuff but we always underestimate the idiots!
BR
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Mike,
Bottom line, we do everything we can to idiot proof stuff but we always underestimate the idiots!
BR
The old Id 10 t syndrome :-D
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Mike, data recording is probably more important than real time display. The mind cannot usefully comprehend and analyze a lot of data input during vehicle operation. It is the stuff you pull up from the laptop after the run that does the most good.
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An old departed pilot friend of mine used to tell me: "You can make something fool-proof, but you can't make it dam#ed fool-proof".
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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After four months of fighting I now have a working steering system.
I still need to fabricate a few parts but it works. :-D
I tried a steering box, that never worked. Then I narrowed a rack, that definitely didn't work.
I tried to buy material for the system but as usual there's a strike on. Metal Workers Union!!!!.
People just hate having jobs here. Nobody wants to graft but they all want money. :evil:
Pics on the weekend.
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Over in the tech area we were discussing fibreglass body work.
I had a problem here with a composites problem but in truth the trouble saved me from an even bigger disaster.
I've been putting off making the nose for the car for one reason or another over the last month.
It's going to take yards and yards of Carbon along with honeycomb, glass fabric and Epoxy.
Huge cost involved.
My buddy Patrick is an RC plane guy and needed a few holes plugged on a plane he modified.
I owed him a favour so it was no problem to rebuild the cowling for him.
I did the 10 minute job and set the part down to cure.
It never did.
Four days later, still not cured and I was really worried.
The short story is that my 10 year old electronic scale went out of calibration and the Epoxy mix was all wrong!!!!.
The $2 repair that didn't cure saved me from a $2000 heart breaker.
What do you use to remove uncured Epoxy from a Styrene buck?????? :roll:
The great news is that Gerard Pye from Richter Scales is supplying a classy scale in return for exposure on the car.
It's all good and the miracles just keep on coming!!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Dodged an expensive bullet there Mike! :lol:
Can you elaborate on the steering solution? Rods, Bell cranks? levers? Sounds intriguing
Richter Scales! Great name for a company!! :-D
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Thanks Graham, yes someone was watching over me on that one.
I should take a trip to the horse track. :-D.
I used bell cranks, shafts, some bearing blocks and rod ends to get where I am.
I used a vice grip as a steering wheel. I can't get the 1" tubing I need due to the strike.
The system works fine it seems and hopefully I'll have pics for you by weekend.
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I used a vice grip as a steering wheel. I can't get the 1" tubing I need due to the strike.
The system works fine it seems and hopefully I'll have pics for you by weekend.
Mike, you should use 2 vice grips, it is safer to have both hands on the steering :-D :-D
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"What do you use to remove uncured Epoxy from a Styrene buck"
Isopropyl alcohol has worked for me. Don't ask me why I know... Bad memories :roll:
As always test a small section first.
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I used a vice grip as a steering wheel. I can't get the 1" tubing I need due to the strike.
The system works fine it seems and hopefully I'll have pics for you by weekend.
Mike, you should use 2 vice grips, it is safer to have both hands on the steering :-D :-D
That has happened here before. Cops saw this mini bus taxi weaving on the road so they pulled him over. Vice grip on the steering shaft. :roll:
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Josh, the Polystyrene I use isn't the high density type.
I would have had to start over I think.
Hopefully that won't be happening now.
Richter Scale handed over the new scale today.
It's way better than the old one, has a splash cover over it and a larger weigh plate.
It can handle 30Kg which is overkill.
A scale is the key to what I do and I'm grateful for it.
Time to play catch up on all things composite. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike;
"Richter Scale"....isn't that used to measure earthquakes? :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Well, Neil -- yes and no. While Gustav Richter (of maybe it was Luigi Richter or Ban Ky Richter) came up with the idea of a logarithmic scale for describing the intensity of earthquake - so the scale was named after him (maybe it was Abdul Richter or perhaps Svatiaslov Richter (no, he was a music conductor, I think). But in the past few decades the word "Ricther" has been dropped from the scale. Nowadays when you hear the announcer talking about an earthquake he/she'll say the earthquake was measured with and intensity of so-and-such. The numbers are the same -- just the name has been changed (to protect the innocent, no doubt :evil:).
Maybe it was Leslie Richter or maybe Portia Richter. I don't know for sure. :? But it's no longer the Richter scale -- I do know that.
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Jon;
The word "degrees" has also been dropped from "degrees Celsius" but I still say "degrees Celsius". Whether it's Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin, or Rankine, it is still a scale of degrees. Whoever decides these things can call it whatever they want but as far as I'm concerned it's still Richter Scale and degrees Celsius.
When you get to be a geezer like me you get to grouse about things like this! :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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HEAR, HEAR!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
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That's it, Neal, Give him the "third degree".
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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PETER JACK........respect Neal's knowledge as well as his age.
G'Pa FREUD
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Richter is a pretty common surname here and maybe it's just a play on words but there are going to be quakes when I start mixing "Da Juice". :-D :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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PETER JACK........respect Neal's knowledge as well as his age.
G'Pa FREUD
I was just agreeing with him, honest Pa!!! :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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Pete, Freud is my adopted Pa. :cheers:
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Okay, you can call it what you will. But I looked further, and, just like the fact that Centigrade and Celsius are often used interchangeably - but are not identical - here's what got me to call you on the change from "Richter Scale" to magnitude. This is from Wikipedia.
The Richter scale was defined in 1935 for particular circumstances and instruments; the instrument used would became saturated by strong earthquakes and unable to record high values. The scale was replaced by the moment magnitude scale (MMS); for earthquakes adequately measured by the Richter scale, numerical values are approximately the same. Although values measured for earthquakes now are actually M_w (MMS), they are frequently reported as Richter values, even for earthquakes of magnitude over 8, where the Richter scale becomes meaningless. Anything above 5 is classified as a risk by the USGS.
I'll make the guess that since Richter becomes meaningless over 8 - a dang big earthquake - the name has been generally dropped from usage. To many folks it's still the word to use for 'quake magnitude, though.
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"Richt, Richter, Richtest" :evil:
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Hey Mike, how about an update to get us back on track here? :cheers:
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Dan, I take a few pics later and post them for you tonight. :cheers:
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Mike, a laboratory supply house can sell you a weight of a known value so you can easily see if your scale is reading correctly.
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I now have three scales.
It turns out it isn't the scale that's a problem.
The hardener I was sold was no good.
I was about to start a big job on a Black Series Mercedes so I mixed a test batch of the resin just to make sure it was OK before I threw even more material away.
It never cured the way it's supposed to.
It's weird, it cures at room temperature but as soon as it goes out in the sun and the temperature goes up it reverts to liquid. This is a first.
I'll be meeting with my supplier later. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
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The radiator box is just about finished.
Studs installed and locked.
Drilled out the lid for locator bushings.
I assembled the parts to check for fit and it's all good.
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I used boat parts for lids.
They are easy to fit, look good and seal well.
I modified the smaller one on the left by cutting out most of the threads and sealing it with a bead of some fancy silicon
Guido gave me. It will act as a burst panel if the need arises.
The lid needs trimming and filling, hoses need to go in and final mounting bushings have to be bonded,
Then I'll coat it with clear to give it that factory look.
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My drinks bottle.
20 liters of whatever I feel like!.
I made this one years back for the truck project and was going to be the water injection
system.
I found a great spot where it will attach to the driver's cell up front and left.
Got a window washer pump off a Nissan 350Z that will work at the touch of a button.
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Mike:
Really nice work. The burst panel is a good idea. I guess it would be possible to blow a head gasket, crack the radiator and pump that box full of pressure. Never thought of that.
BR
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I made this part using Kevlar and glass.
The resin is the same one I use for the custom gas tanks.
Impervious to Alcohol based fuels so my "Shine" mixture won't affect it. :-D
It's baffled on the inside and I need to find a lid now. Not easy as I can't remember
what thread we turned originally.
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Mike:
Really nice work. The burst panel is a good idea. I guess it would be possible to blow a head gasket, crack the radiator and pump that box full of pressure. Never thought of that.
BR
Thanks Bill. The burst panel idea came from members here. I also never gave it a thought. Thanks guys. :cheers:
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Be careful, Mike. The car might be too good to race if this keeps up.
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He he he, that's the idea Bo. :-D
On the forum all I get is inspiration and motivation and I have said this so many times by now but it's true.
Here in SA the doubters rule. What a bunch of negative, small minded people.
Comments get back to me via the grapevine and I have a laugh.
If you have big money you're believable, if not you're a nobody.
It's like people here want to drag you down to their low level.
Locally, I try keep the project a secret but when you get sponsorship it gets out a little at a time.
Unavoidable but if you want to race you have to do whatever it takes.
I'm prepared to do that.
I started out with nothing and I've still got most of it left. :-D
This car will run and will do what it needs to.
I have so many components to fit right now, I won't be complaining about being short of material for a long time.
I went out to buy some Anderson plugs yesterday. The ad on the website had photos, tech info and prices. 150 amp=$10. 75 amp=$5.
The cool red ones were 75 amp but postage stamp size. The 150s were right but there was only one part of the two needed. I always thought they came in a set?.
$20 but I was in no mood to argue. I only drove 3 miles and they had stock.
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I just bought "just one" Warner off E bay--- turns out it was a Warner "knock off" but it works and fits
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Hublot makes a Carbon Fiber watch that costs a gazillion bucks.
They tried knocking that off and I'm happy to report that they failed totally. 8-)
Here are the pics I promised of the steering system I built.
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The bolts aren't the right length and some parts need final welding etc.
I can't get the material I need for the steering shafts due to the strike.
There's metal workers union thing going on and the strikers are armed and angry.
And you guys wrote books about the Wild West?. :-D :-D :-D
No bolts, no steering shaft material, no painting at the auto body shop, no powder coating, no Aluminum plate and best of all NO WORKING.
My resin supplier is looking into why his resin wouldn't cure so it's all great here right now. :evil:
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Lost another buddy today.
Lou, 2000-2014.
Naughtiest Jack in Africa.
All the birds, lizards, snakes rats and mice are partying right now.
Cheers girl. :cheers:
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Tough to lose a friend like that , especially after a long relationship.
Doug :-( :cheers: :cheers:
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Sorry to hear that Mike. I lost Tok, my Alaskan Malamute that I had for eleven years, at the beginning of May. It leaves a huge hole in your life.
Pete
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Sorry for your loss Mike. I know how it feels all too well. I can't think of living my life without them though.
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Sorry to hear that, Mike. Dogs are wonderful, faithful companions but some are really special. RIP, Lou. :cry:
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Sorry to hear that Mike. I lost Tok, my Alaskan Malamute that I had for eleven years, at the beginning of May. It leaves a huge hole in your life.
Pete
Hey Pete, I'm sorry man. I know how you felt about Tok. I've still got four great little friends here so I'm OK.
I feel for you.
Thanks for the kind words guys, we'll be alright.
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I've got resin. They gave me 10lt to work with while they test the other batch.
I can get on with the Jag dash now.
Krause & Naimer have supplied e stop switches for the car.
I'm no electrician so I put myself in the hands of the experts.
Mike Banks asked what I wanted and what cables I would be using.
He came up with what you see. The cut off switches are push type and the main not pictured will cut the system via the signal from either cut off.
The main in photo was used as a template for drilling.
I still have the standard race type cut off for the battery etc and when it comes time to wire the car I suppose it will be incorporated as well.
The red switches will be mounted both fore and aft with "push to kill" decals I'm having made.
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Not being able to carry on with the day job recently gave me a chance to do some work on the long car.
I fitted the main cut off switch as well as the digital temperature gauge we'll be using to monitor wheel bearings.
The main switch was pretty simple. I drilled five holes.
The digital gauge needed a square opening 45,5mm in size.
My head wasn't on straight due to the loss of the dog and being a little lazy I left the carbon tub in the chassis.
I made a template from masking tape and just went for it.
I first drilled through the Carbon honeycomb with a 1" hole saw to get a starting point and then used the reciprocating saw.
You can't get in from the front side of the bulkhead and going from the driver's side isn't much better but I persevered.
For once being lazy paid off. A couple of passes with a file sealed the deal.
For the first time ever I can say it's perfect. Normally you use the square, the laser and hours of checking and rechecking.
I eyeballed the thing not really caring and it worked out.
I keep getting lucky on this project. I think we love each other. :-D
My phone rang off the hook yesterday with everyone from friends to sponsors calling to tell me the "guy" from the Bloodhound car was on the radio being interviewed.
I got messages like "sorry about these guys coming here with a big buck car to destroy your dream" to "tune into 702, you need to hear the opposition". :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
702 is the radio version of Contrived News Network and I wouldn't tune in if they were handing out money.
Kate, my composites mentor was most concerned of all but I allayed her fears telling her that I was a wannabee hot rodder and Bloodhound was indeed a land based version of Star Wars.
Nothing in common on any level.
Bloodhound got its name from a British guided missile out of the 50s or 60s. The only things guiding me are the salty voices inside my head. :-D
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Mike;
FYI, the aero work on the Bloodhound missile was done by Ron Ayres, the same fellow responsible for the aero of the JCB diesel streamliner. I had a nice talk with him when JCB was at Bonneville a few years ago. A very nice fellow.
BTW, I shipped the pins to you yesterday; sorry for the delay.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike:
Listen to the voices in your head. Sometimes it is best not to know what your are attempting to do is not possible. That's how you end up doing it. :)
Second. the salt or dry lake is the great equalizer. Money is not always the answer, good design, hard work, lady luck AND the nerve to drive what you created can be all you need to set the record you are after. There are plenty of big money projects that are not in the record books.
Always learn something from your build diary.
Thanks,
BR
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Wiser words haven't been spoken. We're at the track in Ohio, only spent about 1800 on the car this year but expect to gain around 25 mph to get Amy to about 165. We do on the super cheap, lots of learning from the wise ones. Endeavor to persevere.
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Neil, thanks so much. :cheers:
Bill, your advice is always great and I do listen believe me.
Frank, thanks man and I do need to apologize on not having finished the wheel discs.
I'm busy on the project along with the Jag dash for Geo and I will get there.
The day job is suffering due to the build. I'm trying my best to just walk past it and get down to doing what pays the bills and finishing what I promised to.
I've always viewed people who have addictions as being a little weak. Not so much anymore.
"Salt Fever" isn't as funny as I thought. We don't even have real salt here and I'm this bad????.
Getting hurt in the shop has become a regular thing. Check the before and after pics. I got nailed on the eyebrow. Cut me to the bone. It's plastic, not that sharp or at eye level.
1/2" lower and I'd be in world of trouble.
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In re: The JCB diesel. One evening Scott Guthrie, Nancy and I were waiting in line to go into the steakhouse at the Rainbow.. Also in line were a few of the folks from the JCB, and they were discussing the issues they were having getting the dual engines to be close to one another - keeping the boost in the same neighborhood. Scott mentioned a this and a that to them -- and sure enough, the next day they had changed the intake system per his general suggestion - and things worked much better for them.
Lesson: Even the "big money" guys have stuff that didn't get worked out at the shop or on the dyno.
Last thing about JCB -- wasn't the push tractor cool? I wish I had photos of that so the rest of you folks could see what we're talking about. :-D
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Last thing about JCB -- wasn't the push tractor cool? I wish I had photos of that so the rest of you folks could see what we're talking about. :-D
Jon.....Just found this.
(http://image.hotrod.com/f/incoming/9354728/113_0701_13_z%2bbonneville_speed_week_2006%2bjcb.jpg)
I also remember seeing many other pics years back when they were on the salt.
Gregg
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Last thing about JCB -- wasn't the push tractor cool? I wish I had photos of that so the rest of you folks could see what we're talking about. :-D
Jon.....Just found this.
(http://image.hotrod.com/f/incoming/9354728/113_0701_13_z%2bbonneville_speed_week_2006%2bjcb.jpg)
I also remember seeing many other pics years back when they were on the salt.
Sweet. That push tractor would be just the ticket after a monsoon. No issues getting around the campsite at the bend in the road!
Gregg
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Yep. That Push Tractor was cool. I remember someone had to have a talk to them about running that thing about 70-75 back down the Return Road....(!!!)...
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Jon;
The JCB Fastrac was a really awesome push vehicle. I talked to its driver, Colin Bond, about it and he said they had replaced the R & P in the rear end with a 1:1 gearset. He also said that they were told by JCB not to find out how fast it would go. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks, Greg. I wore my SpeedWeek t-shirt with the JCB car on it just the other day - and that reminded me of the tractor. One of these days I'll start a topic for photos of the coolest push vehicles. This tractor, the drag racing semi tractor that pushed Carl Heap's Phoenix, the Burkland car pushed by Gene and his grandson (not all that cool a vehicle, but what a kick for the young lad!), and the Turbinator getting pushed off by an ATV. What else was there? Lotsa stuff, for sure. If you've got photos - let's start a separate topic.
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I'm a long ways off securing a push vehicle but that was some cool info.
Thanks guys.
No end in sight on the metal workers strike over here so everything is really slow.
I'm waiting for resin and glass fabric for both liner and work projects but managed to do more shaping and filling.
I'll only be laying up glass above the red line. The area below will be made from honeycomb sandwich panels and bonded to the top when the time comes.
No molds on this body project. Sanding and filling beats making one off molds hands down on cost and time.
I have a melamine board on the big table that I'll use as a mold for the flat panels.
Vacuum bag tacky tape adheres to it really well, it gives a great finish and any excess cured resin is easily removed with a paint scraper.
I'll get the right hand side done first and after using the laser to mark all the horizontal and vertical lines move to the left with my trusty plastic Eastwood profile gauge.
I paid 800 bucks for it in 98 and even back then I thought it was way overpriced but it was actually $80 in your money.
It was probably my best investment. I'd be nowhere without it.
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The pics aren't great and the grey areas are a filler made from Epoxy (past use by date) resin, microballoons, cotton flocks and a drop of black pigment.
The pigment allows for visibility. Normally this mix would be white and on Polystyrene not so visible.
When cured it sands very easily but care needs to be taken when transitioning between the hard and softer surfaces.
The palm sander with a 150 disc works for me.
The styrene sheet is the same thickness as a finished honey comb panel so it was a matter of keeping the foam against the chassis while shaping above the red line.
If all things work as planned the finished body should fit nicely.
The body profile changes about halfway along the cockpit area towards the joint where the rear part of the nose box will fit and that's where I used most filler.
Big job but I'm stuck with it and can't go back.
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My friend Ashley actually left SA when he was 12 and grew up in Roswell, New Mexico.
His father took them where he could find work.
Ash's skills as an artist became apparent while living there.
He's been back here a long time and never came back with an accent like an MX rider I know that was in Ca for a month. :-D
Ashley is one of the best airbrush artists out there but can't be trusted on following a drawing. The last time he painted the Simpson it came back perfectly done
but with a different design. :evil:
I wanted to go back to the original so to stop his "creativity" we decided to collaborate. He did the prep, base coat and first clear coat.
I'll do the design (flake over Chrome and Gold vinyl) and then back to him for pinstriping and final clear coat.
It has to be "shiny" this time. I won't drive a long car with a factory white helmet. I've waited too long already and I want what I want. :wink:
It looks better out in the sun and I know it won't be visible under the canopy.
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Mikey,
Car is taking shape and what a great shape it is! As always I'm learning from your posts on composite construction.
Geo
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Mike, nice hat :cheers:
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Hope it's an SA2010 or it's time is about up.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mikey,
Car is taking shape and what a great shape it is! As always I'm learning from your posts on composite construction.
Geo
Thanks Geoff. I should have news for you after the weekend. Problem solving at present. :evil: :roll:
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I am loving the shape of that body!
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Mike;
That shiny new helmet is a work of art. One suggestion, though-- the sun at Bonneville is really bright so any reflection off the edges of the eye opening might be distracting. You might consider adding a flat black edge around the opening.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Neil, I like the way you advise me about the sun at Bonneville. :-D :evil:
It's as though I'm on my way in a week or so.
The helmet is only base coated at present so other colors will be added but I'll heed the advice.
Just more motivation right there.
Thanks Trent. Monday will be boring. The tour finishes this weekend. :x
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Neil, I like the way you advise me about the sun at Bonneville. :-D :evil:
It's as though I'm on my way in a week or so.
The helmet is only base coated at present so other colors will be added but I'll heed the advice.
Just more motivation right there.
Thanks Trent. Monday will be boring. The tour finishes this weekend. :x
Next week we have the pro race in Colorado televised here! :-D
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Trent, I don't think we'll get that Colorado race here but if we do I'll watch it. :cheers:
Deon from Festo came around today.
He brought the controller for my pneumatic jacks. It can extend and retract all four jacks and it's a nice piece.
It is fairly large with the handle being around 6" long and the problem is finding the right place to mount it.
Thanks Festo. :cheers: :cheers:
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Things are tight here.
Cash flow, actually the lack of it. :-D
I'm working hard on a remedy but things take time.
You have this dream and the passion far outweighs logical thinking.
So many things to do and every minute counts.
In this situation I can do little bits here and there but I like to get one section done at a time and that's not happening.
Prayer!!! "The breakfast of champions".
There's this dumb strike on here but I'm still trying to find material so I call a company not to far away looking for 1" tubing I can use for making up my steering shaft and tandem components.
The stuff I had was junk. Trying to turn the 25,4mm "round" had the cutter only taking material away from an area 180* telling me the round tube was actually oval.
The guy I spoke to said he had some very nice heavy wall 1" that he imports from Germany. Peter asked what my application was, how much I needed and suggested a particular grade.
He did ask that I wait for the strike to be over before visiting due to the strikers' violent behavior and took my number.
I get a call yesterday and its Peter. He says the strike is over and wants my address as he's in the area.
He pulls into the yard in a Land Rover Discovery and on the roof rack are lengths of tubing.
He says he's got tons of material and the 20ft is a gift. He checked out the liner and saw the 38mm tubing. He says "you don't buy material anymore, we'll supply what you need to finish the project".
I thanked him and offered to put company decals on the car when finished. I asked why he'd done this?. He says he just had a feeling I needed help. :cheers:
Mike Banks from Krause & Naimer also arrived yesterday with the fancy switching system for the kill switches. He gave me the technical run down on how it all works and agreed that when the time came he'd wire the system. He brought a bunch of momentary switches in all colors too and they're pretty big at 22mm, maybe too big but said I could keep them until he brought more smaller on/off and momentary versions. All made in Austria and top quality. No Peoples Republic iffy stuff.
By the time I'm done I should have a fair idea on how electrics work. :-D
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Holy cow Mike, that's fantastic!! How do you do it with all of these sponsorships? :cheers:
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I'm 59 and the sponsor count is 40.
At 27 I could only find 1.
When I figure it out I'll let you know. :-D
Seriously, I think it has to do with LSR being a new form of racing over here.
I'm talking with two guys that run the SA branch of a very big freight company.
If this deal gets done, I'll write a book.
Sometimes I think that the project is punishment for my past indiscretions (on BAD days).
This is THE test. In the military they used to give us salt tablets. Maybe this is a side effect. :-D
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That is why the car is so long. Lots of room for sponsor stickers.
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This is the list of Sponsors.
My success is related to my location and the fact that LSR is a new branch of motorsport in South Africa.
I prayed and asked for guidance before I sent out the first email. I'm blessed.
3M. Adhesives and tapes. Local manager pulled the support after I’d received the products.
Makita Power Tools.
NCS Resins. Polyester gel coat, resin, acetone and glassfiber.
NGK Spark plugs.
Exide Batteries.
Guth Stainless Steel. Exhaust material.
Strongman Tools. Tube Notcher and pipe bender.
Sprayon Paints. High Temp coatings.
Statelec powder coaters.
Starrett. Hole saws and Hacksaw blades.
Somta Machine Tools.
HellermannTyton. Cable ties, wiring accessories and testing equipment.
Safe Quip. Fire suppression system.
BASF coatings.
Norton Abrasives. Cutting, grinding discs.
GrindTech. Metal burrs.
Wika. Measuring equipment, thermocouples.
SA Bolt. Fasteners.
SA Ladder. Caster wheels, storage bins.
Digital Watermelon web developers. Site under construction.
Rivco. Rivnuts, rivets.
King Tony Tools.
Gates. Belts and hoses.
Eaton. Aeroquip hoses and fittings.
Saertex. Carbon Fiber.
Willdotek. Welding and plasma equipment. (Guido).
CHC Resources. Lexan.
Alert Steel. Discount structure.
US based.
ARP. Chris Raschke.
UEM Pistons. Icon Premium forged. Glen Schierholt.
ATI. Damper. Mary Sue Rooney.
Crower. Con Rods. Susie Teague.
Royal Purple??????? Pending. Randy Fisher.
There are others I'm waiting on. I may have left someone out but I need to check.
Added to the list.
Delta Rubber.
Krause & Naimer.
Aquajet profiles.
NUI plastics.
BSPE steel.
National Braid.
Gelvenor.
Navworld GPS.
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Wow, that is quite a list, Mike! Congratulations on being able to get such a group of sponsors. :cheers:
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike, you're going to have to add 3 more feet to the car for the new sponsors stickers. Keep it up.
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Most amazing, Mike, is that the car is not close to being finished and there is no history of success. A lot of us are afraid to ask for help at this early stage. We should be more bold.
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Thanks guys. I'm shocked every day by what's been happening.
There is a burden that comes with it and the belief is that you're only given what you can handle.
Who came up with that?.
I'll finish the car and it will run, make no mistake.
Even if I have to do a deal with a famous freight company and the air force to fly the liner to the Pan in a C130 for publicity!.
Historically July has always been a bad month for my family and myself but it's gone and it ain't coming back. :evil:
The naysayers over here are my biggest motivation.
Rumours of my demise............. :-D
Thanks to all of them.
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"The Little Engine that Could". :wink:
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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The naysayers over here are my biggest motivation.
Rumours of my demise............. :-D
Thanks to all of them.
I hear ya! Don't tell me I can't do it.
Cheers!
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The naysayers over here are my biggest motivation.
Rumours of my demise............. grin
Thanks to all of them.
Mike:
The Naysayers are the non-believers. You mark my word, when you achieve your goal the same naysayers will be talking like they were part of your grand plan from the beginning. The majority of people don't know how to set a complex abstract goal in their head and work towards it from an idea. Its creativity, skill, part art and an over active sub-conscious that works out problems at 3 am! No CAD drawings, maybe a few sketches but just start bending and tacking pipe while figuring out the engineering as you progress. For the 99% who naysay there are 1% of the people that can create something where there was once nothing. My buddy who is a master fabricator says, Bill everyday try and do something even if it just sitting and staring at it! And eventually it will get done.
Great build. thanks for sharing it with us.
BR
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:cheers: Here here
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Thanks guys.
My late uncle on my mom's side was SA's first boxing world champion.
You meet people and in passing his name comes up and every older person says he lived next door and they were best friends.
My uncle either changed his address every day or he was surrounded. :roll:
This is a test like no other and "I've been around you know!!" to quote Al Pacino.
If I could do the run with the missus driving the push truck (full of Jack Russels) and the GPS giving the speed I'd do it.
That's not going to happen.
Its about achieving something and finishing it. It looks impossible and by all accounts is.
I learn something every minute that I work and the further I go the more I find I need more parts.
What kind of jigsaw puzzle is this that the more pieces you fit, the more the puzzle grows. :-D
Liners need to be heavy!!!! No problem there.
You look back at pics. A bunch of pipes lying in the driveway, no drawings and now the car looks like something.
Sid Gyde said the only way to go is to lay out all the stuff on the workshop floor and work from there. He's right on the money.
I live for this and other things have been neglected but I'm making good on them bit by bit.
I played hockey and my team mates were men, big men. I was only 17 and too small by hockey standards but I wanted it bad and could skate. Those guys were family, we stuck together. My army buddies were exactly the same. I get that feeling here even though I've never met you guys face to face. That is motivation like no other.
So many members have helped and naming them would cause a problem because I might leave someone out and I know you guys aren't about that but thanks to everyone. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I'll have a bunch of pics to post over the next few days. There is progress. :wink:
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Mike---I don`t post much, but I have to give you huge credit for your ideas, achievement thus far and your perseverance.Have been studying the Parables lately....The narrow door where all try to enter but many are unsuccessful certainly comes to mind. I think you are going to blast that door open wide as you proceed here--at least in this venue....
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To the two of you :cheers:
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It's the personal challenge that drives me on with my liner & Mike has the disease. I've been quietly watching him here & I know if he wants my opinion he'll ask for it.
My biggest obstacles have been with the suppliers of the few custom parts that I can't build my self & that is still going on.
I've been struggling with a serious health problem for the last six months but my biggest concern was that the liner might never actually get to run.
Two weeks ago they told me I'm on the mend, the liner has a reprieve.
You're looking like a pro that's done this before Mike. :cheers:
Sid.
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Sid--you know as well as I do that you can`t weld or bolt things together when you are wearing a Straightjacket.....Does this mean your local Mental Health Professional has OK`ed a removal of said garment??? Six months seems a long time to wear one, though.... :-D
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Paul. the "Haka" will get you into all sorts of trouble. :-D
Maybe Sid was put in the jacket by mistake.
Good to hear you're feeling better Sid. :cheers:
Thanks to both of you for the comments.
I'm trying to build a good looking car because that's the way it should be and one never knows, it might just end up at SW in the future.
The last thing I would want is it getting attention for the wrong reasons.
I know the tech guys will go over it with a magnifying glass because after all it is built in Africa.
I've always been very touchy about the finish on my Carbon parts because even though I'm self taught and have been at it since 88 I still feel I have to prove myself in case someone with more knowledge
starts dissecting the quality.
I have this panel with six holes in it that will house the gauges and it needs to reside in a cutout in the top of the carbon driver's cell.
The cutout is square with radiused corners and has a 3/8" lip around the base. The gauge panel sits slightly recessed inside the cutout.
The panel is about 8mm thick and made from nomex honeycomb with three layers of Carbon on each side.
Getting the panel to fit inside the cutout with an even but very small gap was the aim but cutting said panel exactly using hand tools doesn't give the accuracy required.
My solution was to run a layer of masking tape around the rim of the cutout then give a thick coat of PVA release agent and position the gauge panel while the release agent was still wet.
I've done this before so no problems expected. I put 20lbs of lead on top of the panel to ensure a good seal while the release cured.
The next morning I mixed some Epoxy resin, mixed in some filler and poured it carefully into the uneven gap between the wall of the cutout and the panel.
I left it for a few days while I worked on other things.
Yesterday I decided to remove the panel for final finishing.
A few raps with a nylon mallet usually does the trick.
3 hours of blood, sweat and tears.
I always tell people how stiff these Carbon sandwich panels are (like I actually know).
I eventually had an 8" offcut of heavy wall rectangular tubing with a hole drilled through it for a 10mm bolt under the panel with the bolt passing through a piece of 25mm round tubing (5mm wall) on top of the cutout. I wound the nut to the point that the round tube bent and was touching the panel. The difference in height between the panel and cutout is about 8mm.
It was clear I'd screwed up and it was not coming out.
The die grinder, reciprocating saw and lots of itching looked like the solution but I kept moving my "removal" tool around the rim hoping for a break.
I thought I saw some movement but wasn't sure so I started using the vernier to check depth. I destroyed 3 bolts. Threads got iffy so I changed them out fearing an additional problem.
I then put 1/2" Aluminum plate on each side of the cutout as more spacing and was prepared to break the panel just to remove it.
The tube deflected and eventually I started seeing small movement. The panel bowed along with the tube but wouldn't break.
It eventually came out and I was going to bin it and start over but the panel is fine. A small clean up around the edge with a block and 220 water paper and I had the sliding fit I wanted.
I think my problem was that the cutout had a more than 90* negative angle on it but normally the thickness of the masking tape is enough to force two pieces like this apart.
I'd used the router to cut the hole originally.
What a mission!!!! :evil:
Update pics later.
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Mike, you do not need to lose any sleep about perfect finish on an active race vehicle. And this is especially true for one with a bunch of use. They show the patina of being taken apart and put together a lot, exposure to the elements, and wear and tear. The Triumph goes to local car shows during the short time it is together. A fellow today asked me the history behind the dents on the gas tank. I told him how they got there and it was a lot of fun. Both for him listening and for me doing the telling.
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Mike, you do not need to lose any sleep about perfect finish on an active race vehicle. And this is especially true for one with a bunch of use. They show the patina of being taken apart and put together a lot, exposure to the elements, and wear and tear. The Triumph goes to local car shows during the short time it is together. A fellow today asked me the history behind the dents on the gas tank. I told him how they got there and it was a lot of fun. Both for him listening and for me doing the telling.
Thanks, I feel better about my "patina" today.
BR
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We're living in a horror movie here. A few weeks back we lost Lou, our older Jack Russell.
At 3AM Sporty, the stray we took in four years ago passed. He was a little off color yesterday but nothing alarming.
The better half stayed home today, she's a wreck.
I NOW HAVE THE FLU THAT'S DOING THE rounds. It's like Ebola but you just suffer and don't die.
Howard Hughes was wrong. You can hide and stuff will still find you.
The die grinder packed up after 25 years. I think I'll encapsulate it in resin.
What a great Monday. :cry:
A luta continua.
I can share this stuff with you guys because i know I have backup.
Mike Iaconelli comes to mind. Never give up!!
The only thing not giving uphill is the liner.
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Mike, Sorry to hear of your loss, hang in there. Tony
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That's a shame, Mike. I hear you.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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This too shall pass. Hang in there Mike. Very sorry for your loss.
Take care
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Mike,
Time to pack up the wife and the liner and head for Australia or someplace safe. :evil:
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thank you all. :cheers:
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Still fighting the flu.
Slowing down progress but still managed to get some work done.
Time to build the seat but I won't be going with the old two part foam.
It worked before and I had three big crashes two of which were at 150 plus and went in backward.
No ill effects but the experts say the new expanded bead/Epoxy seats are better.
I have the bag material, the tacky sealing tape and the vacuum pump but I'm waiting on the Polystyrene beads to be made by BASF and need to collect the fast cure resin.
The beads are cheap but buying them is a difficult one. They are sold in 25Kg packs.
I had a similar experience a long time ago when buying fumed Silica (used as a thickening agent in resin). You need the stuff so you pay up and wait for delivery.
A big truck arrived with 20 large garbage bag type containers. The product weighed so little 20 bags constituted 20Kg. :lol:
I wasn't about to fall in again on the expanded beads so the supplier is sending enough to do the job.
The process is pretty simple and I don't foresee any problems.
The tub is rectangular but narrows at the top in the shoulder area. Getting the poured seat out for trimming would be difficult so I've fitted some thin Styrofoam panels to the tub for wiggle room.
The space that's left will be taken up by some thin high density neoprene and the fireproof cover to be fitted later.
Some images of the prep.
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I've also put in sections of foam around the roll hoop area to help keep the new paint on the helmet intact.
Once the seat is made and working I'll get to making the side and rear padding in that area.
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The only thing bothering me is sitting in there for an hour and listening to the vacuum pump.
The thing is not a mini dental unit. It can literally suck an elephant through a garden hose.
If the bag seals well I won't need to pull constant vacuum but sometimes you mess up. :-D
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Mike, rather than putting in a filler panel you should look at how they do the Indy cars. The seat is often split down the middle so it can be removed in two parts. The split is a line with a zig zag so the seat doesn't just separate when it's put under load like a straight line would and often off center.
The seat should perform much better without a filler panel between it and the tub.
Pete
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That is an interesting seat idea, Mike.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks Peter, It looks like it will be a one piece the more I study it.
My seat in the March 832 was a two piece but that was because my backside was on the floor of the tub.
It was also a tighter space and when we poured it there was no meat in that area. It fell apart when we removed the seat.
On the liner I think/hope I'll get it out. :evil:
Neil, there are a few videos on Youtube covering expanded bead seats but I know Bald Spot Motorsports has a video on their site
with lots of info. :cheers:
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You have to be able to turn a long car around and tow it back to the pit and the only visual aid I have is how the crew
on the Speed Demon do it.
From photos I saw I built my own system. Probably similar but not exact.
This component cost me time and welding gas. Everything else got here by chance.
I built this front towing dolly from other peoples junk, discarded stuff and one or two bits I had lying around.
Riaan, my team manager gave me two wheels and tyres a few months ago. He went to a larger diameter setup so didn't need the old ones.
Perfect condition.
My mentor on the composites and friend of 27 years, Kate had a problem on her Toyota RunX and asked me to change the rear wheel hubs
because the bearing were getting noisy. One was bad, the other still good but I changed out both.
I took a chance seeing if the Toyota hubs and trailer wheels were compatible, Bingo, same Pcd.
I had a piece of 6" tubing left over along with a bunch of 10mm bolts and nuts.
There was a nice Harley hub with new bearings in it and I have more new axles than I can use.
Ashley wanted a system to use to tow his project VW Beetles around and the one he had was rubbish but the neck was good.
I cut one I had from a camper to suit his needs and scored the old one for the neck and some square tubing.
I spent the better part of the day fabricating the tow dolly but I think it came out OK.
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I used a few plates I had from my bobber bike stock and some offcut 38mm tubing from the car.
Two collars from a Springer bike frontend and clamped and welded.
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The bike hub will go on the lathe Monday to remove the spoke hole sections and I'll cut and drill a top mounting plate
to go onto the chassis.
I came out good. We'll figure the pivot once we know where everything fits.
One less piece in the puzzle. :cheers:
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How does it attach to the car?
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Easier to post pics when I get all the brackets done.
This week sometime. :cheers:
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That's cool Mikey! Just goes to show what a fella with a bit of ingenuity can come up with.
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Nice job Mike. I think I know how that's going to attach. Let's see if your vision coincides with mine.
:cheers:
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He he He. Stuff you might have thrown out.
Crazy how some things pan out.
Some guys will be upset over here that I'm cutting up a perfectly good Harley hub but it fit the requirement.
Other good news is that I managed to build a new die grinder from bits lying around. Two into one does go. :wink:
I never realized how much I relied on it until it broke.
Big update coming in the next two days.
Today was spent cleaning up, still not done. I generate a lot of waste for a one man operation.
I'll be doing my seat soon. The same materials and technology used in Indy car and F1 without the huge cost.
The stuff is available separately over the counter if you know where to go and what to ask for.
I haven't made a seat this way before but it will work, that I know.
I'm excited to say the least.
My steering wheel is done, needs clear coat and some suede grips sewn on. I have a piece of tan/beige hide here and it might look good against the Carbon instead of black.
Building this car is just like fishing and they're biting right now. :-D
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Just remember Mike, they use a lot of bead and very little resin. They knead the mixture for quite a while to get it consistant. It usually kicks in half an hour or so and the driver gets out then they leave it till the next day to trim and fit.
After the seat's trimmed they cover it in gaffers tape for testing to see if any more trimming is needed. Once it's satisfactory they then cover it in Nomex fabric.
I think the preponderance of beads to resin is what gives the seat its energy absourbing qualities.
Pete
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Spot on.
Thanks Pete.
My supplier gave me the right amount of resin and it has a pot life of 1 hour.
I'm going to skip the tape on this one. My other seats for the F2 cars were done that way.
Once I'm happy with the trim we'll go straight to the nomex.
Caren Vosloo of Gelvenor textiles sent enough material for 5 seats. :cheers:
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I received a care package from Buddy 10 days ago.
There are lots of really special members on the forum and I would like to thank Buddy and the guys from Flatcad for the gesture. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I'll wear the shirt on special occasions. It deserves that much. It's awesome.
We're trying to find a pole long enough for the flag but for now it is folded correctly and has pride of place.
God Bless you my friend.
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Good luck Mike- it warms my heart to know another American flag will soon be flying across the pond!
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Thanks Buddy, just let anybody try touch it. :wink:
My helmet needs to go back for paint so Ashley asked that I don't peel all the masking off of it.
I guess the view I had after poking a hole will be similar to when the car is built.
I needed to see where I fitted based on the air pipe connector on the helmet.
I'm good, plenty space and I can still see over the dash.
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I got the bag of expanded beads for the seat today.
It's the right stuff. The beads vary in size and they are the graphite variety.
More than I need for a seat and we'll make sure we don't lose any in the transfer to the vacuum bag.
Trying to clean them up is a mission I'm told.
I'm too tired to start on the process right now but i'll get into it tomorrow morning.
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I made a seat for the liner.
Not easy I might add.
Putting a vacuum bag together was a pretty standard procedure.
Mixing and kneading went fine.
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Putting the bag full off expanded beads into the driver's cell was difficult.
I opted to rather mix too much material and I overestimated the size of the area I had to work with.
My biggest problem was doing this seat pour on my own.
Definitely a two man operation.
I was dripping with perspiration and must have jumped out and back in 40 times.
Move material, jump in, wiggle about, not right so back out and it went on and on.
The Epoxy sets up in 15 to 20 minutes and is cured in 60 and I could feel the heat through my suit.
The seat feels really good. Nice and snug.
Good thing I never had visitors.
Imagine walking into a shop and finding a guy in a race suit and helmet sitting in an unfinished car making all kinds of weird noises.
Those weren't engine sounds, they were screams of pain and frustration. :-D
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Some other pics of the adventure.
Vacuum pump and bag of beads ready for epoxy.
I'm not totally happy with my work.
I made mistakes on the processes I carry out daily.
The vacuum bag one way valve wasn't properly protected by breather material
forcing me to reopen the sealed bag and I don't think I had good vacuum thereafter.
The bag material may have been of a too heavy material.
I'd like a second go at making the seat but I'll wait and see how #1 turned out. Maybe I get lucky?.
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ahhh--- the primal scream of a frustrated builder-fabricator --- I have heard that from time to time :
Mike, here's to hoping you do not have to hear that very often :cheers:
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Hey Sparky, thanks. :cheers:
I made a second seat today, better than #1.
Less screaming but I think third time lucky.
I made another mistake today. Too much resin this time.
There must be a famous pie called "Grandma's Best Apple" or something somewhere and us mere mortals jam the stuff down our necks
without a second thought.
We never ask how long it took for her to get the recipe just right. :-D :-D :-D
I might be howling at the moon before I'm done.
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Kneaded beads in the bag.
Vacuum formed seat under cure.
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Mike, Now you know why they sent you 10 times more pellets than needed. :wink:
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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The seat kicked me in the butt. :-D
Doug, my research showed that BASF manufactures the beads.
They sponsored the coatings, abrasives and paint for the car.
I called my rep about the beads and to cut a long story short
the factory here that manufactures them gave me a bag full.
The missus went to collect because she's a rep and was in the area that day.
When she got home I thought she'd had her windows on the Chevy tinted.
That bag invaded the car.
Pouring seats isn't easy and guys that sell the "kits" don't tell you about the pitfalls.
You won't get it right first time. How many guys that drive race cars have composites experience and the equipment
that goes with it?. Not many.
Right now I'm that guy at Belmont Park that thinks he knows horses, chasing the money he lost.
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salt fe·ver
elevated temperature in an infant, following a rectal injection of a salt solution.
See also: thirst fever.
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
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Just to comment on Mike's comment that making a foam seat is not as easy as it looks, back around 1982 I was working for Interscope Racing and we were at Sears Point in Northern Cal. Well JP Racing (JP stood for John Paul) had a Lola T600 and the old man John Paul though that Junior (John Paul Junior) need to have a foam seat and JP being something of a know it all a$$ hole decided to do it himself. When he was done Junior was trapped in the car, took them about 30 minutes to cut him out and at least another 2-3 hours to clean all of the excess foam out of the Lola cockpit!!! Lucky that Junior had his driving suit on as it was pretty hot! Now back to Mike's build.
Rex
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Is he out of jail yet? [But that's another story]. :evil:
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Rex, back in the 80s I needed a seat for my F2 car so my manager Martin and I decided to do it ourselves.
We mixed the two part foam and poured it into a big garbage bag. It was going great until the foam started coming over the top of the bag.
He started shouting "lean forward, lean forward". I did and although we'd averted a huge mess the result was a seat made for the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Today is D day. If the bead thing doesn't work it's back to PU foam. :evil:
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I wish I was there Mike. It really is pretty easy but you need a helper or it may be nearly impossible. You need to be in the seat so the other person can see what's happening and make the necessary adjustments. Two helpers may even be better if there's a lack of experience. Get it around your hips, chest and shoulders and it should come up between your legs a little. It should extend down almost to your knees. Don't worry about it being too much because that's what trimming's for. You may even want to try the empty bag before you put the beads in to see if it's large enough to catch all the areas. Don't give up on the beads. It's a far superior seat and the extra support is well worth it if you do take a tumble.
Pete
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Pete, if you ever need a vacation and need a place to chill during the cold winter up in the NH you're welcome here.
I'm serious. I'd be honored. Our summers are good.
You know your stuff, you're a good friend, love dogs and we have room.
I tried one on my own, one with the other half helping (we had it right but I wanted it better) and I screwed the pooch so today I'll try again.
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that NH reference is not New Hampshire :-D we just had Shark Week on TV lots of the stories were from the SH :-D
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He he he, no Sparky. I mean't Northern Hemisphere but we do have a few small sharks a couple of clicks down the road.
This one was caught in the nets not too far from where I "used" to fish off a fishing ski.
A friend of a friend works at the Sharks Board and sent the pic but I couldn't get a single tooth from him.
You can get locked up here just for hooking and landing a GW.
The fishing ski thing is in the past. :-D
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No seat works today.
Too many visitors.
I instead finished the front tow dolly system.
It still needs a little TLC but it works.
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The cut down Harley hub was turned to fit the collar I welded into the chassis.
After that I cut some nice 8mm Ally plate to build a mounting.
Welded on some thick brackets and cut and drilled the plate to fit.
Looks OK and tomorrow I'll test functionality.
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Looks pretty trick to me Mike. Should work well.
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One thought, Mike, The Harley hub bearings were setup to handle a radial load, and now they are in a thrust mode. They will get pounded pretty hard going across the Salt. Just a thought.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks Doug, that thought did cross my mind but the other option was to just use nylon bushings.
I'll check with my sponsor on a suitable bearing solution but I'm still a long way off.
This bearing situation is always tough. We're full up on all things metric and every time I need Imperial
it takes months.
I want to get all the welding done on the chassis so we can paint it.
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Mike, you Harley hub may have metric bearings already... I would try it before I scrapped the idea or swapped bearings. :-D
:cheers:
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Thanks Bob, these are definitely 1" ID.
All my axles (Harley) are 1".
I have piles of parts I'm probably never going to use so I cannibalized
a few. Anyone need 40 rear sprockets?. I'm selling. :-D :-D :-D
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Packaging, packaging!!!!!!
Where to put all the equipment?.
Guys build twin engine liners and they get everything to fit and I can't seem to find space for anything lately.
This is where building this car becomes difficult as a solo effort.
You really need two guys to figure things.
My "crew" have families and I don't expect them to be here after working hours.
Fabrication is pretty straightforward but figuring where to mount things is the game breaker.
The good news is that my 15" front wheel outers have arrived from Germany.
Going over to Markus in the next day or so to sort out the centers.
Once that's done I can get the hubs machined. :cheers: :cheers:
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Packaging is indeed a major effort in a special construction vehicle. A car where everything is built from the ground up. Folks who build a race car from a car (not that that is easy, I've done it too) sometimes don't understand how tough it can be to place oil tanks, water tanks, weight boxes, steering boxes, and all the other details that need to fit in something with more than half the frontal area of most "cars".
So Mike, I too know it helps to bounce ideas off others. Why don't you post some pictures of the chassis and wright out some of the problems you're facing and we'll tell you how to do it...... Kidding, we'll throw ideas around for you to think about. Just like real bench racing.
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Don't feel like the lone ranger, Mike. This year I spent a whole lot of time figuring out how to make basic simple parts fit in confined places. Often it took a try or two or three to finally get them sorted. Now I do not polish a part until it has been on for a year to make sure it works and I do not need to redo it.
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Thanks Bo.
Wise words. :cheers:
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Yesterday is but a blur.
I don't remember everything that happened but I do know that I spent the afternoon and evening with two of my sponsors.
Krause & Naimer and Bosch.
Alex from Bosch must be the biggest German guy in the world but is as cool as he is big.
I don't know if there is a photo but David and Goliath comes to mind. :-D
I've got awesome people behind me on this project and thanks Mike and Alex.
I'm going to lick my wounds and try recover. The Mexican stuff beat me down. :cheers:
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I went over to see my front outer rims that arrived last week.
Markus came good eventually and got me 8. They are definitely heavy duty
and the quality looks good. He wasn't in but left instructions for his guys.
Next step is to get the centers designed and fitted.
The rear wheels will be in the next shipment.
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One by one You are accomplishing......
Good Job and also kudos to the supplier.
FREUD
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Thanks Freud. :cheers:
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Mike, look at a thread jacksoni did about wheels he had built. A place here in the stated cut the centers. Lots of good ideas.
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Thanks Trent, I searched but didn't find it.
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Jack and Udo did the same thing on Udo Horns Bonneville Bugeye.
See post #61:
http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,3585.60.html
Also post #97 and 103 here:
http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,3585.msg113763/topicseen.html#msg113763
HTH;
Gregg
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Mike, My wife Linda has been very helpful from time to time with another viewpoint, but also with fabrication ideas. Most ladies have 3D fabrication experience ---jackets, dresses, slacks, shirts drapes ect ect. She has helped me figure out patterns , joints and such. Also it doesn't hurt when she sees her idea actually a part of the car. YMMV
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Gregg, thanks a bunch man. :cheers:
Sparky, funny you mentioned 3D.
I'm onto what could be a big sponsorship and it goes way beyond product.
This is special and it would change my whole project.
The potential sponsor sent me the company logo and would like to see what it would look like on the liner.
Seeing as this isn't a small deal I got a quote from a local company that does 3D rendering.
It would be cheaper for me to actually build the body work, have it vinyl wrapped and signed.
Take photos and send those.
You need bait to catch fish and all I have is a pole with a rusty hook. :-D
My wish is to actually take lessons on doing 3D.
Zina is good at dress making and patterns and she'll be doing a few bits in the future. :cheers:
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Mike, are you going to have enough room on the liner for all those sponsors?
Way to go!!
:cheers:
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Hey Dan, thanks man.
You always hear that old cliche "without my sponsors none of this would be possible".
In my case that's the real truth, no lip service. :-D
This puppy is so long there's space for way more but the banks aren't donating product.
I sorted out the 3D rendering problem and it's good and bad.
I now want the car to look like the graphic. :wink:
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I wonder if anybody has ever stretched their car to make room for more sponsors? This could be a first. :wink:
Mike you keep amazing me.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I'm on the ropes.
I got ripped off by the "Gear Cutter" in Cape Town.
I posted a while back that I'd found a company that could manufacture 2.05:1 ratios for my 9".
Website looked legit, the guy spoke the right language in that he told me what I wanted to hear.
I heard how he'd change the pressure angle to alleviate the noise and vibration associated with the speeds involved.
He was the director of the company and needed to be situated near the docks for export purposes.
All true except he was a partner in the business and departed two days before I shipped my new 2.74 LSD 3rd member as a sample and paid a substantial deposit for R&D.
I never had the money so I borrowed it from my best friend.
5 months of story after story and then the strike put an end to my patience.
The old company is 100% but the crook was forced to leave and is now in a shed with one hobber and no staff.
I've tried for a month to get my parts and money back so now I have to lay a charge and I don't think I'll get relief.
Like building this car isn't hard enough.
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Mike,
Maybe one of those "snipers" that haunt you around your place could handle it for you. Looks like you will have to put some stuff on the back burner while you tend to some paying customer stuff and recover. You will survive.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks Doug.
I have a connection in SIU (Special investigations Unit) and she is going to help.
I guess a Barrett Light 50 would be the ideal solution but hey it is what it is.
The son of a former Lotus F1 engineer arrived at my place this morning with all his tools
and he wasn't going to leave. He wants to work with me. How do you say no to a kid like that?.
I put him to work on the Carbon Fibre steering wheel cover and just left him to it.
He did a great job, never complained about itching and he's a keeper.
On Monday we're going to tackle Geoff Green's Jaguar dash again. That cat has kicked my butt all around the shop on and off for five months.
I'll let one Geoff sort out another Geoff. Just kidding, we'll do it together, I mean do the dash. :-D
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In spite of several setbacks the build continues.
I stated with the rear tow system. I wanted to mount the system further back but packaging is a problem.
The best place I could find is forward of the wheels.
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I need to cut backing plates, drill them along with the outer ones and install the locking pin mounts.
After that its welding. Hopefully it all goes well.
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Crooks and Cons why do so may show up in and around high performance---I have had my go round with two here in the USA one with a nationally recognized company!!
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Hey Spark, any hints on what "rhymes" with this companies' name so we can avoid the same fate? And Rick, the car is looking awesome!
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a town in Utah not quite to the middle of the Alpha.
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I managed to get some work done today.
I built the vibration damper mountings and have one completed.
I collected my plates from Aquajet Profiles yesterday and as usual their work is excellent.
I dummied up the system and used a new ARP head stud as a fastener. Had those left over from another project. :evil:
Got the corners tacked, checked and rechecked before final welding.
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Once I got everything cleaned up and free of rough edges I mounted the system and tacked it to the chassis.
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Other views.
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Donovan Slade from National Urethane Industries made me lovely bushings.
It's so cool to assemble parts that are made right.
I have different thicknesses that will help set the ride height when that day comes.
My front wheels are being built as we speak and I should have some late next week.
In spite of the problems I'm having on another front, I'm upbeat and very relaxed. :cheers:
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The good things that You are accomplishing overpower the bad things.
I am proud of You.
If You take a long coffee break You can crew with us on Target 550 at the WOS.
Just look for the biggest white tent on the Salt. That will be us.
FREUD
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Small thread hijack... :-P...Freud, the car is ready? I didn't see any news on the Target 550 website.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled Springfield Flyer thread.
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The good things that You are accomplishing overpower the bad things.
I am proud of You.
If You take a long coffee break You can crew with us on Target 550 at the WOS.
Just look for the biggest white tent on the Salt. That will be us.
FREUD
Freud, you're always so nice to me and I hope to take you up on ALL your offers (past and present) in the future.
I'd love to be there with all you guys. :cheers:
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Tandem steering is no joke.
I'd love to say I did it all myself but on this one Kustom Brad needs to take credit.
I used his idea around the steering shaft area and it works just great.
I stole with my eyes but who can blame me?. 4 attempts at a conventional system that were rubbish
but the tandem is Shweeet. :-D
Brad, when I eventually get to the land of the free I'd like to buy you a beer or 10. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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The front section was less of a challenge.
All it took was material and fabrication.
The pivot has a good bearing in the housing and it's press fit over the shaft.
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We'll only machine the hubs and fabricate the spindles once the wheels are done.
The system works smoothly and I'm pleased.
Big hurdle overcome.
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Wow! Dude, you made my day! I'd be honored to drink some suds with you!
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Mike;
The strength of your chassis looks amazing.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks Brad. :wink:
Thank you Neil. :cheers:
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I have backup now. Mark contacted me out of the blue offering help on CFD!!!!!!.
US trained too.
It doesn't get any better IMO. :cheers:
http://www.marcom-as.com/team
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I have some images of recent work done.
I'm busy on the mounting points for the rear end.
I've got most of the work done but need to still add supports here and there.
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I'm also adding plates to box the fuel cell holder and the area around the chute tubes.
Ran out of Argon, frustrating because I was on a roll. :-D
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Mike, can you take a few pictures from further away of the portion of the frame shown in the previous two pix? What I am looking for is an overall view of the frame structure there.
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Will do Bo. I'll post the pics later.
Today is the one year anniversary of the build.
It hasn't been easy but we fight on.
I watched a video covering in car footage (streamliner) from El Mirage and there was dust coming into the cockpit so bad that the driver was wiping his visor.
I started thinking, did I really want to run at Hakskeen Pan?.
I guarantee the surface will be the same and although I hope my car will be properly sealed I honestly don't need the dust.
I can't get to Bonneville either. Miracles do happen but imagine draining the South African GDP to get there only to be rained out.
I started looking for local salt and I think I found my own Bonneville.
No rain here, nobody goes there and by all accounts there's 10 miles of pure white.
I'm going to make a little recce very soon.
The people in this area are the sweetest you'd find anywhere and my gut tells me this is it.
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Wow, Mike--That looks Fantastic!! I wonder if there would be enough cars to actually run a Meet there?
How about access, Government owned or Private? Hmmmm....Mile Markers, Cones, Timing Setup, Importing Glen to tell you to Take It To Impound.....Better get moving, eh? :-D :-D
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Thanks Paul.
Just checked again.
It may be too short.
How much is needed for a very optimistic 300?
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Trying to package a beast like this isn't easy.
The long car just seems to get smaller by the day. :-D
I need to build hangers for the turbos so I started mocking things up.
It will be a bag of snakes but I guess you need to start somewhere?.
I think the right hand unit is in the best place possible under the circumstances and there's sufficient clearance on top for the body work.
I angled the unit slightly to try get as small a bend in the pipe to the throttle body/plenum.
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Tomorrow I'll cut some tubing to fashion a hanger and I found some new rod ends in a box I almost threw out.
I have 2 left hand thread male and two rights on threaded Aluminum shafts that are the right length I can use.
The left hand turbo is going to be tougher to set up. It would be cool to have mirror image units but it is what it is.
These are stressful but exciting times.
Everything seems to happen and come together in a sequence I can't figure. Strange things but timely.
Here I am working to set the turbo up and the missus says I have visitors at the gate.
Matthew, a friend and client needs work done but he's lost my phone number so he comes over.
With him are his new business partners. Young guys but turbo experts. They quickly pointed out that the stock inlet wheel wasn't suited for high RPM and that a flange would need to be welded onto the housing to accommodate a V band clamp.
Their current project is a late 60s Renault Dauphine with a 2L Mazda turbo conversion.
Lets just say the back seats were removed. :-D
I get to build panels to isolate the cabin from the motor. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
That will pay for material I never had money for.
Another "strange" miracle. :wink:
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Looks good Mike
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Mike, if you think things are getting tight now, just wait. Looking good as always. :cheers:
BTW, you do know what mirror image turbo's are available, right?
(http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s292/dstgeorge/mirror-image-turbos-2013_zps091ee379.jpg)
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Thanks Paul.
Just checked again.
It may be too short.
How much is needed for a very optimistic 300?
El Mirage is a mile and3/10 plus about 2 miles to stop.Bonneville is 5 miles and about 2 to 3 miles to stop, some times a little longer depending on the salt and where they put the starting line
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Thank you Dan, Yes I know. NRE always brags about the mirror image stuff but Holset manufacture truck turbos (in my case). :-D
The worst part is not having someone around to bench race with. The decisions are always personal but I suppose I won't have anyone else to blame when I get things wrong.
Glen, as soon as we can get someone to look after the dogs we're going to take a drive out to the "salt" and have a look see.
I tried contacting the local government in the area to find out if the pan still exists but This Is Africa. :evil:
I'd really love to know how the Bloodhound guys managed to get the deal going at Hakskeen Pan.
Maybe they flew over the municipal offices and dropped money.
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Those mirror image turbo not only look good but must make installation less difficult.
I got the left unit in place and it's the best compromise I could come up with.
I hate the way everything sits, it throws of the symmetry and the "wise one" who came into the shop to ask
what I wanted for breakfast said I shouldn't be such a whiner and get over it.
No plastic to fund this puppy and it took three months working on building the Mazda 3 front end to earn the turbos so I shut up after I was informed that no one's perfect
and my one ear sticks out more than the other. :-D :-D :-D
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I've tried to keep the turbos as far away from the gearbox as possible.
I'm hoping to have an air shift unit in the future but not having it adds to the dilemma.
It looks like the plumbing will have clearance?.
I found a Carbon duct in my stockpile behind the shop that I think could be part of an air intake.
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The duct system interlocks as far as I remember but I only have one part.
I estimate 3 sections per side will do the trick to get it to the airbox.
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you will be busy dealing with these heat and "package" issues
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Mike, The disadvantage to mirror image turbos is that you need twice as many spares.
Rejoice, Don
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Mike, The disadvantage to mirror image turbos is that you need twice as many spares.
Rejoice, Don
True that.
Mike, knowing you, you will be able to package all of that equipment in there.......and make it look good. BTW, if you want to bench race, just post it! :cheers:
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The Speedweek SA event is held on Haskeenpan. They might be running this week.
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Mike, they run on the 20th through the 27th of this month. That's next week. Take the dogs with you.
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Thanks guys. No more whining from me I promise.
I'm having the time of my life and this deal is supposed to be tough.
Dan, I need your email address?.
Bo, the people from Navworld (Garmin) were here last week and Kate is involved with the Hakskeen event.
I bet everyone there will know about my backyard project by the end of the month.
I should look into a visit.
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Mike, if you do, please investigate the surface. Is it salt or baked mud, etc? What gasolines are available? Ask the normal questions any racer has. There are not a lot of details on the website.
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Bo, It's Elmo in Africa. Straight up!.
Here's what happened. My engineer on reboring etc is a drag racer and turbo guy too.
He put me in touch with a guy called Nasen who is the go to guy on ECU over here.
Nasen asked what my application was and I went through this long explanation.
His answer was that he knew what salt fever was and had been to SW in 08 and El Mirage in 2011. :-D
Nasen has also been to Hakskeen and according to him the two tracks are identical but ours is a little less dusty.
Fuel wise the best I know of is 104 racing fuel.
I'll check with the local fuel suppliers on what other options there are. I do know that one of the regular pump fuels has a way higher lead content than what you're used to.
The Ethanol content is also less percentage wise.
The local guys that run at Hakskeen aren't racers like you guys.
They drive their cars to the venue and their race tuning consists of taking out the spare wheel and putting duct tape over the hood where it meets the fenders.
The bikers are a little more serious and I could be mistaken but someone went 200 on a Kawasaki.
The event is a big barbeque, camping, social get together.
I do know that the "safety crew" make you blow a breathalyzer before you run. :-D :-D :-D
The highlight last year was the two brothers, one in a Lamborghini and the other in a P51D "racing" down the track.
The only cool thing I got out of seeing that stunt was the prop wash creating vortices around the car in a manner of speaking.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Kalahari+speed+week+2013&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=y7oXVOGTOOyg7AbexoCoAQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1920&bih=955
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Thanks, Mike. Been in contact with the VP and Sunoco distributors in SA. Like you say, they do not normally stock high octane leaded. I need to order it ahead of time. I will do this and ask them to write "EBOLA" on the can in big letters. This way, no one will take it and use it until I get there.
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We make a plan here in good old Africa. Amateur blenders!!!
You could just put a label on it saying "HAHD WEK, VERY HEVY" or a simpler much more effective "SNAKES INSIDE".
I can't wait for you to get here. :cheers:
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VP SA sells leaded. They keep C16 in stock. This is VP's basic leaded race fuel and it should work great in this bike. I am trying to do the engine work early so I have plenty of time for figuring out the travel stuff. 150 mph on the Kalahari is the goal, and the BBQ. Us homeboys from Oakland know lots about those.
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Oakland Oregon? Go Oakers :cheers:
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Talking BBQ and meat.
Our Beef Jerky is legendary. Not only made from beef but game, Ostrich, you name it. The best I've ever eaten was Catfish but nobody knows how to make it anymore.
The biggest consumers are ex pats from the UK, Canada and Europe. I don't have any American friends here but I'm sure the one that do live here are addicts too.
It's called Biltong. Google it. :cheers:
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Bo, I guess you know where your HQ will be?.
We don't accept NO here. :cheers:
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Will be there, Mike. I am not sure which is more dangerous. Racing or learning how to drive on the left in J'burg.
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I don't drive here but I'll do so on the track. :-D
You'll be fine. It's not bad.
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Nothing to report on the build for now.
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Me like jerky!@
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Trent, same here and if I mention the word in my house the Jack Russells start doing backflips!. :-D :-D :-D
Darn addicts.
No money for Jerky right now. Earning a buck is all but impossible.
I've lost three big jobs in as many weeks. I'm too expensive???????
Guys try doing stuff they can't and when they've used up all the clients money the job comes to me and I'm expected to work for "free".
I don't know what custom work costs in the States but is building a sub frame, four wishbones, stub axles, hubs and related bits on a FWD converted to RWD worth $3000??.
The guy took a FWD car and wanted the motor out back. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
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Schedule a visit to Speedweek. Your truck will be loaded with the dogs inside. Five minutes before you leave some clown will show up with a big project that needs to be done right now. This method never fails.
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Mike..here in west Michigan $3K on that job would get you some real nice CAD renderings and a shirt. You are too cheap. JB
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Mike, I can tell folks smoke weed over there as well. Something for nuthin and chicks for free....
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Frank this is the weed HQ on all levels.
You can't win.
The long car is on hold until I find some work to buy material.
News came yesterday that the wheel manufacturer messed up on the first front wheel assembly.
I'll hear the outcome tomorrow as today is a public holiday.
Did a boat repair for one of my sponsors yesterday.
It's a skull made from Carbon and almost as long as the liner.
Two small cracks in the hull. 5 minute job. No charge.
The marketing guy from Henred Fruehauf the biggest truck trailer manufacturer here contacted me wanting to get involved in the project.
It looks like the trailer/transportation is taken care of but hopefully they might want a bigger piece of the yet unfinished pie. 8-)
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Weed is almost legal here in Oregon. Not nearly as much of it is used as a person would think. The younger bunch is pretty serious about life and they do not have much time for it. Older folks seem to be the most conspicuous users. Guys and gals that would have smoked it in the 60's and 70's. We thought it would be a disaster to relax the penalties on the stuff but that never happened.
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Two smells I hate. Dead people and weed.
In 05 I was welding wrought iron gates on a building site on the South Coast.
Some idiot was smoking weed up on the first floor and the breeze blew the smell down into where I was.
I ran up there and threw him off the building........... :-o
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:-o yikes, I gave it up a long time ago, now can't stand the smell or the morons burn'in a blunt. soory for your liner hold ups. I know the feeling working on my pops MG Midget to sell for race car parts. :roll:
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There was a big pile of river sand that the guy face planted in so he never fell too hard. :-D
These are the same guys that actually used a toilet bowl that wasn't even plumbed in.
Nothing going on here really so I did a little work on my steering wheel.
I made it a while back and part of the project was to make it fit my hands.
It does now. It still needs a little work on the face plate but all in all its OK.
I got a bunch of momentary and on off switches from Mike c/o Krause & Naimer so I fitted them to see how they operate.
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The switches aren't the small F1 type but with gloves on the feel is positive.
One for the drinks bottle and one for the radio so far.
Button heads need to be cut and washers bonded.
A butterfly wheel would definitely not work in the cramped confines and this wheel needs to be removed to get in or out.
Some suede on the grips will finish it off once I've painted and polished.
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My wheel manufacturer says the first front wheel is ready for collection.
In light of previous nasty experiences with having to pay up front and being ripped off I'm not taking delivery
of anything until the product is perfect.
The photos are too small for my liking for starters so I've asked for real ones before driving 50 miles only to be disappointed.
Here are the pics. I know it is difficult to judge but your opinions on the wheel would be appreciated.
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Two more.
I'm not sure about the placement of the valve fitment?.
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It looks like good workmanship, whats your consern with the valve location?
Thats a huge positive off set, I assume to correct front end geometry, that might turn into an out of round issue down the road. How thick is the center & how true is the rim?
Sid.
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Sid, I haven't even seen the wheels yet. The offset is to get the tandem setup dead center.
The guy that built them is a German dude and he has high standards. We're going to collect the first one Monday
and check it for "true".
I'm so broke I never even had the $100 to pay for the first one so Ashley deposited the bucks for me. Without him and Guido I'd be nowhere. :cheers:
The wheel sponsor I have is overseas right now and I'm hoping he'll pay for the others when he comes back.
Work is hard to find right now. :evil:
I'm not working on the long car because I don't want to start taking shortcuts to make up for lack of funding.
It will all work out so I'm not too stressed. :wink:
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With that much off set you'll want to keep tabs on runout. I used to keep a log book on Betsy's (Teague) steel wheels back in the day to keep tabs on where they were going.
Bearing & spindle side loads will be another area to watch.
Where does the scrub come up?
Betsy's tandem front end, the wheels were not actually on the chassis centerline, they were offset 4" either side giving an 8" C-C tire spread & that created a greater weight transfer to the inside with good steering responce even in the wet. All the centerline tandem drivers I've spoken to say they are kinda washy.
I know you're not looking for gobbs of speed at this time but down the road I bet you will.
Sid.
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On the Vesco streamliners we keep records on all of the wheels. They are checked everytime we change tires for balance, runout where the wheel/tire is/was on the vehicle, tires and wheels are pre balanced separately before assembly and re balanced after. First static then spin balanced to assure the balance is ready for racing. The wheel centers on two of wheels are shimmed due to the diameter of the index being a little move over size. Cleaning of the studs and using antisieze on the threads as well is important. Storing the tires is also important during the off season.
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These low money times are perfect for the labor intensive tasks that do not cost a lot and have no glory. Wiring, painting, etc.
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Bo, I wish I was at either of those stages.
Busy on a job that will buy some badly needed materials so things should pick up by mid week. :cheers:
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We went to collect the first of the four front wheels yesterday.
The 50 miles went quickly and the traffic wasn't bad for a change.
I could get into a long drawn out thing about this wheel story going from January up to the present.
Short explanation is that I'm now cutting out the middle man Markus and dealing with the source.
The first wheel is beautifully made and they used the fancy system where the wheel is immersed in a tub of flux and welded.
I haven't seen anything this good before.
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Theo de Groot is probably the third biggest wheel manufacturer in the country and is
going to check the wheel for run out and other parameters based on what Tom Burkland suggested.
The process will take place either today or tomorrow.
The flange is heavy duty and looks level but I think a light pass on the lathe would be perfect insurance.
I'm confident this wheel will turn out great. :cheers:
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Mike, why not check the wheel for runout before you put it on the lathe. Attempts to correct a non existent problem have been known to screw up the works before.
The welding process they used would be submerged arc welding. It leaves a really high quality weld and is commonly used for pressure vessels.
Pete
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Pete, I'm learning.
I think Theo is going to do all the checking as that's his game.
The lathe was my idea to make sure the mating surfaces are spot on.
I'll convey your thoughts to Theo. Thanks for the heads up. I really appreciate it. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Sweet Mikey! Looks like the first one turned out pretty darned good man.
As I have learned, progress of any kind is good. Keep at it man! :cheers:
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Thanks Joe.
I feel so much better now. Things are moving again.
We had a few giggles here today.
My army buddy Willie called to say he was "legless" and couldn't drive the car.
His limb broke and had to go to 1 Mil Hospital for repair.
He won't have it for a week and doesn't have a spare.
If he can't use the clutch he can't put food on the table.
I asked what spares he had so he goes "a few".
Bring them over. He got here using the crutch to depress the clutch and we used all the parts he had to cobble up a working system. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
I never knew they used Loctite on a prosthesis.
A socket from and old unit and a piece of steel hand rail for a foot and we were good to go.
There's always something strange going on here but it was fun. The thing works and he's home already.
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Mike;
Good job! Back when I was in the US Army, that's what we called "field expediency".
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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When I first saw the prosthesis on the ground and started to read the story, I thought, "I know where this is going". I thought Damn, Mike's the guy who built the "blades" for that other SA guy. Damn, Mike you did good. Love a story with a happy ending.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Sometimes the hub the wheel is mounted on is not perfectly true. This is not a big deal if the wheel is not perfect either. Simply mount the wheel in five different positions on hub. The wheel will be truest in one position. Then, put a mark on the wheel and hub so they are always put back in the same position. A back woods racing trick.
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Guys, the term "we never leave anyone behind" should be a standard in any walk of life.
Willie is a tough dude that got a raw deal. We had a little thing and I never spoke to him for 4 years.
He lives 400 yards away but I felt that he did wrong so I ignored him. Water under the bridge. :cheers:
There's no time for a Dodge Time. :-D
Bo, thanks for the advice. If the wheel checks out we might not have to go through the above but if not we'll use the process. :cheers:
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I painted this Skull for Theo my wheel sponsor.
Pretty straight forward except for the birds who couldn't wait until the paint dried. :-D
Some bucks coming for materials. :cheers: :|
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Today is pay day. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I can buy more ammo. :-D
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This magazine I read, Classic Bike Guide, features custom bikes from all over the world. They have an article about a fellow in SA who built a Triumph. He says "In this country spares are hard to come by and due to a very unfavorable exchange rate, running anywhere between 15 and 20:1, buying parts from the UK is far too expensive because apart from the exchange rate, we have to pay carriage, duties, and 14% VAT, all of which add anything between 25% and 30% to the price paid."
It is amazing what you folks are up against. Just getting to the races and running a bike or car is a major accomplishment.
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:cheers: Right on Mikey! :cheers:
Load it up and give 'er both barrels!
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Bo, the exchange rate sucks. In the apartheid era when the world hated us we were getting $2 for our Rand. Now that we're liberated $1 will get you R11.40.
I think the powers that be did this to keep us here. Guys would have left in droves taking their money out of the country.
Making progress on the liner in spite of the currency. :-D
On Sunday I had the rocket scientists here from Marcom.
Big discussion on CP, tailfin dimensions and CFD.
Yesterday I managed to get the two turbo hangers fabricated.
One is tacked in place and I'll have the other done today.
Pics later. :cheers:
Thanks Joe, always good to get some motivation from you. :cheers:
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:cheers:
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Some photos of the turbo hangers.
I did have some very nice heavy wall seamless tubing from another project so there was no bending involved.
It came together very well and both units are mirror images, level and ready for final welding.
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More images.
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Different angle shots.
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The left and right hand thread end joints loosely fitted.
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Good to see things moving forward again Mike! If anyone can identify with the ebb and flow of progress and motivation, it's gotta be us two. You have to keep moving, because your thread is the one I go to when I'm looking for a little extra motivation! :-D
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Joe, you've got that right. I always check your thread first as well.
Brothers from different mothers!!!!.
Thanks man. All of this really helps.
I had a downer today. A good friend of mine was murdered. Virgil Pappas was the coolest dude anywhere and his slogan was "Party".
He and I did party some a few years back. I got his brother into kart racing and is still SA 250cc Superkart Champion. RIP Virg. :cheers:
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Very sad, Mike. Hope they get it solved and quickly. Hope we can help you move on.
Doug
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Sorry to hear this, Mike. It is always had when you lose a friend.
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Thanks guys.
I probably would never have found out but strangely enough the missus was telling someone that we got our first Jack Russell
from Virgil and Veron 18 years ago. This guy told her what happened.
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Bummer. RIP
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Thanks Trent.
The liner is fighting me again. :-D
Just when you think you're nearly done with the welding it seems like the car unzips them all and you just keep finding more and more to do. :evil:
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Building cars will do that, How many times have you left something off and had to remove a bunch of stuff to put it in or on, or even drop a bolt just out of reach. :cheers:
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Thanks Trent.
The liner is fighting me again. :-D
Just when you think you're nearly done with the welding it seems like the car unzips them all and you just keep finding more and more to do. :evil:
That's exactly why I prefer paint to powder coat for a racing chassis of any sort. The welding goes on long after you first get it running and you can easily remove paint in the area. On the other hand powder coat is difficult to remove and when the heat is applied anywhere near the coating it starts to run. I usually use a rust paint so the welded area can then easily be repainted with a rattle can.
Lecture over! :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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My experience is like Pete's. In addition, using a basic color like gloss black makes it easier to match the paint over the repairs and revisions to the existing.
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You're right. All of you!!!.
I want to paint the chassis silver metallic but we'll have to do it here. No booth long enough where I live.
Touch ups are inevitable and I've accepted that. :roll:
I've got about 60 plates that need to be welded on for mounting the body.
This time I won't be using Dzus fasteners. Just too many and from where I stand also too expensive.
Coarse thread CS machine screws for me. :-D
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Mike...I`ve sent you a PM.....
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Mike, I use screws, too. One thing that works for me is to put a dab of Yamabond #4 on the threads before I screw them in. It has just enough adhesion to prevent them from unscrewing yet not enough grip to make taking things apart a chore.
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Thanks Bo.
As most may know I get continuous advice from Tom Burkland.
He agreed with me not using quarter turn fasteners for various reasons.
A while back he suggested I clad the roll hoop in metal plate to prevent debris finding
its way into the cockpit in case of a crash.
Great advice from someone who really knows the game. Thanks again Tom.
I started yesterday and so far I have three inserts welded in.
Top two, left and right.
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Middle section in.
Holes are for getting a 13mm socket in to tighten the nuts that hold the helmet padding to the hoop.
I could have left the holes out but you never know how hard it might be access wise and how long it might
take to use a wrench. :cheers:
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Looking good Mike.
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Great looking cage Mike. Also on the body in the engine area add at least 2 access doors on each side for fire ext. As it is difficult to remove body panels this is the primary point for fire services to put out the fire.
Each of the doors should be marked as well. Keep up the good work. :cheers:
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Thanks Riaan. :cheers:
Glen that's a very good piece of advice. Thank you.
When I get to the body work I'll make sure to build doors. :cheers:
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Mike, the battery disconnect switch on the external part of the body also will need a decal so it can be located by emergency crew, nose or tail of vehicle.
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I'm lucky to have a friend who makes decals so when the time comes we'll be covered. :cheers:
Thanks Glen.
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Lower panel on the right side is in place.
I don't have a bending brake so I had to improvise.
I clamped the plate to the big jig table and then clamped a section of solid square bar to the side I wanted bent.
It took lots of graft but it came out OK. :-D
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Further along.
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Last pic for now.
I have an appointment for a job I might get. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Hold thumbs. I need to feed the beast.
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Hi Mike. PM sent.
Pete
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Thanks Pete.
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I got the big composites job. :cheers:
The pressure is on now. The truck needs to be on a plane by the end of November.
Some pics of the workshop where its being built.
I'd love a shop like this. It has a Poteet flavor about it. :-D
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This is a Nissan V8.
I haven't seen one here but it is a nice motor.
The chassis is also just about done.
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The chassis is not LSR spec but I suppose it does the job.
I've been over exposed to resins so it takes its toll on the nervous system
but its how I earn my keep. I haven't done anything for a while so we'll hold thumbs.
The left side of my cage is two thirds done. Last panel to be fabbed in the AM.
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Unobtanium quality it isn't but I try really hard to improve. :-D
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Hey Mike.
Nice project to work on. Canopy looking realy good. Just dont critisize them too much on the welding of the cage....lol
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:-D :-D :-D
Riaan!
I can learn from Duncan.
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Seen your work. Cant afford leasons. I think you were born with a carbon fibre welding helmet attached. All smelling like 150 octane. 8)
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I think Mike is fantastic. He's over there all alone and making fantastic progress.
Keep on truckin', Mike
FREUD
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Keep in mind that you need a 120 deg. field of view when you're strapped in.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, you were mentioning symptoms overexposure to resins, etc. Does the shop have a ventilation system?
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Not really Bo but that isn't the problem. Its absorbed through the skin. Gloves don't work for me. :roll:
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Cladding the roll hoop is done.
I think I need to set my Argon lower than 12l/minute.
I used up another bottle in 8 hours. :roll:
Guido suggested I start off at around 4l/minute for starters.
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Mike. I think youve been watching too many Mad Max movies. Those holes look suspiciously like gun barrel holes ;D;D;D;D
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Mike, years ago I worked at a shop that had tubes of barrier cream. I swiped a tube and used it for a few years whenever I was cleaning parts in the solvent tank, working with gasoline, etc. You simply rub it on your hands and it greatly reduces the absorbtion of toxic chemicals into your bod. I will see if I can find some on a website.
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Thanks Bo. We do have that cream here and I'll get some from my supplier when I order the resin for the job. :cheers:
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Bo, I ordered barrier cream along with the other materials. :cheers:
Started on a huge job for the Dakar Rally. Got a few weeks to get it out
but the reward is more ammo for the long car. :-D
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You guys have probably wondered where my love of racing came from seeing as I'm South African and living in Johannesburg.
I grew up about 200 yards away from the Wembley Stadium and Ice Rink.
You couldn't live any closer. I had two football fields between my back yard and my inspiration.
During the day the gate to the track was open and I spent hours in the stadium looking at the cars.
There was always something going on especially on Friday afternoons. Guys would test their sprint cars before the night races.
I only saw one race meeting with my dad when I was about 9 and it took weeks of begging. He wasn't into racing but my persistence paid off. :-D
I was hooked and all I dreamed of for years was driving a sprint car. That never happened.
I found some black and white photos of the track and it brought back great memories. My beloved Ice Rink can be seen in the background.
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The oval was dirt before I really got into the racing but by the time I was 12 they tarred the track.
Speedway had died a slow death and 4 wheels ruled.
Not too many pics around of Sprint cars from the late 60s and early 70s but my hero was an American guy called Don Hamilton
who came over every year for a series of match races. He eventually brought Dick Zimmerman with him and Dick never left. He married a South African girl
and unfortunately died in a car crash a few years back.
The car in picture was brought out to SA by Dick and sold to a local guy.
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My dad died when I was 12.
People felt sorry for us kids and a friend of my mom gave me a book of tickets
for the stadium. These tickets covered all meetings even the ones that were sold out weeks in advance.
If I was sharper I could have been the richest kid in Joburg. Guys would have paid a weeks wages for a ticket. :-D
The guy that put on the show was Buddy Fuller, ex Springbok Speedway rider and all round great guy.
He had bike stunts for the interval show along with the "cannon" where some guy drove an old 38 Chevy Coupe up a ramp shaped like a cannon filled with Oxygen filled tractor tires
ignited by spark plugs to create the boom heard for miles around.
He crashed the car into a pile of wrecks. No pics of that but it was quite a show.
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The track was my second home.
They had Midgets and about 4 other classes.
Unfortunately images are hard to find.
Uncle Buddy was my mentor and right up to when I was 17 he kept promising me a drive when I could produce a drivers licence.
Hockey won out but he did bail me out when I snapped the side shaft on my mom's Mercedes. He had the race mechanics fit the new part.
I used to "steal" the car to go to hockey practice via the freeway and the dirt parking lot.
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That is a big track. It must have been a lot of fun to watch. Most of our dirt track racing on the west coast was on horse tracks. The dirt that got kicked up by the tire of the guy in front had that special flavor.
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From playing hockey and not having access to store bought equipment I learned to work with fiberglass.
I'd make a new goalie mask for my brother every season from the time I was 13.
I eventually realized my dream of winning races at my home track but it was on a Suzuki RM123A.
I was SAs first "unofficial" supercross champion.
24 wins from 27 starts. The old man was proud and I remember the smile. He was old and grey
but his shiny pearly whites stood out from any distance.
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Bo, I think it looks bigger in the pics.
It was just over a quarter mile.
In the mid 80s it was demolished and is now a truck yard.
Television killed a lot of our sports here along with drive ins and road houses.
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Wow, Mike--that is a really impressive resume. Most of my early Motorsport involved spectating or crewing. No owning or driving for me. Not too much has changed, including financially.....but I am thankful that I can support my Family doing the work that I do (Metal Body Forming and Repair, General Antique and Classic Automotive Fabrication.....) and that I am still able to do it, and go to Bonneville each year.....
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Thanks Paul.
My early experiences formed my love for all things V8.
Hot rods, oval track and drag racing.
When I was old enough to race a car the oval was gone and like the young fool I was I got into road racing.
Not really my scene and all my crashes happened on right handers. There was a message in there. :-D
This is probably a first but I got out of racing because my car was stolen and sold by my sponsors in the off season.
The two older guys behind me. :evil:
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Hey Mike.
To think while you were crawling benches at the track I was crawling the carpets at home in nappies just a few kilometers away.
I was lucky to see some of the races in later years. Late 70s early 80s. But you are right. The initial spark was gone .
Today the ols South is a diferent South. You still race thru there like hell not to get hijacked or parts stolen at the stopstreets.:'(
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Great story, Mike,
Land Speed racing will be a real fitting extension to it. The nice part is you don't have to build somebody else' idea of a race car. You can build your dreams and there are people here who will help and give you encouragement. Proud to call you friend.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Coming from two of my best mates that means a lot.
Thank you. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
This car is mine, I love it but all you guys have had a hand in the build.
Without the friends and the forum I'd still be walking around with a tape measure and scratching my head.
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Mike.
I see a light at the end of my tunnel. And its not a freigjt train.
Its a slow rider.
Soon I can get back on the horse with some Autralian assistance (sic) ......
And local content to boost....
Keep going buddy. Never have I seen more skill and commitment from a living being.....
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Thanks Riaan.
You're right about the light at the end of the tunnel.
I'll have the rest of the wheels including the 18s by months end.
I got 33kg of Epoxy resin for the body work, so I can start producing panels now. :cheers:
You need to email me about the local content. :evil:
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Well Mike.
Its simple. Eaton might be a big player Worldwide. But the SA operation needs some guidance. But the oposition seems to know talent when they see it. Australia seems to pouch more than sheep from us
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Cool pictures Mike, and an even cooler story. Always neat to learn a little about the events and circumstances that led your friends down the path that they're now on. Thanks for sharing brother!
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Joe, thanks man. This post is for you. :cheers:
Sanding fiberglass is one of the worst jobs ever but I've got some cool advice.
I built the plugs for my car using Polystyrene sheet and covered it with glass/Epoxy resin.
There are low spots between the ribs and I made some of my own filler using resin and microballoons.
It sands OK but not great. If you had a small area fine but not for these big parts.
My resin supplier gave me a sample of S Fair 3 fairing paste so I decided today was the day to try it.
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The 1kg pack was easy to mix but smells like a fish mongers shop.
I can put up with the aroma if the stuff works.
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It went on beautifully and also went a lot further than anticipated.
I used a home made applicator. A piece of 1,5mm ABS plastic about 8" x 3".
At first I thought it was too flimsy but not so. It was perfect.
The paste covered a lot of area and difficult to see are how pronounced the low spots really are.
If this magic paste sands as easily as the manufacturer claims I'm hooked for life.
It went on easy, better than any bondo or my home brewed filler.
In 30 years of working with composites this is definitely a high light.
The goo is expensive but cheap in the amount of work it saves.
-
Mike,
Is this the stuff?
http://www.systemthree.com/store/pc/SilverTip-QuikFair-c17.htm
Doug
-
Cool. :cheers: Thanks for the heads up Mike. I'm dealing with cooler weather in the shop now, so I'm afraid all my glass work will have to wait till things warm up a bit.
-
Doug, I think they're all pretty similar but the one I used is a 1:1 ratio.
I'll let you know how it sands tomorrow.
Joe, I'm sure you have other work to do in the meantime. We're boiling here.
Summer's in full swing. :cheers:
I finished the roof for the Dakar Rally Nissan today. I'll demold in the AM and see how it turned out.
Lots of Carbon and Kevlar in it. :wink:
-
The roof turned out good. A little heavy but the next one will be way better.
-
While the roof was curing under vacuum I did some work on my driver's cell.
Carbon never comes out of the mold with a perfect surface and there are always pin holes
to fill.
I sanded the surface and painted on more Epoxy resin. One more application to go and then it can be clear coated.
Once that's done I can start fitting components. :cheers:
-
Nice progress!
-
No photos and not much progress o the liner this week.
Work got in the way. :-D
One of my sponsors kind of lost interest and although the product was OK
the personalities involved had problems. The first guy took his own life, the second
went through a messy divorce and never showed for work one day. Gone!
The third, a lady took three months to answer my last email only to tell me she was leaving the company.
The head honcho also never answered my email so I called and told him I was moving on. He said fine.
I contacted Brent Strydom at Klingspor and from the first minute I knew I was onto a good thing.
He wanted in right away. He came around yesterday with more product than I could use and its all top class.
Cutting discs, velcro sanding discs, fan grinders, flapper wheels and belts for most of my sanding machines.
The non stock items are being custom made. :cheers:
These products cost money and I don't know how guys that fund their own builds can afford them.
Fiberglass and Carbon chew up abrasives more than metal IMO and I'd be up a creek without my sponsors.
It turns out that Brent and I went to the same school although he's much younger.
I've been invited to the warehouse where I'll go around with the "picker" and choose more product.
Klingspor have the biggest selection of Tungsten Carbide burrs in Africa and Brent says I can have whatever I need.
Whenever I get down and start thinking that maybe this project will stall miracles like this happen.
-
Your good work skills will pay off when a sponsor sees the product they are giving you being used. It's good advertising for them. Send them photos of you using them(product) so they can place it in the in the company ads. :cheers:
-
I'll agree with Glen-- good photos of you actually using the product (the more action implied in the photo the better) have more impact than nice static shots of the car. A sponsor needs both types of photos, though- one of the overall car to show what you've built and one showing detail of you using the product. The better the quality of the pictures the more likely they will be used for press releases, advertising, etc.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Glen and Neil, that's awesome advice.
I'll make sure I do just that.
Thanks guys. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Some of these sponsors might help with crating and shipping. That will be a big deal in the near future. Something I never considered, until now.
-
Very awesome stuff!!
-
Its been really hot here so I ordered slow hardener with my Epoxy resin.
The next day it started raining and the temperatures dropped.
Nothing is curing. I'll have to invest in another hardener and then the weather will probably improve. :evil:
Peter from BSPE called and said he had some good seamless 38mm tubing for me if I wanted a few lengths.
Willie and I jumped in his Mercedes Vito and picked up the pipes.
Peter has quite a big facility. :cheers:
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The forum is a little slow these days. :?
Are you guys hibernating?. :-D
3.55AM and I've been grafting for an hour already.
I wish I could say I was busy on my liner but not so.
Turning other people's dreams into my nightmares. :-D
Halfway done on the Dakar race truck project. :cheers:
Got a huge shopping list that needs $$$$$$$.
-
Most are just resting. We didn't get to break much on the salt flats this year.
-
I figured as much.
:-D
-
Always slow around here till after the holidays, when folks start playing with their toys.
-
Start?!?!?!
Some of us have never stopped! :-D
-
Joe, we're addicts, what can we do?.
I just hope I can be there when Hank hits the salt.
That will be emotional. I'll bring the Kleenex. :cheers:
-
Should have said new toys :-D
-
Frank if things just go my way you, Joe and Geo should have a few toys for Xmas.
Trying but work keeps delaying my best efforts. :oops:
I've been doing 20 hour days to get the Dakar truck parts out.
It needs to be on a cargo plane by the end of the month.
Funds generated will keep me going on the real project during December while
everyone is blowing their bonuses on a vacation.
The guy that normally does the composite work on the race team's trucks couldn't/wouldn't
do Carbon panels but the Portuguese client wanted the good stuff.
I got really lucky. The door panel came out good and after a good clear coat it should
be fine. I tried to keep the splices to a bare minimum and not too visible.
Two pics of the vacuum process and finished product.
-
Nice work, Mike!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Awesome work as usual Mike!
If Santa Claus happens to bring me some presents from Jo'burg, I'll be the happiest boy in the world!
Keep up the push brother! If it helps keep ya going, Hank is making good progress in all areas!
-
Yah Hooo!
Parts look good Mike! I'm sending some cold weather your way.
Geo
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That looks great. The reflection tells the story. No waves or distortion.
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Mike, Joe took the words right out me mouth. ( hay i got it right) Your work with composites blows me away. Glad your making some project money. :cheers:
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I'm embarrassed.
I have to finish the wheel discs and the Jag dash. It bugs me that I've let things slide.
I had a youngster that was going to work with me but things never worked out.
He was going to assist on your projects to get experience.
Sean Morrow has just finished 5 years at University studying aeronautics and he's got a temporary job
with a guy developing drones to monitor the Rhino population. They're building composite planes and he wants
to work weekends for experience. He's been here twice and he's a big help so we'll do the Jaguar dash together.
Might as well throw him in at the deep end. :lol:
Manufacturing a dash using the original vinyl and foam factory part is an exercise for the very brave.
I've walked away so many times it's scary. You can't give up and eventually it clicks.
Mark from Marcom Aeronautics and Space has given Shaun a project to do a comparative CFD modeling programme
on the long car. He sends his results to Mark and hopefully he'll get a permanent job next year.
I even want to work for Marcom. :-D
My crew is growing. We'll get together soon hopefully.
We're not Roush Racing but like Don Martin says "It's all fun".
Riaan Lingenfelder (manager and hydraulics).
Victor Moore. (instrumentation).
Sean Morrow (aero and composites).
Pritesh Makan (logistics).
Willie Mulder (planning).
Clive Cabe (drivetrain and composites).
Theuns Visser (structures).
Nasen Padayachee (turbos and engine management).
These guys are all awesome people I like, trust and get on well with.
:cheers:
Thanks all for the kind words and motivation. It goes a long way and keeps me grafting. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Hey Mike.
We realy need to get all the guys together before bonus time. Just a quick roasting and a few beers. We need to build on the strengths of the TEAM.
-
I'll try get answers on when they can come around. Thanks Riaan. :wink:
-
Wow, nice crew list. I didn't know I was doing the work of 9. I need a raise...if I was getting paid. :-D
-
Frank, my friends don't get paid.
They are enthusiasts like us.
We've never been together as a group. :roll:
-
Few, dang few, get paid I know, just saying. get them together for beverages of choice and the ideas will flow. :cheers:
-
Mr. Hartman, you are a true gentleman. :cheers:
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Thank you kind sir. Now back to making nice junk.
-
I collected the 2.28 "I think??" rear end today.
I don't know a thing about these GM differentials and
I'm hoping Sparky will tell me if it is the right unit before
I cut it up to get to the good bits and remove the crown wheel etc.
You can all chime in if you like.
I'm a little shocked. I got to George's house and it looked
very ordinary with one single garage door that is a bit of a decoy.
Once behind it, it was a huge yard full of Mopars and a couple of Chevys and Fords.
The guy has Cudas, Chargers and a few I can't identify.
36 years of collecting. He has so many motors it's scary.
I was dying to shoot a few pics but didn't want to invade his privacy.
-
Pull the cover and count the teeth. Divide the crown gear count by the pinion gear count. The resulting number is the rear end ratio. You can just turn the pinion and see how many turns you make to make the axles turn once. This also gives you the ratio but it's hard to tell for sure if several available ratios are close together.
Pete
-
Thanks Pete. I know the ratios but I needed to make sure that it is a 10 bolt 7,5" GM unit.
I Googled and from the images there it looks right.
-
The axle tube should be 2 5/8" OD shoot a pict. of the back of the diff ---if it has 2.28 gears the 2.14s should drop in ---when I find some---I just have to find a new set seems some of mine are in Oz and other places I though I still had a set. I will as soon as I find some to pass on.
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Looks like a 7.5 from a G body. High ratio 3.08 up to 2.14 are a two series & interchangable. If it is an open carrier it's too weak for HP, they break around the flange.
Sid.
-
I just measured and it is 2 5/8" 2.28 ratio.
Do I just drill out the rosette welds on the case to remove the tubes?.
Thanks Sid and Sparky. :cheers:
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I just stripped the rear end. It takes 26 spline axles.
I'm want to take Sparky's advice and use my large bearing 9"
axles and tubes.
Do I buy this mini spool and have my gear cutter shorten my axles
and spline them to suit the spool?.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-5-GM-7-625-10-Bolt-Mini-Spool-28-Spline-w-Moly-Cross-Pin-NEW-/221219108811?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3381afb7cb&vxp=mtr
Thanks. :cheers:
Just checked and the spool housing ID is too small for the Ford axles. The complexity just ramped up. :evil:
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Necessity is the mother of invention and in my case this rear end debacle is a "MOTHER" of monumental proportions.
I suppose every land speed project has it's Achilles Heel and in my case it's the Caboose on this train.
No Grand Funk Railroad here (my all time best) and I'm on the outside looking in.
Tom Burkland is IMO, the guy!!!!!!.
I should have taken his advice, I do but I thought the gear cutter was a local genius.
All he did was tell me what I wanted to hear and I fell for his BS hook, line and sinker.
Not a good thing as I'm a fishing lure builder with a worldwide reputation. :roll:
I'm doing my own thing on the rear end and if it breaks so be it. It's racing and we all learn from our mistakes.
One South African mini spool mod, GM Ford Hybrid coming up. :evil:
I wont weld the spider gears but as the local saying goes "'n Boer maak 'n plan". Translated it means a farmer makes a plan.
Yes, my patio furniture used to be my living room furniture. :-D
-
Mike, you will not really know what ratio will be best until you make those first runs. This plan to make something work at minimal cost is a good idea. The ratio you eventually use might be different.
-
At this stage the ratios aren't a priority but getting the Blue Oval and Bowtie goodies together and working as a unit is. :-D
-
The Camaro center section use 28 splines like many fords Sid knows more about these than I do.. We have cut the rosettes welds with a hole saw and with a cutting torch-- they sure do not drill out easy.
-
Sparky, I'm having the two side spider gears remade without teeth and splined on the ID with a 33 count.
We're also making a heavy internally splined sleeve to take up the space between them.
The Ford axles will be cut down to length and will get the 33 spline treatment.
I'm using Ford axle tubes so the C clip arrangement won't be an issue.
The Ford tubes slide over the GM ones so we'll use a 99 nickel rod to weld them to the iron housing.
What do you think?. Thanks. :cheers:
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Mike. The knowledge disipated in this last conversation is making me dizzy.
I will go lie down now.
-
That took a bottle J&B friend. :-D
The dude in Cape Town has a lot to do with my motivation lately.
Some idiot parked in the disabled bay at the shops yesterday
and when Willie asked him to move he said he'd break Willie's
other leg. :x
Well he didn't but did wake up between the tyre and a 4x4 fender where his head was wedged
after he tripped. He kinda just "Flopped" if you get my meaning?. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
Egad. This is just like Oakland.
-
Those disabled bays can be very tricky to walk in sometimes ;D
-
Guys, a veteran, no matter where he comes from deserves respect and some illiterate fool
breaks the law and then has the audacity to threaten a guy who is an amputee.
There's a weird perception here in SA that if you drive a fancy car you have a God given right
to do just what you want. I don't care if your ride is a Bavarian Murder Weapon, you don't abuse
anyone, period.
This is a build diary but it also encompasses the trials and tribulations of building an LS vehicle.
The journey is like no other. I know most of you have very little knowledge of my country and it is an awesome place
but there are millions of idiots who think money, a flash ride and the latest shiny gadget is the passport to immortality.
The term "old school" is there for a reason. All we wanted was some "biltong" (beef jerky) and two Cokes while on our way
to get work to fund the liner. The term fighting for what you want just got new meaning. :-D :-D :-D
Back to work. :cheers:
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That took a bottle J&B friend. :-D
The dude in Cape Town has a lot to do with my motivation lately.
Some idiot parked in the disabled bay at the shops yesterday
and when Willie asked him to move he said he'd break Willie's
other leg. :x
Well he didn't but did wake up between the tyre and a 4x4 fender where his head was wedged
after he tripped. He kinda just "Flopped" if you get my meaning?. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
That's what we call "teaching someone a lesson". Carry on....... :cheers:
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:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Ron
-
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Sparky, I'm having the two side spider gears remade without teeth and splined on the ID with a 33 count.
We're also making a heavy internally splined sleeve to take up the space between them.
The Ford axles will be cut down to length and will get the 33 spline treatment.
I'm using Ford axle tubes so the C clip arrangement won't be an issue.
The Ford tubes slide over the GM ones so we'll use a 99 nickel rod to weld them to the iron housing.
What do you think?. Thanks. :cheers:
Use only as much of the Ford tube you need & weld it to the GM tube not the Iron housing. 33 spline axle is more strength than you'll need but is that actually going to fit through the bearing spout on the carrier without boring the hole bigger? Check the alignment of the left & right axle tubes, the GM machining process was off. It will probably have some toe in.
Sid.
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Thanks Sid, We were going to turn the Ford shafts down to get them through the spout
because I thought the carrier was hardened but if it isn't it would leave me feeling way better.
What do you suggest?. Thanks man. :cheers:
I just checked. There's not much material on the carrier to bore it out.
-
Mike, just weld the Ford ends onto the GM tubes. If you want I'll email pictures of my mandrel I use when I shorten a rear end. Unfortunately I don't have a rear end carrier around right now so I can't show you how I actually do the assembly.
Watch out resplining the axles. We used to do that but because the new spline isn't heat treated bigger horsepower tended to twist the new spline off.
Pete
-
Pete, the new axles will only be about 265mm long.
The originals are 750mm.
My gear cutter says the axles will be sent for heat treatment after the splines are done.
He knows his stuff but your input and advice is valuable always.
Thanks so much.
-
The heat treat will solve the issue. Keep at it Mike. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
-
Thanks Pete.
I've been at this Carbon Fibre thing for 27 odd years and although I
work via word of mouth with no website or business cards I think I
hit the mother lode.
I will definitely remember this Thanksgiving and have a reason of my own
to be thankful. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
So much work here that I need at least five laminators.
-
I'm preparing to do an all nighter and I get a message from a guy called Christopher Altman
who is an astronaut in training.
I have a sponsor who is building launch vehicles for satellites and it got me thinking.
As a kid the Apollo program had me building all the models and learning about apogee and perigee.
I'm never going to go to the moon so I chose the next best thing.
I'm building a liner!!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :cheers:
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Thanks Sid, We were going to turn the Ford shafts down to get them through the spout
because I thought the carrier was hardened but if it isn't it would leave me feeling way better.
What do you suggest?. Thanks man. :cheers:
I just checked. There's not much material on the carrier to bore it out.
Just do a 28 spline axle, thats the biggest thing that will fit in the bearing spout on the carrier. You don't want to bore that out & make it weaker.
What carrier are you using, some are not strong enough, show me a pic.
I built a diff for a guy a while back with a 10 bolt housing, turned down a Quickchange 31 spline aluminim spool to take a 2.14 gear, used a bigger carrier bearing in a stock size race to fit the housing, welded on 3/4 ton Dodge full floater axle ends & splined the Dodge truck axles to 31.
Sid.
-
Knowing my luck the carrier will be the wrong one.
I'll shoot a pic shortly and post it.
Thanks Sid.
-
Sid, I guess I know what you'll say!. :-(
-
Sid, I guess I know what you'll say!. :-(
That is the one with the thicker ring gear flange, not the junk one. The next weak link here is the cross pin, check for cracks in this area & don't use the old pin or the locator bolt as they are prone to breaking.
Sid.
-
Thank you Sid.
That's good news. :cheers:
-
Why not put a spool in it?
-
Brad,that's what I was going to ask. :cheers:
-
I don't know about 2 series 10 bolt but 2 series 12 bolts spools need to be custom made .
-
Most of the mail order suppliers sell series 2 and 3 mini spools but not full spools.
-
We're going to do a local version.
I'll keep you posted. Thanks for the tips and advice. :cheers:
-
A company called Honingcraft is machining up a custom set of axle tubes
that will accept the big Ford bearings and allow for a press fit over the GM
stubs. Huge job for them though, the tubes are 6'' long. :-D
My 18" outer rims have arrived so I'll be taking a drive tomorrow to collect them
and the three remaining 15s.
The welding of the centers will have to wait until the New Year because everyone is shutting
down for the holidays.
Things are looking up. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
here's hoping a a set of 2.14 s show up on ebay soon I am in the market for 3 sets .. Great news about your progress and your friends devotion to Education!!! :-D
Being able to point out to the guy where he was wrong and explain it to him in such a way has he may understand and recall it at a future as needed!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Try this Sparky.
Sid.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/78-83-84-85-86-87-88-MONTE-CARLO-RING-PINION-2-14-THRU-3-08-RATIOS-SGGM7-5-308-/181244584765?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a3304e33d&vxp=mtr
-
LOL Sid cheap a_ _ me was looking for used ones!!!!!!! lol
-
Oh I hear ya Mate, I'm building my Junkliner on lunch money & out of everybody else's cast off's. :|
Sid.
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LOL Sid cheap a_ _ me was looking for used ones!!!!!!! lol
You mean parts with experience... :cheers:
-
My neighbor cut up a Pontiac. It never had the front clip on it when I saw it
and I thought it was a Camaro. Not sure of the year but I'm going to ask him about the diff.
Imagine finding the right one next door????
-
I collected my 18" outer rims today.
I was beginning to think they'd never arrive.
The pieces of the puzzle are slowly falling into place.
Lots of engineering for the new year but I'll concentrate on body work
while everyone else has a vacation.
No sense in giving work to guys who don't have their eye on the ball. :cheers:
-
Imagine finding the right one next door? Huh
stranger things have happened!
-
Sparky, it's gone but wasn't the right one. :wink:
I'm on a high since those outer rims arrived.
It's awesome and I'm so happy.
-
wheels are good :-)
-
Round stuff is good. Bit by bit. :cheers:
-
Worse than finding it next door is discovering that you have it and forgot that you did.
-
The last vacation I had was when I was 11.
I really need one now. The wife says I should go down to the coast
for a few weeks and rest. There is a holiday home there that she owns
and it's cool but the money would be better spent on the long car IMO.
So much work coming in and the 18 hour days are taking a toll.
Dealing with the Portuguese Dakar team is tough. Great guys but
the time frames are crazy. Nearly done with that project but there are three others.
The bread and butter job is a local speed shop that caters for Italian bikes and cars
mainly but I saw Porsches, Triumphs, BMWs and Japanese bikes in the workshop.
The rumour is that the company is owned by a certain 9 time Italian MotoGP champion.
They want Carbon everything and pay well. Made a hugger mold overnight for a Ducati
and now I need to produce numbers.
-
Some pics of stuff at the new client's shop.
Willie cut me off at the neck. He's good at that. :-D
-
Bimoto have always been ground breakers.
Check this front end. :cheers:
-
I understand why you dont go to the coast.
The salt there is not hard enough to do the speeds you want.;D
-
I'd love to go but the fishing is lousy this time of year.
The only "fish" being caught are the holiday makers.
Nearly done on the Dakar truck. 3 parts to go and then
we'll get stuck into the long car. Its going to be an awesome month.
Lots of sanding. :-D
-
Still earning, working on client projects.
Frustrating as hell looking at the long car while I'm working.
Nearly done. Some Ducati huggers ready to go out the door.
-
Damn but those look good. Just dont let a certain Rider sighn them. It WILL Drop the value......
-
He he he.
I'll sign one for you. :-D
Get an autograph before they get too expensive. :roll: :evil: :lol:
Just trying to dodge Eskom. They can't even organize a black out on time. :cheers:
-
I got really tired of working with resin so I took a few hours off to
finish the two chassis braces.
It's a clevis type arrangement and was
difficult to set up on my own but eventually it came right.
-
Two more pics.
It's going to necessitate a weirdly shaped plenum/air box
but compromise is king on these things. :cheers:
-
The female sections were actually the rear leg pivot points on a springer
front end I designed for the custom bikes.
I've used them all up but for a good cause. :-D
The male ends are tacked in place and will be welded tomorrow.
At least I made a little progress.
-
Bitchin'!
-
Looks strong! Nice welding, too.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
At the risk of looking like a hijack. Mike welded a frame for a bed in the back of my Vito bus. Will be used to go to Hakskeen for the run and me and the petrolhead missus will be sleaping there.
Point is bed came out so straight that no pothole could make it move or rattle in the back. Extention slides as if on rails.
Thanks Mike.
-
Bitchin' Mike! I dig it. I did something very similar on my car. Looking good man! :cheers:
-
If your bodyline is tapering down & in from the back of the cage & you intend to pick up intake air from there, it will be a low pressure & turbulant area at speed & could give you problems getting quality air to the engine.
Tying those long links together in the middle & down to the top rail will help prevent deflection also.
Sid.
-
Thanks all.
Sid, I'm going to have to add extra braces but it won't be easy.
I was dumb enough to angle the female fittings on the cage side.
If you make the two braces a fixed unit you won't get them unbolted.
Brackets, bolts and head scratching coming up. :oops:
The body profile doesn't quite follow the bars but I had to get them
out of the way towards the rear. The shape of the car is pretty similar
to Danny Thompson's in that area so I emailed him and asked if his flush mounted
inlets worked. He told me at the time that he hoped so but only testing would
prove it. After he ran way over 300 the report was that the inlets were fine.
Good enough for me. :wink:
I was lucky enough to land a sponsorship from a company called Marcom Aeronautics and Space,
a local company that is building launch vehicles for satellites and they're doing all the CFD.
Mark has finished the solid model and says it's much smoother now but the "meshing" takes time
and is the difficult bit. Once that's done I can finalize the body shape.
It takes a lot of very clever people to build a long car and I've been blessed with so many.
You won't get this sort of help in any other form of motorsport, that I can guarantee. :-D
-
If you make those three links with Heim joint ends you can adjust them to fit as needed, they'll change a lot. You'll be using a jack & stands to flex the chassis to line up the long ones every time. We had a pair of three footers on Betsy & that was the only way to do it.
Sid.
-
Thanks Sid.
I always learn a lot from you. :cheers:
-
"It takes a lot of very clever people to build a long car and I've been blessed with so many.
You won't get this sort of help in any other form of motorsport, that I can guarantee." :)
That is a great quote and so very true!
-
Yep, LSR the friendly place to race.
I just want to share the knowledge before they eventually burn down my library. :mrgreen:
Sid.
-
Sid, if I don't get this thing done by next winter (your's) I'd like to come hang out
with you before I go insane. :evil:
I'm on the ropes and the legs are like rubber.
If they made a video of my "stupidity" today Youtube would have shut down from over use. :cheers:
You were 100% right about using jacks etc.
The support bars were a bust. I wasn't crazy about the set up and then Tom Burkland emailed me.
Between Tom and Sid's sage advice I need to rethink and design a better system.
The parts I made are junk and more than ever I wish I lived in Lava Hot Springs or Ogden, Utah. :oops:
-
You need a really stiff chassis on a long car to prevent chassis oscillations & the faster it goes the more important it becomes. Torsional rigity also needs to be addressed if you don't want to be chasing it around out there.
Dont be afraid to ask for advice from multipul people & decide from that what makes more sence to you, nobody know's everything. This goes for everybody not just Mike.
There are a bunch of different ways to float a boat so to speak but some of them will get you drowned.
Sid.
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Sid, I have a couple of ideas in mind.
This looks like nothing more than a few bars with ends on them
but as you pointed out in your first reply it gets complicated.
I'm going to walk away from it for now. Rushing only ever gets me into trouble.
What happens in my case is that I work on the liner non stop and get into a situation where things just flow
and one part just flows into the next. I'm in the groove and it all seems to come naturally.
I had to do "work" for customers and then thought I'd just do a few hours on the car???????.
Big mistake. :evil:
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These "long things" are Very much subjects of gravity and thermal inputs!
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Sid, I have a couple of ideas in mind.
This looks like nothing more than a few bars with ends on them
but as you pointed out in your first reply it gets complicated.
I'm going to walk away from it for now. Rushing only ever gets me into trouble.
What happens in my case is that I work on the liner non stop and get into a situation where things just flow
and one part just flows into the next. I'm in the groove and it all seems to come naturally.
I had to do "work" for customers and then thought I'd just do a few hours on the car???????.
Big mistake. :evil:
Thats the way Mate, take a break & think it through, you're no dummy it'll come to you.
Sid.
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Sid. And others
All you guys helping and advising Mike do not know how much impact you have on this build. I have the fortune to sit with him and chat every now and then. His strength and inspiration comes from the forum. The advise the chats. Its like making a (south african brew) potjie kos (pot stew). All ingredients come from you guys and experience.
Keep motivating and inspiring.
Thank you......
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Mike
Cheer up. I don't know if you did or are following the Target 550 build. There have been numerous changes, redesigns or modifications over the course of the build because something didn't work right or was in the way, etc, etc. This car is being built by the best minds and fabricators on the planet and they don't always get it right. When you are building anything one off, problems can be expected.
Ron
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Changes are never ending. On both Vesco streamliners there are constant upgrades, additions and redo's. The note books are full of notes and pictures.Even though it's off season things just pop up. Anyway there are a lot of neat projects going on around the world and we can follow on the internet and all of us learn from it. :cheers:
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You can buy or build something like these ideas, then use an adjustable heim or clevis on the other side.
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Guys, thanks so much for all the great advice. :cheers:
Michael, The fittings are exactly what I need. My clevis' are similar but the others will do the job.
I'll get to Geraldo and ask him to machine a couple of sets.
A while back I went through a similar situation with the front end and it drove me nuts for months.
These braces are just a couple of "no brainer" bars, right?.
You figure you'll just fry on a couple of female clevis', a brace here and there and be done with it. :evil:
They are kind of the last pieces in the puzzle!!!!.
They interfere with everything good on the car. The air inlets, the plenum chamber and a bunch of other components.
Talk about painting yourself into a corner?.
I thought I could space the bars wider where they connect at the rearward part of the chassis to give
me room for the air box/plenum but the turbos are right there.
Much better, more intelligent guys than me have been through this so I don't feel too bad.
This is where being in Africa is a big problem. If I was US based I know one of you would have a look
and come up with a solution.
I suppose it will just click soon. :-D
Without the forum and all you guys we'd be in serious Doo Doo. :cheers:
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If it was easy everybody would be doin it!
Sid.
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Mike,
If you really want to improve your frame's stiffness then I would highly recommend that your add some sort of diagonal tube in the open bay of the frame just behind the fire wall. I have attached a pic of the area. If you need to have access to this area then you would need to make the diagonal tube removable. Check the "Target 550" build to see how they did it.
Regarding your "curtain hanger" bars that you have added, remember that because they are so long they will not have much effect in increasing frame stiffness in the vertical down load direction as they are in compression and with them being so long they will not provide much help in this direction although they will help in the vertical up loaded condition when they are in tension.
Rex
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Mike;
Rex is right, long skinny bars tend to bow out sideways when placed in compression but you could increase the diameter of the bars to reduce that. Large diameter light gauge tubing is better than small heavy- wall tubing.
Where possible it would help chassis stiffness to weld on thin sheet steel stressed panels. They do interfere with access but you can cut out holes for access and if you use a doubler ring and tight-fitting bolts it will act like a one- piece panel. Don't forget that torsional stiffness is important, too.
Your project is looking great!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks everyone.
I did some extra work changing the set up and the first iteration
was a hoop tacked on forward of the motor where I was hoping
to use fittings as shown by Dynoroom.
The thinking was that I'd be able to "shorten" the tubes but I never
liked it.
Trying to get space for the airbox, inlets and keep the material within
the confines of the body is no easy task and the pics of Dennis Mariani's
liner gave me a new idea.
-
I cut the hoop, taking out the top and replaced it with a
heavy wall rectangular tube where I welded the ends shut
after fitting anchor nuts. The uprights bolt to it with two fasteners.
-
I will have space for the airbox and any cross bracing I'm going to fit.
Forward of the rectangular box I can now change the angle of the two
braces that connect to the cockpit.
It's a work in progress and once again I've been reminded that fully welding certain components
is a bad idea. I've made mistakes on this build and that is one lesson that keeps biting me.
The shiny bits between the upright and the rectangular box is 1,2mm Alclad I used as spacers
so as to be able to remove and refit parts.
-
I'll have more pics as I go.
I have 1/2" clearance between the rocker box and the tube.
Good news I think.
Got a way to go but feeling much better about how it's coming.
-
There are still tubes to add to the chassis rails both under the motor and on the sides
and one idea I had was as depicted in the image.
-
Mike, will you have enough room to remove the rocker cover without removing the bar. Remember you've only got an hour to do the service for the return run and it would be a shame to not complete a record run because of a loose rocker.
Pete
-
Unfortunately not Pete.
Two bolts to remove the bar plus whatever cross braces
we build in.
This is compromise at its finest and I'm stuck with it.
Thanks for the heads up. :cheers: :cheers:
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It's a work in progress and once again I've been reminded that fully welding certain components
is a bad idea. I've made mistakes on this build and that is one lesson that keeps biting me.
The easiest thing in the world is holding the mig trigger in.
It's almost like you should fit a guard the size of the front of your grinder over the mig head, if you cant reach it with that on then don't weld it until you're dead sure it doesn't have to come off.....
Speaking from expewience :cry:
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Right on James. :-D
-
The braces are tacked in place and ready for final welding.
I know some of you might still suggest changes but I'm dictated to by the shape of the body
in that area and I also need space for the air box/plenum.
I had to move the hanger support for the turbo but have clearance.
-
The tubes are actually 38mm hollow bar that was donated by a good guy called Peter
from BSPE.
-
Again Mike I do hope you plan to put an X or diagonal in the frame bay that I question before as this bay is nothing but a large parallelogram hinge in your frame.
Rex
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Tom Burkland is a huge help on my build and he sent photos of his braces
and one design feature was a big winner.
He advised against the clevis set up at the top of the roll hoop.
The fear was that in the event of a crash one of the braces might shear off
and penetrate the cockpit. I was also worried about it but his system was so
practical it was a no brainer to make the change. Thank you so much Tom.
-
Would adding the two short top braces be a good or bad idea?.
-
They won't be mounted as in picture but on the wall
below where they are now.
-
There is a square with no diagonal bracing on the side to the right in the pix. A brace from the upper left to lower right would help keep it from collapsing in a wreck.
-
Good idea Bo, I'll check it out.
Thanks man. :cheers:
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Somebody else was yelling at you about that a while back too Mate, I just figured you hadn't got around to putting it in there yet.
Sid.
-
Welding, welding and more welding.
Gee, it never stops.
The further I go the more welding needs to be done.
The next guy that walks into my shop and asks why it isn't finished yet is going to get
a taste of some Old Testament. :wink: :-D :-D
I guess they watch too much "reality TV" where a guy builds a custom bike or car in one
whole week. :roll: :roll: :cheers:
I'm on it Sid.
-
Mike. Is it finished yet?
-
Hey Mike. You about done with that? I mean, you've had a whole week. :roll: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: Wayno
-
Welding, welding and more welding.
Gee, it never stops.
The further I go the more welding needs to be done.
The next guy that walks into my shop and asks why it isn't finished yet is going to get
a taste of some Old Testament. :wink: :-D :-D
I guess they watch too much "reality TV" where a guy builds a custom bike or car in one
whole week. :roll: :roll: :cheers:
I'm on it Sid.
Mike, there are times when you've got to just sit back and look at it, all over, carefully and formulate the next stage in your head. Sometimes that takes almost as much time as the actual fabrication, but it can save an awful lot of redos and lead to a better piece. Fabricating a fast, safe lsr car is a creative art and creativity takes time.
Keep up the great work. :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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Yeah, Mike -- aren't you done yet? Just think how quickly Wayno has built his tanker. I mean - from idea to completion and running down the salt took only about five
days I mean 5 years. Listen to him -- he'll give you all the help you need to get it done. He's working with the speed of a glacier - just sailing along like you could be doing. :cheers:
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Thanks Pete, the other two guys get nothing. :-D :-D :-D
I suspect one of them is sitting at the river camping.
I should sneak up on him at 2AM but he'd probably shoot me. :|
I'll get Wayno at Speed Week next year. :cheers: :cheers:
All good here. I tried changing out fluorescent tubes that were blown.
6 of the new ones had the ends fall off. I guess the Chinese dudes
want us to fill them with gas ourselves. :evil:
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So Jon, if Wayno is that slow he probably won't be at the races next year!!
Pity. :x
-
Mike........never make any assumptions regarding Wayno.
There is a separate world spinning just for him.
FREUD
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And it spins just right. 8-) Mike, worry not. I'll be there. :cheers: Wayno
-
Wayno is in a "counter rotating" universe. :evil: :-D
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Wayno is in a "counter rotating" universe. :evil: :-D
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Yeah Doug. That's what I said. :lol: :cheers: Wayno
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I was getting a little worried you were catching up to me Mike! Unlike me you seem to find suppliers that actually supply. :-o
Sid.
-
I Goggled Wayno.
There was a spec sheet and the top item???????
It said he was a Left Hand tread.
How does that compute?
FREUD
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Hey mike. Leaving for the river right now. Sneak up boet. No worries there
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I don't know the history but I feel you guys are picking on Wayno
on a "rotational" basis. I've got your back Wayno. :-D
I'm just happy I haven't given you nasty people the opportunity
to pick on me for my driving ability yet. :lol: :lol:
I wouldn't want to hang with anyone else to be honest.
This is what makes LSR the sport it is.
I got rid of all the custom Harley stuff on Thursday. The ex business
partner loaded the lot and a weight has been lifted. I took a knock
but there are more important projects to complete.
I'll be tiling the floor (something I've never done) in a room
attached to the workshop which will be the engine room.
I've always wanted a "clean" room so that I look and act professional. :wink:
You can't buy this kind of adventure and I don't care how much money you have.
The day I found this forum was a turning point and I'm better for it. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I was watching an interview with Gary Player on TV last night.
You guys would blush if you heard what he had to say about America.
You guys rock in every way. I'm happy to have you all as friends and advisers on this roller coaster ride.
No BS, I mean this.
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Mike, you get over here and you're welcome at the Rodge Mahal. :cheers: Wayno
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Mike, me and Wayno or sort of neighbors and have each other backs. :cheers:
-
Please!
This is a public forum.
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Mike, it's just good natured razzin'. :cheers: Speaking of alternative universes, you'll find Stan double parked there. :roll: Wayno
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:cheers: I like it. Life would be boring if we we're all dull.
The brace behind the roll cage is in.
It's pretty easy to remove. I cut one side of each clevis and welded them to the arms.
After loosening the bolts the system slides to the right and can be removed.
-
I'm thinking of adding a cross brace just behind the clevis'
and I know you guys will weigh in with advice. :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, Wow its really starting to take shape. :cheers: Good Job :cheers: Tony
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Tony, thanks so much.
It's been great talking to you by phone. Thanks for calling.
Took a break from the every day stuff and did some work on the
Simpson.
My friend Ashley is a great artist but the last time he painted
my helmet it came back looking great but the design I'd had since 1981
was gone.
We came to an agreement that I'd do the airbrush work and he'd do the pin striping
and the clear coat.
We put on a base coat of silver sparkle and flatted it with 1200 water paper.
I did the masking using the laser level. The hoops are straight as they'll ever be
and I'll lie when he sees it and tell him I just eye balled it. :-D :-D :-D
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I gave it a few coats of clear blue and will be following it up with
flake, something I haven't done before and can't wait to see the outcome.
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Mike , Is it an SA 2010 ? The Snell rating SA 2005 expires Jan. 2017. [The helmet doesn't expire, only the rating]. It's a lawyer thing.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Be glad I'm not helping you paint Mike, cuz that thing would be out of control! :-D
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:-D :-D :-D
It's a Simpson Speedway Shark T38 and my prized possession.
Not sure about how Snell it is but I love it. :evil:
Brad, you go from being "Eagle Eye" to Mr. Spectacles and don't see it coming
so I can't do the pin striping anymore and trying to mask a 2mm line just doesn't work.
Maybe one day we can collaborate on an outrageous design. I know it would turn out awesome.
BTW, my first flake job looks pretty good. The photos taken with my old phone don't do it justice
but it is impressive. I got lucky again. :wink: :cheers:
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Far Away Mike, this is one holiday that is world wide so we can celebrate it together.
Merry Christmas my friend.
FREUD
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I second that Freud.
Merry Christmas Mikey! Thank you for all the inspiration. Here's to another year, and seeing the long car make it out to the salt! :cheers: :cheers: Wether it's the salt in my backyard or yours. Cheers brother!
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Thank you guys.
Merry Christmas to you and your families. :cheers:
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Mike. You are making fast progress. 2015 might be the year for the first run.
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Merry Christmas!
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Thanks Bo and Trent. God Bless you.
I had huge plans to really get stuck into the liner
over the holiday period but to be honest I haven't touched it.
I must have been more tired than I thought because all I've done is
get some ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZs.
Literally been sleeping. There's junk on TV so I've been very quiet.
The good thing is that I'll be fresh when the time comes to get going again.
I have some very good prospects lined up and on the work side of things
I'm going to need every ounce of energy come next week. :lol:
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Mike;
I know that feeling-- sometimes you just have to take a break.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike.
Realy glad to hear U trickle charging for a bit. Hows ur fishing rods. Planning a one nighter at a friend of mine's spot. No tv. Power.hot water. Just to jumpstart 2015.
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:-D :-D :-D
It's a Simpson Speedway Shark T38 and my prized possession.
Not sure that helmet will be legal, the new helmets are a little larger and some had to modify their roll cages to fit. We had to enlarge both stream liners roll bars for the helmets.
Not sure about how Snell it is but I love it. :evil:
Brad, you go from being "Eagle Eye" to Mr. Spectacles and don't see it coming
so I can't do the pin striping anymore and trying to mask a 2mm line just doesn't work.
Maybe one day we can collaborate on an outrageous design. I know it would turn out awesome.
BTW, my first flake job looks pretty good. The photos taken with my old phone don't do it justice
but it is impressive. I got lucky again. :wink: :cheers:
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Mike.
Realy glad to hear U trickle charging for a bit. Hows ur fishing rods. Planning a one nighter at a friend of mine's spot. No tv. Power.hot water. Just to jumpstart 2015.
I'm in. When do we leave?.
No power, no TV and no hot water?????. :-D
I used to get dropped off at the bridge over the Vaal river where it crosses into the Free State.
All I had was the canoe, camping gear and provisions. My friends Mark and Richard would leave me there
from Tuesday and come back on Friday and spend the weekend. The last trip I did, they only came back
11 days later.
The food ran out on the first Sunday, so did the gas and the fish went off the bite. :-D :-D :-D :-D
They used the story to make the first Rambo movie I think?.
I can definitely do a one nighter. :cheers:
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I just got a few pics of the Dakar truck I worked on.
It turned out great. Looks like I'll be getting more work.
I wished them luck for the race.
-
Mike, your carbon fiber work looks great. I can't say the same for that paint/vinyl design they put on it. :-P
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Amazing how they can make such beautiful parts look so bad. Mike, at least you did your part well.
Ron
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Hey calm down out there... that looks just like the shelf paper I had in the 70's :roll:
:cheers:
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Thank God they didn't want Carbon with clear coat.
I'd still be toiling. Thanks guys. My inspiration. :cheers:
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Hey calm down out there... that looks just like the shelf paper I had in the 70's :roll:
:cheers:
It might just be the same....
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Those patterns are a sponsor's logo.
I'm getting daily press reports but can't understand the Portuguese.
Back to work on the long car tomorrow. :cheers:
Refreshed and rested. Good to go. This is going to be a tough year.
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I started unmasking the helmet so it can go to Ashley for pin striping
and clear coat.
My first flake job turned out OK but as always the next on will be better.
I'll post pics of the finished product in a few weeks. :dhorse:
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The insomnia is back but methinks it's fear induced. :evil:
I'm busy prepping the Carbon tub for clear coat.
Not as easy as a metal paint job by any stretch.
Pinholes in the Carbon has driven me nuts for 25 years and
the solution for filling them is time consuming.
One would say "just wet sand" and paint the clear but pinholes
are bubbles at or just below the surface. The hole appears tiny
but it's because it's the tip of the iceberg.
Wet sanding forces a paste into these little holes you'll be hard pressed
to eliminate. They appear as hundreds of white spots. Some guys try a pin,
a small diameter drill bit or the tip of a scalpel none of which are adequate.
My self taught solution is to get the carbon nice and warm. Then I paint epoxy onto the panel
and use a stippling motion to force the resin into the holes. The higher temp reduces the viscosity
and sometimes I get lucky by only having to use 2 coats.
When cured I sand the part smooth and repeat the process until I've killed all the nasty little suckers.
5 to 6 coats later I'm ready to prep and paint clear.
The tub doesn't look very big but add the panels together and it's huge. I spent 8 hours working today
and I've got about half the job where I want it.
-
I still need to make a cover that will have glands installed for the
thermocouple wiring to the front wheel bearings.
Hoping to have all the sanding done by this time (2.22AM) tomorrow. :evil: :roll:
It's boiling hot here and the humidity is the worst I've ever experienced up at this altitude.
My water trap on the compressor can't cope either.
Like Don Martin always says "it's all fun". :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Progress is good my friend. When you think you haven't made much headway, just go back and look at what you started with! Keeping pressing forward, and know that at least one fella here in Colorado is pulling for you!
I could sure use some of that warm weather. Hear is the view out of the front of my shop from yesterday...
At least the cold is good for keeping me in the shop and focused.
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Have you got Hank stashed in a hangar?.
I always wanted one. No better place to work.
Joe, I feel for you man.
That looks hectic but does remind me of Hockey season. :-D
Maybe you should winter over here?. You're invited, I don't have much but I'll share.
Don't make me hold my breath now hear!!!.
I could really do with some intelligent conversation.
Not trying to rub it in but i'm in shorts and slops. 35*C. :cheers:
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The guy that does all my engine reboring Kyle races a VW pickup truck.
He wanted a lightweight load box cover so I built him a Carbon/honeycomb
panel that is 1,7m long by 1,4m wide and 19mm (3/4") thick. 2 layers of fabric
each side and it's as stiff as a board. :-D
Weight is about 10lbs.
He paid for material and my labor will be offset by the machine work on the motor
for the liner. Win win all round. The total time it took was about an hour. :wink:
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Nice work champ. Tub is gona look great.
I agree its the worst humidity ive evprienced in my 45 ,er I mean 34 years in Joburg.
This is not normal.
-
No hangar Mike, but I live a few hundred feet from a small private runway out in the country. Pretty nice spot actually.
I like the wintering in SA idea. Maybe I could get you over here in a few months... Still could use a good crew member. :evil: :-D :evil:
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Man you do some awesome work Mikey!
-
The clouds built up and we're still cooking.
Time to move to Hakskeen Pan. :-D
No humidity there.
Joe, you know I'd be there if things work out. :cheers:
Same back at you Brad. Thanks a bunch. :wink:
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I can't read Portuguese but from the daily updates the client did OK
at the Dakar Rally. I know they finished and from the photo I think they
might have won a stage or something.
Ricardo is on the right. He's got to be the nicest guy I've ever done
work for. :cheers:
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The secretary at my job can take stuff posted in another language and somehow her computer translates it into English. It is not a perfect interpretation. I can usually figure out what I need from it.
-
Thanks Bo, I think there's a programme on my PC that translates but the race is over
so I won't worry too much.
Our South African dude finished second again.
They're all nuts IMO especially the bikers. :-D
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I've reached a milestone on my build.
The Carbon tub is ready for clear coat.
There was a LOT of sanding and filling involved.
That came with the obligatory itching.
It's the hottest weather I can remember so shorts and sandals are the order of the day.
You can figure the rest but the advantage is that I won't be going through itching anymore.
-
A horizontal slot can be seen at the top rear of the tub in the last photo.
The slot is for the safety harness and the fact that the harness connects
from the bottom of the chassis makes for a slightly concerning issue.
The belts will run through the slot and even though I've put a small radius
on the edge I don't like the idea of the nylon being cut in the event of a crash.
I found a mold that I thought could produce a block to remove the possibility
of cutting the belts and made a part.
I'll bond and rivet the pad/block in place before clear coat.
The weather looks pretty good but I'll need an early start because "This Is Africa"
and we could get rain in a few hours.
-
I've attached a few images of the threaded bobbins used to fit mounting points
on the tub.
They get bonded in and are used for attaching the pedal box and also for
mounting the tub on the steel frame that bolts to the chassis.
-
Your work is an inspiration, Mike.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Neil, whatever I do is so that I don't let you guys down.
It may sound sentimental but I get so much encouragement,
advice and an all round good vibe from all the members its the
least I can do.
I honestly feel like I'm US based but without the physical visitors.
What you said really helps on those tough days. I'm honored by a statement like that coming from you.
God Bless you. :cheers:
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Joe "lsrjunkie" and I must be connected somehow.
Each time he makes some progress so do I. :-D
Some pics of tub work but no clear coat yet.
I set up the block that will ease the safety harness over the sharp edge.
Drilling into the Carbon/honeycomb for the Clecos was tough.
I thought I'd use the cordless little Makita but had to switch to the big
machine after the first hole. It says that the material I used is right. :-D
After getting the block positioned I drilled for the rivets and I'll bond the part
after sanding. I need to get a few pin holes and breakout fixed.
-
WE have a new addition to the family. :cheers:
After losing three of our older Jack Russells in
about 2 months I swore I'd never get another
but then Smoochy arrived. I'm in love and she's
killed the every day mundane thing completely.
Lousy pic but you get the idea. She won't sit still.
-
After getting the rear of the tub prepped I turned to the front.
There's an opening forward of the footwell for cable glands that
needed a bolt on cover. Finding a piece of Carbon plate here is
easy. So many bits of off cut that if they were copper I'd be rich.
The stuff is so expensive I can't bring myself to throw away the
scrap but it comes in handy.
I masked off the plate and marked for drilling. First hole was hand held
and once I got the first rusty Cleco in place the rest was easy.
My poor old Clecos sat on a job out in the rain for two months.
They live in a coffee jar filled with thinner. Epoxy has a thing for clogging up
Clecos. :-D
Tomorrow I'll ream out the holes and bond in threaded bushings.
Then maybe I'll be able to paint. :cheers:
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Mike when we go through tech over here they object if the belts touch anything other than the driver's firesuit. Like the seat edge. Your Pup looks like she'll be good company both in the shop and in the yard.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Conragts Mikey! Smoochy sure looks like a cute little pooch.
And congrats on the progress as well! Looking good brother. I'll keep up the push especially if it means your making progress!
-
Mike when we go through tech over here they object if the belts touch anything other than the driver's firesuit. Like the seat edge. Your Pup looks like she'll be good company both in the shop and in the yard.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Thanks Doug, seeing that the tub is part of the chassis will that still apply?.
Thank you Joe. :cheers:
-
How could anyone not fall in love with Smootchie?
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike,
Like they say you will have to ask one of the tech people listed in the rule book. They have told us that they don't like to see any contact with anything other than the attaching points. They also show specific angles for the lap belts and the shoulder harness. There are pictures somewhere, I am not sure if it's in the rule book or on the seat belt site. [Simpson].
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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This gives some good instructions and diagrams.
http://www.schrothracing.com/sdocs/2009_Competition_Instructions.pdf
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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That cute little dog will scare off any rats or snakes, burglers, etc. She is worth her weight in dog food.
-
Mike
In the past there has been a discussion on belt length and materials specs. I couldn't find the post I wanted by searching, probably not the right terms. :? I don't know how long your belts are but I would keep them as short as possible. Look at the belt stretch on Danny Thompson's Mustang crash on youtube.
On my roadster, at three meets, had to change belt routing or length three different times to suit the inspector ( 1st and 3rd the same). Problem solved with HANS and new bar welded in.
Main thing is,we want you to be SAFE.
Ron
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Here's the one I was looking for. https://simpsonraceproducts.com/pdf/inst/Seat_Belt_Mounting.pdf
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Hey Ron, thanks brother.
The belts will be very short.
There's about 4 inches including the mount to where it touches my shoulder.
Doug, I've had that diagram from Simpson for a while but thank you anyway. :cheers:
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Hey Mike.
Note to self.
Lets insure a deacent campsite sleeping quarters doggy pool and amunities for the kids at Hakskeen.
They have to go with
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I should have built an ark instead. :-D
MTN built some very nice ablution blocks at the Pan but not
sure they'll allow the rooster. :cheers:
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Mike, Smoochie and the tub looking good. Now Amy wants a Jack ....We got too many critters as is. Live by the book for belt mounting. saved my hiney with the techies. You, Joe and Neal inspire me. can't wait to start my car. God willing we will hit Amys goal in a year or two then I'll be hitting you guy up for advice. :cheers:
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A Jack is the coolest critter you could have.
I wish Purina would start Jack Russel hurdle racing scene here.
I'd be an "owner" with a 5 Jack team. :-D :-D :-D
Frank, patience is the key and that has come from Mr. Burkland, George Poteet, Bobby Moore, Danny Thompson,
Buickguy3, Sid Gyde and countless other informed people.
You'll get there man. :cheers:
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It's a rare fool that takes on a project this big as a 'one man band', you have to want it bad play a lot of different instruments for a long time.
I see one of those fool's in the mirror every morning too Mate. :-P
Sid.
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I second that Sid!
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I won't even look in the mirror!.
I don't have a bridge left to burn.
I'm going to get a soccer ball and name it "WILSON". :-D
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I could send you a pic of mine! Wilson that is not the liner.
I'm actually hanging some body skins on the big pile of parts now, only waited a year for them! :-P The rear O/D unit is apparently done & the front one should be done next week.
Sid.
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Good to hear you finally got some of the body work.
You've waited long enough. :evil:
Sid, I'd love to see some photos.
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"Some of the body skins" is correct, some were obviously so bad I refused them. I'm now trying to make the chassis fit the panels. :x I'll mock it up & send you some in a few days.
Sid.
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Thanks Sid. :cheers:
A little more progress.
While waiting for resin to cure I had time to fit a cross tube to
the chassis brace behind the roll cage.
After fish mouthing the tube
and a test fit it occurred that there was a perfect space for the water header tank.
I cut the tube and welded in a piece of plate sourced from some 5" tubing I had.
It worked out great and I killed two birds with one stone, not an everyday occurrence
on a liner.
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The neat thing is that the system is height adjustable and
when the tank is fitted there is no interference with any
of the parts nearby.
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One more view.
I can hopefully finish the work on the tank this weekend.
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:cheers:
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Nice job of packaging Mike. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Don't forget to put something to keep the tank from sliding down when vibration inevitably causes the clamp to loosen.
Pete
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Hi Sparky, I'm still waiting to hear from my friend on the ratios
and I'll let you when I do. :cheers:
Will do Pete, thanks man. :cheers:
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still looking--- have two leads no one has committed or asked for payment!!
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From one "One Man Band' to another..Looks great Mike. :cheers:
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still looking--- have two leads no one has committed or asked for payment!!
Thank you so much for helping Sparky.
I've got a set waiting for me. :cheers:
Thanks Jerry, I'm still waiting to get a glimpse of your project. You're a dark horse!!!!. 8-)
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The health is taking strain here.
The epoxy got to me again so I have to lay off it for a while.
It is what it is so I moved to metal for now.
To anyone that has never built a liner, don't kid yourself that packaging is a snap. :evil:
Trying to find a spot for the oil tank wasn't easy.
I wanted it centered on the water tank in front of the motor.
If the big a$$ fire suppression system wasn't already going there it would have been fine.
I eventually settled on having the tank against the right side frame rails and in front of
the motor mount plate.
It needed a plate welded in to attach the tank mounts to.
That's as far as I got. Some pics. :cheers:
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I wedged in the Carbon tank mounts but they'll need trimming
to fit the way I want.
The advantage is that where the tank will sit it will be easy to remove
the filler and lines will be fairly short.
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Mocked up the oil tank today.
I have clearance everywhere. :-D
I had to notch one of the chassis brace supports.
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I found an old water pump pulley and used that as a sample.
I have a few inches gap which is good.
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There are two mounts and hose clamps to hold the tank
but the bottom one still needs slots cut so I just used the top one.
There is enough space at bottom for the -16 90* fitting so it looks alright so far.
Another sleepless night averted. :evil:
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isn't packaging a "special construction" fun
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Thanks Sparky!!!! :-D
Fun it is if you like pressure.
One thing you learn is that you're always thinking ten steps ahead.
I haven't had to remove any welded parts in a while now so I must
be learning something. :wink:
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To anyone that has never built a liner, don't kid yourself that packaging is a snap. :evil:
5lb bags are never big enough, and I see you have 20lbs of , stuff.
looking good dude.
DrG.
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I haven't put in the last 2 diagonals in the eng bay because I am not sure how & where all the related turbo stuff is going to end up and just what it will look like. :-P
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I hear you Sparky. :wink:
This stuff never seems to stop.
I had a little "drama" here last night.
I've got the Carbon tub standing up so I can get into the foot well
to drill holes for rivets needed to mount anchor brackets.
They are for the panel that houses the gauges and one for the
access panel above the pedal box.
I decided I'd stand inside the tub to do the work.
I figured it would be a tight squeeze but doable.
I got stuck. :-D :-D
I must have been in there for 40 minutes. The missus is away on business
and the Jack Russells couldn't care less. After eventually extricating myself
I bonded and riveted the first of 9 brackets and went back in for seconds.
I did it again. :dhorse:
You don't want to struggle too much for fear of falling over with your arms trapped by your sides.
Talk about the tunnels of Cu Chi!!!!! :oops:
I eventually figured it out and got the job done.
The next time it will be feet first.
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Mike.
We will start doing risk assesments and training on working in confined spaces if you keep this up.
Next time please phone a friend first.;D
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The Jack Russells were probably amused at your plight. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Good thing you giants never tried this stunt. :-D
Ah, the Jacks!. My best friends, they just watched Mr. Houdini panic. :cheers:
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Today I got a little more done.
Got to mount the steering shaft bearing housing.
I had to drill the composite for bushings.
I had the option to powder coat the parts but decided to
paint instead.
The bushings were bonded in by using all the hardware.
In the second image only one was wiped clean.
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Two other views of the installed parts.
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One from the front.
She's almost ready for clear.
Smoochy is only 8 weeks old but she took off
like a rocket and snagged a mouse under Willie's
Veto transporter. She wouldn't relinquish her
trophy and ate the whole darn thing. :x
I wanna be sick.......
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Hmmmmmm maybe there are some wayward genes in Smoochy---Rat Terrier dad??????????
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One from the front.
She's almost ready for clear.
Smoochy is only 8 weeks old but she took off
like a rocket and snagged a mouse under Willie's
Veto transporter. She wouldn't relinquish her
trophy and ate the whole darn thing. :x
I wanna be sick.......
Typical Terrier behavior. 200,000 years of evolution at play here. Probably not much you can do to change this.
Cosmo, our Portugese water dog mix, keeps our yard a "rodent free" zone . . . . . It's all I can do to get him to drop the dead ones . . . . . :-(
Fordboy
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Man Mike, your tub is over the top. Sorry. I fell outta me chair when you said you got stuck. Good Jackie you got. Our husky keeps our yard rodent free cept for opposums, she plays wit them till they dont play no mo. I have take car of the rest.....over the fence :-D to the next yard :-D
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They built a light rail transit lines through the town I grew up in, Oakland. Lots of rats invaded our neighborhood after the demolition was done to build the tracks, etc. The cats were too timid to take on the rats. Dogs saved the day. Of course, with some help from young boys with pellet guns.
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(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/30/90f65446d5158a8f318fda75016967bd.jpg)
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Old Jim loves the Rats. But he likes to show off his trofee.
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Thanks Frank.
The Jacks take care of anything we would call critters, rats, mice and snakes.
We had a situation here in 05. My maid ran into the house screaming her head off.
African people are terrified of snakes and she was out of her mind.
I go outside and there's a Rinkhals (snake) about 8ft long and as thick as your forearm
surrounded by 6 Jack Russells. They were working the snake like pros. :-D
I managed to call them off and get them in the house. I came back with the .22 but the
snake was gone. I had an idea where it was so I called the Fire Brigade. They remove
snakes. They couldn't find it either so they left.
About 2 months later while I was away the missus comes home to find the dogs playing with one of my
bike tyre tubes only it wasn't. :-D
They'd killed the same snake. It's a spitting Cobra and the girls had literally torn it to pieces.
It worries me because these dogs don't know fear. I'm just happy we don't have Mambas here.
I've got two loves, the liner and the Jacks and not particularly in that order.
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Riaan, great minds think alike.
He's a cool dog. :cheers: :cheers:
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A spitting cobra at the house, :-o is your shop and house sealed? Tony
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Tony, we live about 500 yards from the veld.
Animals move much like Diamond Backs in Fla.
No biggie. :-D
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Good grief, Mike- I thought I had a problem when I found a rattlesnake in my shop last month but a spitting cobra????
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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I remember that Neil.
This snake is not known as a threat to humans
but I was worried about my dogs.
I killed a 2ft one about a year ago right outside the shop
and felt really bad because I don't like killing. I used a hockey stick.
Those that know me will tell you I'm good with one. :wink:
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I'm not a happy camper today after putting a few coats of clear
on the tub.
It never turned out as planned and will need polishing.
I don't know why the clear went on patchy and I'm at
the stage where I really want to move on.
More elbow grease I suppose. :|
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The panel with six holes is for the gauges and the
slotted one is for the steering shaft.
I know the tub won't be visible when the body work is
mounted but it bugs me that it isn't perfecto. :evil:
I only painted the forward section and hopefully the back half
turns out better.
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Mike, don't worry too much about finish at these early stages in the build. Chances are you will need to do some mods to the tub during the first few years.
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Bo, you don't know me.
My background in racing involved not having a budget so having the cleanest, best prepped bike or car
was key. I'm stuck in my old ways. :-D
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I stick to that philosophy too Mike. I always painted the metal, used simple paint on the bodies, made the numbers large and clear and kept everything spotless. That's not only economical but it makes repairs and modifications a lot easier and the scorers don't miss you. :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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Good words you two, Wish we could all get together sometime. :cheers:
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Glen, that's the plan. :cheers:
Things are tough here right now.
Financially that is. :roll:
Finding product sponsors is a no brainer.
I sent out emails looking for a weather station and car cameras. :wink:
Trying to decide which products to take is the problem. 10 emails, 6 positives.
I used to sign up with the first guy that replied but now I'm wiser.
I'm not complaining because if I was US based, well you guys know the answer. :-D
No giving up, not now or ever.
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Started cutting out an area for the exhaust.
It will come out the top of the body.
I cut the 2mm panel so I could get the two pipes in and out
without problems.
I boxed the cutout with some 25mm square tubing just to
keep the integrity.
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I clamped the tubing to the plate and ran beads
about 2" long every 2".
I dropped one of the pipes in for a look but it was
installed the wrong way. :oops:
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The oval pipe and the finished welding including radii in those
corners. :cheers:
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Excellent fabricating Mike.
As usual . . . .
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Thank you Mark. :cheers:
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I dig the pipe Mikey, keep up the good work! :cheers:
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Mike, are you going to Haskeen Pan to watch the bloodhound? It will be there this year.
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I heard they are coming here to see Mike run;D
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Bo, no I'm not.
Although I like jets and rockets I'm a car guy.
I'm a lousy spectator to boot.
The last time the English were here they got a hiding anyway. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
I did some work prepping the instrument panel and just as I was going to install
the gauges, "BOOM" another black out AKA load shedding.
We were sitting in the dark. I guess we eventually fell asleep at 20h00.
I was up at 3AM. Frightening stuff. GFR was blasting from the workshop. "People let's stop the war".
We never shut off the main when the lights went out and when the power came on..........
Here's the panel. Clear is goodish and the Pro1 logo is so that the crew know which is the front if it has to
be removed etc.
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Ten or twelve years back I did work for two dudes
that built a range of off road race cars.
They owed me a few hundred but when they
came to pay they offered me half of the money
and the contents of a big shopping bag a full
and final payment.
Inside the bag were 11 Autometer Pro Comp
Ultra light gauges including a Tach with the
shift light.
Not a bad score for $60.
I'm going to try swap some of the extra ones
for boost gauges.
I've got fuel pressure, water temp and oil temp.
My original oil pressure is a mechanical one. Not in pic.
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The gauges are all mechanical so there isn't too much of a hassle
with wiring. Some but not much.
The only problem is that the capillary from the water temp gauge
is too short. Obviously not designed for liner application but
maybe Autometer might have an answer. I'll check.
Four out of six in place. The oil pressure unit is the odd man out
visually but who cares?. :cheers:
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The gauges are all mechanical so there isn't too much of a hassle
with wiring. Some but not much.
The only problem is that the capillary from the water temp gauge
is too short. Obviously not designed for liner application but
maybe Autometer might have an answer. I'll check.
Four out of six in place. The oil pressure unit is the odd man out
visually but who cares?. :cheers:
Mike,
If you are data-logging, gauge placement doesn't matter much. But if not data-logging, having all the gauges in one place where say a Go-Pro or similar camera can record the gauge readings during a run, can go a long way to resolving development problems.
JMO, as I would rather have data than a guess . . . . .
BTW, drivers DO NOT have time to do a "gauge check" at speed. I'd rather they concentrated on "car control" only. Things can tend to go to sh*t pretty quickly after 150 mph in an emergency.
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Thanks Mark.
The only gauge visible to me will be the tach.
The turbo guys will be handling the data logging.
As for the camera I'm waiting for the lady to come see me.
Not sure how many or what type yet but I'll definitely ask. :cheers:
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I tried to swap gauges with a local importer.
He said that I was an idiot and didn't know a thing about LSR because
I wanted to or was using mechanical gauges. :?
He quoted that he supplied all the gauges on the Castrol Edge land speed record car.
We all know how that turned out. Johan Jacobs was killed.
I guess I don't need the gauge guy's help for the obvious reason..... he's called Jerry Luis. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
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Mike, your 'liner keeps looking better and better...
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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I tried to swap gauges with a local importer.
He said that I was an idiot and didn't know a thing about LSR because
I wanted to or was using mechanical gauges. :?
He quoted that he supplied all the gauges on the Castrol Edge land speed record car.
We all know how that turned out. Johan Jacobs was killed.
I guess I don't need the gauge guy's help for the obvious reason..... he's called Jerry Luis. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Digital data can be great, but analog gauges normally do not suffer from "electronic interference".
Plus, there is the cost factor . . . . . .
I say listen to the voice in your head, when so called "Experts" give you advice that defies "common sense".
:cheers:
F/B
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.. he's called Jerry Luis. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
never did care for him or his idiot movies.
the car is coming along pretty nice .
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Thanks guys.
I've always gone with mechanical and never had drama.
If they don't work at least you know why or there is a problem.
The compliments always motivate me and I know they're genuine. :cheers:
I have news that might change things. I've been trying to sell my truck project
and have met a guy that really wants it. If he buys it..... I'll be shopping.
Simply put, I'll finish the liner. Say a prayer for me, I need this. :cheers:
I'm on the most difficult phase of the build. The headers are whipping me.
I changed out the rear pipe because I'd done this stupid bend trying to
keep it looking good and it was rubbish.
First pic is the after, second is the original junk.
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My problem is building a collector like the one on Speed Demon.
I'm stuck right now and don't have a clue on how to move forward.
Getting the four tubes into one............. :dhorse:
I could use some help. :oops:
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Build it like a Burns Stainless collector or merge collector.
Or just buy them from Burns, very high quality, although they are pricey.
http://www.burnsstainless.com/
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Funny that you mention Burns.
I used Vince's tutorial on back purging etc.
I'll check and see what they have.
Thanks Mark. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Hey Mark, I sent Vince an email.
He came back to me within 15 minutes.
He says he can build me a flat collector with four parallel inlets.
He's an awesome guy. :cheers:
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Hey Mark, I sent Vince an email.
He came back to me within 15 minutes.
He says he can build me a flat collector with four parallel inlets.
He's an awesome guy. :cheers:
Gotta love it!
That's why guys use Burns . . .
:cheers:
F/B
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Guys, my turbo guy Kyle's father passed last week.
I knew Pierre from when I was 15 and worked weekends
in a parts store to earn money to buy a 38 Chevy Coupe.
Pierre owned Cylinder Head Exchange and my boss used his services.
Today I'm going over there to mount the load bed cover I made.
How do you face the youngster at a time like this?.
I'm a veteran and have seen stuff but this is harder.
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It is always hard when it is someone you know/knew.
When the person has been a tutor or mentor or father figure, it makes it even harder . . . . .
I'm not sure if it is the loss that has impacted me the most, or the realization that now I have become one of the tutors/mentors/etc . . . . . .
Here's to hoping that he had a good "run" . . . . . . and Godspeed to whatever is next . . . . .
There is nothing like losing someone you cared about, that makes you realize your own mortality . . . . .
F/B
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Mike.
Sory to hear. Such a friend/mentor's los is always sad.
But for those who stay behind a familiar face giving comfort gives volume to the departeds friendship circle. Giving a sence of acomplishment to that persons life.
You being there has made a huge diference. To them and to yourself
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Thanks guys. :cheers:
I spent the day there working and it was good.
Kyle is a strong guy and is handling it well.
Funny thing is that Guido and his daughter Maria
turned up to collect her broken MG cylinder head.
The boyfriend borrowed the car and cooked the
motor. Kyle pressure tested it and was cracked all
over.
I met Nassen the turbo guy at Kyle's place too
which was cool. He's got some serious plans for
the liner. :-D
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I decided to try make my own merge collector before
getting into a logistics nightmare with Vince at Burns.
He's the best but being out here and getting parts
sent out is crazy. If this project doesn't work I'll
bite the bullet. :|
I found an old jig plate and flipped it over so
I could use the cleaner side.
I marked it with a white marker off a rough drawing.
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I used some scrap tubing to make some stoppers
and tacked them in place.
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Cutting the tubing was a little tricky but as always
the Makita cut off saw worked like a bomb.
I did 4 in total, 2 for each header.
I tacked on some old bolts as guides and got to work.
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The outer pipes fit well so I decided to concentrate
on getting the fish mouth work done.
More to come...... I wrecked three pieces already. :-D
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One collector tacked together.
Never complain when the experts demand big money
for their services. :-D :-D :-D :-D
I'm getting my butt kicked all around the shop.
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It looks OK but I don't know how I'm going to weld
inside the tight corners where the pipes merge.
I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
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Mike, if you go to http://www.millerwelds.com/products/gunstorches/tig-torches/?referer=http://www.weldcraft.com/ you'll see pictures of various tig torches at the top of the page. The second and third examples are what makes the job relatively easy. The important thing is to ensure the welds on the inside of the pipe are complete. The shallow torch is one of the tricks for this one. The torch with the large gas lens is just an ordinary torch to which the large gas lens is attached. You'll find the lens and related accessories in the catalogue. This item allows ridiculous amounts of stick out of the electrode so you can weld down into shallow "V's". The other source for the large gas lens set up that I know of is http://www.ckworldwide.com/large-diameter-kits.html .
You may end up having to extend the pipes on your collector to where you can weld them all round and shorten the individual pipes a proportionate amount.
Twenty twenty hindsight wins again! :roll: :roll: :evil:
Pete
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It looks OK but I don't know how I'm going to weld
inside the tight corners where the pipes merge.
I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
I didn't check out P/J's website but I used to use a Miller "straight on" torch head to weld the pipes on the inside. You will need to bend your filler rod in a curve, and it is a bit tricky, but you can get the hang of it.
:cheers:
Fordboy
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I didn't include the pencil torches but they work really well for the job too! Thanks Mark.
Pete
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I think I might be able to get the Champagne nozzle here.
Thanks for the advice on the pencil torch as well.
I know some really good welders and if I run into problems
and I guarantee I will, I'll take the headers to one of them to
complete the work.
I'd like to do everything myself but there are certain things best left to the pros.
Making headers is a tough deal and if I lived closer I know you guys would help. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
As always I can rely on my friends here on the forum.
You are always there for me and that I appreciate.
God Bless you.
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Mike, I just came across one more place that might give you some ideas whether you use their parts or not.
http://coneeng.com/weld_on_collector_kit.html
Pete
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Thanks, Peter, that was a real informative video for my build.
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Thanks Pete, Their V band flanges are really affordable.
I can't have them made here for that kind of money.
I'm going to order some as soon as I can.
Looking back, I don't know why I never built
a conventional 4 into 1. Well, I went with the current
set up to try keep heat away from the starter and
because the Speed Demon pipes looked so cool. :roll: :roll: :roll:
I don't think the starter thing is really an issue because
it's not like it's a daily driver. :-)
Painting myself into a corner or burning bridges is standard for me.
I got a PM from Tom and he gave me excellent advice on
doing a different process on the back purging.
Thanks Tom. I learn something new every time. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I'm "exhausted" from header work so did some work
on the brackets that hold the tub to the chassis insert.
I added braces to the outer plates that connect to the main chassis
and have started on the ones that hold the tub on the sides x 4.
Just tacking the stiffeners in place.
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I used a piece of Alclad as protection for the Carbon while tacking.
I used the torch to bend the side plates and then cleaned off all the scale.
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Nothing beats hard work.
My country. :-D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSOG_Kz27_Y
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Build diaries are a little slow so take a break. :wink:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNIP80LpQEQ
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Many of you have noticed that I jump around a little
on projects. I feel it keeps me from getting bored.
If I stick to one area for too long it becomes a "job"
and not fun like its supposed to be.
I have a question on the rear end housing.
It's a 10 bolt, 7.5GM unit.
It has two ears cast into the top of the housing
with bushings pressed in.
Do I cut them off or use them for mounting?.
I have this idea to use two "A" arms, one top and one
bottom (reversed) to mount the part and the ears might
be useful.
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Progress is being made on the tub frame.
All the gussets are welded. I just need to fry in
some inserts, sand and it's good for paint.
We're having a really cold day here, it's 36*C. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
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The 36°C isn't so bad, it's the humidity over there that's the killer.
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Dan, we're at 6,000ft so humidity isn't the problem.
This year however it is.
I'm in a bad mood, the wife, the dogs and everybody else too.
This is killer.
I lived in a beach house in 05 and never experienced this. :evil:
I work 30 minutes back in the house, drink water and back out.
I think age also makes you suffer more. :-D :-D :-D
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I find myself bouncing around on different parts of my build as well Mikey. Keeps things interesting. And if I find myself at a roadblock on one project I can always move to the next. I don't know how many times I've come up with a solution to one problem while working on an entirely different one!
As far as your rear differential is concerned, I am running the same one, I cut the ears off. I'm using coil overs, ladder bars, and a pan hard bar under ole Hank.
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The 36°C isn't so bad, it's the humidity over there that's the killer.
36 degrees C . . . . . . . and you are welding? ?
I always hated welding in the heat of summer . . . . . too much like taking a bath in your own sweat.
Perfect excuse for a couple of cold ones at the end of the day! !
:cheers: :cheers:
Fordboy
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I think age also makes you suffer more. :-D :-D :-D
Find me someone over the age of 30 who has something good to say about ageing . . . . . . .
I keep telling my wife that we are the "wreckage" of who we used to be . . . . she is not amused . . . . .
:cheers:
F/B
-
F/B I'm over 30 and I have something good to say about aging...it sure beats the hell out of the alternative! :-D
Bill
-
Mike
Makro has a misting system like restaurants put on their balconys to cool u down. R39. $3.90. Guaranteed to drop temp by 15 deg cel.
Felt it work on the weekend. GREAT. 3m hose with all attachements.
But would have the car red rusted by the end of Feb.
Use it dont.
U want one ill deliver
-
Unfortunately those misting systems work well only when the humidity is low-- when you need it the least. In high humidity, misting systems don't make you feel cooler-- only wet.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
I laugh at guys I haven't seen for a long time.
Bunch of old Buzzards. Grey and beer bellies.
Its amazing what the eye sees. In my head I'm still 20
and these dudes are ancient. :-D :-D :-D
I'm dealing with the heat and welding. What can I do?.
This project seems to grow the more I work on it.
You think the work should be lessening but it piles up
and up.
You need to keep your head down and don't think of the big picture.
Small bites here and there or you will lose it.
Riaan thanks for the offer but rather take me fishing.
I'll show you what a bad swimmer I am.
My connection at Jaguar Stainless Steel says she'll sell me 2mm thick (304) x 104mm 90* elbows for $10 each.
I'm going to buy some before she finds out she's made a mistake. :cheers:
Joe, you're spot on. You get to the head spinning stage and need to walk away. The next day it's like why was I battling yesterday.
-
F/B I'm over 30 and I have something good to say about aging...it sure beats the hell out of the alternative! :-D
Bill
Hey Bill, you never said how far over!. :lol:
-
F/B I'm over 30 and I have something good to say about aging...it sure beats the hell out of the alternative! :-D
Bill
Bill,
Quite true!
:cheers: :cheers:
F/B
-
Mike, in Mexico they take a nap between 1 and 3, and sometimes longer. They work into the evening when temps are cooler. Gringos doing construction here have a different version. They will get to work at 5 in the morning and quit at 1:30 in the afternoon. Either way, work in the hottest part of the day is avoided.
-
Bo, I suffer from insomnia. :-D
I was in Italy and their "siesta" lasted for a loooong time.
I did think of setting up the fan in the workshop but there's Carbon dust
in there. I'd rather sweat than itch. Heck, I'm scratching already just thinking about it. :-o
-
The header war continues. :-D
Jerry Berry said that the SS was going to fight me
if I tried using the torch to do shape changing.
Since I don't have "metal working" tools like
air hammers, slapper bags etc I decided to go
on instinct and just take a chance.
With Floydjer sitting on my shoulder I didn't want to screw up. 8-)
I've got this ratchet type vice called a Triton that's foot operated
so I clamped the 89mm tube in there and started making it oval.
It worked but I never put any side protection on the jaws and
had to cut off about 12 inches and start again. :oops:
The tube was dented and looked like rubbish.
On the second attempt I used some 2mm plate on each side
and then put the squeeze on the tube. It got pretty close to where
I wanted it so I banged in two off cut 52mm sections to help keep
the profile.
Then I got out the torch and heated the oval. The small gaps closed
with a tiny bit of hammer help.
-
I left it to cool and removed the two plugs.
I offered it up to my collector but it was out
by just a little.
I banged in the two plugs and forced a wedge between them.
The torch came in handy again.
As the metal stretched I knocked the wedge further in between the
pipes until I thought it was far enough.
-
After cooling I removed the plugs. I think I'm on the money.
The collector slides in about 5mm.
All I need to do is get the round end flared enough to mate
up with the 4" elbows I'm getting. :cheers:
How will that happen?.
Not sure but one has to improvise.
-
Got the collector tacked to the oval tube.
No gaps to be concerned with.
I measured the big end of the collector with the big vernier.
I transferred that over to the headers and using the laser
marked the pipes with a Sharpie.
In theory????? when I offer the collector up to the headers
(after cutting) it should all line up. :wink:
We'll see. If it does that tells me I finally got a break. :-D
-
Nicely done, Mike. You owe yourself a beer after work.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Bravo Mike..Looks great. Speaking of old...I attended my high school reunion...I did not go to school with any of those bald headed guys or pudgy women, Can`t imagine why they were there............
-
I know what you mean. :-D :evil:
I've never been to one. I never liked the guys
or school.
It was an out of body experience for me.
My body went but my mind was at the oval track.
They don't have rehab for the real addictions!!!!!.
You were spot on Jerry. The SS fights.
Doug, I only drink a beer with my buddy Willie.
Normally I'm a Scotch or Tequila guy. No funds for those. :evil:
$12 for J&B and the same for the Mexican hooligan juice.
Willie's coming around tomorrow with beer and I'll have 2.
Special occasion.
Not one of you guys put me off trying to do the headers!!!!.
This forum is special and inhabited by special members.
I know most of you have seen this but it's a favourite of mine. :cheers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qanlirrRWs
-
So what if we've seen it before, it's still fun to watch again! :-D :-D :-D
Pete
-
Pete, it would be cool to build a 4wd Mustang like that.
It's almost 4AM and I wanted some coffee so I go to the kitchen.
There's a light on in the passage so I figure good enough.
No brown sugar so I go to the cupboard. The jars aren't big
enough to take a whole bag so the missus "normally" fills a couple.
I go for the one with the least in it. Cool, made some coffee. :-D :-D :-D
Not sugar, some granule type stuff. Can't remember the name but the color is the same.
Next jar, make coffee. BROWN RICE. :-D :-D
The last one on the left, the full one was the right one.
I should have turned on the light.
-
Heard today that there's a Valentine's special on bullet proof bathroom doors
for tomorrow. :evil:
-
Heard today that there's a Valentine's special on bullet proof bathroom doors
for tomorrow. :evil:
...I`ll sprint right out and get one............
-
Roses are Red
VIOLETS ARE BLUE
Dont try to suprise Oscar
HE WILL SHOOT YOU.
-
Mike,
Here in Montana, they shoot back.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Doug, I hear you.
Oscar said there was a burglar in his bathroom.
The irony is that there is one now. :-D
-
Hello Mike,
I have a question about Carbon-fiber. I have to drill a 1/2 inch hole into the side of a dragster scoop. I use a drill bushing to locate the hole. It kicks the crap out of high speed drills. I bought carbide tipped drills but haven't had a chance to try them. Is there a better type of bit to use?
POPS
-
Best is a hole saw but on something that small
I use a normal drill at low speed. One with a more pointed
tip works better. Pilot hole first and go up to the next
size.
This must be a serious piece you have Pops.
Never had a problem like yours.
-
HMMMM don'''''''''''t think SCTA will let him run---maybe time only!!
-
Loved the video....nearly clicked offit, it's worth the watch, backwards round corners? :cheers:
Love the headers too.
-
Glad you liked it.
Nice to hear from you James. :cheers:
Riaan, my mate keep your head up brother. We're thinking of you here at home.
I know this is a build diary but yesterday my bud Willie calls me and he's rattled.
Can I help him?. He lost a wheel in peak hour traffic. The five nuts sheared off!!!!.
The guy's a vet and amputee. He had to hump the wheel 150 yards in traffic.
I remember he hit a pot hole with his Opel and borrowed 2 matching wheels off
of his VW Camper to get by. :evil:
Going back a bit. Mercedes Benz stopped fitting 15" wheels to their cars because
the local population of mini bus taxi drivers would either steal or buy stolen wheels
off MB cars to fit to their Toyotas.
There's 1mm difference in the PCD and guys were killing themselves and passengers
wholesale.
Why would Willie suddenly lose a wheel?. I did an internet check. Opel 112 PCD, VW 113 PCD.
Bingo!!!!!!. By the time he arrived here with the car on a low bed I had his answer.
He tried arguing that he checked and the wheels were both 7J.
I schooled him. That's width not PCD.
I now have to sit in the hot sun with a punch, drill and eezi out to remove sheared bolts.
Don't know why but every time I help the dude it gets easier.
Last job was 9 sheared bolts on engine and gearbox mountings. I got lucky there too.
As I started drilling the stubs turned and fell out behind the hub. I guess 5 minutes was all it took. :-D :-D :-D
Zina drove him back to his place to get the correct Opel wheels and we robbed a bolt off each of the other
wheels to get him home.
I love the guy but man, he needs to steer clear of tools. The list of his adventures is a long one. :cheers:
-
I haven't seen Willie today so I guess his car's OK. :-D :-D :-D
Meeting with Latham Engineering Africa tomorrow so they can start on the
Stainless Steel gas tank.
I've done drawings and made sure the breather is at the front in one corner.
I get disappointed when I get negative replies from prospects but on the whole
the companies that have come on board have been awesome.
Some really great people here in South Africa. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
The long hours are all worth it and I love this project even though it's SIX FLAGS.
-
I met with Ryan, Jaco and Quinton at Latham Engineering today.
Well, I have to tell you guys I was in heaven. The company is based
on the industrial estate where SA builds its Rooivalk attack helicopter and other
aircraft.
Security was tight but once I got to Latham it was way better than I expected.
They are going to build the tank to spec and suggested changes to my design
as to how the tank mounts to the chassis. I saw some Stainless Steel welding
that blew me away. "Unobtanium" came to mind. :-D
I'm a happy guy and to top it off I came away with work. :cheers:
The guys are keen boaters and have 3 ski supremes one with a small
block Ford motor that needs attention. The other job is modifying an instrument
panel from a leather covered fiberglass piece to a show quality Carbon more
modern version. One hangar just for boats?????. Great guys and the quality
is impeccable.
The tank will have all corners radiused (25mm), baffles, the filler neck and all male bungs
welded in. It will be constructed from 3mm thick 304 and properly pressure tested.
What more can I ask for?. God is good to me and patience is the key to all of this.
The other funny story is that a while back I produced Carbon huggers for Ducatis.
The client said the quality was good but the pattern never matched the OEM.
I made 3 more over December and last month sent out 5 emails asking for my wrong
products and for them to collect the new.
Never heard a thing. Yesterday the director called and shouted at me. I resent all the emails
and the guy that was supposed to handle the deal was mysteriously absent.
The four original huggers came back but they had tried to spray clear coat in house
and ruined them. Normally I'd go there and..... :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
I let it go. Today I got an email saying we'd all gotten off on the wrong foot and could we start over.
No mention made of the wrecked huggers.
There is a front bumper off a very expensive sports car that has been "scrapped" and could I
please repair it if at all possible. :-D :-D :-D :-D The imported replacement is $12,000.
One area of damage.
-
And then the fishing got booked.
Get ready dude. 2 days of fun fun fun.
Gona cure that insomnia. Ul sleep for 2 days afterwards.
-
:cheers:
-
When I say I'm broke I mean it literally.
Every time it happens I work on parts
of the liner where I have materials hence
the jumping around, well mostly but boredom/funk
also influence decisions.
Yesterday I asked a supplier for credit. Never done it before
and I was embarrassed.
The company doesn't offer credit
but the director himself paid for the material in cash out
of his pocket. I now owe Gebi some money.
Gebi was one of my early mentors when I got into
the Carbon industry. He visits me on weekends so he knows
where I live. :-D :-D
Well the money problem was short lived. The front bumper
arrived this morning for repair. It comes off a McLaren.
None available locally and the client wants it repaired.
The cool thing is that these super car owners are funding a liner!!!.
The irony. :evil:
Divine intervention AGAIN. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
The cool thing is that these super car owners are funding a liner!!!.
The irony. :evil:
Divine intervention AGAIN. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Nice work!
Quit yer bitchin' and bill it out!! :-D
Then, back to work on the liner!!
:cheers:
F/B
-
Yeah Mike, I hate when I booger up me McLaren. Just makes me want to :dhorse:
-
I know the feeling Frank. :-D
IMO guys buy these cars for the status.
Most aren't drivers!!!!.
The shocking thing is that the inside of the bumper looks like
it was built by amateurs and that's not sour grapes or envy.
Not a new phenomenon. The Countach looked like a kit car beneath the skin.
Seen them all and the best finishes composite wise (beneath the skin) were on the
Porsche.
In the 80s I sold cars and I still laugh at the business cards we had. "Sales Executive". :-D :-D :-D
I'd drive them for a week and after that long the novelty had worn off and it left me thinking
that the guys that bought these cars were stuck with those huge monthly payments.
A heavy price to pay for "LOOK at me!!!".
I'm going to get Willie to bring his camera around and shoot some detailed pics of the bumper.
You decide if this is a million buck ride.
The liner is looking good. Parts coming in, sponsors joining (3) and one is a lady that owns a
battery company. Meeting Monday. She's very easy on the eye and I'll keep my head down and concentrate
on amps and voltage. Not subjects I'm good at.
Been adding fairing paste to the nose cone and it looks better with every application.
-
Pointy
-
I basically hand shaped the nose cone over Polystyrene ribs with a skin of the same.
Not perfect but fairly close.
Now that I'm applying the fairing paste, the imperfections are showing but thankfully
they aren't as bad as I thought.
I had two areas in identical spots on both the left and right that are high.
Seeing as the glass fiber skin is so thin, sanding would be like trying to polish a sheep.
I decided to cut the offending areas out and fill so that the repair would be a tad lower
than the surface. This would allow sufficient fairing paste to fill the depression without
waste.
Here are pics of what transpired. More work than anticipated but you have to go
through the motions.
-
Not much meat below the surface. 10mm.
I tore pieces of foam and forced them into the hole.
-
The missus has cool gardening tools so I
borrowed a saw and rough cut the protrusions. :wink:
-
Did some careful sanding and then applied some 3M
Spray 77 to get adhesion for the glass patch.
I used off cuts of 450gr/m2 to give the patch some stiffness.
-
After mixing some Epoxy resin I laminated a few layers of glass
doing both sides.
-
There was a fair amount of resin left so
I mixed in a handful of Cotton flocks to
make a filler paste. That was carefully applied to
the areas just to get the level up to a decent height.
I tried not to put pressure on the laminate for fear of the
whole thing falling inside the plug.
I used the spatula very carefully and then placed a piece of
plastic bag over the patch. Later I smoothed it the best I could.
-
The bits are post curing and I'll carry on with
the fairing paste later.
-
so the purpose of the spray adhesive is to stop the cloth from fraying?
-
That too but I use it to adhere fabric in upright positions before laminating.
Sometimes we use it to stick stuff down in complex molds.
You know how any composite hates a sharp 90* angle? :evil:
It doesn't interfere with the chemical properties of the resins either or discolor.
When cutting "loose" fabric just spray some along your intended cut line.
-
You know how any composite hates a sharp 90* angle? :evil:
That's just awesome! I see me using that tip many times. :cheers:
So does a glue residue remain on the inside after you remove the part? Is it easy to remove?
-
No, there's nothing.
The spray adhesive is absorbed by the resin and becomes part of the job.
That's what makes it so good.
-
The spray adhesive is absorbed by the resin and becomes part of the job.
That's what makes it so good.
You're probably doing it with epoxy. Have you tried it with poly?
-
Mike, I'll do a test for you today before you spend money.
I have Poly here.
Stay posted.
-
The frustration is getting to me now.
Anger is a better word.
I bought some very good components over the years
and stored them for use when the time came.
This was before the "Salt Fever". For a special project!!!.
Now that LSR is my reason for living lots of my purchases
are biting me in the butt.
My motor of choice is the Ford 351C, obscure like many of the mills
used by you guys but I love it.
I bought what was the best to build a replica of Jack Roush's (Gapp & Roush) Pro Stock motor
but with the more modern parts.
I bought a Nascar type inlet manifold and the only MSD distributor that works with it is #8580
and that has the long shaft.
Now that I'm building a custom EFI type manifold the distributor is too tall and interfering
with the Plenum chamber. Easy solution is to buy the short distributor used in crank trigger
applications. MSD don't list a crank trigger kit for the 351C but yet offer the distributor.
I suppose a universal or the 460 kit could be made to work by modifying or building the bracket.
If I lived in Texas or Arizona I could probably get the part exchanged but I bought the dizzy 10 years
ago and although it's new and in the box my local supplier/importer is an ass and I'd love to break his jaw.
Strong words you say but that's how I feel. He's great at charging crazy money but to return stock to the US
even when incorrectly ordered (not in this case) he makes one feel as though it's your fault.
My option is to shorten the shaft on my current distributor and machine a new billet housing.
If I had the money it wouldn't even enter my mind to butcher a new and expensive part and to try
sell the 8580 here will be near impossible.
I'm going to build the plenum as though I have the short distributor already and pray for a miracle.
I can't contact MSD for advice because they don't list an email address.
-
MSD Tech support: http://www.msdignition.com/page.aspx?id=4209 (http://www.msdignition.com/page.aspx?id=4209) ???
Mike
-
See how blinded I am by my frustration?.
Thanks Mike. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Or something like: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-302-351C-Cleveland-460-Complete-Race-Pro-Billet-Angle-Drive-Distributor-/181634920964?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a4a48f204&vxp=mtr (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-302-351C-Cleveland-460-Complete-Race-Pro-Billet-Angle-Drive-Distributor-/181634920964?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a4a48f204&vxp=mtr) ???
Mike
-
Thanks Mike, I wish I could go shopping but not right now.
All you guys ever do is help. I hear there's an ignore button
on the forum. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
You can't convince me it's neccessary. I've been on forums in the past
and here this is family.
I thought I had a cool repair job and today the guys sent
for the McLaren bumper. Some dispute between owner and middle man.
Lost that one but something will turn up.
Too depressed to work. :evil:
-
Mike, I understand your frustration. You are a fabricator, these problems can be dealt with, you just need someone to hold hands with. PM me or, if it works for you I'd be happy to talk with you to give some advice on how you can deal with these engine issues. My shop is 714-five seven two-3672. Not sure about the nation code or time difference for you. I'm around most week days 9:00 am till 6:00 pm.
Anyway, a fresh input of ideas will help get you back in the groove.
The frustration is getting to me now.
Anger is a better word.
I bought some very good components over the years
and stored them for use when the time came.
This was before the "Salt Fever". For a special project!!!.
Now that LSR is my reason for living lots of my purchases
are biting me in the butt.
My motor of choice is the Ford 351C, obscure like many of the mills
used by you guys but I love it.
I bought what was the best to build a replica of Jack Roush's (Gapp & Roush) Pro Stock motor
but with the more modern parts.
I bought a Nascar type inlet manifold and the only MSD distributor that works with it is #8580
and that has the long shaft.
Now that I'm building a custom EFI type manifold the distributor is too tall and interfering
with the Plenum chamber. Easy solution is to buy the short distributor used in crank trigger
applications. MSD don't list a crank trigger kit for the 351C but yet offer the distributor.
I suppose a universal or the 460 kit could be made to work by modifying or building the bracket.
If I lived in Texas or Arizona I could probably get the part exchanged but I bought the dizzy 10 years
ago and although it's new and in the box my local supplier/importer is an Acura and I'd love to break his jaw.
Strong words you say but that's how I feel. He's great at charging crazy money but to return stock to the US
even when incorrectly ordered (not in this case) he makes one feel as though it's your fault.
My option is to shorten the shaft on my current distributor and machine a new billet housing.
If I had the money it wouldn't even enter my mind to butcher a new and expensive part and to try
sell the 8580 here will be near impossible.
I'm going to build the plenum as though I have the short distributor already and pray for a miracle.
I can't contact MSD for advice because they don't list an email address.
-
Thank you Mike.
I'll definitely be in touch. :cheers:
-
The head games continue to plague but I managed to
get out of the house and visit my sponsor today.
The meeting was two months in the making and finally
I got to go visit Klingspor.
My liaison is Brent who went to the same school as I did
but he's years behind.
State of the art building, great people and the warehouse
is "Stocked". :wink:
All imported from Germany and top class. I got fan grinders
for polishing Stainless, cutting discs, production paper, abrasive belts
for every tool I have, burrs for Aluminum, steel and a pile of other
awesome products. Brent just loaded bag after bag. Good thing my driver's suit
is Yellow. :-D
I never photographed it all but I guess I'm a certified supplier now.
I guess this is what racing is all about. The roller coaster. :cheers:
More Ally burrs to come next month. :wink:
-
Mike.
Are you teady for the River.
We leave in 8 sleeps.
Well clear that head of yours there
-
3 sleeps.........
-
I'll start today.
Thanks man.
This means more than you know. :cheers:
-
So we go fishing today.
Gear is ready. :cheers:
Progress on the car's been slow.
My styrene plug for the nose section is as rough as a polar bear's a$$.
If I had to do it over I'd have used a solid block of material instead of ribs
with sheet bonded over, the high spots are horrendous. No turning back
but hopefully next week will bring new enthusiasm.
Good news is that AEG Power Tools are coming on board with sanding machines.
I'm now the "official" composites guy for Aston Martin, McLaren and Rolls Royce.
Some serious work to be done but I learned a lot.
That bumper repair I lost was not from a dealer car but an aftermarket one.
The customer wouldn't pay for the OEM version so imported a cheapie.
First job for McLaren is to replace accent pieces with red Carbon. There are a lot
of components on the cars and according to my supplier I'll be the only guy in SA with the fabric.
Yesterday was meeting after meeting. Geez, all I wanted to was build a liner.
81 units sold this financial year and by the look of the owners I saw at the dealers I'll be busy.
These businesses are all the same. Hot little honeys in the showroom wearing business suits,
coffee, tea and cake all over. Smelled like a Hugo Boss outlet with all the cologne wafting through the place.
I know that side better than they do. 14 years I spent in that BS enviroment.
Check the sample red stuff.
-
A fellow gave me a helpful hint awhile ago when I was making the windshield mold. He said to paint it with a glossy color after I thought it was finished. Then, he said, look at how light reflects off of the shiny surface to see if there are imperfections.
-
Here fishy fishy fishy.8)
-
Here fishy fishy fishy.8)
Post some photos of the fish please.
For those of us suffering from frozen angling withdrawal . . . . . . . .
:cheers:
Fordboy
-
Relaxation city
-
Through my medical induced haze I know Rian got two small carp. One was called Agmed and his head went on a big hook for a cat fish.
I guess the cat got the meal because in the morning the bait and line were gone.
Nice people present and a relaxed weekend was had by all.
Some pics of the fishing spot. Riaan was an awesome host and I need to thank hin. :cheers:
-
Looks like a nice spot, and a good way to unwind. Gonna be another couple months before I can get out to do the same.
-
Rose and me need to do more of that this summer. Looks like a nice spot.
-
Very nice it was, Riaan knows his stuff.
-
I put a few coats of MS primer on the nose cone yesterday.
I'll give it a few days to cure before sanding.
-
Not having fun on the build right now.
Too many things up in the air.
Nothing concrete. :dhorse:
-
Well, if it's up in the air, it's good it's not concrete. Dangerous.
-
Stan, I feel like walking away, :cry:
-
Step away for a little while Mike and let the batteries recharge. It's really hard to go at a project this large all alone. You've been making great progress and sometimes you just have to sit back and let things regenerate and that includes ideas. The one thing about lsr is that there isn't a real schedule that says you have to be finished at any particular time. Allow yourself to relax a little and allow yourself start to enjoy the project again.
Pete
-
Mike, many of us can relate. Making all the decisions yourself is the hard part. Truly overwhelming at times. I've been there (raised 2 young kids all alone). Physical activity saved me. Lots of physical exertion really clears the head.
-
Mike.
I feel you.
Some good news on the fishing front. That center stand opened up. Going to pay tomorrow. Now we can go there anytime as long as we want.
Maybe you should just take a good break. Recharge properly.
-
I'm happy for you man. You deserve it. Well done. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
There ---you are living the reason so many of these things take multiple years--reasons are:
recharging the parts funds
recharging the will to push on with the dream
-
Mike
Stand is your to use whenever. As long as you like. Step away for a week. Take smooch. Go rest. Sleep.
-
This isn't a hobby for me. It's all I have, half the time I'm working blind because I don't know what I'm doing.
We'll there are a bunch of firsts.
I appreciate all the the motivation and encouragement no end.
From abroad and local.
Riaan took me fishing and I remember eating a steak as thick as the Yellow Pages.
Never wanted for anything. He practically made my bed for me, This man is organised and if the way the fishing trip went
we shouldn't have a problem getting the liner to the track and running it. I mean that 100%.
I'm in good hands. The man is Blessed. :cheers:
I had to finish up some other work on Kyle's race truck so I went over there and got the load bed cover positioned.
Took some innovation but I'll go back today and complete the job.
His winning margin was cut to 7 seconds last time out so w needed to tweak.
It looks good and we're almost done.
-
The cover is stiff, fits pretty well and we'll bond in some bushings and a filler cap
cover. Done.
-
While I was at Kyle's place he gave me a new waste gate.
I just need to buy a matching unit now.
It's the right size for the application.
Thanks Kyle. :wink:
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Well Mr Joburg, you know you're not the only 'one man streamliner band' that's stranded so toughen up Mate!
I am stationary on my build due to no overdrives, it's only been three phucking years ago I was promised these things within six months & I still don't have them. Unfortunately I've built a car around them so I am locked in. Angry doesn't even come close to how I feel about this & I'm a normally passive person but I wanna phucking kill somebody. :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x
Sid.
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Sid --
I sure hope they fit the hole you built for them -- or else you'll find out how weren't nearly as pist off when you didn't get them.
Stan
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Oh I've already been there Stan. The production units came out 2 1/2" longer than the prototype & was ok on the front axle but too long to fit in the back. Stretching the chassis was not an option as everything is in a straight line & not parallel to the chassis so I had to come up with a way to shorten the O/D. A sealed bearing in the rear of the case instead of a bearing carrier & with the coupler inside the bearing saved 2".
Meantime I am so derailed I might have achieved a couple of months progress in the last year.
What was I thinking!! :? One idiot trying to build a 4WD streamliner in a shed on lunch money!
Mike you are not alone.
Sid.
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Dudes.
Maybe I can put up a tent. But you guys are the engineers schooled in life. Making a dream a record breaking reality.
Lesson I see is dont put deadlines. Mere targets for other people to achieve. Grade them on their peformance not your own.
Dont let others failures become the monkey on your back.....
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Hey Sid, you have reason to be angry and I can't blame you.
I suppose I could say you're surrounded by guys that can do stuff
and that being US based is half the battle won.
I'm wrong on that one. I've been down, had a small health problem
but now I'm ANGRY.
Burning bridges is what I do best and right now I'm on a tear.
If I say building this car is easy you'll say I'm full of BS but the actual
construction is easy (my opinion). Getting the bits to do it with is the tough
part.
It's 2.40AM and I'm awake now. Poured the meds down the toilet and I'm geared up,
ready to go.
I started around midday yesterday by telling a sponsor to take a hike. This dude has been
stringing me along for far too long. I told him to shove his product (paints and primers).
I've got two equally good suppliers waiting in the wings. I have no written contract with the company
(mistake I won't make again) and told him to do just what he felt was necessary.
From now on I go for the whole ball of wax. No half measures.
I had a meeting with a family friend yesterday who is a director of Africa's largest manufacturer of cable TV related
equipment with a view to a sponsorship. Not holding my breath but he's honest and I'll get a straight answer.
Other than that I have a string of ads running to sell stuff I love and will probably regret doing so but this liner
needs to get done and desperate times call for desperate measures.
Sid, you fired me up. Thanks man. :evil:
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Same here Mate, selling of some of the family jewels to support the obsession. Not there's actually any jewels or even any family for that matter, more like junk that I like that has some value. :-D
Sid.
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We could start a club. :cheers: Wayno
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I'd be able to call mine the "Cleveland Buyers Club" :-D :-D :-D :-D
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I'll get the T shirts ordered....... oh hang on, i'll have to find something else ta sell. I have a spare kidney! :-D
Sid.
-
We should get together. I'm sure we could scare up some trouble somewhere. :evil:
Sid, If I don't find someone to buy me a crank trigger dizzy I may have to give the MSD a serious haircut.
Not sure what's inside but my instinct tells me the black bit is kinda empty.
-
One a theez dayz Mate. :cheers:
Sid.
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We could start a club. :cheers: Wayno
They did, the 200 MPH red had club :-D
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John, do they have a "Red Face" club yet?.
Sid and I must be candidates!!!!!. :evil:
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Sid, except by the 1.5 hour conversation I had with T B in front of the Truck Stop Café one evening I would be going down this trail acquired parts for years and actually started a build---came home Stopped paused and then started the Lakester---finally separated the tacked parts for the drivers area about 6 months ago dual eng liners are a SIRENE song for sure!!!!!!!!
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Well boys, my little ride is far from a streamliner, but I can definitely relate to the one man band syndrome... It takes a little more, but in the end if something isn't quite right there is only one guy to blame.
Keep your head up Mikey! I'm pulling for you. If it helps at all, I'm having my own issues. Good news is that Hank may be his final color in a couple weeks! I've only got 140 some odd days left!
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Sid, except by the 1.5 hour conversation I had with T B in front of the Truck Stop Café one evening I would be going down this trail acquired parts for years and actually started a build---came home Stopped paused and then started the Lakester---finally separated the tacked parts for the drivers area about 6 months ago dual eng liners are a SIRENE song for sure!!!!!!!!
I thought the same thing Sparky so I built the tank. That didn't even start to quench my thirst so I consider that to be my biggest mistake. That sucked up two years of my life before I laid out the steel for the liner.
Sid.
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Mike, like Joe said, Amys camaro aint no streanliner but we know all too well how tough it is. Our annual budget for parts to go faster is about 2500.00 bucks. If we pick up 5-10mph/year we are satisfied. this is year 3 for the camaro, last year we hit 160 mph this year, with some bartered parts, we hope to hit 175. we have been at this for 8 years between Maxton and the ohio mile. our goal is a paultry 200.mph. We may have to take a year off to in order to get the hoursepower to hit 190. Keep the faith .. endevour to perservere (sic). you know what I mean.
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Frank, have you put your car on a severe diet? I am sure you know that weight really matters on the pavement events. Bonneville not.
-
Fred, The weight is coming up a bit this year. the addition of some stuff and moving of others.
-
Sometimes that happens :?. I am probably going to run my small motor bike, 1350, at Ohio with the weighted Bonneville swingarm. It will be the only time I run it on pavement this year and it is a PITA TO change the swingarm. Hopefully I can run over 200 naked. We will see.
-
Guys thanks. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I go on about how you all keep me going but it's the truth.
I need a Poteet to go with my Main. :-D
I need a partner on this liner.
Too much for one guy. I don't know how Sid does it?, actually
I do. He knows his stuff. :cheers:
I'm working on a few ideas and if just one pans out I'll be OK.
I'm back working on stuff that doesn't cost money.
Can't get materials or machining done but there's a ton I can get done.
Workshop is spotless and I'm grafting.
Pics tomorrow.
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No milling machine or big enough hole saw
to punch a 4" hole through 2 10mm plates.
I used what I had, a sharpie, the drill press, a hand file and the die grinder.
Turned out great but I'm poked. Off to bed. Later dudes. :wink:
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An Error Has Occurred!
You already submitted this post! You might have accidently double clicked, or tried to refresh.
Arrrggghhh
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No milling machine or big enough hole saw
to punch a 4" hole through 2 10mm plates.
I used what I had, a sharpie, the drill press, a hand file and the die grinder.
Turned out great but I'm poked. Off to bed. Later dudes. :wink:
Oh yeah! I've built sprockets that way too!! :-D
I believe we are both building what I would call "hand carved" streamliners where CNC means Cut N Cardboard.
Sid.
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An Error Has Occurred!
You already submitted this post! You might have accidently double clicked, or tried to refresh.
Arrrggghhh
You must be the king of this error.
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I've been copying my message before I submit -- so when that happens, I just start over. Had the same problem -- but I think it's operator error in my case.
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An Error Has Occurred!
You already submitted this post! You might have accidently double clicked, or tried to refresh.
Arrrggghhh
You must be the king of this error.
Emperor!
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I made some headway again today.
I have the right side rear towing axle insert and axle set up done.
It fits together nicely and even an idiot can't get the installation wrong.
Some pics of the early progress.
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The axle fits into the "keyhole" and is held in by 2 x 12mm bolts.
-
The key hole is made from hollow round bar as well as the smaller top section
so it's strong and won't be a problem.
The mounting plate is 12mm and the edges chamferred? for welding
tomorrow.
I've got it clamped in position but I'll weld in the AM when I'm fresh.
-
Axle bolted into place and housing tacked.
-
Cleaned all the bearings, regreased them and installed hub.
New cotter pin and all. :-D
Bolted on a wheel I had but we've got a better set waiting in the wings.
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I would have had the left side almost done but I got "Willied". :evil:
This Opel he bought lost its ability to steer right near my place
so I ended up helping him with tools and bolts and and..........
Some guys he bought it from clearly rebuilt the car from a wreck and
put some real monkeys to work on it.
The splined shaft and bolt came adrift. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
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I've had a little health issue so the build has been on hold.
The advice from all my friends (you guys that email) has been to enjoy the build
and not make it a chore.
I'm a 100%, be all you can be kinda guy so like a dummy I chose the latter.
It bit and hard. :evil:
There's no mig wire, tig rods, epoxy or fairing paste left and no work coming in
so we decided to start selling stuff we "don't" need.
Put my bike project, pickup project and one of the cars in the classifieds but so far no takers.
Still waiting on potential sponsors to return calls and emails but so far nothing!!!!.
I have a bunch of stuff I was saving to build a T bucket and although I don't want to part with the components
that's the next move. :cry:
$2000 will get me pretty close to where I need to be to get back on schedule but it's tough out here right now.
Hopefully something comes up soon.
Last job I did was eliminate the brake parts from the hub on the left towing wheel.
Saved the crew a few pounds of lifting a less heavy part.
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Yeah it's hard to build fast $hit with lunch money Mate & this stuff doesn't come easy even when there is money.
Tough it out, you're in good company. :-D
Sid.
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You're always on my mind while working.
Strange how I got this far anyway.
$20,000 to finish it by my calculation.
Not sure if that's big money over there for a good liner?.
If I sell my stuff over here that I have in the classifieds I'll be home free.
The bike is the strange one. I was invited to Sturgis based on the parts involved
but I can't get $5000 for a complete rolling chassis here. The thing is a show winner.
That comment wasn't mine BTW. The biker guys said that. :dhorse:
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Mike, engines are the biggest money pit. Just run a basic el-cheapo street motor until you get the chassis dialed in. It should push you plenty fast during that first year or two.
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The motor isn't the problem Bo. It's the other stuff.
I have 3 motors, 1 mild (built) and two in bits that need assembly.
Tires, materials and money. Those are the problems. :-D
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You're always on my mind while working.
Strange how I got this far anyway.
$20,000 to finish it by my calculation.
Not sure if that's big money over there for a good liner?.
If I sell my stuff over here that I have in the classifieds I'll be home free.
The bike is the strange one. I was invited to Sturgis based on the parts involved
but I can't get $5000 for a complete rolling chassis here. The thing is a show winner.
That comment wasn't mine BTW. The biker guys said that. :dhorse:
20 grand is still in the lunch money category in liner world but a "good liner" is not necessarily the one with the most $$ signs hanging from it.
Affording to run the thing might be my biggest hurdle & god knows I've been crawling up hill in the rocks for a while now. :-P
Sid.
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Heads up. I started working on my high port plates today.
I decided to do the spark plug recesses first.
The plate on the motor I'm using for the header build had one recess already done.
The one i'm working was only marked before.
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No fancy tools. Die grinder with Tungsten Carbide burrs for Aluminum and a bunch of cutting disks.
I cut strips out of the marked area with the grinder and then broke off the bits that needed to
come out.
After that I used the burr to clean up the mess. Klingspor make an awesome component.
Work that took 8 hours before was done in 30 minutes. Lots of Ally chips flying around
but the burr went through it like paper.
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I'd say all four are pretty close but one in particular.
I just need some small diameter flapper wheels to polish
the small radius. Brent is going to bring some by tomorrow.
These Aluminum splinters go everywhere even though I'm wearing jeans
with my tee shirt not tucked in. I guess they got into my underpants via the collar.
I work alone so if I need to drop my shorts to get rid of the splinters I can.
I did and was standing there digging out the splinters and didn't know I was being watched.
I'm not going to tell the whole story but I know for sure the luck in the shop has changed for the better. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
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Like I said, "hand carved".
Sid.
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Mike,
Just keep chipping away at it. Of course a CNC mill makes short work of this kind of fabrication!
But a lot of prototype stuff still gets chewed out by hand . . . . . .
Use what you have.
Looks good, keep the faith.
:cheers:
Fordboy
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The aluminum chips go everywhere, but they're still not as bad as steel. Those little buggers will get into everything. I don't know how many times I've found one of those tiny steel slivers buried in my foot or my hand, weeks after I was dong the actual cutting.
And trust me Mikey, you are not alone when it comes to dancing around the shop with your pants down! :-D :evil: :-D
I've found that when grinding aluminum with a carbide burr a little soapy water helps to keep the tool cool and keeps the chips from flying around as bad. I just mix some up in a spray bottle and squirt it on the material and the burr as I work.
Years ago I built a little hot rod with a cast aluminum windshield frame and that little trick made shaping it much more bearable.
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Thanks guys. :cheers:
Mark, I'm back, on a roll and won't be stopped.
Good tips Joe, I'll definitely use that spray bottle.
I was standing with my pants down eliminating chips and the missus brings the new lady rep
that worked with her to see the long car. I haven't laughed so hard in years.
The missus wet herself and the other broad bolted. Not sure how much she saw. :lol:
All back to normal now.
A bit O blue and some time for R&R.
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Mike, Is there a pict of you milling the head and what it looked like before and after the cut?
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It's a common mod on a Cleveland, you can buy the plates here & Aus.
Sid.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Cleveland+exhaust+plate+modification&biw=1260&bih=599&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JccaVYnlPM-zoQSmq4GIAw&ved=0CB0QsAQ
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Mike, Is there a pict of you milling the head and what it looked like before and after the cut?
I don't have a before pic right now but I'll take one of the milled head tomorrow and find the original.
Here's better stuff.
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Sparky, here's some 351C stock 4v heads.
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It's a common mod on a Cleveland, you can buy the plates here & Aus.
Sid.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Cleveland+exhaust+plate+modification&biw=1260&bih=599&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JccaVYnlPM-zoQSmq4GIAw&ved=0CB0QsAQ
Hey Sid, lots of big HP increase numbers were thrown around about the high port plates.
What do you think taking the dog leg out does for the ports increase wise?. :cheers:
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I know some guys tried that back when I was out running them with my 5 liter (302 Cleveland) Hydroplane in Aus but I don't think it achieved anything because they gave up on it & the fact you're boosted ( well at least your engine is :-D) I wouldn't mess with it. I always found more power with a rough port finish over a polish too & be generous with the radius in the valve pocket. I have a healthy respect for the Cleveland engine.
Sid.
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When Jack Roush was doing the mod on his Pro Stock motors I heard 100HP?
Sounds a bit much but what do I know.
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When Jack Roush was doing the mod on his Pro Stock motors I heard 100HP?
Sounds a bit much but what do I know.
Without a flow bench, a bunch of heads & a bunch of time it's not a wise place to go so if you need more you can turn up the boost.
First on the agenda, keep it simple, get it to make passes & then go looking for more.
Are you addressing the oiling shortcomings?
Do you have Ozzy blocks down there or US blocks?
Sid.
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My port plate blanks were made in 02 for my "Roush" motor I was going to build.
The heads were milled years ago.
We have a weird situation here on blocks. Both thinwall casting and the Ozzy HD stuff.
Guys restoring Mustangs to original want the American thinwall blocks and the good stuff no one wants. :evil:
According to all the info the blocks that came out of my XB Utes (Rancheros) are truck blocks.
Mine are all Ozzy and yes I have to oiling situation handled. Got all the parts ready to go.
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Thanks that is easy enough to see how that came about.
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Got three of the four plug recesses done but was too tired
to complete the last one. Plugs fit with the socket and boots have clearance.
Final tweaks when I bolt the heads to the block.
Things mover around a little I guess,
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A few more pics.
Should have the last one done in the AM.
It's pretty close.
I used Dykem spray through the exhaust ports so all four
blank areas on the plate should be marked.
Let's see how tomorrow turns out. :cheers:
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I did the same thing to a 427 FE head. Lots of work for little gain.
I don't think the mod on a Cleveland would be worth 100 hp, 30-35 maybe........
You also might want to look at putting the Cleveland heads on a Windsor block, it takes some water mods but in the end it's a better block and has more racing/performance parts available for it. Like the dry sump mounting, previously mentioned distributor, etc...
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Thanks Michael.
My mate/mentor over here Derek builds those Clevors and I know them well.
I'm stuck with Ozzy "truck" blocks, stubborn and underfunded so I'm going to have to run what I have.
I'm a Cleveland lover. :cheers:
I see you used something we call Devcon to seal the port plates to the heads.
You did a really neat job.
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I made some progress on the port plates today.
All four spark plug recesses are done and just need a polish.
The first exhaust port took a few hours with the die grinder but it looks good
so far.
My flange is actually stock I had of Sportster exhaust parts. It works well and is the right size
on the step for the stainless tubing.
-
More hand shaping. :-D
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The blue will all be gone once I've finished polishing and the plates
get a lick to clean up on the mill.
New ports blended in well with the head portion.
Some small issues but I'm pleased. :cheers:
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Looks good Mike.
Figure 30/40 bhp N/A * your boost pressure. Stay conservative.
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Thank you Mark. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Made some more hand carved progress today.
I was naughty because it's Goof Friday. :x
I just can't help myself, the fever is too overpowering.
Got one port ready and another 80%. That's about it. :cheers:
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Good Friday :-)
-
Sorry about that.
I'm actually happy I didn't Goof yesterday.
-
A luta continua.
Headporters Headquarters. :-D
Only 5 to go.
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Some other angles.
-
The compressor, die grinder and operator are tired.
We're impatient but pleased.
The only one not happy is the missus. I've been walking tons of filings into the house. :evil: :roll:
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Your plates are definitely looking good Mike. By coincidence I'm helping a friend with his street rod project using the engine out his old pro stock Mustang with the same heads with the same modifications. His heads are Roush.
Pete
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Thanks Pete.
It's hard work with many questions to come but for now we go
one step at a time.
I'm enjoying the process. :-D :cheers:
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One large hole, the rest done with the die grinder.
It is slow going. :-D
-
I can't tell if you're hand carvin or whittlin there Mate or ya might even be hackin! :-D But like the chubby little guy from over yonder in Nebraska says "giterdun". :-P
Sid.
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They're called "Southern Hemispherical" chambers.
Hand hewn in the old Maori tradition and will be
known as Haka Heads. Good for you Sid?. :-D :evil: :cheers:
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Some unexpected good fortune today.
Not saying too much but prayers were answered. :wink: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Much more in the pipeline too.
-
Great Mike, He will provide....
-
Thanks Frank. God Bless you.
-
Those of you that are familiar with the Ford Cleveland will
remember the lousy water pipe outlet that covers the thermostat.
I decided I wanted something different so I fashioned a plug from
a Harley exhaust flange, some bent tube, smaller straight tube and some bondo.
BTW, the bolt holes on the HD flange and the thermostat housing are spaced the same.
After the plug was prepped I made a mold and produced a pretty nice part. Not quite finished as
far as coatings and clear go but it will work.
The departure angle was off, leaving the soon to be fitted radiator hose running right over the
oil filler on the dry sump tank.
I found a thick piece of Aluminum and fabricated a spacer where I could set the water outlet
at the angle I needed. I drilled and tapped the piece and now I'm happy. No obstruction. :cheers:
It needs some finishing and a pass with the mill on each face but it will be fine after that.
-
That's way cool Mike! :-D :cheers:
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Nice job, Mike!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike,
For just "throwing some stuff together" you make some really nice stuff!!! Makes us all envious.
Rex
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Thanks Joe, Neil and Rex. :cheers:
Wish I was further along but if I've learned one lesson
on liners, it's PATIENCE!!!!.
She's the boss and won't let you forget it. :-D :evil:
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yeah and some times they pout :roll: and don't let you know what's on their mind :-o
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yeah and some times they pout :roll: and don't let you know what's on their mind :-o
I've dated a few hotties in my past. Mind Blowing to be honest but this "witch" tops them all.
"Cruella De Bonneville".
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Some action on the left bank.
Flanges bolted on and first tubes tacked.
I've cut most of the sections to size and
I'll tack the headers together today.
-
First pipe tacked.
This early to bed, early to rise thing must work.
I never even stayed awake to watch my rugby team play.
I beat that darn rooster even. :-D
No time to play around anymore.
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Mike, Glad you're getting a handle on that sleep thing. It'll help all of those other problems work themselves out, too. Besides, I find that it makes the best engineering time, too.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, Glad you're getting a handle on that sleep thing. It'll help all of those other problems work themselves out, too. Besides, I find that it makes the best engineering time, too.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
The problem is remembering when you wake up what seemed so clear when you were dreaming!!! :roll: :roll: :-D
Mike, those pipes are going to be awesome. Nice job fitting them. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
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My medication must be working.
Got most of the set tacked.
Thanks guys, it always helps when I get positive feedback. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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More pipe, more angles. :-D
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Some more images.
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Heres one for you Mike.
Sid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAfoe5ncm9M
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Last two for now.
Two of the straight pipes need lengthening
and two are too long but it will tie in nicely
when I "fit" the collector. :evil:
Big job but hey it needs doing!!!!.
Doug, thanks for the emails. They really help. :cheers:
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Sid, I think you or Doug already sent me the link to the V12.
Sounds great but too much work for that kind of power IMO.
Some guy said that those blocks will probably crack and separate
after some real running.
Thanks anyway brother. It was cool. :cheers:
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I didn't expect you were gunna glue a cuppla Cleveland's together, but then again we have seen what you can do with carbon fiber! :roll:
Sid.
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Imagine if I decided to go the twin motor route?. :-D :-D :-D :-D
I can't find a decent spot for a battery in what I've got.
-
I have been to that movie!! :-o
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Hmmmm! Two Buick straight 8's. Think of the crankshaft for that.
Doug :-D :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Things are looking up again.
Some work came in.
Just waiting on materials.
Betcha the flood gates will open now.
We're looking good for the next two weeks. :-)
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Thats the same for me, it's either feast or famine but if you look at the whole war I'm surviving. 8-)
Sid.
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Thanks for posting those close up views of the head. I could not figure out what you are doing. Now it is clear. The inserts get rid of the funky stock porting and the allow the exhaust ports to be reshaped for optimum flow. Good job.
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God to see your back on a roll Mike. Keep cookin'
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God to see your back on a roll Mike. Keep cookin'
Me too, Mike.
You'll get there buddy! :cheers:
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Bo, glad you figured it out.
It's an old mod that Jack Roush did with the pro stock cars.
These heads had waiting to be used for 12 years. :-D
Frank and Mike, thank you. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I built this cool intake plenum a while back but it's 2" too short.
Wasted a lot of good material but Now proto#2 is in the works.
Prepping the mold for work later today. I extended the length of the plug
for the new part. We'll see how close we get this time?. :evil:
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All fired up here right now.
Willie and I are going to buy some Stainless Steel 4" bends tomorrow morning.
These are to connect the headers to the turbos.
He's been grafting hard at the disabled sports week.
1200 kids must be a handfull but the guy just goes through the motions.
He's hardcore and my best bud. He's got a few days respite so he's helping me on the liner.
I've got one friend and even though he's not that jacked up on racing stuff, he's here most mornings
for his "American coffee". No milk???????. WTF????.
I have many sponsors but I have to say that Klingspor are the best.
When I was a kid all I wanted was a works ride on a Suzuki MX bike.
I know the feeling now. Brent Strydom is a special guy. I email and he's there for me every time.
If you're building a streamliner it costs big bucks and I don't care what angle you're coming from.
Abrasives cost money and in 25 years of getting my hands dirty Klingspor just blows the opposition away.
The product is the best, pure and simple.
We're making progress but I need to be more aggressive with investors that are sitting on the fence.
-
which one of those kids won the race
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All of them :wink: :cheers:
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Good answer Stainless. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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yes, it was.
-
By now you've realized I'm A Cleveland lover and big fan of Jack Roush.
My bible of sorts is the Pat Ganahl book "Ford Performance".
There are a bunch of mods guys did on the oiling or the restricting of it for pro stock racing.
Jack says he used the Moroso kit to good effect and didn't need more but other guys went further.
Drilling and tapping into the oil galleys to restrict flow to the lifters etc.
What opinions do you Ford guys have on these applications for LSR?.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
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My bible of sorts is the Pat Ganahl book "Ford Performance".
The thing about that book that always made me scratch my head is that, as far as I could tell, when he wrote it, he had never owned a Ford engine. :?
Maybe one of his friends knows? :mrgreen:
Mike
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Mike --
I believe that his pickup (partial, far right) has a Ford in it. He's owned it for many years.
Stan
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Mike, I've built a Ford or two.... The Cleveland needs help getting/keeping oil to the main bearings then the rods. So the oil restrictors to the cam bearings is a must. I used a .060 orifice.
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Mike --
I believe that his pickup (partial, far right) has a Ford in it. He's owned it for many years.
Stan
He published the book in '81. My (so-called) memory is vague, but I'm pretty sure the '56 came years later. In any case, this is a silly digression.
End hijack!
Mike
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Mike, I've built a Ford or two.... The Cleveland needs help getting/keeping oil to the main bearings then the rods. So the oil restrictors to the cam bearings is a must. I used a .060 orifice.
I'e used the Moroso restrictors in my other motors. Should I go to the other mod in the vallley pan as well?.
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We used to run Clevelands wide open in the "Bridge to Bridge" boat race in Aus with restrictors & no plumbing mods & a wet sump. Do a tear down & inspection then run the ski version of the same race. A total of more than 3 1/2 hrs on boost running wide open.
I built my own pans with crank scraper & windage tray. You cant feed the crank if the oil is in the valve covers. :roll:
Sid.
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Mike, I've built a Ford or two.... The Cleveland needs help getting/keeping oil to the main bearings then the rods. So the oil restrictors to the cam bearings is a must. I used a .060 orifice.
I'e used the Moroso restrictors in my other motors. Should I go to the other mod in the vallley pan as well?.
I never have BUT the reason the mods are made is because the main oil galley is also the lifter galley on one side of the engine. If you have a valve train failure and a lifter should come out of its bore you will lose oil pressure to the main bearings. The same is true if the lifter to lifter bore clearance is excessive, you will have a leak that will diminish oil pressure to the mains down the line.
-
The Australian fix was to bore the galley & press a tube down it with restrictor holes to the lifter bores.
Sid.
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I think with a little help from my "friends" I'll figure it out.
Thanks Dynoroom and Sid.
This roller coaster is book worthy, not because of the technology involved but more on the experience of all that's been happening.
I've knocked on so many sponsors doors I actually recognize the people on the street.
2000 emails give or take. Fishing on a very bad day if you like. No bites.
All of a sudden the boat is starting to fill up.
I caught two Marlin in one day. :-D :-D :-D.
No details of who or what but they're local agencies of multinationals.
The "risk averse" virus is dying.
This time I'm getting pen to paper to go with the handshakes.
The one dude is even married to my cousin but he still hasn't come around. I'll get him this week or we won't be going to family reunions anymore. :evil:
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Mike, There needs to be a like button on here for your posts. Also you need to set up a PayPal donate thing so that your worldwide friends and "silent" sponsors can help. too. :-D
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Will this help?. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
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I hit the button three times and it never lit up. Like, Like, Like, Like.
Best I could do.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, There needs to be a like button on here for your posts. Also you need to set up a PayPal donate thing so that your worldwide friends and "silent" sponsors can help. too. :-D
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I can't even afford my own junk let alone Crazy Mike on the other side of the world. :-P....... Did I say that out loud? :evil:
Sid.
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Nice of you guys to think of me.
Thanks a bunch. :wink:
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I think with a little help from my "friends" I'll figure it out.
Thanks Dynoroom and Sid.
This roller coaster is book worthy, not because of the technology involved but more on the experience of all that's been happening.
I've knocked on so many sponsors doors I actually recognize the people on the street.
2000 emails give or take. Fishing on a very bad day if you like. No bites.
All of a sudden the boat is starting to fill up.
I caught two Marlin in one day. :-D :-D :-D.
No details of who or what but they're local agencies of multinationals.
The "risk averse" virus is dying.
This time I'm getting pen to paper to go with the handshakes.
The one dude is even married to my cousin but he still hasn't come around. I'll get him this week or we won't be going to family reunions anymore. :evil:
The cousin's husband Mark called to say my package is ready for collection. :cheers:
Been a short week with all the national holidays but I guess things will get back to normal by Monday.
I have a bunch of components at Geraldo (my engineer) I need to sort out and my guess is that the liner will be on its wheels in a few weeks. :-D
-
I'm 60 tomorrow but still feel 19.
Bring back that old RMA Zook and i'll ride it like I stole it.
Miracles do happen.The S%^t I've subjected my body to didn't stand a chance.
I'm upright, outworking Guido's kid and his partners.
No walking sticks even though I'm missing a Patella or two.
One mission, to finish this liner and run it, THIS YEAR!!!!!.
I've become "hardcore" and taking no prisoners, This keyboard is sticky and I'm burning it at 10h00 tomorrow. :evil:
Sponsors are all in and I'm in charge. :dhorse:
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Happy Birthday. I really enjoy your build. Will be great when you get to run it.
John
-
Thank you John. God Bless you. :cheers:
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Happy Birthday Mike!!
Many happy returns.
I've got to warn you though, sexagenarian doesn't mean what you think . . . . . . . :roll:
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Fordboy
-
Welcome to the 60's.... deja vu all over again
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one of my friends that I hope to meet at Bonneville soon. :cheers:
-
Happy Birthday, Mike!
:cheers:
Mike
-
Happy Birthday from me too. Hope to see you a Bonneville soon.:cheers:
Ron
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Happy Birthday Mike. I hope your sixties are a great, productive and FAST decade!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
-
Happy birthday Mike, wish we could have a drink together have a great day. :cheers:
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Happy birthday Mikey! Hope it's a good one brother! :cheers:
-
Hey guys, Thank you all so much.
This means a lot to me.
You're the most awesome group of guys I've never met but
Bonneville is the aim and hopefully I can thank you in person soon. :cheers:
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There ya go you old fart, you're only 103 years behind me! :evil:
Sid.
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Happy Birthday a little late, Mike. We actually started working on the car/trailer yesterday and I have been absent from this thing. Hope you get everything done on the car this year and can get some seat time.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Sid, as long as i'm not 103 MPH behind I'm cool. :-D
Doug, you go brother and thanks. :cheers:
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I remembered, I really did. Even sent you a PM.
Happy Birthday, Mike. And many more, God willing.... :-D :-D
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I got the PM, thanks Paul.
I got a very funny E card from our friend Bob "McCool" :-D :-D :-D
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Sid, as long as i'm not 103 MPH behind I'm cool. :-D
Doug, you go brother and thanks. :cheers:
You know I'll be sure to remind you now if that's the case down the road. :-D
Sid.
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I know. :-D :-D
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The liner is on hold in that I haven't been working on it.
I have a big fabrication job for a new shopping centre.
Building 9 big steel gates. Got a week to go before pay day
and then I'll be able to afford some big ticket items. :cheers:
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Chit, shave and shampoo.
Meeting with 2 sponsors today.
Hate getting out of the shop but it needs to be done.
Deals are done, we just need to meet to collect products and do the meet and greet. :cheers:
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HApy late B day Mike, keep on, keeping on with them sponsons, jeez and i don't driNk. I'm doing the Maty thrash (inside joke) getting Amys camaro ready for June. ain't got no time for no puter. Glad for you.
-
Thanks Frank. God Bless you.
Days are good work wise but the
"PRINCE OF DARKNESS" out national power supplier has us doing minimum 4 hour black outs. :evil:
-
Does Lucas run the electrical service over there? :evil:
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Lucas, the guys that can't make electrical stuff (on English cars)?. :evil:
These guys were promoted way beyond their capabilities and handed out big bonuses for non performance.
They left the infrastructure as is and got rid of all the guys that really new the business.
So much stuff has been swept under the rug it's now called Table Mountain. :-D
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The good news is that I have a paint sponsor.
They are going to supply everything from fillers to thinners
for prepping the body plug
and will be painting both the chassis and body work.
The tech guy says he's got vast experience on applying clear on Carbon.
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The tech guy says he's got vast experience on applying clear on Carbon.
Trust but verify.
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Dan, we'll test him first no doubt. :evil:
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Been so busy earning a living but the job is nearing its end. :cheers:
I contacted my aero guy after he'd sent me mail a while back saying that the vertical stabilizer I designed
was too small.
I asked for a new design but he needs the CG first. This is going to take a while so I figure we'll have a tail
that will be bonded and bolted onto the rest when the car is complete.
Mark has lit a fire under my butt now and from Monday we'll be in an elevated stage of urgency. :evil:
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Sorry, no pics. I know you all love photos but I'll have a few in a day or two.
Been meeting with sponsors and collecting products.
Need to make some headway but the day job is interfering.
:evil: :-D :cheers:
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I collected my water filler neck today.
Nice welding job. Thanks Duncan. :cheers:
The radiator is in a box and lower than the motor (top outlet)
so I'll need to be able to bleed the system and this unit should do the job.
-
Looks like progress is being made. It is frustrating sometimes. There will be a time when you look at it and there will be hardly anything left to do.
-
Thanks Bo.
We're trying to get back on the project but the current workload is too great.
Hopefully I'll be done by this coming Friday and then I can give the liner the attention
it deserves. :cheers:
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I took on a big welding job to help Guido's son Martin and his
business partner Warren. Gates for a shopping mall.
9 total with the biggest being 18 x 8ft. Gotta earn bucks to buy parts
for the "black hole".
Warren came to help and he got the usual "Flyer" welcome.
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Mike, those are hefty gates. Do they use them to keep people out when the mall is closed or are they for decoration?
-
The gates are for the rear of the complex. One is for deliveries and one is for the generator shed.
The others I don't know.
All I want is the job to be over. :dhorse:
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All I want is the job to be over. :dhorse:
Yeah. Working for a living sucks . . . . . . .
:cry:
F/B
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Mark, I got used to only working on the liner.
I don't need all these other interruptions. :-D
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Something heavy fell on my Lincoln Helmet today.
Lets say I blew a gasket but there are parts available. :dhorse:
This S%$#T doesn't stop. As soon as I have a few bucks in my pocket
the :evil: starts out finding ways of blocking me. I just handed over the bucks for a new set of Pirelli tires for the little lady's Chevy.
I never had Pirelli but she only uses them. Go figure. Ford guy fittin P4s to a chevey. Time to drink and screw work.
I should have been at the biker shootout. Better chances of survival there guaranteed.
Call me McSCROOGE from now on!!!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
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Mike;
To quote Rosanne Rosannadana on the old Saturday Night Live show "It's always somethin'!" :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike, you could be me. It can get worse. Right now I am stuck and rotting in a London hotel room waiting for e-mails and phone calls about insurance for a race on Saturday. My hotel phone bill is 80 GBP and climbing. Like you, I take short breaks and visit the local for a pint.
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Bo, my PC crashed/blew probably due to all the black outs here.
~Working off my my other halve's laptop with an unfamiliar keyboard.
Mistakes are inevitable but I'm stuck with it until I get the big one repaired.
Hope you come right with your dilemma. :cheers:
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I've been working on shaping the nose for the liner.
My original idea to build the plug using ribs and cladding it with styrofoam
seemed like a good idea at the time but I should have gone the more expensive route
and had someone CNC the part from a solid block.
Sofadriver Mike is constantly on my mind as I work and even though composites are
my day job his project impresses me more and more. :cheers:
I put a layer of glass over the polystyrene and figured I'd just add a thick layer of fairing paste
and sand out the high spots.
Sounds simple and maybe on a smaller part it should be. This part is driving me nuts.
The high spots are too thin and sanding finds me going right through the epoxy/glass layer.
You can't use any aggressive type tool because the nose moves all over the shop and you just go right through the thin skin.
I'm getting there slowly but it's a PITA. :roll:
The trick will be to get the same profile on the right hand side. I've only almost finished the left but it's wavy as heck.
I'll post pics once the PC is repaired and I can download pics.
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Mike,
You are living my worst fear of working with glass or carbon. I'm always looking for an easier way out. Looking forward to seeing your finished nose.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Doug, I think I'm winning. :cheers:
I used the new HS spray filler from Spies Hecker yesterday and things look pretty good.
My sponsor KansaiPlascon is the national agent and the products are the best I've used.
Been at my job for a long time and the quality is unbeatable. Makes the task so much easier
when you use top line materials.
Thanks to Susan Theron, my liaison the job just got a whole lot better.
The tech guy says they'll paint the car and I know it's going to be perfect. :cheers:
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My PC came back from repair. They charged me a whopping $12 and nothing's changed. It still doesn't work so it's going back.
So still no pics. :x :x :x
I have been busy though and have made good progress on the nose piece.
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Grab any kid you see walking down the street, give them a big bowl of ice cream, and they will show you how to anything you need on their phones, Kindles, etc.
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My ''kids'' are all grown up, busy and have their own stuff to take care of. I'll get it sorted today Bo. :-D
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I wondered why it's been so quiet on your end.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I found out the PC repair was good but the big LCD flat screen is also screwed.
The hits just keep on coming.
Liner related stuff is all good though. A small disruption but we'll get over it. :-D
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I've been working on shaping the nose for the liner.
My original idea to build the plug using ribs and cladding it with styrofoam
seemed like a good idea at the time but I should have gone the more expensive route
and had someone CNC the part from a solid block.
Gee, did I forget to mention all the screw-ups I made, all the holes I burnt thru the glass with a belt sander and what a gigantic PITA building the body was in my build diary?
:-D :cheers:
-
Laminated sheets cut on laser printers and glued together might be the way our kids do it.
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Mike, you're on my mind constantly. :-D
Remember, this is my day job and I'm not having fun.
Any king of manly pressure used with any tool other than the palm sander makes holes. :evil:
I should have used more than the two layers of glass I used on the plug. Epoxy is expensive so I skimped
on material but it turned out to be more costly taking the short cut.
I'll be using six layers on the other three body sections.
These are large parts. The nose is about 10ft long and I still need to shape the right side to match. :evil: :evil: :evil:
The symmetry on your body work is awesome and the guys have no idea how hard you worked to achieve it. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Bo, there's only one way to do this shaping if you don't have access to 5 axis CNC equipment. Ask Sofadriver. :-D :-D :-D
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MY PC is working. I don't know how the universe works but the guy that built it on 05 called out of the blue.
He took over the repair and did all sorts of upgrades in return for a small welding job.
Thanks Greg. :cheers:
Working on the "hand shaped" nose and here are some progress pics as the process occurred.
Sanding the left side trying to use as little pressure as possible.
Some black guide coat to help.
Second pic is the right side that will need mirror imaging.
-
I wasn't winning so I loaded the spray gun with Spies Hecker HS primer.
The difficult part was positioning the nose on its side and keeping it there.
The Dodge thing just wants to flop over and lie on its back. :evil:
I used a Kilo of filler. Had I been using the cheap store bought stuff I'd have used five times the amount.
This paint goes far and is definitely the best I've ever used.
-
Some other angles of the filler job.
Lots of low spots.
-
I just kept putting on coats until the paint was used up.
You could probably coat a complete car with this stuff.
It really goes far and fills like gang busters. :cheers:
After the filler had dried I put on some finishing black to use as a guide coat.
-
More pics of the black guide coated nose.
-
Front shot showing the still unsanded right side.
One from a distance too.
-
I sanded the finishing black down to the filler to find the low spots.
The grit I was using wasn't quite perfect so a visit to Klingspor got me
the rights stuff. Brent came to the rescue again but he's way too generous.
I could open a store with all the product. :-D :-D :-D
-
I added some body filler to the low spots and gave the nose one more good sand.
-
Another thick coat of HS primer did the trick. :cheers:
-
Since taking the photos I sanded the plug and the left side is as good as
it's going to get.
I'm not too worried about the right side. I have a plan now. :-D :cheers:
I'll use my laser level to plot lines vertical and horizontal at 8" intervals and
use a sharpie to draw the lines on the left.
After I get the right side close I'll do the same and use the profile gauge to perfect it.
That's the idea anyway.
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Awesome Mikey! I've been knee deep in a very similar project, but mine isn't half as good as the work you do. Outstanding sir. It's looking real good! :cheers:
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:cheers:
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Bravo Mike. Looks fast just sitting on the saw horses.
Your work and attention to detail is admirable. You have both the skill and the patients to get it perfect.
Take care,
Bill
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Mike, are you going to add roughening dots to it? That is something I see on bike noses lately.
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Well Mike, it looks to me like you are building the poor man's version of a Speed Demon without the millions of dollars.
Sid.
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Thanks Joe, Frank, Bill and Bo.
The truth is that all you guys are my inspiration.
I'm not looking for sympathy or anything like that
but this is a lonely deal. :-(
When I say "one man show" I mean it.
The sponsors are the only ones interested over here.
Without them there is no project.
How cool it would be if one just had the funding to only work
on the liner and do nothing else?. :-D
I've made a few important connections and found even more sponsors
but for some reason every time I posted that "X" was coming on board
the deal went south.
My theory is that someone local reading my posts has been throwing the proverbial "wrench" in
the works. :evil: :evil: :evil:
My country is a cool but you don't get people motivating you here. They try drag you down to their level.
I kept things to myself, signed the deals, got the products and everything is great.
Mark Glinksi director of ESAB South Africa is the latest sponsor. I won't have to buy welding consumables
again ever. Weird thing is that he's married to my cousin Arlene. I only found out last week. :-D
All kinds of fancy tig wire, electrodes, rolls of mig wire, real welding gloves and a bunch of other products.
Eight parts are going to Spies Hecker Wednesday for painting.
The lower chassis frame that the Carbon tub bolts to, the nitrogen bottles and a few others.
I'll be able to start assembling modular components after that. :cheers:
Sid, you posted while I was typing. :-D :-D :-D
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As you know Mike, my liner is also a one man show & I have no sponsors. My build has been stagnant for a while now due to a lack of specialty components & I'm pretty sure you've over taken me now. :| I finally have the two overdrive units I ordered on April 17th 2012. That is one big decision I regret big time but I designed around these things & there was no going back.
Race you to the end? :-D
Sid.
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I'm not sure I've overtaken you???.
You know what you're doing. I'm making stuff up as I go.
Remember what you first told me about laying all the stuff on the floor,
marking and going from there????.
Peter Jack once asked me for my drawings of the chassis in order to help.
Sorry Pete, I don't have any and was too embarrassed to tell you. :oops:
Sid, you've helped me a lot too. Thanks man. :cheers:
-
I've had requests for plans & drawings of my big long pile of used parts too but all the chalk marks on the floor are long gone. I'm not even game to post pics of my hillbilly-junk! :-o This isn't my first rodeo but I'm still making $hit up! :| You're lookin pretty sharp from here Mate!
Sid.
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Mike, everyone has their own style and yours seems to be working just fine. Keep using it. There's no need to be embarrassed, you're performing bigtime. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
-
Sent you a little PM with a link to a quick method I have used to copy right-left parts. Crude, but really fast and comes out accurate.
JimL
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Thanks Jim, I really appreciate your advice and input.
I checked out the link and your method is spot on.
Awesome, thank you brother. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I started setting up the header/collector for welding.
Good thing I checked before welding. I had the collector
on upside down. There's a slight curve on the thing and
I would have really been upset having the angle wrong. :-D
After the pic I turned it over. The last pipe needed a small change
but I'll do it in the AM.
-
I'd be inclined to have the port plate bolted to the head so it doesn't pull on ya Mate.
Sid.
-
Don't work on headers for more than a few hours at a time. More than that is exhausting.
-
Really, Bo? On Sunday?? :evil:
:cheers:
Mike
-
Sid, I had no option to do it off the head but the little I've learned is that I only do short beads
and move around to avoid just that. The port plate is around 35mm thick.
Bo, I worked in between watching the MotoGP races.
Sunday, Monday it's all the same. Gotta get this car done. :cheers:
BTW, over 100,000 views. :wink:
Who would have believed that?.
Most of it was help from the members. You can't buy the advice I've gotten here. :cheers:
God Bless you all and thanks for keeping me going. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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It can still banana that bitch, keep an eye on it or better yet bolt it to something big & by the way, we haven't finished compiling our billing yet.... Mate!! :mrgreen:
Sid.
-
:-D :-D :-D No problemo!!.
Thanks Sid. I'm finish welding the individual pipes off the plate
to save heartache later with having to try work in tight spots.
The photo I posted was when I was getting the angles and gaps closed.
I'll make sure I'll bolt the plate to the head with all the fasteners before I join
the collector.
-
Still working on the headers.
MAJOR HEADACHE!!!!!
My feeling is that this is the toughest project on the car. :evil:
This is where two heads are better than one. I worked 7 hours
and had to walk away. I'm getting there slowly. Pics in the AM.
Winter arrived with a vengeance and it was -1*C last night. :-D
Another problem is the sheet metal intake but I'll post in the tech section for
advice.
-
Our Canopy is what is eating us up but Francis is coming to the rescue.
-
Keep plugging away Mike, the nose looks pretty awesome.
-
Thanks Frankie. :cheers:
Hey Sparky, what's holding you up?.
Is it the shape?.
-
I keep jumping around from project to project but the header thing
has my undivided attention right now.
Latest is taking a 4" Stainless Steel elbow and converting one end to a rectangle
with radiused corners. It will be mated to the turbo mount.
I used the factory gasket as the template.
First plan of action was to clamp the round end between two square tubes and heat the stainless
to a cherry red while tightening the clamp.
It went a lot easier than I imagined and eventually I had the long side perfect after cutting a fillet out of the outer curve.
I clamped the elbow until the two end touched and spot welded it.
I get lucky with this material for some reason. :-D
-
Two views of the tacked end.
-
After a whole lot of heating, hammering and welding
I have three sides spot on.
The top radius is next but holding the part in the vise is a PITA. :x
If you put too much pressure on the round side it deforms.
Another pair of hands are required to get the tubes and clamps
in position but I know a guy.....
It will come right eventually.
The elbows side by side. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, We had the same problem, but went to Frank's Wife Robin's wood shop and comandeered a piece of oak and put it on the belt sander and made it the shape of the turbo flange opening and then clamped it in the vise and massaged the pipe to the shape of the chunk of wood. It worked but I wouldn't want to try to make a living doing that stuff.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Hey Doug, I hear you. I have a piece of wild olive and I'm going to
shape that to help with the second elbow. Thanks for the tip. :cheers:
I love the challenge. This is what keeps the mind sharp.
Every task is something new. Stuff you wake up in the morning for.
I don't know what non LSR guys do but it can't beat this.
Once the pipes are done and the turbos are in place the chassis will get the final welding.
I need to pull the motor and box so I can flip it over to add the floor mounting tabs.
-
The shape the nose is a cone lying flat and the aversion on my part to go with a single latch.
But we are committed now and are moving forward-- We think.
Francis is a "glass" lover like yourself.
-
I hope you came right with the project Sparky?.
Remember what you all said about overkill?. :wink:
A few small developments here.
Some of my parts went to paint.!!!!!!!!??????? WTF. :-D :-D :-D
Spies Hecker are the paint sponsors and they offered so I gave them what
ever I could.
5 parts. The sub frame that the carbon tub bolts to and the canisters for the Nitrogen.
They have an awesome facility so the finish should be up to scratch.
Still working on the headers. I needed T4 turbo mounting plates.
I called Kyle and he told me where to buy them. 80 bucks each (about $6 in your money).
Real bargain but the store is near the airport and I hate traffic and if there's a problem on
the freeway you could be stuck for hours.
I had some material so I decided to keep my sanity and fabricate my own.
I used the gasket as a template and engineering blue to mark the plates.
I drilled the holes for the bolts and then punched 4 holes using the hole saw.
Used the cut off wheel to cut out the centres. Took a while but I've got one
done. Pics later.
-
It is like that here, Mike. It is more fun and relaxing to make simple things rather than drive out and buy them.
-
I know guys here in racing that would just send a driver out to buy the stuff and get someone else
to build the system.
That's what makes this forum great. The guys do all their own fab work for the most part and we learn from each other.
You can't buy the education I've gotten here.
This liner would never have gotten off the ground if it wasn't for the forum. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I finished the T4 plates and they turned out great.
When bolting them up to the turbo I could see that they
matched pretty well but I needed to open them up by 2mm
so as to have the elbows inside the plates.
That also went well. I used my Makita mini belt sander for
the first time. Great tool.
-
The elbows were pretty difficult to position inside the flange
but eventually I massaged the one into place and put a tack weld
where I wanted it.
After that a few taps with the hammer had the edge of the elbow
flush with the mating surface of the flange.
Second, third and fourth tacks. All good.
Now I had something substantial I could grip in the vise.
The corners on the elbow never quite matched the inside of the
flange so I used the torch to warm the material and stretched it
with a ball peen hammer. The gaps were only 1mm or so.
-
In the previous post you can see air gaps on the right hand side.
Those will be closed up on stage two.
I welded the long sides and will go back to heating and stretching the metal later.
So far so good. :cheers:
-
Mike, you continue to do really nice work! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
-
Mike, I made hold fixtures out of angle iron scrap and hose clamps so that I could hold the pipes at a good angle for my poor welding skills.
-
Thanks Pete. Coming from you this means a lot. :cheers:
Sparky, thanks. I'll have to make a plan and what you did sounds like a good one. :cheers:
-
Just awesome fabrication!!
:cheers:
Mark
-
Very nice work, Mike.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Thank you Mark and Neil. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Got one done. Welded all round and inside on the lip.
Gave it a pass on the belt sander and thought it might have warped
but it took very little work to clean up.
Just hope I can duplicate the quality on #2.
-
Flange bolted to the turbo.
Good thing I have small hands. :-D
Stuck my hand inside and the flange needs to be worked a
bit on the long sides for smooth/matching transition.
The radii also need some flapper wheel treatment.
Some guys wouldn't bother but I'm stuck in my ways.
Maybe playing with 2 strokes had its upside?.
I'm impatient but pleased. No money but there's enough gas, welding rod
and Stainless to finish both headers. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Mike when I put the tubing in the V-trough it helped me "visualize" the cuts if I needed to cheat it a little for slight direction changes.
-
Now I get what you meant. :oops:
Sometimes I'm an A$$. I should have asked for a pic.
I'm going to use your idea on the second elbow
and I'll post pics.
I've got one piece big enough (I think).
Thanks Sparky. :wink: 8-) :cheers:
-
Sparky, I never had the right material to use your advice.
I just built the second unit my way and it worked out OK.
I'll bolt it onto the turbo today and see how it fits.
I ran out of surgical gloves for the back purging so I
resorted to zip lock bags. :-D
Pics later. :cheers:
-
Bolted on on flange to check for fit. :cheers:
Pretty close and the luck with building stuff continues.
I thought working stainless using the torch would be tougher
but I guess if you never give up you'll eventually succeed.
I'm a really happy, lucky guy. :wink:
-
The second unit bolted down.
NOW we need to get the turbos hung and mate the headers!!!!!!!.
Pray for me. I'll need it. :cheers:
-
Mike, I will be following your "hanging the turbos" closely I chopped out most of what I had done previously. Please take lots of picts---nice work man
Remember what the old folks said: "The Lord mostly helps them that help themselves."
We know you will "Git'er done"
-
Nice work Mike!!!
:cheers:
-
WOW!!
Nice work, Mike!
-
Looking good Mike! :cheers:
-
Sparky, you're a mind reader I swear!!!!!!!!! :-D
I hung the right side unit yesterday and it was clear that it would need to go up and back about 3" on both planes.
The "cold side" needs a pipe with a serious "S" bend in it to clear the rocker cover to get to the point where I
can fit the shark gill type air intake on the body. I'm going with a system like the one Danny Thompson has.
I was bold enough to contact him last year and asked how his intake worked. He said he'd let me know after Test and Tune.
He did and I'm going with it. :-)
Another example of the attitude of LSR guys. He didn't really have to reply but he did. :cheers:
This packaging thing is getting old now and it's been said before but you look at a 40ft chassis and think there will be
lots of room. Yeah Right!!!!!
I don't have a finished car and my hat's off to anyone who ever built a liner, lakester or belly tank that turned a wheel let alone broke a record.
I wish I was a quitter. Honestly. :evil:
The Subaru never ends.
You're on the inside looking out and stuff you thought was 100% yesterday turns out to be a pile of junk.
A friend, Clive worked on Nissan GTR, Subaru, Mitsubishi Evo and BMW conversions was here yesterday.
He pointed out a few things on turbo installations I had no knowledge of and although it helped it only
complicated my issues.
I built plates with AN fittings for the turbo oil feed and return but they've gone AWOL.
They must be here somewhere but I can't find them.
We never had TV here when I was a kid but we used to go to the movies and there was this short
where the guy did all sorts of dumb stuff and the voice over guy called him a schlemiel.
That's me right now. :-D :-D :-D :-D
Thanks Finallygotit, Mike, Joe and Sparky. You keep me going. :cheers:
The good news. Geoff Hoelsher from Electromotive got in touch and it's looking good. Thanks to Chris Conrad. :wink:
I'm off to Latham Engineering to collect the gas tank today.
The roller coaster ride continues.
Sparky I'll post pics of the turbo system a bit later.
-
Mike,
If you want to feel better, read the Milwaukee Midget build diary. Chris has a car (although not a liner . . .) that he has put years (7? 9?) of effort into. It is only recently that the da** thing has become sorted out enough & reliable enough to compete for the class record. Not a sob story, just reality. Some parts look great in the catalog, or when you "offer them up", but when you get to the fitting up point, it becomes obvious that it just won't work. It's what we over here call: "Miller time".
So Chris gets to a competitive point, and you would think he would race it for a bit, right? Nope, head first right back into the deep end with a engine swap, to an engine with known problems/limitations.
Proving that racers are the most optimistic people on the planet. What I call: "Optimisty" As in they can't see the finish line because of the "foggy" future, but they are sure things will turn out alright.
I like hanging out with those types, at least they are not suicidal.
Homicidal maybe . . . . . . . :wink:
Just keep :dhorse:
Fordboy
-
My kinda guys. Seriously.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Ao-iNPPUc
-
Thunderstruck is way better than gobsmacked Mike! :-o :cheers:
Keep the hammer down, show that beast no mercy!! :cheers: :cheers:
Woody
-
My kinda guys. Seriously.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Ao-iNPPUc
Paddle faster Mikey!! That was banjo music . . . . . . . . . .
Tasty licks though . . . .
:cheers:
Formerelectricbassboy
-
Good 'Ol Redneck Rockabilly stuff there.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Thanks guys.
Chris is a bridge burner like myself. :-D :-D :-D
How he does what he does frightens me.
Those British cars are a tough deal.
I pick my fights very carefully.
Those guys on the music video are awesome.
Locals call me the "red neck" because I like the south
and you'd be a red neck if???????.
Yesterday was crazy. Clive and I went to fetch the gas tank.
We left here at 10 and the company closes at noon.
It's 20 minute drive but we got lost. Missed one turn off and things went
south. :-D
We arrived as the guys were closing but we got the tank.
Got it home and I just had to fit the thing.
It's too wide for the chassis by 1/2" :evil: :evil: :evil:
First thing you think is that they screwed up so I go
to my file with the drawings.
The first one I find shows that the width is 500mm.
That was the drawing I sent to the first guys up the road
who said they could do the job. I wanted a tank with all the corners radiused.
That tank arrived and it was just a box with sharp corners and the welding was worse than mine.
I sent it back.
Then I checked my email sent to Latham Engineering. That drawing showed the width as being 515mm.
That's the width of the opening not the size of the tank. I messed up!!!!!!!.
Latham didn't do anything wrong.
I can't take it back so I have to fix the problem.
I can't cut the chassis so the logical thing is to cut the tank lengthwise and narrow it by 10mm.
I don't have the guts to do it right now and I'm not great. The good ole boys and I had a good evening
with a barbecue and a few beverages. Frailty sucks but it was fun.
At least we forgot about what a genius I am. :roll: :roll: :roll:
Pics of the tank and turbo hanging deal later.
I haven't forgotten, Sparky. I took about 10. :cheers:
-
AC/DC- known here in Oz as Acc-a-Dak-a!
-
AC/DC- known here in Oz as Acc-a-Dak-a!
LOL. I haven't heard that in a long time!
Sid.
-
AC/DC- known here in Oz as Acc-a-Dak-a!
Have you heard about the AC/DC cover band AD/HD?
Their seminal album of favorites is titled: Highway to; HEY, LOOK, A SQUIRREL!
:cheers:
Fordboy
-
Great stuff, Mark, and I always MAN-O-MAN does this taste good!
-
Hey Sparky.
Those pics!!!.
The yellow markings around the turbo are where I have about 5"
to go up and back.
The hanger I made has a rod end at each end, one with a left hand thread.
It will need to be shortened considerably and the mountings moved back.
Not the biggest job but I neglected to just tack the mounts. :x :oops:
The line at the back of the rocker box is where I need clearance.
-
Some other angles.
When I move the turbo up it will better clear the towing dolly tube. :cheers:
-
Some pics of the way I clamped the unit to the chassis to give 3/4" clearance.
Second one is top view of the clearance problem the the rocker cover.
-
Other angles.
BTW, I sorted out the gas tank.
It fits now but still needs to be finished.
We've had black outs since Friday so work time has
been limited. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
-
Outstanding photos, your build is amazing. Great attention to detail :cheers:
-
Nice looking chassis stand/dolly Mike. The picture rekindled thoughts I've had about building something similar for both shop and pit use.
How's it working out for you? Any changes you might consider for a 2'nd generation version?
Ed
-
Thank you John. :cheers:
Ed, no problems so far. :wink:
I manage to move the car sideways in the shop on my own
but all the wheels swivel so I chock one end, move the back
block that and then move the front. With help it moves without
a hassle.
I do have female fittings on the chassis to prevent it sliding off.
If I built another set I think I'd use bigger castors like the ones used
on scaffolding. Those have tires and I think the car would roll easier.
-
I got busy on narrowing my gas tank early yesterday.
I stood it up lengthwise and used my laser level to get it
square and marked the lines. These were 10mm apart.
I used some of the special 0,8mm cutting discs from
Klingspor to separate the sections.
OK, so the fuel feed trap is 10mm off centre but it would have been
dumb to just cut the tank down the centre. It was suggested by a beer
holding "expert". :-D :-D :-D
The cutting went great but there were a few spots where the joint line
overlapped by a tiny amount. I just ran the cutting disc through those
sections and it came together just fine.
I clamped and tacked the lip before fitting it in the chassis. It has enough
clearance so that paint won't be scratched on final fit.
Using a large clamp and two thick blocks of Aluminum I managed to get the wave
out of the stainless and tacked where needed.
Refitted to the car again just to be sure. 100%. :cheers:
Some pics.
-
The trap will be drilled for fittings after welding the box.
-
The long side.
Also a pic of the lid with baffle plates.
The guys at Latham say there is a small gap
between the floor and the baffles. I'm guessing it must be more than 30mm
because they have sharp 90* corners and the tank has a radius bend (30mm).
The lid and baffles weigh double what the tank does so I'm thinking of
dispensing with the baffles. They need drilling where they join to the lid as well.
What do you guys think?. Baffle or no?.
-
Mike,
A big thanks for the tips on the dollies.
My buddy's car is so close to completion now odds are anything I come up with will be geared more towards maintaining rather than construction. Another project's "someday" just moved a lot closer.
Ed
-
Just my own not so humble opinion Mike, but I'd keep the baffles. You don't neet fluids sloshing back and forth or side to side if things ever get a little exciting. :-o :-o :-D
Pete
-
Just my own not so humble opinion Mike, but I'd keep the baffles. You don't neet fluids sloshing back and forth or side to side if things ever get a little exciting. :-o :-o :-D
Pete
X2 to what Pete said.
-
Mike;
If you remove the baffles, fill the tank with fuel cell foam.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Thanks Pete, Neil and Ed.
I finished welding the tank so I filled it with water
to check for leaks. I found one and will close it
in the AM.
Even though I sealed the tank and back purged
I don't like the look of the weld inside.
I have special fan grinders for Stainless and I was thinking
I should clean up the inside and run a bead over the joint
to make sure. It won't be possible to back purge though.
I want to weld in the bungs for the fuel lines. This is for EFI
and I was told to run 2 fuel pumps for the 2200cc injectors.
I checked on Aeromotive's site and it looks like -10 should be
the right size for the application.
My thinking is 2 bungs for the injectors but heard I need a return
mounted in the same area and not at the top of the tank.
Seeing as I have 2 pumps do I need 2 returns?????.
I'll wait to hear from the experts. Thanks guys. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Mike, one return is fine BUT........ there's always a but huh?..........
Add a few ports for other things, like a tanks vent, other returns IF you should ever go to some type of mechanical system & EFI (check out Speed Demons engine sometime) and who knows what else in the future.
My advice on you stainless tank is different than others here. Don't worry about baffles, or fuel slosh to the extent that you have and NEVER use fuel cell foam in less you intend to clean filters and the tank on a regular basis. Again, MY point of view is you don't need to sweat the small stuff. Filter the fuel when you pour it in and run GOOD filters in the system.
Pictures of my tank & some of my filters coming.....
-
Thanks Mike. :cheers:
I was worried about the foam being compatible with Ethanol.
Do you agree on the Dash 10 fittings for the fuel lines?.
Also should the return be below the fuel level ie in the bottom
of the tank?.
This EFI is all new to me and I want to get it right first time.
-
I agree on the "no foam" too. I return to the top of the tank to prevent return line restriction/pressure that will affect regulator pressure. I have a mechanical EFI with a Lil Bertha & Moran injectors.
Sid.
-
Thanks Mike. :cheers:
I was worried about the foam being compatible with Ethanol.
Do you agree on the Dash 10 fittings for the fuel lines?.
Also should the return be below the fuel level ie in the bottom
of the tank?.
This EFI is all new to me and I want to get it right first time.
Mike;
These is a special foam that is used in methanol fuel cells but I don't know if it is compatible with ethanol. I'd use it if possible; a regular fuel filter inspection & cleaning is needed even without foam.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Thanks Mike. :cheers:
I was worried about the foam being compatible with Ethanol.
Do you agree on the Dash 10 fittings for the fuel lines?.
Also should the return be below the fuel level ie in the bottom
of the tank?.
This EFI is all new to me and I want to get it right first time.
Return fuel above the fuel level. Also return it as far away from the inlet suction lines as possible. Consider some type of tray/baffle system for the return fuel as to minimize air bubbles in the fuel. Look at my tank pictures. The fuel returns at the right front onto a sloping tray away from the fuel suction at the lower left rear of the tank. You can see the braided return line on the left in this picture. The hard line used for the tank vent on the right side of the photo, then if you look closely you can see the -10 line to feed the pump in the back.
The next picture shows the Hilborn stacked screen filter (See yellow arrow) I use before the pump. Be VERY careful here as too small a filter or to fine a mircon filter can damage your pump and or your engine. The next picture shows a Kinsler filter on the pressure side (also with a yellow arrow). IIRC the inlet filter is 80 or 100 microns & the pressure side filter is 10 microns.
-10 fuel lines are the minimum imo.
I still would not use foam in this application. The problem with fuel cell foam is there are many different types. Just as there are many different types of additives used in different brands of fuels. We had a 26 gallon fuel cell in a SCCA Trans Am car and would change out the foam & filters 2 times during the season. There was always some foam residue in the tank & filter. In racing where you can have contact with other vehicles or objects the foam helps, in land speed racing with the minimum amounts of fuel on board I see no real advantage compared to the efforts to maintenance it. YMMV
-
Screwed up (again) here is the pressure side filter.
-
Mike,
I'm with Dynoroom on the foam. Foam in fuel cells was ALWAYS a "PITA", it would deteriorate/dissolve if you looked at it the wrong way. The fuel cell mfg's would just say "You must have put in "hot"/wrong/whatever fuel", and blame it on the team. And then the team would have to spend precious prep time cleaning the cell, filter(s), etc.
I don't see much benefit from foam in a LS situation, just a maintenance hassle that could cost you an engine.
Just my 2 cents though . . . . . .
Mike is also right on the money for the plumbing.
:cheers:
Fordboy
-
Thanks for all the input from every one. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Based where I am having limited resources I can't afford
having problems with the foam. Even if I decided to use it
getting it into or out of the tank would be difficult with baffle
plates in place.
No foam and no baffle plates on this one.
2 x -10 feed bungs.
1 x -10 return.
1 x -8 vent.
I'll make sure all the filters and pumps are matched to avoid starvation etc.
Mark and Mike, a special thanks to you both for putting in
so much effort to help.
I'll have more pics later today.
-
Don't forget the rollover vent valve.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Will do Doug. :cheers:
I need some advice on the AN fittings that I need to weld to the gas tank.
I was going to use -10 AN but it looks like i'll be using the Bosch fuel pump
listed below. It has metric fittings and the site I visited says to use -8AN (adapter obviously).
Inlet M18 x 1,5
Outlet M12 x 1,5
My concern is the inlet size. What say you guys?.
https://www.treadstoneperformance.com/product.phtml?p=1826&cat_key=625&prodname=Bosch+Inline+Fuel+Pump+044+0580254044+++
Bosch Part Number: 0 580 254 044
I could use FCM2245 from Aeroquip.
-
Mike, the rollover valves at www.fuelsafe.com (http://www.fuelsafe.com) have given me good service. They are expensive but worth it. They stock all sorts of other fittings, too.
-
Mike, The larger feed lines (-10) to the pump inlet is a good thing so work on doing that. They make adapter fittings that go from metric to SAE. The Bosch 044 pumps (two of them) should handle the fueling demands of a 1200-1400 HP (flywheel) engine on E85 but a few things to keep in mind. This fuel can damage parts in the fuel system in as little as 1 to 2 weeks so make sure you pickle the engine after use. This means run gasoline through complete system before storing the car. You can even use pump gas IF it has no alcohol in it. Another issue is the electric pumps themselves. I run mechanical "cam or belt driven" pumps. As the engine power goes up the demand on the electrical system goes WAY up. This effects the pumps and they slow down. Not good on a 5 mile pass, so make sure you have a good charging system.
There is a lot more to this than what we can "chat" about here so spend some time doing research online about fuel requirements vs power, etc. There are quite a few pit falls in EFI so be careful what components & wiring you use. Most good harnesses cost as much or more than the electronic control unit.
My fuel tank is in the front of the car with the pump near the firewall. Instead of running braided line for 8 feet I use hard line part of the way. See picture.
-
Mike,
My experience is that electric pumps only are marginal for long periods of WOT, UNLESS, they are very carefully selected, AND, have enough voltage/current available at all times. I would not like to "burn down" an engine or two getting this worked out.
Cosworth injected engines used an electric fuel pump for start-up, and had an engine driven mechanical pump for higher speeds. The pump sections themselves were identical, they differed only in the driving method. The difference is that the electric pump runs at a fixed (based on voltage/current available) speed, so the output is OK until the fuel demand exceeds the pumps output. The mechanical pump is driven with a fixed ratio off the engine and the speed (and output, up to a point) increases with engine rpm. The pumps were plumbed in parallel using check valves and the electric pump was turned off after start-up. WHY? If the mechanical pump failed or the drive belt broke, with the electric pump off, the engine would "shut off" from lack of fuel. If the electric pump was on, the fuel supply was insufficient for WOT, and the result was usually a "melted" engine . . . .
Just my experience . . . . . .
:cheers:
Fordboy
-
Mike,
We have always had good luck with the Aeromotive pumps. Never run one without fuel as that's their only source of cooling, and never starve the suction side of the pump. Even if it means that you only strain out the big pieces on the suction side and catch it on the pressure side with a high pressure filter. This is not a place to "cheap out". We feed the pump with -12 line and adapt to -10 at the pump. and -10 to the fuel rail. Just my opinion for what it's worth.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
http://www.jegs.com/i/Aeromotive/027/11101/10002/-1?parentProductId=750073
-
I second that -- I also put the fuel pressure regulator at the end of the return line just before the fuel returns to the tank you can not be to large on the vent line with no loops that can trap fuel like a P trap under a sink in the house
-
All the above info is invaluable and the processes involved very complicated and I'm
forever grateful for all the help from everyone. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I'll be taking this one step at a time. I'm even getting input from Gary Satara in Australia.
He races the Green Jag XJ12 with the blown Cleveland. His advice mirrors all of the above
so know you guys are all in agreement on what the requirements are and all the pitfalls have been covered.
I'm going to weld in all the -10 fittings where required for now.
This will allow me to add the components still to come no matter the make.
This is truly the miracle build and on the funds available should never have gotten this far but for some reason
companies are turning up offering products just when they are needed most.
There are deals coming that will change the whole complexion. :cheers:
More on that later.
Getting back to the gas tank. The lid is 5mm stainless steel.
I had to cut a 6" hole for the filler cap unit and drill 12 holes to mount it.
Due to the size of the plate I could only drill 5 holes on the drill press.
We had to do the others with a hand drill. I don't think I have one drill bit under 8mm
left that works. :evil: :evil: :evil:
It took all day yesterday. Redressed bits lasted but 6 seconds but eventually we got the job done.
The 6" hole I tackled with the plasma cutter and that went OK but cleaning up the rough edges
will take a day more. My new metal burrs that are top quality make little impression but the Makita mini
belt sander is doing better than expected while the compressor is building pressure.
What A PITA!!!!!!!. I've never experienced material like this. I think it work hardens just by looking at it.
You're going to ask what grade it is but I don't know. All I know is that it kicked my butt 40 ways from Sunday. :-D
Vent hole and return get done today no matter what.
-
Mike,
Although probably too late to help you now, some info on drill bits. High speed steel drill bits (shiny steel) will work on high grade stainless steels, carbon steel drills (black oxide coated) are near useless. High speed steel drill bits coated with titanium nitride will work better, but the best for stainless are cobalt high speed steels, as in $$$. They do save you time and sanity . . . . . . TiOx coated bits, when sharpened, lose the TiOx coating and are then just a high speed steel bit.
Yes, you can sharpen drill bits by hand, I know many machinists that do it as an art form. But for the average guy, a sharpening rig like a "Drill Doctor" is the best method for reclaiming bits 1/8" (3mm) dia to 3/4" (19mm) dia, since the average enthusiast has a hard time sharpening by hand.
:cheers:
Fordboy
-
Mike, When I was using a electric fuel pump I ran a 150 amp alternator on my eng. On when my eng was on the dyno the operator asked me about it--I asked why---he said that my set up was one of only a very few times he had not seen an big electric pump drop the voltage on the efi controller which he was reading after a run I was running 2 1000 cranking amp batteries with the HD 150 amp--may have been over kill but it would handle the big pump and my water transfer pump as well as the efi.
-
Mike, Google "cartridge rolls" and then talk to your abrasives supplier. Your cleanup job will suddenly become a lot easier. Be sure to get the necessary mandrels and be prepared to duck a few bits of sandpaper roll. :-D :-D :-D
Pete
-
Mike, you can look at on-line catalogs like Mcmaster-Carr, Fastenal, etc to get an idea of the tooling for special metals.
The work hardening caused by tool action is at the surface of the part. The trick is to use a high feed rate so the cutting edge is working below the hardened layer. High feed rate and low rpm often works.
Hole saws are often what I use on sheet metal. First, I lower the cutter down onto the part so it scratches a mark where it will cut. Then, I drill one or more small holes in the marked circle. The holes help the saw to get down and to dig away below the work hardened surface.
Sometimes when I drill a large hole I use the same method. First I drill the pilot hole. Then, I drill one or more small holes alongside the pilot hole. The holes are to help the bit dig in and they will disappear then the big hole is drilled.
Stainless steels, monel, titanium, all can be problematic. A guy working at home usually can cut them using conventional tools. It takes some time to figure out the method. Sales specialists at the tooling distributors are often a big help.
-
...Getting back to the gas tank. The lid is 5mm stainless steel.
I had to cut a 6" hole for the filler cap unit and drill 12 holes to mount it.
Due to the size of the plate I could only drill 5 holes on the drill press.
We had to do the others with a hand drill. I don't think I have one drill bit under 8mm
left that works. :evil: :evil: :evil:
It took all day yesterday. Redressed bits lasted but 6 seconds but eventually we got the job done.
The 6" hole I tackled with the plasma cutter and that went OK but cleaning up the rough edges
will take a day more. My new metal burrs that are top quality make little impression but the Makita mini
belt sander is doing better than expected while the compressor is building pressure.
What A PITA!!!!!!!. I've never experienced material like this. I think it work hardens just by looking at it.
You're going to ask what grade it is but I don't know. All I know is that it kicked my butt 40 ways from Sunday. :-D
Vent hole and return get done today no matter what.
I know exactly how you feel, Mike. My firewall is probably the same stuff-- 304 stainless. It was a bitch to cut so I finally had a friend cut the sheet to size with his plasma cutter; that made me a believer in plasma cutting! Finishing the cut edges was not going too well before I discovered the 3M Cubitron II abrasive discs- these use a grain-oriented ceramic abrasive and cut far better than aluminum oxide or zirconium oxide discs. They leave a rather fine finish with respect to their grain size and last longer than other abrasives.
I cut large holes using a small plasma cutter with a homemade circle protractor. Smaller holes are simply drilled with cobalt drills. Sometimes I enlarge those with a HF step drill. The key, as WW pointed out, it to use a slow speed, heavy pressure, and a good cutting oil. I thought this was a sheet of 6Al4V titanium at first but the sparks were not bright white and, upon reflection, its weight should have been a clue. Oh, well- it works.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Thank you all. :cheers:
I've never had a problem like this. There was a stamping on the plate that read 2055. I didn't look closely thinking it was the date but after we finished cutting and drilling I saw Made in Sweden 2055 and some other code.
I cut the hole for the filler with my plasma cutter no problem based off marking using a Sharpie. I thought the burrs would clean up the rough edges pretty well. Wrong!!!!. I left too much meat to get rid of. :-P
The only good "shiny" drill bits I have are 3mm and should have used one to do pilot holes.
This SS definitely work hardens. We sharpened bit after bit after drilling the first five holes on the press.
I've been sharpening drills for years and eventually I was thinking I'd lost my touch. :-D :-D
The drill we tested flew through a piece of 10mm mild steel so then I knew It was the stainless plate
busting our nuts and drills.
My buddy Clive had more patience so he finished the drilling.
We got the job done eventually and now I have to weld the lid to the box.
A one hour job turned into a two day joke. :-D :-D :-D
All good here now and we'll fit the tank today to set it up for adding the mounting plates.
Photos later.
BTW, Bo your trick of drilling a small hole on the mark made by the hole saw will DEFINITELY be used.
That one's in the bank already. Thanks man. :cheers:
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Timely---I was at a fellow LSR guys shop today---his fuel tank had a nice square hole in it and he had a baffle he was working on:
--he had "apparently" experienced his acceleration moving the fuel back to the point it was blocking his vent--
he had not decided where he was going with a 3/4 or a 5/8 vent line---he had a 5/8 check valve set up that he had made but hadn't installed yet
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Hi Sparky, I've put both the vent and return lines at the front of the lid just off centre.
I figure that by the end of the run the fuel level should be pretty low thus keeping the juice
away from the vent.
I have a small deflector around the vent for added insurance.
I kept the fittings near the centre so that I wouldn't have body work clearance issues in the future. :cheers:
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2055 is a tool steel, I am pretty sure. Mike, you have the word's strongest gas tank.
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http://www.sandmeyersteel.com/2205.html
Alloy 2205 (UNS S32305/S31803) is a 22% chromium, 3% molybdenum, 5-6% nickel, nitrogen alloyed duplex stainless steel plate with high general, localized, and stress corrosion resistance properties in addition to high strength and excellent impact toughness.
Alloy 2205 duplex stainless steel plate provides pitting and crevice corrosion resistance superior to 316L or 317L austenitic stainless steels in almost all corrosive media. It also has high corrosion and erosion fatigue properties as well as lower thermal expansion and higher thermal conductivity than austenitic.
This is what I just found. Not sure why Latham Engineering made the tank from the other material and the lid from the above
but now that we've drilled and cut all the appropriate openings I'm good with it. :-D :-D :-D
It is a pretty heavy plate.
Thanks Bo.
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It'll be good protection from the assasins in the neighborhood. :evil:
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Hey Doug, I'm "the" guy!!!!. Shhhh. :-D
Still working the gas tank lid.
Got the plate drilled on the press no problem.
I went up to a 22mm bit to install the -10 fitting for the return.
Using the hand drill is useless.
Pics of the first pilot hole and the fittings pulled down for welding.
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I cleaned the area to be welded and the hex parts of the fittings
with some special fan grinder from Klingspor.
Good materials make your work so much better. :cheers:
I wasn't quite happy using the 2,4mm electrode after welding the
bungs so I changed it for the smaller size.
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While the lid was cooling I fried in the three fuel outlets.
I put in one extra for "in case"!.
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I put in one extra for "in case"!.
A good plan prepares for the "unexpected" . . . . . .
:cheers:
Fordboy
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The next task was to install a pipe for the return.
I had some old stuff from the Mazda Rotary that was still in good shape
so I cut off one elbow.
After thoroughly cleaning the hose I used some Loctite on the threads
and cinched the fitting. It points to the back of the tank.
I then fashioned up a holder from some stainless steel plate.
-
I forgot to take a pic of my weld but it all went well.
I fabricated a baffle for the vent. It sits slightly off the wall of the tank
and there's enough for the air to escape.
-
The last pic isn't very good but if you look
closely you can see the vent.
The lid is part welded to the box and I should have pics later. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Very nice and very classy work Mike.
Maybe Neil will let you work on his car . . . . . . . . . . .
:cheers:
Fordboy
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When, I first started with EFI on my BBC I had an old Holley system that we put a bigger pump on---it could not by pass enough fuel at idle---we were too rich until we got under load and above 4000 rpm as time went on we moved to a mechanical pump (at Dynoroom's suggestion) with much lager lines and much larger returns that we control at the tank
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Very nice and very classy work Mike.
Maybe Neil will let you work on his car . . . . . . . . . . .
:cheers:
Fordboy
I sure could use the help of such a talented fabricator as Mike!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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As usual, great work Mike! I really like the way the fuel tank is turning out. :cheers:
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Neil, that would be an honour. I'd work with you any day. :cheers:
Thanks Joe and Mike.
The fuel tank bit me today. Short story, it fell into the cavity and jammed my right
middle finger between it and the chassis rail. It is a heavy piece and I screwed up, got cut
and was convinced my finger was broken. I've been through some SUBARU in my life but
this incident left me faint. I thought I was going to pass out but a glass of Coke restored the
low blood sugar level. I ran cold water over the cut, put on a band aid and walked around the garden for
a few minutes to recover.
Going back to the car and looking at the spot it's a miracle I never lost the digit. Dodged a .50 Cal Today. :-D
By 11AM I was back at work.
Here are some pics. The tank in position with the foam plug in place before the injury.
The gap between the tank and bulk head.
The duct tape over the three fittings is to keep stuff out especially wasps that lay eggs in any hole they can find.
Not the season but I'm not taking chances.
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The gap between the rear bulk head.
One shot of the tank top from the side.
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Another pic of the top.
I needed a brace at front so I fish mouthed some heavy duty
square tubing, marked it and drilled it for two Rivnuts.
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A close up of the rivnut in place after prep for welding.
The two nuts in place on the tubing.
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The tube in place on the chassis after welding in the rivnuts.
I could have just pulled them up as designed but I figured Tig
a better option. :wink:
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After positioning the tube I tacked it in place, almost lost my finger
and then fabricated some "L" shaped mounting plates.
Got both welded in place although the pic only shows the RHS.
Bolt went in like a factory fit. :lol:
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The tank will mount at 8 points.
2 up front, 2 out back and 2 on each side with one having a strap going across
for added insurance.
More pics in the AM.
My buddy Clive had his birthday on the 4th and as a birthday present I built
him an intake manifold for his Land Rover yesterday.
The guy has 5 early Landies and why beats me but it is what it is. :dhorse:
The OEM carb was junk so he decided to use a Weber.
I let him do the hole cutting on the flanges and prep for welding.
Welcome to "Mike's Ten Minute Manifolds". :-D :-D :-D :-D
Will it work?????. Heck I don't know, he came up with the dimensions.
Looks good. I just hope it works.
Good dude who has fallen on hard times. Wife divorced him, has no job and is trying to sell
the Land Rovers.
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Last two.
He's going to tap threads in the carb mounting and clean up the holes
where required.. :cheers:
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Your manifold might ice up before it gets heat transfer from a warm engine.
So where is your liner fuel tank located? Looked to me like it might be behind the rear axle.
Sid.
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Sid, it is behind the rear axle.
I had nowhere else to put it.
The water tank and extinguisher system are behind the cockpit.
-
:cheers:
-
I thought that's where you had it. Obviously it's too late now but for a bunch of reasons it would have been better off designed it into the middle of the chassis. What's the tank capacity & consumption rate going to be relevant to balance?
Sid.
-
The tank is a 40gal unit (150L).
I'm emailing you right now on the other issues.
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Guys, The director of this company has offered his services.
Can someone please check it out and let me know what they might be able to do for me coatings wise?.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
http://td.co.za
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A ceramic coating to keep the heat inside the header pipes is a big help. Also, ceramic coatings on the tops of the pistons.
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Sid, it is behind the rear axle.
I had nowhere else to put it.
The water tank and extinguisher system are behind the cockpit.
Mike, you might want to look at these photos of the new Speed Demon fuel tank placement.
Seems you're in good company...... :-)
Also notice the size of the fuel tank used for a 2200 hp engine running alcohol.
Carry on....
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Thanks Mike, if I told you guys I was a genius would you have believed me???. :-D :-D :-D
Thanks for the pics. Actually a member here PM'd a while back saying he thought it might be an advantage having my gas tank where it is.
I feel better now.
Today was mixed. I finished mounting the tank. It looks great. :cheers:
At lunch time I came to check my email and the PC was dead. For good this time I'm told. :x
Back on the mini laptop and I can't download pics or retrieve email. Bummer but I'll sort something.
It couldn't have broken down at a worse time. Tomorrow I have a meeting with the board of directors
of an international company and the proposal is on the old machine. They asked for 6 printed versions
or something I could put on their overhead projector/big screen system.
A friend had my proposal on email so he came over just now and transferred it to my memory stick.
Maybe the PC crashed for a reason?. :wink:
Wish me luck. I need it. This sponsorship could make or break my project.
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Mike;
You may be able to pull the hard disk out of your bad PC and install it in another good computer. Possibly you could retrieve all your files this way.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike,
Lost one a couple of years ago and I had a guy in Billings buy a new old stock hard drive the same as mine and he took the platter out of mine and installed it in the new one and it worked great and I was able to transfer all of my data to a new computer a short time later when Microsoft quit supporting my old operating system. I was lost but it worked.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks guys. The drive is OK. The motherboard is shot. These things aren't supposed to last 10 years but mine did.
I like XP pro even though it isn't supported anymore. My computer guru works outside the country
and will be back in September. I'll find the disc that came with the phone and install the programme
to transfer images. I'll be up and running by tomorrow.
This little machine works OK for what I need.
Busy on my battery box for the long car. Got some of it done. It should be finished tomorrow.
Space is in short supply. The long car is shrinking!. :-D :-D
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"Nature abhors a vacuum", Mike. However much space you have, it will be eventually filled to overflowing. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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How right you are Neil. :wink:
Life would be boring without these packaging issues.
I go on Linkedin and see guys who say they are in packaging. :-D :-D :-D :-D
I always giggle.
Long cars should be called tight cars. I need a BIG shoehorn.
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I managed to get the programme installed.
Photos of the gas tank mountings.
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Two more.
I forgot to radius the corners on the one plate. :roll:
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Longer shots of the tank.
It has 8 mounts.
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One last one.
I can't find the cork gasket for the filler mount.
Is cork OK for Ethanol?.
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"I forgot to radius the corners on the one plate. :roll: "
Don't worry Mike. You're not alone. I find that sort of thing happens more and more often as I age. :|
Pete
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PJ just was having a conversation with Sumner yesterday---about how I didn't have any idea what aging was going to be like other than maybe getting just weaker and stiffer :cry: jeeze I think I am get more education in the last part of my life than I did in the front end!! LOL
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Mike,
Awesome build with tremendous details . . . . .
Ya know, one of the problems is that the average "spectator type" hasn't a darn clue as to how much time and effort goes into a custom build like yours. "They" think that guys "go out and buy" the kind of parts which are agonizingly and lovingly hand fabricated by people with "real talent".
Only another fabricator/constructor can appreciate how much time, effort and care goes into a build such as yours, or Neil's, or Wayno's, or Sumner's, or 38 Flattie's, or Target 550, or Speed Demon, or the SOS, etc, or put in whatever build one finds amazing and interesting.
I find it helpful to occasionally step back for a moment, and savor what has been accomplished so far . . . . . . .
Your psyche will thank you later for the break.
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Fordboy
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PJ just was having a conversation with Sumner yesterday---about how I didn't have any idea what aging was going to be like other than maybe getting just weaker and stiffer :cry: jeeze I think I am get more education in the last part of my life than I did in the front end!! LOL
Well, that's the rub, isn't it?
Keep learning or die . . . . . . . .
Yeah, I'm older, stiffer, more sore, and crankier. But it beats suckin' dirt . . . . . . .
:cheers:
Fordboy
P.S. The 'boy' suffix is just my personal delusion that I am still "young" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :roll: :roll: :roll:
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Sparky said: "maybe getting just weaker and stiffer ".
Stiffer? Gee, whiz, Sparky - how do you do that? I'm now on the "frequent buyer" list at the local Sildenafil outlet. :roll:
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Mike, when I mount tanks I use rubber mounting, preferably. If solidly mounted, I use slotted holes on the tabs and nylock nuts with fender washers on the studs. The nuts are tightened down just enough so the fender washer does not rattle, but it can be rotated with my fingers. What I am doing is allowing the tank to grow and shrink due to temperature changes without stressing the mounting tabs. It might be a good idea to discuss this with the expert who is helping you.
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Guys, I know my statement that my build is mostly down to all the help, motivation advice and encouragement I get from you all is getting "old" by now but I mean it in all honesty.
The mags I read when I was 12 described 4130, how to build a Altered and all the other great projects.
We had no TV, my dad died on July 17, 1968 ad the space programme was in full swing. All I had was the oval near my house, my magazines and dreams.
I beat the bullies and all the other crap a short ass like me would encounter. I toughened up and playing hockey saved my life. I thought that hockey would be my career and yes I was scouted even being in South Africa. Things never panned out and I still ask why. Long story but the answers kinda show up daily.
This morning I had a S$!t, shave and shampoo. Nerves jangling like the first time I got on the ice in the bigs.
Ian collected me in his Bowtie powered Lumina SS Pickup. It's the latest truck with a Corvette mill.
We were off to Bosch for me to present my proposal for sponsorship to the board of directors.
Bear in mind that my PC packed up yesterday and all I had was the Memory stick.
The last time I did a sales pitch to 8 people was in 86 and they bought a few cars for their fleet.
We were well received and headed for the board room. The table is "U" shaped and I had to stand up front and deliver my sales pitch.
Ian handled the keyboard and I did my best. Honest and straight forward. Nothing but the truth.
I never omitted one detail.
Some AHOLE (excuse the language) at Guido's classic car club said Bosch wouldn't give me the time of day. He claimed he knew the board and I was delusional for even entertaining the idea of asking for support.
See attached photo. A box of 2200cc High Impedance injectors with the racing "Red" fuel pumps to come along with the correct alternator, toothed belts, Lamda sensors, EGT sensors, spark plugs and every other related product to follow. I have 100% backing from Bosch with ECU etc. Backup from the tech guys and in general anything I need out of the catalog.
The nay sayers got their due. I've had some really great days in my life but today was the best.
I'm still in shock but that box full of product is proof I'm not dreaming.
Gary Player said "The harder I work, the luckier I get". He's the MAN.
I'm humbled by the generosity even though this is an uphill battle. I won't back down, not now or ever.
Thank you all for standing by me and never once putting me down. The flag Buddy Walker sent will be under my ass on the seat when I do the run and I'll plant it right where it belongs when the record is destroyed.
I pledge my allegiance. :cheers:
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Congratulations, Mike, Your abilities keep shining through all of the adversities that are thrown at you. You make me proud to call you friend. You'll get 'er done.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike;
Naysayers are all around us-- those people who never accomplish anything because they never try. Their excuse is "There's no use to try- it wouldn't work anyway." A man who tried & failed is due more respect than a man who was too afraid to try. Sometimes you just have to defy "conventional wisdom."
Back in the late 1870s, a patrol of US cavalry encountered a lone prospector in Cochise County Arizona- an area ravaged by Apaches. The captain asked what he was doing out there all by himself. Ed Schifflin replied "I'm looking for silver." The captain said "The only thing you'll ever find out here is your own tombstone!"
When he made a discovery and opened one of the richest silver mines ever found, Schifflin, with tongue in cheek, named his mine "The Tombstone". And that, Boys & Girls is how the town of Tombstone, Arizona got its name. Tombstone is more famous for the gunfight at the OK Coral.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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That's cool. :cheers: :cheers:
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Didn't I tell you you got the gift. I couldn't beg a dime if I paid a dollar for it. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Great Mike! Good to know they treated you with respect. :cheers:
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Thanks all. Frank you said it. Doug, your emails keep me going. You're a naughty guy. :-)
It was a big day and a milestone on this build.
I'm still on a high.
This deal is more about the journey than the destination.
You have to win this thing an inch at a time.
You've all helped me and so many times I've wanted to throw in the towel
but I stuck with it but it's all about destiny.
Time is the only real enemy and we'll get there.
I woke up this morning thinking I'd had a dream but the box is still here full of the right stuff.
I'm truly Blessed.
Today we're going to celebrate. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
My "sons" Ian and Peter, kids I met way back had a part in yesterday's success.
Back to building the battery box. :-D :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike---Wobbly is spot on--
-these long wheelbase cars even with all the diagonals and bracing are not birdcage Masaratis they flex a lot--my tanks are captured more than they are mounted ---they more or less float---being mounted behind the rear axel will help
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Congratulations, on the goodies and on being a kid with a dream--that's what they rewarded
"the kid with the dream" they want to tag along and get to live vicariously through you :cheers:
To you and your journey, :cheers: cherish it ---LOTS of us over here want to tag along too!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of the sayings that I grew up with is "The LORD helps them that help themselves", it is about, believing being a 2 way street!!
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Congratulations Mike!! That is an awesome sponsorship you just received.
Now get back out there and finish that long car! :-D
:cheers:
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How good is that Mike .... If you don't try you will never know ....
Congratulations
Pete :cheers:
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Thanks all.
Hey, I thought I'd have a few Tequilas too many last night!!!!.
2 was all I had.
All I could think about was getting back home so I
could get a good night's rest and get to work in the AM.
Yesterday I started building the battery box.
Exide is the sponsor and they gave me one of those dummy
show items. Way easier to handle than the real article and I've had
a few giggles with it.
I threw it at Clive one day shouting "Catch". The guy ran like hell. :-D
I had the leftover stainless plate from the baffles I never used on the gas tank.
I figured 3mm thick is good enough so I got to work.
So far it looks fine and the material is a pleasure to weld.
Some of the stages on construction. I welded inside and out using short beads etc.
-
More pics. I really enjoyed this process.
It must have a lot to do with being relaxed from Thursday's
meeting. :wink:
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A few more pics.
Sorry I messed up on the sequence but you get the picture.
-
Two more.
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The hold down is almost done and the chassis mountings are done.
I'll finish up today if all goes to plan.
-
I have bunches of pics of progress but thieves stole the phone lines in our area.
No land line or PC right now.
I'm at Ian's place checking emails etc.
Should be back in a day or two. :cheers:
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They STOLE THE PHONE LINES ????? Good grief....I get p*ssed at people that walk their dogs on my private street..............
-
but thieves stole the phone lines in our area.
Thank you emerging nations, for driving up the price of copper . . . . . .
Phone wires is one I haven't heard of before.
Here in the U.S., vacant, foreclosed homes and businesses, factories, schools and other buildings are being broken into and stripped of their wiring and plumbing for the copper. Scrappers typically accept these items without verifying where they come from, or ownership . . . . . It is a HUGE problem in cities like Detroit and New Orleans.
:? :|
Fordboy
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I remember when I first moved to Milwaukee a number of years ago. I was working for Menards, and a customer came into the building materials department and bought sufficient vinyl siding to recover his house.
Seems his aluminum siding had walked away while he was on vacation.
Copper has been of particular note over the last five years with the number of boarded up foreclosures we've seen. Usually the water department is the first municipal entity to get the red flag after 6 months of astonishingly high unpaid water bills, or if they're lucky, a clogged basement drain that backs up the water to the point that it starts coming out of the basement windows, and a neighbor calls.
But to have stripped out utility poles - that shows a degree of work ethic I usually don't associate with thieves.
-
Here in Montana the BNSF Railroad is entirely wireless communications now and the thieves are rolling up all of the copper wire along the tracks and burning off the outer coating and selling the wire. Now all of the salvage places have been alerted to what is going on.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Not to hi-jack Mike`s thread, but I have a friend ( yes Chris, Honest...One friend) who owns a scrap yard...he had a f`n loser show up with a trunk full of bronze cemetery markers...he barely made it off the property with his life.
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You can't sell copper around here without proof of ID. Thieves were cutting the ends of wiring on irrigation pivots, hooking it to the back of a truck & driving away with it.
Sid.
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I don't want to get into details, but i was told 3 days to 3 months before my service provider will restore the connections.
TIA aka This is Africa...
I'll be back soon.
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At least you have somewhere to race!
Sid.
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Hey Sid, I just saw that SW had been cancelled. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
I feel for all you guys that spent a year getting ready only to have this happen.
This sucks big time and I'm sorry for you all.
The Subaru on this side is also ongoing.
I don't want to even get into it.
Working on the car as long as materials are available.
Waiting for another miracle bucks wise.
Guido's "FANTASTIC" son never paid me for the gates I built but something always turns up.
-
I know more and more tradesmen that require parts or 50% which is greater just to start--and a lot of we racers are getting ripped off.
-
Never work for friends or family.
This won't happen again.
BTW, I did get 50% up front and built the wife a gate she wanted with the off cuts. :-D :-D :-D :-D
You think you know your friends???????.
For some reason the vets here have a way better code IMO.
-
Mike
Been there done that. I could have two race cars if I had what "FRIENDS" screwed me out of. :-( :-(
Ron
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I hear you Ron.
BUT, Karma's a bitch. :-D
They pay, you might not hear about it but they pay.
Big day today. I'm going to collect some of the parts Spies Hecker painted.
The sub frame for the driver's cell (tub) and the four nitrogen bottles.
I've already built a stand for the tub to sit on so I'll be able to work on mounting
the parts. Make a new seat, run some wiring etc. Got lots to do but it's all exciting.
I'll post pics later.
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I've got to the point where everything I do is COD. If I don't see the "C" there is no "D". I often get customers to pay for the materials up front if the materials are a significant part of the job and I also make sure I get paid to pick up materials. I've done too much planning and picking up for customers in the past with no compensation.
Pete
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PJ thanks I will pass that on-- two friends I know need to implement that. :cheers:
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Guys, Guido treated me like a little brother for a long time so I trusted the son.
Never been ripped off by any client that showed up, just by friends and family.
My thing has always been COD. 8-)
I collected my sub frame today. It turned out great. Just the color I wanted.
Ready to chase threads and bolt the Carbon tub to it and then the real fun starts.
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One of the 4 Nitrogen tanks also painted but my mobile phone doesn't do the
colors justice.
Way better in person.
Back to work before the airtime runs out. Still no line here.
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It's looking great, Mike!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks Neil.
You're a tough act to follow. :-D :evil:
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All back to normal now. 8-)
ADSL connected, phone line and I can send email etc.
What a month????.
Watch this space. :-D
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I know the feeling,my computer crashed last week and all my files etc. were backed up by carbonite and I am still having a problem locating them. Have a call in for tech support. :cheers:
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I'm working off a mini laptop with none of the original data from the big PC.
Got to wait another 4 weeks for "computer Greg" to get back. :evil:
I'll post pics of the progress later today.
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yeah !!!!!!!!!!!!
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Pics of the painted frame ready for the Carbon tub installation.
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As you all know this is a one man show so I had to muscle the tub into place without scratching the paint.
I keep getting lucky. :-D
I made some spacer plates from Alclad offcuts to take up the slack if needed.
The tub went in OK and the spacers are a sliding fit between tub and frame.
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The tub mounts with 10 attachment points.
Four on the sides and six through the floor.
Bushings extend through the tub floor and locate in the frame front and rear.
The outer units are flush with the floor.
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Some other angles of the tub mounted.
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Last two.
Now we need to run some wiring. :evil:
Four glands, two on each side should be enough???.
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Looking good Mikey! Keep it up! :cheers:
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Thanks Joe. :-)
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Reached another "millstone". :-D :-D :-D :-D
Pics later.
None of you rats ever said building a liner was insanity!!!!!! :evil:
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Think back Mate. :evil:
Sid.
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:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Yup, I had to blame someone!. :evil:
Some pics of the mounting of the nitrogen tank for pneumatic jacks.
It's a work in progress. Finding space for four tanks isn't easy but having one on each side
forward of the jacks is a go.
The other two will mount on the left side opposite the battery.
Made a metal ring to locate the canister and set it up on a plate to be welded later.
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I found a mount for an extinguisher off an old F2 car here so I split it in two.
I clamped it to the cylinder and started to fabricate a mounting.
-
I'll use the other half of the mount for the left side.
Some HD square tubing with a drilled plate welded to the chassis turned out OK.
-
I drilled and bolted the parts. It went together nicely so I started with the inner mounting plate.
-
Got a way to go yet but here's a long shot of the setup. :cheers:
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Mike, Get an opinion other than mine, but I think you may need one. The rules say that with fire bottles hose clamps are not acceptable. We used 3/8 muffler clamps. They may say that high pressure Nitrogen tanks are in the same catagory. Sure wish they would string some new telegraph cables out your way.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, I thought exactly the same thing when I saw the clamps. I'm fairly certain I wouldn't enjoy those bottles flailing about in an "occurance". :roll: Wayno
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The first post said "work in progress" which is what it is. :wink:
I'm setting up stuff and welding bits together.
The clamps you see are a temporary thing.
It made it easier with all the taking off and refitting.
I've been with you guys long enough to know that "overkill" is my friend
but thank you both for your comments and I appreciate where they come from.
It's both tough and cool working with you guys kinda looking over my shoulder all the time.
Doug, the email is working but there is some conflict with the send part. I get your mail
and when Greg gets back in 2 weeks we'll be back 100%.
The car is coming along and patience has won over.
Off to Bosch today for another meeting. EGT Lambda, pumps, alternator, starter and other stuff on the menu.
My liaison was in Germany last week for a managers meeting and showed the guys pics of my liner.
He said the guys from North America were particularly impressed and surprised. They couldn't believe what we're doing in South Africa. The feedback from HQ was that they should give me anything I need, no limit.
Having Bosch behind me is a big boost. Funny thing is that some idiot I met at Guido's classic car club said they wouldn't even talk to me let alone back me. :-D
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Another new sponsor on board. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
This whole project is getting scary now.
I need to get back into the sales game. :-D
More news and pics of the product coming Friday.
Thank the Lord.
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Mike, Bosch has a really advanced engine management system for Direct Injection that they use in F-1 but when we talked to them a couple of years ago they said at the time it was basically only for the High Dollar teams and there was no availability to small teams like us. They said to keep in touch with their California subsidiary [I've forgotten the name] and they would let us know how it was progressing. When I went to the site it said that the site was under construction and it stayed that way for over a year. Maybe you are getting through their safety shield. Keep pushing them.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Oh Ya, and the ECM for that systen started at $10K and went up with options.
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I was told that the special "racing" components weren't available outside of the Fatherland but I've got a feeling I might get lucky.
It's early days and I'm being a good boy showing lots of gratitude. Without BOSCH..........tough deal.
I thought when you start building a liner there's less and less to do the further you go. :evil:
I swear this thing is growing. I got to the point where I don't even lie awake worrying at night.
I sleep like a puppy and tackle each task as it comes.
You all said PATIENCE!!!!!.
I learned. :-D
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I have found that enthusiastic -- persistent-- patience most generally leads to success!
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Actually, Mike, we all said `Patients`.....cause we all are....... :-D :-D
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You're right Paul.
Bunch of mental retards, what were we thinking?. :-D
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I managed to get both the front canisters mounted (temporarily) and after doing the second set I'll fabricate the proper hold downs.
One less task. :cheers:
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I promised news of my new sponsor today.
Martyn Jones, owner of Hydramatics in Lindbro Park which is only about 500 yards in a straight line
from where I live is the agent for Camozzi Products.
He's supplying all the fittings, lines and other components from the Nitrogen tanks to the pneumatic
rams for lifting the liner.
As you know I have many sponsors, all great but some are just awesome. Martyn fits into the awesome category. Great guy with knowledge and so willing to help. I'm Blessed.
Today is one of those great days and I thank him from the bottom of my heart. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Mike Banks from Kraus & Naimer is my sponsor on switches and he's responsible for introducing me to Martyn and also the team at Bosch so my gratitude goes out to Mike as well. He's special.
Pics of the components for you guys.
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When I got home I took a few more pics.
The quality of the components is 1st Class. :cheers:
We'll dummy up one system before doing the final setup on the rest.
Martyn also keeps boost control valves and from the look of them they are awesome.
This old long car is getting all best bits and I'm a proud builder today. :cheers:
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Nice score Mike, and nice equipment too. :cheers:
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:cheers:
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Thanks John and Sparky, it was all good while we at the factory.
Now I've forgotten how to put the stuff together. :-D
Running low on Argon right now so I'll have find something else to do. :evil:
I was just enjoying frying up some cylinder mounts and will have to leave the job half done
until next week/month/year.
We need another miracle. :wink: 8-)
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Things never stay the same on this roller coaster.
Every day brings new surprises. You wake up in the morning and that piggy bank
is lying belly up, tapped out. He doesn't have a spare rib even.
What do you do?. You go out and sell the passion. Self belief must be a powerful state to be in.
I'm upset at the BSF issue because 100s of guys like me are in a state of flux right now and the
thing is on my mind constantly. I hate the uncertainty you're living through, I signed the petition
and pray you guys win out. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I haven't stopped grafting for a second. The long car is #1 priority. It must be finished at all costs
so I have one car up for sale. There's a chance I might get to build tanks for bio fuel plants but there's nothing concrete yet.
Mounting the nitrogen cylinders is still the current project so I've been busy making tools and producing mountings. Heavy duty stuff as required by the "overkill" gang. YOU GUYS. :-D
I fabbed this former to shape both mild steel and stainless to give me half round sections for cylinder mountings. The pics are self explanatory.
After plasma cutting the rectangular tubing to the desired dimensions I use the former to both force the flat plate into the half round and tack weld the important areas.
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The hold downs are 3mm stainless steel at 2" wide.
I clamped the flat plate at 12 o'clock and used the torch to
gently form it on the former and the clamped it on the ends.
Tack welds on the edges allowed me to reheat the tabs and bend them
to where they lay flat against the opposing half.
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The drilled and polished hold down bolted in position.
There's a gap around the cylinder when it sits in place
but I cut up some Harley tire tubes that when stretched over
the cylinder keeps it in place without ruining the paint.
It is a tight fit. :cheers:
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Bushings were welded inside the rectangular tubing before fitting the half rounds
so fitting and removal should be a breeze.
The bottom fitting pre welding and drilling.
I've got two more hold downs to manufacture and then I'll be able to weld the
mounts to the chassis.
The argon gauge says empty but there's still gas after 3 days????????.
Divine intervention I guess.
It looks like I've found a gas supplier for pure Argon, Nitrogen, Co2 and Oxy Acetylene
but I'll only know later today if they're coming on board.
On the gauge front it looks like I might have to find another use for the pile of Autometer
units I have. Another well known supplier wants in. :-D
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Nice work as usual Mikey!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
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Thanks Pete. :cheers: :cheers:
I just love this car even though the complexity is ramping up.
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:cheers:
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Hi Mike. I read your build every day but do not know enough about cars to say much. You sure are making good progress. This is the hard part. The challenge is to keep interested while working on the little details.
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Thanks Frank, I'm also upset over the BSF debacle and I see the disappointment right here on the forum.
Every year I look forward to August and it's been that way ever since I was a kid. Kite season was the reason. Windy and I flew kites out of sight. You couldn't see them, just the string and a hard pull on the 100s of yards of string normally used for sewing boots and shoes rolled over a gallon paint can.
At this stage it's Speed Week. I get my inspiration from all you guys going out there and doing what you live for. Thing is that I'm positive that a nation that put men on the moon will prevail. Don't sell yourselves short.
Things will work out. :cheers:
Bo, I could say I should have built a bike and I did start but when the missus saw the frame on the jig
she said she was starting to pack her stuff. :-D
I don't know why and how this project came about but if you saw the movie "Evan Almighty" I feel like that guy.
I fight every day non stop. The Subaru builds up but in the 18 months I've been at it I've developed a skin like an Elephant. Guys have asked why I haven't been to the track to check it out. I won't go there without the liner. Just my way of doing stuff.
The sponsors keep coming and the progress is steady. You'll understand what I mean when you see my suit with all the patches. The NASCAR guys think they're well covered?. Try 52 sponsors. That's a record in any form of racing.
Sure, I'm overwhelmed by all the tech stuff related to ECU, EFI and the like but I keep my head down and just keep going. Without landracing.com members there wouldn't be a car, period. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
To name names would be unfair because someone always gets left out. You guys keep me working, interested and honest.
This is my life and it's all I need.
The gas supplier is sending the marketing team here tomorrow for a look see and on Monday the gauge supplier is coming around. The gauge department is just one of many from a huge company in the auto industry and the contact said they wanted to see if they could do more for me with other products.
Exciting times and no complaints. Life is great even though the financial situation is lousy.
We'll get there. :wink:
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Got some bucks today so I took the opportunity to buy the materials for the front stub axles.
The drawing is already done in DFX for the 30mm plate to be water jet cut.
I'll deliver the plate Moday.
The round bar is the special stuff for the stub axles and will be going to Geraldo for machining
Tuesday.
Things are looking up. :cheers:
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Great day today. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I'm gonna say this is now a "works" team. :-D
New sponsor on gas. Pure Argon, Co2, Nitrogen and Oxy Acetylene arriving Monday.
Proper stock, multiple cylinders. We're covered.
Gas is expensive and this sponsor has the best quality out there.
My guy from Bosch was here to drop off my chute units.
I'm running compressed Nitrogen to deploy the chutes and the hand operated valves
are actually for air horns on trucks. When the system is pressured one tug on the lever
is enough to provide the go juice. Small, compact and top quality.
It looks like HQ in Germany will supply the race quality ECU and related products.
All I need are part numbers. Thanks Xola!!!!!!!. You're a special guy. :cheers:
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For me "push" is faster in a panick.
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http://www.sandmeyersteel.com/2205.html
Alloy 2205 (UNS S32305/S31803) is a 22% chromium, 3% molybdenum, 5-6% nickel, nitrogen alloyed duplex stainless steel plate with high general, localized, and stress corrosion resistance properties in addition to high strength and excellent impact toughness.
Alloy 2205 duplex stainless steel plate provides pitting and crevice corrosion resistance superior to 316L or 317L austenitic stainless steels in almost all corrosive media. It also has high corrosion and erosion fatigue properties as well as lower thermal expansion and higher thermal conductivity than austenitic.
This is what I just found. Not sure why Latham Engineering made the tank from the other material and the lid from the above
but now that we've drilled and cut all the appropriate openings I'm good with it. :-D :-D :-D
It is a pretty heavy plate.
Thanks Bo.
[Hi Mike! Just got onboard and trying to catch up with your posts- Such a rad project!
Quite correct, 2205 is consider a duplex grade stainless steel. Duplex meaning a mixture of 50% austenite and 50% ferrite microstructure which gives it the properties you mentioned above. A great stainless steel for this application (Barring the higher cost of the base and filler material.) 2205 has a particularly high PREN number which indicates its ability to resist pitting corrosion - (2205 PREN #34 vs 316 PRE #24). Welding of this material is a little tricky as the austenite is burnt out during welding process and so if the micro structure is not corrected it will never maintain the corrosive resistance it had originally. For this reason 2%N2 is added to the existing shielding gas to correct the microstructure post welding (N2 is a strong austenite former).. So, a long story short :) If anyone is going to be welding a duplex grade stainless steel, please use the correct filler material aswell as the correct shielding gas- traditionally 2%N2; 2%C02; Balance Argon for MAG and 2%N2 Balance Argon for MIG .
Good Luck! /quote]
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Thanks for the advice RS. Not sure what can be done about it now. I used the pure Argon and back purged.
Not sure about the filler rod's spec but it was recommended.
I guess maybe if the fuel sat in the tank for extended periods there might be a problem but with the way we'll be using the Ethanol I'm hoping it won't.
Not more than an hour at a time.
John, I never panic. Only if I run out of money or ammo. :-D
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We have another new sponsor on board.
VDO instruments will be supplying all the gauges.
We won't have to worry about extending capillaries etc anymore.
This is a win, win situation all round.
Thanks to Gary Wilder and the great guys at Torre Automotive. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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:cheers:
This is funny--in a wonderful sota way--cross pollination--of ideas and inspiration!!
over and back up and down round and a round---it just flows :cheers:
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I'm just riding the wave and it's awesome.
I dream of being at a ball game watching the Red Sox murder the Yankees while eating a hot dog
but my current situation gives me the same thrill. (I think). :-D
Life is great and without the current salt problem I'd say I'm the happiest guy on the planet.
I've got "GAS" and I'm happy. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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You guys have all these migrant/refugee types wanting to come to the US for a better life.
What that means is Greek to me!!!!.
I want to come there to meet the greatest friends and motivators a guy could want.
The only problem I have is that anything American I buy costs 14 times more than you'd pay. :evil: without shipping.
Not one member ever had anything negative to say about my endeavors and all I've ever got was good advice based on solid experience.
What more does a guy want?.
I wish I owned a billion tons of salt. :wink:
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We have another new sponsor on board.
VDO instruments will be supplying all the gauges.
We won't have to worry about extending capillaries etc anymore.
This is a win, win situation all round.
Thanks to Gary Wilder and the great guys at Torre Automotive. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I remember VDO fondly... when I was stationed in Babenhausen in the early '60s, VDO built a big factory there. They employed lots of attractive young German girls. :cheers:
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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IMO opinion they are still the best looking. I love them. :-D :-D :-D
And the gauges too. :cheers:
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:-D
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No progress on the car currently.
I screwed up on the dimensions on the axle tubes.
We bought the special hollow bar that is supposed to be press fit over the
10 bolt rear end axle stubs after machining.
The engineer did an awesome job but the genius had given him the dimensions
off the original Ford 9" tubes. I guess we could bore the new tubes to make it
all work but the wall thickness would be a little on the thin side.
No excuses, my fault totally. :evil: :roll: :roll:
I was so mad I contemplated buying a bottle of Scotch to kill the few brain cells I have left
but got an early night/day instead. I flopped onto my bed at 16h00 Friday afternoon fully clothed to ponder my fate
and woke up Saturday at 4AM. Someone had thrown a blanket over me at some point so I was ready to
work when I got up. I wish she'd at least taken my boots off. :-D
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Mike---sorta goes with the territory--- I recently forgot/didn't carry a .100--- in my calculations ---- so I had to go a different way and the rods I bought will be for a future project.
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Don`t forget, Mike, that we have a saying in New Zealand. I`ll give you the `G`rated version. Sid will probably give you the `more colourful` version.....
` Someone who has never made a mistake has never made anything at all...`
You are making phenomenal progress. Really excited to see it each time I log in here....
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Thanks guys.
I try not to mess up but when I do it's on the larger scale.
If this was a Poteet & Main build it would have been a non event
but this is a colourful build. Sid and I have more in common than one would
think. Difference is that he has knowledge and lots of it.
He's been a big influence and helpful as it gets.
Sponsors are lining up and getting product is easy.
Elvex South Africa is supplying protective eye wear and gloves for me and the crew.
The crew is like non existent right now and what I should do is try locate my old platoon. :wink:
When this car is done and rolling the wannabees will pitch up after the real graft has been done.
Been there before and wiser for it. :-D :-D :-D
These little obstacles are nothing. It's head down and one task at a time. :cheers:
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that's our boy :cheers:
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Thanks Sparky.
I really appreciate the motivation.
Got a call today from my friend Bob Mcall (Macool in my book) up there in Washington.
He's a good friend of Kiwi Paul and he's going to join our forum. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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My PC is rebuilt and running as good if not better than before.
Greg flew in from Ireland and had about 3 hours to sort it out
before leaving for the Congo.
He gutted the case and fitted a new motherboard along with
three RAM modules. The old good Corsair units have a lifetime
warranty so the damaged one will be replaced in three weeks.
The dead graphics card took a shot of Q20 on the fan and it started
working again. Then we went to the supermarket and bought meat.
The guy loaded up on rump, T bones, chops and a bunch of other stuff.
He must have bought about 40 Lbs. I thought he was having a barbecue
for 40 friends. He was actually taking it on the plane because he says they can't
get meat in the Congo. Maybe that's why the locals eat bats and monkeys?. :-D
Got a meeting with a turbo supply store owner tomorrow. He sells all the flanges,
clamps and fancy throttle bodies that I need. Wish me luck. I'm told the guy is a tough nut
to crack. :cheers:
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Guys, I really need help on my spark plug issue. I'm building a twin Turbo, EFI Ford 351c that will run 98% Ethanol.
There's not any info out there for an obsolete motor like this.
The guys at Bosch want to supply plugs and I can't give them a starting point.
I have NGK R5673-7 and I know they're for a high compression NA motor, probably too hot
for my set up. Bosch say they can cross reference plugs so if anyone has advice it would sure help.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
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.460” Reach 5/8” V-Power Tapered, Loose Non-Resistor R5673-10
is the coldest on NGK's chart. IMO should work. V55C is the Champion number for this plug. For long WOT runs the coldest plug that will light it should work :cheers:
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Mike,
Also, check with Rick Gold from ERC Fuels. He is a wizz at plug useage. Somebody here has his contact info.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks John and Doug.
Gary Satara in OZ just replied and said he ran -9 with no problem.
I've left a message for Rick Gold too. :cheers:
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You know how I go on about this roller coaster build?.
When I was a kid my hero was a guy called Kevin Lofstedt.
He taught me how to slap shoot a puck, I helped him build a Harley,
he even let me ride his brand new Honda Elsinore. Kinda like a big brother.
We played on the same team together for years. Big strong defenseman.
I contacted a company called Odyssey Steel this morning for sponsorship
on special alloys for the liner. The guy replied almost immediately saying
Odyssey would definitely come on board. He's busy getting the material
sorted.
His name is Logan Lofstedt, Kevin's son.
How weird is this?.
Thanks Logan and Odyssey. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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That's great, Mike!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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KEEP on keep'n ON! :-D
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Got my head down, blinders on (the horse racing ones) and I won't stop.
There are issues but overcoming them is half the battle.
Did a bit of workshop prep on the press. Getting it ready to press on the
axle tubes for the rear end mod.
Tom Burkland's been getting me ready with long emails full of details and
great advice. I hope to have the job done in a week in spite of the flu.
My mate Ian is turning all my pencil drawings into Solid Works 3D examples.
Front spindles, hubs and other components now have a realistic look to them.
Busy week coming up.
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I got started on prepping the rear end for my "Sparky" conversion. :-D
Step 1. Clean all the gunk.
Step 2. Clean even more gunk.
I'm using a combination of stuff including all the Klingspor abrasive products I have.
It should be shiny and spotless when I get to pressing on the axle tubes for welding.
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The hardest part was removing the OEM rubber bushings.
What a mess. I figured that heating the outer housings with the torch
would make it easier to press out the bushings. After five seconds the rubber
was on fire so I let it burn (for a while). The job took about 2 hours and the hardest
part was positioning the case on the press. A three handed job I think but eventually
PARTS POPPED!!!!.
Ian did some nice DXF drawings for the engineers at Honingcraft. Their normal work is
boring 35m housings for giant cylinders so machining a couple of 6" axle tubes should be a joke.
I went with EN19 from Logan at Odyssey Steel. His father Kevin and I played hockey together in the
70s and since he's in the same building we did a lot of catching up.
Great to see my old buddy but not all the news was good. My old team mates are almost all gone.
4 dead, 5 living overseas, one a hippie living in a hut on the beach and three of us still kinda normal.
I'm the crazy one. No hope for me. :-D :-D :-D
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Just waiting for the new axle tubes to be machined
so in the meantime I prepped the mounting plates.
Need some 16mm nuts to set the width.
Took pics with the tubes that were the wrong dimensions
just for effect. 8-)
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Looking good Mike...Then those plates mount the axle assembly rigidly to the frame rails??
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Jerry, I've got rod ends and other bits to add to the system.
I need to get the M16 left hand tap from my supplier when I go that way next week.
I have 10 ends that are lefties so we'll also have to machine locking nuts but luckily
I still have lots of hex bar.
I've figured out most of the lay out but we'll see how it goes when the time comes for
assembly.
I just hope I don't end up o the Friday Morning Joke section. :cry:
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Gary Walker from VDO was here on his bike about 30 minutes ago
to deliver my gauges.
I got a full set plus 2 manual boost gauges with tubing.
Oil Temp, pressure, water temp plus voltmeter.
They all came with adapter rings for the larger holes I'd cut
for the bigger gauges, connectors and sensors.
My thanks to him and all the staff at Torre Automotive. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, it looks like VDO is instrumental in your progress on the car. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Indeed. Thanks Neil. :-D
Never got much done today, in fact I never did any work.
Boring!!!!.
Waiting for parts. All three sponsors are in one industrial area
and I want to make one trip. Saves on fuel and brain cells.
I'm thinking about a coating for the rear end and high temp paint
came to mind but Willie suggested powder coating. I don't know how hot
a diff gets at the speeds we want to do.
What should I do?.
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Sometimes it is to our advantage to use a thin coat of light colored paint like grey or none at all. It is easier to see if cracks in the casting are developing before they become serious. It is hard to see small cracks under dark or thick paint.
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Mike, it looks like VDO is instrumental in your progress on the car. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
That Neil is so 'engaging'.............. :cheers:
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At least he's not putting me under pressure. :-D
Got an email to say my axle tubes are ready yesterday at 15h00.
Friday traffic is like Darlington on a bad night so we elected to go
collect parts Monday. Eaton/Aeroquip, Honingcraft and Aquajet Profiles
are all in the same general area, one round trip. :cheers:
Today I'm going shopping for head gaskets and locating dowels.
Things need to be perfectly positioned when we start welding the sheet metal intake parts.
Until now I've just had the heads held on with two stock bolts.
Bosch needed a part no for the alternator so I chose one that fits a Mercedes SLK 55 AMG.
I know the car quite well and it's plum full of all the electronics you could think of so I figured
it should work on the long car.
Willie won coach of the year for the Supersport Wheel Chair Basketball series and his team won the final too
so he came around with a bottle of Scotch and we killed some brain cells. Not too many mind you. :wink:
Motor wise we need to position the oil pump, finish the exhaust, inlet manifold and it can go to Kyle for machining.
Busy times ahead. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mikey, a little medicinal Scotch, Irish or (insert your favorite spirit here) is required every now and then to kill off the old and slow brain cells... the healthy fast ones will survive, although it may not seem like it in the morning :-D
:cheers:
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I've found that "more" in the morning is better!.
Just kidding, I never have a hangover but maybe
it's because the guys I hang with don't bench race,
swing wrenches etc.
I need to find real dudes to drink with. I know there are some way to the west across the Atlantic. :cheers:
Just found out that my big Ford 9" axle bearings aren't. I have the Mustang ones. 2.835" or thereabouts.
Not the right parts for my needs I'm told. Luckily I never got the axle tubes on Friday. I might have welded up
all the wrong stuff.
My option is to get 2 big bearings from my sponsor and machine new outer housings. Their catalogue
is as thick as a the Bible and the parts are in there but what type bearing do I ask for?.
Deep Groove, Angular contact, Spindle, Cylindrical, Tapered, Barrel Roller, Spherical Roller or self aligning?
And what OD, sealed or non sealed, oil bath or grease?.
Only you guys have the answers.
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Mike,
Almost all bearings, except some American "agricultural" bearings are measured in MMs so that is where you need to start. I would think that you would use deep grove ball bearings as they have both good radial load ability and good axial load ability and also good rpm ratings. Needle bearings, roller bearings, spherical roller bearings, and tapered roller bearings all have better, usually, radial load capability but you will need to add some sort of bearing to carry axial load. Thinking about a 28 inch dia tire at 400 mph says that the rpm will be around 4800 rpm. So you need a bearing that is rated for at least 5000 rpm with what ever load you think you will have, car weight + down force/4 tires = load. Are you planning to have full floating axles or are you going to press or retain the bearing on the axle as the standard 9 inch Ford does? Using this method only requires a single bearing per axle and also allows you to use a smaller ID bearing which will have a higher rpm rating. Seals cause drag and a sealed bearing means you cannot pack it with high speed grease so I would avoid sealed bearings but you will need to incorporate a seal into your axle design. I will do a little research for you in the next couple of days if you want to find an appropriate bearing. If you think that you need higher axial load than a standard deep grove bearing will provide then I would look at angular contact bearings, you will need two on each axle but they can provide both good radial and axial load carrying ability and very low drag.
Rex
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Thanks a bunch Rex.
I still have your email address.
Can I mail you please?. :cheers:
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No problem Mike, send me your requirements, estimated load, required dimensions and anything you think will help and I'll take a look.
Rex
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Thanks. Will do. :cheers:
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I collected my axle tubes today. Perfectly machined and I'll be pressing them
onto the center portion stubs tomorrow.
The rear end is in my personal deep freeze until I need it in the morning. :-D
Pics in the AM.
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Anyone for a cold one?????. :-D
Rear end in the deep freeze overnight.
Prepping tubes in 15 minutes.
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This is why building a liner outside of the US and on your own is a dumb idea!.
I'm in a bind and from day one the rear end has been a problem.
I cut the GM 7.5 10 bolt axle tubes to what I thought was a good length
for the mod of using the 9" axles, bearings and hubs. As you know liners
are pretty narrow so the diff is too. My tubes are around 115mm long (about 6").
I've had the rear end housing in the deep freezer for 16 hours and it's time to press the new tubes over
the stubs. I had a good look at the initial fit before applying pressure and it looks like the GM tubes are slightly out of
round. Do I just go for it and hope for the best?. The last thing I need is to move the new axle tubes 1/2" and get into problems
with it galling.
What's the solution?. Heat the outer tubes with the torch and hope for divine intervention.
I don't know what to do to be honest. I don't think these short sections with such a thick wall will get out of shape
but good advice before I get physical is the right way to go.
You guys must have encountered this very situation before. Any and all advice is welcome.
Thanks. :cheers:
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Toss the outers in the oven at 425 for an hour or so and drop `em on...If you still need to press them ,just be sure not to stop until they bottom out. You MIGHT want to run a cylinder hone in them briefly first. :cheers:
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what do the pieces measure? How much interference fit?
I would think if it is a couple of thou Jerry's idea should work fine...
OMHBO (Others may have better opinions) :cheers:
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Mike, I strongly recommend that you measure and hone so the fit is not so tight that you cannot move it with available force if it gets stuck during assembly and the parts cool. Like Stainless says, a couple of thou and no more.
-
Mike, that article I just posted a link to in the Bloodhound photos section has some good info about the Haskeen Pan and suspension set up.
-
Thanks all.
I never had a successful day.
I had the diff in the freezer overnight and heated the axle tube to around 450 in the gas oven.
When it came time to press the parts the diff cocked to one side so I need to make a jig to hold it
upright.
I'll fry one up in the morning and my mate Ian is going to clean a few thou on the ID of the axle tube
on his lathe and we'll try again. The original machining was a bit of a rough cut and I think polishing
the ridges will do it.
I'm having this weird problem with my tig torch too. I've been using a 1,6 electrode for most of the work
but I changed to the 2,6 (I think that's the size?.) for welding the thick material.
All I'm getting is arcing between the cup and electrode. I reshaped the tip countless times and checked the cup for cracks
but it all looks good. Could be a bad batch of electrodes?. I'm stumped because I've never experienced this phenomena before.
Any ideas?.
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Mate- can you post a photo of your torch/tungsten/cup please?
Denis
-
I'll do so in the AM Denis.
Thanks mate. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, if the design allows, I put a gentle taper on the male part so it goes in and lines up better before the interference fit push starts, or, turn the first inch on the lathe as a slight clearance fit so everything is lined up before the push.
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Bo, My phone to computer connection is on the blink
so I can't post photos.
To put the rear end on the lathe will be dangerous IMO.
I'm sure it's doable but not with the guys I use.
We'll figure something but thanks for wanting to help.
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Mike...Show this to Ian....
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Jerry, I took the tube to Ian and he cleaned up the ID.
Such a good dude, he even bought the right cutting tool
for the EN19. He normally works with non steel stuff.
I got the whole deal on the press and it took 6 tons to get it
to the stop. I'm such a dork, I was moaning because the tube never went further.
Why?, because there's a step to stop that very thing from happening. :oops: :oops: :oops:
Gettin old and cranky but I'm as happy as can be.
Got a small problem with the cell phone downloading pics but I'll sort it later.
Thanks for the PMs even though they were a little late. :cheers:
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Mate- can you post a photo of your torch/tungsten/cup please?
Denis
Here's the torch Denis.
-
Pics of the axle tubes.
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The RHS tube on Ian's lathe.
He cleaned it up beautifully.
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I was given the press by a guy who just wanted it off his property.
It was missing a key component. The pneumatic jack.
I've been using the structure with a bottle jack. The quote I got
from Enerpac for a new pump and hose was 15 grand.
It works fine as it is I guess.
-
I used marking blue and scribed a mark around the circumference
of the original axle tube so I knew where to stop the jacking.
Warming the tube in the gas oven worked a treat.
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Mike, I built my press with a 20T ram and an Alemite automotive grease pump. [50-1] The system uses a 4" PVC reservoir. Puts out 3500 pounds to the ram before I get afraid, very afraid. It's never failed me yet.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mikey- PM sent, Denis
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My H-press has a 30 ton bottle jack. I have yet to see ANYTHING that wouldn`t press on :cheers:
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Hilary Clinton comes to mind Jerry. :-D
I've started welding already and thanks to Peter Jack, Aussievetteracer (Denis), Tom Burkland, Doug and Bo I'm looking OK.
Still the best forum on the planet. Real people and always willing to help.
You guys are all awesome and thank you. :cheers:
I was told to preheat the area to 150*C before welding.
I used the recommended rod and have done 2 passes.
The phone doesn't always shoot the best pics but it is what it is. :x
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I forgot to tell you guys that I got my Bosch coils today. :cheers:
All I have to do is figure out a crank trigger system.
They sell them here undrilled but really affordable.
The one I looked at looks like a fit for my motor.
Something will pan out, it always does. :-D
-
Today we start making real progress.
Watch this space. :-D :cheers:
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8-) :-o :roll: :-)
nearly all the guys with open eyes
-
Sparky.!!! :-D
What a good friend. :cheers:
Lots going on, not enough hours in a day but I'm trying.
The Wheel has turned and the miracles are mounting up.
The axle tubes are welded and although I wanted to first do the bearing cups
I had to leave that for later. The parts I have are the small Ford type so we'll be machining
new stuff for the big bearings.
All good here, no complaints. I'm Blessed and I'm happy.
Thanks must go out to all my mates here on the forum for sticking with me
and motivating me in spite of all the problems you're having in your "racing" lives.
Thanks too for all the emails. I look forward to them like you won't believe. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mate! The Jap's sneaked by The Bok's!!
Sid.
-
Sneaked?. They murdered us.
Guys were throwing their jerseys on their barbecues.
This place is in mourning.
Imagine if it had been Australia?.
People would have been jumping off buildings. :-D :-D :-D :-D
The game's a religion here.
The little guys played as a team and the ref was lucky he never got tackled as well.
They deserved the win.
Gotta give credit where it's due.
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Oh no way Mate, not jerseys on the barbie! :cry: :cry: Yeah the little Cherry buggers had heart alright!
I hope Namibia isn't that good.
Sid.
-
what??? The coach didn`t tell his players to attack the ref. ????
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Jerry, they tackled everything else. :-D :-D :-D
Sid, No worries about Nam. :wink:
I love the AB and especially Sonny Bill. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Building a liner is HARD!!!!!.
Anyone looking to have a break in a warmer country???? :-D
She's bullying me again. I swear this girl wears leather and owns a riding crop. :roll: :lol:
-
what has this "DOM" not told you what to do yet? :-D
-
Building a liner is HARD!!!!!.
So are other cars, Mike. :-P Keep slugging.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Have a word with "the seriously get's $hit done Mike", he's around there somewhere! :evil:
Sid.
-
aha !!! I thought D.O.M. was "drawn over mandrel"
-
Don't get my imagination going Sparky. :evil:
I'm trying to fight the good fight.
I think I can build stuff but not being based in the US and having the personal backup has me working like I've got
the whole membership on the forum looking over my shoulder.
My day goes like this all the time.
I feel like I'm being drawn over a mandrel. :-D
-
Peter Cox's parents were robbed at gunpoint Thursday.
Shouldn't have happened though.
The 5 Irish Wolfhounds were locked in the back yard so the Mancun cats could roam the house.
Front door wide open!!!!.
I went over this morning to quote on building wrought iron gates but Peter said we had to stop
at his local gun dealer to show me the Light 50.
-
The other versions were on Bipods and sitting on counter tops
in another part of the store and it would have looked funny with me lying on the floor doing
the "thing" with clients walking around. :-D
My kinda toy but at 45 grand a pop I'll stick with the liner. :cheers:
I never wear green ever but I have this old school SA rugby shirt and there's a big game today.
The Springbok emblem is still over the heart on this version and I did get lots of comments.
Hope you checked out my dream cap too. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Hmmmm
that scope might give you good down track vision ---but it might be a little twitchy from the bumps on course
I would consider something else for the Dom's "thru the windscreen on board-- down track optics system"
-
Mike, when it gets like that it is time to leave. Shooting one of those guys seems like a good idea. In practice it is not. Early in life I emigrated to Oregon where life is civil and have no regrets.
-
Mike;
Something that's effective at a much closer range might be more appropriate- like a 12 gauge Ithaca Model 37 DS/PS.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mate- first thing I noticed (after the 'bok emblem) was that cap! A bit tame compared with that weapon, but my trusty .410 sent 2 red belly black snakes (very venomous) on their way yesterday. I don,t mind them down the paddock, but I get a bit grumpy when they want to come up the steps, into the house.
Denis
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I had a chance to hold the weapon and that's where it ended.
The pics don't show the scope/size of the store. This is like Bass Pro Shop type stuff.
I was shocked.
What we need is a mega speed shop here. There a little operators with websites here
charging big bucks for stuff that has a 14 day delivery time. We all know what they're doing.
If things go well with the Flyer and we do a decent speed the chances of a real performance store
of a good size opening are a distinct possibility.
Once you have credibility they will come. Got quite a few guys interested in investing.
Who knows what the future holds?.
The technology is here, there are lots of muscle cars and enthusiasts so the chances of a new form of racing
coming to the fore are really good.
I'd say this place is ripe right now. :wink:
Got a lot of work coming suddenly. All welding and fab work which I love.
Got the rear end tacked for welding the mounting plates yeste
rday but after the rugby win last night I decided to have the day off.
I partied pretty hard albeit at home with the missus, dogs, the real Beef Jerky you guys would love and a bottle of some Mexican
Jungle Juice.
All Japan did was awaken a sleeping giant. :-D :-D :-D :-D
I don't have rear wheels built or tires yet but Ian is going to do me some dummy wood 30" versions with the ID that mounts
on the axle tubes. He built a 3 axis CNC milling machine in his garage for wood, plastic and Aluminum.
I helped a little but the genius wants to build a second version with major improvements.
I'll use my woody wheels to set up the diff etc. Cool thing is that we're in walking distance of each other.
-
The Colt series 80 Combat Commander 45 A.C.P. that I carry seems so inadequate now :cry:
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That's quite the piece of hardware Mikey!
Good to hear about the mock up wheels. I got the ones I was going to use when I was building the chassis and the front tires ended up going south before they ever turned a mile in anger.
Keep fighting the good fight brother!
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Jerry, all I carry is bad attitude. All I can afford. :-D
Even that cannon needs wheels IMO.
I wonder if Mickey Thompson makes tires for cannons?.
Hey Joe, I feel for all you guys but you'll get to run.
This is a tough game for tough people. Patience bro!!!.
Thanks for the motivation. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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No pics today. Too tired.
Made progress though and I'll post some in the AM. 8-)
BTW, there's another US based company that might send me some much needed
product in return for branding exposure.
I'm praying it happens but the miracles just keep on coming. :cheers:
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The rear end mounting brackets are 50% complete.
Some pics.
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:-D :cheers:
Mike what do you think the axle flange to axle flange width will be?
-
I set the whole unit up on a 10mm flat plate and after getting everything
level and aligned I tacked the RHS with the mig welder.
After that I preheated the area and did short (25mm) beads on opposite
sides of the tube. When that was done I left the inner welds for the next day.
Still have to do the left side but I'll get to it on the weekend.
Trying to put food on the table right now. :-D
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Not sure yet Sparky. I'm trying to source big bearings at the moment.
What you see in the photos is 25,5" right now. :cheers:
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Nothing really exciting to report here except that I'm getting cooked.
it's this 32*C (80*F) oppressive heat outside.
28 in the shop and I'm welding. :roll:
We're getting our Bosch alternator tomorrow and the small problem
I had yesterday with something falling off the bench is almost sorted out.
The more parts you add the more complicated the build gets.
These liners look all smooth, sleek and glossy with the body work fitted
but the nightmare lies beneath.
Tom Burkland told me that the knowledge base required to build a liner
is so wide and varied, F1 pales by comparison. He's 100% correct.
This Subaru never stops. I really have found the Black Hole. :-D
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Want some cheese with that wine, :-D, 80 degree is a cool summer day in these here parts. Great progress Mike. :cheers:
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Mike, do like the construction folks do. Start work at 5 in the AM and knock off at about 1:30 in the PM after a half hour lunch around 11:30. Then, if you need a few more hours, do them between 6:00 and 8:00 in the evening.
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Hey Bo, I'm doing that already :-D :-D :-D :-D
The quiet stuff early and late so as not to disturb the neighbors. :wink:
Welding mostly.
During the day I make noise. :evil:
My buddy Ian uses ear muffs for every job and he was here yesterday and had his fingers in his ears.
I'm cutting a piece of steel on the radial saw and then it dawned on me!!! The guy builds $100,000
sound systems. His ears are his life. I laughed so hard I stopped working. This guy is a serious person
but we get on great and for some reason we spend so much time laughing. Like when he rolled in here on his new Harley V Rod. :cheers:
My guy Xola from Bosch was here yesterday to deliver my alternator.
Cool dude. Everyone else left work earlier to beat the traffic to watch the World Cup Rugby. Not him. He worked and arrived here just before the game started. I just hope he got to see the second half.
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nice piece you could run it with a Gilmer belt or ribbed
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Thanks Sparky.
I only took it out of the box for the photos.
Been busy earning a few bucks.
My mate Ian is hilarious. He's a genius in his own right
but metal isn't his thing. He works with wood a lot along with
designing pre amps, speaker systems etc.
His connection has a company that does dock leveling and wanted some fabrication done.
Ian wants to help me so he gets me the work to build stands and a trolley.
He designs the components, does the drawings on solid works and I build according to the drawings.
He specified the steel to be used along with wall thickness and ordered the tubing.
The trolley must carry a 150Lb cylinder.
It's about 4ft tall and probably as wide. I had to use 1/4" wall 6" x 4" tubing according to the
specs.
I figure we built a 200 year lifespan tool that can carry a little more than 150. :-D :-D :-D
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I got a surprise email late yesterday from the sales manager at Chicago Pneumatic.
I sent a proposal to him months ago asking for product sponsorship.
My air tools are old and tired. CP has been good to me reliability wise and it looks like I'll be getting a much needed new
die grinder. The one I have is an 87 model and needs to be retired. It looks like a new reciprocating saw and palm sander are also in the offing.
If you don't ask you'll never know. :wink:
I don't have the finances to buy new tools. The liner is this Gannet that eats and eats and I'm trying to save money for tires.
11 grand for an 18" x 6 M/T rear tire pre shipping is no joke. :evil:
Real racers never go to the track with one set so I'm doing the hard yards. 1" at a time. :-D
This project has a military feel to it. I volunteered to join an elite unit when in the army in 75 and the instructors were hell bent on getting rid of the substandard wannabee. The physical turned to mental and eventually your hatred of the guys with rank made you unbreakable.
The difference now is that I get to wake up when I want and the punishment costs me money. :-D :-D :-D
Give up?. Never. The salt problem you guys have has rubbed off on me and I feel your pain. The forum has changed and I don't like what I read. You guys changed my life and gave me purpose. My mission is not to let you down.
I get down too, the funk bites but you need blinders and if you work hard enough stuff happens.
Having lots of good people both local and US based behind me keeps the motivation high.
I'm making progress. Some pics later. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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how many of those puppies are looking at Mike!
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Sparky, rubber has been my problem throughout my racing career.
Always ran on someone else's second hand "hardly used" stuff.
This time I plan on having new. I'm selling a motor, one road car and a bunch of things I don't use that are still new.
At the same time I'm working on a tire sponsor but Mickey Thompson isn't a brand they retail so it's going to be a hard sell.
2 sets of 18s and two sets of the 15s is my hope.
I need to get the rear end set up but one needs the wheels with rubber to check clearances etc.
Truth be told I might need to lengthen the chassis about 5" behind the rear end. :evil: :evil: :evil:
The drive shaft looks like it will be a problem. I got out of the shop as fast as possible to avoid a panic attack. :-D
Tomorrow is another day and patience is the key.
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How fast will you be going? Have you looked into the suitability of Dunlop vintage racing tires for your car? Over here they are commonly used on 250 mph cars. I don't know what the upper limit is. All that I have seen or run were in the 18 inch size. But they catalog several other sizes. Several years ago a Dunlop rep told me that they were all made to the same, current race tire specs.
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Rich, maybe we're too ambitious but we're targeting 300.
I'd prefer to go with Mickey Thompson for all the right reasons.
Our setup is similar to George's liner and I know the rubber worked on the Speed Demon
but thanks for the heads up. :cheers:
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Which 15s ?
-
Going to be using the M/T 15" fronts (1" taller than the ones Speed Demon used) as Goodyear aren't making the tire anymore.
24,2" OD I think but we need to measure clearances. It might be the 22s that work. I'm not at that stage of development yet with the front hubs and spindles.
Easy to say but I need to buy four!!!.
-
I've been working my Acura off trying to feed the beast.
Slowly but surely I'm getting some shopping in.
Bought some new tig components for one of my torches.
This one is the foot operated one and hopefully when all the bits are assembled
I'll be able to get into the tight spots.
Cups, the correct electrodes for the materials I'm using and other nice toys
but I was a little short on cash so I'm going to make a return trip.
The guys at Binzel were super helpful and a pleasure to deal with.
I think the goodies in picture cost me about $40.
I want to hang/position the rear end housing this week.
My front spindle housings are at Aquajet and should be ready for collection by Wednesday.
-
That table looks like the lake bed at el mirage.
-
Gotta keep the motivation going. :cheers:
The other half and her buddy were into this decoupage thing.
Making new S$$t look old. The table got the treatment!.
Funny thing about these chicks, the like all the old stuff but yet they'll do anything to try looking young.
Lets make the table look 200 but we wanna look 30. :-D
I keep out of the way, do my own stuff in the shop and as long as I've got somewhere dry to sleep I couldn't give
Subaru.
Got a car to finish!!!.
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Mike;
"...as long as I've got somewhere dry to sleep I couldn't give Subaru."
That reminds me of a WW II cartoon by Bill Mauldin "A experienced field sojer will figure out a way to sleep warm an' dry. Lemme know when ya do.." Satire, of course. :-)
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Neil, we were on this course in the military (1975) about this time of year.
The day started out boiling hot but that night it started raining African style.
This was the real stuff. The regulation rain coats started leaking after about 2 hours
and our foxholes were ponds in no time. Two guys couldn't lift a sleeping bag. Waterlogged
like you won't believe.
By day four we were just a bunch of animals, angry wet and under pressure while the instructors
slept on the transport. One month of constant rain, wet boots, clothing and the kicker was getting your breakfast
all served into one dixie. Eggs, milk, porridge, bread, sugar and meat all mixed in. I'm not big on getting wet these days.
We could have qualified as divers. I thought the officers would buckle and take us back to our barracks. They never let up.
I own a good raincoat these days. :-D
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The rear end is sitting on a plate at the correct distance between the hoops
and the drive shaft will be a shorty.
-
The heavy wall seamless tubing is cut but my dilemma is do I bore the tubing
or turn down the threaded bushing in order to get a press fit for welding?.
My M16 x 2 left hand thread tap will be here tomorrow so I'll be able to
finish the opposite ends of the 4 link part of the system.
Hopefully I'll have the rear end connected to the chassis by the weekend.
Lots to do still but at least things are moving. :cheers:
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Mike;
I'd turn the threaded end OD from the rear up to about 1/4" from where the bevel begins. This way you have a positive stop while pressing it in the tubing.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks Neil, will do.
That is the better option. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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This rear end mounting process is proving very difficult.
So far I've got a 4 link set up in the works but seeing as I won't
be using suspension how do I hang the rear end on the chassis
in relation to keeping it level?.
I think a Watts linkage will take care of the side to side bit
but once the rear end is aligned how do I attach it to prevent stresses related to
the up and down "non" movement?.
I can't use an anti roll bar either because the set up will be solid mounted.
Should I use tubing with spherical rod ends?.
Any help will be appreciated. :cheers:
-
Yep, just set it up like you have coilovers & use a solid link so you can go to coils if you want to & if you, you will need the biggest sway bar in the world to stop it falling over since it's a three point car.
Sid.
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I have not built a tricycle liner: but here is my observation of Skip Higginbotham's experience and my limited experience driving it as a liner.
Here's what I would do if I were building one. Rob and Brandon have a great example on how to build a suspension "walking beam" front axel.
Higginbotham's was a solid frt. if I remember correctly. It took time and many attempts to find the combination of tire position and inflation before the car would track "hands off".
I would build a slightly adjustable fore and aft weight solid mounted walking beam frt. axel so that I could weight balance the front tires.
I the rear I would mount the left rear axle mount as a hinge pivot ---solid mounted to plates that could be moved slightly and re-drilled to move the axle fore or aft for alignment.
With this piviot the right side could move up or down.On the right side I would have big plates that could be drilled in various places to slightly change the weight bias side to side this would also every so slightly change the front side to side weight bias.
Solid adjustable simple --farm boy Aggie Engineering!!
YMSV your mileage should vary :-)
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Sparky, that idea of plates for the rear did come to mind
but I was thinking I'd end up with a bunch of oval holes or slots everywhere.
I get what you're saying but if you had a photo it would help a lot.
Sid if the rear end is solid there's no need for a sway bar is there?.
If I used some hollow bar to replace coil overs with rod ends do you think that would be enough?.
I've got 40mm OD with a 6mm wall thickness but I guess the chassis mounting will have to be a substantial piece
with most of the weight being concentrated on a very small area.
What do you think I should do?. Build a bulkhead left to right across the top of the chassis?. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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It sounds like you've already built for suspension so just go with strut bars to replace the coilovers & yes it will need to be stout to handle the shock loads. The sway bar comment was relevant to having suspension so you might want to build that into the chassis in case you find that ridged is not working for you. It's easier to do now than try & retro later.
Betsy is solid in the rear & suspended in the front against the adjustable rebound stops & the wheels are staggered.
Sparky, your idea would allow body roll that would induce yaw.
Sid.
-
Sid Body roll on solid how would that work
Mike ---when I need to make a slight change to change the weight bias I just drill new holes ---clamps and spot welds to weigh--then drill new holes where they make the most sense
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You said "mount the left rear axle on a hinge pivot".
Sid.
-
Thanks guys. Tough choice.
I really want to go with Sparky's idea but the rumour
I heard was that the Hakskeen Pan track was bumpy.
This section is where the locals have been running their road cars
at what is called Kalahari Speed Week. Run what you brung for a timing slip.
I don't think anyone there got to 200 except for one bike. I may be wrong and my info
unreliable.
If I get to run on the good section reserved for Bloodhound things may be different.
I'm going to have to build a rear end that can handle both eventualities and be fairly easily
changed.
New challenge but no one said this stuff would be easy. Sid I have a new set of coil overs
that were built for my "wing car" back in the 80s. I could be wrong but they have 2000Lb springs.
I'll get them over to my mate at Bilstein to have him check them over.
I'll keep you guys posted and thanks so much for the help. I don't make a single move without
the advice I get here on the forum. Between Tom, Sid and Sparky I'm sure I'll find a solution. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Sid, I would build a mount when is locked down fore and aft it is also locked down vertically but if the right side can be moved up and down but the left side is on a hinge pivot--this would allow one to change the side to side weight bias on the drive tires I find I do better when I start out with a little more more on the right rear.
Mike,
picture what your right side would look like if you rotated your mounting plates 90 degrees and took some of that heavy wall tubing and a big bolt and make a hinge that the axel could slightly be moved fore and aft on. That way you could align the axel to the center line the bolt it down.
The right side then could slightly move up and down to level and weight bias things. YMBV!
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.....I heard was that the Hakskeen Pan track was bumpy.
This section is where the locals have been running their road cars...
(http://whenonearth.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/1273832_316444285161329_1172726627_o.jpg)
....at what is called Kalahari Speed Week. Run what you brung for a timing slip......
I looks like 2015 was cancelled for some reason but the links to explain why don't work for me....
http://speedweeksa.com/ (http://speedweeksa.com/)
....looks like a promising place to run. Also due to the links not working for me I couldn't find speeds from2013 and nothing about 2014??
Sumner
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Sum, I found the same thing. The link didn't work. I'll ask someone that goes to the event what happened.
Did some welding, Ian did the turning and we tapped the left hand thread in two of the tubes.
Smooth operation and no hitches. We'll do more in the AM and then start to hang the rear end
where it should be. Turned out to be a great day. :cheers: :cheers:
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that should hold whatever you throw at it. :cheers:
With what you have already in process Sid's Idea of the stiff legs should let you do what ever you want as for as running solid. replacing the stiff legs with your Spring shocks will let you run on suspension shouldn't it.
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That short drive shaft length will really limit height adjustment or suspension travel. What is the trans, C4 or C6? Can you go to a 4wd output shaft to give you more drive shaft length?
If/when you go to suspension the tail housing bushing will be a victim. Going to a short shaft you can make a housing with a bearing.
Sid.
-
Thanks guys.
I'll take this one step at a time with your help.
We'll have a better idea once the other arms are mounted.
Sid, you're a mind reader on the shaft issue. I've currently got the motor dummied up with the C4
but the hope is that we'll get lucky on a gearbox deal I've been working on.
I said before I might have to lengthen the chassis a few inches but we're hoping not to. :evil:
:cheers: :cheers:
-
I just concluded a meeting with a senior guy from an American company that markets air tools in South Africa.
This is probably my biggest potential product sponsor yet. I could say it's a done deal but I've done that before
and it never came to fruition. :evil:
I'm Blessed and why I have no idea. Maybe my version of salt fever is contagious but the guy was impressed by what he saw.
I'm holding my breath on this one. He's indicated that he's going to pull in managers from the other divisions and wants the tools, compressor and generator all under the one brand.
I was hoping for 3 tools that have been good but needed servicing etc. Now it looks like I'll have everything I need from jacks, presses, grinders, polishers, saws, drills you name it.
New impetus now and motivation is at an all time high. :cheers:
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:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
WOW!! :-o
:cheers: :cheers:
-
Thanks.
I'm entering the toughest phase of the build now and all your motivation
and good wishes keep me going.
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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you mean the part where you have to hook up everything and expect it all to work---- :-D silly you
but you will prevail and you will get it down the track! Safe Straight and eventually Fast :-D
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I can't wait to hear him when he starts putting fluids in the beast. :evil:
:cheers:
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Not even close. :-D :-D :-D :-D
This phase is where you start selling all your worldly possessions to buy rubber
from a company that ignores your emails.
I may have to find a member here to purchase said rubber on my behalf.
I have a long list of candidates I respect.
My Harley bobber is "sold". I need to open a banking account because the dude
doesn't want to draw cash. Maybe he can do an electronic transfer and pay for the tires
etc but we'll need to work out the final details.
I'm getting there but I'll probably have a dental diploma hanging on the wall by the time I'm done.
:cheers: :dhorse:
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Mike, when you get your tires clean them up and wrap them up in a couple of plastic trash bags to keep the air out and store them in a shady place. It adds years of life to them.
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I hear you Bo. Thanks man. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Aquajet called to say my front uprights had been cut to spec so the old girl
and I hopped in the little Chevy to make the 35 mile trip.
She drives and I tranquilize myself. I check out the scenery.
About 5 miles south from our place I witnessed 100s of trucks backed up
on the opposite side of the freeway. There must have been some problem
on the turn off towards the airport. By the time I got the camera out we'd
passed the worst of it.
I made sure we took another route home. The tailback was miles long. :evil:
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The parts are called uprights where I come from and are part of the front spindles when done.
30mm thick and they're going to a new engineering sponsor who will mill them to final finish.
The spindles will be made from EN 19 and then surface treated etc. We also have a DXF drawing
for them so no issues are expected.
-
Side on pics.
-
:cheers:
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Heavy duty parts! Great progress, Mike.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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A quick aside, if I may. Mike, a year or two ago Nancy decided we should re-finish the older dresser we have in the upstairs/spare bedroom. She did lotsa cleaning and sanding and painting -- then put the stuff on the new paint - the stuff that makes it crack and look old. WTF? I thought it looked pretty good before it was "aged".
I guess it's another example of "antiques made while you wait". :-D
We now return you to your regular topic.
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She should hook up with Zina.
She did the table and a bunch of other stuff with that cracking liquid.
It's called decoupage I think.
I leave all the house stuff to her. I fix broken but I don't paint, mow lawn and lay bricks or tile. :-D
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Decoupage (ala Jim Jacobs):
(http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/968/1002/1600/308487/jakestub.jpg)
:cheers:
Mike
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I'd rather have Jim's creation in my kitchen. It would be like going to the road house which is like a non event here in SA.
I know of one left I think. :evil:
I don't know how you guys fund your projects but I seem to get just enough to keep me going.
Weird but true. Either a sponsor comes up with materials/product or I earn just enough to keep going.
I should call the liner the "Miracle Miler" or something.
You guy have no idea of the crazy goings on I experience.
It's either the trap of the century or something more like Divine Intervention. I choose the latter. :-D
Bo remarked on me looking after the tires when I get them!!!! Probably the most expensive items ever to go on the car.
I'll have to find a bank with huge safety deposit boxes!. :-D
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Mike, you are doing things the right way by making most everything yourself and getting a lot of sponsorship. There are some expenses that are hard to avoid like tires 'cause you cannot make them. You are doing a better job of keeping the costs reasonable than the average guy.
One thing I forgot to mention about tires is to make sure you get fresh ones. There are a few times I got a "deal" on a new tire and the dang thing was sitting on a shelf for years and it had only a few years of use in it before it got too old. I always mention this to the seller and check the manufacturing date on the sidewall before I accept them.
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Been there can happen on safety stuff also I only order SFI dated stuff from the manufacture!
-
I got my Bosch fuel pumps today. Yahooo!!!!!.
More to come though. ECU, EGT, plugs, Lambda sensors etc.
For some reason all the Good racing stuff is down under in OZ but via HQ in the Fatherland
I'll be getting what I require.
Tires are going to cost me 100 grand. You can buy a Chevy Spark for that money here. :-D :-D :-D
My local supplier has given me a price on shipping which based on the package size is pretty reasonable
but MT is still ignoring my email.
A good guy here has offered to purchase my parts for me and help out. I think my mails go to junkmail in a lot of instances.
We all know that lots of spam comes out of Nigeria so maybe I get included. :evil:
Gotta get this girl on wheels before Christmas. :cheers:
Things always work out so I'm not too stressed.
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Mike,
Have you been able to contact Tom Kundrik at M/T? I had to call him and leave a message. He never answered any e-mails. He is the only one who can authorize the sale according to their office. He is the one who has to approve the sale after you send back the release form I forwarded to you. Kind of a funky deal all the way around.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Have you looked at Dunlop tires or talked to a rep?
-
Rich, I haven't talked to Dunlop and I don't know if they even manufacture the sizes I need.
I did visit a site where they had vintage type tires for bikes and cars but never listed LSR products.
Doug, I guess I'll have to call Tom and see how that goes.
Thanks all. :cheers: :cheers:
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Goodyear does a 32" tall tire I believe Mike, the speed rating from memory is sub 400 but should be good for you for a while.
With your batting average :mrgreen: you probably should contact Goodyear directly down there.
Sid.
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I did. Actually they were the reason I went from the truck project to the liner. :-D
Never had a Good experience?.
-
If you go back to them with your current list of sponsors & the progress on the liner, you might find a whole different reception. Worth a shot Mate, nothing to lose!
Sid.
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Mike, that 100,000 must be in rand. How much is it in USD?
-
Currently around R14/USD plus shipping. :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse:
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So when you convert Dollars to Rands, there're so many of them it requires you pay shipping?
-
SB --- you better watch it you are borderline--TSR :-D
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Stan, the local importers don't play games. They'll hit you R30/$ for parts.
Don't start giving people ideas. :-D
Built my first set of dock leveling equipment and the earnings will go towards buying tires. :wink:
Powder coat took time but the parts are leaving in the AM.
-
The items I buy from the UK and AUS have customs duty as well as shipping and the exchange rate conversion.
Sid has the right idea. Sponsors might be the key. Some tire brand who is trying to get recognition in SA might consider that helping your program is good publicity.
-
We already have all the tire companies here competing for #1 spot but not MT.
One guy sells their drag tires on a small scale but I doubt they want to invest in a history making effort.
The guys here are risk averse to be blunt. Not all but when it counts most run for the hills and never look back.
I'll have my MT tires in time for Christmas I guarantee that!!!!.
Paid with my own blood, sweat and tears. That's how SH$$T works in Africa. :-D
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AS well as the rest of the world for most of us!! :cheers:
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Been a bit quiet on the liner build but making progress on earning tire money.
My mate Ashley funnily enough spent his youth in Roswell, NM. He's an artistic genius
with airbrush, paint brush and spray gun but was an estimator in various body shops
for 25 years and finally decided it was time to strike out on his own.
He has a passion for older VWs and Porsche classics.
New resto shop but spray booth prices are 200 grand so we came up with our own home built version.
He supplied rough dimensions and I built the bolt together kit.
Some guys are going to clad and insulate the structure.
I still have 3 doors to build but it looks pretty good so far.
-
Hopefully I'll get enough from these projects to afford those Mickeys.
-
Been a little quiet as far as the build goes.
Still waiting to be paid for work I did. :cry:
I decided to build the new Plenum base.
The original was 2" shorter and had a recess for a stock location distributor.
It wouldn't do on the new EFI crank trigger setup so today I laid up 14 layers
of Carbon and Glass for the new chamber that has to withstand at least 3Bar.
We'll start building the top half plug next week. Right now the lower half is under vacuum
and after it's been post cured we'll pull the part off the mold and see what we have. :cheers:
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The original short piece next to the new part.
The inside of the new chamber will be smooth as glass, the way it should. :-D
We have a little trick process to bond the yet un built top to the base. :cheers:
-
I got paid so tomorrow is shopping day.
Ill get some much needed components to keep the build going. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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AH :-D what a great sense of timing tomorrow here is Thanksgiving a great day for giving thanks and Friday is the greatest day of shopping!!!!!!!!! Mikey get ready, get set, go shopping!!!!!!!!
-
:cheers:
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Thanks Sparky and Dan. Will do and I'll hang the flag for all my best buddies over there with Pics.
God Bless. :cheers: :cheers:
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I got paid so tomorrow is shopping day.
Ill get some much needed components to keep the build going. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Paid???? Please explain that concept to this poor old hotrod builder..................
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Jerry... Paid is what happens if you do work for someone else but don't give it to them before you receive money....
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Jerry... Paid is what happens if you do work for someone else but don't give it to them before you receive money....
Stainless, now I know what I done all the years wrong....why you told me not earlier.... :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:
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Sorry I don't have pics but the list of new parts is still growing.
New mini high torque starter and four front outer rims.
There's a bunch of stuff I can't think of right now but December will be "welding" month
as soon as I get through cladding my mate Ashley's spray booth. The guys he wanted were too costly
and only wanted to start next year.
Some personal problems but hey we all have them right?. :evil:
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Guy's I've decided I need to build a clean room for engine building.
There's a room right at the end of the shop with a wide door opening
that's perfect for wheeling an engine stand through and fitting a sliding door
with a sealing system.
All we have to do is tile the floor and build a door.
Never done tiling but we'll get down on on our knees and go for it.
The room will also serve to keep out prying eyes (more prying fingers) and the like.
Guys that don't know love sticking their paws in stuff. :evil:
Got enough tiles for the job, all we need is glue and grout.
Ian tiled his kitchen and he said it was tough but has a cutter and experience so we'll start in a week.
Most of my sponsors are sitting on beaches or planes somewhere so the timing is perfect.
Wish me luck. :-D
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Mike, it is good if you can have some sort of way to keep it at the proper temperature for measuring parts.
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Mike, it is good if you can have some sort of way to keep it at the proper temperature for measuring parts.
-
Bo, I've said this before. I'm no engine designer but I do a good job of assembling motors.
Not sure how the real builders do it but I take a long time. 12 to 14 rolls of paper towels before I'm satisfied the block is clean.
Every single thread is run through with a tap and cleaned, blown out and re cleaned.
When you don't have the big budget attention to detail is most important. So far my record is good be it two stroke, rotary or V8.
This new turbo deal is foreign but I won't rush in and do dumb stuff.
I have the best of the best behind me so I know if the car doesn't perform it's not a problem related to construction.
-
:cheers: way to go!!! staying after it ---I have some more construction & sealing to do before I feel like my clean room would be clean enough for a race eng.
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Mike, You may want to use real thread chasers instead of taps to clean the threads. They don't remove metal and they clean and reshape the threads to original. Do you have a brush set for running through the oil galleys? You'd be surprised what collects where you can't see it. Once it's on the other side of the pickup screen the next stop is your bearings. Just some old timer advice. Not worth much.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Worth lots and thanks guys.
Yup got all the cleaning equipment I need.
I even have a loop from my short stint in the diamond industry.
That doesn't miss a thing. :-D :-D :-D
Once the room's done I'll have millions of questions but for now
this city is a ghost town and the other day it was 45*C outside.
The last time I experienced heat like that was in Southern Angola in 85.
Been staying out of the shop until the building funk leaves. :evil:
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"The last time I experienced heat like that was in Southern Angola in 85."
Meet any interesting Cubans there, Mike? :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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With the kind of work that you do in your shop ; that tile job should be a piece of cake.
Franey
Your build is coming along very nice.
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Mike, as per temperature, when I need precise measurements like bore or piston size I need to put the parts in a box and bring it to the machine shop. The keep the place at 68 degrees F so what they measure and the measuring tools are at the correct temperature and I can get correct readings. Some jobs like determining clearance and interference fits between parts with different expansion characteristics are best done when the parts are near to 68 degrees. Fortunately the standard temperature is also a comfortable work environment so temperature control has added benefits.
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I sorta guessed that was what you were aiming at with the "correct temp" put thanks for putting words to screen!! :cheers:
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Thanks Franey. The fight continues. :wink:
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Mike, what fight ? It is a pleasant rewarding journey! :-D
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Sparky, Yo, pleasant and rewarding like Seal training. :cheers:
I need to stay far from the liner this moth.
Might be worth it down the road.
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Like skipping a year on the Salt --- successful people learn to forego instant gratification for greater future reward. keep on welding Mike !!
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Great advice Sparky.
Will do. :cheers:
I've been distracted of late with all kinds of stuff but I just woke up and know
that I'm back. I guess I need the break. :-D
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Mr Sparky knows of what he speaks. Me and Amy are taking approx 2 years off. Need motor money as we have gone as fast as we can with what we have and have borrowed. The next time out Amy will get 200!
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The next time out Amy will get 200!
And I'll be there to broadcast, photograph and witness it!!!!!
Happy Holidays to you two!
Gregg
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Amy will get her 200. Fan power here should help. Go Teach!!!!!.
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Don't have a clue where to start. Tig sounds like a good point so I'll jump on it in the AM.
Got a lot of ground to cover but it relaxes my mind ang gets me back in the groove. :-D
BTW, The PC crashed again so I'm on the little back up.Sucks but way better than nothing.
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Got some pics downloaded off the phone.
This laptop won't break any speed records for sure. :-D
I wasn't going to buy the starter until I had the motor built
but they were on special at $100 and the new stock will be 3 times
the price next year. With our Rand at 16/USD I had to move.
It's a Pro Comp High Torque unit and weighs about half what the stock one did.
The old unit was shot and Bosch never had the right parts etc so it all made sense.
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Way too hot to weld right now so I haven't done anything in the shop. :evil:
I have been working on the Carbon plenum. The bottom section is done and I've started
on the top piece.
I scored a bunch of marine ply off cuts from my mate Ian so I made a pattern to match
the base.
I attached a two layer piece of Carbon sheet to the plug using some wood strip and self tapping screws.
It has peel ply on it so as soon as I'm ready to laminate the next layers I'll remove it.
-
I won't be using the whole piece so it's slightly wider at the base at present.
The plan is to lay up a few layers of glass and Carbon to get the part stiff enough
and after trimming I'll vacuum bag it with 6 layers of the good stuff.
Quite a complex piece with an equally complex build procedure but I have a good
idea on how it will turn out.
Went onto a composites forum and there were a bunch of guys in Europe building
really nice plenums for BMWs. Great looking on the surface but when I asked what the insides
looked like as far as finish went I never got one answer. It seems that as long as the surface
impresses it doesn't matter if the inside looks like Subaru.
My box will probably be rough on the outside but the air doesn't flow there. :-D
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I need to bond in the splitter boards along the sides and add release agent to the wood
and I'll be good to go.
Just have to wait for the "cool" of night. :roll:
The resin system I use is fast even under normal conditions.
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I could give you some cool Mike, it's been snowing here for four days straight now. I think they have the highways open again!
Merry Christmas Mate.
Sid.
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Thanks Sid and the same to you. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Merry Christmas Mike!
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Merry Christmas Mike!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thank you Mike and Sparky. I wish you and yours the same. :-) :cheers:
I obviously did not do any work today but here are two pics from yesterday's
toil.
I've bonded some board to the piece so I keep the resin from getting under
and into places that will cause problems.
Peel ply ready for removal tomorrow AM.
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Merry Christmas Mike.
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Mike, have a nice Christmas. That 'liner is coming together nice. You made a lot of progress this year.
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Thank you Glen and Bo.
My American based mates are the best and my progress is down to all the support
I get from all of you.
What motivation!!!!!!. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Big PC is back and I've got Windows 10. Running a SSD.
Still test driving but so far it's great.
Thanks Greg. You gotta have a computer guy!!!!!!.
Still not sure who Cortana is but I'll ask for tires. :-D
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lol
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I`m a bit late, Mike, but I`m checking in as well. Now that it`s 2016, you can get after it, eh?..(Not like you weren`t already :-D0 )
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Thanks Paul, I've declared war on this project.
No more Mr. Nice Guy. Gotta make stuff happen.
Time is the enemy. :-D
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I thought this build was really complicated but even the non related stuff has chimed in. :evil: :dhorse:
The PC got a make over/rebuild. Windows 10 up from XP pro. The only original stuff is the mouse and keyboard.
The Sony Ericsson cell phone was an old one but took good pics so I thought I'd just download the update so it would
work with the new PC. Wrong!!!!!
I need a new phone that's compatible with Windows 10.
No pics for a while guys. Mommy has an Experia she might part with. Being "Old Skool" isn't so cool anymore.
I'm going to look like a nerd with the touch screen thing if I eventually figure how it works. :oops:
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Mike, I personally don't "get" the touchscreen thing. I go out of my way to NOT touch the screen. Maybe I need to wash my hands. :roll: :cheers: Wayno
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Mike, I personally don't "get" the touchscreen thing. I go out of my way to NOT touch the screen. Maybe I need to wash my hands. :roll: :cheers: Wayno
x2 :-P
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I have a deal with PC Greg. He buys wrought iron components and I weld.
He builds me PCs, repairs what breaks and upgrades when I need to.
Good guy and so far 10 has been OK. The new phones are a whole new thing
and I've never used one but Wayno I'll make sure to wash my hands first. :-D :cheers:
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Mike, that touch screen stuff is a big inconvenience. It makes a person take their hands off of the keyboard and it interrupts the flow of work. They legalized dope in Washington and now we see the results. Things that only make sense to someone who is stoned. it might be possible to disable the touch screen feature. Microsoft often has features like that buried in their software.
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Bo, I was talking about the phone.
The PC is your common or garden variety with mouse and keyboard.
I test drove the new phone today and once I get it set up it should be OK. :cheers:
-
I's a heck of a note, but about once a month I go to the Verizon store with my phone and ask "how to" about another feature. At the rate I'm going -- I'll be about three years behind by the time the next model of the phone comes out. :?
-
I'm also on a steep learning curve PC and phone wise.
The age thing is the problem or maybe it's all apps.
I don't need them.
Seeing as my chances of ever getting to or racing on the salt are getting slimmer by the hour
I'm having sleepless nights trying to figure how to keep the dust out of critical components on
the liner.
My main concern is keeping the front wheel bearings protected. They aren't sealed and will need grease.
I figure a dust cover like the ones on road cars will keep the outer units dust free but the inners are the problem.
I was thinking oil seals pressed into the hubs might do the trick but I'm no expert and I need help?.
The spindles and hubs are rough drawings at present but Ian needs to do the Solid Works drawings for the CNC
engineering.
What suggestions do you have that might help?.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
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Mike,
Use what is called a "NILOS" ring for a bearing seal.
http://www.skf.com/us/products/other-products/nilos-rings/index.html
Available for various sized ball and roller bearings.
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Thanks Mark.
My sponsor is the opposition (FAG) but I'll check if they have similar.
The Nilos are a perfect solution. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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That is no way to talk about a sponsor.................................. :roll:
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In the early '70s I received a large, comprehensive booklet from FAG Bearings that was a very handy technical reference for bearings and their applications. I referred to it as the FAG Manual. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike,
I run no springs on the seals on the inside of my lakesters a trick I learned from JD ---when it is just sitting around I seal/cover brg. pack the from the outside with very sticky wheel brg grease. A seal is installed I just take the circular spring out. On the inside I run some high temp low viscosity brg grease---remember we are not trying to get these tings to last 500,000 miles.
I also run very 0-20 motor oil in my rear axle.
-
In the early '70s I received a large, comprehensive booklet from FAG Bearings that was a very handy technical reference for bearings and their applications. I referred to it as the FAG Manual. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
The guys call it the bible and I had a bit of fun with it with the neighbor Pete up the road. :-D
-
Still no camera but I'm shooting pics with the old phone and I'll transfer them to the little laptop
and use the memory stick from there to get them on the new PC.
Did some welding and I'm on the second stage of the top half of the plenum.
4 more layers of Carbon and I'll be able to join the top to the bottom. :cheers:
Sent a proposal for sponsorship to a big tire retailer. I haven't had a reply yet
and from experience that's a good thing. The no thank you normally comes within
two days. :-D
I asked them to buy me 8 Mickey Thompson tires. 4 front and 4 rear. Hold thumbs.
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No pics yet but the work goes on.
I should have a resolution later today.
Never did any work today.
Ronald and I went skiing yesterday and I left my "welding" specs and phone in his truck.
Will get my stuff at lunch time tomorrow.
I also have to demold the plenum top in the AM. So far it looks pretty good. We hope!!.
-
Missed out on the tire sponsorship.
Bummer but I figure hard work is never wasted.
I'm going to have to earn this rubber.
New plan!.
-
I guess the voices are real!!!! :-D
In one day I cane up with the money to buy that elusive rubber.
Earned and definitely not sponsored. :cheers:
Just waiting for said funds to clear and I'll make the necessary arrangements for a good friend based in the US
to buy the MT rubber on my behalf.
The sleepless sweaty nights and anxiety attacks are probably gone forever. :-D :-D :-D :-D
This calls foe a wee dram. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Life IS good Mikey!!!! :-D :-D :-D
Pete
-
These cars are test of everything you have or don't.
Training for special forces comes to mind without the physical side.
ONE big head game but I'm in it for the duration.
There're is only one way out. Success.
Thanks Pete, and the miracles keep on coming. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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:cheers: :cheers: clinking mugs sure beat :dhorse: lol
-
Thanks man. :cheers:
-
Still no camera I can use. :x
Windows 10 is fussy.
A build diary isn't much without pics but I'll make a plan in the AM.
The latest news. My mate Willie is a vet and amputee. We served together and lets say he was my left hand guy.
These days he's my driver. I don't react well in traffic so short of driving to the local supermarket I don't touch the wheel.
It may sound strange that I let a disabled guy drive me around but he's an ace with the stick shift, a little too fast around the turns
but I trust him.
He goes down to the liquor store to buy his daily six pack and there's a dispute over the only disabled parking space in the lot.
The guy won't move and the argument moves into the store.
This SOB from north of the border and probably an illegal immigrant kicks Willie from behind dislodging his prosthetic limb.
He falls and damages his stump. The other dude bolts from the store and drives away. Willie's been off his feet for six weeks
and has had all kinds of complications.
He's improving but still can't wear the limb.
I've been looking for the perp based on info given by one of the check out ladies but it seems he's moved house. :evil:
What kind of sick minded dude would attack a guy from behind?.
Willie arrived yesterday and he's using crutches and my guess is he'll be up to speed by months end.
Karma is a bitch and the guy is going to run into another vet. :wink:
The Old Testament still rules!!!.
Better news is that I got a call from a sponsor I approached a while back.
He came, he saw and he liked. :-D
I spoke to him in late November and the answer was that the company agreed to come on board.
I was looking for them to just replace my worn out air tools like the die grinder, palm sander and saw
but he says they don't do half measures and that a full set of tools including compressor was being shipped
from the US.
He'll be here Thursday to finalize the deal. I'm still not sure what we'll get but from the sound of it, it won't be
a DIY deal. :cheers:
The agent from Fueltech management systems (one of my turbo experts but who hasn't seen the liner) called
to say he was in the area and wanted to come visit to discuss product but I was out building the spray booth
for my mate Ashley. :x
If all goes according to plan and promises kept "we" should be looking pretty good.
The advice to be patient was spot on. This came from more guys than I can name but thank you.
I was all uptight and stressed beyond what I could handle and to be honest, gave up on the project.
Did very little in December other than sleep and try avoid the heat. Suddenly the motivation is back. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Windows 10 is fussy.
Well, that's one word for it. :x :x :x
-
If all goes according to plan and promises kept "we" should be looking pretty good.
The advice to be patient was spot on. This came from more guys than I can name but thank you.
I was all uptight and stressed beyond what I could handle and to be honest, gave up on the project.
Did very little in December other than sleep and try avoid the heat. Suddenly the motivation is back. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
You and me both, different ends of the field, but the same field .....ahhhh southern Hemisphere summer, 40c here today 8-)
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Yup, and it's that oppressive heat.
I've been watching the bush fires on the news and it's sad to see you guys going through that.
We've also got the same tress here. Some clever guy in the past decided that the Eucalyptus tree
or Blue Gum as we know them was a great idea. The greener the better they burn. Go figure. :dhorse:
Almost as good as a banana tree. :-D
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Eucalyptus was brought to California, too. It was a major contributor to the big Oakland firestorm a decade or more ago. Fortunately Oregon is too cold for it and we do not have much growing here. The best thing for it is to chop it down, split the stump, and pour stale race gas down into the split. The trees are hard to kill.
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Really easy to kill if you follow Bo's instructions.... but light the race gas :-D
-
I'd love to have stale race gas here.
That would mean that the liner was a runner. :-D :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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in time grasshopper, in time!
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BINGO!!!!!!!. :-D :-D :-D :-D
I just received my new air tools from Chicago Pneumatic.
How cool is that?.
New saw, die grinder and palm sander for starters.
When we go to Hakskeen Pan they'll be there with a monster setup
consisting of an industrial generator and compressor.
My sponsors make this deal so awesome. Thanks Chris Makume and team.
You made my day. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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via --SA's version of Brown Santa no less :-D--I guess :?
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No Sparky, the guys from CP came around and delivered the tools. :cheers:
We do have Brown Santa, FedEx, DHL and the other majors here.
We aren't that far behind but I must say that if one of those stopped outside
my gate I'd be surprised. There would definitely be something good in the truck. :-D
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Still no new phone so no pics for now but they're coming. :dhorse: :cheers:
I couldn't get the Experia to talk to the PC.
Operator problem, not the system. :x
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Joe, you've got that right. I always check your thread first as well.
Brothers from different mothers!!!!.
Thanks man. All of this really helps.
I had a downer today. A good friend of mine was murdered. Virgil Pappas was the coolest dude anywhere and his slogan was "Party".
He and I did party some a few years back. I got his brother into kart racing and is still SA 250cc Superkart Champion. RIP Virg. :cheers:
Some good news. My friend and brother of the late Virgil is now my engineering sponsor.
Veron owns an engineering company that does gear cutting, CNC machining and heat treatment.
This is a large and professional outfit so I'll have front hubs, spindles, shortened and modified Ford axles, a mini spool and all the other
components I need. So far there isn't one CNC part on the liner so I guess my sleepless nights are finally over.
This is another Divine Intervention deal. These events just make me a better person. I have walked away from this car so many times but I keep getting sucked back in. :cheers:
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it's the journey-- Mikey-- its the journey
some time in the future if you and the car just happen to be at the same place at the same time
MAGIC can Happen!!
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Thanks my friend.
I really appreciate that.
God Bless you man. :cheers:
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Mike, keep that hammer down, all your fellow LSR heretics are watching! And rooting for you! :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks Woody.
I won't let you guys down.
Without the forum and all you guys there'd be nothing going on over here. :wink: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Keep it fun and safe, Mike, and go fast.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Doug, I hope you do the same?.
But not too fast, you know what I'm talking about.
No white knuckle stuff. :-D
Thanks a bunch.
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Just Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun Mike :cheers:
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Thanks Jerry. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Will do. :wink:
Check out the site.
http://www.armagear.co.za/
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I'm getting the title for my HD Sprotster motor Tuesday. :-D :cheers:
The buyer will then pay me for the project.
It hurts to sell the bike but I need to go shopping.
The long car is very greedy and demanding.
There's not a woman on the planet that could go head to head with me on spending
when I've got the green. :-o :-D
It's going to get tough around here with having to assemble the bike and work on the car
but a price needs to be paid.
There's going to be a whole lot of traveling going on visiting vendors, the engineer and the like.
I have list as long as your arm of stuff I need to buy.
I found a cam I thought I could use but when I referenced the part# it's only good for 7 grand.
Dave Crower offered to grind me a cam suitable for the motor I'm building a while back. I'll have to order it.
Luckily we'll be using a Chevy Spark and she'll go forever on $30.
I go to the gas station yesterday and some guy spent 1200 bucks (local currency) filling his Ford Ranger truck.
I shudder to think what I'd have to spend if I was still driving the 74 Ranchero with the Cleveland motor.
-
Been a bit quiet on the liner build but making progress on earning tire money.
My mate Ashley funnily enough spent his youth in Roswell, NM. He's an artistic genius
with airbrush, paint brush and spray gun but was an estimator in various body shops
for 25 years and finally decided it was time to strike out on his own.
He has a passion for older VWs and Porsche classics.
New resto shop but spray booth prices are 200 grand so we came up with our own home built version.
He supplied rough dimensions and I built the bolt together kit.
Some guys are going to clad and insulate the structure.
I still have 3 doors to build but it looks pretty good so far.
I helped clad the sides of that spray booth but it was a chore going out to the
paint shop every morning and Ashley's guy Tony who was helping me knew what to do
so I left my pneumatic rivet gun with him for a few weeks. They finished up and are using the booth.
The thing looks good and works as designed. Ash painted a little Datsun race car this week and he's happy. :cheers:
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Mike, today I filled the truck with chevron regular for $1.56 a gallon. Talking to the station attendant, he said it was a slow day. Not much sales. People were staying home. He said no matter how low the price gets folks are not buying it.
-
Headline today: Gas prices are going to spike. Imagine that.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Doug after I read your email my appetite spiked. :evil:
I made the missus go out and buy Franks, rolls and Sauerkraut. :-D :-D :-D
I made a pig of myself. If I develop a beer belly you're to blame.
-
Ya, She made my day in that commercial. http://vidmax.com/video/67230-Banned-Carl-s-Jr-Superbowl-Commercial-Big-Sausage-Breakfast Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Now why did they bbbb bbbbbbbb bbbban that? :? Wayno
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You guys!!!! :-D
Hey, I had a situation here (not on the forum) and I don't have any one local
I want to share it with.
From what you've seen on my build would you say i'm skilled enough to use a drill press?. :?
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I think you'd probably be OK with adult supervision. :-D :cheers: Wayno
-
That's all I needed. I lost a 40 grand job this morning because a so called friend
and middle man said he thought I was suspect on the drill press. I told him to find
another fabricator. Great decision. I'm not in jail tonight!!!! :wink:
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You guys!!!! :-D
Hey, I had a situation here (not on the forum) and I don't have any one local
I want to share it with.
From what you've seen on my build would you say i'm skilled enough to use a drill press?. :?
The drill press and disk sander are some of the most dangerous tools in the shop. Always be careful :-D
John
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Wrong John, I'm the most dangerous tool in the shop. :-D :lol:
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That's all I needed. I lost a 40 grand job this morning because a so called friend
and middle man said he thought I was suspect on the drill press. I told him to find
another fabricator. Great decision. I'm not in jail tonight!!!! :wink:
Some people are not worth working for. It is a shame you lost a job I hope something else comes your way soon.
I want to thank you for your uplifting build that you share with us and the link to the interesting movie you posted :cheers:
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I have walked away from this car so many times but I keep getting sucked back in. :cheers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G29DXfcdhBg
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Thanks guys. John I don't get stressed over these guys in SA. :-D
You're so kind and I hope I'll be able to post pics soon.
Good one James, I thought I was out and they pull me back in!!!
Good thing I never went all Anthony on the guy hey?. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I was just looking at the front spindle Rex suggested for Able Dog's Belly tank.
I'm having my own made but will be using bearings of the same dimension on the
inside and out. Any disadvantage with my set up?.
Thanks. :cheers:
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Mike,
The reason that the inner bearing is usually larger is that it carries most of the vertical load of the spindle,i.e. the corner's weight plus any aero of gravitational down force (read "lead") and the outer bearing is there to carry the moment load of the wheel when it is turning and trying to twist off of the spindle. Making the both bearings the same size certainly is not a problem and many of the dirt track and circle track spindles are made that way.
Rex
-
I was just looking at the front spindle Rex suggested for Able Dog's Belly tank.
I'm having my own made but will be using bearings of the same dimension on the
inside and out. Any disadvantage with my set up?.
Thanks. :cheers:
It'll have slightly more mechanical drag but will be stronger. If you can place the wheel centerline equally between the bearings it'll be even stronger yet. That's why you see circle track cars with the spindles sticking out almost flush with the front of the wheel. They are trying to equalize at least the static forces on the bearings.
-
Thanks guys. The whole idea was to get the center line of the wheel dead center.
We'll have a thick outer spacer between the rim face and nuts as well. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
BTW, after the spindles have been machined (EN8) should they go for heat treatment?. I guess my
engineer knows but I like to get advice here first. :wink:
-
Mike, the topic to discuss with the engineer is hardness and tensile strength vs ductility. Usually you get one at the expense of the other. The failure should be bending if you hit something and it tweaks the spindle. It should not snap.
-
I would think hardening the entire spindle would be a bad idea. would you rather have it bend or shatter? Thought so...
Heat treating to relieve stress isn't a bad thing if it's been welded, but ideally you make it from a stress relieved piece of ground shafting. Often what we use at work is Acralloy, or some chro/mo steel. At work we usually make spindles that have bearings riding on them out of a forged billet of 4130 or 4140. With a forging you get the promise of a very controlled and consistent crystaline structure and any inclusions left behind will be very very small. 41 series chromo because you have a material that is hard wearing, high tensile strength yet still retains a very long fatigue life. We then put a 64 finish on the entire shaft save for where the bearing will ride which we sand to finish somewhere around 32, finer if we have the time in inclination that day. This is to minimize points where a stress fracture could start. The very fine finish can probably be skipped in this case since wheel bearings are a clearence fit, and most of the bearing work we do has the bearings heated in an induction heater and shrunk onto the shaft. We do the super fine finish in our case to aid in assembly/dissasembly. Also the customers eat that shit up. You ship a part to them that looks like ass, and no matter how functional for their purpose it is, they'll complain. Send them a part that looks like a million bucks and they'll pay a million bucks.
https://goo.gl/photos/oQAqxZjCYeiuxFC58
Some chromoly billets I turned out last summer... that all ended up in the scrap bin because the customer had specified the wrong ID for their bearings. -_-; 75% material removal!
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Thank you Bo and Ben, you both make excellent points. :cheers: :wink:
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Got the new phone talking to the PC so I should have pics included in my posts from now on. :cheers:
I have my electrical accessory sponsor coming over today. He'll be checking on what I'll need on Mil spec connectors
fasteners etc.
-
:cheers:
-
Mike, its good to have a second set of spindles made up so you have spares if something happens like spinning a bearing.
-
Bo, in time maybe but right now survival is the key!. :roll:
-
I figured out how to upload pics to the Windows 10 "machine" from my old phone. :-o
I found a test piece in a mold that I was going to use to mount fuel filters.
It works for my fuel pumps as well so I'll be making 4 over the next week or so.
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Been thinking about sealing off the area around my tandem steer front end.
I'm going to build a cover to go over the wheels etc but with the flat floor
and cutouts for the tires the dust is still going to get in so I figure my best
option is to make sure the chassis is sealed from the front bulkhead backward. Cockpit area.
The only pieces in the nose section are the two pneumatic rams, the control box and the wheels.
Your thoughts?. Thanks in advance.
-
Smart move on sealing.
-
also you might consider a positive air flow through it with forward facing scoops from up above and rear facing vents down below
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Point taken Sparky. Best solution yet. Thanks my friend. :cheers:
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Got the title for my bike today. Gotta wait 10 days to collect the original new documents.
Then she'll be sold. Heart breaker but it's necessary. I had an invite to Sturgis based just on the innovative components
and now I have to let her go for peanuts.
Unless my cousin has a real fast pony running this weekend at 100/1 odds!!!! :evil: :roll:
It happened before. :-D :-D :-D
I need M/T rubber. Only in Africa do you pay the price of a small car for tires from the States if you're lucky enough
to get them. :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
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Offing the bike is the ultimate sacrifice. Any way to do something less drastic like selling the dogs, wife, or house? Maybe cutting of an arm or leg and selling it to the transplant bank?
-
Bo, I need the rubber so stuff's gotta go.
Salt fever rules.
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I had a great meeting with Andre Kruger and Claude Middleton at Hellermanntyton
this morning. Super guys, nice to deal with.
I saw all the products I'm getting for the long car. They manufacture top quality zip ties
Mil Spec connectors, sleeving and all electrical related products.
As soon as I get said products I'll post pics.
Thanks Claude and Andre. You made my day. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Also dropped my front uprights (spindle housings) at Arma Gear for machining.
The parts should turn out great. :cheers:
I also got confirmation from Clyde Beattie of UVEX that they are sponsoring safety eye wear so no more foreign
bodies in eye balls. :cheers:
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Mike, Sounds like you are back in the mood. The rubber will come when it's time.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Yup, back in the saddle.
You're right, the rubber will come.
Thanks Doug, always inspiring. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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My radiator box is made up from composite Carbon/honeycomb panels
and the pipe fittings were bonded with epoxy adhesive from the outside.
I needed extra bracing on the inside so I devised a split collar for each pipe
also to be bonded with epoxy.
The whole interior of the box still has peel ply attached so I cut sections out
where needed. The ply also protects from spills and runny resin for now.
Pics show the top tube with the area around it cleared of peel ply
and then the collars bonded to both box and tube.
I used a zip tie to keep the two halves in place and created clamping pressure
with a piece of stainless steel tubing with a threaded rod and big washers on each end.
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Once the epoxy had cured overnight I removed all the hardware and cut away the zip tie.
I repeated the process with the lower pipe and it's exactly what was required.
The inserts in the box for mounting to the chassis are bonded in and tabs welded on.
All I need to do now is remove the box, extract the radiator, remove remaining peel
ply and seal the inside with a last coat of resin.
Inserts also get a layer of fabric to prevent leaks. :cheers:
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More pics of the radiator box sealing.
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I started building the frames for mounting the dust covers on the front end.
Once the panels are built I'll drill the holes from the metal back and then weld on the anchor nuts.
I managed to get both sides of the front wheel done.
Got the bottom rail done on the right rear and welded that in place.
Hopefully I'll be able to finish the rest Thursday.
My first girlfriend whom I haven't seen in 35 years is coming over to visit tomorrow.
No work slated, gotta be clean and smell nice. :cheers:
BTW, she's bringing a sample of the thermal blanket I'll be using around the turbos.
Weird how stuff works. I call this company about thermal blankets and she answered.
For those of you with funny ideas, I'm not a married man. :-D :-D :-D
I'll be on my best behaviour. :wink:
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Mike;
"Be on my best behavior" :wink:
It happened to me- I had not seen this woman in 38 years; the first girl I was truly in love with back in high school. She had hardly changed at all. We were engaged for a while but it didn't transition from a wonderful love affair to a marriage. I think of her every time I hear the song "Long Ago And Far Away".
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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I married the wrong girl and my friend still calls her "THAT WOMAN". :evil:
Good thing it never lasted long. I'm told she hasn't aged well and is a nasty, bitter person.
I had a choice racing or marriage. :-D :-D :-D
I guess I chose well. Just look at where I ended up??????. Roller Coaster Central. :cheers: :cheers:
Do they call them long cars because of how long they are or how LONG they take to build?.
Those two dust cover frames took two days to make. :cry: :cry:
I'll be a good boy Neil. No hanky panky.
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No, Mike- no hanky-panky, ever. My wife Joline is wonderful and I am very happy with her. I'm lucky I guess.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike, don't worry about "hanky panky". What's h-p to some -- is just fine and normal and dandy for others. Heck -- what some folks call "hanky-panky" might be what Nancy and I call a pleasant evening visiting with a friend or two. :evil:
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Integrity intact. No one was injured during the meeting. :wink:
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I got the front dust cover frames in.
Almost finished the welding but the Mig torch
gave out after more than 10 years hard labour.
I'll spoil myself with a direct replacement.
At least I don't have to go through the middle
man (Guido) anymore. Binzel sells directly to the
public. I'm out of Tig electrodes too so it's time for
some one stop shopping. :cheers:
I thought I was almost done with welding the chassis
but I keep finding more and more that needs doing.
Hoping to get my front uprights today. I know Arma Gear
worked the weekend and my parts were on the list.
Maybe I'll have pics later.
I've given myself a month to finish the welding. :evil:
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Integrity intact. No one was injured during the meeting. :wink:
I have lost all faith and respect..................... :evil:
-
Which implies, it would seem, that you think you had some of each in previous days... :roll:
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I thought you guys were my friends?. :-D
Getting back to the build.
I'm under pressure with a suspected blown motor on my compressor.
No air= no air tools. Strike 1.
Funds supposedly paid into my account for a job aren't there.
No welding torch purchase. Strike 2.
I can't raise anyone at Arma Gear. All my materials and drawings are sitting
there = no progress. Strike 3.
Maybe "unnecessary" at this stage but my Simpson Shark that was being airbrushed
with a new look paint job hasn't arrived and the "artiste" isn't answering my calls or emails.
It's been 2 months.
Strike 4.
I could go on and on.
I want to post pics and show some progress but alas there won't be a thing for a while.
I must be the invisible man!!!. "What we have here is a failure to communicate". :x :x :x :evil:
Might be time to go back to the old days. :wink:
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Some how, Mike, I don't think you were hunting coyotes!
Rex
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Mike, I just knew there was something else I liked about you! That's a dilly of a ghillie! :cheers:
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Do they call them long cars because of how long they are or how LONG they take to build?.
LONG CARS
Takes a long time
to build a long car
that runs on the long course
for a shorter time the better
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Arma Gear came through!!!!!.
I'm so stressed over this build and lately I'm a little quick to judge. :oops:
When one has sponsors you need to be on the ball 24/7 because they've
invested in the project and I won't let them down.
I'm getting the first two parts Monday. I was offered a drive at a testing session
in a single seater race car owned by Veron at Arma on Wednesday but I had to turn it down. I don't have a helmet yet.
Willie and I are still going to the track. He's never been and does so much for me I have to take him. :wink:
I'll definitely post pics and when the next test happens hopefully I'll have the helmet back.
I did quite a bit of work on my radiator box today and I'll test it for leaks tomorrow.
One less part on the "long" list. Pics tomorrow night.
Also cleaned the workshop!!!!!. I generated a lot of steel off cuts but don't want to throw them out
because you always need a piece here or there. Packed the stuff in a neatish pile.
I have sponsors coming over next week and don't want drive them away.
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[I want to post pics and show some progress but alas there won't be a thing for a while.
I must be the invisible man!!!. "What we have here is a failure to communicate". :x :x :x :evil:
Might be time to go back to the old days. :wink:]
First, allow me to say how well your build is coming along. Very nice workmanship. I am quite excited to see this car complete.
Next, with a ghillie like that, you need to be worried someone isn't hunting you.
John
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Thanks John and the same to you on your build.
Nah, not me in the Ghillie this time! :-D
These days I only hunt sponsorship. 8-)
BTW, I also raced a car with a Hewland box (FT 300) and I was really hard on it.
My race engineer was ex F1 and he used to toss ratios and dog rings in the trash
after a 20 lap race. He said I did in 20 laps what it took the F1 drivers 75 laps to do.
I had a 5th gear ratio that was a 24/29 I think??? and recorded the highest speed ever
at the old Kyalami track. I still want to throw up when I smell that gearbox oil.My punishment was
to pull out all the gears and refit the new afterward.
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Earlier I wrote that I was sealing my radiator box.
Pictured is the right side. The top hat mounting bushings bonded in from the inside
were threaded right through so I had to blank them off.
Two layers of 40 gram glass fabric, one carbon, one more fine 40 and some peel ply.
Done!!!. You'll see the shiny areas left and right on the rim. The third is actually behind the radiator
and not visible.
I'll post pics of the various steps on the left side later. :cheers:
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Left side done.
First pic is of the three bushings.
Second of the mini Makita belt sander used to polish off excess adhesive.
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The bushing after clean up.
Bolt thread dipped in release agent.
Some pink drop can be seen at bottom.
I screwed the bolts in before the release cured.
It seals as well as does what it was intended for.
-
The bolts from the outside. Excess release agent can be seen dripping down.
That will be washed off with water on completion.
Resin mixed with filler applied to all three bushings
to give the glass and Carbon a smooth transition over the washer
part of the bushing.
-
I laid up the first layer of fine weave glass and used my finger
to flatten the top of the bushing and to create as smooth a surface
as possible. After wetting out the glass I added a layer of Carbon, 2 more layers of
the fine glass and peel ply to finish.
-
Job done.
The parts are curing so I'll have to wait a while to remove the peel ply and do the water test. :cheers:
-
Leak test was a success.
I left the tank for about 2 hours and it never leaked a drop. :cheers:
The drain plug was sweating but I never had a fibre washer on the bolt.
I'll remedy that next week.
Tank capacity without radiator is 85L and it took 40 minutes to drain.
Not sure what displacement the radiator will be but I figure maybe 10L.
All up weight with tank, lid, radiator and coolant should be about 100L.
I'm happy. :-D :-D :-D
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Mike, that looks great. I can`t do glass or carbon fibre work for beans. I have to use steel or aluminum. Really like your one job at a time approach. The only way to eat an Elephant, as it were....
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Thanks Paul, coming from you it is much appreciated. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
This elephant requires Maalox, big time!.
I get help from above for sure. :wink:
Say hi to Bob for me when you see him. God Bless.
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Just wanted to ask advice on the radiator box?.
We're going to fill it with ice. What happens to the radiator fins?.
They're going to get damaged for sure but I guess if it's a water to water system that won't matter or am I wrong?.
Any input will be welcome. Thanks guys. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Hmmm...Maybe a semi-fine mesh screen to prevent the cubes from bouncing off the fins?
-
Jerry, I've got some punched plate with 1/4" holes?.
-
With 85 liters of water in the "box" (that is 38+ gallons for us dimensionally inept) I would doubt that you would even need ice. You will need a good water pump for the engine and one to circulate the water in the box and you need some sort of temperature control system to insure that the engine is running at the optimum temp.
Rex
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I should have converted the litres to gallons before posting. Sorry!. :oops:
The pump I have is a good one. Weiand 8209.
The radiator is smaller than the one that was with the 351C
so I figure with it not being far away from the motor it should be OK.
BTW, do I still need the thermostat?.
Rex, this puts a new wrinkle on the whole thing.
The pump to circulate the water in the tank has me confused. This
is my first rodeo and I obviously need guidance. Will you please elaborate?.
I'm not Rockefeller with seven motors. I've got one shot at this.
Thanks for your advice. I appreciate it. :cheers:
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To eliminate the need for a circulation pump inside the box, if possible at this point, remount the radiator horizontally, or as near horizontally as possible and utilize the thermosiphon effect to circulate the box water. That is, water heated by the radiator rises, then flows laterally to the box walls and then down around the outside edges of the radiator to below the radiator and thence upward through the radiator again.
If ice is to be used, you will want a large “hatch” through which to load it. Consider a kayak storage compartment hatch--convenient to operate and water and corrosion proof.
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Hi IO, thanks and I do have a large kayak storage screw in hatch.
I'm thinking of putting a second one on the opposite side of the radiator
because currently we'll only be able to ice one side. The radiator is acting
as a divider at present.
I'll check if I can position the radiator as you described.
I'm a little worried about bleeding the system if I lay it over too far.
Thanks so much for your input. :cheers:
BTW Rex the capacity is only 22,45 gallons.
-
nearly 24 1/2 GALLONS ??? Is a radiator even needed? Or is that, with a thermostat the way to regulate the heat??
-
Boy you are right! I was trusting my memory for the conversion of liters to gallons and used 2.2 l/g rather than 3.78l/g. I'll blame it on excessive age and Jamesons!
If you can lay the radiator over as IO recommended you can then use temperature differential to get some water movement. I would still recommend some sort of pump with internal baffling to make the cooling water circulate through the radiator core. I would highly recommend a thermostat as it will ensure that the engine is at operating temp before you run it. I always recommend the mid 80s BMW 320i thermostat as it is a three port design that circulates the water in the engine cooling jacket through the engine until operating temp is meet and then it modulates the incoming cooling water to maintain that temp. You can get them on Ebay for around $15.
Rex
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Boy you are right! I was trusting my memory for the conversion of liters to gallons and used 2.2 l/g rather than 3.78l/g. I'll blame it on excessive age and Jamesons!
Rex
Pounds per kilo... liters per gallon.... shots in a fifth.... nobody really pays attention to that stuff anyway :-D
You just pour a couple of fingers of Jameson in a glass.... I usually measure with the index and little :roll:
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I don't drink anymore but when I did measurements never counted. :-D
I'll be using a thermostat. The Ford Cleveland is a little different to
the other Fords.
Local parts stores listed one thermostat part no for the Windsors and Cleveland but there's
a difference. The 351C has a concave disc (removable if rusted) inside the
thermostat housing on the block. There's a hole in the disc. The correct thermostat
has a plunger that seals off the bypass when it opens. The others don't.
Hard to tell the difference until you check properly.
Wolfgang is my American parts supplier and he showed me the difference between the thermostats.
I bought 3.
There a quite a few Panteras here and guys were changing to Chev 350s because the Fords ran too
hot. Wrong thermostat was the problem.
I'm not sure what pump I can find to circulate the water in the tank or where it could be mounted.
Space is limited in that area.
Thanks for all the advice.
-
aa small boat bilge pump would do or a tank mounted efi fuel pump
both can run submerged
-
Thanks Sparky, I know where I can both. :-D :-D
Trying to sort out my compressor. The motor blew. :x :x :x
I found the problem and without too much detail even the plastic fan melted.
-
aa small boat bilge pump would do or a tank mounted efi fuel pump
both can run submerged
You can also use Jabsco external pumps successfully. I have used several 110v ones for dyno preheat water circulation. "Water Puppy" model I think.
http://www.amazon.com/Jabsco-18660-0121-Flexible-Impeller-380-GPH/dp/B000O8FBDE
OR, in Europe:
https://www.jabscoshop.com/jabsco/
Various voltages available.
Something with a bronze pump body and flexible impeller should work, and last forever.
:cheers:
Fordboy
-
12V dc pump for saltwater and fresh water applications . Permanent Magnetic Rotor 1.voltage: DC 6v ~ 12v; 18W 2.head: 1.5m ~ 7m, 3.flow: 246 ~ 800L / H, Inlet dia 16mm, outlet dia 12mm
Multi purpose DC 12v Submersible Pump
Can be used for DIY Auto Top Off, Create extra movement in your sump, Use as an extremely low powered uplift pump.
Only $20.
-
A while back I built a one piece front end, floor tray and rear wing for Kyle's Mazda3
drag car. They were out testing last week and the news I got is that it's the fastest FWD
car in the country. 8sec@6000ft altitude. He's over the moon. It tracked straight as opposed to before we did the mods.
Great kid. Also my motor machinist with a Serdi machine.. :-D
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A while back I built a one piece front end, floor tray and rear wing for Kyle's Mazda3
drag car. They were out testing last week and the news I got is that it's the fastest FWD
car in the country. 8sec@6000ft altitude. He's over the moon. It tracked straight as opposed to before we did the mods.
Great kid. Also my motor machinist with a Serdi machine.. :-D
Front end looks great all "tarted up"!
If he is any good as a machinist, keep the relationship "cultivated", expert tradesmen are a dying breed . . . . .
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Thanks Mark, the business is 45 years old. Kyle's late father founded the company
and the youngster is top notch like his dad.
He knows the trade and I trust him 100%.
He's also one half of my turbo crew. :cheers:
I know what you mean about the expert tradesmen disappearing.
Sad state.
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You must all be tired of me not posting build pics and reporting on progress
but things are at a standstill here right now.
Waiting for parts and replacement equipment so I'm kind of on vacation. :roll:
This situation is crazy. New sponsors are flocking to the project.
UVEX came in with safety eye wear. I won't be needing safety glasses or goggles
ever again. I asked for grey tint lenses but I got six pairs of clear and 2 googles.
Jarryd Swanepoel said no problem and he'd swing by in a few days with the right
color. I asked him to take back the clear variety but he said I should keep them.
I also got 5 pairs of work gloves and when he comes back he's bringing ear plugs.
Thanks UVEX, Clyde Beattie and Jarryd. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
One email to World of Workwear and now I'm getting safety footwear.
2 pairs of boots and 2 pairs of safety shoes made by Bell.
Thanks Tim Atkins. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I've been lucky around the shop foot and toe wise
but the chances of getting hurt keep growing and now i'm covered.
Now there are three extinguishers, goggles and boots to keep me safe.
My other special sponsor is Air Liquide and one of their divisions is Weld-Cut.
They supply mig torches, tig electrodes and all the other accessories.
Looks like I'm getting a new mig torch and tungsten electrodes next week.
Without all the awesome people behind me this build would be nowhere.
This car consumes everything from cutting discs to welding wire and gas
and if you see my shelves in the back of the workshop it looks like a store.
Next sponsor should be one of the banks here!!!!!!.
I'd love a big box of their product. :-D :-D :-D :-D
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Good things come to good people that wait.
FREUD
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Thanks Glenn. :cheers: :cheers:
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I've been working on my gauge panel.
I want to install the gauges and do the wiring to the first mil spec connector.
Since I've gone from Autometer over to the VDO product the original holes
I cut were too big but VDO supplied outer rings that can make up for the larger
openings. Those were too small. The ring OD and the opening ID were almost
identical so I had to make a plan. The second solution was to clad the panel
with more Carbon but I wasn't into that.
I found an off cut of SSteel tubing that fitted inside the ring with a tiny clearance.
One layer of masking tape made up for the gap.
I gave the set up a good coat of PVA release agent and once it had dried I pressed
it into place on the panel. That got covered with masking tape.
I put the panel face down and poured in resin with filler. I put a little more in than I needed
so I could sand it flush later.
-
As soon as the resin got to the green stage I used my
Olfa knife to cut around the circumference as close to level as I could
going through the tape to metal. I mixed in extra catalyst and accelerator
so the fill around the ring only took about 40 minutes to cure.
After cure all I had to do was twist the steel tube and it came out leaving
the tape on the part. The release agent worked great and the tape came away
easily.
Second pic is of the top side of the panel.
-
I repeated the process 5 times before I found I was a ring short.
I'll contact my connection at VDO Monday to get another outer ring.
It's a little frustrating because I could have installed the 6 gauges tomorrow
but I've experienced way bigger problems on this build and this is a minor
hurdle.
The job turned out good so I'm happy. :cheers:
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Mike:
You always do amazing work...even when adjusting from decision to another.
BR
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Thanks Bill.
We haven't chatted in a while. My bad. I'll mail you. :cheers:
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Monday morning in sunny South Africa.
I'm determined to have my compressor working by Wednesday and a new Mig torch before the weekend.
There were a lot of things wrong on the compressor but luckily I have a spare motor (the original that stopped working in December).
It needs bearings. The sales guy that I spoke to about a new capacitor put me on the right track. On the buying list is 2 new bearings, a 45A circuit breaker for the mains and new capacitor. I still don't know how the current motor fried itself without tripping the 25A breaker. It was so bad it even melted the plastic fan and capacitor housing. There isn't one part worth saving. :-o
I'm no electrician but I'm learning.
These tools are so important to me and although I whine they've given excellent service. 10 years on the torch and 8 on the motor.
These are used all day every day and getting the new parts involves a serious tour around the city. :cheers:
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I received my tandem steer uprights from Arma Gear today.
They turned out great as per requirement. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Next step is to manufacture the spindles which when machined will be pressed
in from the rear. The big question is how to keep the spindles in place?.
Do I drill and tap, weld or both?. The question is premature but I've been doing
research on tig welding these components. The uprights are 28mm thick (ROC or Mild steel) and the
step going onto the EN8 spindles will be the same. Also to use 309 SSteel filler when welding.
The advice varies. Some say preheat not using oxy/acetylene due to the sulphur content
but rather an oven. I only have a gas oven. Others say Mig weld.
I know I'll get the right advice here so fire away. Thanks guys. :cheers:
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One more pic.
I'm super pleased with the quality.
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Mike,
I would suggest that you make the spindle at least a .005 in (.12-.15mm) over size then chill the spindle and heat the upright slide them together. Be sure that the open end of the upright has a nice champfer or radius. Then do a tig weld on the back side just as a feel good precaution. Do not weld where the spindle goes into the upright. I like the 309 filler for the TIG and remember "TIG welding is for building race cars, MIG is for building trailors!" If you have not made the spindles I would suggest drill/bore them leaving at least 6-7 mm wall thickness and do not bore the hole completely through leave at least a 6-10 mm thick piece at the back of the spindle. If you shrink the spindle into the upright then this will make the back of the spindle the tightest fit when every thing comes to a common temp plus it will give a nice surface to weld to.
Rex
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Thank you Rex. :cheers:
I was worried about the weld cracking due to the thickness of the part and the guys that suggested I not use the torch
to preheat the parts put me off in a way. I checked and I have 308 filler rods????.
I do chill the male part before pressing it into place but I was going to have the spindle made with the OD the same size as
the ID on the upright. Thanks for the heads up on the oversize dimensions.
What's the advantage of boring the spindles?.
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Mike, There is no real need to bore the spindle, I figured you would do it just for weight as it look to be fairly large in diameter. Solid is fine, I suggested the not boring completely through because when you shrink the a hollow spindle into a part the spindle will shrink somewhat because of the shrinking of the housing and if you don't drill the spindle completely through the back part that is not drilled will work almost like retaining ring in that it will not shrink like the rest of the spindle which makes it fit tighter and retain the spindle better. Remember we are only talking a few tenths here but it will definitely make the spindle more secure. Maybe you should show is what your spindle design is and then we can comment some more.
Rex
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Thank you Rex. I've taken all your advice and will use it. :cheers:
The front spindles are complicated from my point of view.
There are a myriad of questions I have concerning the design.
The first issue is that once complete I'd like both wheels in line.
I'm not sure if they need to be offset?. I not working blind because
all of you on the forum steer me in the right direction and I get regular
emails from Tom Burkland. He's my mentor. That's my feeling.
I don't do anything not related to composites without the "official'' go ahead from the forum.
The spindles are a rough sketch at present but I do have the bearings. Schaeffler (FAG)SA
brought in bearings from Germany that will do the job speed and load wise but I chose to go
with the same dimensions on both inner and outer as opposed to the OEM Ford design where
as you know the outer bearing is smaller.
The spindle design is fairly simple. It has the two steps that fit inside the uprights, a small flange and then the shaft
with the threaded end.
I'm not 100% sure on the shaft length because there are two unknowns.
When we machine the hubs i'm not sure where to put the flange in relation to the wheel offset?.
We obviously want as little load on the spindle as we can get away with.
Second issue is that I don't have tires I can fit on the wheels. I need to make sure that at full lock
they don't get near the swing arms in spite of the small steering angle and growth.
I'll post dimensions on wheel offset later.
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This Roller Coaster i'm on beats anything "Six Flags" has to offer!!!.
I know you all have your own projects but this experience is from outer space.
Without going into detail, one day we eat turkey and the next day we eat feathers.
Today is turkey day. :-D
I just hope life won't get boring once the liner's a runner. :cheers:
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Ye olde Roller Coaster is running well. She giveth and she taketh. :-D :-D :-D
Upside. Got the title for my Harley today so now I can assemble the bobber and sell it.
Bosch want to know what Lamda sensors I need. On this I'm a newbie so I don't know
what to ask for. I know I need a wide band 02 sensor for Alcohol and EGT sensors x 8 I think???.
The catalog just shows 100s of part nos so I don't know which is the correct one.
Got some spending money and 3 new sponsors. Mig, Tig torches and tungsten electrodes.
High quality SSteel hose clamps. Work boots and shoes with good toe caps. The ones I currently use
are killing me. :evil:
Downside. Bosch HQ would not release the racing ECU to the SA branch under any circumstances.
I might be getting a Fueltech system if I get very lucky. This might be a blessing because my
turbo/electronics guys know the system well.
Prayer is still the breakfast of champions so I'm going to overeat until I get what I need. :cheers:
January and February are slow months work wise and out of nowhere I'm getting too much, not that I'm complaining. :wink:
All in all not too bad here. The earnings go into the abyss (liner). "Bridge Burner" out.
-
Ask the turbo guy what sensors he likes
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You're right John, that's what I have to do. :cheers:
I'll let you know what happens.
Knowledge is key and i'm in the dark here.
This new technology is a bridge too far.
Thanks for that email and I'll take your advice.
-
Ye olde Roller Coaster is running well. She giveth and she taketh. :-D :-D :-D
Upside. Got the title for my Harley today so now I can assemble the bobber and sell it.
Bosch want to know what Lamda sensors I need. On this I'm a newbie so I don't know
what to ask for. I know I need a wide band 02 sensor for Alcohol and EGT sensors x 8 I think???.
The catalog just shows 100s of part nos so I don't know which is the correct one.
Got some spending money and 3 new sponsors. Mig, Tig torches and tungsten electrodes.
High quality SSteel hose clamps. Work boots and shoes with good toe caps. The ones I currently use
are killing me. :evil:
Downside. Bosch HQ would not release the racing ECU to the SA branch under any circumstances.
I might be getting a Fueltech system if I get very lucky. This might be a blessing because my
turbo/electronics guys know the system well.
Prayer is still the breakfast of champions so I'm going to overeat until I get what I need. :cheers:
January and February are slow months work wise and out of nowhere I'm getting too much, not that I'm complaining. :wink:
All in all not too bad here. The earnings go into the abyss (liner). "Bridge Burner" out.
once you figure out the ECU you are going to use just get the sensor that works with the ECU
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Thanks Rick. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I'm leaving all that trick stuff to my turbo guys.
We're going to go with the Fueltech FT500 Lite.
Kyle and Nassen have extensive experience with the system.
Kyle has a journal with all the info including part numbers for
the Bosch sensors and he's going to look for them tonight.
He's too busy during the day. He did say I need 2 x wide band 02 Alcohol compatible sensors
and 8 x EGT heated. The Bosch guys here can't advise because their knowledge is all OEM.
I'll have all the info by Monday.
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Try to get spares if Bosch is supplying. If the sensors are used in OEM, try to make a list so when you are at Bonneville and an O2 wide band dies, You can tell the auto parts guy you need one for a 2016 Corvette or what ever it is used on.
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Will do. Maybe I should ask for spares anyway.
I learned something from Kyle today. He's got a journal with every
single thing he's done on the dyno, what parts he's used and their numbers.
I'm going to do the same.
I'll be building the motor and fitting all parts but after that it's off to Kyle and Nassen
for the EFI and ECU. Like I said before I don't know squat about these systems and although
I'm a sponge for knowledge it's not my thing. I can do the other stuff. :cheers:
You guys always come through for me and the day the record falls (I've got that huge US flag Buddy Walker sent me)
by the time the crew arrives the flag will be draped over the liner. It will be in the cockpit under my legs on every run.
It will probably cause a stir here but if you think about it it's an American project built in SA. :wink: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I've come a long way and it's all down to friends, advisers and mentors on our forum. Thanks for getting me this far.
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I learned something from Kyle today. He's got a journal with every
single thing he's done on the dyno, what parts he's used and their numbers.
I'm going to do the same.
I'll be building the motor and fitting all parts but after that it's off to Kyle and Nassen
Mike,
If you are unable to keep an "electronic logbook" on a lap top, buy a spiral bound notebook with indexed sections. Write down all your part #'s, assembly dimensions, etc, etc. Have sections for parts descriptions; cylinder head notes; short block notes; accessories; ie: ANY and EVERYTHING.
BTW: Performance Trends sells "Engine Logbook" software. It is what I use. You can build pages in Excel or whatever spreadsheet or database software you want to use to do the same thing.
At ANY age, it is foolish to trust important details to memory. You want to be able to open your "book" and provide a part # or specification for anything you might need to replace or answer ANY question about the build. Like: What are the cam specs and where is the cam timed? You would be surprised how many of my new clients can not answer these "simple" questions at a dyno session. Notes on dyno sessions go into the "book", OR, have their own "book".
I have a handwritten spiral notebook I use "in the moment". It all goes onto my laptop that evening. YES, it is a LOT OF WORK.
One of my sayings: "Success is always more work up front. But the sweet taste of success makes up for it in the long run." Ask anybody with a record.
Information based decision making can only happen when you have: "the information". Make sure you are one of the guys who: "Gets it"
:cheers:
Fordboy
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That must be the best advice ever given on the forum. :cheers: :cheers:
Thanks so much Mark. :wink:
I'll do just that. I'm going to use a book/journal because I don't own a laptop yet.
I could have a hand me down soon though.
A journal suits me because I can write info and like Kyle does, he keeps all the leaflets that come with
products stapled to that specific page. He's got so much he needs three books and he'll be hunting info for
me this long weekend.
BTW, I found a cam but it's not suitable for what I need and has a slightly rusted journal???. It might clean up.
Dave Crower designed me a cam based on the motor info I sent him but I'll order it last
just in case we change components. His comment was that I didn't need a "big" cam for the
Cleveland because they breathe so well.
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Mike,
or for that matter, any "engine guy" reading along,
Go to the Performance Trends web site for Engine Build Log Book:
http://performancetrends.com/Engine_Log_Book_v1.htm
You don't need all the information that their program can store. But perhaps you might want to emulate that format in your notes, Excel pages, etc. Good organization is the key to finding your info, socks, spares, whatever.
Now having said that, DO NOT RIP OFF THEIR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY!!! If you want or need their product, pay the fee/cost to purchase, and use it.
As simple, and as dumb as this sounds, good development relies on the information required to NOT make the same mistakes/errors, repeatedly. You would be surprised how many "engine professionals" DO NOT understand this concept.
:cheers:
Fordboy
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Mike--back to the frt wheel off set---To be a "legal car" and not a trike the "inlines" have to be offset a measureable "slightly"---- to be a legal car.
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To Mark's "hijack" which isn't really, but sorta: I keep a three-ring binder out in the garage/shop -- filled with the instructions for the power tools. Just in case I need to know the part number for the internal filter on the weed whacker or anything -- dang, the manufacturer went to lots of trouble to transloculate (?!) the real instructions into international picture-speak -- so I'd best keep 'em in case
I need entertainment I need to repair something simple.
Paper records last better than digital ones!!!!! :cheers:
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Mark, I know all about the intellectual property stuff. My philosophy is that Karma bites!!!.
Just checked the link. That's all beyond me but thank you. I think my boys have something similar
but If I go your route I'll pay. :cheers:
I know the short block will be right (along with the heads) as far as cleanliness and related go.
Guys thought I was crazy spending two weeks cleaning a block after machining. Chased every thread
etc but you know all that stuff already. Used rolls of paper towel. I'll build the Plenum and all the parts
but the gurus need to make it run. My mentor taught me well and I might load all the finished parts and
drive the 800 miles to him so we can build the motor together. We're still a way off but I need to have the
electronics as soon as possible. It would be great to be able to use all three motors but one has 350HP and 2V
heads with a 268* cam and 600 Holley. The second one has a Torker manifold with TRW pop up pistons and MSD 7AL
and electronic dizzy. Also 4V port plate heads. Maybe 450-500HP???? I don't know, it's in bits.
Sparky, we don't have a class here for liners. Mine is the only one in Africa and going to Bonneville won't happen
unless I crack a big Pick 6 or the only ticket on the Lotto so I don't think we'll have a problem with offset.
LSR here is a bunch of guys with rolls of duct tape they use between hood and fenders. They think they'll go faster by taking
the spare wheel out of the trunk. It's nothing like you're used to. Road cars without roll cages and guys in T shirts with El Cheapo bike helmets!!!.
When the liner is done I think the country will be in shock. If we do 300 we'll get a ticker tape parade for sure. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
This car is the best kept secret in South Africa. Two problems remain. Tires and ECU, both big ticket items.
Our currency is R16/USD. R120,000 for 8 tires without shipping. Imagine paying $120,000 for rubber, that's how I feel.
Not looking for sympathy in any way. I kinda knew what I was getting into so I just gotta ride the coaster. :evil: :cry:
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"LSR here is a bunch of guys with rolls of duct tape they use between hood and fenders. They think they'll go faster by taking
the spare wheel out of the trunk. It's nothing like you're used to. Road cars without roll cages and guys in T shirts with El Cheapo bike helmets!!!."
Mike;
The present African LSR record holder? :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Tell ya what Mike...when I figure out this Powerball thingie....I will rain $$$ on your project :cheers:
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Mike:
Every time I hit a flat spot in my rebuild, when I wonder where the next $$ for parts will come from I learn from you Mike. If a guy in South Africa with fab skills , desire and determination can build a long car then I can figure out how to finish my little ole' CBGALT! The equivalent of $120,000 K US for tires puts me right back into appreciating where I am and the resources available. You deserve a ticker tape parade if you go 300 with all the obstacles overcome. Keep it going... you are an inspiration.
I read somewhere on this forum where the point was made. Someone said, "I always wanted to build an LSR car". The writer made the point....no you did not "always want to build and LSR car"...if you did you would find a way. In the states us LSR guys are 1%ers, in South Africa you must be a .001%er that have the will and the drive to build something and do something no one else there can do. Mike you are one that has taken the dream from shop talk (BS) to reality. You are past the point of no return... only path is forward. Keep doing it right... chase those threads as long as it takes. Some day in the shut down lane it will be all worth it.
BR
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Neil, if it wasn't for the Spanish stop sign you'd be spot on. :-D :-D :-D
They can't get M/T rubber in Cuba either I see.
Thanks Jerry and I know you aren't "joking" :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Bill, those are some very kind words and that's the inspiration that keeps me going.
God Bless you, you've made me quite emotional now. I don't really have words.
Now you know why you guys are my best friends!!!!.
There are 183,000 views on this build and NOT ONE negative comment. All I get
is inspiration, help and the best advice ever.
Thank you all. :cheers:
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Mike, this is in response to your concerns about the oxygen sensor. A lot of the bike guys are selecting a map that sorta should work. Then, they dyno the engine and change the trim on the maps and ignition timing to give best power and torque. They look at the indicated mixture as shown by the oxygen sensor at peak torque rpm. They adjust the maps to give that mixture at the lower rpms. They disable or remove the oxygen sensor. Some of these guys are using the shop's oxygen sensor in the tailpipe for tuning instead of having oxygen sensors on their bikes. The bikes are run open loop with the environmental sensors adjusting the mixture.
One weekend I disabled the oxygen sensors on the Triumph and rode it over Santiam Pass using only the environmental sensors to adjust the mixture. The pass is over 5,000 feet and the idea worked OK. This might be something to discuss with your tuning experts.
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Thanks Bo. I'll run it by them and let you know what they say. :wink: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, your attention to detail is an inspiration to the rest of us. :cheers: That attention to detail will help the motor live longer and make more power than a motor just thrown together. I find myself going back and rereading this thread when I get stuck for motivation. :-D
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:cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks Dan. This is why this is the best forum ever.
We all get inspiration from each other. God Bless you. :cheers: :cheers:
Sparky and Speed Limit thanks for trying to help this dumb ass on the ECU situation.
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As you all know by now voltage, amps and electronics aren't my thing.
I'm looking for advice on household electrics.
My compressor motor blew big time due to a whole bunch of factors
and the advice I got was after sorting out a new motor i should change the current 20A
circuit breaker for a 45A. I bought one.
I'm looking at the board and the switch that always tripped was the one on the left of the three center ones.
It's bridged across the top with a copper plate. Should I just replace it?. Doesn't the bridge create problems
not that I want to remove it?. It looks like the power goes through the other two first but what do I know?.
Thanks guys and no I won't work on live equipment. :-D
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Mike;
It looks like the AC line goes into the far left 2-pole breaker/GFI at the top and comes out on the bottom. There is a heavy red wire that goes from there up to the top of the three breakers that are strapped together at the top. The motor line is out the bottom of the left (of the 3 breakers).
I'd be careful about replacing the 20A beaker with a 40A one. You want the breaker to trip before the motor burns up.
Check the motor data plate-- does it show the starting current? the running current? Usually you want a breaker that is about 20-30% higher rating than the motor running current. The higher starting current is handled by the breaker's "IsqT" characteristics. It allows a larger current to flow for a short time without blowing, thus allowing the compressor motor to start. Breakers have different time constants so make sure you have a "slow-blow" characteristic.
One other thing to check- air compressors, like A/C compressors, sometimes use an "unloader valve" that bleeds off head pressure against the compressor to make it easier on the motor when it starts. See if yours has one and that it's working.
You're right-- do not work on live electrical circuits.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Breakers are there to protect the wire, not the equipment...
-
Make sure the wires in to the breaker box and out to the motor are sized for at least 40 amp. Low voltage due to too small wire will burn up motors. Test voltage with compressor running. Years ago I had a similar problem, and the cause was the wiring to the shop from the transformer on the power line was too small.
Ron
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All of the above guys. :cheers:
I had drama with the Ingersoll Rand compressor from day one. Motor related.
They gave me a new spare. For some weird reason the original started working
as designed the day the new one arrived. It stopped after 8 years and I mounted #2. That lasted 3 months.
I've spoken to an expert here and he gave me some good advice. He said the 20A
breaker was insufficient for the motor's needs according to the plate. The amps spike
for a short period on startup and the advice was to get a 45A breaker. This is why the lights
in the shop and house dimmed every time the compressor kicked in. He said the spike could be 85A for a millisecond even?.
Allan suggested I go using a process of elimination. I took his advice. The motor on the compressor
is fried. Basket case!!!!.
On the original he suggested checking bearings first. I did and they're shot. New ones today. :cheers:
I changed out the capacitor, internal circuit breaker (the cause of the original problem. 16A) for a 20A.
Now I'm going to install the 45A breaker on the mains board but will remove ceiling tiles and watch for any
weird stuff in the conduit tubing. The wiring is heavy duty because we've checked (the Electrician did) and my 300A
mig machine works fine off its own 45A breaker.
The pressure relief valve is giving problems but I drain the tank every night so the compressor started OK every morning.
It was one of those deals where you're going to get it sorted but other stuff got in the way. My fault completely.
I forgot to drain the tank one night after a hard day and in the morning Zee switched on the main in the shop to open the door so she could get her car out. The motor fried itself but the worrying thing is that when that had happened once before the 20A breaker tripped.
This time not.
One of my sponsors Mike Banks is CEO of Kraus & Naimer an Austrian company that makes high end switches and electrical components.
He's a qualified guy so I'll chat to him today and seeing as he's only 800 yards away as the crow flies he might just swing by and help.
He's also a friend, drinking buddy so I'm quietly confident he's the key. :cheers:
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We've sourced the problem and it's all bad news.
My project is dead in the water.
Our national electricity supplier decided to replace the old style meter with a new digital
unit so that they could give clients the option of prepaid and not have to employ thousands of meter readers.
All my machinery is stuffed. compressor, 2 motors @9000 bucks a pop gone.
Mig is damaged too. The new torch I got works no better than the old one I thought was broken.
Tig has a fried board. Not working. Luckily I haven't been using the plasma cutter.
I filed a complaint and got a reference no. With the Easter weekend coming up I never expected a technician
to show up until next week but he was here in two hours. He tested the voltage and we had 227,2 incoming
and 226,5 on the mains in the shop. As soon as I started welding (mig) the voltage dropped to 162.
It seems the new digital junk meter can't cut the mustard. He advised me to visit customer services tomorrow
with all the info I have plus to take damaged parts as proof. Not expecting much in compensation but I'm going anyway.
I'm in the hole to the tune of about R25,000 and can't work. Springfield Flyer's wings are clipped.
I might have to sell the house and live in a factory if I want to use machines and finish the liner.
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But look at all the money THEY saved THEMSELVES. :roll: :x Wayno
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Maybe I should be smack dab in the middle of Utah with real people??????.
I'm tired of Africa. :x
Thanks, you made me smile. :cheers:
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That is something that should have never happened, Mike. Such a line voltage droop is inexcusable.
I'd photograph all the burned boards, etc, together with a signed and dated statement by that technician as to his measurements and present it to the appropriate people. In cases like this, their first response is always "no" so you may have to escalate your claim.
My heart goes out to you, buddy.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike, I have a hard time telling you how bad I feel for you.
Let's look into a brighter future in your shop. Is the power feed single or three-phase? With the kind of loads you're presenting to the line -- maybe single-phase can't handle the big jumps in load. Not that converting to multi-phase is easy or cheap -- but if you are forced into replacing the equipment and they're paying -- hey -- go for the big time stuff.
I know -- hindsight can be wonderfully acute. But when I built the medical waste building all those years ago I saved a few bucks by buying used 3-phase stuff - 'cause most home shops didn't have the right power available.
Neil, am I right in thinking that multi-phase might be a big help?
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Thanks guys. To be brutally honest I have three friends locally and although they are great they don't help on my liner.
My true racing buddies are you guys and we've never met. My project is all about what you guys advise me on.
When I joined the forum I knew squat but over the last while I've learned a great deal. You all contributed. I'm just some dude from Africa with a dream and yet I'm treated like family. That says a lot about the American people and I love you all.
This problem is all about $$$$$. Some bean counter figured he could save/make money with this system but there was zero research.
The average home owner doesn't use a welder, compressor or plasma cutter but there are a few big retail outlets that market these products.
I'm contacting all concerned and will make sure they know that their clients will be "bitching" and blaming them for equipment failures.
I'm connected mostly through sponsors but also have other avenues. This thing isn't going to go away. I've got nothing to lose.
I can't afford to go the 3 phase route and shouldn't have to. The other system was fine until they changed it.
Watch this space. I'm just getting started. Opening salvo is tomorrow. Aim small, miss small. They will never beat me.
I've got a car to build and won't be stopped. Just another chapter in the book I'm going to write.
This roller coaster is the real deal and you want to ride it just once. :-D :-D :-D :-D
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One idea. What if they put the old unit back and you read it every month so they don't have to hire back the meter readers. They could "spot check" on occasion if they don't trust you. :roll: Wayno
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Jon;
Yes, three-phase AC power is more efficient- if it is available.
Mike, hang in there, document everything, and be persistent!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Sorry to hear that Mike. "Run to fail" and "barely adequate" are how the power and phone systems run here and we're supposed to be First World.
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Mike, what amperage is your main service panel rated at?
A meter should not effect your voltage or amperage (they are just a jumper that measures the current flow) it doesn't mater if they are mechanical or digital.
(unless the meter is defective or not properly installed)
These are the things I would check.
The meterbase jaws (check for corrosion and if they have lost their tension, also signs of heat)
All wire connections for corrosion and tightness (including the ones on the mast)
A faulty connection will read normal voltage with out load but reduced voltage under load.
If you lose the neutral it can cause the voltage to double at some devices.
Please have a qualified person check this out, it can be dangerous.
All this said, I don't know squat about the electrical system in Africa.
I hope this helps, Don
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I forgot to mention spikes caused by lightning and or substation failures.
We suffered damaged equipment last summer from a lighting strike.
I have also seen damage done by the utility wiring a transformer incorrectly.
I hope you get this sorted.
Don
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Mike, like Don says, there might be issues with the feed from the mains. Rent some equipment like you had before the disaster and take it to one of your friend's houses nearby and see if the same problem happens at his place. If it works there you know the problem is something to do with your house's hookup. The guys at the welder rental would know, too, if there were citywide problems with the new meters.
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In answer to all the above, I was at customer services early this morning.
I was really treated well and the lady was super helpful.
It turns out that the crew of "liars" that fitted the new system were contractors on commission.
We weren't obliged to accept the new smart meter. It looks like they're going to reinstall the original
good old war horse unit. :cheers:
We'll have to wait and see. I was given a claim form to fill out and I'll hand it back once I get invoices
from the compressor motor guy, welding machine and plasma cutter supplier. I've also got all the receipts
from the new parts I bought for the "fried" second compressor motor.
I now have two mig torches. There wasn't anything wrong with the old one. I'll let you guys know how it goes
and thanks for all the advice and concern. I know who my mates are. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Just another chapter in this crazy ride and I was even offered a space at a facility in Utah!!!!. Tempting stuff.
Do you guys in the US accept hard working immigrants with 5 Jack Russels and a half built liner???
How I've changed!!!. I was ready to box this morning but eventually had no reason. You can't fight people
when they're keen to help. I'll be OK but the boredom is killing me. Guess I'll have to hold my breath and work with resins. :evil:
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:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D What I read yesterday left me speechless and down---glad to know you got up and out to the customer service office---keep on trucking.
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I find it amazing what one helpful person and a smile can do :cheers:
Long cars are not for quitters :-D Please keep on keep en on :cheers:
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Thanks guys. I'll be doing a bunch of crossword puzzles, cleaning the shop, packing tools away and spending time with my friends.
I can't wait to try my new Mig torch. It's really nice.
Thanks Mike and Derick from Weld-Cut. This is a company owned by Air Liquide. They treated me like royalty and I also got some
new tungsten electrodes and 2 back caps for the tig torch. Awesome sponsors. :cheers:
The other new sponsor is World Of Workwear. They have the best work boots you'll find. I'm getting two pairs of work boots and two
pairs of shoes to keep them toes safe. Thanks Tim Atkins. :cheers:
I have another potential backer in the works that sells electric motors for just in case the electrical company doesn't come through. :-D
Amanda from Canada was over at our "hoos" for a visit. Cool to chat to someone from North America for a change. :-D
She said she loved it here and would be back.
Not bad on the eye either compared to my other Canadian buddies who all had 4 front teeth missing. Can you believe all
I wanted as a kid was to look like Bobby Clarke?. Lots of hockey fights but still got the pearly whites. :cheers:
I'm sending the EN8 material to Arma Gear after Easter so they can manufacture the front spindles. That will be exciting.
This place is pretty quiet right now with the schools closed and Monday was a public holiday so most people took three days
leave and got 8 days off. The traffic was light yesterday.
I'm going to a wake tonight for a guy who was killed on Friday while working in Afghanistan. Just a few buddies will be present and I know
the hooch will flow but I'm prepped. No going overboard. That's the plan anyway.
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:cheers: Mike---recall and enjoy the good times of the past with your buddy!!!
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My friend works in Afghanistan on and off. They guy that died Friday was part of his team and was a US citizen. RIP Brandon. Sad state of affairs. We ended up at the range to blow off steam. I used quite a few rounds and according to the youngsters I'm still an asset. Got lots of pics and video. No ghillie suits and I don't normally use ear protection but today was different. This is supposed to be a build diary but there's NADA going on in the shop so I thought i'd share this pic. One needs to be an all "rounder" I guess. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Still no decent voltage here but I'm not letting boredom get to me.
Since I've changed from the Autometer manual gauges to VDO due
to capillaries being too short I've got all these spare gauges.
I was thinking of mounting the water temp gauge on the radiator
box and I could use the oil temp elsewhere in the engine compartment
as a backup unit. I think it's a good idea and will also stimulate the brain.
I'm going crazy here with nothing to do. What do you guys think?. :cheers:
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That's what we did. 1 one the radiator box another in the oil tank.
Good idea IMO.
If you look closely at the blurry picture the gauges are in a panel to right of the drivers hip. The driver doesn't need to see them, it's for me to check when we are in line....
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Thanks Mike.
I never thought about fitting one for the Oil Tank.
I'll do that. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
My helmet is still with Ashley. We're going with a new paint scheme.
My attempt at doing the blue flake teardrops over a silver background instead of white
never panned out. I blew on too much clear and in doing so created a lip that couldn't be
sanded away. My 35 year old design is gone.
I was chased by a Green Mamba once while working on the south coast and man he wasn't big
but wouldn't give up. :evil: That was my lucky day.
I just gave Ash free rein and said surprise me.
Here's the first step in the gold King Tut deal he's got going. Lots of multi colored stripes to come.
I need the helmet back because I've been offered some testing in an F3 type car and I need the seat time. :-D
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Son, I'm with you.
Your spare Dad.
FREUD
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That helmet looks distinctive.
Gretchen was in Tasmania for awhile. I thought she moved there but she was just visiting. Now she is in Melbourne. I was looking at Australia on the globe to see if she could be any further away from Oregon besides going to the moon. Then I looked at other things on the miniature world. It looks like the ocean route from South Africa to Australia is closer and more direct than to Bonneville when the roundness of the earth is considered. There is a heck of a lot shorter distance between Lake Gairdner and the port at Adelaide than from the US coast to the salt flats. That might be an easier option.
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Thanks Freud and Bo.
Fighting on here and still holding my breath on the electricity deal. :cry:
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Good lord...Chased by a green mamba?? I thought cornering a raccoon in the garage was a sphincter locking situation..............
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Yup, 2ft long at best and only as thick as your thumb but so fast I thought I'd out run him/her.
They say the Mamba is the only snake on the planet that wakes up in a bad mood and goes out
looking for Subaru.
Seeing as I'm the same it was appropriate. :-D :-D :-D
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The MD of the company that installed that lousy smart meter was here today. 8-)
He's going to bring his top engineers back to see how to solve my problem.
They haven't experienced this malfunction before and the threat of our version of 60 Minutes
has him scrambling. He's going to install the original design analogue meter tomorrow or Friday
until they can come up with a solution. He's cool and genuinely wants to help so I have to go with the flow.
Hopefully I'll be back on the roller coaster again by the weekend. :cheers: :cheers:
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Ahhhhh just sliding down the razor blade of life are you!! :cheers:
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Hey Sparky, I guess if it all went smoothly i'd be bored.
If you aren't fighting for every inch it won't be worth it. :-D
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Ahhhhh just sliding down the razor blade of life are you!! :cheers:
OK, that was a nasty visual
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Dan, that's Sparky. If you don't know him by now???. :-D :wink: :evil: :cheers:
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The contractor refitted an old style meter but my mig is definitely damaged.
I never tried the tig out of sheer disappointment and went for a snooze instead.
Better than losing the plot I guess.
I'll submit the claim form Monday and see what happens but according to sources
I'll wait 6 to 8 weeks either way.
There's a gig in Thailand that sounded interesting with good pay but I think I'd
rather stay home. I'll find something to do. :cry:
On the good news side I'm getting Lambda sensors from Bosch tomorrow.
I could work on the body work but need the air blower and palm sander working.
Difficult without the compressor. I could do a farmer mod and hook it up to the Fiat
standing in the yard. :-D :-D :-D
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Thailand is really nice. How long? Have you ever been?
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Sorry John, no. I'm not going either at this stage.
I got some 02 sensors from Bosch today. 3 in total.
I thought they were part of the 8 EGT sensors I requested
but upon opening the package they were LS 17180.
I guess I have a spare now. Thanks Bosch SA. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Where should I mount these sensors?. On the Plenum chamber?.
No clue. :oops: :oops: :oops:
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One on each side of your helmet. :-D :evil:
Sid.
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I should have seen that one coming. :evil:
Thanks so much Sid, just took you off my favourite Kiwi list. :-D
If I take your advice maybe I don't need a HANS device!!!!. :cheers:
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Really? Does that mean if Sid is off the list I get to move up a notch?? It`s lonely here at the bottom..... :-D
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I asked a legit question and see what he did?.
I never rated one particular Kiwi as a favourite.
I like them all. Even the All Blacks. :wink:
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Oh I actually thought you were pulling our leg with that question, my bad, & I didn't know there was a Kiwi list! :|
If you have any amount of pipe length after the turbo then that's the place to put it. If not then it will have to go before the turbo to get a non contaminated reading.
Sid.
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Thanks Sid. I wasn't joking. I don't know all this Lambda tech/turbo stuff.
If I build it 'they" will come. 8-) The turbo EFI ECU Throttle body O2 sensor dudes!!!!!.
I tried asking but I'd been waiting 2 weeks so I Googled and checked what the American dudes
were using, took those part nos to Bosch and got three sensors. The EGT units are coming Friday
i'm told.
It's quiet here while I wait for my damaged electrical equipment to be replaced. I got a nice surprise today.
HellermannTyton rep Andre Kruger left a box of goodies at reception for me. It's the first of many.
Got a new laser pyrometer. The old one also from them and 18 years old only reads up to 200*C and it's manual.
A new voltmeter. Better left to the experts. Electrics are my weak point so I can't get amped.
Rolls of black electrical tape and bags of zip tie mounting blocks.
HellermannTyton is an awesome company and the people treat me so well.
From the security guard right up to the director.
Thanks Charne, Monique, Andre and Claude. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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My VDO gauges are mounted in the panel and ready for wiring. :cheers:
BTW, we went from 28*C to 7* in one day. What happened to Autumn?. :-D
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My VDO gauges are mounted in the panel and ready for wiring. :cheers:
BTW, we went from 28*C to 7* in one day. What happened to Autumn?. :-D
Mike
Sounds like the same thing that happened to our early Spring here on the ridge. Feb snow and temps in April, whoda thunk?
Keep the posts coming, your tenacity in overcoming obstacles constantly inspires me. Just gotta figure out your sponsorship gathering abilities! :-D :cheers:
Ed
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Ed, I'm blessed I guess but mostly it's because this is the first long car in Africa.
The sponsors come for a look see and the deal gets sealed. It's war but like in Russia WW2
retreating was a death sentence. No going back. :-D
Once we get this liner on wheels with the body work on it I'll pull the finance sponsors for sure.
Gotta be a David Copperfield on this deal. Sweating bullets but it is what it is.
Thanks for the compliment brother. God Bless you. :cheers:
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Absolutely nothing happening on my build. About 2 months now!!.
The frustration is unbearable and I don't get much sleep at all.
Added to that, the same tools I use to build the liner I use to make
a living. No work either but I just have to handle the situation. :evil:
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Hang in there Mike. We're all hoping your electricity gets sorted out quickly. :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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Maybe, I should post the email addresses of the persons responsible for handling my claim?.
A flooded inbox might move things along. :evil:
Thanks for your comment Pete, I appreciate it. :cheers:
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That seems to be a bad deal. Now might be a good time for wiring and other electrical things. This way, your time is not wasted.
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Quick question for those that know electrics?.
Guido checked my mig machine and he says the voltage at the main should remain the same (225V) when I start welding and not drop to 202v as tested by the tech guy whose company installed the meter.
Guido claims the machine is solid and isn't damaged. Could the cables from the workshop to the DB box on the road be damaged?.
No one wants to take responsibility or tell the truth. Guido could have lied and took bucks from me for my mig machine by changing out a few parts but he's straight up. The other dude claims the analogue old type meter he reinstalled is good.
I'm confused to the point that I'm thinking of selling my house but where would I find another with all the space I have?.
I have a high tech voltmeter I don't know how to use and no one trustworthy or knowledgeable to help.
While this is all going on the liner is gathering dust. :evil:
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Too small of wiring from the street transformer to the meter will give low voltage under load (welding). I would check it at the meter, both sides (in and out) of circuit breakers and welder, all under load. If low at the meter, it is too small of wire to meter or too little transformer amperage. Not an electrician but is my understanding from past experience, hope this helps.
YMMV
Ron
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When I built my shop behind the house I had the shop set up for 200 amp service. There's a transformer on the pole one down from my shop. The house at the time had a 70 amp service. I then had them upgrade the house to 100 amp service because the wiring was already adequate for that much power and then had the house subbed off the shop. The old main breaker from the house is now the breaker for my tig machine. It's worked out really well. Generally the power run into the average suburban family dwelling is inadequate for shop use.
Pete
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Mike said: "... the voltage at the main should remain the same (225V) when I start welding and not drop to 202v as tested by the tech guy whose company installed the meter."
Am I getting this right? The voltage at the "main" dropped from 225V no load to 202V loaded? Just what "main" point - the main as in the power supplied to the service from the elec. company?
Or perhaps you mean that at you main panel the 225 there becomes 202 when it gets to the equipment.
If what the elec. utility is sending is dropping and bouncing around - it's their supply infrastructure that can't handle the load - - right? So maybe the new metering also included a new xfmr nearby and it's got a farkled connection at the drop going to you - or who knows what else.
But that's their equip at fault.
:? :?
I fixed the typo to which SB objected. Slim
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Maybe its second hand electricity Mike, it's already partly worn out when it gets to you... :roll:
yeah, ok, I'm going.....
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"xfrmr"? There's a flathead-powered rear engine modified roadster in the line?
(Maybe I'm spending too much time on entries.)
Stan
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"xfmr" = "transformer" in electro-speak. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike, the typical house wiring around here has live wires and common wires. The common wires act as grounds. We also have ground wires that supplement the common wires. They connect back to the breaker box and then go to a ground. This is often a heavy gage copper wire that is attached to a copper or copper coated stake in the ground. Sometimes it is attached to a metal pipe.
The house I am living in now has some knob and tube wiring and old two conducter cables. The common wires carry all of the grounding load. It is a very old wiring system and they had live and common wires, only, at that time. It performs poorly when I use it to power tools with a heavy demand.
One thing I did when I moved in was to wire a good ground to the breaker box and many circuits are replaced with three wire cable having ground wires. This works much better with power tools.
Something those clowns did might have severed your ground wire. It might be a good idea to check and to make sure it is in proper order. Turn off the current before you do this. The house side of a disconnected ground can be live if there is current feeding into it from a live wire somewhere.
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Thanks for all the above. I should have a real answer by tonight.
The first guy from our supplier checked all four connections. From the power supply on the street 227V.
After the new "smart meter" 227V. At the mains board in the shop 227V and on the other side 227V.
When he asked me to run a bead with the mig he stopped me within seconds. The Voltage dropped to 165V.
His opinion was that the smart meter was sub standard and his company hadn't researched properly. Then the contractor
that fitted the smart meter arrived and changed it out for an original type analogue meter. I got 202V when welding. Thinking that the mig machine was already damaged I accepted his reading. Guido says no way. His machine is solid so he'll come prove it later.
I'm actually hoping the machine IS the problem because to rewire the workshop etc will be a mission and more costly.
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will they not let you just keep the old style meter?
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How many welder outlets do you have in the shop Mike and where was he getting the 202v reading. If the drop is just from the panel to the machine you could just run surface mount wiring of adequate size for the job in conduit from the panel to new outlets. If you have room in your panel use a separate breaker for each outlet. That shouldn't be hugely expensive. It's likely that you've been welding all along with inadequate voltage.
Hope this helps.
Pete
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Sparky, the did refit the old style meter thanks. :cheers:
Pete, When I got the machine the wiring, breakers (20A) were all sub standard so the electrician went for heavier cables, a 45A breaker and fitted a proper plug for the application. Since 2007 I've never had a problem with duty cycle or poor weld quality. We'll get to the bottom of this but thanks for all the advice and help I'm getting from all you guys. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Back on the build for now. Doing drawings, delivering materials and trying to keep busy.
Pics when available. 8-)
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Spindle materials and related are at Arma Gear for CNC work.
Veron will convert my hand drawings to CAD and we should have product in a few days.
Looking forward to working on the liner again. Every bit helps. :cheers:
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Guido (my welding machine supplier) was here yesterday to check out all my machines for damage from the electric supply debacle.
They all checked out OK!!!!. :cheers:
We're good to go.
Voltage dropped from 227V to 221V at max amperage setting on the big mig machine. Acceptable I'm told as I never really use it set so high
and never for long periods.
I just need a new motor for the compressor (due next week) and I'll be up to full capacity. Longest vacation I've ever had and the stress levels were up into Valium altitude.
The upside is that I learned a lot about electricity, large corporations and apathy. All this builds character. :evil:
I collected my oil pump with new pulleys from Geraldo yesterday. Sad to take my machining away from him but Arma Gear is the sponsor now and saves me big bucks. Sweet and Sour, this deal. :cry:
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Mike:
What does not kill you makes you stronger. Great news. I was going to take up a collection to buy you a clean sine wave 100KW generator! You need to finish that go fast long car.
You inspire us.
Take care and strike and arc!
BR
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Thanks so much Bill.
Somehow I expect that kind of generosity from you and all the guys here.
God Bless you, I really appreciate the gesture. If I get into trouble, I'll yell. :cheers:
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You could power up the whole neighborhood & start making money with a 100kw gen, Mate! :-D
Sid.
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Sid, you have no idea what crazy stuff is going through my mind right now!! :-D :-D :-D
Can anyone tell me what thickness automotive wiring (in mm) I need for my gauges etc?.
There must be a top grade available to use but as you know my knowledge is zero on the subject.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
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Mike;
Gauges require very low current to operate so a small diameter wire will be OK. The biggest concern is to use a wire large enough to resist vibration damage. I'd use #18 to #22 AWG, I don't know the diameter but Google can tell you what it is. Use fine stranded wire such as aircraft wire if you can get it. It is more fatigue resistant.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Lots happened here today. Things have turned 180* in a manner of speaking.
Out of the blue the local agent for a company that produces one of the best ECU/data logging systems
called me saying he was in the area and asked to pay me a visit. The short story is that the directors
will be visiting South Africa in a few months and want to supply me with a complete turn key system.
What a surprise!!!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I also got some info that ,75mm cable will be suitable for all my wiring. Two cable sponsors have offered
me all the cabling I need. All we need is to choose who we'll go with. Exciting times and my gratitude is
at an all time high. "Never give up and have faith" works. :wink: 8-)
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Mike;
Gauges require very low current to operate so a small diameter wire will be OK. The biggest concern is to use a wire large enough to resist vibration damage. I'd use #18 to #22 AWG, I don't know the diameter but Google can tell you what it is. Use fine stranded wire such as aircraft wire if you can get it. It is more fatigue resistant.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
Neil, if I copy and paste your reply I'm sure they'll know what you're saying. Thanks a bunch. I'll let you know how I get on.
You always have the right answers. :wink: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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ehll he is just like the rest of us old geezers=== happy someone's finally asking the question lol
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Yeah, but Sparky, Neil's quick!!!!! :-D :-D :-D :-D :evil:
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for sure and his knowledge base is astronomical
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for sure and his knowledge base is astronomical
Only RADIO astronomy, Bill. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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I gotta hijack for a minnit: Did you ever get up to see the VLA over near Socorro, NM? We've biked to and past it a few times. That's a BIG radio telescope.
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Jon;
I 've never been to the VLA (Very Large Array) site but I did do the artwork for the cover of the proposal for it to the National Science Foundation when I was with NRAO in Charlottesville. My receivers were used on the telescopes at Green Bank, WV and on Kitt Peak, AZ.
This photo was taken a LONG time ago in the control room of the 140 ft telescope at Green Bank after we detected the H109 alpha emission line; yours truly at the far right.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Neil, Damn you young guys :-D
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WOW! Was that back in the vacuum tube days, Neil? :evil:
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Ja, you see!!!. He was a legend even back then. :cheers:
I'll have news on wiring by week's end.
Tom also weighed in with great advice.
Thanks all. I have a better understanding of what's involved now. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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WOW! Was that back in the vacuum tube days, Neil? :evil:
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Doug, I'm old enough to have bridged the gap between vacuum tubes, transistors, and integrated circuits. We now return to the proper topic.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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The proper topic is called "the dream". :-D
This is mine for us all. Cool pic.
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Mike, the dream is even better than shown in that photo. Really!
Now we have lots more portable toilets at the start line. :cheers: :cheers:
I thought you'd like to know.
Jon a/k/a SSS the Potentate of Porta Potties
(My volunteer job at SW is placing all six or seven dozen toilets here and there across the salt. No jokes, please - I've heard 'em all in these past ten years of towing and shoving little green buildings around the salt. :roll:)
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I normally just go in the seat. :-D :-D :-D
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You guys are just talking $hit now! :?
Sid.
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Real bed wetters hey Sid?. :roll:
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Ok..I`ll play...Did you notice Jon`s post wasn`t punctuated with even a single colon ???? :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Jerry, I was waiting. :-D :-D :-D
Sid's going to get pissed off again. :evil:
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Better pissed off - - than pissed on. :roll:
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I'm good, I didn't get any on me! :-)
Sid.
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I got started on building a box section for mounting the rear end on the liner.
The Bloodhound fan/connection that said Hakskeen Pan was bumpy put a little
scare into me so I decided to build a dual purpose mounting for shocks or struts.
I never left it there. I got hold of Barry Ashmole who has run on the Pan and asked
his advice. He says the surface is even and the only problem is dust. He did mention
that he obviously never ran at the speeds we're looking at for the liner.
The box is still in early stages of fabrication but I used some good thickness material
as a starting point.
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Inside of the 150mm section I tacked in a piece of 76 x 38 x 3mm rectangular tubing
to add stiffness and also more surface area for welding. I'll give the sides of that
some 1" beads tomorrow.
-
Dummied up the box on the chassis and it's a good fit.
Still got a bunch of work to do but it sure beats sitting
on my hands like I have been.
I missed working on the car big time but since I've come back
i'm calmer and the stress level is zero.
I had to visit two of my sponsors today to collect components.
The first guy says business is so bad I'll have to pay his cost
on the new parts. He was good enough to come on board in the
first place and I feel for him. I paid.
Second guy Keith is also awesome. Got more rattle can Dykem Blue
and High Temp black. Also Aluminum silver for the block and heads.
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I've had a set of shocks off my F2 "wing car" from the early 80s in my stash.
I can't remember the spring rate etc but Ted at Bilstein will.
They are severe heavy duty items with the amount of downforce we had
back then and I think they'll work.
I should make a lot of progress in the AM so i'm excited and can't wait.
-
Mike;
There are some spring rate calculators on the internet that are reasonably accurate. Nice shocks!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks Neil. :cheers: :cheers:
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I'm running a 4 link rear with Panhard bar and anti-roll bar.
Space is tight. I want to cut the top mountings off the diff.
I won't be using them and they're in the way.
Any comments?.
The pic shows the location of where the Panhard bar will mount.
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Shock mounts welded to box.
-
More of the same.
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Shock hung temporarily.
Still have to figure the bottom mount????.
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A short panhard bar might still allow enough sideways movement for handling issues to develop at higher speeds, a wishbone might work much better. If he doesn't chime in here send a PM to Stainless, they changed from panhard to wishbone on their lakester and found handling improvement.
Ed
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If you want to ensure it stays dead on center you could see if you have room for a watts link.
Pete
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+1 on the watts linkage..Those ears on the diff. might be a handy mounting point for that or a reversed wishbone. JB
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Thanks Ed, Jerry and Pete. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Rear end project on hold. Good thing I never cut the ears off.
I'm going to take it easy this evening and get going tomorrow
morning. The Watts, wishbone idea is better. I haven't welded
anything to the chassis yet either so no biggie. :wink:
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With rear suspension you will need to have "ZERO" body roll or it will induce yaw with that inline tandem front end & you'll be chasing that bitch all over the desert at best.
Sid.
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Dare I ask, Sid, how you happened to come about that bit of data? :roll:
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BTDT :cheers:
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Dare I ask, Sid, how you happened to come about that bit of data? :roll:
There was this little cutie called Betsy who stole my heart. :cry:
Sid.
-
Times two on Sids comment-- once Higginbotham got the tandem frt end sorted out--Ms Rose was spot on with the solid rear end we only got a little over 3 a couple of times but the steering was rock solid
-
Thanks all. In the beginning I did ask Sid's advice and he said no suspension.
The comment made by the Bloodhound connection threw me and I did
panic. I've asked guys that have run at the pan and they say it's smooth (even)
but dusty.
I'll revert to the original plan. Thanks for saving me a bunch of unnecessary
work. I don't know why I even read that "unlimited" stuff?????. :evil: :-D.
I have to get some components machined before I can post pics of the final
solution.
I was a little rusty on the first two welds anyway so it all turned out good in the end.
-
Mike, I don't see any reason you shouldn't build in a limited amount of suspension if you want to try it, so long as you totally eliminate body roll & still have the ability to replace the coil-overs with solid links if you don't like the results. That will allow you to find what works best for you & your surface.
An inline tandem front end is less responsive to inputs than a staggered tandem(on salt).
Sid.
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Thanks Sid, I wanted to make the set up dual purpose but packaging on the shock deal is a nightmare.
I'll go with your original advice. BTW, the front will be staggered slightly. :cheers:
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Damn. Blackouts started early this year. I was watching Moto3 to see if the local boy could pull off three in a row. Never saw the start or finish. Outage lasted 2 hours and more.Just found out Bradical Binder won. Good News. Bad news is my man Rossi's motor blew. Mixed fortunes but if you love bike racing you gotta take the good with the bad.
That's about it. :cheers:
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Thanks Sid, I wanted to make the set up dual purpose but packaging on the shock deal is a nightmare.
I'll go with your original advice. BTW, the front will be staggered slightly. :cheers:
Everything about a streamliner is a nightmare. :evil: I just got the material for the drive shafts between the transfer cases, $1200 was a nightmare.
Sid.
-
Well we're working stiffs!!!. :evil: :evil:
You heard that old story "we live hand to mouth". :-D :-D :-D
It's a kinda magic!.
-
Thanks Sid, I wanted to make the set up dual purpose but packaging on the shock deal is a nightmare.
I'll go with your original advice. BTW, the front will be staggered slightly. :cheers:
Are talking Sammy Swindell stagger or George Jones stagger???? :cheers:
-
LOL :cheers:
-
Oval track stagger may lead to adventure, liquid fuelled stagger may cause you to miss the adventure! :evil: :evil: :evil: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
-
Oval track stagger may lead to adventure, liquid fuelled stagger may cause you to miss the adventure! :evil: :evil: :evil: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
My old girl friend Miss Adventure :roll:
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Stagger Lee!! :-D
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slight hijack...I went to an auction at a belly-up shop that built sprint cars...first thing that caught my eye was that the only brake was on the left front wheel...you tap the brake and you ARE turning left. those guys are nuts. Back to Mike`s car. :cheers:
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Maybe I should have stuck to my roots and bought a sprint car but those big wings don't do it for me. :roll:
Here there's a constant war on this build. The outside forces are moving in. Every day a new hiccup. I've stood my ground in way more serious situations but this mental stuff you can't see, touch or drive off.
Just a guy with a dream or a nightmare depending on your point of view.
SCTA should hand out awards to any guy that rocks up at a race meeting with a liner. This is never ending. Tom said the knowledge base to build one is so wide and varied F1 pales by comparison. Something along those lines. He's on the money.
Just can't catch a break.
Going to build a 10th scale model, paint it and shop it around. That has to work. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
If it was easy, anybody could do it. Hang in there, Mike!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks Neil. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Our good friend Ron Tesinsky with The Stay In School car built this model for us. He's a hell of a metal man.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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WOW! How phuking cool is that!!
Sid.
-
Ron's wife Gail has made a run or two in your car, too, hasn't she, Sir Douglas?
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Yes, Our goal at Saltcat Racing has been to get Gail a Red Hat for the last three years. If they run, we'll get it done.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Doug, that's awesome!!!!!!.
I wish the pics were bigger???.
I was thinking of crafting something less detailed and now i'm sure. :-D
That model is pure art. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Our good friend Ron Tesinsky with The Stay In School car built this model for us. He's a hell of a metal man.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Looks a lot like my old lakester.
John
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Nothing normal about my build. I woke up the other morning prepared to build a 10th scale model but decided to check my email first.
I now have a company joining the effort that does 3D printing. My CFD guy Mark from Marcom is sending the correct format files to the new guys to allow them to produce a fairly accurate model.
It will be a 5 part deal and the components will be bonded. We just have to paint the model and it should be ready to start earning it's keep. Good News!!!!!. :cheers:
I'll keep you guys posted.
-
see there are some advantages to being in a part of the WORLD that this is strange stuff not old hat.
-
The 3D guy bailed. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
When I told him I wanted a 3ft model he had a coronary. :-D
He tells me that a model that size would cost R100,000 or $6400.
So what he was offering as sponsorship would be the size of a ball point pen.
I'm getting some Balsa tomorrow and will build a proper model with presence
and wheels that rotate. That on an oil company's board room table will make a statement!!!
Work wise I'm getting snowed under. Enough until December I figure. Some serious projects.
Drag racing related. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Feast or famine, just how my life goes too.
I built a model from a redwood 4x4 before I started building my pile, it looks like a 4x4 with sharp end's! :| :-D :?
Sid.
-
ROTFLMAO :-D
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So it's a liner then Sid. :-D
Sparky, you make me laugh. :cheers:
Today wasn't productive at all fabrication wise but other related occurrences
all added to the project getting back on track.
I grew up in the south of Johannesburg in one of the tougher neighborhoods.
So did my first girl friend. We hooked up again after 40 years. She hasn't changed
one bit. Still loyal and staunch. She organised me a new compressor motor from a company she deals with
"no charge". I'll have it Monday. Thanks Elaine, you rock!!!! 8-)
Not much going on on a Friday afternoon so I'm going to make use of the last free hours because from Monday
this workshop will be pumping. Barbecue, couple of cokes and some good music to get the weekend off to a fine start. :cheers: :cheers:
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I'd like to run in lakester class but there's a minor wheel/body line issue. :roll:
Sid.
-
Things are moving again.
My super duper hi tech fire system arrived yesterday.
I needed to get it in place to check clearances to damper,
oil pump pulleys and alternator.
My front spindles are ready to be delivered so I should have then today
or tomorrow (with pics). Just two more processes. Hubs and steering plates.
After that I should have a working steering system.
Other news is that Uniclips is on board with hose clamps. Thanks Les.
World of Workwear is supplying proper work boots and shoes so the feet
will be better protected. Thanks Vaughn and Tim.
Narrowtex gave us 500yds of chute tow line (2500Lb). Thank you Robert.
We've been promised a new compressor motor by Noble MC but Darren has been a
hard guy to get hold of. We'll get there, he's a busy guy.
Also waiting for Peter to deliver the wiring so all in all we're busy getting things together.
I also have a sheet of steel coming tomorrow to be used for firewall and other areas.
Going to be busy from here on in. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Keep it up, Mike, you're on a roll now. Glad you've got proper footwear. How's the broken finger healing.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks Doug. All good.
The finger is OK but a little sensitive. Had worse, at least it didn't glow in the dark and throb like it had its own heart. :-D :-D
More good news coming in the AM. :cheers:
-
I just read the last 4 posts in this diary.
Does that mean I'm up to date?
At least there is info about the car.
That's much better than in the past.
Hugs to my Kid,
FREUD
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Thanks Glenn, hugs to you too!.
Maybe I've been too busy reading interesting aviation related email?. :-D :-D :-D
I love every one I get. Thanks so much. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Car stuff is happening. Pics soon.
-
Your finger hurts???? Soak it in cider........................ :evil:
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Your finger hurts???? Soak it in cider........................ :evil:
From the inside??? :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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inside out---upside down
-
Guys, I'm a machine. :-D
Finger is fine. Picking my nose is a little dodgy now though!!! :roll: :roll:
No cider for me Jerry. :evil:
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There was a delay on the delivery of my front spindles.
I was told they'd be here tomorrow for me to OK the machining.
The secretary from Arma Gear called and her description of the
small issue was sketchy at best so I'll wait to see what they
manufactured. Arma is busy on a bunch of stuff so I'm not
too uptight. The parts will arrive when ready. :wink:
All these LSR projects drain the piggy bank I suppose and right
now I'm fortunate enough to have enough work to keep me busy
until I throw in the towel. Ashley who lives around the corner has
given me so much work I think my days of eking out a living are
over. He started out wanting another gate for his house and due to
space being at a premium I decided to get the thing done ASAP.
I started Friday morning welding up the rail for the runners.
Saturday I cut the material for the gate and by 14h00 I had the frame
done. Sunday I worked from 11h00 until 15h00 putting in all the bars.
The quality is very good IMO and it all left this morning. Sorry I don't have pics
of the liner construction but as soon as I get my parts I'll post.
I've never built a gate in so little time but the liner is a hungry beast and I need
to buy stuff. :evil:
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Not build diary material but you guys will understand the lengths I go to
make bucks to buy a ticket for the roller coaster ride. :-D
-
There's been a run on flat Carbon plates for the drag racing community.
3ft x 3ft and I make them on a glass top mold. The glass hasn't lasted due
to carelessness on my part and I've broken 5 plates in as many years.
I went for 8mm safety glass this time and got it at a good price.
The 18 plates to follow will pay for a bunch of components. New
cam, timing chain set and a crank trigger wheel for starters.
I also built a stand from scrap I had lying around to use for the long
lengths of steel tubing I need to cut for Ashley's tables. It's height adjustable
with a roller on top for ease of use. Not my best work but it works. :-D
Not too short on bits as I thought. Lots of resin required for the body work, tires
and the 7 outer rims need centres.
-
My Weaver oil pump is back with new toothed pulleys and I'll post
pics in the AM.
Lots of work required on the rear end and I'll be asking a million questions
of you experts in the coming weeks. Sleepless nights but we'll get it figured.
The patience is paying off and for the first time I can see light at the end of
the tunnel. Freezing weather and high winds here right now. Snow on the mountains.
You guys think Africa is all tropical but not quite. Check the pics. I wore gloves for
the first time since I hung out in an ice rink back in the hockey days.
This liner is a reality now and i'm really excited. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, you need to put pictures of that snow on the wall so you can look at them in the summer.
-
Bo, I'm at 6000ft and this cold bites. Our clothing isn't made for this weather. :-D
Some friends are going skiing soon. I guess they will put up with the short runs etc
but it's definitely not Aspen. :roll:
I met a Russian woman yesterday who works in a Home Depot type store. She was dressed
like an Eskimo so I asked why. She said Dodge, I've been here 10 years and this cold is different.
All the guys I played hockey with arrived from Canada, Austria etc at the rink wearing shorts and
T shirts their first winter. After that they dressed like us. :-D :-D :-D
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Veron from Arma Gear sent his driver around with my front spindles so I could check them out
and tell him what size nut I wanted and where to drill the holes for the split pins.
The shafts need final machining for the bearings but other than that I'm very happy. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
The upright is mild steel (i think) and the spindles are EN8. Do I need a special tig filler rod or will the normal
mild steel variety do?.
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Mike, :-D
I would suggest that it depends on if you are planning on heat treating the spindles. Because of the carbon content of the EN8, I would suggest using TigTectic 660 for joining the material to milder carbon content steel. The TT660 has nickel in it that makes it flow like butter. An alternate would be to tig braze using Silicon-Bronze. 8-)
Take care. :cheers:
Regards,
HB2 :-)
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Thanks Harold. I'll check with the engineer on the heat treatment issue before we do any welding.
I appreciate your input. God Bless. Mike. :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike,
https://www.castolin.com/ I think they have a dealer on the outskirts of Johannesburg (to the north) Another Tig rod is TT680 but I will leave those details to the tech folks at Castolin. :roll:
Interesting that you are at 6000ft and I live at 6672ft MSL. Bullet drop at these elevations is not so great as down lower Eh? :-o :-D
Best of luck on your projects. :cheers:
Regards,
HB2 :-)
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Thanks Harold, That's some awesome info there. Thank you so much. God Bless you.
I must admit I'm a little afraid to start the welding. This is a critical part and I have to get it right first time.
I've only been on the firing range at 200 yards of late because we arrive too late for a spot on the 500.
So many guys out there it's scary. At 200 we haven't and shouldn't notice a drop. I can say that a golf
ball or football (rugby) goes way further up here. Seen 55 yard field goals. :-D
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I always thought you were "higher" than me Mike! Now it's confirmed. :mrgreen:
Sid.
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:-D A lot!!!!!
How are you Sid?. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Dumb question about motor rebuilds. On the older motors there was this run in period on mineral oil etc for about 1200 miles.
Then you could change to synthetic lubricants.
What's the deal on race engines?. :cheers:
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Dumb question about motor rebuilds. On the older motors there was this run in period on mineral oil etc for about 1200 miles.
Then you could change to synthetic lubricants.
What's the deal on race engines?. :cheers:
The following is: JMHO
You still have to "run-in".
For how long, depends on how exactingly the assembly is "blue-printed", how quickly the parts will wear, and how much "run-in" time is required to get the molecules "friendly" enough with each other . . . . . .
On engines I dyno test, 1/2 hour of run-in time at light load (15% to 25% of peak torque) is how I start. I then "evaluate" based on HOT leak-down % and dynamic blow-by in CFM. The acceptable amount for that value is based on the engine's displacement. If the leak-down is not within the value I'm looking for, I determine why, and take whatever steps are required to "FIX IT". Flat tappet cams REQUIRE a "run-in" procedure at lowered valve spring pressure, which is a whole separate issue. ALL pushrod valve trains need a run-in period, even roller cams. Do not ignore the need for this.
There is no point in "SPANKING IT", unless the engine is sealed up. BHP & TQ will be down.
All of this PRESUMES that the rest of the engine operating parameters, such as oil pressure, temperatures, LEAKS, etc, ARE WITHIN ACCEPTABLE SPECS/LIMITS.
One final note: Unresolved problems, even minor ones, can resolve themselves with sudden and EXPENSIVE noises . . . . . .
Once things are sealed up on "break-in lube", you can change to a synthetic based product.
Again, JMHO Not all engine "professionals" agree on everything, AND, different parts can and do require differing procedures. Make DAM* sure you know what is required for your assembly.
:cheers:
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The man has such a wonderful command of the language, doesn't he? I mean:
"...Unresolved problems, even minor ones, can resolve themselves with sudden and EXPENSIVE noises . . ."
Someone less articulate might have said: "Duh, we were spinning the motor hard and suddenly the frickin' crank fell right out of the mother!"
See? Means the same, but one is so much nicer sounding than the other.
-
To paraphrase Daryl Waltrip..." We got computers and stuff to monitor temp. an` oil pressure an` all that stuff.....don`t know why, Just gonna spin that b*tch `til she blows "
-
Fastest Honda Jim, member here who bought my streamliner, related story of a friend who was busy wiring an oil pressure gauge into his basically from the factory truck he was racing. Jim goes: "what are you doing?", ; Putting in oil pressure gauge! "Why? it's a STOCK motor!" :cheers:
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I still run an engine in on petroleum based oil, then switch to synthetic if you like.
-
:-D A lot!!!!!
How are you Sid?. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Recovering from being hit by a Kenworth on the highway while working on a Peterbilt so not dead is good!
Sid.
-
Geez, Sid, be a bit more fair to Frieghtliner and Mack and the others when you get smashed into. Gotta be an equal opportuniy target.
Seriously - you got hurt? I missed the note from the doctor about it. :?
-
Jon, Sid doesn't kid around when it comes to stuff like this!.
I hope you're OK man?. :cheers:
I guess you could call my liner a Peter Built!!!. :-D
Not so great right now. Figuring how to mount the rear end is another nightmare.
The side to side bit is OK but the up and down (or lack of it) is giving me a hard time.
With packaging being so tight on such a narrow track I've got a problem.
I have a pretty simple idea but it looks like it will concentrate all the vertical loads
on very small areas left and right. I'll have to dummy the system up as best I can
and post pics.
-
That's funny, the way you explained your rear end pretty much sums up my right knee, it's kinda ok with going up n down but the whole leaning turning bit sucks!
What do ya get when ya have a Peterbilt, a Kenworth & a Freightliner three wide on a narrow two lane country road? A wounded Kiwi. :-P
Sid.
-
Good to hear it wasn't worse. That's dangerous work you do.
-
Been working on the rear end set up.
I'm going with a similar set up to the old Speed Demon the way the diff is mounted.
My centre portion is different but the system I'm using is fairly close.
-
The ears on the GM centre portion (i almost removed) have come in handy.
I had some doughnut type bushings machined and instead of using the sides of the
diff like SD the doughnuts are pressed in, one from each side and bolted. One on each
set is threaded.
-
I cut and drilled the channels to suit my needs and then welded them to two of the doughnuts.
The channels will accommodate the rod ends that fit the triangle still to be fabbed.
After bolting the channels to the doughnuts I welded everything together.
-
Some other angles of the components.
They'll go into the fridge tonight and be ready for pressing in the AM.
-
Few more.
-
I heated up the diff housing and pressed in the bushings that were cooled in the freezer.
It turned out good but although the surfaces are flush against each other and one end is threaded
there's this small gap that's less than 1mm between the cast iron and the EN8 bushings.
I have some welding rod that is good for cast iron to EN8. Should I tack the parts just for safety?.
-
I don't think it's necessary. There's not much shock loading on dirt or Salt like you have on pavement in drag racing. More of a slow steady load.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks Doug, those inserts went in pretty tight.
I really had to put my back into cinching them.
need a few days rest now. :-D
-
Trying to do stuff now to save time later.
I have 8mm plates to use for mounting the 8 Bosch coils to.
I really had my heart set on completing the task today.
Problem is Bosch went with a 3mm hole on the mountings.
I little small IMO but I'm no designer so instead of reaming out the 16 holes to 4mm
I'll wait for Monday and buy the right fasteners if I can find the right stuff. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
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My top triangle fitting on top of the diff looks like a no go.
The two fittings are so close I see no benefit.
I'll have to use the outer plates as the Speed Demon guys did.
I was over at Karcher to collect my sponsored goods today.
High pressure cleaner and industrial vacuum cleaner.
Many thanks to Dean Fairley and staff. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Why are you trying to cross them over? Just use the plugs you made & run them the same direction as stock GM.
Picture number 2 sucks! :-
Sid.
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Oh, man, Sid. You got me on that one. Good for you! :cheers: :cheers:
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Sid, run them to the rear?. The way they sit right now they can't be moved more than where they are.
Guess I wasted my time on that clever idea.
Yup, #2 does suck. At least it's the only thing in the shop that does!!!! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Jon, between Jerry and Sid, you need to be quick or you'll lose out every time. :cheers:
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Mike, Google Chevelle rear suspension. The arms run forward in the stock car. You should be able to do something similar using the rod ends in single shear with the bolts running through similar bushings to what you made. You may want to use a larger bolt and rod end. The other option would be to use a spherical joint in a sleeve in the rear end brackets and then use a fabricated clevis on the end of your diagonal links. You'd then have a double shear connection.
The last photo in the first article shows exactly what I mean only they use rubber or urethane bushings instead of a spherical bearing. http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/1509-heres-one-way-to-improve-the-handling-of-your-1966-chevrolet-chevelle/
Pete
-
Thanks Pete but I have another plan in place. Should have the new parts this week I hope.
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Waiting for parts and payment on the work I've done so I have to tackle other areas to keep
the ball rolling.
Started fabrication on the Aluminum plates to mount the coils. I used 10mm. Got some holes
to drill and some final shaping.
Also tacked the box/bulkhead to the chassis that goes in behind the rear end.
Some overkill between that and the gas tank.
-
Pics of the bulkhead/box section.
My front spindles were supposed to arrive yesterday so I guess I'll get them today. :evil:
-
I messed up on dimensions on where I placed the mountings
for the rear end. Outer plates needed to be inside of the
existing inners. Pulled out the Makita and cut them off.
Took a few hours and I'm still cleaning up cut marks.
The new 10mm plates are at Aquajet waiting so I'll
collect them today hopefully. We had to have them made
in two halves for fitment.
You mess up, you pay. School fees are mounting lately. :-D :-D :-D
-
One tube is cleaned up and i'm about 2/3s through the second.
Thanks to Klingspor and Brent Strydom for the unlimited supply
of abrasives. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Cutting wheels and 80 grit discs are my erasers! I plan on doing everything twice, when I am successful on the first try I beat my objective by 100%.
A friend told me one time...just do something everyday and given enough days it will get done!
Now if I can get a deal on unlimited abrasives, my mistakes would be a lot less costly!
Keep pushing Mike.
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Hey Bill, funny you should mention pushing.
I got a new motor on the compressor today after 4 months.
It came at a good price and upon paying the delivery guy I was 38 bucks short.
I asked him to wait while I went to get the shortfall. He wouldn't hear of it.
He said I'd look after him tomorrow. :-D. Cool dude.
Back to full strength, the piggy bank is fat and I'm cruising. The old Roller Coaster
is up and running. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
All I meet lately are good people. The mistakes I made are good. Imagine if you
"thought" everything you did was perfect?. It might come and bite you in the butt. :-D :-D :-D
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I need ceramic cups for my tig torch. :x
This country I live in?????.
Stockists only keep what sells.
Talk about risk averse!!!!.
I have to get into some tight spots and I either don't have the smarts or the tools
but it looks like a stick welder is the only option and I gave mine away.
I have an inch between two plates and have to get in about an inch on the sides
and four on the tops and bottoms. I thought the cups in the pic would work.
I can't find them in SA.
What say you guys?.
-
Another possible method would be to block off an area around the tubing with something not to flammable and form a small chamber that you can purge with argon and then weld in that area and repeat as you go around the tubing by extending the tungsten out of the collet long enough to get to the area to be welded . Not sure of the exact set up you have but I have done something similar several times and you can make it work. The idea is to get the weld area purged with argon before and during welding.
Rex
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Thanks Tom Burkland and Rex Schimmer. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I got similar advice from you both.
I'm going to have a go at it sometime today. Wish me luck. :wink:
-
I haven't got around to the welding yet.
Other stuff got in the way.
Been doing some shopping.
Bought 6ft of fuel rail for a whopping $20. :-D
I also took my 7 outer rims to Joe to have the centres
welded in and he was closing up shop!!!!. After the
initial shock he explained he was moving to the big
factory and not closing down. What a relief. I guess
I can wait a month for him to settle in. :cheers: :cheers:
Waiting on a pile of nuts and bolts, front spindles, wiring,
hose clamps and other bits and bobs. I love my sponsors
but they sure take their time. :lol:
-
Worked on the coil mounting plates and brackets today.
Some pics of the progress, pretty self explanatory.
-
I'll remove the Dykem, give them a good polish
and mount the coils. Shorter bolts are on order.
After that they go into bags for storage until required.
-
Mike;
If that had been a thinner mounting plate I'd suggest you not scribe layout lines in blue Dykem on the plate. Scribe lines develop fatigue cracks- especially in aluminum. A better approach is to use a thin marking pen for the layout. It's easier to clean up than Dykem, too. :-D
You are making progress; I always enjoy the pictures of your work!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Thanks Neil.
Good thing I used 10mm and we'll polish the heck out of it. :-D
I'm going to rubber mount it so hopefully we won't have too many problems..
Good to hear from you. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
I took Tom and Rex's advice and had a go at welding inside those two plates.
I'd say I had reasonable success :roll:.
-
After the welding and wrecking some Tig equipment I decided to
box the plates for added insurance.
-
My current problem is that those 2 "ears" on the GM diff are serving no purpose and are
in my way. I want to weld a 10mm plate across the top of the rod end double plates in
order to build a mount from the rear end to the top of the chassis. No suspension so
I need to come up with some sort of solution. My feeling is I want to cut the ears off and be done with it.
Time is short and I don't exactly have 5 engineers looking over my shoulder offering advice. :evil:
My gut says cut. :cheers:
-
I don't see any reason not to cut off those mounting ears, Mike.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
I'll go with you on that Neil. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Thanks, they've been bugging me from day one. :wink:
-
mine went away with the help of a cutoff wheel and grinders
-
I think that's way better than a torch Sparky. I think in this case it even works better than a plasma. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
-
Build a plate to sandwich between the backing plate & the housing, you can also drill n tap the holes to 3/8. An aluminum girdle cover with bearing cap supports is also a good idea. I know it's too late in the game now but the Camaro housing has the big torque arm mounts ideal for a solid mount.
Sid.
-
Check the weird weather.
Looked like I had an inch of snow in the yard this morning. Was hail in July????? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Got the water jet guy doing a backing plate. Been more than a week now, YAWN!!!!. :-D
-
Mike,
Are you sure that you are not in Kansas??!!! That is certainly Kansas weather, although it does look a little hilly for Kansas.
Rex
-
North Dakota. :-D
Sid.
-
Was that near your house? That is scary.
-
That little puppy ripped a shopping mall about 10 miles away to shreds.
Looks like the government is allowing more American imports. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
I've never seen wind like that in my life but if I was still 12 my kite would have been UP!!!!!!!.
-
Yeah,....When I was 12 my kite was up all the time.....................
-
New name?????
Ron
-
As usual wee digress... :roll: especially when Jerry posts....
yes the extra e is intentional :cheers:
-
Stainless, I know it's an easy target, but since it's not Friday -- just relax and let it go. He can do a fine job all by himself. :cheers:
-
Stainless, I know it's an easy target, but since it's not Friday -- just relax and let it go. He can do a fine job all by himself. :cheers:
single handedly..................
-
change hands without missing a ------???????
Ron
-
Eh-hem....
-
Guys, without Jerry we get bored so just let him be!!.
Even if he's high as a kite. :cheers:
Hey Jerry, got a nice email coming your way.
Hope you ain't afraid of lady dentists?. :-D
-
Front Stub Axles finally arrived.
They look good and are already in the deep freeze
for tomorrow's press fit and welding.
-
Two more views of the parts, threaded ends are drilled for split pins.
I have NI98 welding rod and was thinking of using it for the EN8 and Rocktuff plate?.
What do you guys suggest?. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
I thought using the press was going to be a no brainer!!!!!.
I heated the uprights, had the spindles in the deep freeze for two days and couldn't get them to move.
I gave up and had a few Tequilas. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
I'll be taking the parts over to my ex engineer Geraldo today. He'll have a solution or a bigger press.
This thing never ends. :dhorse:
-
OD too big for the ID!. :-D
Spindles need some minor machining. :evil:
I'll have them back tomorrow.
Not much going on except I have to find out what gauge wire I need for the different parts of the car. :dhorse:
-
OD too big for the ID!. :-D
Spindles need some minor machining. :evil:
I'll have them back tomorrow.
Not much going on except I have to find out what gauge wire I need for the different parts of the car. :dhorse:
Mike;
The wire size needed will depend on the length of the wire and how much current it handles. I can help you if you tell me those two things per wire.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Thanks Neil. I'll email you. :cheers:
-
OK, Mike.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
The Subaru never stops. My so called engineer and friend lost my one front wheel bearing during his "awesome" machining of hubs ans spindles that don't fit!!!!! :evil:
These bearings are imported and there's no stock at the sponsor (FAG).
In addition to that I bent the 1" plate that comprises the one upright. It's bowed 3mm due to the excessive force I used when trying to press the spindle into it. The tolerances
were way off. I have to reheat the part and get it as close as possible so Geraldo (my original engineer) can face the surfaces etc. Back to being a paying customer. :-D :-D :-D.
Lots of travelling again today. Found two bearings at an outlet at a premium price but at this stage I've been savaged pretty badly so a few more stitches aren't going to hurt.
That old roller coaster thing hey?????. :dhorse: :dhorse: :cheers:
-
Hang in there Mike. This will be remembered as just a small bump in the road in the grand scheme.
:cheers: :cheers:
-
The plate took some gentle persuasion but it's back to original shape.
What a relief and I'll drop it off at Geraldo in the AM.
We're looking good again. :wink:
My water jet guys at Aquajet came through for me again. They are awesome.
I gave them a cardboard template I made for the GM rear end housing and
the finished product turned out so good there's no grinding or finishing required.
I need to weld on two plates for the rod end which is part of my opposing
triangle set up to keep the diff centered.
Thanks D, you're right!!!!. Small bump in the road.
-
Geraldo sorted my oil pump pulleys, machined a key way, drilled and tapped for a grub screw on the pump
pulley and I need to get some key steel to finish the job. :cheers:
Some work to do on the crank pulley but we'll get to that when we build the motor.
-
It is nice to have a good machinist like Geraldo on your team.
-
Thanks Bo. He's cool. Driest sense of humour ever but he's from the north of Italy so I'm not sure if he's more Swiss or Austrian???. :-D
He's big into bird hunting so he imported a top bred Pointer pup at great expense. When the first shot was fired the dog disappeared.
They found him a mile away hiding under the truck and shivering. :-D :-D :-D
These days he just barks at the clients.
-
Some more progress on the coil mounting plates.
I managed to polish out all the scratches and I'm
pleased with the result.
When I get more SSteel washers and mountings
I'll be able to finish. :roll:
-
Really nice work, Mike!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Good stuff there mate!!
-
Hey Mike,
Looks like you are making some good parts and headway as well. Good job. :-D
While looking at the piece that attaches to the cover side of your drive axle, I thought it might be an easy solution to use some cam followers on a cross member to do the job you were describing using a triangle setup for. Because the tread is somewhat narrow and the suspension travel is not very great, seems that might save you some cost and fabrication. :wink:
Watch out for the snakes!
Regards to you and yours,
HB2 :-)
-
Thanks guys. I know I go on a little too much about how appreciative I am for all the help and advice
I get from all of you but it's true.
This liner is a PITA but you guys have kept me motivated and informed. If only you were closer I'd have someone to bounce
ideas off. Some of the concepts I have in mind get lost in translation but somehow we figure it out.
Thank you Neil for the wiring advice. :cheers: :cheers:
Harold, I'm not 100% sure on the cam follower idea but I think you're advising me to weld the outer bushing to the bars that make up the
triangle instead of rod ends?. Let me know please?. :cheers:
Finallygotit, you always have positive comments. Thanks man. :wink:
-
Mike,
Idea was to use the cam followers on each side of the "handle" portion of the steel piece that bolts to the drive axle (cover side) in order to provide a simple solution to a locating sway bar instead of a center mounted triangle sway bar. That way the drive axle is centrally located simply. Hopes that describes what I am suggesting. IF not, PM me and I can send along a sketch. 8-)
Regards,
HB2 :-)
-
Harold you'll have to send me a sketch. :-D
I'm way better looking at pics or drawings and I'll probably call myself an idiot for not understanding
first time around.
Thanks so much for offering help. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
PM on its way.
-
I have one upright and spindle combination ready for welding.
Geraldo did his magic and I need to collect the second one today
because he's going hunting tomorrow. All his Italian buddies flew
in and there won't be a Pheasant left when they leave.
Should I preheat the component before welding?. These are bulky parts.
Pics in a few hours. :cheers:
-
Pics of the hub before welding. :cheers:
-
One more from the front. :wink:
It's welded and i've got it on a hot plate where i'm reducing the
temperature gradually!!!. This is so scary.
-
When you're doing a job where you want to cool the object slowly keep a barrel of insulation around. I have a 15 gallon drum filled about 2/3 with Vermiculite loose fill insulation. Just bury the object in the insulation and leave it. Often times if the piece goes in red hot it will still be warm 24 hrs. later.
Pete
-
Pete, I have this kiln insulation material AKA fire blanket so I wrapped the part in that
but I panicked a bit so I put it on the hot plate and reduced the temp by about 20*C
over 4 hours. It's still at around 50*C but I've checked and the weld seems OK.
Geraldo said it wasn't necessary to weld but I wasn't taking chances.
I can get Vermiculite and I think it would be a good idea to go with your process.
Thanks. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I'm not overly excited about my neatness but I was wearing the wrong spectacles!!
IDIOT. :roll: :roll: :roll:
I really want to have the weld checked for integrity and for peace of mind I am.
-
I got the second spindle back from the "G" man. He's so cool. Thanks Geraldo. :cheers:
Will get to welding it today and it will be nicer looking than the first (not my neatest). :roll:
The plate that bolts to the rear end between the case and cover has the mountings welded on.
It's OK and i'm waiting for some 5/16th studs from SA Bolt.
It was 70s Friday. Willie isn't working so he hung out with me the whole day. We had 70s rock
playing, he had a few beers and I had a Tequila after I finished welding. For some reason we always
end up talking about our time in the military. Some funny stories. A farmer near where Willie was stationed
had a dam that was drying up so he called the unit to move 6 Nile Crocodiles to another one. The sergeant major
said sure and sent Willie and a bunch of other guys out in a truck with ropes. I asked Willie how big the crocs were???? :-D :-D :-D
18ft!!!!! WTF????. Not so sure if those were the "good old days".
We went out and got some Indian take out (food) and it was so good we had to go get seconds.
I had this bad feeling about being on the road yesterday so we'll do the 50 mile trip to SA Bolt
Monday.
-
Mike, if you get a chance, try Indonesian street food. It is a cross between chinese and Indian and it is real good.
-
Will do. I'm not big on chowing but I have my moments.
The missus used to have a wok and made some serious stir fries. :-D
I have a thing for Mexican food. Don't get me started Bo, I haven't had breakfast yet.
Aren't you going to Speed Week?. Or are you there already???. :cheers: :cheers:
-
I just noticed I have over 250,000 views on my build. Thanks to all that showed interest in my project
and for all the help and motivation. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I got confirmation today that my transport needs are covered for when we go to Hakskeen Pan next year.
The biggest truck trailer company has come on board as a sponsor. My liaison tells me he has a refrigerated
trailer that will be perfect for the liner. Isn't that "COOL"?. :-D
I need to build a rig to get the race car in and out of the trailer and I already have a few ideas involving an
"I" beam, rollers and a winch. I guess we'll get something figured out!!! 8-)
-
Second spindle welded. Few small things to check out and fit.
After that they back to Geraldo for final machining and then heat treatment.
Wheel outers going in for center welding tomorrow. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
These are goods days gentlemen.
The guys are out on the salt doing what they love and I'm making progress.
The miracles just keep rolling in. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
It's still not a walk in the park but things are looking up Big Time.
I need 4 or 5 bits for the car not counting rubber but I need to tidy up the house.
There are parts in every room except the bathrooms.
Look for a can of tuna and you'll find bolts.
There are gauges where the T shirts were. It's out of control.
I even found a cam where I keep my boots. Pity it isn't suitable for LSR. :roll:
I look at all the stuff and it has to go into a "liner". Man, I could open a store!!!!. :-D
My old girlfriend and first love from the early 70s arrived today bearing gifts.
I've got Jerky for months and enough Tequila to drown Mexico. Candy, chips, dips you name it.
Willie and I are going to have a good time come tomorrow. No booze though. :x
Africa is still a tough place to get things done but the people are awesome if you know how to
handle them. I learn new Subaru every day out here.
-
Send this girl across the oceans...we all need this type of help.
-
Mikie:
You amaze me. You are one heck of a salesman and promoter. It seems everyone you talk to gets on board your project. I am still trying to get a free spark plug or something. Someone told me, you have to do something on your car every day... no matter how small. Given enough days it gets done!
Spindles look great.
BR
-
Thanks guys. She's very special. Never gave up on me.
Bill, I used to sell new cars and ended my 'career" at a Toyota dealer.
Wearing a suit and sitting in traffic got to me so I bailed.
Truth is the creative thing had already decided for me. The hands were itchy!!!!.
I based my whole sales pitch on one thing. Excellent service, no BS. If you said
you'd hand over a vehicle at 3PM you did it. No excuses.
I've taken a new tack on getting sponsors. I've targeted the PA. She's the blocker and very good at it.
In addition to that she knows everything that goes on and how decisions are made.
If she likes the idea it goes straight to the CEO. It's working. :-D
I have to take two very nice ladies out for seafood lunches to show my gratitude. One wants a Pro1 cap too.
I offered and they accepted.
My turbo guy Nassen is sending me so much work lately. This Carbon fad has gone nuts in South Africa.
Guys are looking to save weight on cars and we're helping them do so. More funding for the liner. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Every day brings new surprises and I'm pretty relaxed lately. It can only get better.
-
Mike:
Interesting. I was with Toyota for 22 years. I started selling cars and worked my way up to a mid-level executive running Sotuheast Toyota Distributor's Dealer Development Department.
Good sales skills serve us well in our other activities.
BR
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I've attached a pic of the rig I'm told will transport the liner to the venue.
Obviously the branding will change but how's this for travelling in style???? :-D
I could never afford a horse and trailer like this but Bill maybe being 100%
honest with my buyers is the pay back. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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When you're doing a job where you want to cool the object slowly keep a barrel of insulation around. I have a 15 gallon drum filled about 2/3 with Vermiculite loose fill insulation. Just bury the object in the insulation and leave it. Often times if the piece goes in red hot it will still be warm 24 hrs. later.
Pete
Pete, I was taught to use a bucket of kitty litter................nice and slow
-
Mike, nice work as always. I enjoy catching up on this thread. I look forward to the day your liner hits the ground and you fire up that beast.
All the best!
:cheers: :cheers:
-
Thanks Dan, we're getting there. Just need to get that frustration word out of my vocabulary and I'll be 100% :cheers:
Busy week again but fruitful is the aim. Pics later. Been busy. :-D
-
You'll be looking like a rich guy in the Scania but how are you gunna get it out of there Mate?
Sid.
-
Building a rig with an I beam, rollers etc :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Just more cost, no biggie. Anyone have a good winch laying around????? :-D
I'll give Warn a shout. Who knows, we could get lucky.
-
Building a rig with an I beam, rollers etc :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Just more cost, no biggie. Anyone have a good winch laying around????? :-D
I'll give Warn a shout. Who knows, we could get lucky.
Anyone have a good wench laying around? :-D :-D :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Neil don't laugh so hard. :evil:
Wenches no problem here but winches cost money!!!!!. :-D :-D :-D :-D
Be WARNED!. :cheers: :wink:
Next thing this build turns on it's head and the views go over the million mark.
I refuse to get wenched in another direction. :-o
-
This build is now officially termed the Whack-A- Mole.
Never seen the game but I'm playing it every day. :-D
-
arrrrr.......I`ll be loanin` ya mine...Iffins ya don`t stick her wit yer sabre...............
-
At first glance I thought you'd found a pre-tattoo photo of Nancy, Jerry, but then I looked closely at the wench and see that she's got the wrong color eyes. Thanks anyway. :evil:
-
Slim
Just how long did it take you to find the eyes? :-D
Bill
-
Ah, it took but an instant. I'm well-trained in visually exploring pulchritude.
-
pulchritude A word that is not used often enough these days.
vic (BA in English, 1967)
-
by and over me :cry: but I did look it up!!
-
Vic, I was 10 in 1967... :evil:
-
Got a bunch of parts at the engineers, heat treatment and other.
I have much to do but I feel a little flat so I've taken the day off.
I had Les Groves from Uniclips over for a visit on Saturday morning.
He's sponsoring all the hose clamps on the car. The products are top quality
just like the gentleman who supplies them. Thanks so much Les. You made my day!!!!. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
The liner takes quite a few clamps BTW!. :-D
-
One more.
Awesome stuff. All Stainless Steel. :cheers:
-
I have to build a jig to lift the liner into the truck trailer (Still don't know the bed height).
I was thinking of welding threaded bushings into the chassis at strategic points but got to thinking
once the car is inside the trailer How am I going to hook it up to the container. Do I weld bushings into the chassis along the flanks
at 3 points per side?. Any ideas/soulutions will really help.
I had car tow hooks in mind for locating points. :cheers:
-
We always support our chassis in the middle to avoid having two halves of a car when we arrive or worse yet, on the Salt.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Thanks Doug.!!!.
-
What are the chances of having a crank trigger wheel flow jet cut?. I can't find one for a 351C anywhere.
Everything available is for Windsor motors. Thanks. :cheers:
-
What are the chances of having a crank trigger wheel flow jet cut?. I can't find one for a 351C anywhere.
Everything available is for Windsor motors. Thanks. :cheers:
WHat kind of trigger wheel are you looking for? magnetic or reluctor wheel or???
-
On the Nissans I bought two trigger wheels that were not bored and drilled to fit anything. Jack and I each mounted one on an engine. I mounted mine to the rear of the damper hub. Jack put his forward. Mostly just turning a locating diameter on the hub and trigger wheel. Drill and tap a few holes and it's done.
-
What are the chances of having a crank trigger wheel flow jet cut?. I can't find one for a 351C anywhere.
Everything available is for Windsor motors. Thanks. :cheers:
WHat kind of trigger wheel are you looking for? magnetic or reluctor wheel or???
Tough question. I wish I knew?. I'll ask the turbo guy but I think reluctor!.
There's a company here that sells universal crank trigger wheels but getting a reply from them is impossible.
Let me do some investigating and I'll know by tomorrow.
Thank for the answers guys. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
When I bought mine, which one depended on the size of the damper. Several different diameters available.
Ron
-
I had two laser cut for the KB then trued them on the lathe once they were mounted. Electromotive 60-2 Tec-3 dual plug.
Sid.
-
I use a ATI Super Damper (7,4" OD) looks like using a ruler. How much larger should the crank wheel be and what thickness?.
How many teeth because I found some pretty good diagrams on Google. I'm working blind here but
as always with the help and advice I should get a nice part made. Thanks all. :cheers:
-
Last I heard you were going to get an Electromotive crank trigger ignition. What did you end up with? If you do have an Electromotive unit, why not use a wheel from them?It really doesn't make any difference what engine you have. You just need to mount the wheel and sender.
-
The experts at Electromotive figured my system wasn't compatable for some reason.
Going with Fueltech. Rich I have no knowledge of all this ECU/EFI stuff but I suppose I need to check with my turbo/engine
management guys. I think there was a problem with the Bosch stuff vs Electromotive but could be wrong. :dhorse:
-
The tooth count is relevant to your system & the wheel dia is relevant to where you can mount the sensor amongst any other stuff you're driving off the front. You'll need an alternator to have enough voltage for the system. Wheel thickness no less than 1/8".
Sid.
-
36-1 trigger wheels are common: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=36-1+wheel&_osacat=6000&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.X36-1+trigger+wheel.TRS0&_nkw=36-1+trigger+wheel&_sacat=6000
Your electronics may require something else.
Mike
-
Couldn't find one for a Buick straight 8 either, so we just got one for a Chevy small block and made it fit.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
BG 3 what are you---some kind of hot rodder or something :-D
-
36-1 trigger wheels are common: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=36-1+wheel&_osacat=6000&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.X36-1+trigger+wheel.TRS0&_nkw=36-1+trigger+wheel&_sacat=6000
Your electronics may require something else.
Mike
Thanks all. I know what I need now. Something around 8" OD and 1/8" thick with 36/1 tooth count. I'm told we're running a Fueltech FT500 ECU.
I'll need to check with Nassen the turbo guy on what wheel would be best suited to the application. :cheers:
-
Insomnia!!!!. Looks like we went straight to summer again. No Spring like last year.
Too hot to sleep. :-o
Got a bunch of stuff at the engineer. I called about the progress and Geraldo said he'd call me
when the work is done. Looks like a fat bill coming but I'm ready this time. No running out of ammo this time. :-D
Need to get the energy levels up and start welding early. My helmet is painted and back after 6 months.
Not overly impressed but it is sound and very different. Let the airbrush guy loose and you take what you get I guess.
-
My painter never outdid himself but it's a freebie so no complaints. :cheers:
-
Mike, that lid is certainly - unh, mmm, ahh, distinctive. Yeah, that's what -- DisTincTive! :cheers:
-
It has a kinda Egyptian Mummy took to it!
Sid.
-
Sorta looks like KING TAURUCK's head piece you know----the boy king--- who like to play with fast chariots, thunder sticks and fish baits and such!!!
-
Howard Carter approves :cheers:
-
Ja, Kinda King Tut. Glad you noticed. The dude left out a lot of detail but hey......He's the artist. :evil:
Where I sit who will see it anyway?.
Geez, this waiting for parts is driving me nuts!!!!!!! :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse:
Jerry, is Howard Carter related to "Hurricane" Carter???????? :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
I thought he might be a little obscure with that. Howard Carter discovered King Tut's tomb. :cheers:
-
I know that but with Jerry's sense of humor I expected him to say one Carter spent years trying to get in and the other trying to get out!!!!.
We'll wait and see what he comes up with?. :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
Ah, pardon me for not getting your idea. A good one. :cheers:
-
Geez, this waiting for parts is driving me nuts!!!!!!! :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse:
[/quote]
Wait until it turns into years!! :x
Sid.
-
You didn't mean obscure. You meant cryptic. :roll: :cheers: Wayno
-
Cryptic is a good choice Wayno. :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
Parts are ready for collection.
I'll be up before that darn rooster can open his beak.
Lots to do but at least I'll be busy. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Got a box of goodies today.
Spindles ready. Steering plates done, some tubes for the rear end
and 60 jamb nuts left and right thread.
-
More pics.
Dummied up the upright to check fit. Getting M16 bolts next week so I used what I had.
Dykem on the top plate ready for drilling and reshaping.
-
Looks like Christmas came early, Mike. :-)
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Hey Neil, it's getting better thanks. I see huge progress this month. :cheers:
-
Last one of the rear end. Bars kinda in place but waiting for correct spacers for rod ends.
I want that whole deal buttoned up by Friday. It's getting old now. :dhorse:
-
Drama never stops on this build and one of my sponsors Luke Dunlee says I should write a book.
I woke up full of beans yesterday after a good night's sleep ready to tackle some serious tig work.
After collecting all the components from Geraldo I came home fired up.
I got everything set up when the little woman starts screaming from the front gate. The Jack Russells are
going nuts and by their tone I can tell it's Big problems.
Put the 1911 in my belt and ran down. By the time I got there there are two dudes busy on the electric supply box.
One heavy set and the other tall and lean. They aren't in any official uniform and have no ID but the heavy set dude
is hands on with the missus, pushing her away. It turns out they are from the same sub contractor called Landis+Gyr
that illegally fitted the last smart meter that wrecked my equipment in February. The missus is a lot older than I am
so this dude figured he was pushing "Old granny" around. One glimpse of me and the toy in my belt gave him a new
view on the situation. Short story is that they never completed their task and having witnesses one of which is a public
prosecutor helped. No SECOND new smart meter going into my box.!!!!!!! :-D
Both guys were photographed, statements made etc but the adrenaline rush left me not wanting to tig, mig or do anything
else. Ruined my day. Rosey, the dog that first alerted us to the SOBs got a pound of prime game jerky. Wildebeest to be exact.
I now have a lock on the box and would love to have included a claymore for effect. :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:
On Monday I'm off to Landis+Gyr with the warrant officer cop who was present. I already got paid out on my claim from the main electricity
supplier for damage to my property so in my mind that's the perfect admission of guilt. This tells me the sub contractor is equally if not more
to blame. I'm going to claim from them for the 5 months lost on the LSR project. I called the chief tech guy who left his number with me in March
but he's not taking calls. I'll try him all day right through the night every hour. He knows I'm onto him. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
All I want to do is build a car and I have to put up with this???????. I have a commitment to my sponsors and there's no way I'm letting them down.
This is South Africa for you. Fun in the sun and everyday is a new one. Roll on Monday. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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HMMMMM so like there is some heretic pounding in order :cheers:
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Mike, Something I learned when I got my permit. Never pull your weapon out without the intent to use it, and when you do, your life will change forever. When the ex-cop instructor said that I have never forgotten his words. The other thing is: It's better to have a waepon and not need it, than to need one and not have it. Hope all goes well on Monday.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Doug, I think that line comes from an old doper line:
"Weed will get you through times of no money better than
Money will get you through times of no weed."
I expect as few Forum folks will remember my version. :-D
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Doug, I never pulled a thing. I know the law.
My old battle weary working hands do just fine.
Thanks for the concern though. :wink:
BTW, I'm looking at getting wheel bearings for my liner's
rear end. Tom Burkland suggested the "big" Ford bearing
as opposed to the Mustang unit.
I have a Timken Part #514003.
Would these be suitable for the high speeds we expect?.
I can get metric sizes here but the OD on the Ford axles is a shade under 35mm. :evil: :evil: :evil:
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Front spindle steering arm. :cheers:
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Arms bolted on. Top one polished for coating.
I collect bolts Friday.
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I'm having a problem on my rear end. The liner's that is.
I wanted to upgrade to bigger outer bearings (Timken 514003)
which is much larger than the current Mustang 9".
I just measured and my axle OD is smaller than 1,531" for the Timken.
My axles measure 1,366". I can get metric bearings that run at very high load and speed
but they measure 35mm which is a shade (,26mm) too big for the Mustang axle. :dhorse:
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Mike, that top plate, is it held on by those four allen bolts, only? How does that middle bolt work? I have not seen anything like that before.
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That C/S M16 bolt is temporary until I get the right bolts Friday.
My bolt sponsor is 100 miles away so we try to collect stock as
little as possible. The M16 is the main bolt that holds the components together. :cheers:
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Flush Cap screw with a nut for Jamming??????
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I'm having a problem on my rear end. The liner's that is.
I wanted to upgrade to bigger outer bearings (Timken 514003)
which is much larger than the current Mustang 9".
I just measured and my axle OD is smaller than 1,531" for the Timken.
My axles measure 1,366". I can get metric bearings that run at very high load and speed
but they measure 35mm which is a shade (,26mm) too big for the Mustang axle. :dhorse:
Whats wrong with the stock bearing size?
Sid.
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Flush Cap screw with a nut for Jamming??????
The current bolts are too long and C/S. :roll:
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I've given 100% I think and i'm burnt out.
No comment on what Floydjer will say but I need a break.
The mental torture is too much. If I lived in the US i'd hook up with Gregg
and visit museums. I can't do that so fishing is my only option. :-D :-) :|
Gone fishing (if all things line up). :cheers:
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Good luck Mike!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
You'll come back refreshed! :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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if you put weights on the line they hang straight down, assuming no currents :-D
Have fun
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No such luck unfortunately.
The holiday home is shared by family and the guy with the keys is away.
Guess i'm stuck here at home.
Good thing I stayed. Some goodies arrived. 1000 rivnuts and a tool.
My client Ashley bought the tool for his project but it's mine when the job is done.
Cool dude and so genuine. :cheers:
BTW, Sparky, I PM'd you about ratios. Need some feedback please?. :-D
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geeeeeeeeeez...I get bashed BEFORE I can post a snarky comment ?? Mike, Just set fire to the open end of an Oliva serie V, crank up "Echoes' and the world will be a better place....Carry on, JB
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Because we LURVE you Jerry!!!! :-D :-D :-D :evil:
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Mike, are your rivets stainless steel or carbon steel with galvanizing or anodizing?
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Normal carbon steel, cadmium plated for the client.
I have Ally for the liner.
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Non productive day in a sense.
Got mountains of stuff to get through but had to repair a damaged door mirror
on the Chevy Spark. The little lady that lives here should have gone high but chose to
stay in her lane near the yellow line and took out a garbage can. Some dude left it on the verge
and a truck clipped it sending straight for the Chevy. Think I got it done. We'll see how it turns out in the AM.
Got a bunch of bolts from SA Bolt Friday. Great quality and as ordered. Thanks Rensia and Paul Cameron.
My other 5 coils arrived from Bosch too. Now I can mount them and store them for later.
Got it pretty good here. Most of my sponsors are east of Johannesburg and it's a PITA driving back and forth all the time.
My old girlfriend works in the heart of the industrial area so she collects all the goods for me during the week and I get them
Saturday morning along with breakfast. Staunch supporter she is and her unofficial title is team secretary!!!. :-D
I have some GM 8.5 10 bolt ratios at the gear cutter. He's manufacturing some 2:1 sets and as soon as I have pics I'll post them.
Geraldo has a length of EN19 round bar that he's turning for the front tandem steer system. I'm ordering extra on all components
so i'll have spares for in case. :wink:
Also bought a box of 10 x 2mm drill bits so I can start drilling bolts for locking wire.
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I am going to be interested in seeing you guys are going to get the 2.0 in the housing :-D
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My thoughts exactly. The guy says he can. Sparky, lets wait and see. :wink: :-D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8SXT9iMY1U
Sparky, see above. That's the machine.
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I just found out my GM 10 bolt 8.5 rear end is a 7.5 !!!!!!!. :evil:
I think?.
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Think I`ll go beat my Index 745 to death with a hammer now.................
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Jerry don't be so hard. Some guys wish they had that mill. :cheers: :wink:
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You better be on the hunt for an 8.5 housing Mate!
Sid.
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or a 12 bolt which is a 8. 875
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You better be on the hunt for an 8.5 housing Mate!
Sid.
After all work I put into the current one?????.
I thought one of you guys would have wised me up way back?.
Right now I'm not working on the project. Too dejected.
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Some pics of my coil packs.
Thanks to Xola from Bosch. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
You rock Bra!!!!
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Loctited too!!!. :wink:
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Mike- what did your differential come out of?-And year? Are any of the serial numbers still in place? I assume you have changed the bearing retainer as what is on it is not GM, certainly not 7.5" rear. The Mounting rings on the top were also older car suspension. Most of the 7.5 stuff I have seen had torque arm or similar mounts. Besides actually measuring, there are some other identifiers available on line such as these: https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=GM+12+Bolt+Axle+Identification&view=detailv2&&id=121D07F064092B4F814B29309E5FCD1C8D8E6E3A&selectedIndex=0&ccid=ji2oWTRZ&simid=607994484956332139&thid=OIP.M8e2da859345968f7f2518bf4bfedbd5aH0&ajaxhist=0
As the cover is different.
Certainly if it really is a 7.5 I can understand depression considering all your work.
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This site has considerable identification information as well as cars/years that the various rears came from:
http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_catalog/ring_and_pinions/gm_7.5_ring_and_pinions.html
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Jacksoni, my friends here suggest at 10 bolt 8.5 rear end.
I had no idea what it looked like but because I live in South Africa
I never expected to find one. First guy I called said he had one for me
so I picked it up thinking it was an 8.5. I have no idea what car it came out of.
I was measuring the crown wheel last week and that led to the discovery
that I had a 7.5. Upon checking I saw on Google that the 8.5 has a round cover etc.
I'm stuck with what I have and the dude I got it from isn't answering my calls.
Subaru happens I guess. :evil:
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OK. I didn't see a photo of the cover so not sure. Just looking at the housing, I thought likely older which would suggest is not the 7.5. I assume your measurements across the full diameter of the ring gear (crown wheel?) are correct. The problem of course is strength. High shock loads as in drag racing the small ones don't tolerate. LSR- salt/dirt etc, don't have that usually but a lot of power still is an issue. Using the best parts for R&P, spool, axles etc might allow it to live. Speak with your guys with that really fancy CNC machine ( WOW)about those issues. They may have some advice.
http://www.demandaam.com/technical-support/aam-technical-tips/to-determine-ring-gear-diameter
Can you post a photo of the back of the diff with the cover on and off?
Good luck.
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Thanks for the advice Jack. I'll look into it. God Bless. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Nice looking coil packs, Mike.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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You better be on the hunt for an 8.5 housing Mate!
Sid.
After all work I put into the current one?????.
I thought one of you guys would have wised me up way back?.
Right now I'm not working on the project. Too dejected.
You have a 7.5, we assumed you were wised up on the difference, a quick Google search shows you how to id GM axles. The "you guys" here all run the 7.5 axle with a 2.14 factory gear.
Sid.
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Busy on a plan Sid. Watch this space in a few weeks. :-D :cheers: :cheers:
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I don't follow every nut n bolt of your build or all the gum flapping, got enough of that here to suck up my time, I just pop in once in a while. Now your left hand is talking to you right hand I'm sure you'll get over this bump in the road, that's what we do! :x..... :|..... :-).
Sid.
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Thanks Sid.
I know you're collecting wood for winter. I don't envy you one bit.
You're right, this type build isn't for sissies but I've shed a few long tears.
I'll get over the bump. Thanks for always being there for me. You're a true friend. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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This one man road show can deliver a reality check with a hint of finesse. :dhorse: Come on bitch....get up!! :-P
No wood cutting for me any more. I heat the shop with Jet-A now & get about 500 gallons/yr free from the airport (sump fuel) that is non flyable plus I mix that with hydraulic oil from an elevator company in Utah. Free-ish heat.
Sid.
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I'll call your free fuel and see if I can top it: We sell a few truckloads of sawlogs of our land every four or five years, routing the $$ back through the buddy that cuts it. He then cuts and hauls and stacks our wood for us -- and we end up about $500 to the good every year. Of course -- heating with wood does mean that I visit the boiler (outside) three times/day -- for about six months. You do the math and see how often I get to go out for fresh air. Sure wish we could get natural gas delivered to us at the same kinda price. . .
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This one man road show can deliver a reality check with a hint of finesse. :dhorse:Come on bitch....get up!! :-P
No wood cutting for me any more. I heat the shop with Jet-A now & get about 500 gallons/yr free from the airport (sump fuel) that is non flyable plus I mix that with hydraulic oil from an elevator company in Utah. Free-ish heat.
Sid.
Good to hear that Sid. :-D Free-ish beats cutting wood. Good to know you'll be warm this winter. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Making progress on the side, not too much but lots in the pipeline.
Pics later. :wink:
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Guys, Alex Banach from TD Coatings offered his company's services for my project.
Now there are a whole lot of parts I'd love coated but I want something other than paint or powdercoat
for the cool parts like front stub axles etc. I also hate corrosion so I was wondering what you guys would suggest?.
I don't have big bucks like my contemporaries but my cars have always been the best turned out on fit, finish and paint.
I'm hell bent on keeping it that way. TD have many differing processes but I don't know what's best for my application.
I need advice please?. Thanks in advance. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
http://td.co.za/
http://td.co.za/pvd-coating-article/
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Mike:
I like nickel plating for structure parts and parts that get a lot of use. Nickel looks good and does not chip like paint or powder coat. It has that flat silver finish that has replaced chrome lately. Because it is not polished at the end I have found the labor cost is lower and thus cheaper.
my 2 cents.
BR
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Mike;
If you have access to electroless nickel plating, I'd recommend that for your parts. It will probably be limited to parts of a certain size due to the tank size of the plater. Electroless nickel is unique in that it can plate internal threads, blind holes, etc. I used it to plate the cylinder walls of a Corvair engine that I built. The plating hardness can get pretty high by heat treating. Pretty low friction coating, too.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike:
I like nickel plating for structure parts and parts that get a lot of use. Nickel looks good and does not chip like paint or powder coat. It has that flat silver finish that has replaced chrome lately. Because it is not polished at the end I have found the labor cost is lower and thus cheaper.
my 2 cents.
BR
^^^^^^^ What he said. And what Neil said.
I work with injection mold tooling and we use a lot of electroless nickel plating. It applies evenly and won't chip like chrome and is fairly inexpensive. You also have the option, within limits, as to how much plating you want per side. HTH
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One thing to remember here is Mike will be running on dirt not salt.
Anything structural needs to be regularly inspected so that needs to be kept in mind when it comes to coating or plating.
Sid.
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I want something that looks good and won't interfere with sizing.
The guy at TD says I won't have problems with my bearing clearances etc.
Thanks for the advice. The Nickel thing will take forever. The only guy I trust will
keep me waiting longer than I did for the helmet (9 months).
Some pics of my tandem steer units. All fine but I need to make a 1,5mm spacer plate for the upright.
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2 more pics of the same component.
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Mike,
The real advantage of electroless nickle is that it is not porous, like chrome, and therefore really provides protection against corrosion. In the off shore industry they require electroless nickle for plating of steel hydraulic manifolds that are exposed to sea water, it's that or stainless steel and machining a 2ft x 3ft blocks into a 5000 psi manifold is almost impossible with stainless and just the block is expensive if you can find one.
Rex
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Would plating give hydrogen embrittlement problems to these lovely parts ?
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Your king pin is it in bearings or bushings?
What carries the load?
Without KPI did you get zero scrub with the wheel offset?
Sid.
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Would plating give hydrogen embrittlement problems to these lovely parts ?
No, electroless nickel plating does not do that.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Your king pin is it in bearings or bushings?
What carries the load?
Without KPI did you get zero scrub with the wheel offset?
Sid.
Bearings. In the second set of pics you'll see the housing has 5 threaded holes. It can be adjusted off the centre 16mm bolt.
Sid, you always give me sleepless nights. :cry:
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Sleepless NIGHTS----LOL
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Sparky, Sid's a tough guy.
The dude's from New Zealand!!!!!.
Any South African will tell you about those Kiwis.
We respect them big time. :cheers: :cheers:
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It's all constructive Mike, don't wanna see y'all hurt yerself Mate! :mrgreen:
You're going to be putting a lot of load on those end bolts there, keep an eye on them.
Good night Johnboy.
Sid.
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I've always taken your advice and have huge respect for you friend.
I'll email you pics of all the components fitted in stages so you can tell me what you think.
Thanks Sid. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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H-e double tooth picks with the steering...let`s see more pics of that way cool vise
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The Triton is made on OZ. When I first got it I hated it because we couldn't figure how it worked. Now
I use it all day for holding stuff I want to cut or weld.
Big vise is out back but once I move my friend's Lancia I'll bring the table inside. :cheers:
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Here it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWWODa1JLAM
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I like it.
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Thanks Doug, that machine is similar. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Sid wanted to know what I had done with my front hubs.
The outer housing was machined from EN8 to suit tapered bearings
with a 1" ID. The bearings have built in dust covers. They rest on an EN19 shaft
that's threaded with a M16x2mm tap to a depth of 30mm.
The top and bottom plates are 10mm thick with a 6mm recess where the shaft
seats.
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Top plate showing recess.
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I test fitted both front and rear hubs, connected the steering arms and the system works.
It steers.
-
I still have tweak some bits and adjust steering arm lengths but it isn't binding anywhere.
-
More pics of the nightmare.
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Last one for now.
I'm quite pleased but I guess I'll run into some issues along the way. :cheers:
To change wheels the steering arms are removed, the vibration dampers unbolted
and the swing arms rotate upward unimpeded making the job less difficult.
When I eventually get some rubber???????. :roll: :evil: :cry:
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Great engineering job, Mike, you never cease to amaze me. Looks like those sleepless nites have payed off.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Doug you make me blush if that's possible but thanks for the compliment. :cheers:
All this stuff is about that one burnt bridge. :-D :-D
Worked like a mad man today. Poor neighbours if they had hangovers!!!!
Die grinder, cut off machine and angle grinder.
I only took a break to watch Brad Binder become Moto 3 world champion.
He's "Bradical". :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pics of progress tomorrow hopefully.
Shower coming up and off to bed. :mrgreen:
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Looks like sound eng. /fab work Mike....with a tandem set-up, do the wheels steer at different ratios/arcs ????
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Jerry I think it will all work as required when we do the set up.
The system is so adjustable it scares me. I'm used to setting up
a Formula car with 4 wheels but this tandem steer is all new to me.
I have to be honest when I say I copied a lot of the Speed Demon's
front end. Who better to imitate?. :-)
I get good advice here on the forum so I think I'll be OK.
Got pics of the rear end stuff to upload later. :cheers:
I got sent some pics by a guy that's a fan of F2/F Atlantic.
These photos brought back memories. :cry:
I still think I should have stuck with my original helmet paint scheme.
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A while back I was complaining about not being able to find suitable tig cups.
I persisted and I think it took about two months but I found what I what i was
looking for. R22.50 each and in $$ it's about 1.50. :-D :-D :-D :-D
My sponsor at Air Liquide put me onto a company nearby and a very nice
lady called Janine had the product waiting when I arrived. I wanted to kiss
her but she's got the flu!!!. Seriously, when I called to thank her she'd already
gone home. Sick as a dog.
The new cups work well and I finished the mounting brackets in no time.
Good tools do make you a better worker.
-
The heavy duty brackets will be welded to the rear end plates tomorrow.
These are for controlling the sideways movement. Long way to go but I
think it will work out. :cheers:
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I have a brand new tube notcher that bolts to the drill press bed
but my Fong Cong inherited drill press is so "pap" (a South African term for weak or soft)
it can't even scratch the surface of a tube so I built the whole chassis using the press with
hole saws directly off the collett. Time consuming as even the slightest pressure stops the machine.
The motor is .75Kw.
I'm almost finished with all the notching but I was thinking of building a stand alone rig to use in the
future. I know I need a motor (220v) with big power but slow speed. What I don't know is what
speed the hole saw should run at. Any advice??. Thanks guys. :cheers:
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Busy on the 2 reverse triangles that make up the side to side stabilizers.
One on top and one under the the rear end.
A while back the local genius down the road pulled the plug on me
doing a 40 grand jig for a dock leveling job because he thought my
use of the drill press was suspect because he saw me "picking"
while drilling a hole in a difficult material on a weird angle.
The dude owns a few machines like a mill, lathe and 3 axis CNC
unit.
I think the attachments prove he doesn't have a clue. :-D :-D :-D
The notching was done on the El Cheapo drill press. :roll:
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AND I made a few mistakes on measuring twice and cutting once!!! :-o
No biggie and I've had to fix many of my screw ups on the build in the past.
The side tubes were from old mistakes but I'll remove the threaded bushings
and notch the tubes accordingly. The main tube was cut too long by about
2". :evil: It will all work out and I have a good jig plate (12mm) so I'm
hoping for some success.
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I drove 80 miles to my "wheel builder". That's 40 each way. Been chatting to the guy for 2 months on the phone
and the story was he was moving the operation to the new factory. I called yesterday to inform him I would
be coming over. No problem he says.
I get there today and it turns out he never built the wheels. He jobbed it out. Why couldn't he have told me before?. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
Anyway I get to meet the real guy whose almost as far tomorrow. I wanted the current guy to send the wheels to his specialist but
he said it would be cheaper to deal direct.
2 months wasted but things work out for a reason. We did check the first wheel and it's as good as it gets. 7 to go.
That's the report from roller coaster central for now. :roll:
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Mike, is the company named: Fusterclucks-R-Us! :? I think we have all dealt with them more than we care to remember! :x
At least South African miles are shorter - right? :-D
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Hey Woody, I don't even know why I was surprised!!!!
This happens all the time. Things have changed but
we have to fight on. Actually our miles are longer.
Kilometers! :-D :-D.
I'm also guilty of not delivering though. Geo sent me
a Jaguar dash all the way from the US for me to
copy in carbon and it's kicked my butt big time.
He probably hates me right now but we'll have
another go at it. Geo, I'm sorry man. :oops: :oops: :oops:
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Mike, as per hole saw speed and feed, it can vary a lot. The best source for that info is a call to the manufacturer. Sometimes it is on their website.
Sometimes I drill in with the hole saw just enough to make a circular cut. Then, a hole or two are drilled down through the cut and through the piece. A 1/8-inch drill often is the right size. Then I finish the hole with the hole saw. I am not sure why this helps and often it does not. In some situations, though, it makes it easier.
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Bo, you're right. I actually forgot about drilling the small holes to get the hole saw some purchase. Thanks man.
I dropped my wheels off today to have the centres welded in. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I did fit the one front 15" wheel I have onto the rear end just to check the offset. All Good. The axle wasn't all the way into the tube
as it is at present. It will go further in by about 2".
Now we wait!.
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Just got a call from the wheel guy to quote me and ask for the go ahead!!!!!!.
You know what my answer was. :-D :-D :-D.
NOW i'm excited. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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:cheers:
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Mike, as per hole saw speed and feed, it can vary a lot. The best source for that info is a call to the manufacturer. Sometimes it is on their website.
Sometimes I drill in with the hole saw just enough to make a circular cut. Then, a hole or two are drilled down through the cut and through the piece. A 1/8-inch drill often is the right size. Then I finish the hole with the hole saw. I am not sure why this helps and often it does not. In some situations, though, it makes it easier.
It gives the chips an escape route as opposed grinding them into a slurry of cutting oil/ tiny ball bearings for the cutter to ride on.....Learned that one from Lil` John Buttera
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I ha e always had good results in heavy material using the slowest speed on drill press, moderate to heavy pressure and liberal use of soapy water in a squirt bottle. Even,stainless. It typically buzzes through like a hot knife in butter. And if you keep the coolant going, the cutter only barely gets warm.
-
And for strange reason that perhaps one of our resident chemists can explain....Elmer`s glues make a splendid lube/coolant when cutting stainless.
-
Pre-emptive strike.... You put the glue on the cutter...Do not sniff it..................... :evil:
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We got glue sniffers here too!!!! :-D :-D :-D
Thanks Crackerman. :cheers:
-
Tangent:
Anybody else have a vague memory of airplane glue that smelled kinda like banana? I don't think I got told not to sniff it too much -- in the 50s we didn't have all of those pesky warning labels.
-
I was looking for some high quality steel tubing for the liner a while back a really cool guy called Peter from BSPE
helped me. I posted about what he did about a year ago.
Anyway last week I was having doubts about the material I was using for the rear end mounting tubes. I was just
about ready to start welding up the triangles but decided to give Peter a call and see if he had some good stuff first.
He called Friday and said I should go to his warehouse on Saturday morning and pick up a 6m length of heavy wall
tubing. He even had Arthur waiting there for me as a favour. Art cut the tube into 4 pieces and there was no charge again!!!.
Peter says my money is no good at BSPE. There are so many awesome people around. This guy is special. :cheers: :cheers:
He did say the tube has a high Moly content and I want to use NI99 tig rods. You guys know way more than I ever will so I
want to ask if my idea is OK?.
The tube has a bunch of stuff printed on it that doesn't mean much to me.
Benteler EN10216-2-16-M03-TC2.
It's 38,04mm OD and has 4mm wall.
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Hi Mike, as a Ford guy, you will like these pix from the flugplatz today.
-
Another two.
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The last one.
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Bo, as you know Freud is big into airplanes so I'm on his mailing list.
I get emails daily and they all make for interesting reading and the video
attachments are awesome.
Thanks for that. I really appreciate it. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I had to get over to my wheel builder to pay a deposit today because I'm a new customer.
I saw this International truck there last week but forgot to take pics.
Today I asked if it was OK to do so. I guess if I had the bucks this is what would be towing the liner.
FREAKIN awesome!!!!!
-
Two more for scale bearing in mind I'm 5'7".
The lady I paid the deposit to said I should ask the CEO for sponsorship.
He also owns 5 planes. :-D :-D :-D
Buickguy3, what do you think of the camo pants?????. Thanks man.
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Upon first seeing that truck, Mike, the words "overkill" and "excessive" sprang to mind. It's just a bit more than really necessary, i would guess. . . :roll:
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Many things truckers do are just a little more than is necessary.
When did that ever stop them?
What's it feel like to have the "biggest one on the block?"
FREUD
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hey Mike.....There is a ya-hoo here in G.R that has one of those Internat`s....on the tailgate is lettered " just right for towing your boat....While it`s still attached to your Power-stroke......"
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If you spend a day driving through the Dallas metroplex, you will see at least one of those, and one or many more of something equally or more ridiculous.
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Mike, I want one here in Montana tomorrow. We have 4 inches of snow coming after 9:00 pm tonight. Let me know if you need any more camo, I'm not far from the source. By the way, our new Goodyears have finally been shipped. Since we will be running Salt Cat 1 next August, they should arrive by the time we need them in September. By the way, when should I plan my trip to S.A. to help crew on "The Spirit of South Africa"?
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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The guy that owns the truck turns over about R700 million a year. I guess he's allowed to have a few toys. Cool, hard working guy and I know I could ask him for sponsorship but he's buddies with a dude I'm related to that I absolutely HATE. I'm stubborn and I'd rather give this one a miss.
I've paid for my wheels already anyway. We fight on regardless.
Doug, thanks for the offer. :cheers:
You'll be the first to know when the liner is ready. So many little things to do and the driving around from suppliers to engineers etc is eating up so much time.
Trying to get the Harley bobber done so I can sell it to pay for tires. :evil:
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Okay -- I'll call your Binder and raise you a Kenny:
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Now that's a truck!!!!.
Weird how the military will train you to drive similar equipment
but when you get back to civilian life that license means squat.
Thanks BOSS!. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
You upped the ante.
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Game, Set ,Match..............
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Yeah, well, mebbeso, but only 'cause I can't find a picture of the big Caterpillar wheel loader (s) like they use out at the Tilden Mine (20 miles away). I think it's a 996 - can't find pics to prove it. I've been at the shop and stood in the bucket -- and yes, it was wide enough/deep enough that I could have done a good job of parallel parking a full size pickup in it. My head was about level with the BOTTOM of the tire's bead.
It's used to load haul truck - the 250-350 ton payload size haul trucks. A couple of buckets does the job.
B F Equipment. Come on up, Jerry, and we'll wangle a tour.
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In '62 i was at Ft. Lewis and went to the Kenworth plant to see them making trucks. They were just rolling two of those double radiator tractors out the door. Said they were going to Saudi Arabia to work in the oil fields. didn't see the girls there.
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It makes sense to rent it when needed.
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It makes sense to rent it when needed.
They say that about a lot of things..... ya know what they say.... if it flies, floats or fu.. :-o ... well it just makes better sense to rent it.... :-D
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Rich, the boss won't let us see the girls in full size????.
They must be Linda Vaughn's age by now. 8-)
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Wait a minnit, Mike. I'm sure not the one that says you can't see girls on this site -- sorta. You wanna see girls? You'll need to PM me for the sites and addresses. :cheers:
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www.scootervixensdoingstuffthatwillscareyou.com :cheers:
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I've got enough girl problems already but thanks for the offer guys. :-D :-D :-D :-D
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well then....Open Freud`s latest thread and tell me the topic...The title scares me :cheers:
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5 Jack Russell bitches and a long car!!!!!
I'd say those are definitely girl problems. :mrgreen:
You're right, rusted nuts?. :-o
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From day one on this build I was advised to be patient, have fun and not make it a job.
I've kinda gone the other way. I'm stressed. I'm making mistakes but luckily they aren't
finding their way onto the liner.
The rear end and the way it mounts to the chassis is driving me nuts. I sure wish I had one of
you guys here right now. I've loosely copied some of the original Speed Demon components
because they work and it was easier than starting from scratch.
A while back I posted a pic of the reverse triangles they used for the lateral stability. Their system
has sliding tubes on one end to make up for the vertical movement because they had shocks.
Mine has Urethane vibration dampers and is basically a solid mount. Even if the rear end moves 5mm
under load something's going to bind and stress components right?.
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This could come across as a Wise ACRE but it was intended as a thought starter:
..B'ville is a little different than EL Mirage
Most of B'villes surface problems in the past are small deflections that can pot hole mostly felt by one wheel
El Ms are ruts from someone driving in the mud or a small channel either on can effect both wheels usually just not exactly at the same time
Mike what parts are going to be stressed, what is the stress most likely going to lead to and what happens if you were to put a stop to minimize the travel?
This is an off road vech but does not have to have "off road Travel"
Watts Linkage? Maybe horizontal and Vertical? I am not an engineer this is just to get your mind off track and free it up as a form of Beingengineering !!!!!!!
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Mike, the linkage that you've got now has one too many members. You can't use those links both top and bottom because they inhibit roll. One should work but I really don't like the sliding part as it's too easy to bind up and the roll centers are likely too high or too low.
I'd be more tempted to use a Watt's link or a Jacob's ladder because they can be set up to provide vertical movement if designed correctly. The only reason I don't like a panhard bar is the movement tends to be in an arc.
Cardboard and pins on a board is a good way of studying the movement of these linkages and how the movement can be adjusted.
Good luck.
Pete
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Mike, I agree with Pete that with your arrangement as shown, the two wishbones not only provide lateral location for the axle, but in combination, prevent any roll motion as well (at least to the degree that the wishbones don’t deflect due to the loads). And those rolling motion loads may create rather large loads on the bones and Heim joints. And those loads would be such that they cause bending stress in the shank of the single Heims--something they are not designed for nor intended to carry. (Bending across a threaded shank, especially in a salt environment).
When Speed Demon was building, the early photos of their arrangement alarmed me for just this reason, and I had a discussion with Steve Watt about it. One element that Speed Demon did have that doesn’t appear in yours was a monumentally stiff anti-roll bar (about 2” diameter) which would tend to share the rolling loads with the wishbones. The photos didn’t really show the A/R bar and while the anti-roll bar tends to improve things, I still consider the arrangement spooky and, for one, wouldn’t consider riding in it. Then again, it seems to be working. But in my judgement they are just “getting away with it”.
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I'd be more tempted to use a Watt's link or a Jacob's ladder because they can be set up to provide vertical movement if designed correctly. The only reason I don't like a panhard bar is the movement tends to be in an arc.
Pete, I agree on use of a watts link but given limited vertical travel, the arc is minimal depending on length of the link. I have a similar problem with my front suspension using a panard bar for lateral stability and a four link trailing arms. The smallish arcs from the panard bar and trailing arms with corresponding track and wheelbase movement necessitates a sliding steering shaft. Stainless solved this problem with a stock Camero sliding intermediate steering shaft. It easily compensates for any movement the links creates in bump.
John
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John, I was only suggesting the Watts link for lateral location. The four independent leading links work just fine for for and aft location. A properly designed Watts link used for lateral location will not travel in an arc. A panhard rod does travel in an arc at the axle end. In Mike's case you're probably right in that he has very limited suspension travel which means that even a short panhard rod wouldn't cause much sideways movement.
Pete
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Pete, I had a senior moment and was thinking mostly of lateral stability. The sliding steering shaft on my front suspension was used primarily to solve wheelbase change from the four independent leading links (and a little from the panard bar). I added words to my post to clarify. Thank you for catching my err.
John
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Guys, there is absolutely no suspension on the rear end apart from the vibration dampers which offer almost no deflection. I said 5mm for a worst case scenario. There is no need for an anti roll bar because the components are bolted to the chassis. The Heim joints are there for set up. Sid (Kiwi Belly Tank) has advised against any form of shock absorber and the only suspension is the air in the tires. The surface I'll run on is very smooth but dusty. It doesn't see anywhere near the traffic Elmo does.
I'll finish what I think is OK and post pics. I've had to redo lots of stuff already on the liner so if I have to take a few steps back and start over it's no biggie.
Thanks to all of you for showing interest and wanting to help. It means a lot. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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What are the two black vertical tubular things behind the axle?
Another consideration is reacting the probably large driveline torque and associated impulse loadings.
Rubber springs, not dampers, are probably a lot less stiff than the wishbones. Try shop testing with and without the wishbones.
Might consider removing the brake lines from the vicinity of the propeller shaft.
There is no need for an anti roll bar because the components are bolted to the chassis. The Heim joints are there for set up.
What components? So, you’re going to run without the Heims and wishbones?
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What was the argument against using dampers? If suspension is air in tires only, you have un dampened oscillations akin to a bouncing basketball. Even on a smooth track surface, you will have some need for oscillation control be it high or low megahertz. I used a suspensionless lakester years ago because I didn't have the money to install suspension. The end result was suspension tuning via tire air pressure and constantly hearing the car unload at the rear with corresponding increase and decrease in engine rpm every time I hit an imperfection on the track.
John
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What was the argument against using dampers? If suspension is air in tires only, you have un dampened oscillations akin to a bouncing basketball. Even on a smooth track surface, you will have some need for oscillation control be it high or low megahertz. I used a suspensionless lakester years ago because I didn't have the money to install suspension. The end result was suspension tuning via tire air pressure and constantly hearing the car unload at the rear with corresponding increase and decrease in engine rpm every time I hit an imperfection on the track.
John
Yea jackhammering. Loading and unloading of tires, more so on unsuspended cars with a wheel rate of infinity.
JL222
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What are the two black vertical tubular things behind the axle?
Another consideration is reacting the probably large driveline torque and associated impulse loadings.
Rubber springs, not dampers, are probably a lot less stiff than the wishbones. Try shop testing with and without the wishbones.
Might consider removing the brake lines from the vicinity of the propeller shaft.
There is no need for an anti roll bar because the components are bolted to the chassis. The Heim joints are there for set up.
What components? So, you’re going to run without the Heims and wishbones?
"Set up", sorry I meant adjustment.
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Allthough your not running suspension, would it be a good idea to design a suspension system that could be added later if needed, weld the brackets in place now for later use. Could save a lot of hassle later.
Just an idea.
David.
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Allthough your not running suspension, would it be a good idea to design a suspension system that could be added later if needed, weld the brackets in place now for later use. Could save a lot of hassle later.
Just an idea.
David.
Yep, you got it David! That was my original suggestion. If you're going to run a narrow liner with suspension you must completely eliminate body roll or you will be dealing with a variable yaw situation & that will be an even bigger problem with a three point liner (tandem front end). Or you can run solid rear how I prefer, just like Betsy 76.
That rear setup picture Mike posted back there that everybody is commenting on is actually is actually the previous Speed Demon, the one that crashed.
Sid.
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Thanks David.
Hey Sid, remember you said I'd be chasing the thing all over the track if I had suspension?.
If Betsy ran OK without it must be good enough for me and the Speed Demon did more runs
than most liners and the crash was attributed to a hole or dip in the poor salt. I've got three sets of very, very good
shocks here all with different rates and the director of Bilstein SA has been good to me since my MX days so I could
make provision for a sprung set up. The roll bar is what worries me. How many will I have to make and what choice in the stiffness,
size etc?????.
I'm no engineer but I'm pretty good at building stuff if I get shown where to mount and what material to use.
This is my first liner and I'm basically shooting in the dark.
I can say that anti roll bars and tyres were a big problem for me when I raced F2.
Just one further question. What coil over shock can react to a small surface imperfection at 300MPH????.
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Thanks David.
Hey Sid, remember you said I'd be chasing the thing all over the track if I had suspension?.
If Betsy ran OK without it must be good enough for me and the Speed Demon did more runs
than most liners and the crash was attributed to a hole or dip in the poor salt. I've got three sets of very, very good
shocks here all with different rates and the director of Bilstein SA has been good to me since my MX days so I could
make provision for a sprung set up. The roll bar is what worries me. How many will I have to make and what choice in the stiffness,
size etc?????.
I'm no engineer but I'm pretty good at building stuff if I get shown where to mount and what material to use.
This is my first liner and I'm basically shooting in the dark.
I can say that anti roll bars and tyres were a big problem for me when I raced F2.
Just one further question. What coil over shock can react to a small surface imperfection at 300MPH????.
I know these questions were for Sid but if it is OK, I would like to take a stab at them.
Anti roll bars primary duty is fine tuning your spring rates. Get your spring rates right and you may not need anti roll bars. Get spring rates wrong and no anti roll bar will work. So, begin by establishing correct spring rates.
If you have dampers that control bounce and jounce (rebound), they can be valved to dampen small surface imperfections. Get with your Bilstein guy for this. Bilstein is a very good, moderately priced damper with a ton of racing experience behind them. Spax is another good damper company but not sure if they are still around. At the high end, Penske and Ohlines but both are almost prohibitively expensive. Keep in mind that at 300 mph, even the best damper will have trouble keeping up with dampening events. But the point of all this is to control spring and tire occillations and keep that tire contact patch on the surface as long as is possible. The closer you get to this, the more power you can put down and for a longer period of time.
John
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Mike, talk to Bilstein about the latest electro-pneumatic damping systems. Some high end street bikes are starting to use them. They are more likely to give you the reaction times you need for high speeds.
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Thanks John, your explanation of what goes on makes sense. I get it now. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I'll chat to Ted at Bilstein. He's been at it for about 35 years and owns the agency.
We go way back and he won't let me down. Maybe I can get him to calibrate what I
have to suit the conditions. I have three sets of new shocks and if they aren't suitable
I know he'll come on board in some way. One set has Magnesium bodies and are worth
big bucks and Ted has wanted to buy them back from me for a while.
Maybe Bo??????. :cheers: :cheers:
I'll ask about those electro pneumatic units. Thanks brother.
The anti roll bar material and size is still a mystery though?. :|
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High speed LSR tires are generally run with rather high pressures in order to deal with what are generally heavy cars and to minimize standing waves in the tire carcass. This results in a pretty stiff vertical spring rate of the tire, so it is debatable as to how much “suspension” is provided by tire deflection.
When a stiff tire is bolted to the chassis, uneven surface features then are largely transferred to the whole chassis which can set that large mass in motion resulting in degraded contact with the ground (wheelspin) and an unsettled (scary) ride. Hence the advent of “suspension” and the conundrum of whether to have any. The answer is really a function of the surface upon which the vehicle is operating. Bonneville racers probably don’t need much, while Baja racers can’t get enough. Short of exhaustive analysis the decision is a judgement call based on intuition or learned experience.
Dampers - In normal circumstances dampers do not so much keep the tires on the ground as they keep the sprung mass from getting out of control, dampening its motion relative to the tires and smoothing the vertical load variations. It is doubtful that a damper will react to a pothole at 300 mph. Ask the Bilstein guy for a frequency response curve for the units. They will probably become very stiff at high frequencies, in effect making the “suspension” take on the behavior of being solid mounted.
Anti roll bars primary duty is fine tuning your spring rates. Get your spring rates right and you may not need anti roll bars. Get spring rates wrong and no anti roll bar will work. So, begin by establishing correct spring rates.
This is simplistic confusion. It is often the case that the desired spring rates and the desired roll rates and F/R roll distribution are different. Anti-roll bars allow the roll rate and roll distribution to be adjusted, or modified from the roll rates resulting from the suspension springs alone.
you must completely eliminate body roll or you will be dealing with a variable yaw situation
It is not clear how a “variable yaw” situation would necessarily arise as a result of body roll, but clearly, minimizing rear axle roll-steer would be a priority.
Betsy - If I recall correctly, Betsy sprouted a rear wing in the later runs, which helped keep the (solid?) rear axle on the salt.
Speed Demon - As far as I know, no definitive cause for the crash has been identified, or at least spread beyond the team. However, aero instability in conjunction with wheelspin was being discussed at the time and Demon II took steps to improve that aspect.
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"This is simplistic confusion. It is often the case that the desired spring rates and the desired roll rates and F/R roll distribution are different. Anti-roll bars allow the roll rate and roll distribution to be adjusted, or modified from the roll rates resulting from the suspension springs alone."
I think this more true in a road racing car but far less needed in an LSR car. If differences in front and rear roll rates were that important to an LSR car, we would greatly benefit from driver adjustable front and rear links like those found in Formula cars.
You correctly state the need for all of this when you say it is largely based on ones experience. Mine was road racing so I see value in chassis tuning and especially for track surfaces that can change hour to hour.
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"It is doubtful that a damper will react to a pothole at 300 mph."
It very well will react but maybe not as fast as you would like. Still, some control is better than none.
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Mike, what I said was "if you run rear suspension" you will need to eliminate body roll or you will be chasing it all over the place. I prefer a solid rear i a liner.
A narrow track liner "that can lean" will go in the direction of the lean & that will vary with engine torque/throttle loads, now you have a variable yaw problem you are trying to correct with the steering. A 3 point liner as in a tandem front end is even more susceptible to this condition.
Go back & look at the in car footage of George's crash in Speed Demon. The car is leaning to the right with engine torque, trying to go right & he has a bunch of left steering input in it to keep it straight, then the front wheels found some more bite or it grabbed enough air on the right side & the front end came out from under him.
The wing on Betsy was I think in 89 & 90, it made no difference & we took it off & by the way, I was never in favor of it. More drag was not helping the top speed plus it gave us a chute issue.
The higher tire pressure is more to do with keeping the tire seated on the bead at speed due to the excessive growth wanting to pull them in. This is why you see them on such a narrow rim, 9 1/2" tire on a 5 1/2" for the 30" Mickey.
Sid.
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In reviewing the Speed Demon crash cockpit video it is clear that it did not LEAN at all, it YAWED to the right with George feeding in left steer to counter the yaw. Unclear what drove the yaw, but longitudinal aero instability seems highly likely, what with its refusal to answer the helm. If it were stable it should have self-corrected or not departed in the first place.
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It might be helpful to know where Speed Demon's front and rear roll centers are in relation to center of gravity. Also, is the suspension designed to be adjusted (not possible with solid mount axles) for roll center front and rear and if they decouple?
John
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FWIW When I watched the rear view camera, it looked to me that the rooster tail from the tires changed. To me that would indicate a tire going down which would cause yaw.
Just my opinion and it's worth what you paid for it but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn.
Ron
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I've spent a good portion of my life building, setting up and tuning race car chassis for both oval track and road course racing. I think what we learned from those disciplines has very little to do with what we're dealing with here. For those types of applications we're setting up the car with the intention of turning it and the chassis tuning we use is designed with that in mind.
In lsr we're in fact designing the car to go straight. I think at the speeds we're talking suspension has very little to do with what happens and aerodynamics almost totally determine what happens. This is providing that the alignment is correct and the suspension is stiff enough to support the car at speed. By the time the car is yawed far enough that roll couple has a significant effect I'm sure that aerodynamics are far more influential and the tires lack enough grip to offer any assistance.
Just a little more food for thought.
Pete
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Pete:
I think there are some takeaways here with regard to road racing setups. If roll induced by torque is unwanted, then placing roll center (RC) above center of gravity (CG) will negate or reduce roll. My brief nine years in LSR has taught me that chassis tuning can help with handling and grip the same way it did in road racing only to a lesser degree. The same physics apply to both venues. A modern Formula car, even those down at the club level, have greatly reduced suspension travel along with greatly reduced roll. My old Lola T580 FC car was designed to roll in order to keep camber and toe in check. Today's formula cars have very long upper and lower wishbones to further reduce changes in arc and they do not handle roll very well. like an LSR car, they limit suspension travel via high spring rates, employ bell cranks to increase motion ratio and dampers to control springs responding to track surface irregularities. I see a great deal of parallel to LSR here.
John
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The W A in me could not resist---the parallel relationship--well almost parallel--- that that I am most interested in---oh not that---this---the bottom of my car and the racing surface :-D
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Pete:
I think there are some takeaways here with regard to road racing setups. If roll induced by torque is unwanted, then placing roll center (RC) above center of gravity (CG) will negate or reduce roll. My brief nine years in LSR has taught me that chassis tuning can help with handling and grip the same way it did in road racing only to a lesser degree. The same physics apply to both venues. A modern Formula car, even those down at the club level, have greatly reduced suspension travel along with greatly reduced roll. My old Lola T580 FC car was designed to roll in order to keep camber and toe in check. Today's formula cars have very long upper and lower wishbones to further reduce changes in arc and they do not handle roll very well. like an LSR car, they limit suspension travel via high spring rates, employ bell cranks to increase motion ratio and dampers to control springs responding to track surface irregularities. I see a great deal of parallel to LSR here.
John
John:
I think we may have to compromise a little here or agree to disagree which is alright too.
There are a couple of things involved with the long skinny cars that don't necessarily apply to the shorter, wider cars, which may even include lakesters. The first is that in the case of streamliners with two of the wheels virtually in line with one another there is no roll resistance at that end so it won't resist the roll at the end with the wheels on either side. The other thing to consider is with the very narrow track and a very long chassis that isn't necessarily designed to be the ultimate in torsional rigidity I have my doubts whether a roll couple calculation is very effective. I think the more important area to consider beyond aero is spring rate and damping. While I'm not a fan of total rigidity I think urethane with its properties of elasticity and self damping may be an answer.
In all cases, proper geometry and alignment is mandatory.
Again, I'm submitting this as food for thought rather than cold hard fact.
Pete
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The W A in me could not resist---the parallel relationship--well almost parallel--- that that I am most interested in---oh not that---this---the bottom of my car and the racing surface :-D
Sparky, without knowing the shape of the bottom of your car and the relationship it has with the ground, it's hard to even offer a wild a$$ed guess. The only thing I can offer is that I want to see at least some forward rake in a car at all times. Blow overs are never pretty.
Pete
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Pete:
We are on the same page here. We simply view these problems through differing levels of importance. I love the discussion even if it goes nowhere.
It is true, I think mostly in terms of lakesters these days and I fully agree that these narrow front track cars (slight offset to one another. We do not want to make sidecars out of them) have their own issues to deal with. Roll is likely not one of them. Rear suspension could still remain a problem if RC is too far below or above CG. I may fire up WinGeo3 and run a few simulations.
I like the idea of using urethane in suspensions. Didn't the Shadow F5000/CanAm car do something similar? It did not work well but those guys were thinking. We used to put urethane doughnuts of varying densities (very light densities) on our dampers to assist in full compression dampening. Probably could have done the same thing with valving but didn't have trackside ability to change these things back in the 70's.
John
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The Shadow guys actually used die springs which look like valve springs on steroids! Another thought would be belville washers which are spring steel washers formed in a shallow cone shape. They can be used in parallel or series mounting and they have a pretty high rate of kinetic dampening when they are compressed so you may not need a shock.
Rex
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When we stretched the Herbert-Steen liner for the 7 speed B&J's & gave it a little suspension, it was stacked Belleville washers with no shocks.
Sid
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Sid, where is that liner now? Wasn't that car built in Twin Falls, Idaho?
John
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It is possible to change the damping rate from responsive to almost rigid using vehicle position sensors and computer control Bikes have this sort of setup now. It is a lot like electronic fuel injection. The only limits are the ability to program the computers.
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I'm more confused than ever now!. I'm going to change the whole rear end and add shocks and the "mother of all roll bars".
We'll see how that works out.
Guys, I'm exhausted. Trying to build a liner in Africa without a budget and an exchange rate that defies description isn't a joke
and I'm not looking for sympathy but all this S$$t is too confusing.
Truth is that I've been in situations far worse but I'm not going to go all "Health and Safety" on this. If it doesn't work and I stop posting so
be it.
My tranny is junk for starters so if i ever get tires the thing will probably break before it gets to a speed where it will be dangerous!.
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Sid, where is that liner now? Wasn't that car built in Twin Falls, Idaho?
John
Yep, just up the road from me in Idaho Falls & it's still there in the shop. With both Chet Herbert & Roy Steen gone now & Clayton Steen now running the business alone, it is unlikely Big Bertha will ever run again.
Sid.
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Mikie:
The longer the car... the more the stress. Pace yourself, just do something every day... even if it is just drawing an idea with a Sharpie marker. It will all get done.
Budgets? Who has a budget. I know of a few teams with budgets... the rest of us, like you, make the budget by trading something of value for the coins to buy the hard parts we cannot fabricate.
If the trans get you through the low speed tests before it pukes then that is a win. Probably not going to run at full potential the first outing anyway.
Keep chipping away.
BR
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OK...How do you prevent the Bellville washers from aligning themselves into a solid stack ???
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Oops...OK, The cone type..Just alternate them...makes sense. I was thinking the wavy type...which I now see are made with tabs to prevent that. :cheers:
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Like so....amazing what I can learn if I STFU and open my eyes. JB
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Mike, where you will be racing is dusty. The crevices between the Belvilles need to be clean so the washer stack can contract under compression. Some sort of covering is a good idea.
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I'm more confused than ever now!. I'm going to change the whole rear end and add shocks and the "mother of all roll bars".
We'll see how that works out.
Guys, I'm exhausted. Trying to build a liner in Africa without a budget and an exchange rate that defies description isn't a joke
and I'm not looking for sympathy but all this S$$t is too confusing.
Truth is that I've been in situations far worse but I'm not going to go all "Health and Safety" on this. If it doesn't work and I stop posting so
be it.
My tranny is junk for starters so if i ever get tires the thing will probably break before it gets to a speed where it will be dangerous!.
Mike, don't let us confuse you. Figure out what you want to try and go for it. Suggestions to design your car to accept some sort of suspension are good and makes a lot of sense but it will ultimately be what you want and not what the rest of us think you should do. This is LSR, Mike, and you are free to try whatever strikes your fancy. The track will eventually tell you if it was a good idea or not.
John
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Belleville washers are very interesting springs, you can and download design manuals from Schnoorr.com that details all the various methods of using them and how to calculate the loads and how to stack them for usage. They are more accuately called "disc springs" when you use the more accurate items. The design manuals are a free download and chock full of useful information on how to use the springs. Altho I have not used them in a vehicle application, I did spend about 6 years using them in an archery invention. They pack a lot of power in a small space and are used in some heavy trucks in Europe as the springs.
You can easily pack them in a tubular container and use a guide rod to stack them so you can make a special stack with a rising rate spring by using 2 or 3 various rate springs with the same diameters and hole sizes. I did not discover the capabilities of the disc springs until after I got out of vehicle design, but they are a great spring for high capacity and small movements. You could build a suspension that was great for almost solid suspension but with some compliance to possible keep the wheels in contact with terra firma for traction.
Love to see some more innovation using disc springs, suprised to hear of them used on a liner, very cool! :-D
Matt Guzzetta
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Thanks Bill, John, Matt, Bo, Syd, Jerry and all the guys that chipped in.
Thanks to those that PMd me too. They know who they are.
All of this helps. I appreciate the input. I have a few ideas I want to implement
and as it was mentioned the track will decide.
Location is the problem. I'm out here in Africa so I can't get you guys to come over
to have a look. It would be cool though. :-D
My frustration comes from working alone, the exchange rate and funding. Probably
normal conditions for most of us.
I'll come up with a solution.
A while back I landed a sponsorship from Uniclips. The company manufactures top
class hose clamps in all different sizes and configurations. All stainless steel.
Les Groves came around one Saturday morning to check out the liner. He liked it and
what I want to achieve.
Last Friday Viktor Malinov and his son Denis came around to deliver product. The clamps are
everything I expected and more. His son is in his last year at school and does graphic design as a
hobby but he's way more than that. This kid's work is awesome. Now they asked if he can come
work with me after he finishes his exams. I said sure. Viktor is an engineer so the youngster knows
about tools etc.
Denis also wants to do some 3D renderings of the liner so it's a win win situation.
Thanks Uniclips. I know for sure that these clamps won't let me down. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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MIKE---remember---- you are the trip director-drill sargent --
you can forward march---oblique---side step- to the rear march, quick time, double time, 1/2 step or halt and parade rest there have been many, many, successful cars that had all of the above when it comes to suspension..
Perfect is the enemy of Good---what ever you build---run it--- if the car doesn't like the conditions or design--it will tell you-- nearly all of us have changed lots and lots of stuff on our cars
-
Son..............
Just don't make it so confined that there is no way to change down the road.
I've seen that first hand and it's a bugger. Adding suspension is a great idea.
It is a problem with the course we are faced with and it's too late to decide
now.
Dad
-
Thanks Sparky, I'll be all I can be!!!. 8-) 8-)
Pop, you always inspire me and give me good advice. :-D
Thanks for the emails. I'm getting :cheers: schooled.
-
I think I might be learning from the kid called Denis.
Some links of his projects.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9ssz24Jc_Y
https://youtu.be/6OEXq2_tDtU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w79PXyvdZwk
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiq1ILIk3vw
The last one was his first project in 2014.
Good kid. Can't wait for him to come around. :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike:
I was talking about you in the "Upgrade" thread that Bob wrote. All good fun.
BR
-
Do you think the guy has some skills?.
Wonder if he can use the lathe?. :-D :-D :-D
-
Put him to work :-D :cheers:
-
Bob, my faith in the youngsters has been seriously dented since the early 90s but
because I grew up in the south of Johannesburg where we worked with our hands.
Working class, honest people. In 93 I moved to the north and these dudes don't get their hands dirty.
BS is their first language. :-D :-D :-D
I tried giving many kids a chance at working but you can guess the outcome. Not bred for it.
Like taking a donkey to the Kentucky Derby.
This guy comes from Eastern Bloc parents and he's a grafter. Contrary to popular belief South African kids
think the world owes them!!!.
Of late I've had a few bad experiences and the only guys here I trust are my army buddies most of whom have passed on.
If any young father asked my advice I'd tell him not to spoil his kids. :evil: :evil: :evil:
I have plan for the "suspension" and I'll post pics as soon as I find 3 brackets!. :roll:
Got some additional stainless steel clamps today for the nitrogen bottles. Viktor saw the pics and says we need to go up one size (+10mm).
-
This old hotrod builder thinks about 3 threads protruding out of the nut would be spot-on
-
This one is just slightly under but I never tightened it. It would work but
I'm using a 21" Harley inner tube cut into 1" strips to prevent the clamp from scratching the paint etc.
In light of that I think one size up should be ok.
-
Guys, I haven't left town and I'm busy on a bunch of things for the liner.
Podunk and Kiwi Belly Tank, I'll be mailing you the photos etc as discussed in a day or two.
As always I need advice. What companies sell upgrades for Ford C4 transmissions?.
I know there are a lot of parts available that the drag racing guys use but I lost
all the bookmarks when we built the new PC. I have a possible backer that will
buy the components for me. Thanks in advance. :cheers:
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You can get everything you need from TCI for a C4 including a tork converter eliminator & an SFI flex plate for your Cleveland, don't mess with a stock one.
Sid.
-
Sid is right about the stock flex plate--they depend on the converter to stop wobble-- I have used billet flexplate to semi solve the problem
I am planning on exploring using a clutch flywheel this winter.
-
ATI is one of my sponsors!. I'll have to get my go to guy there to send my local "backer" a list of components.
I've seen C4 boxes for sale in all different configurations but they have line locks and all weird stuff I don't need.
It might be easier for my guy just to import a built unit sans bell housing and torque converter. I think he might
go up to $3000. There has to be something available.
I'll chat with ATI and see what I come up with. Thanks guys. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheer
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The GM & Chrysler direct drives bolt to the crank flange but the C4 bolts to the drive plate & is a modified converter. You still use a bellhousing & can go to an "Ultra-Bell" to be SFI compliant. I use a clutch type steel flywheel instead of a drive plate (GM) with a 1/4" engine plate to take up the difference. Go to TCI's site so you know what the story is. They probably do a C4 oval track trans off the shelf that'd work you or a drag trans, just don't hook up the bypass or linelock.
Sid.
-
I've already eliminated the converter. All the guys that can help on the internals are at SEMA and I should have known better than to email at this time. My liaison says she'll get them to contact me next week and it's OK because I won't be running the car soon. :-D
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Lots of 1000HP rated C4 boxes around. I guess with the way LSR vehicles apply the power and the surfaces we run on they should be adequate for my motor?. :cheers:
-
Without the torque converter you shouldn't have any problems with good stuff inside--- but I have only run power glides without converters
-
Thanks Sparky. :cheers: :cheers:
I had to drill holes for my "new" rear shock mounting plates.
I thought clamping the rear end to the bed on the drill press would do
the trick. WRONG!!!. What a PITA.
Willie came over to help and we ended up clamping the diff to a stand I had
from an MX bike. We set up the contraption using my laser level and managed to drill
28 holes through 10mm plate. The shock mount plates fit and it all turned out great.
Miracle or luck?, i'll take it.
-
Two more pics. I'll set the rear end back in the chassis when I get my
strength back. 12mm holes through those plates really took it out of me
mentally. :evil:
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I've got the triangle that mounts to the top of the rear and the chassis
to prevent lateral movement partially welded. The snout is too long by
about 1" so I'll cut it before final welding. How I'll get the threaded bushing out
is another story.
-
I have quite a bit of the Benteler 38 x 5mm high Moly content tubing left
so I'm thinking of using it for the anti roll bar. Advice was to go heavy.
Is this heavy enough bearing in mind that it will only be about 2ft long?.
-
Sure, Mike. Make the lever arms on both ends with holes along their length so that the bar stiffness can be adjusted.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Will do. The ones I built for the truck are too long but I'm not sure what material to use for the long car?.
Obviously a flat bar of some description that won't bend or snap. I guess if I get that badly out of shape
neither shortcoming will count.
I have an anti roll bar here from a touring car that has built in cable adjustment for stiffness but one arm is
missing and I have no idea what the materials are.
Thanks Neil. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike;
The material is not too important, as long as it is steel. Chrome-moly, mild steel, etc doesn't change the stiffness for a given size. Depending on how far the bar is twisted will determine the stress and therefore the strength required. I'd suggest simply using mild steel tubing as it is lighter than a solid round bar of equal stiffness. The torsional stiffness is mostly determined by the material near the outer circumference of a round shape so a solid bar contributes little or no stiffness near its center. Tubing, on the other hand, has its material distributed at its outer edges already-- an ideal stiffness-to-weight ratio.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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I'll find something Neil.
BTW, we have a drought here in SA and I live near a small river.
It hasn't been flowing much lately until yesterday. We had some rain!!!!.
Only two roads out of the neighbourhood and both cross the Jukskei River.
The small bridge is now gone. :-D :-D :-D
-
Swimming across is definitely out of the question, Mike, so you might as well stay home and drink beer. [I hope you stocked up].
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
I'll find something Neil.
BTW, we have a drought here in SA and I live near a small river.
It hasn't been flowing much lately until yesterday. We had some rain!!!!.
Only two roads out of the neighbourhood and both cross the Jukskei River.
The small bridge is now gone. :-D :-D :-D
Holy CRAP! :-o :-o
-
I hear the bridge is still there, it was just under water.
Stocked up with Cokes but man I could do with some Jerky!! :-D :-D :-D
-
The flood got worse, people died and my post box got flooded.
This stuff happens. Been doing roof repairs, sippin Whiskey and
watching sports and not particularly in that order!!!.
BORED and the creative juices have dried up. I could go nuts and
do bad things but real men hang in there and SHUT UP.
The Marines had a birthday recently and my respect goes out the
fallen, injured and serving. I don't have a worry in the world. :cheers:
To the "brothers". God Bless you for your valor. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, watch out for snakes in unexpected places. Those rascals slither up to high ground.
-
Bo, I live with an asp.
My build is on hold but when I get going I'll be working from a better place.
How I miss my unit!!!!!!. At least there I knew my standing. :cheers:
-
Mike just think in less than 6 weeks we get to turn a new page----2017 :-D
-
I wanna turn a new trick!!!!!!.
Going to get my wheels tomorrow.
Can't wait..
Just got offered a nice job to build a pro mod style drag car body for Kyle
so the piggy bank is kinda semi topped up.
Life's good and all I need for Thanksgiving is an American wife. Good old Southern Gal. :-D :wink:
-
BEWARE some of them come with Jack Russel personalities!!!!!!!!!!!!
-
I got my 8 wheels today. Another hurdle overcome.
I don't have a phone to take pics but hopefully will post in a few days. :cheers:
-
I should have a new phone by tomorrow hopefully so will be able to post
pics of progress. :cheers:
-
My new iphone or whatever you call it will be active tomorrow. I'll post pics of the wheels etc
as soon as I can. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
I got the camera bit working.
I have 8 wheels. 4 rear and 4 front.
Now if I can only find the bucks to put some Mickeys on them!!!! 8-)
-
Sweet ! 90% done...Only 90% to go !!
-
Mike, Are those centers hydro formed or pressed? Very nice job.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
I'll check, I suppose I should have asked!!!!.
Thanks guys. I'm happy so far. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, I could use that type of wheel center for some wheels I want to make for my lakes modified street roadster. I know you have probably already given the mfg's name but please repeat it as I would like to contact them. By the way those are some nice wheels!
Rex
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Rex, not a problem but you need to know that they are 12mm thick and obviously heavy.
I'll PM you all the details. :cheers:
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Mike,
12 mm should be now problem and I do have a pretty stout lathe so I can make them any thickens I want. Thanks for the info.
Rex
-
I'll PM you tomorrow. :cheers:
-
Guys, I know this is a build diary but mine is more like my life story.
It must have something to do with my location and lack of local interest.
I just checked that there are over 300,000 views on the build. I don't know
of any South African sportsman or project anywhere with so much interest
shown.
It's all down to the members on the forum. Not one bad word, argument
or disagreement in maybe three years. I'm not sure?.
All i've gotten is motivation, inspiration and great advice. To name names
would be disrespectful because for sure i'll leave someone out.
Thank you all for being there for me. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I've never seen a LSR car in the flesh and I'm building a liner???????.
Failure is not an option as all the bridges have been burnt. :-D
This is a tough journey and it seems like it will never end. The car keeps growing on me
but one can't back down. Melt downs are a regular occurence and it's all due to frustration.
The exchange rate sucks and for the most part I'm working blind but I have good people
behind me.
Every time the piggy bank is down to the last cent something comes up. :-D
The latest money earning scheme is a daunting prospect.
I received molds for a BMW M3 pro mod style car but the kicker is I have to build
a Mazda 6 look alike. :roll: :roll: :roll:
I hate using molds I haven't made myself but I'll have to make it work.
Check out the pics and wish me luck!!!!.
-
The door molds.
December is supposed be the R&R month here but I always
seem to volunteer for those suicide missions. :dhorse:
My turbo guru has been flying back and forth to the States to
set up drag cars because he's "the" Fueltech expert it seems.
Still waiting for him to bring me something nice in his luggage. :-D
-
I don`t think that lumber roll cage will pass anyone`s inspection...( sorry, couldn`t resist ) let`s see some pics of the process. :cheers:
-
Mike;
If you've ever seen the Clint Eastwood movie "The Outlaw Josie Wales", there is a scene where the old Indian is describing a meeting of his tribe's elders with government officials in Washington. The politicians told them "Endeavor to persevere". So we thought about it, "Endeavor to persevere".... and then we declared war.
Every project has its ups and downs, you just need to persevere. Hang in there. Your situation, building an LSR streamliner in South Africa, sounds similar to Burt Munro building a motorcycle streamliner in New Zealand- maybe tougher. Hang in there.
BTW, the rear wheel arch on that mold sure looks strange.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Jerry, one thing about you is that you're predictable. You keep me semi sane!!!! :-D
I had a feeling you'd chime in. Neil, thanks my friend and yes I'll perservere with Burt
being a huge inspiration. I watch the movie often and even though it's not 100% accurate it keeps
me on the right track. We don't have Subaru when you think about it. Today marks a sad day
in history and my prayers go out to the sailors that perished at Pearl Harbour. If a guy does
bad stuff we call him an animal. Animals don't do what we do. It's a day for reflection. :-(
-
Yeah Mike...I was going to let it go ,but figured..." Why knot" ??
-
Got wood?. :-o
-
This guy NEEDs to sponsor a LAND-based speed hobby: https://youtu.be/jXLBhBz_2tE (https://youtu.be/jXLBhBz_2tE)
Note the vortex generators. :)
Mike
Video link from briz
-
We had those here too.
Nice toys some guys have. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
I've got some really nice 3D renderings of my liner but the files are too big for the forum
and all my efforts to reduce them have failed. I'll ask the artist to do that and then I'll post.
:-D :cheers:
-
Here are the rough drafts.
Denny brought tears to my eyes.
-
More good stuff.
-
A desert theme!. :-D
-
Other angles.
Seeing as we're going to a desert I think these are appropriate.
I don't believe things happen by chance and meeting this young
guy is proof of that.
Denny Maranov, you're a star. I wish I'd had a son now. I get it.
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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That looks great Mike...Now get back to work !! :evil: JB
-
I've been offered a few jobs over in the Land of the Free but now I know
who to steer clear of. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
SLAVE DRIVER!!!!!!
-
With those rocks in the desert, you're going to need more suspension travel. :-D :-D :-D
Ron
-
I'll get some air ride from Gas Monkey Garage Ron. :-D :-D :-D
Thanks man. I'm on a high right now!. :cheers:
-
Beautiful,
Absolutly beautiful.
What is the total length and height ?
-
If that's actually the size tail you planned, you might want to think about lowering the height. If you get it out of shape at speed it's liable to make it fall over.
Sid.
-
Length is 38ft. Height at roll cage 2.91ft.
Tail dimensions yet to be determined by aero guy.
He can only do that when he gets the CG.
http://www.marcom-as.com/team
Check it out. Mark is my aero guy. :wink:
-
He definitely seems capable of figuring it out.... A smart guy surrounds himself with folks that make him seem average....
First class effort so far Mike :cheers:
-
Any ideas on leg protection above the knees?.
You might want to consider funny car type leg straps much like arm straps which will hold your legs from flopping around very much
I also have used a also a lap type belt over my thighs--crossed over my legs about 4"-5" from my knees.
-
Thanks Bob. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Sparky, there's not much room to have the knees floating
around as the opening is small but the arch will be well
padded and I'll be wearing knee protectors.
-
Not much happening on the build but lots going on in order to fund said project.
Geez, I always thought a day job was for others!!!.
When
does this END!!!!!. :roll:
-
in impound after the back up run :-D
-
Thanks Sparky. I never thought of it that way. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
My neighbours are noisy. Not the kids as should be normal and rightly so (in my day I guess)
but the parents. Guy on my right went ballistic with fireworks from Christmas to the 2nd of Jan
and he's not even Christian.
Left hand side partied for five days non stop with the loudest music ever.
My turn, I'm going to fire up my new Riciprocating saw from CP in the next 30 minutes.
I hope they're all sporting hangovers?. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
-
Definitely should have built the Bike!!!!!!. :-D
-
:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D Wrong pic. Check the shades though!!!!!.
That goes for the previous pic. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
What a bunch of posers. The previous wannabees. LOL.
-
I can't find the appropriate crank trigger wheel for my application.
I can have one water jet cut but I'm obviously missing something here.
Knowledege on material etc. I need help and as always thanks in advance.
-
Some depends on the ECU and how flexible the programming is (rising or falling edge) and how many teeth it can be used with, usually program selectable. Mine, for instance uses two in a 4 cyl application. Have had another that used the 60-2 configuration. Also, what is your pickup? Some use a magnet to trigger (more common when using a distributor in a V8 deal) and an aluminum wheel (MSD type) but with a Hall sensor you have a larger tooth (mine specs about 5/16 square tooth (tooth count varies with engine and ECU) and similar height, all mild steel. Mine runs to 10200 without missing a beat but is a coil on plug deal, no distributor. Various diameter and tooth counts are available. What does yours want that you can't find?
-
Oh no. I understood about every third word of that last post. Carbs are great things.
-
Thanks Jack, I have a drawing I can give to the water jet guys.
I'm not running a distributor obviously.
We can change the dimensions to suit the application. I need
to bolt the wheel to my ATI damper. I'm hoping the 36-1 pattern
is the correct one.
I haven't sourced a pick up yet. My turbo guys have some
suggestions on that.
-
The 36-1 design is common but the 4.5"diameter is not so much. That is smaller than the dia of your ATI balancer so would need to be set out from it enough to avoid interference. A Hall sensor type sensor is generally used with this type though others may work. DIYautotune ( https://www.diyautotune.com/?s=crank+trigger ) for instance has these available. Drilling for the ATI mount bolts is easy. I have done this exactly with my two tooth ECU trigger wheel and then a 60-2 wheel outside it for another system I use, Just have to clear mechanically and electrically. The small diameter you have drawn makes resolution a bit harder, especially at high rpms. You notice the DIYautotune small diameter wheels has pointed teeth. This may require a different sensor. Sounds like you have some guys advising and have it under control with your waterjet cut as well. I suspect that getting one from here and then modifying that with shipping and the issues you have mentioned with imports, that getting one made there might be best. But be sure about the diameter. Seems small to me.
Keep up the good work. Really like following your build.
-
Thanks Jack, I have a drawing I can give to the water jet guys.
I'm not running a distributor obviously.
We can change the dimensions to suit the application. I need
to bolt the wheel to my ATI damper. I'm hoping the 36-1 pattern
is the correct one.
I haven't sourced a pick up yet. My turbo guys have some
suggestions on that.
Mike, WTF "you are HOPING the 36-1 is right"!! When you ask for help it would be pertinent to include the name of the system you are using to get the right answer, or you could just google it.
Sid.
-
Like I said, I have no knowledge. I was going to give the water jet guys the drawing with new dimensions (7,5" OD).
They can figure out how to scale up the part. I read somewhere that 36-1 was correct (I think).
Sid, WTF is 1000% because that's what I said when trying to figure this crank trigger wheel. Sorry I'm a dumba$$!!!!!!!.
I ask here on the forum because I get the right advice and help. When you need help on composites I'll do my best to
assist. You won't get no "WTF" from me. :-o
-
My life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b7bgtu2O4E
-
How about the speech in "The Longest Yard", Mike? (the original one with Burt Reynolds)
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Mike, what brand name ignition system do you have??
-
It will be a Fueltech FT500 i'm told.
The turbo/fuel injection guys haven't come back to me yet.
-
Looks like a nice system. Seems to be able to use whatever tooth pattern you want (that is more or less standard on production cars so 36-1, 36-2, 60-2 etc are all supported.) If you are using multiple coils and no distributor, you need a cam position sensor. Anyway, I am sure your turbo guys will advise about the set up. The system seems very flexible.
-
Jack, we're using 8 Bosch coils and all the good stuff they provide.
My turbo guys are in a pickle right now. The one guy almost severed his
hand by using El Cheapo cutting disks. 50 grand repair job and Kyle's
wife is overdue with kid #2 so he's at the hospital shedding weight. :-)
What wheel would you suggest?. Thanks so much for your positive
attitude and input. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Is my understanding that more teeth give better resolution but there are limitations of tooth width (not the disc thickness which seems to be in the 1/8th" most that I have seen though the one I use is closer to 1/4". The exact design may be determined by the pickup, whether Hall sensor or an inductive one. The depth of the teeth and separation is important which is why I felt that the 4.5" wheel might be a problem for 36 teeth. The larger one you then suggested should be fine. Usually teeth are about 1/4"-5/16" wide. Since you plan to have it made, scope out where and how you will mount the sensor. Generally 1mm spacing wheel to sensor is the norm. (approximately). That will give you diameter. In my system the wheel is solidly mounted as well as the sensor and the software determines from an input the TDC/advance. Some trigger wheels need to be slotted or the sensor mount slotted for adjustment to set the base.
My sense is that the 36-1 is a very popular size used by many systems- Motec for instance -and should work well. The diameter, as long as not too small is not critical and you can adjust for your engine and sensor location.
Sorry to hear about your consultants. Though I well know the frustration of wanting to move ahead and make parts so you are ready to go, this one may reasonably be put aside until they can give you first hand advice. Babies, of course, come when they want to, not when we do. :cheers:
-
MIke, you like american football. Watch the Super Bowl if you get a chance. It was a good game and lady gaga did a good job at halftime. It is worth spending a few $ to watch it.
-
Sorry I missed it Bo. No more ESPN in South Africa. :evil:
Yes I do love the game even if some of the rules are "Greek"
to me. If the Patriots are in a final, never write them off.
My project is going nowhere. Other work got in the way and
I'm just not interested. Too much of a good thing hey???.
I'll catch a break though, always do. :-)
-
Take some work and make some "fun money". You can never have enough of that.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
If the game is determined by inches this one sure was =====multiple times!!!!!!!!!
-
Doug, I'm working with junk molds but clients always know better, :evil:.
I told the guy to approach Mazda for a body in white so we could build
real molds for a "6". He couldn't deal with Mazda SA's time frame so
he borrowed some BMW M3 pro mod molds. I have to produce a Beemer and then convert it to a Mazda6.
They aren't that far apart seeing as the mold around the windshield has already been raked but the processes and materials
used are rubbish.
-
Turning dreams into my nightmares.
The molds are as wavy as the ocean on a bad day.
Roof section seems a little better.
All this work to try afford MT rubber!!!!!!.
-
Advice on spools for my GM rearend?.
Full spool. Steel or Aluminum?.
-
There is no full spool available for a 7.5 10 bolt if that's what you still have. I cut down a couple of 31 spline aluminum quickchange spools for the liner then decided to change to 28 spline Torsen carriers instead. If you get them custom made, aluminum is ok.
Sid.
-
Yes, they'll be custom made here. The stuff we pay Dollars for is crazy with this stupid exchange rate.
Thanks a bunch Sid. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
I still haven't made any progress on the liner. :x
Trying to earn a buck to buy bits and pay engineers.
You guys don't really want to see pics of my day job on my build diary do you?.
BTW, the motor on my compressor let go AGAIN!!!!!. :x :x :x
It was out of warrantee by two months so it cost me 2 grand for a "new" one.
Going to get Mark, the electrician to have a good look at the wiring in the shop.
The pro mod build is going OK except for the hiccup air wise.
Trying to turn a BMW M3 into a Mazda 6. I guess Jerry Berry would call it a "Funny Car"!!!!!!!. :-D
I will never use molds made by someone else. The car and its predecessor are called Snowflake
but this one will be Yellow!!!!.
-
SNOWFLAKE ?????? First they lost an election .Now they are losing their minds . (Bill O` Reilly)
-
Mike
Sorry to hear that. Make sure your electrician checks the voltage at the compressor with it running and maybe any other high draw equipment that may come on turned on. Only way to tell.
Ron
-
I'll living-room coach, too: Don't just check voltage and such when the compressor is running -- but monitor the voltage during the start-up moments, when maybe the V drops too far. . . :?
-
If your other tools haven`t stopped running?/ Maybe the comp. motor just "gave up"? I`ve burned out a phase converter ,But never had any machines eat motors. And you`ve seen my play room.
-
If your other tools haven`t stopped running?/ Maybe the comp. motor just "gave up"? I`ve burned out a phase converter ,But never had any machines eat motors. And you`ve seen my play room.
Well, you ain't running them on long enough leads then....
-
Thanks friends. Got the flu from hell. I'll make sure my buddy checks everything.
Back to bed. :cheers:
-
Mike, if that motor is a capacitor- start or capacitor-run type, it may only be a bad capacitor. Much less expensive than the motor itself.
Hope you feel better soon.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Neil, you could smell the burnt coils. It fried itself.
Note to self. Always switch off the compressor at the main socket.
That way when I do switch on and there's a problem I can shut it down.
The missus was in the shop to get her car out that morning and she didn't hear
the motor straining. Not her fault and the thing was wrecked anyway.
Yup, this flu is no joke. Thanks for the get well soon. :cheers:
-
Just a quick note......could it be the unloader on the compressor? I cooked a 5 hp motor when the unloader went bad and the motor had to start against the tank pressure. The motor was perfect up to that point and the power comes in about 5 feet from the main panel which is fed from the power pole. It is an Ingersol Rand pump and nothing was wrong except for that dang unloader.......changed it and have not had a problem since. Dang $500 single phase motor sure hurt the checkbook though. :cry:
Could be that simple.......I hope.
Best of luck and get better!
Matt Guzzetta
-
Thanks Matt. Mine is Ingersoll Rand too. I've heard that there have been power surges lately.
Some guy told me one of his appliances made a funny sound so he shut it down and checked
the voltage at the mains. 156 vs 220v. That could have been my problem but I'll check the unloader
anyway. I'm draining the tank after work to eliminate the possibility of the motor having to deal with tank pressure.
I appreciate you input and well wishes. This flu really has a grip on me.
Today I've got my gardener's brother coming over to help me clean the shop. It's a health hazzard. The worst it's been ever.
I can't live with the stuff lying around. All my fault and hopefully I'll be able to find stuff without tripping over Subaru. :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
What does being able "find stuff" mean :? :? :? Sure is a problem at my place.
Ron
-
All done. Neat as a pin. :-D
-
We are waiting for progress pics then..... :cheers:
-
Progress on which car?????? :-)
-
Neat as a pin? :? We need photographic proof Mike! :x
Anything you're doing is of mutual interest! :cheers: :cheers:
-
Yeah Mike..Pics of what ever.................. :evil:
-
Coming up guys. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Kinda build related in that the day job pays for the liner so here goes.
NIGHTMARE OF NOTE!!!!. :x
The deal was Kyle wanted to build a Pro Mod to replace his all steel Mazda 3 aka Snowflake.
The story is that my turbo guy called Nassen has held the class record for the fastest FWD drag car in the Southern Hemisphere
since 2009. Kyle was next quickest. Some newbie got hold of the rulebook and found a loophole.
He built a genuine Pro Mod and came out of nowhere on his first pass and destroyed Nassen's record with a NA motor.
The car is about 400lbs lighter than both Kyle's and Nassen's all steel modified road cars.
The guys went into panic stations. Nassen almost lost his hand trying to lop off about 10lbs of bodywork!. It wouldn't have helped even if he succeeded.
Kyle decided to go Pro Mod and asked me to build the bodywork. His option was to borrow molds made for a BMW M3 made buy Boet Budler's workers.
No experience with fiberglass!!!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
I didn't want the job. My advice was for him to approach Mazda and ask to loan a body in white that I could pull molds from.
He did and Mazda agreed to give him the body but the car had to be running at the track on April 1, the day they launch the 2017 Mazda 6.
Kyle could not meet the deadline so he begged and offered me a fair amount of money to use the Budler tooling and turn a Bavarian Murder Weapon into a Mazda.
Some guys see Dollar signs but all I saw was shiny new Mickey Thompson tires. Big mistake maybe!!!! :-o :-o :-o
There's also a Fueltech Ft 400 system sponsorship thrown in for good measure. I really like Kyle and he needs this so bad I couldn't say no.
The tooling was badly designed as far as rigidity and split lines go. Also no boxes built onto any of the six molds. I got motion sickness just laminating the door skins. :-D
I asked my young genius Denny to draw some overlays of the BMW vs the Mazda. He did that and the shapes are pretty close save for the blunt nose on the Mazda and the rake
on the BMW windshield. Budler had chopped and raked the roof already so "All" I had to do was build the main body and change the shape of the slope on the rear window, build in more Mazda like
side window recesses and cut out the trunk lid. :-D
It turned into a mission. Kyle's dream became my nightmare. Due to the mostly one piece mold design I had to cut the new body to demold it. Luckily I hadn't used a lot of material in the areas
that needed cutting. When I got it out after 6 hours of war it couldn't even stand on its own. It looked like a cow that slipped in mud. Spreadeagled all over the workshop floor. No frame work between
the A pillar and door sill?????.
I built a steel frame and bolted it to the body just so I could move it around, flip it over and do my work.
-
I beefed up the roof panel with a high density foam cross for starters.
The sides of the body below the window lines were also suspect so they
got ribs too.
-
Flipped the body over and got to work on the rear window mod.
Marked the areas to be cut and got into it with the CP ricprocating
saw.
I raised the side to where it needed to be and clamped it for a visual.
It looked right so I proceeded with the hard graft.
-
With changing the slope on the window none of the lips for mounting
the Lexan are at the correct angle and will be cut out and new ones
laminated.
Pulled the body into shape with plates and Clecos. I the put the
heat lamp inside to warm up the Epoxy which helped it retain the new shape
and bear in mind that the material is pretty thin in these areas.
-
Jumping to near the finished product it looks fine.
I need to remove the Clecos and then move over to the
left to duplicate the shape.
-
More pics later. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Good job Mike! That ain't easy. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
-
With the flu too, you're a gun.
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You`ve done this before haven`t you??? Looks great Mike. JB
-
Mike, your effort to produce a decent body out of those molds reminds me of the old saying "Making a silk purse out of a sow's ear". :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Mike, see what you can do when you are afflicted with full-blown LSR desperation! :-o :-o :-o :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Might be a market for Pro Mod Beemzas! :? :?
-
Mike, I'm in total awe of your talent. One day we will meet over a beer in Carmen's Black and White and spend a little time on the Salt.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Nah, forget the beer. Let's spend a week on the salt rather.
That's the dream or the results of the "fever"!!!!!!.
I don't do beer but I'll share some of the Mexican stuff with you in Montana.
My best bud in the States. Sorry guys, Doug is. :-D :-D :-D
Now there are some pissed off guys around. :dhorse:
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"Mexican stuff"...."Buds"///..whooo -hoo !! :evil:
-
C'mon, Jerry, quit with the innocent act. You live in Michigan, and Michigan's a semi-legal state, so... :roll: You don't have to show us your med card, though.
PS What color's yours? :evil:
-
Jerry knows I don't drink other than on special occasions. :-o :roll:
I know he doesn't. :cheers:
BTW, my compressor problem is over. The flu is gone I think.
It's so hot here right now I don't know if it's fever or just the weather?.
I'm so busy with work I tried hiring a helping hand but he lasted one shift!!!. :evil:
-
So..what was the issue w/ the compressor?? And Slim, I can`t remember where my card is...Duuuuude. JB
-
Dud motor but the replacement is perfect.
Happy I can do my work now. :cheers:
-
Waiting for Epoxy to cure is like watching paint dry so I decided to
get my Volvo Station wagon sorted out. Jacked it up, pulled off the
plastic protection plate under the motor and gear box so I could get
to the bolts that hold the catalytic converter and gave up.
These FWD, AWD vehicles are wall to wall in the engine bay.
How mechanics work on then daily is beyond me!!!!.
Lying under the car with the hood open you can't even see daylight.
Kevin does this stuff for a living and he'll get the 5 bolts off over the
weekend. The cat is used up and i'm not going to spend 12 grand I
don't have for a replacement.
Liner is still on hold until I clear the workspace but I needed a break. 8-)
-
Put a timing chain in an S class Mercedes sometime Mike...You will praise Volvo from that day forward...
-
When I worked for the Mercedes dealer [about 35 years ago] the mechanics had a trick for changing the timing chains on the V-8 cars. They had about 20 feet of chain around a bunch of idler gears. They would remove the hydraulic tensioner and the cam followers and find the master link and remove it and attach the new chain to the end of the old one. Rotate the motor and feed in the new and pull the old one out. Careful to keep the cam gears engaged. Whole job took about two hours as opposed to a couple of days.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Columbus had a Mercedes dealership?
-
Heck Slim...The largest selling Rolls-Royce dealer on the planet is in Zionsville Indiana....
-
Things were supposed to be simpler with modern technology, I thought!!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil:
My mate Kevin looks 10 years older than he is. He works on all these new cars. :-D.
BTW, I need to drain the 4 year old fuel from the Volvo. The standard operation is to strip
the rear seats out, remove the cover plate under the carpet to get to the internal fuel
pump which takes a special tool. I was thinking of attaching a Holley 12v high volume
pump to the outlet on the fuel filter and do it that way. Any thoughts??.
The other way is to much of a PITA. :wink:
-
If you have an electric pump in the tank, due to gear tolerances, I don't think you can pull through it. If it is electric, does it work? If so why not jumper in and let the regular pump run to empty the tank, or am I missing something? Is the filler located so you can get a syphon hose in to drain the tank?
Ron
-
The pump works but there's a relay that cuts it after about 10 seconds if the motor isn't running.
We're going to check if we can siphon/pump the fuel out through the filler on the weekend.
-
By-pass the relay, you should be able to find which one by the click as it de-energises and unhook the fuel line wherever it is accessable, the pump will empty the tank in pretty short order.
Ron
-
Remove the fuel filter before you bridge the pump relay.
Sid.
-
Thanks guys.The Volvo was a gift from my buddy Dave and I don't want to ruin it so Kevin is going to
come by and help. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
David and I got his daughter Naomi into kart racing. I painted her first helmet, taught her to race
and now she drives for Reiter Engineering in Germany. Good kid and the father is my best friend
here in SA. :cheers:
-
I put a really long siphon pipe into the tank and used a 12V Holley pump to suck it dry. :-D
Lots of gas to clean parts now and no it's not stored inside the workshop. :cheers:
-
Don't even wash parts inside the shop. I've seen the results of a gasoline spill and fire. He's not pretty.
Pete
-
All right: gasoline as a cleaning solvent. boyhood adventure to follow:
I was in 6th or 7th grade and decided to "fix" the old Kirby vacuum cleaner. I disassembled the motor, cleaned out the dust, and washed all the greasy/oily stuff in gasoline, of course. In the basement of the house. Whatever.
I cleaned up, put stuff back together, turned on the motor and heard it hum, all by itself, for a few seconds before - ka-boom (note lower case letters), the residual gasoline vapors elecyed to become noise.
I'm better with solvents now. Mostly. 8-)
-
Jon, you almost invented the turbojet engine! Too bad it wasn't an Electrolux. You preceded Anders! :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Cleaned the engine tray off the Volvo with that stinky gas.
Got a few holes and cracks to sort out.
Still can't get it running. No spark it seems.
I don't have know how to DIY the fix.
This new stuff is too complicated so I'll wait for Kevin.
-
No real progress on the long car yet.
The day job and pro mods are driving me nuts but at least I have work.
We had our phone cables stolen so the neighbourhood was without service
and I had no internet for a week.
48 emails were stacked up when we came back on line.
Most were junk but I have a bunch of videos to watch thanks to Freud.
Airplane related. :wink: :wink:
Then there was one email I almost missed!!!!!!. :-D
There are special people based in the good ole US of A.
I'll have more in a week or so. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I'm Blessed.
-
Put in a few hours on the liner today.
What a pleasure!!!!!.
Did a trial fit on the oil tank.
It clears everything it needs to.
-
I'm going to build a stainless steel guard from
a nice piece of plate I have.
I think it's a neccesary addition in case the belt
comes off the water pump pulley.
Other than that I'm pleased with the progress. :cheers:
-
Looking good, Mike. Glad to see you are back on project.
John
-
Thanks John. :cheers:
-
Mike, I love your use of composites.
Your past experience sure helps on
the long car. Good On Ya'.
Pops
-
Thank you Pops.
I think back about how I started and it's scary.
12 or 13 years old and making goalie masks.
My brother Jerry and I loved hockey and he
was the goalie.
I got the glass, resin, plaster of Paris and all
the other stuff with instructions. Poor guy but
he toughed it out. :-D :-D :-D
No tools in our house back then. My late dad
was a rep who sold clothing so we had a pliers,
Yankee screwdriver and a claw hammer.
When I see needle files/jeweller's files I want
to throw up. The drill was a bit with rag wrapped
around it and it was used like a guy trying to start a fire.
I guess if the goalie mask projects never put me off nothing would.
BTW, Jerry has a beak not unlike Jimmy Durante so his mask was distinctive. :lol:
We didn't want another Terry Sawchuck around!!!!!!.
Kids dream and I thought I was going to end up in Canada playing
Junior A and I came close but it turned out all the hockey masks
was a career for the future.
Funniest thing about getting older is the memory. Mine is great, It's just too darn short!!!!.
I was trying to fit the oil tank and needed to hold it by the filler cap but the cap wasn't there.
When I put clear coat on the tank originally I taped the threads on the lid so now i'm looking
for this cap. Did I actually make one or was I going to rob the one off the Harley???????.
4 hours later I get this bright idea that I took pics of the tank with all the fittings. Hunted those down
and then it dawned on me that I'd hidden it with all the good stuff in the special cabinet. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
One needs to make a list of the components and their location. Someone suggested XL!!!.
The Bavarian Murder Weapon to Mazda 6 Pro mod conversion is coming along and paying the bills.
Apparently the original "tooling'' was created by using a 2014/5 M3 two door. The builder with no
composite skill got 2 guys to vynil wrap the entire car covering everything and then he got another
two geniuses to do the moulds. R150/day labour is about 8 or 10 bucks so you know what kind of
job they turned out.
Then they had the ball bearings to produce a body and proceeded to rake and chop the roof.
I'm turning Kyle's dream into my nightmare but I need the dough. Nothing is symmetrical and 1/2''
differences are turning up all the time. Check the result of my version of the "Mazda" roof/trunk profile.
To cut and shape the 4mm ABS plastic to fit the frame taught me a few things though.
Now there's a composite wing thrown in for good measure. :evil:
-
All right: gasoline as a cleaning solvent. boyhood adventure to follow:
I was in 6th or 7th grade and decided to "fix" the old Kirby vacuum cleaner. I disassembled the motor, cleaned out the dust, and washed all the greasy/oily stuff in gasoline, of course. In the basement of the house. Whatever.
I cleaned up, put stuff back together, turned on the motor and heard it hum, all by itself, for a few seconds before - ka-boom (note lower case letters), the residual gasoline vapors elecyed to become noise.
I'm better with solvents now. Mostly. 8-)
We still have Zina's late mom's Kirby here and it still works. Must be 50 years old. :cheers:
-
Mike, Maybe it would have been easier to test drive a Mazda from a "used car " dealer for a week and pull some of your own molds off of it and return it and tell them it wasn't a car for you. :evil:
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike said: "...Zina's late mom's Kirby here and it still works. Must be 50 years old."
Unh, MIke, time to revise your concept of "old". I was cleaning our old Kirby - 60 years ago and it was old then.
Maybe Mom and Dad got it at the Thrift Shop - yeah, that's no doubt why we had such and old machine. :roll:
-
Mike, Maybe it would have been easier to test drive a Mazda from a "used car " dealer for a week and pull some of your own molds off of it and return it and tell them it wasn't a car for you. :evil:
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I told the guy to ask Mazda SA to loan us a body in "white". They were in, in 5 seconds but they wanted the car complete and at the launch of the new model which was about three weeks back.
Kyle couldn't handle the pressure so he opted to borrow those other molds.
Jon, Kirby still makes polishers etc today i think?. :-D
-
All right: gasoline as a cleaning solvent. boyhood adventure to follow:
I was in 6th or 7th grade and decided to "fix" the old Kirby vacuum cleaner. I disassembled the motor, cleaned out the dust, and washed all the greasy/oily stuff in gasoline, of course. In the basement of the house. Whatever.
I cleaned up, put stuff back together, turned on the motor and heard it hum, all by itself, for a few seconds before - ka-boom (note lower case letters), the residual gasoline vapors elecyed to become noise.
I'm better with solvents now. Mostly. 8-)
electrical contact cleaner/drill press switch/electricity=fireball :wink:
-
Here's some great news.
Marlo Treit emailed me out of the blue and said he'd like to
donate two tires to my cause!!!!.
We all know who his best buddy is and methinks he set it up.
This is what makes this community great. The generosity on
all levels is off the charts from advice to motivation, inspiration
and gestures like this. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Thanks Marlo and Freud.
Also thanks to Buick Guy3, Manta22 and Tom Burkland to name a few.
God Bless all of you.
-
Mike, that works. A little brotherhood among long car aficionados.
-
Thanks Bill.
Marlo says my tires will be at my shippers in Gilroy
on May 1 which happens to be my birthday.
It doesn't get any better. I should have them 10 days later at worst.
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I know the following is not build related but I do get email from time to time
asking for advice on composites. I'm honored that some of you do that.
Wish I was there to help in person in all honesty. That would be cool.
I'm building this pro mod body and now I'm on the rear wing section.
Local "builder's" bolt a rear wing to the trunk lid. Not us. I'm in a weird
situation. Using some other guy's junk molds can give me a bad rep.
I'm known as a humble dude but I take pride in my work so I'm putting
everything into the "Snowflake".
The rear of the car isn't box shaped so I had to come up with a solution that not
only looked but was functional and very strong.
I'm building the end plates first. I've got and epoxy laminate that starts out pretty
thin at the leading edge that will be bonded to the skin I already have on the car.
That will double up strength and thickness when I fit the plates.
Here's how I produced the mold. I cut a cardboard template and shaped it until I was happy.
I transferred that to a sheet of 4mm ABS plastic, maked a line where I'd make the cut to get the
correct profile and used a box cutter to get a clean cut. The reciprocating saw and ABS don't do
too well. It welds it's self behind the cut. :evil:
I used the profile gauge to mark some offcuts and made 4 ABS forms. I taped everything together
with 2" masking tape, put on a good layer of release agent and set to work.
-
Pics of the mold.
-
Halfway on the end plate.
It still needs another 4 layers of fabric.
When that's done and cured I'll break down the mold,
tape everything back together on the other side and
repeat. I guess I'll have the plates on the body by the
end of the long weekend. Yesterday was a holiday and
so is Monday. No one is working except for the missus.
She had a crash on Wednesday and is hurting but she's
a stubborn broad. :roll: :roll: :roll:
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Mike, don't be ashamed to post how you do your craft in fiberglass. You have taught me and given me inspiration to try things even if they are a bit unconventional. So far, things have worked out well.
John
-
That's awesome John. Thank you. God Bless. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
I guess some road tires with the same dimensions as the Mickey Thompsons I need will suffice for my tanden front end so I can mock things up
before machining the hubs.
15 x 4'5 x 25" shouldn't be too difficult to find here. :dhorse:
-
Got a birthday present of sorts today.
My tires are in Gilroy at APEX and Marco mailed me so they should get here later this week. :cheers:
Thanks Marlo and Freud.
Actually got quite a bit done on the liner that is rear end related today and will post pics later in the week.
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Some rear end pics.
Lateral stabilizer etc.
-
I still have to change the front mountings for the
lower 4 link bars.
I half welded the RHS top shock mount and dummied it up.
When the rest is welded I'll put in extra gussets etc.
The lower lateral stabilizer is in the works but I kinda
stole with my eyes on that one. Speed Demonish!!!!.
-
I have the tube for the anti roll bar being machined
along with the slider for the lower stab.
In the meantime I'm being Pro Modded. :evil: :evil: :evil:
Tough job but I love the challenge.
Making a rear wing that will no doubt double as a push bar
so it's going to be strong for all the right reasons.
End plates first.
I hope all the stuff I'm making fits the chassis??????. :-D
-
Mike, I think more than a few of us have borrowed one idea or another from Speed Demon. Tbe liner is looking good!
John
-
If it's good enough for SD then it should be for me!.
It's the one with the sliding bar but will run under the shaft.
-
Doing a little body work in between the other stuff.
Engine cover is going to get fairing paste etc. :-D :-D :-D
I've figured what to do with the bucks when they come in!!!!.
Blow it all on the liner. That way when the mower breaks or a window needs replacing I can just shrug it off
and say I'm broke. :dhorse:
-
If it's good enough for SD then it should be for me!.
It's the one with the sliding bar but will run under the shaft.
This is one of the setups used in the previous car & as seen here ended up with solid links in place of coil overs.
Sid.
-
The MT tires Marlo sent me are here.
I'll go collect them when the world wakes up. :-D :-D :-D :-D
Thanks Marlo, awesome birthday present. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
One less excuse to limit progress.
Seems that you shouldn't sleep for
a couple of weeks.
FREUD
-
Pics of the rubber Marlo sent.
Historic importance to boot.
How many of you own tires off the Target 550?
Thanks Marlo and Freud along with all the guys at Treit & Davenport.
I'll put them to good use. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Congratulations, Mike!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Thank you Neil.
There are some special people in the LSR community.
Happy to be involved in my own small way. :wink:
-
Some guy involved with shipping those probably said "Why the heck does this guy want bald tires?" That is a great thing for Marlo and crew to do.
-
Bo, spot on. My shipping agent and local supplier asked if it was all OK????.
They never got it. :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
My new sponsor was here today with a real welding helmet for me.
Check this out!!!!!.
This must be the most awesome tool ever. I'm so excited.
Better helmet= better welding.
More details tomorrow. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Let's see -- I can find the purge air fitting and the control for language displayed on the H U D -- but the AN -8 for the coolant line must be on the other side. And the rear knob on the left -- that'll be to choose what flavor supplement it's feeding you?
Fancy helmet! Great sponsor.
-
I'm sure it has music too!!!!!. 8-)
-
It`s not the helmet Mike..It`s the nut on the pedal............... :cheers:(but I do like my Speedglas)
-
It's the helmet. Day and night comparison. I can SEE now. :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
...Ground Control to Major Mike.... :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Thanks Neil. 8-)
What tire valves are you guys using on your wheels?.
I have some Aluminum ones with rubber O rings.
They should be OK?. :cheers:
-
Still busy on the pro mod body.
Had a mixed day.
The vacuum technology is a pain but I now have
a rear wing panel to shape and bond.
It's a good test piece because i'll be using the same
materials for the side panels on the liner. :wink:
My compressor motor blew again. :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse:
Bongani is coming by to sort it out later today. It's 1.40AM and
I can't sleep. So many air operated tools.
Pics of the wing panel under vacuum.
Hard graft but the results will be worth it. :cheers:
-
Mike, That is over the top.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Mike, what sort of pump are you using to pull the vacuum and what sort of vacuum will it pull? My understanding is that it doesn't require a lot of vacuum.
Pete
-
Thanks Doug.
Pete, it's a vane type machine and I was told it could
do 150CFM. Had it since 1987. I always vacuum bag
the Carbon parts to get good consolidation etc but
the honeycomb needs it most. The particular type i'm
using has a scrim cloth and if you don't bag it it delaminates
in places.
Store bought honeycomb panels are made in a hug press.
If the bag is good and seals well it only takes a few minutes
before you can pull the non return coupling. The vacuum holds
the component.
Pete, what do you think of the helmet?.
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Mike, your welding helmet looks better than my racing one. My old eyes could use a welding helmet upgrade so I may just get one like yours. One of the primary reasons my welds look ragged is not seeing the weld puddle clearly. It is pretty bad when you are welding happily away and find out you are not joining two pieces of metal. Who make the one you have?
John
-
Optrel. Swiss made.
I kid you not, I even bought spectacles for welding because I was battling to see
with the normal ones for reading.
The new specs are way stronger than I'm used to but I could see the welding fairly
well.
Now with this Optrel it's a different world. The Lincoln was OK but the difference is
Rolex to Casio. :-D
-
Wow !! Mike has everything. 2 watches.
I wonder if they both show the same time.
FREUD
-
That's a really nice helmet Mike. That type of helmet really helps at times but being old school I lift it up and nod it down way more often than necessary. I also use old style helmets for most of my welding that doesn't involve tig. I am finding that I'm using a cheater lens more and more often for fine work.
You'd like my auto darkening Miller helmet. It came right from the factory painted up like a Team Canada goalie helmet. Miller had a limited time license To use the design through one of the Olympic games.
Pete
-
That's cool Pete.
They are a bit like goalie masks.
The ones we were used to. :cheers:
Got three watchers Pops, all blondes!!!!. :-D :evil:
-
Equal time for the trio?
FREUD
-
Pop, I'm behaving myself. After all I have this long lean love in my life right now. :-D
-
I asked if these valves would be suitable for LSR but never
got any answers.
Thanks.
-
That is the type, but personally I would rather see them in brass or stainless. Hard to tell from the pics, are you sure they're aluminum?Salt does strange things to aluminum very quickly.
Ron
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We run on a dry lake bed here. It's not salty but thanks Ron. :cheers:
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Still trying to earn bucks to fund the liner.
Pro Mod wing almost done.
Side windows next. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
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http://www.enginelabs.com/news/two-robust-boost-ready-cleveland-blocks-ready-to-rock/
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Wow---I bet that set you to drooling Mike!!!
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I asked if these valves would be suitable for LSR but never
got any answers.
Thanks.
Look just like the ones we use. 160 mph street roadster, 270 mph BFMR.
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The estimated price on that iron block is $3,250 to $3,750 based on the website. That seems like a lot of money. Actually, it costs less than a lot of new motorcycle crank cases. The engine case halves for my Triumph are $3,815.60 new from Bike Bandit. In this perspective, the new Cleveland block is a good deal.
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Thanks JD.
Yeah, I'm drooling but it won't happen unless I get involved
in the family business and go visit the ponies at the track!!!!! :-D
The boys are cranking out winners lately.
The local currency is worth squat. Even GM have announced they're pulling
out of the country. :evil:
I wanted to buy two fron tires for the liner. 18 grand without shipping!!!!!!!!
I guess I'll wait for another miracle. stuff just piles up here. It's like the devil
found out I have some ammo in the piggy bank so i'm paying for broken stuff
around the house, damaged cars and other unforseen expenses.
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Some progress!!!!!!.
The engine cover pattern is ready for fairing paste.
Right side only though. When it's perfectly shaped
i'll use the profile gauge to get the left side right.
Still a little shaping but it should go quite quickly. :cheers:
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Nice work, Mike. Looking at your approach to building a body, I should have used foam instead of ABS. Can't wait to see your final product. Oh, by the way, you aren't the only one who the devil found. I had nearly all my budget ready for the lakester build only to watch 3/4 of it go up in smoke for other domestic essentials. How we ever get to the finish line with these car builds is a mystery.
John
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Hey Mike....How about a little step by step tutorial on mold making??? we panel bashers like to learn too. JB
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Sweet!
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Funny thing is that SSS gave me permission to start a tutorial on the composite thing
about 3 weeks back. I've been slack due to health, work and other stuff but I promise
I'll get on to it in the next day or two.
I owe it to all my buddies to help where I can. You guys have helped me so much and
I appreciate it no end. It will be in the section where Willy's builds are. :cheers:
John, if you only knew the truth!!!!!. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Miracles.
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Got some sanding done on my engine cover plug.
My methods are a little unconventional when it comes
to bucks and plugs and if I ever had to do it over i'd have
used a much higher density foam.
The right side is ready for final sanding and filling.
As you can see, the left side's taken a battering due
to it being so fragile. I put my hand through it twice
while moving it. :roll:
I love the work especially when I blow the sanding dust off. :-D
Wind tunnel smoke in the yard.
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More work on the right side of the engine cover.
There are so many materials of different density
on this plug it makes sanding a PITA.
I decided to lay up sme woven glass fabric to give
it more stibility. Wet out the cover with some epoxy
and rolled the glass onto it.
-
I used a short haired roller because it creates a more even finish and
spreads the resin beautifully.
-
I never even had to wash my hands. With a brush most times
you seem to get the Epoxy on your fingers. I throw the rollers away
after use. It costs more in Acetone to clean them than to replace.
After cure I'll give the cover a thick coat of spray filler and sand it to finish
we hope. :cheers:
BTW, using the roller the whole job took about 15 minutes.
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VERY nice, Mike! I like the idea of using a roller to apply resin. We tried it on my car but I had so much vertical surface to cover, epoxy was dripping everywhere. BTW, where will you run your liner when finished?
John
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John, the trick is not to use too much resin.
The length of the engine cover is 7.2ft and the side from the crown
ia 1.93ft. I used a 220gr/m woven fabric and I only used 400gr of resin.
The short mohair roller does the trick. Being resin rich is just waste.
You'll get the hang of it with time.
I'm hoping to run at Hakskeen Pan, Northern Cape, South Africa.
It's like Elmo but way bigger and smooth as it gets. Dusty though.
-
Making some good progress on the engine cover.
It may be divine intervention or that I'm just good
but my feeling is that it's ther former.
I painted a layer of Epoxy on the right hand side of the cover
(which was left over from work on the Pro Mod) and had a look
from the back toward the front. Not any really wavy surfaces like I
expected. Light sanding will sort that out.
I keep looking at the big picture and all the hurdles ahead but like
Tom, Doug and everyone advised patience is the key.
Weirdest part of all is that no one else has laid a hand on this project.
Other than the machining of parts it's all me. No one to blame if things go
pear shaped!!!!!. :roll:
There's local monthly industrial publication from a nearby area and they
asked if a reporter could pop in for an interview and a few pics etc.
From the time she got out of the car I knew just how the deal would go down.
She was pretty amazed by the size of the liner and asked the normal questions.
Then it came!!!!. Aren't you afraid?. I'm standing there full of sanding dust, haven't showered in days
and my mood hasn't been great of late. The Pro Mod is eating me alive.
I said "look at this car and the work that's gone into it", does this look like something a fearful person would build?.
We live in South Africa and if fear was my thing I'd have 15' fences and barbed wire. This interview is over and you
need to leave. End of story. No wire, electric fences and the would be burglars are street wise. A guy who doesn't have the security
his neighbours do must have something else.
My rant isn't over. Most of my sponsors have given me product but that was all. They don't come around to check on progress.
I asked for promotional material but only my US based backers complied. What would you guys do in this situation?. I don't want the 11th hour Subaru.
Thanks for the motivation and help you all give. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Never been a big eater. Food was just fuel to keep the body working
but lately something got into me and I'm pigging out.
Maybe Buick Guy's posts on Facebook started it. :evil: :evil: :evil:
One of my sponsors supplies automotive paints and related.
I got 50 lbs of Bondo but it's the good German stuff.
I couldn't use it because the containers are made for a body shop
machine that pre mixes the filler and hardener. I called my go to girl
and she just cut me off saying she's moved to another department and can't help.
I need to get the engine cover done!!!!!!!!. Her attitude wasn't nice.
I left it for a week and called the company asking to speak with the
sales manager. Justin was very helpful. He's sending someone to
uplift the stock and replace it with normal containers.
June and July are always lousy months for some reason but it's looking up.
One less hurdle. :cheers:
-
keep pluggin away at it!
-
My rant isn't over. Most of my sponsors have given me product but that was all. They don't come around to check on progress.
I asked for promotional material but only my US based backers complied. What would you guys do in this situation?. I don't want the 11th hour Subaru.
Thanks for the motivation and help you all give. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Mike, take what they give you, give what you can and keep pointed at completing the car. Sponsors generally are not bashful about what they want so if you don't hear from them, great. Just keep them posted from time to time.
Keep your spirits high, Mike. Work steady and don't exhaust yourself. This should be fun stuff.
John
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John, you're right 100%.
In today's world with the internet, email etc I could be some crook
sitting in an apartment block on the 14th floor ripping comanies off.
All I ask is that they show some interest and come verify that what I say I'm building
really exists. Most just delivered products with a driver.
This is a pretty lonely build. It's just me, that's it. All I hear is that when I make my run they'll be there!!!!!.
So many guys on the forum have said I should have fun and it shouldn't become a chore. I'm trying, believe me
but it's difficult.
I know if I was US based you guys would come around for all the right reasons.
If I could find a tire sponsor I'd sleep better. Prayer is the breakfast of champions and I'm going to keep eating. :wink:
Thanks for the kind words friend. God Bless you.
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Mike..If you were within driving distance?? you`d get tired of several of us...quickly. :cheers:
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That will never happen. You guys are family!!!!. :cheers:
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Mike, pay attention. That's what he said. :-D :cheers:
Wayno
-
Wayno, sometimes I read between the lines, sometimes not.
I could sure use some friendship here right now.
Willie hasn't got much going on so he's been coming around
with a 16 pack during the day. Actually they're selling 16 Carling Black Label for R108/$12.
I don't drink beer but I have this deal with him where I'll have one for the boys (vets). :cheers:
Cool to have a buddy around while i'm working. Sanding the engine cover plug, painting on
Epoxy, sanding the high spots, filling the low spots, you know how it goes???. We decided to take a pick 6
yesterday but the off course tote closed down here. Good thing we only found four winners!!!!!!.
Would love my buddy to have some real money in his pocket again.
The engine cover is looking good but I won't be making molds. Going to try something new.
Hard to describe without photos at this stage but I'll be using the plug as a male mold and after
bonding a flat board along the base and one vertical out front with a 2"lip for vacuum bag tape. I'll
coat the part with release agent and add a layer of peel ply followed by 4 layers of fabric and afurther layer of peel ply.
After vacuum forming I'm hoping to get a very even surface that will make the painters life easier. The trick will be to get the resin
on and the bag in place before it starts going off!!!!!. I won't be using Epoxy but a Vinylester system that can handle 240*C for 8 hours.
Cheaper and better suited to the application but you need to be the fastest laminator around, this stuff waits for no one.
I'll lay up the fabric to within an inch of the outer edge of the board which will give the part good stiffness for demolding and a lip for
the tape when I bond the Nomex honeycomb on the inside after removing the peel ply.
I'll definitely post pics of each stage so you get an idea of the processes. By my calculations my method should be more affordable
than the alternative. Making Epoxy molds for a 40' car and having to store them. Where do you find space for that?.
If i'm really careful we can use the foam plug of the liner painted like the real thing at trade shows etc. That's the idea anyway.
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Mike:
Keep at it. Enjoy the posts. Wow 200 pages of posts!
BR
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Thanks Bill. I never realized it was that many.
It's been great even with all the whining on my part.
I won't give up. God Bless. :cheers:
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Mike, I was just jumping on the Family=Tired of us gag. :cheers:
Wayno
-
Wayno, sometimes I read between the lines, sometimes not.
I could sure use some friendship here right now.
Willie hasn't got much going on so he's been coming around
with a 16 pack during the day. Actually they're selling 16 Carling Black Label for R108/$12.
I don't drink beer but I have this deal with him where I'll have one for the boys (vets). :cheers:
Cool to have a buddy around while i'm working. Sanding the engine cover plug, painting on
Epoxy, sanding the high spots, filling the low spots, you know how it goes???. We decided to take a pick 6
yesterday but the off course tote closed down here. Good thing we only found four winners!!!!!!.
Would love my buddy to have some real money in his pocket again.
The engine cover is looking good but I won't be making molds. Going to try something new.
Hard to describe without photos at this stage but I'll be using the plug as a male mold and after
bonding a flat board along the base and one vertical out front with a 2"lip for vacuum bag tape. I'll
coat the part with release agent and add a layer of peel ply followed by 4 layers of fabric and afurther layer of peel ply.
After vacuum forming I'm hoping to get a very even surface that will make the painters life easier. The trick will be to get the resin
on and the bag in place before it starts going off!!!!!. I won't be using Epoxy but a Vinylester system that can handle 240*C for 8 hours.
Cheaper and better suited to the application but you need to be the fastest laminator around, this stuff waits for no one.
I'll lay up the fabric to within an inch of the outer edge of the board which will give the part good stiffness for demolding and a lip for
the tape when I bond the Nomex honeycomb on the inside after removing the peel ply.
I'll definitely post pics of each stage so you get an idea of the processes. By my calculations my method should be more affordable
than the alternative. Making Epoxy molds for a 40' car and having to store them. Where do you find space for that?.
If i'm really careful we can use the foam plug of the liner painted like the real thing at trade shows etc. That's the idea anyway.
Have you ever tried vacuum resin infusion? It gives you as long as you want to get your fabric laid out and then puts the exact amount of resin required into it.
http://www.indianmotorcycles.net/threads/ts111-cam-chain-tensioner-wear-after-70-000-miles-primary-inspection-too.185777/
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Mike;
We all get discouraged from time to time and even vow to abandon the whole thing... but the next day think better of it and continue plugging away.
Think of it this way-- you are the only person in your whole country who is building a land speed race car- and a streamliner at that! In fact, you are the only one on your whole Continent that is doing it! Now if that isn't something to be proud of when your 'liner is finished, I don't know what it would be.
Just don't name it "Spirit of Patrice Lumumba" :evil:
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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And feel free to have a Carling`s for me.............. :cheers:
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Mike, With all of the stuff you're sniffing every day, you don't need to drink beer. Your liver is working overtime now.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks for all the comments guys.
You know I do appreciate them. :cheers:
Doug, I'm so far gone I don't even smell the stuff anymore.
Weird because I can smell other things like doggy doo from a mile!!!.
Jerry I have just one beer. My limit and just for the guys we lost.
Willie and I always end up talking military stuff. I work, he talks then I chip in
with my 2c. Time flies and the next thing you know the job is done!!!!!.
Justin from Spies Hecker came through with flying colours on the body filler yesterday. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Cool dude. He said it would be here by 9AM and lo and behold it was. Lucky is the driver's name and he
had problems finding my place so we met at the filling station. Bought him a coffee and we exchanged product.
I signed the delivery slip and when I got home I checked it. R5224 for 9 cans of Bondo. It is the good stuff though
but man, that's alot of money. My sponsors are good to me even though I don't see them as often as I'd like.
I was sanding the engine cover "again" late yesterday and when I blew the bust off I could see the flow. This is
going to be a slippery car. That's motivation for ya!!!!!!!!!!. :-D
I see people I know going away on vacation, buying new cars, remodeling their homes, playing golf and all the stuff normal guys do
but I wouldn't change with them for anything. This journey is something only LSR people experience. Haven't got a car or even turned a wheel
but it keeps me waking up every morning tougher than I was the day before. I bitch about funding but if I had all the bucks where would the fun be?.
One inch at a time is how we win gentleman, one inch at a time!. The Good Lord Blessed me and guided me to LSR and all you guys. This is living. :cheers:
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You are right, Mike.
-
My BMW/Mazda6 Pro mod conversion is nearing completion.
Nose changes done. Needs some sanding and it's outta here.
Once the paint is applied and grille, headlight decals are on it should
be OK. Thankfully not mt job.
Rear side window recesses next and then I'm back on the liner full time. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Getting going on the engine cover.
I gave it a good three coats of Spies Hecker's finest
spray filler after some rough sanding.
-
It's as rough as a Polar Bear's backside but it's expected.
-
After a part cure I gave it the black guide coat.
-
I'll give it a week for all the volatiles to leech out before
sanding. I hate the discs geeting clogged up with goop.
We'll see how that goes.
-
Going to be interesting but I live for this stuff.
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My lack of patience got to me today.
There were protestors on the feeway going south
so I couldn't deliver the Pro Mod front end. :evil: :evil:
I decided to give a small area a light sand and see if the uncured paint
clogged the sanding disc. This Spies Hecker paint is the "right stuff".
When I started out on this project the first advice I got was be patient.
No one said a thing about a sense of humor!!!.
Check the result. I need more of both. I expected a few low spots but
not this!!!!!. More graft I guess.
A song came to mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB2Ad04mukI
Back to work.
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Mike, What did you use to stick your pieces of foam buck together? Dupont 77 doesn't seem to hold very well.
Looking really nice, Mike.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Used Epoxy, the good stuff but when I ran my hand over the part after
painting the spray filler it felt pretty good. Not the case but I won't give up.
Going to fill and paint in the next hour. Lunch time even though a little late. :-D
Small bumps in the LSR road so to speak. :wink:
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Mike:
The engine cover is really turning out nice. You have convinced me to use shaped foam next time I try making a body or body parts. It is way easier top finish the glass and with much more uniformity of thickness. We tried it when adding clearance bubbles to the engine cover and it is looking pretty good.
John
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Thank you John.
Buy the heaviest density you can find.
That was half my mistake, some of the 10mm sheet was way too weak.
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Mike, please don't forget to post images of the body as you make parts. You have an interesting build going and I like that you are making as much of it as possible all by yourself. There is a ton of pride doing it this way.
We used six lams of 9mm, four course weave and two fine weave. Seems pretty strong but I see where heavier density would be better. Since I am new at this fiberglass stuff, I wasn't sure how much trouble it would be to fill a heavy weave. I should have known that a tight weave finishing glass would cover nicely.
John
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I start with the light weight twill weave (Plain weave unravels and is lousy to work with.) and then lay up
the heavier followed by a finishing layer of light and then peel ply. Gives the part a nice finish with a good key
for further bonding or spray filling. There is a 40g/m2 glass fabric we use to kill pin holes on Carbon parts but it's A PITA to work with
if you don't have experience. In fact it still drives me nuts.
I'll definitely post images of the body build process.
They make a very good plastic honeycomb that's affordable, easy to work with and can 't be beaten for stiffness on flat panels.
Check out the process called cut and fold on the web.
I can't do fancy machining, weld Aluminum, do wiring or make tires but all the rest I have to do myself. That "budget"!!!!!!!!!. :evil:
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Check this boy.
They wanted to name him Michael out of respect for their older cousin
but that name was already registered so he's called St. Michael.
Known as the "Big Red" at the stable. He'll only race after he turns 3.
The boys insisted I get my racing silks. Heck I can't even afford tires for my liner
but they insisted, paid for everything and gave me a share in two horses.
Sometimes it pays to be the black sheep. I have awesome family and I could ask
them for financial help on the liner but it's not my way. This is my fight. As for the
ponies we'll wait and see. The stake money could come in handy. :-D :-D :-D :-D
Will I go to the track?. Not likely but I'll send Zina as my rep. Got a runner on Sunday!!!!.
Life is full of unexpected "surprizes". :wink:
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Mike;
You have gained 1 horsepower and you haven't even been on the dyno. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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I knew someone would come up with something like that. :-D
Thanks Neil. God Bless. :cheers:
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And that one horsepower produces its own methane fuel.
John
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No, no. These guys are on Barley Fodder.
Nitro in equine terms. :dhorse: :dhorse:
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If he runs as well as the other "Big Red" (triple crown winner Secretariat in 1973 IIRC) You guys are in fat city!! :cheers:
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No luck today. 3 placed. My one's still running.
Guess we'll need torches to go out and find him. :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse:
That's racing. :-D
We'll get them next time. Jacksoni, we can only hope!!!!. Thanks man.
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I've been meaning to ask about tire wear?.
Elmo vs Bonneville?.
Thanks.
-
as long as one doesn't employ circular braking and doesn't try for full course burnout neither one are too hard on tires :-D
-
In that case I'm all good.
We'll leave the Track Bite at home. :-D :-D :-D
Thanks Sparky. Now let me go kill this keyboard!!!!!. :evil:
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Modified the space bar big time. :evil:
This thing works better than when it was new. :-D
Checkout Wavy, my engine cover buck!!!!.
I thing using the palm sander might be the problem.
Solution, elbow grease. Lots of water and a flat block.
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This part is a PITA.
The left side will get more layers of glass to prevent the sag between the ribs.
Impatient but pleased. It's progress.
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A good look at how bad it is.
Black guide coat works.
One more session and it should be right.
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Oh my, do I have unkind memories of what you are going through, Mike. I could never make it as a body guy.
Say, do you have a drawing of what your liner will look like when completed? Sure would like to see it if you have one.
John
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Body guy, me neither!!!!!!.
Has to be done. The trick is not to use too much pressure.
BUT you already know that, right?.
John,I posted renderings a few months back. I'll check and post the link. :cheers:
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http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,13166.2805.html
Ignore the vertical Stabilizer. We did that for a good reason. :evil:
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Working for the Portuguese guy (Manual Labor) sucks. :-D
First pic taken at 10.31AM.
Block, soapy water and graft. :dhorse:
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Last pic taken at 11.15AM.
Not too shabby but I even had my shirt off
and it's really cold here. Not by "Freud's" standard. :-D
I hate sanding but it beats mowing lawn.
Just for you John!!!!!. :-P
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Klingspor abrasives are tops!!!!!.
One half sheet and it's still cutting.
Getting there now. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Thanks Brent.
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Mike, I just visited the link you posted with 3D images of your liner. WOW! I like the diffuser at back too. Very interested what Mark, your aero guy, sees air doing under the car to feed that diffuser. It will be a difficult task with a 38 foot long car. Also, at 33" tall (didn't say how wide), your frontal area should be better than reasonable. The top view looks good as well. This is going to be quite a sensation in SA when done (or anywhere, for that matter).
Black paint and sanding blocks; the final answer in finish sanding. Both are extremely effective but I have grown to hate them both. They cost me countless hours sanding, filling, sanding, filling some more. Then there is all the sanding dust that goes everywhere. Still have not cleaned up yet.
John
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Thanks John. We're going to run skirts and the diffuser at 7*.
It's also 33" wide.
We'll see how she runs but I'm not one for testing. Therein lies
the problem. :roll: :roll:
I normally use air tools but this cover needed the block.
It's close now. The low spots aren't bad. I'll fill and give it a final
wet sand. I feel for you on the sanding but for me it's part of my
day job. :evil:
It's all good. Better than a desk job. I whine a lot but love my work.
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:cheers: to the both of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thanks Sparky.
How's my girl?. Is she ready?. :cheers:
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This is how far I got today.
The lower centre section will be cut away when the time comes.
-
What is the definition of Mike from S. Africa? TENACITY!
Anyone who block sands that much has a burn in his soul that rivals a volcano. Mike has a need for high speed. He will not be denied!
BR
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We are getting close to the final assy. THRASH ---should pick up the long block tomorrow then start the final fitment---we are having to move the motor forward 3" and the rear axle back 1.5 so we will be busy
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Great to hear that Sparky. :cheers:
Thanks so much for the kind words Bill. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I'm an extremist, once I get into something I burn bridges.
Hockey and motocross were two examples. I cut school because the rink was empty
and the manager used to just shake his head. I don't remember having a job during the
Motocross days.
Gary Player is my biggest inspiration. Came from the same area as I do. In fact my second cousin
still lives in the house he grew up in. Also 5'7" and he even slept in a bunker at the Open because
hotels were too expensive. Being the runt must give you an edge. We won't talk about the salt fever either!!!
If I never got all the advice, help and inspiration I do from you guys Imight have thrown in the towel way back.
This journey is AWESOME. Thank you all. :wink:
I found a big dip in the side of the engine cover by using a 2,5mm SSteel tig rod. Long enough to hold at the
ends and offer it up to the curve!. I guess I did see it but thought it was an optical illusion because the guide coat
was gone. It was that big!!!!. Marked the low spot with a Sharpie and filled it. More sanding therapy, keep the eye on the prize. :-D :-D :-D
BTW, Neil and the other aviation experts will know what material my spreader is made from.
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Check this boy.
They wanted to name him Michael out of respect for their older cousin
but that name was already registered so he's called St. Michael.
Known as the "Big Red" at the stable. He'll only race after he turns 3.
The boys insisted I get my racing silks. Heck I can't even afford tires for my liner
but they insisted, paid for everything and gave me a share in two horses.
Sometimes it pays to be the black sheep. I have awesome family and I could ask
them for financial help on the liner but it's not my way. This is my fight. As for the
ponies we'll wait and see. The stake money could come in handy. :-D :-D :-D :-D
Will I go to the track?. Not likely but I'll send Zina as my rep. Got a runner on Sunday!!!!.
Life is full of unexpected "surprizes". :wink:
We got them yesterday. At a Glance won, one was second by a nose. Two 3rds and a 4th :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Tally for the season so far is 64 winners. Still prefer my day job though. :-D
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I like to think I know what I'm doing!!!!! :roll:.
This engine cover is giving me a whipping.
I think the surface may be sagging between the ribs on the plug.
I just keep finding low spots and here I was thinking the body work
would be the easy part. 40ft of pure misery. Threw in the towel yesterday
and had a beer with my mate Willie.
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Good plan 'B', Mike! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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This one's especially for 3 guys, John Goodman, Sid Gyde and Bill Reilly.
John's going through the same process, Sid was being driven nuts by it and Bill might want to try. :|
Body work is a pain!!!!. Not for normal people.
The bigger the problem, the bigger the hammer.
I tried all the pneumatic and electric tools in my "arsenal" and the surface just seemed to be getting worse.
Been around a while and this cover had me beat. I had to resort to bondo and the block with not much
improvement and panic set in.
I was thinking that I'd lost my mojo, am getting old and found every excuse under the sun not to resort
to the physical side. After all, the power tools are there to make life easier right?. Not in this case.
Too many compound curves. I pulled out the big stick AKA long sanding block.
This block has an interesting story behind it. I made it from wood off a Harley Davidson shipping crate.
I was recuperating from that dog bite and the left arm wasn't much use but I eventually got it finished.
I think it helped with the rehab. A buddy comes around and asks where I bought the tool so I told him
the story. He says "This is Oregon Pine" and they make expensive furniture from it here in South Africa.
Goes to show what lousy wood we have locally. Our pine warps out in the sunshine before you can use it.
I got into the engine cover with the big stick and I know when I put spray filler on it, it will be exactly the way
I envisioned it. I'm poked and used muscles I'd forgotten about. The traps, delts and triceps are on fire and
I need oxygen. No short cut on this one unfortunately. Manual Labor. This part is only 25% of the body and
I've only got the one side close. If it wasn't for the forum I'd have bailed!!!!!. I don't want you guys
thinking I'm a pussy. :oops:
Funny how stuff works. I keep telling visitors the body work is a no brainer!!!!!!. LIAR!. Well at least I have
something to whine about for the foreseeable future.
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Nice board, Mike. You're getting there. Like a fuel car. "No matter how outa shape you get, never lift."
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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same thing can be said for spinning on salt or dirt---don't lift----been around once --sideways several times ---but not over ---hopefully never--- have lifted to not get sideways ---but once sideways full on YMMV
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Oh, Mike, you have gone and done it. You reminded me of all pain building this body. Fortunately, the only compound curves I have are around the top of my cage but all the filling and sanding was beyond reasonable. That long board ( block) was our salvation too. I never thought ot would end.
John
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Thanks guys. Loaded up on ammo, got the scope dialed in, 2 water bottles and ready to fight.
Today is D day. I've been humble all my life except for one statement. Regret that!!!!!. :-D
Does the association give out certificates for pain and suffering????. :-D
Pics later.
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Still fighting and gaining ground inch by inch.
This body thing is going to become a mountain of monumental proportion.
Making four bucks that need to fit each other perfectly??????.
I took the afternoon off and watched the horses run while eating a large pizza.
Excellent day. We had 3 winners. Not a betting man but there was an easy pick 6
there. :-D
How did they come up with the term Horsepower?. My drill press is 1HP and it can't do jack.
These horses have way more than that!!!. :wink:
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James Watt used very large draft horses, Mike.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Ok, now I remember the man. Thanks Neil. :-o
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Different type of HP but still racing.
Some pics of my cousin Paul and the winners.
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3 on the day. Got a lot of work coming from the stable.
Welding and some fibreglass too. :cheers:
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The stable struck again.
Double winners, chicken dinners.
What does this have to do with my build?.
LOTS, watch this space!!!!!! :-D
2 zip, travelled 450 miles with two and won BIG races in Durban. :cheers:
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Mike, what kind of horses are these? They look a little smaller than a thoroughbred.
John
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They are the real deal John. :cheers:
There's a double header at Greyville.
Racing over two days. We have one today
going over a mile but drawn 16/16. Level weights
2 year old fillies.
Maybe they look smaller because the jockeys are taller!. :-D
I still prefer the small sit down type rider. The aero tuck!!!!!. :-D :-D :-D
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Folk Dance (SAF)
Age: 3 (Foaled October 3rd, 2014)
Sex: Bay Filly
Breeding: Tiger Ridge (USA) - (Fort Wood (USA))
Trainer: Paul Peter
John, we like American. She ran 3rd yesterday in a Gruop One race.
First loss in 5 runs. :dhorse:
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Laid up with a bad back here.
Looking for sympathy. :-D :-D :-D
Will get back to work Monday!!!.
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(http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/music-instruments/violin-smiley-emoticon.gif)
Mike :cheers:
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Laid up with a bad back here.
Looking for sympathy. :-D :-D :-D
Will get back to work Monday!!!.
Soldier on, Mike. My 70 year old back ain't nothing to write home about either.
John
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Thanks John, My own fault. The joys of working alone.
An old Motocross thing from 1977. Rears it's head now and then
when I do stupid stuff!. Picked up the one end of the steel jig that's
holding the Pro Mod body and tried to kick the saw horse in under
the frame while balancing on my left foot. :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse:
Time to take a break. Quasimodo doesn't quite fit in around here. :-D :-D :-D
Thanks pal. I'll be OK. God Bless.
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Mike, find a flat place, get one of those backpacking air mattresses that are about an inch thick, put a sleeping bag on it, and lay out. It takes a night or two to get comfortable. Where I sleep is in the loft of the bike shed on that setup. I cannot sleep in a bed anymore. Old racing injuries. I sleep like a little baby in the loft.
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Thanks for the advice Bo. I was taught there were only two kinds of bikers, "Those that had fallen off and those that were still going to".
I went to a new track on a brand new RM125 and my buddy George Page said he'd show me the way. Cool. I was about 50 yards behind
when he got on the brakes for a jump about 2ft high. I was looking way ahead and could see other riders in the distance so I gassed it.
What I didn't know was George had braked for the 40ft drop off. When I finally recovered the guys asked what I saw from way up there?.
My answer was every swimming pool in Edenvale. The rear fender was on the gas tank and the wheel was gone. I spent a week in bed and
my back never bothered me for 15 years after that. This thing comes and goes but only when I do stupid stuff, do I pay. I'm better today and
tomorrow should be even better. I sleep on the carpet in my old army sleeping bag during this "down" time. I'd hazzard a guess that my problem
is mild compared to others. I'll be OK, please God. :cheers:
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If it will make you feel any better Mike..I was born with Spondylolysis of the L5 vertebrae...Back pain and I are good friends. I suggest laying flat and viewing the Vintage Picture thread on The Hamb :cheers:
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Back in the saddle. Thanks Jerry, I'm fine now.
Ready for work tomorrow. :cheers:
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Took some strain but it's a small price to pay.
Pics tomorrow. Feeling upbeat about the future.
Long cars rock!!!!!. They bite but you get used to it. :-D
Guys, thanks once again for being there for me. God Bless each and every one of you.
The best mates a guy could have. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, I may not post much, but I am still looking in. Crazy Bob has moved back to Northern California, but our Friday Morning group still thinks of you. Really glad you are still pounding away....
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Thanks Paul. Bob "McCool" is a great guy and I guess he's happier in Ca. Weather he's grown up with.
Thank the Friday group for all their prayers. God Bless you and all your families.
Yes, still pounding away and there's light at the end of the tunnel. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks Paul. Bob "McCool" is a great guy and I guess he's happier in Ca. Weather he's grown up with.
Thank the Friday group for all their prayers. God Bless you and all your families.
Yes, still pounding away and there's light at the end of the tunnel. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Mike you might be mistaken about any of us salt racers being "grown up" and sometimes I have learned that "the light at the end of the tunnel" might be the train.
Looking forward to seeing your long car someday.
John
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Not much going on here right now John.
Everybody and I mean everybody has the flu!!!!.
Geez man, this is a bad one. Sitting in bed watching
the horse racing. Got lucky today. The boys are cranking out
the winners. 2 today. 2 thirds and one filly got hurt in the starting
gate. This horse deal is going to pay for the liner parts I need. No
jokes!!!!!. :-D
Paul is leading the trainer stats right now. I knew someone would
throw me a lifeline. :cheers: :cheers:
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Guys, these horses are good to me. Who woulda thunk it. :-D :-D :-D :-D
I'm shocked. They are going to help finish the liner. Having the time of my life
right now. I'm Blessed. We're on a roll. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I don't know what to buy first!!!!!. :wink:
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I don't know what to buy first!!!!!. :wink:
Another horse as fast as the ones funding the liner?
John
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John, my family give me shares in horses. I couldn't afford to stable a thoroughbred.
They cost as much as race cars to maintain :-D :-D :-D
Today Scotland is running!!!!. We'll see how he does. :cheers:
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Small stake check. :wink:
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Hey Mike..........This guy is walking down the road leading a horse and a passer -by asks what he is going to do with it,,,,,The fellow replies " Race him"... The other guy says " Looks like you`ll win"................ :dhorse:
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He he he!!!!!. Got a pile of bucks here. I won. :cheers:
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:cheers: Good for you, Mike!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Now that's the type action we want to hear.
Pops
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Can you believe it?.
Horse family, no interest ever and now I'm collecting stake checks!!!!.
The boys are too good to me. The liner will get done. I promise.
Look out George, I'm coming!. Hug that Hot Rod trophy :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :cheers:
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Hmmm. OK...I needed to be more descriptive...The horse was a sway-backed old nag missing a leg and sporting a really wicked cough.....Joke funnier now??? JB :cheers:
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Yes. this horse don't look so good but you can buy her!!!
A week later the buyer comes back and says this damn horse is blind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
The seller says I told you she don't look so good. :-D
That kind of joke Jerry?. :-D :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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The stable is currently #3 in th country with 8 winners in a month.
BTW, this all came about when I was made technical director. :-D :evil:
Game of inches and we fight for every inch!!!!!.
Shopping Spree on the horizon. :cheers:
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:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I can see 8 M/T tires in your future, Mike.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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This boy (Scotland) ran third. Got a stake check but it went to Zina for spending money on her trip to Scotland.
The Irony. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D.
BTW, that jockey will never sit on him again. :dhorse:
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We had another winner yesterday. Unchained Melody!.
I'm on the last day of the Pro Mod build and seeing
Spring has sprung I decided it was back to T shirts
and dispensed with the beenie (spelling). It's been
saving my head from cuts for months.
Today I got bit!!!!. Climbing inside the body to do
some work I got a good gash, so bad my neck even hurts.
I felt it. Luckily Zee was home so she poured some 40 volume
Peroxide in the wound, cleaned it out, added some band aid and
I was good to go. :-D. Still oozing but I'll be OK!!!.
Gotta get back on the long car. She loves me. :evil: :-D :-D
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careful Mike there might be a mutual admiration society developing :-D
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We used to use Lacquer thinner, but now have graduated to starting fluid. :-o Put your hat back on and be safe, Mike.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike...My father in law...the brick layer...Always used meat tenderizer. Honest.
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Did you consider Horse Liniment ?
FREUD
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Bag Balm? :roll:
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Just a thought: Rub a little "SALT" on it!
Sorry, I couldn't resist, sorry.
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Yup this Pro Mod sure kicked my butt, but it leaves today at 11h30.
BTW, we had 3 winners yesterday. Never watched even!!!!!.
With my luck I didn't want to jinx them. This barn is on fire right now. :dhorse:
Thanks for all the concern, you jerks!!!!!. :-D :-D :-D :-D :wink: :cheers:
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You builda liner in the USA. Big project.
You build one in Africa. INSANE!!!!!.
I'm at the tipping point. :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse: :dhorse:
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Here's to insanity :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Yup. Here's to the salt fever. :-D :cheers:
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These horses are good to me.
Winner after winner. Latest bonus is flat screen tvs in every room. :roll:
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My Fueltech ECU isin the country. Waiting for Brown Santa :-D!!!
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Much productive time is wasted watching TV. Money better spent on race car parts.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Tv is for after hours. Can't make noise that offends the so well behaved neighbours.
Saturday mornings are set aside for the big tools. Definitely help with their hangovers. :-D :evil:
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Some English wheel work at 7 Saturday mornings oughta help keep the neighbors interested. . . :roll:...in being well behaved. :evil: Big pieces -- so the noise can reverberate through the neighbor's head as he (tries to) sleep. 8-)
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Slim, english wheels are silent... planishing hammer on the other hand is a little jarring :roll:
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Stainless, I love it when you talk so technical. Thanks for being my hero.
-
And a Pulmax P5 on 16 ga...........
-
Or a Browning 10 ga........
-
or 10 pounds of plastic explosives tied to the fuel ga................... :cheers:
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CP Reciprocating Saw is my weapon of choice. :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
Pneumatic nibbler is far more offensive...And then there is always the die grinder :cheers:
-
Poor thing will be deaf by the time she finishes.....
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Look at those ugly bruises on her arms!
She probably was a lot more attractive before she was injured.
-
mark this date for posterity...SB and I agree. :cheers:
-
You guys shouldn't be too critical of colored girls.... :cheers:
yep still Friday....
-
I wouldn't defile my body in such away just to be part of a "group"..
Hate Tattoos and anyone who has a problem, well your problem. :evil:
-
Some guy has designs on that girl............... :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Lots going on here. Horse racing, work but not much to report on the liner.
Too busy making money so the Flyer is on the backburner for now.
Regrouping is a word I like right now. :wink:
We're lying second on the horse trainers log nationwide and the stake money is rolling in.
Ammo for the long car!!!!!.
After finishing the body for the Pro Mod I received a gift. A Fueltech ECU. :cheers:
Two cars were built from the same molds. The other guy's version is 210KG overweight.
Ours is 280 under. :-D :-D :-D :-D
I also got packages from Freud and Bill Reilly. Thank you both and God Bless you. Pics to follow.
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Mike, good to hear things are going well for you. Sometimes, you just need a break from an all consuming project.
Are you planning to go see Bloodhound run on your SA track?
John
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Thanks John.
Sorry, no interest in the Bloodhound.
I like piston powered,wheel driven vehicles. :cheers:
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Nice that you're back omongst us, Mike.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Used up all my bandwidth for some obscure reason so I need to use the leftovers for email.
I'll be back at the beginning of the month. :cheers:
Thanks Doug. :cheers: :cheers:
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Not many days to wait for the new month.
Love Ya, Son.
Pops
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No postings for quite a while, are you OK? The news from SA looks scary, hope the reality is better than what is reported.
Matt Guzzetta
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Matt, PM sent.
Pete
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I sorta figured you were playing with the 4 legged ponies
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Apologies to all for not being around. I fell ill a few days after Freud and the fact that I'm still vertical is a miracle.
Personal problems, mental health issues and a bunch of physical problems that would scare you. You name it, I got it.
I tell it like it is and with all the stuff that was going on in my life I went on what you'd call a hunger strike and only ate three small meals
in December living on water and Coke. I damaged my body in so many ways. Been in and out of hospital more times than you can count
and I lost about 20lbs. I haven't been in touch with anyone and I want to thank all the guys that emailed to check on me. I only gave short replies
because I wasn't in the physical or mental condition to do more. I've only started working recently and I can't do a full day yet.
My one doctor (there are 5) called me an amazing machine and he's a cool guy. No BS and although I don't have medical insurance and use
government health facilities they have looked after me like royalty. My African neighbour who is an advocate and serves on the Medical Council
that deals with medical malpractice saved my life by getting me to the hospital in the nick of time.
The long car hasn't been getting much attention and there are still 3 things bothering me. Rearend ratios, transmission and rubber. Sleepless nights
but things have a way of working out. Bad stuff still going on in my life but I'm hanging in. My dog Ruby that I loved more than any other was killed
by Rosie Saturday and I got a slipped disc in my lower back while digging the grave. The Subaru just won't stop. Since early November I've been beat down
and I'm praying, trying everything to get over all of this.
I'll start working on the liner soon and start posting again. God Bless all of you.
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Mike,
Sorry about all your hard times but real good to hear from you. I would still like to do those intake runners for you.
Terry
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Keep sending stuff, Mike, I'm a good listener. Help with what I can.
Doug
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God bless you too, Mike. "Yay though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil- for thou art with me." Take it to heart, my friend.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Great to see the post Mike. Keep moving forward.
Pete
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Welcome back, Mike!
Mike
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Welcome back Mike, good the hear you are doing and getting better... take your time... :cheers:
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Welcome back Mike. Glad you are getting better. Keep the Faith.
Ron
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Mike,
Sorry to hear about your dog, hang in there we are all pulling for you!!!Great to see you back1
Rex
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Rock on my brother. JB
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It is great news to read that you are still with us. We were worried about you.
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Mike:
I think of Roosevelt's Man in the Arena at times like these.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. "
Theodore Roosevelt
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Mike,
A hand sketch is fine. I have to do a drawing in my CAD-CAM to do the tool path for machining. We will go back and forth a few times until it is right. This is going to be fun.
Terry
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Thank you all is all I have right now but I promise I will never let you guys down. God Bless. :cheers:
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Wishing you a Happy Birthday, Mike. :cheers:
Don
-
Like Don said. :-D
Wayno
-
From way up north -- Many Happy Returns of the Day from both of us, Mike.
Nancy and Slim
-
Vintage sounds nicer.............. :evil: Happy B-Day Mike. JB
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Mike I wish for your Birthday --the JOY that comes form knowing you are out of the ditch and well back on track Happy birthday Mike and many more happy returns :cheers:
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A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mike
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Hi Mike, we wish you a happy birthday.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Same here Mike.
Terry
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Happy birthday, Mike.
Mike
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Have a happy birthday Mike and may this year prove to be a huge improvement on the year past. We look forward to progress every day.
Pete
-
Happy Birthday Mike
-
Happy Birthday Mike, :-D
Remember always to breathe, relax, aim, squeeze AND think the round to the target! :roll:
Best to you on this day and beyond! :cheers:
Regards,
HB2
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Happy birthday fella, hope you're travelling OK,
cheers
Dr G
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Happy Birthday Mike.... think positive.... think fast.... stay safe :cheers:
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Hi Mike, have a happy birthday.
-
Thanks for the Birthday greetings all. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Really appreciate it. Been in and out of the hospital again x 4.
Going to beat this problem. :evil:
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Another year older eh, Mike? You are getting to be an old fart like me and a few others on this thread.
John
-
My doctors don't think so. :-D :-D :-D
But I do..........especially in elevators. :lol:
Thanks John. God Bless you.
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You can get it done, Mike. Let's get back to building and having fun.
Doug
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Thanks Doug. Podunk is going to manufacture me a set of runners for the inlet manifold.
That's a gesture of note don't you think?. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I have to fight this fight. Hospital today and clinic tomorrow. Getting old. :roll:
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Back in the saddle. PDF sent to Podunk and i'm busy on the rear end nightmare.
I can't post pics yet because the camera on the mobile phone qiut so as soon as I get
a new phone I'll have pics. Terry thank you. God Bless. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike---did you watch the K Derby?
-
Sorry I didn't. Haven't had much to do with the horses lately.
I'm sure there'll be a replay on the racing channel here and I'll check
it out. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Got drawings and material ready for the trip to Geraldo.
I figure by the time he's done machining I'll be able to pay him. :cheers:
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Hey Mike....When John Buttera built his Indy car ..He leased a fully tooled 5 axis CNC machining center with a small down payment....His plan was to have all his parts made before he missed too many payments and it got repo`d...just a thought :evil:
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No fancy machines like that will ever grace my workshop floor. Distractions I don't need or can afford.
I leave each to his own. Got great guys that know their stuff and that works for me. My skills I use but the rest
goesto the pros. :-D
Thanks for being a great friend Jerry and checking on my situation regularly. God Bless you and your family. :cheers:
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Nothing totally related to my build but the little Chevy Spark parts fetcher is getting bodywork done by a new sponsor.
Zina got side swiped by two taxis who failed to stop. Damage to both rear quarters and doors plus a tail lamp.
Greenstone Autobody is going to repair the car for some onboard advertising. Thanks Barry!!!!!. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I'llbe skinning the hood with some really nice Carbon I was given. Some nice wheels in the offing too I pray.
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Two taxis? I'm glad she wasn't hurt, Mike.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Fender benders but the rats never stopped. One overtook on the shoulder in the dirt and one squeezed between lanes.
Probably unlicensed vdehicles and drivers. She didn't even get a partial plate on one of the two. Small damage but just everywhere.
Going to need two rear doors IMO.
She's fine thanks Neil. Me not so good. Damaged my index finger trying to set up those horrible garage door coil spring monsters.
Time will heal all. :cheers: :wink:
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That she is OK is good to hear.
Regarding your injury- it reminds me of the old joke: "
"So, you injured your F'ing finger?"
"No, the one next to it."
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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I'm on first name basis at the hospital. In and out.
Even the Uber guy gives me a good deal.
I heal like an alien. Working already.
Long car is looking tastier by the minute and it won't be long before I'm on it like a honey badger. :wink:
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Sure wish I had your drive, energy and ambition, Mike. Glad to hear you are healthy again and ready to tear the world a new one.
John
-
Got this hankering for shaping and sanding now. The weather's right and I'll start tomorrow. :cheers:
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Back on track. All kinds of crazy stuff going on here. My engineer and best machinist Geraldo beat colon cancer. Kyle who does all the motor machining (Serdi head work) is moving to the UK???.
I beat a bunch of illnesses. My Jack Russells got into a fight and my best friend Ruby was killed. Devastating but I got a new pup after saying I'd never own another dog. We called her Charlotte.
I'm grafting at the racing stables building the Barley fodder system. I'm not into horses like the rest of the family. Gotta earn the $$$$.
I've been to hell and back since early November but the wheel looks like it turned. Prayer, the breakfast of champions!!!!
Freud's problems broke my heart and I was fighting for my life at the same time he got ill.
Working on the long car in small increments. Never give up. There's a book in this saga!!!.
Photos when I get a new phone. The last one took flying lessons. Anger management :-D
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I'm glad to hear that most of the rough stuff is behind you, Mike. I'm looking forward to seeing a picture of Charlotte!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Stay well my friend. We have to many on the sick list. Freud has some improvements and was moved to another facility. Keep the prayers coming.
-
Thanks guys. God Bless.
-
Take care of yourself, Mike. Get lots of rest and eat well.
-
Rough here again but thanks for the well wishes. God Bless allof you.
-
I am sure that a LOT of us Think of you often---
I know we do not need to coach, about taking care of yourself but --- you should know we do pray for your turn around a look forward to you firing that long skinny thing off!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thank you so much Sparky. I appreciate the friendship, mentoring and advice but the prayers are the most imprtant.
It's been a rough ride since early November and I don't want to burden all my great friends around the world with my Subaru.
I will say that I asked someone close to me if I'm actually dead and don't know it because the nightmare I'm living through can only
be hell. Roller coaster is the "UNDERSTATEMENT"of the century. Relationship is wrecked (not my doing), ill health as a result and the
hospital visits number 19 now. I'm on a first name basis with the medical staff from the ambulance guys right through to the neurosurgeons.
I don't have medical insurance So I use public health facilities!!!. 99% of South Africans will say the system sucks but they're wrong. My
issues are all but wiped out. A lady I met through a mutual friend 2 years ago really likes me a lot and has been taking me to a private
hospital for the past two months at her cost and it ain't cheap. Gabriella is special God Bless her. I can call at 2AM and she's here in 15 minutes!!!.
Getting back to the liner. My creativity all comes from being relaxed, happy and generally being in a good place. It's not happening. I live alone
and care for 2 Jack Russells and a rooster. My best dog and friend Ruby was killed by the others in a fight over dominance. Broke my heart and
I don't think i'll ever be the same. I don't go outside the property and I might as well be doing 25 to life. My missus is staying here off and on so
things are not the best. To top it all she's got cataracts and doesn't have insurance. She's out of her mind with fear. She went to Johannesburg General Hospital
for a consultation and the end result is that they could remove the cataracts in late October. She'd be blind by then and is a medical rep so she spends a large part of her
day behind the wheel. I couldn't watch her suffering I promised to find the 33,000
grand to pay for the surgery. She was sceptical but I prayed for help put my Harley Bobber project up for sale at a fifth of what it's worth and waited.
My Carbon supplier is a good guy and called to check on me. He asked how I was doing and I opened up to him so he asked for first option on the bike.
He came around to see the project and said he couldn't buy the bike because he could see how much I invested in it so he proposed a deal where he'd give
me the funds for her surgery and when I finished assembling the bike he'd like to ride it on occasion and when I sold it he suggested we share the profit.
He went to his MPV and came back with R33,000 in cash. You talk about prayers being answered?????. The sceptical "one" I took to the best eye surgeon
and paid up front. She goes in on the 2nd of August for surgery. Weird thing is that the big dangerous stuff I handle with ease but the emotional stuff gets to me.
If ten guys were at my gate to beat me up I handle it like a walk in the park. I was a born warrior and only fear God, lightning and Boerbull dogs.
I believe in the Good Lord and I might be a lousy Catholic but I have guardian Angels protecting me. I did lose the plot between November and June but I came
out of it unscathed. I truly believe "Prayer is the Breakfast of Champions" and I'm binging.
Got lots going and the tide has turned. I'm earning money and so called friends said I could have used the money to buy tires for the liner but my Priorities lie
in the right place. This woman put me through hell but what's right is right. I'm taking a bunch of parts for the long car to have the inlet manifold welded, maching done
and powder coating. The liner is all I have and my only motivation to live. I won't back down and I'll finish it so I can run in August next year. Pulled a few more sponsors
with a couple of phone calls and slowly but surely my Juju is coming back. Why did I share my private stuff here on the forum?. Because I tell it like it is!!!!.
That's me in a nutshell. Without this long car and all you awesome friends I'd be in the ground six feet down. :cheers:
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Mike, you have a lot of folks out here who are pulling for you and we understand that sometimes doing the right thing means putting other important projects on temporary hold. Believing in God has been a lifesaver for many, many people.
Your lady friend, Gabriella, sounds like a keeper.
Regards & God Bless, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Mike, keep fighting the good fight. You have a lot of guys on this forum behind you and we all want to see the long car move under its own power.
Pete
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:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, life is like flying to the moon - lots of mid-course corrections! :-o Stay the course my friend, stay the course! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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As I like to say: Life is sorta like getting into the US Capital building--there are lots of doors, some straight ahead, some to the left and some to the right. The only thing that counts is getting the next step up.
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As I like to say: Life is sorta like getting into the US Capital building--there are lots of doors, some straight ahead, some to the left and some to the right. The only thing that counts is getting the next step up.
Kind of like LSR racing, Sparky.
John
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Yeah John but it sure seems like I spend way to much time, money, and effort before I get up on the next step :-D
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rock on Mike..We are all with you . Jb
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Thank you all. Been spending lotsa time on the phone organizing stuff and I'm getting better by the day.
Lost a bit of strength due to a broken finger and a bad fall on some slippery soap soaked tiles. The maid
doesn't work for us anymore. Five minutes after I warned her not clean a no go area where I keep the
Harley she just disobeyed me. I got up and was fine but two days later my shoulder, elbow and wrist were not great. Age is catching up with me. :-P
My composite supplier Gebi who is also a good friend retired and as a going away present he dropped off two rolls of Carbon fabric.
Needless to say he still owns the company and from here on in anything I need he gets for me at cost. He visits me once a week to check on me
and we shoot the breeze while drinking tea. He even brought his own Rooibos tea and honey. I prefer coffee but it plays havoc with my gut. :roll:
Got 2 hours work left at the horse stable on the Barley fodder system and I can get back to work on the liner. Bodywork first and I'll start from the front
and work my way back. Still can't find F150 rear axles here. Hen's teeth I'm told but I'll keep looking. Building up a pile of cash to import a new throttle body
and tires. Wish me luckout exchange rate is at an all time low but in light of what's gone on here it's a minor issue.
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Are you looking for F150 9" or 8.8' Complete housings our just center sections
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9" axles that take the larger bearings. Tom Burkland suggested that current Mustang axle bearings and axles won't handle the speeds involved.
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Can`t believe the S. Africa junkyards are not full of Torino`s...……….
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Jerry that would be Toyotas here. :-D
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Mike:
We need to see more of your long car.
John
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Yes, more pics
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Sorry guys. I haven't been doing much on the liner.
Had health issues and a bunch of other problems.
I'm better now than I have been and I'm doing
a few small things but not enough to post pics.
I've been chasing down sponsorship due to my
bad timing. If you ever find a sponsor get a contract
and grab the product/material immediately. I figured
that the Lexan for the canopy would be one of the last
items to procure so I didn't collect the sheet. :evil: :evil:
I'm Jonesing to blow mold the canopy because i'm trying
to eliminate all the stressful stuff in my life and the canopy
has given me sleepless nights. This build is all sponsorship
based. I could never build this liner without the generous
input of my sponsors. Big bucks is an understatement but
you all know that already. :-(
I live from day to day but I made a commitment to my
sponsors and I intend keeping my word.
I'll be posting pics of the tooling for the canopy soon.
Thanks for the interest. You guys all inspire and motivate
me. God Bless. :cheers:
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Your dedication and tenacity is an inspiration to us, Mike. Bless you.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Hi Mike. It is nice to read that you are moving around and doing your favorite thing.
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He is ???......I thought he was working :evil:
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I'm on a high today.
My best bud Doug Grieve broke a record and just backed it up.
Got email from him a half an hour before he ran. I just heard
the second part of the good news on live streaming.
The guy is at Speedweek and yet he has time to get in touch just before he runs. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Special guy (Buickguy 3) and also a shout out to Frank Morris. God Bless you and the team Doug. You made my month.
Inspiration comes from all of you. Thanks Bo and Neill. :cheers:
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Thanks, Mike, we made it back to Montana with no broken parts. Now the prep begins for World Of Speed. I said last year when we couldn't keep the car on the ground with the rough track that it had a 215-220 in it and with this year's dead smooth track a 212 was pretty close. Now with a little tuning it should be doable. Glad to see that you can get back to some of the important work on the liner. Keep plugging away. You've got the attitude.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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That's geat news Doug. I'm always pulling for you guys.Thanks for the faith brother. God Bless. :cheers:
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I've been compiling a list of things to do and components still needed for my liner and due to limited budget, the local exchange rate and other factors things are an uphill battle.
I need advice from you guys. The parts I can't source locally are tires, a crank trigger wheel and a 105mm throttle body.
The car is not that far off. The body work is a no brainer
IMO. I've done this for 30 years so I have it planned, the materials are here and the process I use works.
Asking you guys to help is cheeky because you all have your own projects
to develop. I need help with a number of US based sponsors and if anyone wants to put in a good word for me with them please PM me?. I hope this request is not offensive.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
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Honey do's!!!!!!.
My first wood construction was at 12 years old when I built an aviary for my finches.
Latest project is a cabin at the bottom of the garden. It's on a steel frame with tongue
and groove planking. What a mission but it's coming along nicely. Great therapy for me.
Got 25% done but I need to get it dried in before the rains come. It's an early birthday
present for she who's name we don't mention :roll:.
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Nice project, Mike.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Tongue and groove??? So you`re not using studs?? You`ll get that done lickety-split :cheers:( It IS Friday )
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I thought that was tongue 'n cheek. Oops, wrong thread.
John
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:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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I'm preparing to fabricate the tooling for blow molding the canopy.
I've been doing a lot of research and getting advice from Gary Lavarack (a guy who has done the process and been through the R&D).
First step is to draw the profile. I'll use my big plastic profile gauge that I bought from Eastwood many years back. My importer
Dale charged me 800 bucks which I thought was a rip off but it turned out to be money well spent. The tool is invaluable and next
to my CP reciprocating saw most of what I do would be near impossible.
Due to the shape of the canopy making the tool is difficult. The rear section that fits around the roll hoop has an almost vertical edge
so the question was how to shape the cutout so I get the correct shape. I came up with the idea of just doing a mirror image giving
me the advantage of producing two canopies.
I have steel 1" tubing for the frames and some 2mm plate that should be enough to build the two boxes. I have two choices on cutting
out the profile. I can go with the plasma cutter or send the plate and template to my sponsor Aquajet Profiling. I don't think I have a steady
enough hand for using the plasma machine and the finishing will be a PITA!.
I'll build the base box first starting later this morning. :wink:
This is the drawing I did of the profile using Paint.
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I forgot to add that I have a material sponsorship coming from Perspex South Africa.
The sheet of material costs around R4500 retail. Thanks to Babera Grifo who was
good enough to come on board.
She's also involved in drag racing here and will
be at SEMA this year. I'm hoping shell bring back a vital component for me in her
luggage if I manage to convince a US based prospect that I'm worthy of his product. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Maybe she could squeeze 8 tires in the baggage as well.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, I am very interested in this process (blow molding polycarbonate). I had to eventually go to a professional to get this done without distortion. Please send us images of tooling and the blow process at key points along the way. BTW, what sheet thickness are you using? The company I used said .125" minimum.
John
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Mike, when we used to make road racing and street fairings at Don Vesco Products we found the best plastic bubbles we used for our road racing and street fairing were produced by sucking the hot (hanging sheet oven for even heating) plastic into a large box to free form the part. We used to get optically excellent windscreens that way. We used 3/16" thick material and cut the parts from the bubbles with a epoxy pattern with a "carbo router" bit. Here is the link to the Severance tool catalog page showing the carbo rout burrs. The burrs cut clean and you can almost free rout the parts without cracking the plastic.
http://www.severancetool.com/pdf/Severance%20Carbo%20Routs%20and%20End%20Mills.pdf
I can send you a sketch of the setup that the company used to make the parts. The reason for sucking the part into the box instead of blowing is that the bubble does not distort from the air blowing in which chills the part.
Hope this is some help. We used sections of the bubbles to make the windscreen for Don's streamliner.
Best of luck!
Matt Guzzetta
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Matt, thanks for the heads up. All the advice helps. Gary is a good guy and knows his stuff.
I'll blow the sheet in an inverted state like he suggested.
I'll be honest. I contacted a local
guru that blow molds canopies for sailplanes etc but he treated me with such contempt
you'd swear I owed him money or something. I grew up in a tough neighbourhood and
my instinct was to go see this nasty person face to face. Man to man!!! but there's no
time for a bad time. Been there.
I figured that if I could do this thing myself it would just be another milestone and give
me the satisfaction of creating another component for what keeps me alive. The long
car is all I have and my only motivation for living.
I've got all kinds of obstacles in my life right now. What they are is not for this forum
but I keep my nose to the grindstone and take small bites at the biggest project I've
ever tackled. Elite force training is 75% mental and 25% physical IMO but this LSR
thing is off the charts.
Doug, the rubber is the BIG issue and it's been a thorn in my side since the first race
I ever entered. Just like my crashes, all on right hand turns.
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Mike;
Re: the sailplane canopy guy- some people are just snots, they just can't help themselves. Don't worry about it, you're a far better man than he is.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Yeah.....Mike....The idea is to avoid right turns if possible... :cheers:
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Had no internet connection over the last while. TIA= This is Africa.
Better than wrong turns hey Jerry?. :-D
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wrong turns??..ME ?? you mean like in 1980 when I had the chance to buy a `67 Ferrari 275 GTB 4 cam for $7500, But bought a new Corvette instead??? :cry:
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You joined the long list of geniuses I know.
I actually owned a Countach back in 87.
Bought the wreck from a guy in Italy that fell asleep at the wheel.
Too much "Vino". :-D :-D :-D
The idea was to make molds and rebuild the the left side in Carbon.
The rest is history.......... I guess we stillhavea shot at MIT!!!!!!!. :cheers:
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Nothing really to show as far as the liner goes but my new sponsor Jan of Turboworks rebuilt my unit for the Volvo so we'll definitely have the qickest version parts fetcher in the country.
Kevin and Matthew are going to rebuild the top end when it gets back from machining.
Many thanks to Jan and his team for coming on board. These are the nicest people I have met in a long time. Any South Africans reading this post and need their services should go see them.
I have to get the Honey Do cabin finished before I can get back on the liner full time. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Getting there.
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The roof supports look kind of sparse. What about snow load? When you get a foot and a half or two of snow on the roof -- will it support the weight?
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They aren't all in yet but if we get a few feet of snow here let it come down.
I haven't seen any snow here since 1981 and although it started in the early hours
it had melted by 17h00. 2" maybe. All I need to worry about is burglars!!!. :-D
The construction is at the bottom of the garden away from the house. :x
In saying that I do have a pack of killer dogs.
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I've been listening to the podcast Mike Lefefers partook in and it's just awesome.
I've hit a bit of a speed bump on the liner build related to engine building.
Kyle, my engineer as moved to the UK, Derek Marx who mentored me on building
Ford motors is getting on in years and has acute arthritis. I was going to ship the components
to him to build the motor sans the fuel injection and turbo setup but now it seems that this
one is all on me. I've built two 351Cs under supervision but this is a whole new ball game for
me.
I guess I'll be pestering you guys for help if that's OK????. :roll:
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nice of you to try to soften the dogs public image by dressing them up!
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:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Thanks Sparky. That I really needed.
Not much to smile about around here
but that helped. :cheers:
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Little Ms "Red Doggie" in a hood did the same for me!!
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shed??? drat...I thought it was a dyno test cell w/ 2" thick Lexan windows to prevent the flying connecting rods from bonking the kid down the street upside the noggin. :cheers:
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No Jerry it's actually the oven for blow molding canopies..........
Got other stuff for the kid down the road. How did you know?. :evil:
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Things are looking up. Health is improving big time thank the Lord. :cheers:
Got contacted by a major manufacturer of the best racing components around IMO.
US based. He wants me to send him a proposal. I'm feeling lucky. :cheers: :-D
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Mike, all good things come to he who waits! :cheers: Or F's around long enough for sumthin to happen! :x :-o :-D
Either way all the best to ya and keep us posted! :cheers:
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Thanks Woody. God Bless you. :cheers:
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Help wanted on cam choice.
None of us can do it all but we try.
I can drive, weld, work with composites, design fairly simple stuff
but when it comes to motors I'm more an assembler than builder.
2 strokes, Mazda rotaries and performance 351C normally aspirated
I know but this high end stuff is way out of my league. EFI, ECU, crank
triggers, EGT sensors and never mind the turbo stuff :evil: :evil: :evil:.
I've leaned on you guys from inception and have never been left in the lurch
or wondering for which I am eternally grateful.
The camshaft is bugging me. Dave Crower gave me excellent advice on a solution
for my original project (the truck) but the liner is a different kettle of fish. He said
the 351c 4V heads breathe so well I don't need a "big" cam. That was for 7,000RPM
but based on my current components I probably need an additional 1,500RPM.
The block, crank and rods are up to the task. In racing nothing is bullet proof.
My rear tire size is 29,4", diff ratio currently 2.44:1 and final drive 1:1.
I need to know what RPM is required to get 300MPH?.
I know there are a lot of missing variables but this is my starting point.
I'd appreciate input from anyone especially Dynoroom for obvious reasons :wink:.
Thanks in advance. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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No help on cam choice but I do have a question for you on the 351 ford block?
If you are running a stock 351 Cleveland block, Ford's oiling passages on those particular blocks was terrible for over 6500 RPM. So there are many modifications that need to be done to make everything live at 8000 RPM. There are many books out there that outline what needs to be done.
A friend who runs one of these motors at the drags did all of the modifications the books say and it still blew up at 7200 rpm. He finally went with a new aftermarket block that has oiling based on the Windsor and has not had any trouble since.
Just a heads up which I am sure you already know.
Tom G.
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Spicer has a lot of calculators for about every thing, speed, RPM, tire size, gear ratio, etc.
Ron
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8,366 RPM :cheers:
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No help on cam choice but I do have a question for you on the 351 ford block?
If you are running a stock 351 Cleveland block, Ford's oiling passages on those particular blocks was terrible for over 6500 RPM. So there are many modifications that need to be done to make everything live at 8000 RPM. There are many books out there that outline what needs to be done.
A friend who runs one of these motors at the drags did all of the modifications the books say and it still blew up at 7200 rpm. He finally went with a new aftermarket block that has oiling based on the Windsor and has not had any trouble since.
Just a heads up which I am sure you already know.
Tom G.
Tom we never got the Ford American thin wall castings here in South Africa. Ours are the heavy duty Australian version. We'll be busy on the oiling when the time comes and I have those publications. The Arrow block from Australia was an option (and might still be) but the manufacturer took so long our exchange rate tanked before he could supply. That block will cost 5 times the original price right now. Jack Roush must have had some trick stuff back in the day. 11,000 RPM. Thanks for the advice Tom. It is appreciated. God Bless.
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8,366 RPM :cheers:
Spot on Jerry. Tom said the same. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I said you guys have never let me down. :wink:
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Is water jet cutting a crank trigger pulley a viable option?.
I have a drawing. Parts like this are tough to find for a Cleveland motor.
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Sure. More issue is mounting, diameter etc. 36tooth or in that case 36-1 are common. Depends on what your ECU wants for trigger and the sensor. MSD for instance uses a wheel with magnets. So the wheel can be aluminum. Others (mine) uses a Hall sensor and iron wheel. Whatever your ECU system wants to give crank position and then cam position or not and are you using multiple coils, etc etc. There are several places to get such things and you modify but if you can get one cut, that's great.
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For instance: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Small-Block-Ford-36-1-crank-trigger-wheel-5-0-302-5-8-351w-EDIS-SBF-/183454020192
Of course don't know about shipping or duties etc. So if you can get it done locally looks good. Add some mounting holes.
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Thanks so much. I'll measure my damper OD in the AM.
My knowledge is limited but doesn't the trigger wheel need to have
a larger OD?. Some small block Ford stuff doesn't relate to the Cleveland either.
I'll check but thanks for wanting to help. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Here is what one guy did. Go down to post 11 and he will explain.
Hope this helps some.
Tom G.
https://www.fordmuscleforums.com/makin-progress/506437-some-random-details-351c-ranger.html
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Mike- the diameter is only important with respect to where you mount it (clearance to other parts) and the needed resolution between teeth that your ECU needs. Plus where/how you mount the sensor. A 3" wheel with no place to put the sensor makes no sense and a 12" wheel similarly. 3" or 4" minimum I have seen, most are 6" to 7". And anywhere up to 60-2 teeth (most I have seen and used, may be more in some applications). And a crank trigger doesn't care what engine it is on. I use a modified SBC wheel with 2 teeth on my 4 cyl. You program the ECU to do what you need firing order wise. The wheels are pretty much universal but of course the mounting bolts you use to put it on your damper or pulley or whatever may need customizing. Or am I totally off base and you are just using a crank trigger for a distributor and some ignition box, no EFI etc. But still, pretty universal and exact diameter dimensions not critical, just the tooth size and count.
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Mike
FWIW I'm old and trying to learn this stuff. That being said, from what I read (I don't have mine installed yet) you have to have the missing tooth properly located in relation to TDC and the pickup mount. This determines where the mounting holes go if bolting to the damper.
Ron
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Mike, If you think it's tough finding Ford 351 stuff on the shelf, try to find stuff for a 1947 Buick straight 8.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Doug, I can imagine. :roll: :roll: :roll:
Note to self. When downloading PDFs keep them in the relevant folders.
Had the correct drawing for the crank trigger wheel and it's proving to be elusive.
Part of the learning process I guess. :evil:
Jacksoni, thanks for showing so much interest in wanting to assist. Really appreciate it.
Desotoman and Ron the same. God Bless you guys.
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I received an email from the US containing some very good news.
Best medicine ever. I feel better than James Brown. :-D :-D :-D
Prayer is the BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!. :cheers:
a Shoutout as well to Barbara Grifo and the staff at Perspex SA
for the sheet of Polycarbonate for the canopy.
Sponsors now total 54. That must be a world record???????.
What color hat guys??????.
From death's door to this!!!. Unbelievable. Thank you LORD.
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MIKE remember you and the Lord kept you in the game! My observation is that he mostly only helps those that work at helping themselves.. keep up the fight!!
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Thanks so much Sparky. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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What determines throttle body size?.
From my research 105mm seems to
be the biggest.
My knowledge as you
all know is limited. Would a bigger body
be more beneficial for a twin turbo application.
My units are Holset HX55s.
Thanks in advance. :wink: :cheers:
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BUMP. :? :? :? :? :? :?
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BUMP. :? :? :? :? :? :?
Hx55 is what, a 67mm inducer compressor wheel? There are a lot of guys running larger turbos on smaller throttle body on the street or as drag race cars.
In most cases 105mm is roughly equivalent to a 4" charge pipe. The transition is minimal, and the flow is huge.
Now, for a real exciting time, there are massive oval plate throttle bodies, and even the potential of dual throttle bodies.
You might find the 105mm a limitation, but not before you find a restriction in the bends of your charge piping and intercooler.
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Thank you. You answered my question in a perfect manner. :cheers:
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Just got an email from my Polycarbonate sponsor.
Barbara wanted to know how many sheets I wanted?.
The sheet is 3050mm x 2050mm.
I said one thank you.
She replied she'd send two for just in case.
Big margin for error here folks. I'm covered. :-D :-D :-D
Miracles. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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That is great support from your sponsor, Mike. Good for Barbara!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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She's off to SEMA in a few weeks.
Drag racing family. Good girl.
I've been through a tough time for almost a year now
but the wheel is finally turning. Thank God. :cheers:
How do you guys sleep at night?, this liner keeps me awake
all night. So much to do. Climbing Everest is a no brainer compared.
This is all I think about 24/7. I want it so bad but i'm limited on the know
how. That's the only scary part.
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Podunk messaged me saying he'd love to have some of his work
on the Springfield Flyer and what did I require?.
I was surprised and honored at the same time.
It took less than a second to say yes and his generous
offer came at a time when I was fighting a running battle
with Aluminum tubing for my intake runners.
These runners transition from oval on the head side
to round on the plenum chamber. I tried everything
within my capabilty but to no avail.
I made the drawings/templates and sent them to Terry.
He'll be doing the CNC machining in the near future and
I just know we're going to build an awesome intake manifold.
Terry, thank you so much for this gesture and God Bless you.
This means so much to me. The attachment shows 10 units
for "just in case" I ruin one or two. Hopefully not.
Without the help of the members here I'd be nowhere and
I want to thank you all for embracing me and treating me like
family. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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My Polycarbonate sheets arrived Friday morning last week and when
the truck drove out it pulled down a 40 pair telephone cable.
No phones on our block until just now.
Sheets cut to manageable sizes and I'll start ordering material for
the oven. Getting WIKA Instrument gauges and ball valves from the
sponsor. All good here and things are coming together.
Healthier too. Thank God. :cheers:
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Glad to hear that things are going well, Mike. (with the exception of that phone line!)
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Thanks Neil. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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War here. Old issues raised their ugly heads.
I'm not well physically but I tell it like it is.
The cops are probably on their way.
I could care less. If you ever get arrested for Subaru you didn't do
wear sandals. Cops take your shoe laces. These so called officers can't even strip
a hand gun. I'm trained on 8 in total and not hand guns. Military stuff.
This is supposed to bea build diary!!!!. 50 Browning anyone.
Bill Reilly I respect you big time but any opinion you have on my loyalty is misplaced.
God Bless you.
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Bill Iapogize for my earlier comment.
There was a misunderstanding on Facebook
concerning Freud last November and I took things a little too far.
Please forgive me?. I'm sorry and it won't happen again.
You've stood by me from day one and I appreciate all
the good you've brought into my life. God Bless you and
your family. :oops:
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No worries Mike. Just keep building that LSR car. We all want to see that car run and set records.
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Bill, thank you for all the help, motivation and the other suff.
God Bless. You just made my day. I was taking strain. :-(
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Hey, Mike, don't forget to send us pictures of your car. I am especially interested in how the polycarbonate process works out. Do you have an image of the chassis? Would love to see it.
John
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John, this is what I could find at short notice.
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Mike, that's fantastic! You really are quite well along. Keep those images coming.
John
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It's way futher than that image shows.
All I need are tires and front hubs and she's a roller. :-D
I'll post step by step pics with decriptions from building the oven to the final
canopy. I've got 4 shots at it producing 8 canopies. The pattern is back to back
so it will make 2 at a time.
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John, this is the result i'm going for.
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That looks really good.
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Bo, like you I do as much research as possible.
I've spent days on the web looking for info.
As I said in earlier posts Gary Lavarack in Ca
is very helpful. His only negative comment was
why I don't use an electric motor!!!!. Don't pollute
was his advice. I'm using Ethanol.
Like most of what I do I spend my nights visualising
every process and I've blow molded thousands of canopies
in my mind. :-)
The trick is how to do this as cost effectively as possible.
If I had the funds it wouldn't be a problem but I have to box
clever and use ring craft. I checked the prices on Plywood for
the oven and I could dip into my Plastic Pig and spend the loot
saved for the Volvo repair but I love the wagon and it's the best
and safest transport around.
I saw an ad for used wooden pallets for a buck ($1) a piece and
I figured I'll buy a truck load for 200 bucks and repurpose the timber.
There are a few guys around that blow mold canopies and difficult to
find older bike fairings but this liner is my deal and come hell or high
water I will get a useable canopy (+-6mm thick).
Now if only I could cut gears and make tires!!!!! :-D
This is more about the journey than the destination.
Look at any other form of racing. Stuff available off the shelf.
LSR not so much. I have learned from the best, been motivated by them
and mentored not to mention the countless packages of "inspiration" that
arrived in the post. You guys built this liner using my hands and that's no cliche. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Looking forward to the blow molding process...One of those black arts I`ll never use.
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Jerry, Carbon Fibre is the black art. :-D :-D :-D
My first part was a hood for a Countach.
Came out perfect. Gave me a career.
I thought it was luck but determination is what
keeps me going. I won't back off or down.
Being born the runt was the best thing that ever happened to me.
All my family are 6' plus. :cheers:
I can't wait to start this canopy thing but I just need to finish the
Honey Do. Got a way to go yet. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
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Mike, I've forgotten, are you using a 9" Ford type rear in the liner?
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Jerry, Carbon Fibre is the black art. :-D :-D :-D
My first part was a hood for a Countach.
Came out perfect. Gave me a career.
I thought it was luck but determination is what
keeps me going. I won't back off or down.
Being born the runt was the best thing that ever happened to me.
All my family are 6' plus. :cheers:
I can't wait to start this canopy thing but I just need to finish the
Honey Do. Got a way to go yet. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Looks like all the timber you need for your oven right there!
;)
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Yea Mike....Today is MONDAY.... :evil:
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Mike, I've forgotten, are you using a 9" Ford type rear in the liner?
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Sorry, no Doug. Remember that thief in Cape Town called Hanno Lourens stole my new third member
and $5000 I borrowed from my mate Guido for him to cut 2:1 ratios. So much for his R&D scam.
Using a GM 10 bolt with 2.44:1 ratio if I can't convince Marco Cassagrande to cut a better set or two. :-D
-
What is the diameter of the GM 10 bolt 8.5"?
-
I was given a part # for the rear end which was going to be impossible
to find here but the first guy I called gave me one. Thanks George!!!!!.
Sparky to be honest I haven't measured. All I saw that it was 2.44:1.
BTW, I've been trying to get hold of Dave Crower without success and
found out today from Susie Teague that he passed a while back.
RIP Dave. Thank you for being so nice to me and helping so much. :cry:
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Today was collection and shopping day.
Haven't been out of the yard in ages.
I've been using the same metal supplier since 1981
and have spent a lot with him over the years.
I called about a quote for Aluminum billet for the throttle
body we're going to build. I get a price of R750 for 160mm OD
x 200mm long. 40mm OD x 100mm long and 2 plates 450 x 90 x 8mm thick.
Total is around 1200 bucks. This was two weeks ago.
Yesterday the Quote I was promised never arrived so I called today and eventually
the email arrived. A staggering R1800 and I need to pay up front before they'll
cut anything.
OH really. I called another supplier near home that I haven't used before and a nice
young lady said she'd precut all the material for me and I could pay on collection.
R1150 with tax. Bye Bye Metals Centre after 30 odd years. I then find out that Metals
Centre buys the Ally from the new supplier. :-D :-D :-D :-D
Off to Klingspor to collect cutting discs, belts for sanders etc with Rob From Wika Instruments
who brought me a liquid filled gauge for my upcoming blow molding career!!!!.
Took him for lunch. Burger and fries with a Coke. Great day was had by all.
Between Podunk, Geraldo, Duncan and myself we are going to build an inlet manifold, plenum
chamber and throttle body worthy of being displayed in the Smithsonian. Mark my words. :wink:
Let the games begin.
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Oh sure Mike...Leave poor ol` Rev. Jer out of the fun. :cheers:
-
You can be the gasket guy :-D.
I've been listening to Sweet Caroline a lot this past week Jerry. :wink:
You guys better wear sox. The big freeze is coming. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
SWEEEEEEEEEEET CAROLINE!!!!!!!!!!. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Now Mikey.....After Jay VanAndel ( Amway) dropped $100 million to build us a new concert venue...Neil Diamond was the first act to play there...Took 3 weeks to get that dirge out of my head....
-
Even sweeter now!!!!!.
The horses are winning too.
What a weekend. :-D :-D :-D :-D
Jerry, when are you coming to visit?.
-
The bride retires on July 6, 2019...I am free range after that...So cue up a stack of Neil Diamond. :dhorse:
-
Done. You'll enjoy it here. :wink:
-
Gathering momentum here.
Ever since the Sox won I can do no wrong.
Got this wastegate and it needs a partner but I've had it a while
and can't get one. I call Nassen and tell him the problem.
He says he has one!!!!!!. How much do you want I asked?.
Help when I need it!!!!!!!!. Only a pleasure. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Got some great guys around me.
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_iKg7nutNY
Story of my life. :-o
-
My billet for the home made throttle body went in for machining today.
My mate Rob works in the area so he dropped the material off at Honingcraft Moser.
He called from his mobile telling me that Garth had the billet under his arm
and the drawing in hand and was walking into the factory as he drove out.
This is a big company with all the right machines. I submitted a slightly oversize
drawing so when I get it back Geraldo can do his magic to final finish the part.
He's not his best physically with the Colon cancer.
Honingcraft and Garth really look after me. Such nice people. :cheers: :cheers:
-
Got a call from Garth at 10 this morning to say my part is machined and ready for collection.
Monday!!!!!. Today was not good for driving. The traffic is so backed up I think the missus might
only get home from work tomorrow.
Very excited about the prospect of building our own throttle body. :cheers:
This liner is my life. What a rush. 8-)
-
Got my "roughed" out throttle body housing back from Honingcraft today.
Thanks Garth and team.
-
I've never given any part or car a nickname before but this is different.
You can all figure this one out for yourselves. :-D :-D :-D
There's a lesson in this. Treat people with respect no matter who
they are or what country they come from. Bad attitude and bad
manners will bite you BIG TIME!!!!. :wink:
-
touch that up on the grinder and you are good to go Mike...……….
-
Jer, I was told the guys at Honingcraft did such a good job I should have let them finish the part.
:x :x :x :x
-
Boy, wouldn't OSHA have fun with that grinder today?
John
-
Layed up the butterfly for the throttle body.
We have to be different and besides I have the skills (Kneeling and praying) to produce
a flat plate.
14 layers of the very expensive Carbon fabric used only on Ducati and I have a few metres
left so what the heck. Gebi, my friend gave me a 1,26kg pack of the best, highest temerature
Epoxy made. 180*C.
14 layers compressed will give a final thickness of just over 3mm. I used a new approach.
I have some round plates of toughened glass that originally came off port holes from a ship.
Got the 1" plank on the press the put down the glass plate with release agent applied.
Then layed up the square pieces of fabric (150 x 150mm) going 45*, 90* and so on.
The weft and warp are in every direction imaginable. Second Glass plate on top with another
thick plank of wood on top.
5 tonnes of pressure!!!!!!!. Gebi says I'm nuts because I probably squeezed all the resin out.
That's the idea. :wink: :wink:
Part has been post curing for two days. 40*C x 4 hours, 80*C x 4 hours and 120*C x 6 hours.
Looks great through the glass and I know it's better than any brass plate around.
Going to demold tomorrow and then we'll see if I'm right. Got to get it water jet cut to size. :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, your skills make mine look positively anthropoid.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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The jury is still out on that!!!!!. I could spend months learning from you.
The aviation stuff really excites me. All I have here is what you sent me
and a mixed bag of aero rivets I'd love to use somewhere.
I'm one of those stubborn guys that won't give up and rejection is motivation.
Neil, this throttle body is going to be different but very cool. I want it BAD!!!!.
Thanks for the kind words and always offering assistance. Without all you guys
this wouldn't be happening.
Things are taking off again and I don't know where I'm going to put all the decals. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
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I rough cut the throttle body plate and it took some work.
This is a pretty solid piece of Carbon.
The OD is 120mm but I'll cut it down to the correct profile
near to the 105mm OD once I've built a tool to cut the plate
at the correct angle.
From experience if there's a problem with delamination it
shows up when the piece is cut using a reciprocating saw.
Nothing here thankfully. I even checked it with my loupe. :wink:
The pressure I used to get the 3,5mm thickness left the plate without
blemishes etc and the offcut I put in the vise couldn't be broken using
hand tools. Very impatient but pleased.
-
Being out here in the sticks and the only one in my country with the passion and vision to take on a long car I live a hard life.
From what I read you guys fund your own projects.
My situation is different. I can't afford to import what I need to complete
this dream project with the current exchange rate. With shipping anything I need will cost R22/1USD.
Sleep is a pastime I don't use much. I sit here night after night sending out sponsorship proposals. Taxing on the mental state
but exciting and the more I work the luckier I get. If I had a buck for every American company that turned me down I'd have $5.
Lucky????. Maybe but there's something bigger at work here. I have an idea what it may be but I'm keeping it to myself.
The miracle car is a reality. Most of the time I don't have a clue but I ask the questions and you all come to my aid. Money can't buy
all the the help and motivation and without it I'd be nowhere. Thank you for standing by me. God Bless you all.
-
Mike;
One of my father's fellow army officer's favorite saying was "You don't ask, you don't get."
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
My observation is that "The Lord helps them that try to help themselves"!!
-
Sparky, we've got priests and nuns in my family on my mother's side.
In addition there's South Africa's first boxing world champion.
You should see my birth certificate. I think they only left Judas out. :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
Lineage??? google my great-great grandfather, James Berry...He was a hangman. And of some fame too. :cheers:
-
Now you're scaring me Jerry. :-D :-D :-D
So you're coming next year?????.
-
Bride says it " Sounds like fun"...latter part of summer perhaps. PM me . JB
-
You'll love it here and it will be the most affordable ever.
Yes it's safe. I'll PM you. :cheers: :cheers:
BTW, this invitation is to all the members. Mi Casa is su Casa.
We've got room. :wink:
-
BTW, I made contact with the mayor's PA of the area where Hakskeen Pan is situated.
My hair brained scheme was for them to build a hangar right on the edge of the Pan
above the flood plain and use it to train underprivileged youngsters at what I do.
Must have living quarters built in.
They are very interested and I've got to go to a meeting
with the mayor next year.
One hitch, my partner says she's not going to live in the desert.
Fine. My future ex is a strong girl that can use all the tools I do. Sounds like a keeper. :-D :-D :-D
-
I've been trying to match 15" road tires to the MT fronts I need so I call
around for prices. R950 each. Bit steep for just setting up.
I'm under the Ranchero pulling out some brake rotors I'm selling and
guess what??????. two tires on rims, right size!!!!!!. What are the odds?. :-o :-o :-o :-o
-
It's Thanksgiving here today as well!!!!!!!.
God works in mysterious ways and this project is Blessed.
I'll have news coming early next week that is going to shock
the racing world.
Faith is worth more than money and I thought 2018 was the worst
year of my life. 11 bad, gut wrenching months on all levels and
one call changed everything. Hold your breath. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, have a Blessed day, week, month and year... we are all blessed you are part of us :cheers:
-
I know we don't discuss politics or religion here but I'm a believer.
Definitely going to write a book. Too many coincidences for it to be
just that.
You want MIRACLES?, I'll show you miracles. This is nuts. I don't
know where to start. If I could just be more diplomatic at times
I'd be golden but I tell it like it is and people don't like the truth.
I'm not referring to anyone on this forum but growing up in a
tough area I still can't shake that get even thing. :evil: :evil: :evil:
The day I found this forum I was changed forever. What a great bunch of
guys!!!.
I did PM a member early on and ask why all the members were so old?, was it because
they were too old to race anything else?????. Not at all, that's how long it takes to get a record!!!!!!!!.
I knew I was home right there. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
This roller coaster ride you can't buy. I'm actually glad I started out with about $500. Imagine if I had
unlimited funding?. No challenge. I fight for every inch and the satisfaction is unbelievable.
I love you all. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Have a good Thanksgiving, Mike and don't forget to give us a few more images of your car. I am also quite curious about your pending announcement. After all, it is the season for miracles.
John
-
Thanks John. I celebrate with you guys but I don't touch Turkey. Looks like a Vulture!!!
I like fish or red meat. Raw or cooked. :-D :-D :-D
Had a scotch or three last night. We had a power black out. They call it LOAD SHEDDING!!!!.
They blamed the problem on the coal for the power stations being wet but we're in the middle
of a heat wave. Freakin drought here. The truth is they never bought enough coal for 11
power stations. Forward thinking hey????. I ate Baloney AKA Polony and went to sleep.
The pics will be coming. Just busy handling a bunch of meetings and getting parts machined.
-
I havea meeting with a guy that grew up 1 mile from me.
We both went to St. Patrick's Church and served as altar boys.
Now you know where my hatred of Brass comes from!!!.
He can cut Hypoid Offset gears and I was straight up.
I said I can't break this stupid record without his help.
I need sponsorship. He's willing to help.
Going to see Marco on Tuesday.
The stupid record stems from the history of South African LSR.
Willie Hepburn drove a Pontiac twin turbo Firebird on a tarred road.
The car was owned by Peter Mannelis who was a gear head with big bucks.
He did 372KPH. Then Grant Van Schalkwyk (a cool dude) did 388 in a car imported
from the US and built by Sonny's at Hoedspruit AFB for Dunlop Tires. After the promo
tour the car went back.
There is no sanctioning body or a class system. Motor Sport SA sets the rules and you run what you brung.
I want to change things. The potential is here and waiting to be embraced. The track is great. South Africa needs something exciting.
-
Well Mike here's to a JOYUS season with good new for down south for us all to enjoy!
-
Thanks Sparky. Starting to enjoy the roller coaster ride again.
I respect you guys because you've been there and done it.
Not for cry babies!. Tom Burkland was right about everything he said.
It was the best schooling ever. Fighting on.
God Bless. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Mike, Enjoy the ride. We at LR are all on the trip with you.
John
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Mike, we call baloney mechanic's steak here! :-D :cheers:
Grandpa fried us kids lots of it growing up! :cheers:
We all look forward to your posts from the other down under! :cheers:
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Thanks John and Woody.
Best mates in the world on the forum. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
BTW, I do a very good Aussie accent. :-D :-D :-D
Got some great jokes too.
Down under in Africa's not so bad, just very hot right now.
Looking forward to December. Got lots to do on the liner
and it's going to be enjoyment all the way.
Life without the long car would be boring.
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:-D I feel a new CW there Mike---Living Life with the Long Car, Life with a Long Car , Long Car Life,
-
Yes sir, Sometimes you go nuts when you can't get what you want
but it's because something better is coming. Patience is what I've
learned. :wink:
-
Did I get lucky by having to use 6.2" conrods as opposed to the stock 5.78"
variety. Smokey thought so.
I'd love your comments.
-
Guys, I want landracing.com decals and if you own a company send yours too.
PM me for details. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :cheers:
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Mike, I think I've still got some landracing.com bumper stickers. There's about 10" x 3". Send me a mailing address and I'll aim some towards you.
-
Thanks Jon.
Mike Peter.
P.O. Box 38,
Buccluech,
South Africa,
2066.
Not afraid to share my details here. This is family. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Took the throttle body blank to Geraldo yesterday.
He's been battling Colon cancer.
I must be a bit of a coward because if someone gets that sick I run in the opposite direction.
Maybe I just don't like seeing people suffer. :-( :oops:
He looked great and he's beating the thing. It took all my courage to go there I must admit.
He's going to machine the part this week. Go "G"!!!!!!!. :cheers: :cheers:
This journey is more than building a liner. I'm starting to see the light.
To any of my friends who are in poor health, I wish you well and you're in my prayers.
Crazy things happen. I ran an ad in the classifieds for welding services and light fabrication.
I get a call from a kid called Dylan whose not looking for welding but a job!!!!.
He's been doing Tig for three months. He sends me a few pics on Whatsapp. Very good from
what I see. I don't need a worker but he's so keen and wants it so bad so I call Duncan who
does my Aluminum welding. Duncan builds Paris Dakar trucks at Redline racing.
I convince him to take a look at Dylan. 6 guys watching this young kid weld and they threw in a curve ball to boot.
The gave him two Aluminum plates to weld but left the plastic coating on face down. He failed on that one but he was
hired based on his quality on the steel. His new job pays three times more than the old one and he's going to South
America with the team from what I hear. He'll learn from the best but I may have dropped him in the deep end.
Racing crews suffer like soldiers especially in the off road scene. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
One good turn deserves another. This kid hasn't stopped calling to thank me. I just made a phone call!!!!!!.
I'm so happy for him. Finding a rough diamond like this is rare and hopefully we've added another creative
guy to a dwindling community.
-
Throttle body progress.
Ian has all the woodworking tools to build anything but he couldn't help
me turn a piece of Pine so I turned to Elite Wood Turners. Johan said
he'd charge me $2 for the timber plus turning and it would be ready in two days!!!.
The missus went around to collect the part today but we were about a week late
so he bought her a Ginger Beer and let her sit in the office while he turned a new piece.
The original got lost. Then he wouldn't accept payment either. Great guy.
The piece in question is my tool to cut the butterfly to the correct angle.
Being told I couldn't cut the wood on my Makita table saw because I had a metal disc
never stopped me. It came out great.
-
I cleaned the wood up with some fine paper and then masked the Carbon plate.
I used the wood to mark my cut line and took the plate to the vise.
-
After cutting the plate with the CP saw I mated the parts together
and there's just enough meat to clean it up nicely.
Next is bond the plate to the wood with the good double sided tape
and finish it.
Off to Geraldo after the traffic dies down to collect the throttle body.
I need to buy the bearings and Viton O rings before we can go further on machining
so tomorrow is shopping day. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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That's a really nice solution to something that appeared somewhat problematic Mike. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
-
Thanks Pete, I had no reference so I checked and measured the angle on the Harley Carb.
It has a 40mm throat so I made a full scale drawing and then expanded it to the
size of the new part. I measured the intersecting line and got a reading from the larger bore.
Here's pics of Stage two of my home built throttle body.
-
Keeping my Coke cool. Next step is to mill the thick OD to accept
the bearings and shaft. Still undecided on whether to go with an 8mm
or 10mm shaft????. My bearing guy has both and the size difference is minimal.
The O rings pose a small problem. I'm not sure if 2mm clearance to the ID is adequate
and any advice would be most welcome.
I'm enjoying this process no end but I had great motivation to begin with. This is a $160
unit cost wise versus $700 for the retail version.
I see endless fabrication here and you guys inspire me big time. This is what makes LSR
what it is!!!!!. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Looking good, Mike!
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Thanks Neil, I love this journey. :cheers:
BTW, we're having daily blackouts here now.
4 hours coming up in 10 minutes.
These jerks haven't got money to buy coal for 11 power stations.
It's not winter!!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
-
Hmmm...Even 8 mm seems "excessive" for a throttle shaft unless you machine it flat at the attachment point for the throttle blade. That is a lot of material restricting air flow.
-
Like so
-
Jerry it doesn't go completely through the interior of the body.
When I raced the F2 Mazda Rotary March my race engineer Norman Thersby
came up with a way to improve airflow on a Weber 48 IDA carb.
Simply put we drilled and tapped the shaft as close to the wall as possible on both sides
and then cut the centre section away. There were two stubs that were radiused and housed
counter sunk screws, naturally fitted using Loktite. The Brass butterfly had the original holes brazed shut
and the leading and trailing edges were smoothed for better airflow.
The only drawback was the throttle stop. If you never had it set up right the butterfly would be twisted like a candy cane.
That's why I'm using that multi layer Carbon Plate. No twisting involved. I can laminate you a piece and post it for you to test.
I've been working with the stuff for 30 years and this blade (butterfly) is right up there.
The mod did show improvement on the back to back Dyno tests. Norman is sharper than I'll ever be and he calculated the increase in volume
by removing most of the shaft. Like you said the original system did restrict.
Another thing worth looking at is using mesh over an airbox to keep FOD out. You know this already but if you measure the thickness of the wire strands
both on the weft and warp you'll find you might be getting 60% flow.
-
Weft??? where is my dictionary?? :evil:
-
Weft??? where is my dictionary?? :evil:
On the next google page... I had to look it up
weft
noun
(in weaving) the crosswise threads on a loom over and under which other threads (the warp) are passed to make cloth.
Like Mike said.... ya learn something new every day on this site :cheers:
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:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I finally contributed something.🤓🤓
-
Weft is often referred to as fill. :cheers:
Wayno
-
….I thought it was Elmer Fudd giving directions…………... :cheers:
-
When you meet me Jerry you'll get the picture.
Weft and wight!!!!! :-D
Thanks Wayno. :cheers: :cheers:
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Coincidental throttle body content; my engine head builder person recomended (from experience) AT Power ITBs for my engine. He is based in California (unfortunately). The ITBs however are made in the UK which has a sourcing advantage as so am I.
I have just placed my order so it was coincidental that a butterfly spindle discussion popped up here - AT Power ITBs have no spindle - they pivot on what I would descibe as a shoulder joint at the edges of the butterfly.
.... link to the AT Power blurb ... https://www.atpower.com/why-shaftless
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So Norman Thersby from Sheffield, England was 30 years ahead of his time. :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:
-
Good intake flow bench numbers were obtained on the Triumph with the cylinder head and manifold. Butterfly carbs were added and there was a significant drop in flow. Best performance is had with flat slide carbs where the only obstruction in the intake tracts are the needles at wide open throttle. Minimal obstruction to intake flow. The Triumph uses two 45mm dia Mikunis.
-
Bo, on the karts I raced we had Tilotsen slide carbs.
The good one's of which I still have two here revved to 20,000RPM.
Building a slide type throttle body for a twin turbo application is overkill.
The amount of pressure produced won't be affected by a small variation
in flow, so I'm told.
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Hey Pete, I just found out for the umpteenth time that the same ID doesn't go into the same size OD!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D
I never learn. :roll: :roll: :roll: :evil:
Not too tough of a fix but a lathe would have been nice.
-
Got it. Eventually.
The perceived gap at top right is the masking tape peeling away. :cheers:
-
One more for my Canadian mate Peter Jack. Thanks for always inspiring and advising me.
Canadians raised me and Americans adopted me. God Bless all of you. :wink: :cheers: :cheers:
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Hey Pete, I just found out for the umpteenth time that the same ID doesn't go into the same size OD!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D
I never learn. :roll: :roll: :roll: :evil:
Not too tough of a fix but a lathe would have been nice.
Mike, it just requires you to be devious sometimes! :-o :cheers:
Guess you missed this: http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,17498.msg319283.html#msg319283
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Thanks. I just checked. :cheers: :cheers:
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My throttle body blank is at Geraldo for final machining. The old guy looks good
and I have a feeling he beat the Colon cancer.🙏🙏🙏.
Ian and I are arguing because I can't get to grips with Autodesk. He refused to
help with drawings. I couldn't find all the materials I needed so I bought a kid's
Math set. Compass, protractor etc.
Spent yesterday doing drawings. Bear in mind
I was educated at a school where we never had shop class. :-D :-D :-D.
We'll know in a few days if the throttle body is a winner.
Old habits die hard. I weighed the blank before Geraldo machined it the first time.
3,3Kg and after it was 2,1. I don't expect it will lose any significant weight this time
around.
Excited and impatient. Got my MoJo back and have to make up for the year I lost. :evil:
-
Do not feel like the lone ranger. All of my designs are done on paper using the traditional ways. I cannot figure out the computer stuff, either.
-
Huge download. Took forever.
I really wish I could master the thing.
I only have 4 more drawings to do on the liner.
Bo, we can't all be PC geniuses. Ian is trying this reverse
psychology on me but when he works with composites he's covered in goo from
head to toe by his own admission. All good brother. Old school works, just takes
longer and in my case a better option. Geraldo is 79 and doesn't use CNC. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I use CAD for everything...Cardboard Aided Design.
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As long as it's the thin stuff like shoe box material you're good to go. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :dhorse:
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Shoe box??? Patti makes me go bare foot...Keeps me closer to home...………. :cry:
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I'm your captain........ :wink:
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Shoe box??? Patti makes me go bare foot...Keeps me closer to home...………. :cry:
Use the box your Cocoa Puffs come in. :mrgreen:
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Thanks M.P...Now I have that f`n song stuck in my head :x
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Grand Funk, best band ever. Well for me anyway.
If Patti's got you barefoot then do some Footstompin Music.
That will get that other song out of your head. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
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This is a high quality steel camshaft that has been precision machined to the following specifications:
Part Number: 23208
Grind Number: 328-38R
Intake Duration (gross): 328
Exhaust Duration (gross): 338
Intake Duration (.050”): 286
Exhaust Duration (.050”): 296
Intake Valve Lift*: .717"
Exhaust Valve Lift*: .692"
Lobe Separation: 110
Intake Valve Lash: .028"
Exhaust Valve Lash: .030"
RPM Range:
5000-8500
*Based on 1.73 Rocker Arm Ratio.
Steel solid roller.
I've been trying to get info out of my cam builder so I can get the correct valve train but he's not forthcoming.
I really need advice as I have no experience. Is this a good enough unit considering I need close to 8500RPM?.🙏
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
-
The folks that made my cams were the same way. They considered their profiles to be trade secrets. I had to buy the cams and send them to the fellow who built the valve train and he made the digital profiles for the design work.
-
I went through the cam thing this summer & found very little interest from the cam companies to whittle me out a grind to my specs to prolong valve spring life, they all wanted to fit me up with an off the shelf cam.
Howard Cams on the other hand went out of their way to come up with a steel billet blank that would take my specs, they had it to me in seven days & charged me the same price as a production grind.
Sid.
-
Thanks Sid. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
I got the Throttle body back from Geraldo today.
It's got a few scratches but nothing a good spit and polish won't cure.
Mounting holes drilled, shaft passage drilled and bearing seat done.
O ring groove cut both ends.
-
I need to do the final drawing for the shaft and would like to use 3CR12.
All the sharp edges were chamfered and the two bearing collars are drilled and countersunk.
I opted to bolt the pipes together instead of using the V band Clamp.
I asked for ,2mm for squeeze on the bearings. I'll use one of the collars to also mount a circular
plate to enable the TPS adjustment.
Bracket for return springs and the actuator lever to come.
Ole Wilson is looking better. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :-D
-
There are some nice pieces going on that liner Mike! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
-
Thanks Pete. Necessity is the mother of invention hey??.
Loving every minute. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
This "little" job took me about 5 hours. :evil:
The throttle body actuator arm/lever thing!!!!!.
-
There's no lathe or milling machine here so I used
the drill press, grinder, belt sander and elbow grease.
The plate is 10mm thick and needs to be milled down
to 7,5mm on the small end for clearance on the clevis.
I'll get one of the pros to do that. After that I'll polish
and final finish.
I drilled and tapped an M5 for locking on the shaft.
I was thinking of using a grub screw on the other
side of the lever just for insurance. Gotta go.
Huge Thunderstorm headed my way. :roll: :roll: :roll:
-
This is my hydraulic gas pedal setup.
The pedal and floor mount are stored at present.
I'm just thinking about the return spring I want to
use on the throttle body?. Will there be a conflict
on using this system with the spring?. I know you
guys will have an answer. Thanks in advance.
My mind is blank right now probably because of lack of sleep.
-
Mike,
Did you get email about OD of runner?
Terry
-
Mike, be very wary of a hydraulic throttle. As the fluid temperature rises it expands ( just like a thermometer) and moves the throttle position.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
Mike,
Did you get email about OD of runner?
Terry
No sorry I didn't.
-
Mike, be very wary of a hydraulic throttle. As the fluid temperature rises it expands ( just like a thermometer) and moves the throttle position.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
Thanks Neil, point taken. Any ideas on the return spring?.
-
Just the usual advice, Mike- use two springs. I had a car that used two coaxial springs- one inside the other-- the springs were fairly light and six inches long or so. It worked fine until the coils vibrated together and both springs bound up at half throttle. That was on the street. Fortunately I got it stopped without hitting anything.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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Ok, thanks Neil.
My gut has never let me down.
If i'm not sure I ask and you guys always come through for me.
God Bless you. You saved me a heap of heartache. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
The SCTA Rule Book (I think) requires two springs.
Which brings me to one of my (too often) tales in Inspection.
This one includes a very-experienced well-known old codger (even older than I, I think) who approached the Roadster and said something along the lines of "Well, this isn't going to go good. You've got your lug nuts on backwards."
I replied that they were tapered on both sides so I wouldn't and couldn't have done that.
He looked in the interior and asked "Is this a new car?" I guess I should have taken that as a compliment, but replied, pointing to the 6 or 8 red record plaques, "No."
Being right next to the Registration line, we were now drawing a small group of onlookers.
Then – "Push the throttle all the way to the floor – now let it loose." I did. He said, "That sounds like two springs."
"No, that sounds like three springs."
-
Thanks Stan. That said it all. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
In '10' when I got inspected, the inspector wanted to make sure about my throttle return springs. He said "you have to have 2 return springs" and I said, "does that mean I have to disconnect 5 of them?"
1 on each throttle shaft = 4, 1 on the linkage to each carb and 1 on the linkage to the bell crank.
He just smiled.
Ron
-
Thanks Ron. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Mike,
Emails don't seem to be working so I'll try this.
Terry
-
Terry, that will be perfect. Thanks so much for doing this.
God Bless you.🙏✝✝
-
Why building a long car in South Africa is such fun!!!!!.
Try buying a throttle body positioning sensor. The advice although vague was "Just get one off of a Toyota Corolla". :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
This is how it's been going.
What model?.
What year?.
Give me the VIN?.
Do you have a sample?.
Please bring the vehicle in for repair.
Sorry we don't carry the TPS, you need a new throttle body.
Don't say "Custom" application. Over here custom means a tradition. One off unique is not in the vocab. :evil: :evil: :evil:
-
Mike, any of your buds have a dead car that is equipped with fuel injection? All of those have a TPS...
-
Why building a long car in South Africa is such fun!!!!!.
Don't say "Custom" application. Over here custom means a tradition. One off unique is not in the vocab. :evil: :evil: :evil:
Mike, aren't all your bits 'bespoke'? :? :-D
-
If it were me, I would use a very common tps sensor if possible, and modify it as little as possible, so when it fails on race day, I can easily source another.
-
No friends with dead cars. I'd jump the wall but the neighbour's got a big dog. :-D :-D :-D
Seriously, I've left it in the hands of my buddy Richard. We only recently hooked up after
15 years. He owns a parts store.👍👍👍
Thanks for all the sage advice. I appreciate every word. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Why building a long car in South Africa is such fun!!!!!.
Don't say "Custom" application. Over here custom means a tradition. One off unique is not in the vocab. :evil: :evil: :evil:
Mike, aren't all your bits 'bespoke'? :? :-D
I thought "bespoke" referred to wire wheels. :-D
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-
day early Neil...………………...
-
Why building a long car in South Africa is such fun!!!!!.
Don't say "Custom" application. Over here custom means a tradition. One off unique is not in the vocab. :evil: :evil: :evil:
Mike, aren't all your bits 'bespoke'? :? :-D
Leave my bits out of this Woody!!!!!. Jerry is around :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
-
Weird stuff happens on this build every day.
I was Blessed with certain talents and I use them to the best of my ability.
There are areas where I'm out of my depth which is normal.
Here's my problem. I have a GM rear end and the ratio is 2.44:1 but I think it's a 7.5" as opposed to an 8".
Please correct me if I don't know what the heck I'm talking about. My Ford 9" set up was stolen by a thief along with
a large amount of cash who said he was a gear cutter. This rear end thing is the bug bear on the build.
I'm stubborn and I want what I want, period. I want a 2:1 ratio.
I found a company overseas that is prepared to sponsor my project with two gear sets and ship them to my door.
I'm grateful like you won't believe but they need DXF drawings along with material grade and heat treat specs.
My friend Ian could crank out the drawings in no time but he says I need to master AutoCad. He refuses to help.
Let's be realistic. A newbie with no experience has no chance of pulling this off. Any help or advice would be welcome.
I want to start 2019 on a positive note but this deal is giving me sleepless nights. Thanks for listening to my whining. :-D :-D :-D
-
If the “overseas company” is an experienced and reputable gear cutter, you should be able to negotiate the material and heat treat (and gear design, subsequent surface finish and treatment etc., etc.) with them based on their experience and your expected performance needs. They should be interested in doing so in order to preserve their reptutation as a provider of quality goods.
If they are just a machine shop that thinks having a chunk of material and a drawing is enough to produce a viable pair of gears, you would be well advised to steer clear. A lot more goes into a successful gear set than just what it appears to be in the finished product.
There are many other and simpler CAD programs than AutoCAD that will produce a DXF file. However, with any of them there would be a learning curve, and a gear design would not be one of the easiest ways to begin attacking it.
Much easier, quicker, and less expensive to replace the 9” or some other already established, and replaceable, set up.
-
Mike,
I am sure that you are aware of some Ford 9" facts but it is worthwhile for you to review before you get too far along.....The 9" Ford rear end has a considerable offset (vertical) of the pinion centerline so if you have already planned on a pinion centerline (vertical) using a GM rear axle, the offset difference should be evaluated. :roll:
As far as the drawing side and supplying same to a gear manufacturer, it is perhaps possible to get those type of drawings from an existing manufacturer if you might ask them. However, having addressed the problem is far from solving it. Perhaps it is better to discuss the issue in detail with a manufacturer such as Meritor that indeed might have a ring and pinion already done that is very close to the ratio you say you want. Just a thought to perhaps ease the angst a bit. :-D
Stay safe and clear of the snakes. Both Mr. No Shoulders and the two legged kind as well. :-o
Best of Luck in the coming New Year. :cheers:
Regards,
HB2 :-)
-
Speaking of 9 in. pinion/axle centerlines....Strange makes a 9 in. center section that uses G.M gear sets.
-
One might also consider agricultural/industrial gearboxes for which a 2:1 ratio, and others, are likely readily available. This would, perhaps, complicate the “axle” part of the problem though.
-
I got ripped off to the tune of 50 grand plus I lost my new 3rd member.
I borrowed the money from Guido and paying it back set me behind
about a year.
This company knows their business but honestly who builds ratios specifically for LSR.
The engineer I'm dealing with asked me what my requirements are and I think that was fair.
He wants to give me exactly what I want but I don't have the knowledge or experience.
The reared is set up with what I have and to go back to the 9" now would just kill the project.
I'm not George Poteet and probably have less money than the guy who cleans the salt off his tires.
If I told you what kind of budget I have you'd say I was full of BS. I'll figure this out but thanks for
the input.
-
Mike, it might be a good idea to run the car with the closest gearing that you can get cheap. Then, based on observed performance, change the gearing.
-
Here's my problem.
I have a GM rear end and the ratio is 2.44:1 but I think it's a 7.5" as opposed to an 8".
Please correct me if I don't know what the heck I'm talking about.
I'm stubborn and I want what I want, period. I want a 2:1 ratio.
Mike,
You need to talk to Sparky as he knows all about GM 7.5 rear ends. And if I remember they made a 2.14 Ring and pinion for those units. If it were me I would use one of those ratios first, then see if I really need a 2.0 ring and pinion. Just my 2 cents.
Tom G.
-
Mike That is 7% 8000 vs 7500
-
Here's my problem.
I have a GM rear end and the ratio is 2.44:1 but I think it's a 7.5" as opposed to an 8".
Please correct me if I don't know what the heck I'm talking about.
I'm stubborn and I want what I want, period. I want a 2:1 ratio.
Mike,
You need to talk to Sparky as he knows all about GM 7.5 rear ends. And if I remember they made a 2.14 Ring and pinion for those units. If it were me I would use one of those ratios first, then see if I really need a 2.0 ring and pinion. Just my 2 cents.
Tom G.
Sparky and I did discuss the 2.14 Tom. Maybe I need to revisit that. Thanks man. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
What should the correct ratio be for a crankshaft driven water pump pulley setup
in an LSR application with max RPM being 8500?. I'm thinking the stock setup will
create cavitation?.
-
Been doing some work but everything is sub standard. Dumped all the junk.
Lost my mojo. :evil: :evil: :evil
Reset, try again.
-
No sweat Mike... been having that issue myself.... I know we will come thru it... :cheers:
Just be careful... don't try this at home.... stainless tailing grabbed the lathe chuck and then gathered a few more.... those things are a little sharp... got me before I could move....
sprung a pretty good leak .... no worries... it musta been extra, 5 stitches and all is well
-
alternators and water pumps do not like over 5000. rpm
-
alternators and water pumps do not like over 5000. rpm
I am going to respectfully disagree about alternators. Most run stock at 2-3x crank speed. Just look at the pulleys. Powermaster says for Delco style max rpm 18000, for Denso style 20000. "one wire" alternators don't start charging until 25-2800 at start up generally speaking.
-
No sweat Mike... been having that issue myself.... I know we will come thru it... :cheers:
Just be careful... don't try this at home.... stainless tailing grabbed the lathe chuck and then gathered a few more.... those things are a little sharp... got me before I could move....
sprung a pretty good leak .... no worries... it musta been extra, 5 stitches and all is well
Not cool. But it could have been a fly cutter (if that's the correct term?) on the mill.
Sorry you got hurt. The Claret must have been everywhere?.
Heal up brother. :cheers:
-
I'm either whining or looking for advice.
I need to stop whining. I have it good.
I've got this Fueltech system (FT 350 I think) and I was thinking
of mounting it into that Carbon Fibre F1 type steering wheel I built.
I can't think of anywhere else to mount it?. The steering has a quick release
so the tech guys can place it anywhere within reason. Any advice?. Thanks.
-
Jack thanks for the correction what would you expect from some one with a nickname of Sparky :-D
-
Mike,
Clear your email. Then I can send photos. Says your email is full.
Terry
-
Will do. Cleared my inbox. Try again. Thanks Terry.
-
Mike,
Runners are done. Email didn't work. Get them in mail next week.
Terry
-
Thanks Terry. I cleared the inbox and now I'm worried because I don't know what else I'm missing.
I'll PM you. God Bless. :cheers:
-
Terry the email was lying to you.
I found the email from last week.
PODUNK PERFECTION!!!!!!
The intake runners look awesome and I know will work as good as they look.
God Bless you and thanks for coming on board.
I appreciate the effort it took and I won't let you down.
-
I received a package today with a much needed component.
BTW, It was posted on the 8th, December so our Post Office guys
must have been on a looong vacation.
My thanks to the two gentlemen who sent this part to me.
God Bless you both.🙏🙏🙏✝✝✝✝✝✝
-
Build is on hold.
My new business partner Ian is as stubborn as I am so he won't machine any parts based off of my pencil drawings.
He installed Solidworks on my PC, gave me a few lessons and it's not going great.
My other option is Geraldo but he's not doing well with his Colon problem. I don't want to bother him.
I'll figure something out. Cheers for now.
-
Get an instruction book on ebay. Be sure to get the proper year for your program. Ask me how I know. :roll:
Wayno
-
Do you have DraftSight as part of your solidworks package? It is a 2D program that can generate DXF files to make CNC programs. I think for milling parts it is better
John
-
Mike,
Am I missing something here? Last post Feb. 15? I don't see the posts about your buddy's home made milling machine. Would you give him my email address? I would like to talk to him about tooling. Beautiful finishes on the parts that you posted. Can't find them now.
Terry
-
Hey Mike,
If you want, maybe we can do a Skype or “go to meeting” where I can can see your screen and I can walk you through first couple of SW drawings.
Do you have modeling to do or just making drawings from the models.
Rob Freyvogel
#496
AA/BFS
-
Mike,
Am I missing something here? Last post Feb. 15? I don't see the posts about your buddy's home made milling machine. Would you give him my email address? I would like to talk to him about tooling. Beautiful finishes on the parts that you posted. Can't find them now.
Terry
Terry, look under "Misc Forums" "NON LSR Postings".
Don
-
Thanks guys. You know I always appreciate the help.
We had a meeting. I've got customers for the machine.
If he wants the work he's got to do a few simple parts for me.
On the lathe. Not even on the CNC mill.
Terry, I'll email you his details.
-
Mike & Don,
Thanks.
Terry
-
Hey Terry, there's a package at the Post Office and I think it's from you.
I really hope so. I gotta raise a whopping $5.20 for duties. I'll let you know
in the AM. It's too late to go there now. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
The missus collected the package Podunk sent while on her way to work.
Thank you terry. Pics and more later today. :cheers:
-
Mourer Machine intake runners arrived. Thank you so much Podunk.
-
These runners are unique. The inlet side is matched to the oval port
of the 4V Boss heads and the Plenum side is round. There are 10 units
in case I mess up. :-D
This took a lot of material and an extraordinary amount of machining to achieve.
The wall thickness is perfect, the finish is beautiful and unlike other "custom" parts
available these are one piece. The others are welded.
This is another example of the generosity of this community. The only way I
can repay Terry and those that prefer to remain anonymous is to finish the liner
and go for the record. Terry God Bless you brother. You made my day. I never found
any decals in the box but we have some time to sort that out. Thank you so much.
-
I have the artwork to make Terry’s decals.
Let me dig it up and I’ll send it to you.
Podunk’s the man!
Rob Freyvogel
#496
AA/BFS
-
Thanks so much Rob. That would be great.
God Bless you. :cheers:
-
I'm still fighting a war with my PC and the emailing system.
Very annoying. I'll be posting a few pics of progress after the weekend. Cheers.
-
Re; Intake runners. There are people that own machine tools and there are machinists. I am in the first group. Terry is the latter. :cheers:
-
Jerry, I sent Terry hand drawn profiles of the intake runners.
The end result was pure perfection. No clean up when welding is done.
How he pulled this off is beyond me. I can't begin to tell you how cool these parts are.
Terry, you're the man. Pure and simple. Thank you so much.👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
-
Mike, Are you still having email issues, or are you mad at me? It's been real quiet.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Email issues. Lost all my contacts in the crash. Greg is coming by tomorrow to see if he can get it working.
I miss you but I did PM you. God Bless. :cheers:
-
Mike, the works for me. Two computers. One is an apple that I try to keep updated to the latest trends. The other is a PC that runs on windows 7. Usually one of them works.
-
Back to normal thanks Bo. My service provider gave me bad info.
These people can hardly speak English but they work in a call centre.
It took Greg 3 minutes to sort out.
Back in the land of the living.👍👍👍👍👍👍😉
-
I need help again guys.
Zeke from Ferrea wants to know if I want 15 or 24 degree valves.
I don't know enough to answer.
I'm using Ethanol and twin turbos.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
-
Guys I found an overseas company that wants to sponsor me with two sets of 2:1 ratios for my GM rear end, It's currently that 2.44:1 unit.
They want the CAD drawings but I can't find any locals that can help. They suggested I send my current components as samples but the last
time I did that it cost me 50 grand I never had!!! :evil:
-
What exactly is the current rear end?
Rob Freyvogel
#496
AA/BFS
-
7.5" GM I'm told but I can get part nos in the AM Rob.
Thanks for caring. God Bless.
-
There is no 2.44 in a 7.5-10 bolt Mike, the closest to that is a 2.41. I think I have some 2.29's here & the tallest of the 2 series is the 2.14 that actually calculates out to be 2.136.
Sid.
-
Thanks Sid. I'll check and get back. :cheers:
-
Rob, these are the nos stamped on the pinion.
560140-21-48-GM 81-7
On the casting on the crown wheel it is 558912 GM50.
-
More pics.
-
Last one. Hope this helps?.
Thanks man. God Bless.
-
Btw, I asked my buddy the small block ford engine builder specialist and he did not understand the valve angle issue that Ferrea was asking about unless he was referring to what angle the valves are in the head.
Rob Freyvogel
#496
AA/BFS
-
I need help again guys.
Zeke from Ferrea wants to know if I want 15 or 24 degree valves.
I don't know enough to answer.
I'm using Ethanol and twin turbos.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
Mike, they are most likely referring to "Backside Valve Angle" or "Underhead Angle". I go with 15 degrees in this instance to help keep the valve lighter. This is also a good choice on intake valve for flow in general. On the exhaust go with the 24 degree as it helps with flow out of the chamber at the cost of a little weight.
Hope your project keeps moving forward. :-)
-
I need help again guys.
Zeke from Ferrea wants to know if I want 15 or 24 degree valves.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
What Zeke might be asking you is what you want the back side of the valve to look like. In other words do you want a nail shaped (T) valve or more of a tulip shaped valve. Flow testing will dictate which is better, or someone who has run the same type combination.
All the best,
Tom G.
-
Rob, these are the nos stamped on the pinion.
560140-21-48-GM 81-7
On the casting on the crown wheel it is 558912 GM50.
21-48 is the tooth count Mike, that makes it a 2.29 ratio. The carrier is an open 2 spider & probably a 26 spline. If you're going to run that, check the spider gear cross pin "locating bolt" to see if it's broken.
Don't run a collapsible pinion spacer, turn up a solid one that's about .020" wider than the old one & trim it down until you have bearing preload.
Keep the same shim pack when you change the bearing to retain pinion depth.
Sid.
-
I need help again guys.
Zeke from Ferrea wants to know if I want 15 or 24 degree valves.
I don't know enough to answer.
I'm using Ethanol and twin turbos.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
Mike, they are most likely referring to "Backside Valve Angle" or "Underhead Angle". I go with 15 degrees in this instance to help keep the valve lighter. This is also a good choice on intake valve for flow in general. On the exhaust go with the 24 degree as it helps with flow out of the chamber at the cost of a little weight.
Hope your project keeps moving forward. :-)
This makes much more sense.
Rob Freyvogel
#496
AA/BFS
-
Rob, I was hoping you might have some advice on how I could get help on a CAD drawing for those gear ratios?. Thanks brother.
-
Drawings gears is a bit of a different discipline that I do not have enough experience with.
Much information is needed but not too much as some of the dimensions are actually driven from others.
I would not know what dimensions should be “Reference” dimensions.
I’m struggling through this right now with just simple spur gears.
I would think that hypoid ring and pinion would be even much more difficult.
I’m sorry, I really wish I could help.
Rob Freyvogel
#496
AA/BFS
-
No problem Rob. Thanks brother.👍👍👍
-
I’d be honored to help any which way I can including simulations, modeling or drawings.
Rob Freyvogel
#496
AA/BFS
-
Thanks so much Rob. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
-
Mike, in paper days of old we only drew the blanks and the gear gashers told us what gear notes to put on the drawings. They do all the heavy mathematical lifting for us!
While the gears can certainly be modeled for visual or simulation purposes I would not even attempt a gear simulation!
Well, I would attempt it but would not have much faith in my answers without consulting the gear folks. :-P
Gear design is all mathematically transcendental anyway! :-o :x :cheers:
-
I bet you thought I took a powder because I've been scarce. I admit I haven't been posting but I'm doing small things that excite me to get my mojo back.
I was told if it becomes a chore back off. It was. If I walked into the shop I got physically ill. Not sure if the enormity of the task that dawned on me or the personal problems I was having were to blame.
Either way I'm easing my way back in. To be honest I need that elusive rubber, some tranny stuff and to finish the body including canopy. Our currency is in the tank and things don't look good but I partnered up with two geniuses on a business venture and I've burned my bridges. They guys are solid in every way and friends I trust. The project is high tech and we each have a roll to play. This new deal will generate funds to buy tires. Not too worried about rear end ratios at present. Working on the Throttle body components and the plenum chamber for now. Going to dummy it up in a day or two and I'll post photos.
I lost time but you all warned me these are long term projects so I go with the advice from the wise. Life is crazy and new surprises show up regularly so I'm not 100% but getting the old feeling back. God Bless and to all going to WOS be safe and go fast. Love you guys. Yoy kept me in the game without trying. For this I thank you.
-
Mike,
Good to see you back. Making cool stuff for LSRers is what does it for me.
Terry
-
Thanks Terry. Busy on setting up those runners. I swear it's a miracle how well they line up with the ports. Whenever I have doubts about this dream becoming reality things like this happen. It's scary. How you pulled it off is still a mystery and we'll show the world your skill. These parts are perfect!!!!. God Bless you.
-
It is nice to have you back on the forum. I was worried about you. Sometimes cleaning up the shop helps to boost morale.
-
Thanks Bo. Good advice there brother. My shop is a mess and sure needs a good clean. :-D :-D :-D
-
Get to work ya slacker....Good to see you back Mike :clap
-
That's what I've always liked about all you guys here. The honesty. Jerry, you're right and I have been slack. I let small stuff get in the way of long stuff. Point taken.
Thanks brother. God Bless you.
-
Mike, so good to see you posting again!!
-
Thanks Sparky. Back working on the girl. She's being really sweet and cooperative. Pics of parts in a few days.
BTW, without knowing it I've been watering my Lemon tree Ala Burt Munro. He knew stuff. Thanks Burt!!! RIP.
I hope some greatness washes off on my baby.
-
Ooh, I am tasting some lemon meringue pie.
John
-
After Glenn passed I had time for reflection. He was in touch daily before his stroke motivating me and inspiring me. I haven't been concentrating on my dream for a long time and it's all me. No excuses. I got to work and although I'm not 100% things are coming together.
I mocked up the throttle body and everything fits. I made a mistake by getting Honingcraft to machine the body to within 5mm of final so that Geraldo could get it to where I wanted. Honingcraft's work was so good the part looked like it had been plated. Geraldo not so much. Fine ridges everywhere so I had to polish but it gave me lots of time to think. You get in the zone!!!!.
All I need now is a return spring which I'll get from Star Spring Works and make a new attachment point. The Carbon Piece I fabbed isn't up to scratch.
Everything works. The actuator I made by hand instead of getting Ian to do one on the CNC Mill. All good and I'm happy with the result. It looks different but it's mine and I like it. No V band clamps here, not this size!!!!.
I'm happy the guy who manufactures throttle bodies was nasty when I asked him for sponsorship. It's his right to say no to supplying me a $400 unit and rejection is my motivation. The blade is Carbon and I didn't feel the full shaft was necessary. More airflow and it's an old trick from the Weber IDA days.
It all works and I'll have it ready for storage by the weekend.
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Last pic.
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Nice looking pieces Mike. Keep up the good work. We all find that inspiration ebbs and flows a little.
Pete
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Thanks Pete. God Bless you for the kind words.
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Mike, you better stay busy cause Freud is still watching ya! :evil:
The rest of us, too! :cheers: :cheers:
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Woody that's the truth. 🙏🙏🙏🙏✝✝✝✝✝
God Bless him.
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A while back I posted some pics of a Mazda 6 Pro Mod Body I made and modified from some really junk BMW M3 molds some backyard know nothings had tooled. Some pics of the project to inspire me on the long car..
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This is how it turned out.
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2 more.
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Mike, looking at the way the light falls on the body it looks like the body you produced was really straight and smoooooth. Nice work!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Pete
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Thanks Peter. The guy that's the guru on turbos and the Fueltech agent was here today and he brought the photos.
Apparently the guys in the UK where the car is now are going nuts.
He visits the US for all the NHRA Nationals as a Fueltech expert and said I should stop whining about tires for the liner
and build it to where all it needs are the tires and local sponsors will be coming out of the woodwork. He's fully invested
and his visit was a HUGE wake up call. Divine intervention I swear. I felt the load just lift. Guess where I'll be on Monday morning????? :-D :-D :-D :-D
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wow... just fricking WOW... nice looking body Mike...
I agree with the guy... build it, with a LSR tire size in mind... have it on any similar size tire and spread the word that you are looking for tires... someone will show up based on your past experience.
Build it and they will come... :wink: :cheers:
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Beautiful work, Mike. It almost looks too perfect to race. :-)
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That body must be hundreds of pounds lighter than the original one. Good job!
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Guys. I really appreciate all the positive feedback. It's great but expected. None of you have ever had negative comments on anything I posted.
All I get is motivation, inspiration, advice and help from everyone. This is a special community. The best move ever was to join the forum.
The pro mod is so light that when Willie delivered the body Kyle sent four guys out to unload the panels. Willie is a veteran amputee and he had the nose off his flat bed before they got there. Kyle was shocked. They weighed the entire body and it was around 100 Lbs without the Lexan. He's 200 Lbs under the class limit but is pleased he can put the ballast where needed. The other car built from the same molds (BMW M3) is 240 over the minimum weight. They used Polyester resin and chopped strand glass.
Our Mazda version is way stiffer too because we went with epoxy and Carbon/glass fabric and I used a lot of foam stringers in critical areas. A normal guy can stand on the roof without it sagging.
Epoxy is a win win situation in that you'll use a quarter weight wise compared to Polyester. Chopped strand is a "Resin Thief". It takes 2.2 Lbs per square yard per layer of 450gr chopped glass. Also you can take your time as far as pot life goes as Epoxy has slow, medium and fast hardeners. The Poly has one catalyst and you really need to know your stuff if you want to produce large panels because it will cure while you're laminating. I only use it for molds and put one layer down at a time. It shrinks between 2 and 5% when cured but by doing one layer at a time the exotherm is reduced and you have 24 hours to lay up the second layer to achieve a chemical bond. After 24 hours you'll need to sand the original layer to get a mechanical bond.
I get very little shrinkage using this method. You can tell if you've done it right because the part you built the mold for will fit back after the mold has cured. I have my own ideas on molds. I'll only demold after 5 days. It works.
Busy on getting my shop straightened out and putting parts in boxes. Also waiting for my Aluminum welding guy to get back from the Dakar Rally so he can weld the inlet manifold. Got a few parts in the machine shop I'm waiting on. Pics soon.👍👍👍
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That is useful information, Mike. I've never worked with carbon fiber before.
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That?s a big he** yes on epoxy resin use. Much lighter, more time to fix mistakes and extremely flexible. A bit more expensive but worth the price.
BTW, Mike, that was an extraordinary job you did on that Mazda body. Can hardly wait to see the final iteration for your long car.
John
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Way to go Mike :cheers:
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Way cool :clap
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Hello Mike, where you at? No updates since January 19 and I need my SA Long car information. 3 months is a bit long and I hope and pray that you are well and getting the car close to running.
Anyone have updates?
I do worry sometimes.....
Matt Guzzetta
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Mike,
We are all concerned. Hope you are OK.
Podunk
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The book of face said today is Mike's birthday. I hope he is just sleeping after too much celebration :cheers:
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Happy birthday, Mike. Yea, I am worried, too, and hope you are doing well.
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Mike, Happy Birthday... check in, let us know how things are going.
Your brothers from other mothers are thinking about you. :cheers:
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Happy Birthday Mike. All the best. I hope things are going well with you.
Pete
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Happy Birthday Mike
BR
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Mikes profile indicates he was last on here April 28th.
Hopefully that's good news.
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happy :clap birthday :clap buddy :friday
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Thanks guys. God Bless all of you. I'm still kicking and waiting for all the businesses to reopen so I can start working.
I wish you all good health and be safe. I really need to get going on my project. It's been too long.🙏🙏🙏
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Thanks guys. God Bless all of you. I'm still kicking and waiting for all the businesses to reopen so I can start working.
I wish you all good health and be safe. I really need to get going on my project. It's been too long.🙏🙏🙏
Glad to hear, be safe. :cheers:
Don
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Thanks guys. God Bless all of you. I'm still kicking and waiting for all the businesses to reopen so I can start working.
I wish you all good health and be safe. I really need to get going on my project. It's been too long.🙏🙏🙏
Typical guy....Claiming excessive length. :clap :clap :clap
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Thanks guys. God Bless all of you. I'm still kicking and waiting for all the businesses to reopen so I can start working.
I wish you all good health and be safe. I really need to get going on my project. It's been too long.🙏🙏🙏
Mike, happy BD and have your ponies been running? How have they been performing?
John
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Hey guys. My apologies for being away for so long. Thanks for all the wishes. God Bless you.
I'm not working on the long car because I'm trying to generate an income to fund it.
The easy stuff like body work is first on the list because I have the materials.
With lock down I couldn't get the intake manifold to Dunc for welding but the race shop is up and running
now so he said I could bring the runners and plates over anytime. Good kid just like his father.
In all honesty there's not that much to do when I look back at how far I got in a short time to where the liner is now.
I feel like the whole thing might not happen when it comes to tires. Our currency is at it's lowest ever and to buy
the MT rubber I need is impossible IMO. Some guy I met said to build the car and when it's painted and looks like the real thing
a sponsor will come. Sage advice but I'm not sure if some sponsor is going to part with a quarter million for tires???.
The virus did a number on all of us. I just hope you're all safe and healthy???.
Saturday is D Day here. We're tidying up the shop. That will improve the vibe and many lost parts will be found.
As for the ponies, I don't have contact with family but heard they're cranking out winners since the tracks reopened. 3 winners a meeting and I heard Paul was #1 in the country since. Catch you all later.🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
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Mikey!!! Good to hear from you!..Patti and I are hoping for a vaccine for this non-sense soon so you can take us on safari. Regards,JB
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It is nice to read from you and see that you are doing OK. Like you, I stopped the build for awhile and am doing major house repairs. Rose and me have been on lockdown since the last day in February. It is driving me crazy. A long road trip is the first item on the to-do list after getting the vaccine. Is that $250,000 USD for tires?
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Hey Jerry, I thought you forgot about me!!!!! :-D
That's in South African currency. R17.42/USD plus shipping on 8 tires.
Crazy world. During apartheid in the early 70s when we were the scum of the earth it was $2.50/R1.
I have books here I paid 99c for that are labelled $2.50. Petersen Publications.
Not a racist but I think the ANC government pulled a move because they were afraid the white dudes would emigrate
in 93 and take their bucks out of the country.
Racing is for the rich and not the passionate!!!!!
Glad to hear that you and Rose are OK!!!. You'll get through it brother. God Bless you and thanks for being a buddy.🙏
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Hey, Mike, how close are you to completing the liner, less tires? If you get the car in paint, no one will see what tires you have on it in a car show because they are enclosed. Who knows, maybe a patron will want to get involved. Gotta get that car in front of as many people as possible.
John
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Got those tires from Marlo that he sent. MT said it was wheelspin that wrecked them but Marlo is not the Village idiot and had them checked. It turned out the rubber was removed from the mold too soon. Freud, God Bless him organised to ship them to me to use for setup.
They hold air so all I need to find is some 15" fronts with the right profile.
That's the only option like you say. We'll go that route thanks John.
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Don't t hold your breath Mike...But I DID buy a Powerball ticket :cheers:
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Jerry, when you get ready to go visit Mike let me know... I might want to go with you... especially if you win the lottery :-D :laugh:
:cheers:
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I do get lucky as you all know. You're both welcome anytime.
BTW, I found out I'm called Grumpy behind my back!!!!!!!!
What an honor!. :wink: :wink:
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Hey Grumpy...get to work. Robert..2 planes? Can you imagine a 12 hour flight listening to MY views on the world?? :-o
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Jerry, get my ticket in Business Class.... yours in steerage, the flight attendant will limit our interaction :laugh:
Mike, how did that go in the movie.... build it and they will come... :cheers:
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I do get lucky as you all know. You're both welcome anytime.
BTW, I found out I'm called Grumpy behind my back!!!!!!!!
What an honor!. :wink: :wink:
Mikey - that's lots better than Dopey! :?
Glad your back at it! :cheers:
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Thanks guys. I should really spend as much time on the forum as I used to but I feel like a jerk for not having any progress pics to show.
Things will change.
I enjoy the giggles. You all rock.👍👍👍👊👊👊👊
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Mike: It comes in waves of enthusiasm. Sometimes a lull is needed to regroup and rethink. At the end of the day its a home engineered and hand built liner by one guy. It is going to take a long time. If you are thinking about it in your down time you are making progress.
BR
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I'm still here. Working my fingers to the bone to earn bucks for the long car. The dream turned into a nightmare so I walked away due to the tire prices.
I have faith something will come. Back into building stuff for race teams and the head of Bilstein SA is connected so he's sending work. It's 3.07 and an hour ago I finished a 16 hour job so guys can go testing brake ducts on an iconic car.
I'm so busy on crazy stuff but my manifold is being welded up this week. I guess that will fire up the juices. This race car work is a huge thing and I'm Blessed so maybe I can buy one MT at a time. Not giving up. Thanks guys. Be safe and stay healthy.
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Good to see you posting again Mike...We need pics. :cheers: JB
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Hang in there, Mike. If you weren't so far away there would be a bunch of us helping you on your Long Car.
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I enjoy the giggles. You all rock.👍👍👍👊👊👊👊
Just like Fraggle Rock :cheers:
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You guys are all family. I respect all of you and thanks for the kind words.
I'll find a way. Always have. Thanks for the support. I promise pics this coming week.
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This is for my mate Podunk.
Terry, you CNC'd runners for my inlet manifold based off of life size pencil drawings I made from the ports.
My Aluminium guy Duncan who BTW built all those Toyota Dakar trucks that won welded the runners to the plates
and he said every single one matched. SOME MACHINING SKILLS.
Thanks brother and God Bless. A pic I was sent via Whatsapp but I now have both here and I'll shoot better pics and post tomorrow.
Your work is awesome and I'm proud to have them. Not many guys on the planet can machine a tube that transitions from rectangular to round
like you did.
I can't thank you enough and this manifold when finished will blow us all away.
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Looks great Mike..... :cheers:
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Dummied up and ready for welding after I clamp all the bits in the jig.
We'll mill the extended pieces after. Thank you Podunk. You're the MAN.
The parts are perfect.🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
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Needed to be dummied up and you didn't call me?? What the.... :cheers:
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Hey guys I know I've been AWOL for a long time and you probably all thought I bailed on my project. Far from it. I've been working myself to a standstill to fund the long car.
I believe in Divine Intervention 100% and through all the trials and tribulations I learned one thing. PATIENCE!!!!!!.
I happened onto a gear cutting company here in Johannesburg that knows their industry and can cut 2:1 Hypoid Offset gear ratios.
No lying like the thief in Cape Town that stole my 3rd member and money.
These guys are the real deal and explained the difference on LSR materials vs other forms of motorsports.
The blanks will need to be forged from a special material and the processes involved are hi tech.
The ratios in South African currency are expensive due to my one off request but if I can get orders in fair quantities the cost will come down substantially.
I currently have a 10 bolt GM 2.44:1 diff but if any of you are interested in a 12 bolt ratio set or Ford 9" I'll need to know how many members are interested and also need a 12 bolt set shipped to me even if it's damaged. The more buyers the cheaper the sets. If you guys are interested please let me know so I can give the manufacturer an idea on numbers so he can quote. Just bear in mind that our currency is R16/$1USD so the gear sets will be more than affordable.
Thanks for your time and I hope this can help us all. God Bless. Mikey.
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Mike, good to see you are alive and well...
Do you want guys to PM, email or post on your thread if they are interested?
You might want to think about putting a thread in the LSR general chat section
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I think PM will be better but I'll take your advice and post it in the general section as well. Thanks so much.
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A little premature but a great gift from my Mopar loving buddy in the US.
He shipped me 10 tags. Semper Fi Marine. Thanks Michael Orff.
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Mopar guy??? Chrysler is an acronym for Company Highly Recommends You Start Learning Engine Repair.. :cheers:
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Jerry, you win! I've seen lots of car brands made into silly (or not so silly) phrases, but never that one. I thank you for the laugh.
(I suppose this is gonna be the start of a listing of 'em, hey? Please keep them clean and proper as you offer 'em, gentlemen. lol8 lol8)
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Chevrolet...Can hear Every Valve Rattle On Long Extended Trips
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:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Only Jerry!!!!!!
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https://www.dunkworld.com/car_acronyms.htm
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Woody...The bride and I attended a car show and the announcer read from a list like that...He had one for Duesenberg but I missed it because I was laughing so f'n hard at Chrysler..😁
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Hey guys, sorry I haven't been around.
I start working on the long car again next month.
See you soon. God Bless you all. 🙏
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Hello Mike... cromag
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Mike who? :?
Long time no hear!
Welcome back! :cheers:
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Hey guys, sorry I haven't been around.
I start working on the long car again next month.
See you soon. God Bless you all. 🙏
Hi Mike, good to hear from you.
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Glad to see you back.
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Mike... good to see you are alive and well.... been lots of ugly news from your part of the world lately.
Here's a little film someone sent me to help with inspiration... enjoy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOIx1udUffg
:cheers:
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Great little piece!
(But it's moved the flats from Utah to Nevada.)
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Well Stan, maybe the flats would be better off there...OK just joking.... I missed that while watching the cool parts... Good thing at least one old guy is paying attention around here...
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Thanks guys. I have neglected the project to a degree because I get disheartened.
Then I'm trying to earn a few bucks to survive but I have my mojo back so I'm getting back to work.
This sport is expensive from a South African perspective, 15:1 is no joke but hey I have to deal with it.
If I tell you things are bad here then worry. We're doing OK thanks.
Being present on the forum is a good thing. It kept me motivated and excited.
I'll be spending more time here from now on if you guys can put up with the whining?.
It's in my DNA. :-)
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WOW so gland to have you back on line was thinking about you just yesterday!!! must be ESP :clap
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Thanks brother. Guys say life got in the way, It did.
I need this project. It's my life. I've got crazy stuff going on here
and all to do with making bucks to afford the Sodium addiction.
Got a fixed wing drone in the works with an 8' wingspan that can carry
35lbs and stay aloft for 6 hours based on the calculations by the genius.
I found a cool way to recharge batteries in flight. Got some African dudes
on board as investors and if it flies I'll buy 4 sets of MT rubber and get over there to take delivery in person.
I'll be back with news on the long car once I move the 280Z project. It's cramping my style.
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Mike, building a streamliner alone & with Fu(# all money will run you into burnout more times than you can count, I know mate, I am that soldier. :? You just have to back off, gather up what's left of your sanity & go back in swinging for another round.
I moved out of the house & into the shop when I started building my big long pile of parts so I could get more done, that was 13yrs ago & I work on it virtually every day. It's been so long I see stuff that the "other" Sid built! :-D
I'm in outback America but you're more like outback of the world down there so to me your achievements are even greater. Just pace yourself & try to see your accomplishments & successes rather than focusing on the mountains ahead. Remember Mate, one bite!
Sid.
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Thanks brother. I remember seeing your woodpile. You live hardcore.
I have taken a step back and when I think of all the stuff I still have to do it scares me.
You've always been straight up honest and I've always valued your advice.
I must be honest. The tire thing has me rattled. I really thought MT would come to the party seeing as I'm
the only one in Africa trying this but they blew me off. I've had 5 companies say "NO" and it's their right to do so.
The MT thing hurt. I need 250 grand South African for two sets of tires. I paid that for the house years back.
My buddy here at home says build it and the rubber will come!!!!.
As you say one bite at a time. I've got some progress coming but I have work here to finish.
We'll take it one day at a time. God Bless you man.
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One of my friends recons I live like a refugee but I came from the wrong side of the tracks so I'm comfortable living a pretty simple life & building something that one idiot really shouldn't. :-P
What I suggest you do for the tire situation is to come up with a pickup tire that's 30" tall to get you rolling. I'm planning to shake down my junk in the desert on a set of used 235/85/R16's that I took off my work truck because I sure don't want to risk a set of race tires out there.
When you have your liner closer to running, have a word with Goodyear & see if they'll help you with some Goodyear 30x9x18's & from what I understand, Goodyear actually owns MT Tires now.
Sid.
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Hey Sid, sorry for the late reply.
Goodyear South Africa won't sponsor Jack. I tried when I built the Ranchero before the liner.
I had a handshake agreement with the race tyre marketing guy for rubber. He was all in but by the time I was ready to ask for rubber he had moved on and the new guy at at HQ said Goodyear had a policy that cut off off forms of sponsorship outside of the US.
He did say he could get me tyres but brother the price was way out of my league.
I'm putting all my attention into other components that are more important right now. A company that helped me out with some machining and the good seamless tubing I needed has agreed depending on seeing all the drawings to come on board with machining, the supply of materials I don't already have and it's a great deal with awesome people. Honingcraft Moser is a top notch company and everything they produced is perfect.
My big problem is churning out drawings for every component I need before they commence with the work. I have the following in the works.
The full spool, my version of an intercooler, rear end bearing cups, front hubs, fuel injector housings, weld on turbo couplings and about 15 other pieces that need milling or turning.
Time flies and this project has taken too long so I've got my head down and I won't back down.
The inlet manifold is going to Duncan soon so he can finish welding the parts. One day at a time!!!!!!.
We're suffering with power cuts here. They even have schedules. Stage 3= 3 times a day for 2 hours each and it fluctuates between level 3 and 5.
Work during the on times and then pick your nose the rest. It sucks but hey this is Africa.
The rubber will come when the Good Lord decides it's time. Faith I have in spades. I'm not worried at all.
Guys, sorry for not being a regular contributor but hoping to change that.
To all my awesome buddies, thank you for everything. Love you guys.🙏
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Mike, If you can't kill 'em with kindness - tear 'em up with tenacity! :evil:
Keep us all posted bro'! :cheers:
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Mike, I would follow Sid's suggestion... Get it built... down to tires to go race... maybe even shake down on truck tires like Sid.... Then go ask them about tires and sponsorship.
You are in your own field of dreams.... build it and they will come :cheers:
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Stick to it Mike.......Said the guy with 3 hot rods in various stages of completion. :cheers:
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See why I tell all the locals my American friends are my best. Never seen them in person but love them like brothers.
You guys always motivate, inspire and make sense.
I found a tyre here that matches the Goodyear fronts I'll need when the time comes. Something new to me!. We have "Chicanos" here that jump cars and this low profile 15''
rubber is a match on OD and just slightly wider than the Goodyear. Going to cost a grand but at least I'll be able to get decent drawings for the front hubs.
A little bit of who you know helps. My tyre guy Colin knows people.
I have the 30" rears here that Marlo sent me for setup so things are looking up.
Selling unwanted and unused stuff right now. 4 stroke 250 dirt bike is advertised but it's no biggie because I'm a 2 stroke lover. lol8
Thank you all for always being there for me. I owe you guys big time. Your friendship is better than money.
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It's good to hear from you, Mike.
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Mike, Maybe you will be able to find some used tires that would save you some money. You just need the tires to use as a mock up. Keep on rolling, you will get it finished :cheers:
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It's good to hear from you, Mike.
Hey Neill, It's been too long. Thank you my brother.
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Mike, Maybe you will be able to find some used tires that would save you some money. You just need the tires to use as a mock up. Keep on rolling, you will get it finished :cheers:
I just got offered a set of used fronts from one of the members here. God Bless him. Prayers answered.🙏🙏🙏🙏
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Hey, I'm busy on another customer/friend project.
Same sort of deal as the Mazda but this one is for the street.
Datsun 280Z. My boy Pete went blindly into the deal without taking me with him.
By the time I got to the yard he'd already paid for the car and it was sitting on bricks without wheels.
The guys he brought the car from are fly by nights and they knew I could tell. I never spent 14 years in the trade
for nothing. I know sharks. They couldn't look me in the eye and when they found out where I grew up they were
wobbling.
Straight car but had rust where you find it on 30 year old models that are left out in the elements. The wheels were
at the tire shop for new "rubber". Stall tactics because I would have loaded it there and then.
Pete eventually goes to collect the Datsun and these two boys are absent leaving the security guard to hand over the car.
It was stripped of all the collectable stuff and the trick ECU was gone along with the whole inlet manifold.
Pete just wanted wheel arches, big wheels and a turbo motor. To go fast you need big brakes so we had a sit down and he got the cold hard truth.
My vision for the car was similar to the Porsche GT1 Le Mans car from 95 so when I'm done he'll have a full composite body, roll cage and a modern Nissan V6 twin turbo motor that is cheaper to buy with way more power than a rebuilt straight 6.
Progress is slow and dependent on his cash flow. A few pics of what I'm doing.
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It should look similar to the Porsche but without the scoop on the roof.
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Looks like a fun project, Mike!
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Kids Neill, known the guy since he was 14. I'm his second dad. These guys are in IT and watch too much "REALITY" TV. We'll build it in a month no problem. Dreamers.
You can maybe assemble in a month?.
I humour him and he's stopped spinning his wheels now.
He's now on the power to weight ratio thing and the ton of sound that arrived here a week after the car did is gone. He's been told NO drag racing and if he bends it I won't mend it. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
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There comes an age when you can't tell a kid anything, Mike. They know it all and if they manage to survive that period in their lives, they gradually wise up!
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It gets worse brother.
He brings his nephew of 16 here to learn a few skills.
I either like you or I don't and being dumb doesn't help.
He's on the drill press and he says "Why are WE going through all this hell?, we should just 3D print the whole body!!!!!".
Pete is a big boy and he got to me before I reached the kid.
Mike Tyson and I don't only have a lisp in common. :dhorse: lol8
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LOL :evil:
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This should be fitting for the Hammer of Heretics! :-P
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This should be fitting for the Hammer of Heretics! :-P
I think the original went like this:
Guy: "I am mighty Thor!"
Blonde: "You think you're thor? I can hardly walk!"
:roll:
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Yeth, they both work!. :laugh:
Neil, neither you or Sparky have lost your touch.
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The guys on this forum are awesome and I want to thank you all for your generosity.
Anonymous people have been sending me packages and machining parts for years.
A bunch of good dudes who aren't looking for a pat on the back or look at me, I'm Mr. Generous!.
A set of two front runner tires I can use for set up are with the shippers. Old rubber and not suitable for testing even.
I get a call today from the local guy with a tracking number. I say that's cool and then he drops the bombs on me.
In the past the truck arrived, I signed, got a copy and the package was handed over.
This guy wants big bucks for customs tariffs and a copy of my import license. I'm a senior citizen with no registered business, a taxable income or even a pension.
Do I have a Vat #??????.
This was a gift. Old rubber 20 years old with no retail value.
Tomorrow I go to war with the ministry of trade and industry. We get ripped off on everything from Apples to used Zebras. I'm a vet and I don't tolerate BS.
Here's a thing. Africa takes ten steps back and stands still. How long will an import license take?. He said a week!!!!!!!.
I swear Satan is involved in trying to stop this build.
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So .....You need to get something into the country without the people in charge noticing or caring?🤔🤔🤔.....Nah, better not. Good luck Mike.
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That is what Operation Lockstep is all about -- lock us all down under Administrative Governments so that we all have to say
"Please May I Boss" "yes sir boss" "I didn't know boss" " I do better next time" They want us all living like serfs and not able to leave the Lord and Masters Estate.
Going South from the US one encounters "Mordita" sp " The Little Bite" to get things done. sorta like Brylcream Sp "A little dab will do you!
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Mike, In some places the corruption is bad but on top of that, there are people who start free lancing demands for payment where none is warranted. Is that guy collecting for the gov't or for himself?
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Several years ago I was in Progresso Mexico and paid a cop $2 to watch my car while I was in a bar.....He was still there when I came out AND blocked traffic so I could back out of the parking spot. Racing! :cheers:
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Guys, you have no idea what this place is like. 8% of the population keep the economy going.
Corruption is a national sport. World champions if they had games.
They can't supply a reliable power grid so now they are going to tax people who have gone off grid by using solar panels.
We have a black out schedule here. In Stages!!!!!!!!!!!. 4 means 4 times a day. They can't even get the schedule right.
I told some techie who came to cut off my power for non payment that I'm not going to pay my bill. What are you going to do?, cut me off??????. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
I had 5 years worth of receipts on hand and it turns out that I was actually in the black 2 years in advance. They said they would come back to me if I was in the red. Never heard from them again.
I still have books here from the early 70s I paid 99c for. In the US the book sold for $2.50. Our currency was strong. Now it's R20/USD. Big swing.
I sent an email to the rep at the department of trade and industry over this import permit "FOR A GIFT". :dhorse:
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To my generous friend I thank you.
The rubber arrived and with everything else related to this build it was WAR.
I'm now known as a 67 year veteran who is certifiably insane. No prison for me, I go to the mental hospital.
Might be true???????. I was told my funds paid would be forfeit and the tires sent back to customs warehouse for destruction.
I did lose it but my tone was more scary than the "threats". Hannibal Lecter style. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
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After the customs/DHL fiasco things got back to a sense of normality.
My inlet manifold is with Duncan for welding. He says I should have it tomorrow
and then it will go for milling and the holes for the injector bungs drilled. After that is done
back to Dunc again for the bungs to be welded.
I'm getting a top of the range Cloyes timing set. A gift. My partner's niece Sonya is in Austin setting up
her new home so we've been looking after her dog Roxy who is supposed to be shipped in Feb.
This little dog walked into my house, looked around and adopted me. She sits outside the bathroom door
waiting for me. We're close and my 5 Jack Russells don't mind. She's family now and my gut says she's
staying right here.
I sent Sonya a message and said I wanted a present against the advice of my better half. She said with
pleasure. "What do you want?". I told her. Now I need to ask you guys where she can buy the timing set?.
She's no car chick and she's in a strange country. I was thinking Summit or Jegs but I don't know if they have a central warehouse that ships
or have branches in locations around the country.
Can anyone tell me where she can buy the set in Austin, Texas without too much hassle?.
Thanks in advance.
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Your parts are looking nice Mike.
Pete
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Mike, I believe both Summit and Jeg's offer free shipping over $100...
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With any luck she is going to put it in her luggage and carry it back.... shipping around the states is quick and easy.... but it sounds like SA is a bit rougher... :?
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Summit and rock auto carry that timing set.
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Slowly, slowly Pete.
Thank you.
Guys thanks for the heads up on the suppliers.
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Summit and I presume Jegs, have several warehouses and I find they ship well and quickly, no hassle. Certainly less than driving to some local parts shop and asking some person for the part. "What year, what make, what model, what engine, AC etc etc" We don't have but can order it. If you know exactly what you want and summit has it, order it or get her to order it. Easy and quick.
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Summit and I presume Jegs, have several warehouses and I find they ship well and quickly, no hassle. Certainly less than driving to some local parts shop and asking some person for the part. "What year, what make, what model, what engine, AC etc etc" We don't have but can order it. If you know exactly what you want and summit has it, order it or get her to order it. Easy and quick.
Thanks Jack, I told her about both. She's the queen of online shopping so she'll handle the deal with ease. Her late husband was the CEO of South Africa's version of Home Depot. The virus took him so she's emigrating to Austin. She has the correct part no already and has 2 months to find the set. I tell you packages arrive weekly for the dog so she uses her card very well. I'm in good hands both here on the forum and in Austin.
You guys might see me as some kind of operator but I'm honest, willing to work and hell bent on completing this project with a budget you guys won't believe. There is no budget!!!!. I rely on miracles and this is just another one. Young guys call me Burt Munro here. :laugh:
If ever there was a global project this is it. 🙏
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I let Sonya off the hook. I like a freebie like anyone else and if I could afford to buy parts at the current exchange rate I wouldn't think twice. A solution came along. I have to crank out a bunch of Carbon panels for Toyota Celicas and the guy I'm doing them for is my turbo/Fueltech guy Nasen.
He's at PRI and already had the timing chain set delivered to him. It's a barter deal and I feel better about that.
I'll have it around Christmas time.
Great news is my inlet manifold is welded and I'll get it tomorrow so I can get it drilled and milled. After that it goes back to Duncan for final finishing on fitting and welding the injector bungs.
All the pieces are falling into place and all I need now is the cam. No rush on that. Nasen's best bud is the guy that does my motor engineering so my engine will go to him in January for machining and balancing. I'll get a deal there for sure. He has a Serdi machine which IMHO is a win.
This month is a busy one and it's been a roller coaster. Good news and then the daily black outs blew my PC to pieces. Got it rebuilt but I lost data so can my friends here please send me test emails because I have zero email addresses.🙏
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I trust one dude to weld Aluminium for me and he's always delivered.
I set my manifold components in a heavy duty steel jig and supplied 4 accurate spacers to keep the plenum side flanges square and level.
The little woman was in the area so I asked her to buy the brewskis and deliver them because that's what my buddy charges me.
I get the manifold back and it's dark because the power is off but the torch on the phone doesn't lie. The one plate is seriously off.
It's warped and I can tell it wasn't clamped using the spacers I provided and to add insult to injury I can tell Duncan didn't weld the components.
Every welder has a signature style and this wasn't him. He must have given the job to one of his workers. I can tell 100%.
Now when the manifold goes for milling to get things all level and square I'll know there's a 6mm difference.
If the guy said screw the beer and pay me 5 grand for the welding I would have found the bucks. I'm peed off to say the least.
I can't weld Ally because I don't have the right machine or skills but this is unacceptable and I can't complain because it cost me a dozen beers.
I think I can clamp the warped end and warm the metal enough to get it to relax so that the milling won't eat too much metal.
Building this liner in South Africa is akin to a one man mission with limited ammo behind enemy lines and no exfil. No sleep tonight. The part was perfect and now this.
If I sound like a whiner walk a 100 yards in my shoes!!!!!. The only upside is that the girl doesn't know Aluminium from mild steel because if I had gone to collect I might be looking for bail money.
Maybe I'm blind to the signs. Could be LSR is not for me?.
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We experts 😇 need a pic or two. Best part of walking a mile in another man' s shoes is that he is a mile away and as no shoes..... :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Hey Jerry this country is in a dark hole. Can you believe they even have scheduled black outs like stage 6!!!!!!!!!.
6 hours without power every day. What annoys me most is I live in an area a mile away from a big industrial estate
and at 20h00 our lights go out but up on the hill the factories glow in the dark. With an unemployment rate of around 35%
my question is why these factories and warehouses are working 24/7?. It's all BS brother. One power supplier owned by the state
and we're being played.
I'll shoot some pics of the manifold and try post them later. Podunk put so much effort into machining the runners it hurts to see
what came back. Most won't even notice the problem but I'll know and that sucks. I just hope the Carbon plenum fits because I
don't want to have anything out of square on the car or have to fabricate something like that just to fit. The big lesson that came out of this is that
I should have used way thicker plate when I fabbed the parts. Maybe I'm overreacting but this liner needs to look as good as it should run.
Sounds like if you want things right do it yourself. I will start welding Aluminium, make no mistake about it.
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This is what a year's hard graft got turned into.
I'm taking a hole saw to it, getting it milled down and making two thicker plates.
After that I'll weld a puddle or 8. :evil:
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I would be tempted to set that in the press and see if it could be influenced straight(er)
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Like the moguls at the ski resort. Jerry it won't even survive milling around the runners. 1mm penetration, all surface welding.🤷♂️
My local mentor/big brother Derek says "park it, don't touch it and forget about it until next year".
I'm taking his advice.
NO CARS UNTIL 2023!!!!!. :-)
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I approve 1drink
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Thanks Jerry.
Happy you do. It was a great idea. Just chiilin bro!!!!!.
Got a mold going doing a layer a day for my buddy who is at PRI doin business. :wink: :wink: :wink:
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I am happy that you are happy Mike...🤔 I would not want to have to fly over to S.A. to rake your yard.😂
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Well, I got stiffed both ways on the timing chain set.
Nasen messaged from PRI so I told him about the part. He said give me the number. Done.
Sonya was either playing me or couldn't order online which I find strange.
Nasen gets back but I never asked if he got the part because his mom passed from this new virus variant. RIP.
A week later I decide to ask. He didn't buy the part. I can't win. It's a $133 part!!!!!!.
I wasn't going to charge him for the mold. He could have told me while Sonya was still in Austin.
I charged him for the mold and now he's not getting the Toyota parts at cost. I'll use the bucks to import the timing set myself.
I'll do anything for my buddies. Not having a rant but truth is truth. I build a pile of cool custom stuff for Pete's Navara truck free of charge. He borrows my MX bike in late November.
He's gone. Supposed to return it after the weekend. Kev was rebuilding the motor in my Volvo wagon after he said it "SLIPPED" a few teeth on the timing belt. I'm sitting here with a new head, turbo and modified exhaust. He sold the car as scrap and moved to the Cape along with the 6 grand upfront money.
Great start to the year. Am I upset?. Not one bit. People are who they are and have to live with their decisions. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
From the age of 13 I have never lost a fight, never started a single one but finished them all on the ice, in the street or the ring. This LSR project is a 15 round bare knuckle deal and the opposition have baseball bats and there's a bunch of them in the ring. LSR FOR MEN ONLY!!!!!!!.
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I hear ya M8. My ex-best friend screwed me over last year causing me to not be able to run at the July test & tune. He had six months to take care of programing the twin ecu's & turned up two days before it was time to hit the road then tells me he can't make it work. I haven't spoken to him since! I went down & got it numbered & teched but then the China virus came to visit, then the rain came & that was it for 22.
I'm an old fart, I don't have enough years left to waste one!
Sid.
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Sid, I have 2 mates left.
Kate was the woman who gave me my start in composites and she passed last week. She was better than my male buddies.
Derick and Gebi left. Great dudes I can rely on.
Locally people suck. My buddies in the US whom I've never met are way better.
All you guys help me and don't BS. Without all of you I'd have canned this deal.
Sorry you had a bad run there mate. Hopefully this year you'll get to the salt. If anyone deserves to run it's you. 🙏🙏🙏👊👊👊👊
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Now that I've confirmed both my 351C blocks are the Australian "heavy wall" castings I'm going ahead.
It was a worry but hey Ak Miller won 8 Pikes Peaks with a twin turbo Cleveland so that's good enough for me.
Guys I'm not trying to be George!. I'm in South Africa and have the only long car on the continent.
Buying bits and bobs as I go.
I called Brent at Klingspor Abrasives to apologize for taking so long to finish the liner. His response was he didn't care if it took me 15 years, he's still behind me 100%.
Going in tomorrow to collect a bunch of stuff. What a sponsor!!!!!. So many good dudes helping me on this build. Yeah I'm losing my mind and not sleeping well but it goes with the territory.
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Mike... it's an obsession... almost everyone I know involved with LSR is obsessed with going faster...
It's also an addiction... mentally and physically... there is no 12 step program... but there is a 5 mile temporary cure...
Make sure you are having fun... building a car can make you crazy unless you remember you are doing this because it is fun and very few people on this planet get to have this kind of fun.
Hey if it was easy everybody would be doing it...
But it's not easy... having friends help makes it easier... and having friends helps make it easier
Hello everyone, my name is Stainless, and I have a problem... but I'm working through it :cheers:
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You're a great friend Stainless and you aren't the first to say if it becomes a chore it's a problem.
I have developed a deep mistrust of my countrymen. I'm a hard grafter and a poor decision I made in 05 set me back.
I lost all my customers in the motorsports industry because I took a break to go do a job for a friend at the coast. 2 months turned into a year
and the guy stiffed me.
These days work is hard to find but I'm hanging in there. Things are going to change drastically soon and I'm going shopping.
Some hard decisions to be made and this liner is way overdue. I'll email you. I need some assistance and I think you're the guy?. :wink:
Thanks for the encouragement brother and BTW those front runners are in my bedroom. I can smell them. Nothing like the smell of rubber in the morning.
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Well there is something-- sunrise over the Wasatch :-D :-D :-D
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Well there is something-- sunrise over the Wasatch :-D :-D :-D
Yeah the lake effect inversion layer is like no other! :? :-o :cry:
Sid.
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This liner should be renamed roller coaster.
I walk away at least twice a day and 40 times mentally.
No money, big dreams and SOUTH AFRICA!!!!!!.
Can't win here. 18.40/$1. Gas is 25 bucks a litre.
My engineering sponsor has to machine about 60 components and he wants CAD drawings.
The only guy I trust is in Utah but sometimes logistics don't work. I don't have micrometers and large industrial verniers either.
I pray a lot, mostly for forgiveness because I lose it out of frustration but then the miracles arrive.
My neighbour had a blowout on his Isuzu truck and the plastic wheel arch was destroyed. Older model and no used parts so he finds
one off a 4x4 and it fits but the fender rolls under more on his truck so he asks if I can modify the new part to fit.
These plastics have an oil additive in them so bonding is a huge problem and I don't do plastic welding.
I call my resin supplier to see if there's an adhesive I can use and during the conversation she's giving me all this info on safety etc.
so I tell her I've been working with composites since 87. She says her son has a side hustle making Carbon parts for Ford Focus cars
and he's getting whipped. I know the feeling. Starting out without knowledge is a pain so I said I'll give him some pointers.
Jason calls me and he's the coolest young guy. It turns out that he's an Olympic Shot Put athlete. Day job is doing CAD drawings for engineering components.
Short story is I'm giving him about 70% of my molds because I don't have use for them and he'll make a few bucks more. He's doing all the CAD for me and he's become
a friend. I like his old school manners and he just gives off good vibes. A giant of a man and by his own admission he's a Teddy Bear.
I get on well with the giants. Miracles do come in XXXL. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
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Great news Mike! :cheers:
Just remember - shot putters have cast iron balls! :-P
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Good for you, Mike. You deserve every break you get! Many times one's own attitude makes all the difference between success and failure. Too many people just crawl back in bed, sniveling.
Btw, your mention of his being a shot-putter reminded me of a friend back in high school who was a shot-putter, Floyd Gross. He could throw it 56 feet. He played football, basketball, & ran the high hurdles. Floyd was the best natural athlete I ever saw. I heard that later on he became head of the Security Police at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Another nice guy.
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Thanks guys.
I've been the runt all my life but I fight.
In hockey my mentor was Allan Vick a Canadian giant and he was like my big brother. In the army I had Brian Snashall who was a dead ringer for Bull from Night Court. Jason is cool and is probably the biggest I've met in my life. The Covid had him bad and he's still fighting to get back to full fitness. This boy has had a hard life and just getting to the Olympics was a miracle. South Africa is weird. It gives you NADA.
I've been making small parts for the motor like the fuel pump block off plate and a special plug to fit where the distributor used to fit. Another big thing in my life is that I'll be starting to weld Aluminium. No one here anymore I can trust so like everything else besides machining I'm going all in. That dang inlet manifold took me about six months to set up and it was perfect until that guy ruined it. Podunk made such awesome runners. I gave him a paper full scale drawing made from the port and the Ford Boss inlets aren't exactly rectangular. They have weird radii and his runners fit perfectly. Thank God I only have to replace the top plenum plates. IMHO the guy is a genius.
I'll post pics of those small parts tomorrow.
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Mike....You play hockey??? Stan Mikita was Patti's uncle.
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Stan Mikita #21. Black Hawks and played with Bobby Hull.
How did I get into composites?. Making goalie masks for my kid brother when I was 13.
Yes I played hockey despite my size and was earning $100/game at 16. Scouted to play junior A in Sudbury but my mom was adamant I wasn't going anywhere.
I had my idol. Bobby Orr. Then Bobby Clarke came on the scene!!!!!. Today I love Brayden Point of the Lightning. I was raised by Canadians and know all about "Newfies" and the "Quebecois".
Hockey made me Jerry. Everything I do came from the confidence I got from being a great skater and according to the "South Africans" I was banned overnight worldwide for misconduct on the ice.
No formal hearing. Just some random decision made by a "committee" at 2AM but in secret. :wink: :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
I was already 2 years into race driving and the hockey was something to do after hours. It was a comeback of sorts.
These days I fight the LSR demons. Tough team. They'll cross check you, slash you, trip you and check you over the boards into your own bench.
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Been doing some work on the Ford block.
Tapping holes and fitting plugs.
So far I have the heater hose fitting removed. Tapped that and fitted a grub screw. Same for the dipstick opening, oil bypass and stock oil pump orifice.
I made a distributor block off plate and one for the stock fuel pump opening.
Small things I can do while waiting for the power to come back on. We have 12 hours a day without power now. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
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Met this great kid. Real old school. His mom sells me composites.
Day job is doing CAD, hobby is knifemaking and it put him through college.
Not a knife freak but I watch a few shows and this guy's Damascus is off the charts.
He's dabbling in Carbon Fibre and getting his butt kicked. He's made 150 field hockey sticks and all are rejects.
I've never seen determination like this in my life. Humble as they come. A shot put Olympian and paid his own way
to get to the games. His dad got injured at work and workmen's comp plus the company refused to settle so they lost
their house and had to start over. Character building stuff.
Jason is keen so we have a deal where he does CAD for the 60 parts I need machined and I help him learn how to produce tooling
to make good products. Giving him nearly all my molds because they're gathering dust and he'll have another side hustle.
To get the liner finished you need CAD and with the guy here on site the drawings will be right. I don't have the skills to tell the engineer
what sizes I need to press fit parts. This kid has the degrees in industrial design, metallurgy and a bunch of other stuff.
Win, win for both of us. At least he's not from the North of Johannesburg. That's the pedicure and caviar area where no one pays their bills. lol8
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I'm still here guys. Plugging away and not giving up.
Had an email chat with Mr. Burkland and he gave me a few more tips that really opened my eyes and changed my life.
Thanks Tom.
Currently busy tearing apart the top plates on the inlet manifold to replace them with thicker plate even though thickness wasn't the issue.
New plates marked and I'm ready to punch all the holes. Turns out I need a double pulse Mig machine to get the Aluminium welds looking like I want them.
In addition to that there's a good chance I'm getting an AC Tig machine. Independence Day for Mikey coming up soon.
We were down with flu and I took it hard. First dose in about 25 years. Africa, gotta love it.
Some pics of stuff tomorrow.
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Go straight to the tig and use the saved $$$ for parts. Good to hear from you. JB
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Hey Jerry, you're on the money. Tig it is.
If I've learned anything from this build it's how to handle sponsorship.
Sign a contract with the option for additional product or materials. I never did.
All I signed were indemnity forms. 8-)
I've been at it so long guys have either left or been transferred overseas.
With the economy being what it is risk averse people have become Armadillos.
Talk about starting from scratch?. I also lost all my data when the PC crashed.
The guy from Air Liquide is in France and the new guy played me for three months where he could have just said no.
I had two Argon bottles refilled at my own cost. Same thing with a few others but hey it's life!.
Gotta do a lot of jumping around on this build. No money for this just do something else because they all need doing at some point.
Busy fabricating new inlet manifold plates. The metal supplier cuts the 12mm plate to size within limits but the saw leaves a rough
finish so I painted one with marking blue, clamped them together and used elbow grease. As a kid I wanted to be a toolmaker and
my buddies who were older said I'd spend the first year filing and polishing metal to make it square. I just passed my apprenticeship. :naughty
The power goes off three times a day so I plan ahead. Get the compressor filled, charge the batteries for all the cordless tools and use plug in electricity
until the son of darkness arrives. When the tank is empty, the batteries are flat I use the elbow. After the arms are poked I take time off to ponder, watch the birds
and chat to the dogs. It's actually hilarious.
If these goons running the show think they'll beat me they better think again. In the Army I spent about two months being wet and slept in mud like an animal.
The old girl is my gofer. She's been a trooper and she's getting educated. I can't find my M3 tap so she's off to my dealer and he tries to give her a blister packed
"Torquecraft" unit. Renaldo is a great kid. He sends freebies all the time with his boss's permission. He calls me while she's driving back roaring with laughter telling me
he's never been called out by a grandma in front of a counter full of guys in dirty overalls.
This build is Ground Hog day. I'm reliving my past life trying to overcome. Not a known sleeper so now I do 3 hours as opposed to 4. I lie in bed building stuff in my head and
it works because I just realized I have to install all the ARP fasteners in the plates for the inlet before I get the plenum plates fried in place.
Like Al Pacino said, "One Inch at a TIME". We're adding inches.
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When my PC crashed and was rebuilt some programmes weren't reinstalled so now I can't reduce the Jpegs to the size required. Not savvy enough to figure it out but I'll get a kid from the hood to help me out. Sorry guys, no pics for now.
The long car is 80% sponsorship and the rest is up to me.
Things were expensive but now it's insane but we fight on.
I need solenoids so I went online and saw prices from a few bucks to thousands. Red flag so I looked at websites and found a locally based outlet that markets top of the range German units, I called and was put through to David who was so cool and also very knowledgeable. He educated me on the units and we spent about 45 minutes chatting. He said he could help and give me a good price per unit. Still out of my league so I let it slide. I got this email with a PDF and saw all the products with specs etc. What do I do?. Pray!!!!!. I ask David if the company might consider a small investment?. He says he'll run it by his manager. His manager is from the area I grew up in and we just hit it off. I'm now good on solenoids. The best of the best.
My go to guy at the electrical manufacturer that supplies cable ties and everything related to automotive sent me heat shrink, shovel connectors and miles of sheath they supply Ford Motorsports with. If heated it does shrink and give time for shut down, rescue. Never seen this material before but he tells me it's also for military vehicles. When I asked about the mil spec connectors he said it wasn't viable so they canned it. He said the company that has the widest selection deals with him and Monique is a close friend so he'll ask her if they want in?.
Two days later she calls asking how she can help?. Dang!!!!, things are happening. I need SS elbows and reducers so the guy from the solenoids says he knows a guy. Boom, done deal. Collecting Monday.
I spent a year putting together the inlet manifold and the last process was a complete disaster so I asked Craig my connection at Industrial Hardware if he knows anyone in the racing game whose a good tig guy on Aluminum?. He tells me it's a huge problem because all the good guys were old and passed on and he gets calls daily for welding. We go way back and to cut a long story short he gave me a brand new machine. It's state of the art with all the digital screens and sells for big bucks. All he wants out of the deal is for me to give the clients he sends my way the same attention the composite ones do. I've been around, done a lot and had many exciting times in my life but this is on par with me buying my first car. Maybe more so. All he said was he knew I was going through hard times but I'm a passionate guy and he can't watch me hit bottom. This company is the same one that introduced me to reciprocating saws when I was battling to trim composites with a jigsaw machine. Changed my life.
There's a movie in this quest I swear. I was ready to can the project and out of the blue more Blessings. If the roller coaster was flat it would just be a mini railroad. Tom said this was akin to building the Space Shuttle in Africa. I believe him.
A few weeks back my neighbour's gardener is at the gate with a guy that needs help. He's a mobile mechanic and he's got a problem on a Ford Rocam motor where he can't get the sump plug out. Dougie was here visiting and he says the oil pan is Aluminum and the drain plugs seize and you'll need to drop the bottom end but to get to it you have to remove the motor. I'll help a stranger no problem but this was too much so we exchanged phone numbers. The guy calls and says he bought an extractor pump to get the oil out but can I possibly help fit new wheel bearings because he doesn't have a press. We hook up and we find out we're the same age, both vets and were in Angola at the same time. Gabriel is a cool dude who knows all the boys I do. From biking days, to drag racing, muscle cars and beyond. His business folded and he's toughing it out. Working out of his MPV. No real friends and we have lots in common so we spend hours chatting. He tells me he's got a motor and gearbox under a pile of junk in his sister's garage. 351c Boss motor with a Pete Jackson gear drive and billet crank. Been there about 25 years so it must be locked up but I can have it to scavenge parts off. If a guy is full of brown stuff he won't know as much as Gabriel does about the motor. I'll be picking it up next weekend. I already have enough spare stuff to build a backup if it checks out. When he said he was going to have Hi port plates made for the Cleveland but never got around to it I knew he must be the real deal. Guys that served in his unit don't say much but when they do it's true.
The long car is more than a journey and destination. It's a test and a life lesson. To all of you that support me, God Bless you all and thank you.
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Mike, Some guys have it and some guys don't. You have it. Sponsors (and others) have to filter out requests for help from all sides so they develop a sixth sense that tells them when they are talking to the real deal. Honesty and most particularly, Integrity is paramount and that's where many fall apart. Keep on plugging. I'm glad to hear that things are looking better for you.
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Mike, I use image software called Irfanview; it is free and can be downloaded here:
https://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm
It allows photos to be re-sized, cropped, and rotated- among other features.
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Here's a little story for you Mike to remind you you're not alone on the one man liner highway of hell.
After 14yrs of building, few days ago I was going to make Speed Week & then I had a @+?%$ moment that killed it. We had gone down to the gas station to test that loading/unloading my 40ft pile of parts from the backyard tilt trailer actually worked & it did 8-) but I needed to move the winch to get it a bit further forward on the trailer so it towed better. On the back of my service truck the whole mess is 73ft long so moving the winch & rechecking that it worked had to be done outside since my shed is only 30ft long. Moving the winch also meant moving the trailer jack so all done & works good, I pull the truck forward but the safety chain is still hooked to the truck. I feel a thump, another thump then another thump. I'd dragged the trailer forward destroying the jack & the new mount but the only thing holding the liner in place was a 2" block of wood under one rear tire & it rolled over that, ran off the end of the trailer without the ramps & crashed into the rising driveway. The diffuser in the tail took the big hit & the tunnel forward of the rear wheels took the rest of the trailer as it unloaded. Fixing all that has killed my plans for SW & the plans of others who'd taken vacation time to come & help or watch me run.
So far I've managed to crash the F;@#(-% thing without firing a shot in anger!
Sid. muutt :dhorse:
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Damn Sid that sucks. Is it bent aluminum or busted glass? We were really looking forward to seeing the car at Speed Week
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I'm so disappointed in this tale of woe. But nowhere near as disappointed as you must be. I hope fixing the damage takes a lot less time than you've spent building your dream has been. I've been following your progress and challenges thru the years.
Wishing you the best,
Stan
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I second Stan's sentiments.
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I hope the resulting damage is not too bad and can be repaired.
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Thanks for all the good thoughts. The tail is a 9ft removable piece that is fiberglass over 062 steel tubing construction. It includes the push bar tube that goes through it to the chassis, six parachute tubes & three tunnel sections that make up the diffuser & that's where most of the damage was. I've got that fixed but haven't tried it back on the car because I put it back in the shed. It fits in there hard up against the back wall & clears the front door by 1" with the nose still on & retracted all the way up but due to that I can't get a jack under it to check out the rear tunnel damage. After busting my a$$ trying to make SW & having this happen, my enthusiasm took a pretty big hit so I'm pacing myself to save what remnants of sanity I still have & plan to make WoS.
Sometimes it feels like I couldn't win a one ticket raffle. I went to move the 55gal drum of E85 fuel & fell on my a$$ with an empty drum on top of me. There's a big stain on the floor & I have a drum full of air. Life's an adventure & I'm totally on one. I don't drink, maybe I should! 1drink :friday
Sid.
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Well Sid, that should have been enough to make anyone start! 1drink
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Sid, we're living parallel lives.
Just when you think you're getting somewhere you get hammered.
My shop was all clutter and I fell backward over some offcut. Rang my bell pretty good but I was wearing a Beanie!!!!!.
Two days later I was aching. I don't drink anymore and I'm crashing more now so there is no easy way out.😂
Burkert Fluid Systems is my latest backer. Had a back and forth email with Tom Burkland and he suggested I use my left foot rest to activate the parachute release and as usual he gets me thinking.
I'm this sponge for knowledge and a small thing grows into a full blown project. I have 2 chutes so one pedal is a bit of an issue and then I remembered the momentary switches I have. My steering wheel is more like an Indy Car unit so I'll have the chute releases on each side within easy reach of my thumbs. Burkert manufacture the best solenoids I've ever seen. The quality is unreal and I was given exactly what I need. Alvin Seitz is coming around later this week to drop the 3 units off AFTER the shop is clean.🤦♂️🤷♂️
Things are happening and the excitement level is ramping up. God has been good to me guys. I've learned from this build that stressing changes nothing. I just have faith, try hard and eventually things fall into place.
I still can't reduce the file sizes on the images so I'm stuck. This PC ain't what it was. Later.👍👊
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Forward progress is always good. Carry on J.B.
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Mike, not that you intend to run here under SCTA rules but we are required to have a manual backup for chute releases. Having an electrical problem without that could turn a good run into a holy $hit one.
Sid.
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Thanks Sid and yes I understand the rules.
Where I intend to run I have 23 miles.
I'll worry about redundancy when I get to that stage.
I'm still far off and cleaning up the shop is priority right now.
Second is to get the Aluminium tig welder set up and working.
I can't figure people out. Guido was my buddy/welder supplier and I bought a 300A Mig machine, Dc tig and plasma cutter from him but he refused to sell me an AC/DC machine I could use for Aluminium. His story was I'd be wasting my money because welding is a 8 hour a day vocation. When I was broke he used to pay me 300 bucks a day to turn Copper tips for the big spot welders the auto manufacturers use so I spent a lot of time at his place. He forgets that I was with him when he welded components for water pump housings he made for Rovers. His welding was horrible so one day when he had to go to a meeting I fired up the machine and fried 14 of those suckers with no grinding required. He wasn't happy. I could have damaged his machine!!!!!!. Maybe he's envious, who knows?. Weird.
A son of a late friend took over his father's business and he donated a brand new 20 grand machine to my cause. Guido lost out because after all the problems I had with the race shop guy I was determined to weld my own stuff.
I don't play for the "B" team and never will. I'm a humble guy but I tell it like it is. I made my first goalie mask for my brother when I was 13. 1968. I got told where to buy stuff and got instructions from a cool old guy. I pulled that off and every year my brother Jerry got a new updated version. In 87 a guy who was a competitor in F2 is a condescending jerk and was upset that I had bought a Countach and was at his dealership to buy some parts. How could Mike from the poor side of town afford a "look at me" car?. He asked what I do and it just came out. I work with Carbon Fibre!!!. I had never seen the material in the raw or even used epoxies but I had intentions of replacing the damaged Aluminium body parts with Carbon.
It was a bit of a backfire because he asked if I was any good?. My gut said knock him out but I answered "the best". A white lie became something big. My first order was R185,000. I had to learn in a hurry and met some awesome people who helped when I asked for advice.
Today I'll go with anyone on the planet whether it's wet lay up or prepreg.
If I say I'm welding Aluminium you can bet your bottom Dollar I'll get it right. This Aluminium deal has been a thorn in my side since I started racing. My first guy Norman went to the US. Jaapie had a stroke and Nick left for Australia. Norman's son Duncan is an ace but the last job was ruined because he gave the job to one of his apprentices. Podunk CNC'd the most awesome runners for my inlet manifold and I had to tear it apart. I won't let him down. Not in my DNA.
Never again will I rely on others for Aluminium welding. I'm done!!!!. Nothing beats independence.
I upgraded my mig with a new torch to weld Aluminium but it's not a double pulse machine. My welds aren't that ugly, in fact they're pretty good. I ran a few test passes and afterwards cut the material to check for penetration. Perfect and I could weld the plenum plates to the runners because the manifold is going to be milled and O ringed but when the bungs for the injectors and water injection go in I want good looking beads and there's no way I'm grinding and polishing those mig welds.
This long car deal is journey of discovery and I'm in it for the long haul. Without the sponsors I wouldn't be here. In a country full of risk averse people I managed to find the good ones. I'm Blessed.
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Forward progress is always good. Carry on J.B.
Thanks Jerry. God Bless you brother.👊
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In the case of an emergency like an engine blow-up or a fire you're not going to want to be hanging out in there for 23miles mate! It's a lot easier to build in some cables now than after you're done building.
Speaking of fire, I came up with a cheap & effective fire warning system back in the 90's after we had a bad fire that burnt everything on the back half of the liner including the glass body. Al was hunting for a 400 pass when a fuel return line leaked. Although it was on fire it was still charging hard & he had no idea there was a problem until it burned through some plug wires & by that time it was junk.
I used some furnace snap switches wired to a warning light on the dash & back then it cost about 6 bucks. Al didn't think it would work & on the very next pass after the rebuild, sure enough the light came on as he expected but after climbing out of the car he saw it actually was on fire again! An injector line on the distribution block on the back of the blower had leaked & caused a small fire.
Stopping is the most important part of a run & sometimes you need to do it in a hurry. I've shared this with a few other rear engine guys & I have 10 sensors in my liner at about 4bucks a piece plus a light. If you have a big fire, the air speed turns it into a big cutting torch & can burn the chutes right off the back so you need to protect them. I built a firewall & exit into my liner that ducts any fire out the top & above the tail. You can't have too much safety.
Sid.
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I agree 100% Sid. All wisdom right there.
Somewhere earlier in my diary I posted about my fire suppression system. It's Belgian made and normally used for tour buses. It's a huge container along with some trick electronics. It also has harnesses that run from the motor to the back of the liner. All heat sensor complicated stuff and nozzles. The guys from Safequip will install all the bits when the chassis is painted. My only job was to build the platform and mount the tank. I'm in the dark when it comes to the detail but my guys took one look at the liner and had similar sentiments to you. I haven't been round the back of the vehicle in a long time so today I checked and it's a no brainer to install a manual chute release. The company that used to make cables is no more but I found a cool guy that's now doing all their work. He's willing to help.
The most pertinent issue you brought up that got my attention was the chutes burning up. Matthew has been jonesing to get stuck into the liner with his thermal blankets. He manufactures custom stuff for the foundry industry. I'm thinking we should wrap the chute tubes as well. Can never be too safe. Tom has drummed safety into me over the years and I hang onto every word.
I think I'm further away from finishing this project than when I started. Packaging is a huge problemo!!!!!.
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In a rear or mid-engine car, the driver is the last one to know that his car is on fire. I learned that the hard way in a Porsche 911.
I made provision in my homebuilt for an engine fire sensor make by Kidde Aerospace. It is a 2-wavelength infrared flame sensor that turns on a dash-mounted warning light indicating "FIRE". I found this brand new sensor in some aircraft surplus stuff and I contacted Kidde to get a wiring diagram for it but they were very uncooperative. So...no fire sensor.
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Mike,
Another Mike I know did a fire detection scheme for his lakester that might interest you.
Starts at post #419 in this forum:
https://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php?topic=14960.405
Some of his other shenanigans might interest you, too! :cheers:
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Thanks guys.
I appreciate all the advice.
This fire system isn't some off the shelf item. It's a complex thing. The sponsors took one look at the car and already made up their minds on what I was getting.
I know you all like backup systems but I promise you the unit I have is enough for ten cars. It has heat sensors and when a spike is detected it activates. I'm not
one bit worried.
Been busy doing induction work and then I remembered Tom said I needed bracing from behind the roll cage to the chassis behind the motor. I got the brackets and tubes out.
I fitted the whole deal and I see sleepless nights ahead. My Coil packs might not fit on the rocker box covers and my turbo cold side pipes are going to be a bag of Pythons.
Build a long car. It will be fun they said!!!!! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Bravery isn't running headlong into a hail of bullets. That's just dumb. I'm an idiot but I burnt my bridges so the only way is forward.
On the lighter side a bunch of sponsors pulled out in that they won't supply any more product or materials. Times are hard here and I've taken too long on the build.
I take things in my stride and there is zero panic.
One sponsor referred me to another and he came on board. Then the second guy said his buddy wants in too. From solenoids to Stainless Steel elbows to aircraft wiring.
I also scored Mil spec connectors made by a Swiss manufacturer who supplies all the F1 teams.
The email proposals are dead. I call and get the responsible person over to view the long car and they are all in.
Things are really ramping up now. It's all coming together.
Divine Intervention!!!!. Prayer, the breakfast of champions. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
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Be my hero and name the turbo pipes "Monty" 1drink
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Done.
Anything for my brother Jerry. 8-)
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If I was George Poteet we wouldn't be having this discussion. :laugh:
I'm all about sponsorship because I don't have a budget.
Small things add up. I'm determined to reach my goal so I've taken a different tack.
I contacted a company about their product and they wanted my location so they could send a rep out to see me.
I should film these interactions because they're hilarious. Once the rep sees the long car he forgets sales and wants in.
In a risk averse country like South Africa the Flyer is making waves. The sponsors that want no further involvement said
good luck and it was a pleasure helping so they get decals on the car. I wouldn't have it any other way. They helped.
I've been upgrading the shop, repairing equipment I almost threw out and just servicing older stuff.
I've never been in a frame of mind where I just go ahead without that constant angst. I'm cool with where I am.
Got the missus in the hospital with a broken Femur and she's waiting for surgery.
The long car takes my mind off the problems.
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Hang in there, Mike. A good attitude can take you a long way...and you're doing it!
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A one man band has to play it at his own speed. The fact you're still playing is huge Mike! :cheers:
Sid.
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Hang in there, Mike. A good attitude can take you a long way...and you're doing it!
Thanks Neil. At times I feel like a beggar but it's part of the deal. I swear it's like eating a bus an ounce of filings a day.
Just this dam wall in front of me but hey quitting is not an option. My intentions are good and I do get Divine Intervention.
Thanks for the kind words. You guys keep me going. Without all of you on the forum this doesn't happen.🙏
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You know all about the one man band Sid.
Coming from you this means a lot.
Thank you brother.
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Another sponsor on board.
I have doubts about my country and then I meet another good guy.
They're out there. I find them. Years ago I helped Guido assemble his Rover motor.
The guy thinks they're awesome. I don't judge. We're busy with gaskets and sealer.
I've built a few but you guys make me look like a total beginner. I see the quality of
the gaskets and man that sealer was something else. You can see quality from the way it came
out of the tube. The beads were awesome. I asked and he said check the packaging.
Victor Reinz.
Last week I called the HQ and spoke to Brent Hinkley asking if he could send a rep to see me
because I need advice.
Dean called and got my details. He arrived in a real van with the right Vinyl and it shouted professional outfit.
We go through all the products. Some for turbo, exhaust, fuel and intake. Silicones, the whole deal.
On to the small talk. He grew up where my late dad did so we already had a connection.
The deal was he'd be in touch. If I needed more help just call.
The next day there's a hoot at the gate. Dean Carr!!!!. Open the gate, I brought goodies!!!.
He parks and says his mom and brothers decided to sponsor me. He's not just a rep but the director.
He loaded me with gasket materials, all the sealers you'd need for 20 motors, swag, gloves, utility knives and decals.
All I have is a suburb called Turffontein produced real men. Tough hood but a handshake is a contract. Awesome people.
Thanks Intrade!!!!. You guys rock. 👊👊👊
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EXCELLENT
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Thanks Neil.
Rekindling old relationships here. My Makita lamp died. First Makita tool to take a powder. I called my go to guy and luckily he left the company.
The head honcho quizzed me for about an hour on the previous deal. Cool guy, willing to engage. He sent the rep out to check. Very few have seen a long car in South Africa. "MINE!!!" and it's not finished. 8-)
Anyway we worked out a few things and I've got more tools coming but best of all these boys are interested. Thanks J.P., Pierre and Jean.
Working on the project daily and it's growing, not shrinking. So much to do. I love it. 😎😎😎😎😎
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Thanks Neil.
Rekindling old relationships here. My Makita lamp died. First Makita tool to take a powder. I called my go to guy and luckily he left the company.
The head honcho quizzed me for about an hour on the previous deal. Cool guy, willing to engage. He sent the rep out to check. Very few have seen a long car in South Africa. "MINE!!!" and it's not finished. 8-)
Anyway we worked out a few things and I've got more tools coming but best of all these boys are interested. Thanks J.P., Pierre and Jean.
Working on the project daily and it's growing, not shrinking. So much to do. I love it. 😎😎😎😎😎
Progress! You'll get there, Mike. Maybe someone will make a Hollywood movie about you, too. :wink:
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BTW Mike, when we lived in Japan right after the War, we were friends with the Makita family. Here they are in 1948 or 1949; I don't know if they are the same "Makita" that makes tools now but ???
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We can only hope Neil.
I know everyone has their favourite brand but Makita is special.
No made in the PRC under licence junk.
Someone gave me a pretty upmarket drill in a box made by a company that had a great name in the 50s and 60s.
I told the guy I've been wanting a paint stirrer for a long time. Just steal one of the beaters out of the junk drawer
and you can mix resin, paint, thixotropic agents, you name it but don't try use it for making holes.
My Makita cut off saw cut 4,000 lengths of 16mm square wrought iron bar in 05 and I still haven't changed brushes.
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I have found that if I do something on a project every day? Darn thing comes together. Stick too it Mike.
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Going like a Boeing right now Jerry.
I giggled when I first built the chassis. So much space!!!!!.
Not so much anymore. I have that bag of Pythons to tackle.
Thanks for the motivation brother.
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10-lb's of $hit in a 5-lb bag Mike. You should see the snake pit of oil, water & fuel lines in front of my engine & then there's two big-a$$ turbos on top of it all. Might need to borrow somebody's small child to work in there, if I don't pay em it's not child labor, right! :roll:.
Like I said to you once before, it's like eating an elephant, just one bite at a time until it's all gone.
Sid.
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8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)
Thanks Sid.
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10-lb's of $hit in a 5-lb bag Mike. You should see the snake pit of oil, water & fuel lines in front of my engine & then there's two big-a$$ turbos on top of it all. Might need to borrow somebody's small child to work in there, if I don't pay em it's not child labor, right! :roll:.
Like I said to you once before, it's like eating an elephant, just one bite at a time until it's all gone.
Sid.
"10-lb's of $hit in a 5-lb bag..." That is known as a "blivet". :roll:
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Neil I'm trying to cut out the cussing. :laugh: :laugh:
How many times have I mentioned Divine Intervention on this build???. MANY.
It continues.
I met this guy Theo on Linkedin. He's in the mining belt in the Free State. We get chatting and eventually my trolley jack comes up. It's a hand-me-down and poked.
He asks make?. I know it's made in Denmark. He gets my address and his driver turns up to collect. A week later my jack is like new. Theo says my money's no good with him.
I'm saying what an awesome dude thinking he owns a small shop and does odd jobs on hydraulic cylinders in a mini factory complex.
Last night he calls out of the blue asking about Burkert solenoids and the sponsor Alvin. I tell him the guy is rock solid and put me onto three guys he knows who all came on board. He needs some special 8 grand 110v unit but heard Burkert only sell through agencies. Within 10 minutes I put the guys together and Alvin quoted 4,183!!!!. From my understanding Theo needs way more than one.
Theo asks about the long car so I tell him my sad story with machining. I have most of the materials and a guy to do CAD for the engineers at Honingcraft but my measuring equipment is DIY. Small vernier etc and not suited to measuring bigger parts accurately. He asks what size micrometers and verniers I need because he's got piles. I tell him I'm not skilled enough to measure the rearend spool and other critical parts because I'm no engineer.
It turns out he's personal friends with Gerrit and Beyers at Honingcraft. They do big business together. Then he says there's a guy Dave that does CNC for him. I also know Dave. He does awesome Aluminium work. He says he's Dave's biggest client and gave me a figure on his monthly spend. Theo isn't just some guy working out of a small shop!!!!!. He is the guy. He's all in and the parts are going to the Free State to be measured properly and he's taking it on himself to split the work between Honingcraft and Dave.
Between Theo, Honingcraft and Dave my machining woes are over. One small random act of kindness. The guy refurbed a jack out of the goodness of his heart for another guy 200 miles away. Add Alvin to the mix and one thing led to another. Theo is a good Christian guy and quotes verses from the Bible. He's like a gift from God. We spoke for hours last night on all kinds of stuff.
What are the chances of all this happening????. Slim to none but here we are. The Divine Intervention. Prayer, the BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS!!!!. All I have.🙏
George is super fast and built a beautiful liner BUT he's never been on an adventure like mine!!!!!!. There's a book and movie in this miracle season. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🙏✝
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Mike....Good things seldom happen to bad people. Carry on, JB
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"There's a book and movie in this miracle season." There may be, indeed! Great job, Mike!
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Thanks Jerry.
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"There's a book and movie in this miracle season." There may be, indeed! Great job, Mike!
It's been a ride of note Neil. Maybe being in Africa has its advantages brother. This is a novel idea here.
Just enjoying the ride. Thanks man.👊👊👊
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Novel idea??...🤔...Friday already? :cheers:
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Friday ain't special here. Morphs into Saturday and on we go. :dhorse:
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Space is premium on the liner and my oil tank is a little closer to my water pump than I like.
Running a standard pulley and belt configuration is a concern. The pump pulley is fairly large.
I made up my mind I'm using an electric motor to drive the pump. I can turn it on and off as needed.
As usual I go sponsor hunting. No one got back to me so I put the project on the backburner.
Yesterday I was looking for my "Carbon/honeycomb" headrest and cheek panels I thought I made last year or earlier
because I wanted to go see Dave about the foam materials I need. I searched for hours without luck.
I open a box I think they might be in and there's this 12v electric motor!!!!. Perfect for running the pump. On testing it runs great and the toothed pulley is a match.
There are no markings on it. No ID, no specs, no manufacturer. How in heck do I figure the RPM?????.
I'm a complete idiot on electrical but I'm sure someone here has an answer?.
Maybe I should take it to an electrical shop that deals with them?. Any advice?. Thank you. 🙏
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Optical tachometer and hook 12v to it
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Digital laser tachometer less than $20 USD on Amazon.
Or do it with a microphone and free audio program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fa2AFkDZ5Y&t=19s
We all want to know the rpm now! :-P
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Thanks guys.
I'll take it to one of my sponsors. They'll figure it out.
Even the El Cheapo fong kong stuff has some sort of info on it.
See what I deal with here?. I swear I have some sort of Murphy dude in my shop.
I get played like a cheap banjo on a daily basis.
Pro1 racing. The home of lost stuff. Am I the only one?. A guy I met by chance who was down on his luck was brought to my gate by the gardener next door. Gabriel is a military vet too and lost all he had. He's a mobile mechanic and needed help. A heater hose burst on one of these FWD toy cars and he needed a plastic elbow and some hose. I found that stuff in two minutes. I swear I don't know where the elbows came from but two Stainless clamps and some hose from my 2V motor in the office and he was sorted. Needless to say we're brothers now. Best buds. My own problems!!!!!!!!. NOT A CHANCE.
St. Anthony is the patron Saint of lost property and he's like "Dude, I'm exhausted. You're on your own, there are millions of others". 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
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My full spool is in the works.
7075 Aluminium or 8620 forged steel?.
I go with your recommendations. Thanks guys.
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My full spool is in the works.
7075 Aluminium or 8620 forged steel?.
I go with your recommendations. Thanks guys.
What is the application, Mike?
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Steel, weight's not an issue.
Sid.
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My full spool is in the works.
7075 Aluminium or 8620 forged steel?.
I go with your recommendations. Thanks guys.
What is the application, Mike?
My full spool for the rearend.
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Steel, weight's not an issue.
Sid.
Thanks Sid. 👊👊👊👊👊
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I finally figured how to reduce image sizes that fall within the parameters set here.
A pic of the abrasives I collected from Klingspor.
Thanks to Brent and Clodia.
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My gasket materials and sealers from Victor Reinz South Africa.
Awesome products thanks to Dean and his family.
All I need are head gaskets now.
The rest is covered. Water, oil and exhaust.
Got gloves, cutting tools and branding.
This company knows how to do business and although a new backer the guys are right up there.
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I finally figured how to reduce image sizes that fall within the parameters set here.
A pic of the abrasives I collected from Klingspor. Saw that brown box and thought they sent ye a case of Guiness. :cheers:
Thanks to Brent and Clodia.
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I called about ten companies about an electric motor to run my water pump and not one came back.
A good thing because when I was looking for other bits in a box in the dark back room of the shop this baby jumped into my hand.
Can't remember where it came from but I hooked it up to a battery and it runs great.
I had some nice plate lying around so I blued it, marked, drilled, cut and counterbored the slots on the drill press. Amazing what can happen when you
drill three pilot holes close together. Slight hand pressure on the drill vise and I think it turned out OK.
On the back I counterbored for the motor bolts and poured in some high temp Epoxy goop to fill the small void around the bearing housing. After it cured
I sanded the plate smooth and the motor was a little difficult to remove but once it did come out and the release agent was cleaned off it fit great.
A little Locktite and she's solid.
I added a tension adjuster and I'm pleased with the finished component. Next step is to make a template for drilling and tapping the motor plate.
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Seems like a lot of work & complication to run a water pump when a stock V belt & pullies gets you a water pump & alternator. Remember the KISS theory Mate?
Sid.
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Believe me Sid I would haven't given this idea a second thought but you know that "PACKAGING" deal where you start your build and giggle???????.
LAUGHING ALWAYS LEADS TO CRYING!!!.
I'm a Burkland kid and he's a 100 years ahead so I'm trained to think 10 steps ahead.
The stock water pump pulley is a little too close to my Carbon oil tank and I wanted to avoid the possibility of a thrown belt ruining my life!!!!.
This was my only other option with the little space I have. The throttle body is also in close proximity so I went with this solution.
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On my race car for every thing I use I make sure I have a spare with me just in case. Example counting all the electric pumps I use {5} there's five spares I always carry along on the journey. For me having the spares is good insurance especially since the chance of finding anything in Wendover like the pumps needed would be impossible.
Ronnieroadster
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I guess I'll have to rely on the one I have. No luxury of having spare anything. One bullet will have to do. :cry:
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I got a bunch of high density foam for my check pads and headrest.
The Carbon/honeycomb bases were too thick. All that graft for nought.
Then I find the original set I made!!!. Go figure.
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Pics.
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I made up two brackets to mount my chute Solenoids.
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I jumped the gun when I put in the top chassis braces.
Think 10 steps ahead!. I didn't.
No space for the coil packs, the throttle body, plenum and the bag of snakes from the turbos.
Got a plan in the works and material is already cut. I'll gain 8" on top and a bunch on the sides.
I take my licks because I deserve them. IDIOT!!!!!. :wink: :wink:
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Don't beat yourself up over a mistake, Mike. We've all done it. In fact, my wife says that I actually built three cars while building one. lol8
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Looks like you made them removable... so you were at least 5 steps ahead.... :roll:
:cheers:
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Mike,
I think I would just take them out and not worry about the small amount of strength they may add to your chassis. Your car SO strong from the cage forward, which is the most important area, that the additional strength or stiffness around the engine is somewhat redundant. If, God forbid, you ever do a really big crash, the cage forward is what is important, if the chassis from the cage back literally broke off, which it probably wouldn't as it is a very strong design, you would still be safe.
Rex
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Mike,
I think I would just take them out and not worry about the small amount of strength they may add to your chassis. Your car SO strong from the cage forward, which is the most important area, that the additional strength or stiffness around the engine is somewhat redundant. If, God forbid, you ever do a really big crash, the cage forward is what is important, if the chassis from the cage back literally broke off, which it probably wouldn't as it is a very strong design, you would still be safe.
Rex
Rex, you're assuming that the car would hit nose first. As you know, at Bonneville if a car gets airborne it can come down in any direction and then tumble.
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Actually I am not assuming anything as far as the type of crash. I any crash having the engine exit the area is a plus as it won't be around to beat on the part the driver is in and obviously the car will lose lots of crash energy as things are broken off.
Rex
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Actually I am not assuming anything as far as the type of crash. I any crash having the engine exit the area is a plus as it won't be around to beat on the part the driver is in and obviously the car will lose lots of crash energy as things are broken off.
Rex
...but you said twice "from the cage forward" ???
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As usual you guys weigh in with great advice. All accepted without any "yeah buts" on my side.
By now most of you know Tom is my mentor and I get these long emails. I mean detailed stuff that is sometimes hard for my little brain to process. He knows his subject and I've followed his advice to the letter. He said turn everything you learned about the lightweight race cars you've been used on its head. Build heavy and strong. Overkill. He stressed that I enclose the roll cage completely to avoid FOD in the event of a crash and mailed me many photos of the end results of crashes. It was clear that an open roll hoop was not the way to go.
When he suggested I strengthen the chassis from the cage back I jumped on it immediately and built a substantial structure that was removable and would do the job. What I failed to do was take into account that my "box" would interfere with everything coming from the turbos to the plenum chamber and more. I painted myself into a corner. I can't mount the coil packs on the rocker boxes, plumb the tubing from the cold side of the turbos to the plenum and a bunch of other stuff because of my "gung ho" attitude. Packaging is crazy on this project. This was the most shocking thing I've encountered on the build.
I've got the materials to remedy the situation and a design that takes the main braces in a straight line to the roll hoop. I should have waited until I had completely mocked up the motor with all the plumbing and coils before jumping in feet first. TOTALLY my fault but it's a minor glitch when compared to my 14 iterations on the tandem steer. I eventually asked Brad King if I could please copy his system and he said "knock yourself out brother".
I'll get into the new design today and my guess is by Friday I should have it sorted. I want to thank all of you for your input. This liner wouldn't be possible without all of you pitching in.
I logged in this morning to tell you guys I was going to can the project but after reading the comments I just can't bail.
I know everyone thinks their problems are the biggest in the world and I'm guilty of this. I've been getting whipped locally by a lot of broken promises and people who judge me by my appearance.
Sponsors come around to drop off product and when they hear I'm also the driver I get the "look". I know it well. Been getting it since I was 5 years old. Too small for school sports, hockey and even had discrimination in the Army. Bullied by everyone. These guys look at this old dude and can't figure that he can drive. I've never driven a liner but neither has any other South African.
Guys are laughing at me "behind my back" when I go collect stuff from sponsors but I see and hear everything. I'm not 5 anymore and overcame the bullying, size thing and other obstacles. I'm not here to brag because humility runs in the family on both sides. We do however tell it like it is.
I had a drama at my power tools sponsor and if it were not for the project and all the other sponsors involved I might be sitting in a cell right now. I treat everyone with the utmost respect but don't try make a fool of me based on what your eyes are showing you. From the age of 13 I've never lost a fight on the street, on the ice, in the ring or in the Army. I served in a unit known as the "terrible ones" and I get some kid with Lilly white hands condescending me. I got out of the building intact but I'm that guy that will cut off his nose to spite his face. I love my Makita tools but the staff at Rutherford need manners and also need to tell the truth. They can shove their tools.
Building a liner on a zero budget is not for sissies. I have to swallow hard and I'm being treated like a beggar or an operator of sorts. My intentions are pure. There's no angle to this project. I'm offering advertising space in return for materials or products. I've got some awesome sponsors who show real interest in what I'm doing and then I have those that sent a delivery truck without even meeting me in person.
Members here send me a message asking what I still need?. They say $130 is chump change, give me your details. That 130 bucks is 8 grand here. Packages arrive!!!!. Just when I'm ready to quit.
I'm a known whiner!!!!. Maybe it's my way of venting????. Maybe it's motivation?.
I have no idea where the next penny is coming from but I got myself into this and I refuse to quit.
Lourens Kloppers is a cool dude from BCSG Stainless Steel Products and he dropped off a pile of Stainless Steel elbows and a Y junction on Friday. Thanks BCSG!!!!!!. I have enough material to keep me busy for a few months and hopefully in the New Year more miracles arrive.
The thing that bugs me most is the lack of communication. Companies agree on a deal and I don't hear back. You call and someone is running interference. If you've changed your mind just tell me!. If the answer is NO I can deal with it but leaving me hanging is causing sleepless nights.
Too many things up in the air right now.
Sorry for the story of my life on here but I wear my heart on my sleeve.
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Hey Mike, I'm fond of saying "if this stuff was easy everyone would be doing it."
It does take a special kind of stupid/smart (select based on how the day is going) to build LandSpeed vehicles. It takes passion... perseverance... patience... a boat load of money and skill.... OK, I don't have any of that, :? well maybe passion.... I do like going fast and getting others involved in going fast. The rest of it you just muddle through...
You are the only guy in SA building a streamliner...
Keep the faith brother.... :cheers:
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When you want something bad enough you find a way to make it happen Mike, that's what you're doing. If anybody else has a problem with that, it's their problem. You & I are kids from the wrong side of the tracks & there were a whole lot of people that thought my liner would end up as one of those incomplete dreams collecting dust but that attitude just inspired me to push harder. I ran up against the wall a few times & had to walk away to retain my sanity but I was never going to experience the regret of not finishing this monster.
Like all your other fights, this one will just make you stronger.
Sid.
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Sid,
Wise words from a man that has been there! Hang in there Mike we are all pulling for you.
Rex
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Mike,
Hang in there! Someday people will be telling stories about the guy from South Africa who built a streamliner just like they do now about Burt Munro.
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Oh hell Mike.....I use you as an example all the time......😂😂😂 :cheers: Carry on, JB
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Thanks guys. You all make my heart sing!!!!.
After I posted yesterday I was a little embarrassed by what I wrote but it comes from the heart.
I was the kid that overcame huge odds. I could write a book and have been told I should by guys far more intelligent than I am.
I'm a fighter and I don't quit or lose. No Napoleonic complex here. If I get poked I react. Simple.
Never driven a land speed anything and the fastest car I've driven ever was a Camaro with a Sonny Leonard 510 on the bottle. It did 189mph on a public road.
My friend in the States David built a liner and went to a meet recently at an AFB. He said he couldn't believe how stable it was and how well it cut through the air.
I want that. I'm not in this for glory. I'm in it to prove to myself it's doable from A to Z. IMHO when you've successfully completed a build on an LSR vehicle you
earn the right to call yourself a man. This is Everest in boxer shorts without Oxygen.
The upside is one learns to come up with solutions. Your brain is working 24/7. I love it. You said when it becomes a chore I need to step away. It's not a chore with the physical build
but some of the personalities I have to deal with makes it near impossible.
My life has been all about instant decisions. Too slow and you pay dearly. I get promised things and then I wait. Rather say no!!!. We have a term here "ja broer" and translated means "yes brother". I'm dealing with them right now!!!!!!.
Anyway, God Bless you all for helping keep me sane and out of jail. LSR brothers from different mothers.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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It seems we have the same sentiment towards our long piles of parts Mike! It's not about "look at me", it all about challenging oneself. I just want to go fast, maybe scare the $hit out of myself & share it with people I like. Now that my junk is basically finished it's weird not going to sleep working on a problem & waking up with a solution for it. The build has always been the most rewarding part for me over the years, I just like to build $hit! :mrgreen:
Sid.
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Sid, you nailed it.
I think us Southern Hemisphere guys are a lot alike.
I complain and stuff but I honestly don't know what I'd do without this "long problem".
You're done!!!!!. Beat the winter. Come on over and watch some insanity here in Summer.
I know how you chop wood over there. South Africans love you Kiwi guys. You're a mate
and I'll never forget the first advice you gave me. Put all your s**t on the workshop floor and make chalk markings.
There's not one drawing here for the chassis. I swear on the Bible. I eyeballed it just like you said. I'm 6" short and talking of SHORT it's been a thing for me forever.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
God Bless you man.
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My junk was 2 or 3" short too M8 & it's only 40ft long & built in a 30ft shed :? I think "long enough" isn't for streamliners!
I'd luv to make a trip to your downunda but I'm a poor boy & have to keep crawling around dead semi's in the snow to afford to run my big pile of parts. When you get ready to run yours maybe I could sell a kidney or something else I treasure & come down & crew for you.
Sid.
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it's weird not going to sleep working on a problem & waking up with a solution for it. Sid.
Do we all do this? Seems strange that this works more often than it doesn't.
Don
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My junk was 2 or 3" short too M8 & it's only 40ft long & built in a 30ft shed :? I think "long enough" isn't for streamliners!
I'd luv to make a trip to your downunda but I'm a poor boy & have to keep crawling around dead semi's in the snow to afford to run my big pile of parts. When you get ready to run yours maybe I could sell a kidney or something else I treasure & come down & crew for you.
Sid.
Bobby Moore said don't build as long as the Maro!!!!. I went shorter. I could use a foot or two. Brother, funny stuff happens. We get lucky and catch a break. No kidneys involved. Maybe when I'm ready we both might be too old?. 😂😂
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I think that once Mike gets his lump done we all need to pitch in to help get him to the salt. I can pitch in something and I am sure that he will be able to find plenty of help. Could be a few years though.
Don't knock us old guys, I am still infatuated with Bonneville and I kicked over 80 a few months ago.
Rex
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Rex, thanks for the kind words. You guys all keep me going. It's lonely here. Guys come over and don't know the front from the back. 8-) . I'm a little tight on space. I need a foot. What's the advice on me cutting the chassis and adding the extra space?. It won't be a butt weld. As for age from what I see this isn't a young guy's game. I've learnt from you all. :friday
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Mike....Scroll down to the Willie's Builds thread and click on "Butt welds". The only way to do it right.
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Yep, pretty much what we did when we stretched the Bockscar a foot so I could fit after Johnboy's spin in 1999. It's been a while but I think we turned solid to fit instead of using tube.
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Thanks all but I'm not cutting.
I'll find a solution.
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Stretching a liner has happened a lot. Back in 91 we stretched the Herbert Steen monocoque liner 6ft to fit the two seven speed B&J's. It was built out of 1/2" 7075 T6 plate with a whole $hitpile of countersunk bolts & glue & ended up being 37ft long. My single engine pile of parts came out at 40ft but it's got a whole lot of tail! I had to find an extra 2 1/2" when the O/D units came out longer than planed, the front one worked out ok but the rear one took some head scratching & finagling.
Sid.
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Sid, this game is all about imagination and building ten steps ahead.
I was warned not to go over 40'. If the advisor was wrong I'd be styling right now.
I need a foot or 2. Seems like the best place for a possible extension would be out back behind the gas tank.
That sits behind the rear axle. I think going in between the chute tubes and the tank is option I'll look at.
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Guys, I finally got the chassis braces sorted.
Glad I found my mistake when I did.
If I ever had doubts on the integrity on my welds they were put to bed.
It took about two hours to cut and grind the one old Clevis off of the back of the roll hoop.
The new locator is also in a better position. I have 8" in height I never had and space
for the bag of snakes coming from the turbos.
I fabbed up the four brackets that hold the Nitrogen bottles for the parachute release system and used some 5mm
Carbon plates I had made for wing end plates on another project that a "client" walked away from. Tom had some misgivings about me using
gas and solenoids for the chutes. I know the system will work but being the good student I am I have Haigh from Star Spring making me two coil springs
that will work with pins and a cable for backup. My problem is how will I know if the air system fails and how fast my hands will be?.
What's a reasonable percentage on testing the air system?. 88 out of 100?.
Pics when I download WinZip again for pic reduction. The evaluation deal only lasted a month.
I've decided to can the Kevlar tank I had for my water injection system and build a new unit that will fit in the nose area because there's space there.
Waiting for decisions to be made on the engineering. The kid I was training on composites scored an awesome position with a Dutch shipbuilder so his CAD skills went
with him. Theo has said he's all in on CAD, materials and machining but so far the courier hasn't pitched and I'm not going to bug him. South Africa goes into limp mode around about now. I'm thinking January on engineering. Two things I fear, one is not having the right stuff in December because everyone that keeps it is closed and second is leaving my samples/components in some guy's shop over the holidays, Things grow legs here and any metal thieves can get their hands on will go to scrap.
My new AC/DC welding machine is being held up at the harbour because of the railway workers strike. TIA (this is Africa).
Daily power cuts are still in full swing and now they're talking of "water shifting"!!!!!!!. The terms they come up with are mind blowing. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Back to the grindstone. I'm on a roll. The roller coaster will run until the next blackout!!!!!.
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Mike to your question how will I know and how fast will my hand be?
I had very same thoughts---so
I can deploy the 1st chute by the flick of my right thumb, not removing from steering position--my primary is on a solenoid, then I roll my hand off the steering wheel, and thrust forward with the heel of my hand to pushing a big knob, my backup activation which is a "push system".
I then rotate my hand and I grasp the second chute T handle which is a pull to deploy as needed.
If I had 3 chutes I would have it on a lever that would be a push
The T handle is at the end of the travel distance for the knob, the lever for the 3 chute would be located at the end of the pull for the 2nd chute,
short push for backup deploy of 1st chute, do every time, short pull on T handle if I want to deploy 2nd chute, short push on lever to deploy 3rd chute.
The best to you brother with Your version of OUR sick addiction!! :cheers:
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Thanks Sparky.
My steering wheel has modern single seater layout similar to F1/Indy Car.
Top buttons left and right within easy reach of my thumbs are probably the most expensive score ever on my project.
My buddy Ian buys only the best units from RoHs in Switzerland. He ordered 10 and was sent 100!. I was given 14 indent switches. :-o
I don't have to change my grip at all to release either chute. After what you just wrote I'll install a T handle I made when I was originally building the truck.
I'll have to figure something else for chute #2. From what I've heard and seen on video I might be too late but hey this all about the journey Right?.
I'll get it figured out.
Every post I make comes back with great advice. Thank you brother. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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My understanding is that all controls on a fuel drag car operate by pushing them....Except the fire bottles....Eliminates confusion when you upside down on fire traveling backwards. Carry on, JB
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My preference on everything for emergency is push or hit. When everything goes pear shaped especially when visibility is lost it's hard to find a pull handle with gloves on. My chute releases are all slap levers above my left & right hands, 3 each side. Two driver fire bottles are slap above my shoulders & two engine bottles are push above the wheel. If I can't steer this thing in normal conditions with one hand I have no business being there & if it's crashing the last thing I need to be doing is hunting for controls on a steering wheel that is not in the straight ahead position or going berzerk in front of me & holding onto the wheel during a crash is likely to injure your hands. I also have a separate bailout handle that releases the hatch, steering column & leg net all in one hit.
Sid.
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Where I might run I don't need chutes except for a Yaw issue. 25 miles of nothing ahead. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
The fire system on the liner is fully automated. Even the sensors have sensors!!!!. Enough for a tour bus should be enough for me.
That's all fine and I can have a giggle about it but if she does run Atheists will convert because the truth is I have about $5,000 total in the liner.
Everything came from sponsors or barter deals. You guys want a miracle?, You can't handle a miracle. Got no work coming in.
My missus who is my only benefactor was retrenched in May and we're living off of her unemployment fund. We live a simple life. No frills.
In late September she fell in the garden and broke her Femur right at the hip joint. I heard the dogs going nuts and thought they were fighting with the neighbour's dogs through the fence.
It got crazy so I came out of the shop to check. She standing holding the pitch fork saying "I'm in big trouble". I thought it went through her foot. It was a crutch of sorts.
I asked her to move her foot while I had my hand on her hip. Grinding like a busted wheel bearing. Now we need an ambulance. You can't get through. I have this wheelchair my vet amputee buddy gave me so I load her in the car and all six dogs bail in.
No bueno because they're going to sit in a hot car for hours. Trying to get them out was impossible.
I call my Army buddy Gabriel to help. He's sharp this dude. Hey Mikey, I'll get the Jewish Ambulance service!. 10 minutes bro. Now I'm thinking no medical insurance, no bucks.
This woman calls and wants details and eventually we tell her we don't have insurance and need to go to a public hospital. No charge. We'll have a crew there in 10.
Cool dudes. Took her vitals and offered pain relief. 79 year old chick who doesn't look or act her age has a BP of 129/80 and she's stressed!.
You panic because this thing can't be repaired at home and the hospitals ain't what they used to be.
Short story is they left her in a ward for 5 days feeding her over the counter pain killers before transporting her to a bigger facility because they had no water.
Surgery done. Full hip replacement done under Epidural. She's a trooper. From what I've seen once they get that "walker" they don't come back. Within three weeks she dumped the walker and is rolling around like nothing ever happened. Thank God.
I live on faith alone. We're surviving and I have enough materials and welding gas to get me by but this is just one of the obstacles I have to overcome.
This is the motorsports version of the movie "12 Strong". You need KILLER EYES!!!!.
The book will be called "How NOT to go motor racing".
How many women have a pull up bar over their beds tig welded at home??????. I'm guessing one!. 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)
My life. I'm the guy that warned kids not to get involved and buy golf clubs instead. Chinese wheel bearings, diff stolen along with money, broken promises, lies, you name it and I'm still trying because you guys stuck with me from day one. Thank you. NOT ONE NEGATIVE COMMENT in thousands of posts.
You're special people.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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I fitted the new bars to the chassis.
Now I have space to add what needs to go in.
All add some removable braces after the turbo plumbing is done.
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Crikey mate....I see $5K in tubing. 😐
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Chute release discussion is interesting - I have never run and defer to everyone who has but I thought you might be interested in my solution; I only need one chute but there are two buttons on the dash, one for each thumb with hands on the wheel in the straight ahead - either one activates a solenoid.
Backup, per the rules, is mechanical - in this case a 33C morse cable activated by a genuine Martin Baker ejector seat loop (the yellow and black stripy ones) that is situated between my legs - it is out of the way and the action is almost impossible to release accidentally getting in but it also seems very natural, as a guy, to reach down between your legs with cupped hands when things get scary.
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Thanks man.
This helps a lot. Awesome solution and the photos help a bunch.
A great starting point and it takes a lot of head scratching out of the equation.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Crikey mate....I see $5K in tubing. 😐
Jerry, I paid for the hoops. After that Peter "seamless" came on board. Such an awesome dude. He stores his Bentellier tubing in a factory and was paying big bucks for storage on pipe he wasn't selling. Take as much as you need deal. I got enough for the liner and if I need more I just need to call.
Without the sponsors I'm nowhere. Guys win a race and do the lip service deal. Not me brother. I appreciate every nut and bolt for want of a better word.
This is that miracle build your momma never told you about.
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Friday was a good day.
I told the guys from Makita to take a hike. I had more tools than they pitched in with and the lying along with a bunch of other behaviour was too much for me. These kids judge the book by its cover.
I had a visit from Dineo who supplies the special resin I use for chemical resistance and high temperature applications. She's on board. 20 gallons will do just fine.
You guys must be tired of me reporting on all the sponsors but I need them and I get lucky.
I was so angry with the Makita crooks I just couldn't let it go so I called Renaldo at Industrial Hardware. He and his boss are my go to guys. I asked his opinion on the guys and he said he wants nothing to do with them. He says they're all bad news but gave me contact details for a guy at a company that's importing a new tool brand and they're looking to promote their products. I call Sheldon and within two minutes he asks if I'm from the South?. Yup. He is too. He could tell from my accent. Hilarious.
We spent an hour talking and he says they're all in and have a wide range. We meet Monday. From what he offered I'm looking at about 100 grand local. They cover everything from power tools to pneumatics, electrical, garage equipment right up to gardening stuff. This company is huge. I never knew South Africa had companies like this. I can store all the Makita stuff or sell it to fund the liner.
Matthew Edmeston is the guy from Flextra who manufacture heat shields and blankets. Never met the guy but he calls regularly for updates on the project because he wants to supply goods. We have a good giggle on the phone and he asks what I need to finish. I need wiring. The good stuff. He says he sent me a PDF on cables his connection supplies. I remember it but way too high tech for me. Avspec stuff. He says Brian is expecting a call so he gives me his number. Brian knows his industry and will supply the right cables for all applications. He asks if Matt is helping?. Not yet.
He says well he better or he'll deal with him. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
A bad start to the day turned into a win. Most of these boys come from where I grew up. It's weird but there's a code of honour deal going. They keep their word and I know I can trust them.
Empty pockets with big dreams. Miracles!!!!!.
Busy fabricating the new Plenum chamber and this one will be right. Back on it and the last few days in the shop have been awesome. Divine Intervention.
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Mike, As you are finding out, the world is full of big talkers and charlatans. Finding someone you can trust and who keeps his word is not something that happens every day.
Good luck Monday.---Neil
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Neil, The stress is off the charts.
I hate being left hanging.
Hopefully things pan out?. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Neil, now we wait.
I'm enjoying the build again.
I'm finding that huge companies have closed, downsized or have staff working from home.
3M was the first to go a few years back then GM closed the plant here.
Still enough fish in the sea. Gotta find a bank with money!!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
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Good luck with your quest, Mike. I know you will succeed.
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Last time I checked...Banks were full of money. Now as for them giving it to me.....?
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Jerry, try the black ski mask instead of the yellow one with the big grin... They might be more likely to take you seriously....
:cheers:
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A belated Happy Thanksgiving to all you awesome guys.
I hope you all had a great day.
I would have wished you on the day but we had Copper cable theft in our area. No phone lines for about a week. The theft has reached monumental proportions and the only landline provider in the country is no longer repairing or replacing Copper cables. They've converted to fibre optic and although we applied 4 years back they sat on their hands.
I'm miraculously back and not sure why but no one came to install a thing. I could have gone with one of the new private providers but would have lost my email address and landline.
I've been up and down both mentally and physically on the build. You're all thinking I'm here to whine again?.
When I got into the turbo/ECU deal the two guys that know this new stuff said 8 x 2,200cc Bosch injectors and two EGT sensors would be fine. I got a Fueltech FT 350 from one as a present for building him the Pro Mod Mazda body. I'm not a drag racer so I don't need a "Gazillion" functions he said.
Nasen was over for a short visit on Saturday and he dropped a bombshell on me. Maybe the dude had a fight with his wife or he's envious of a guy with R23 to his name?. That's about a $1.20!!!!.
He says I need 16 injectors and my FT 350 is not fit for purpose because it can't read EGT. I need a FT500. Added to that the two Bosch fuel pumps will have to have two more added to accommodate the extra injectors. Or I could buy an Aeromotive manual pump and drive it off the crank!. I have $1 to my name. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I can try going to Bosch with a sad story and judging by the current economy here they'll tell me to take a hike. I was seriously thinking of canning this long car deal. Never lost a fight since I was 13 and I don't quit but this is now getting HEAVY. Gary Satara in Australia runs a blown 351C in a Jag XJ12 and he said 16 injectors was the way to go. I don't know Jack about injectors or ECUs and turbos. I build what people tell me.
Do I get 16 injector bungs machined and fry them into the runners?. Do I go with 8 and suck it and see?. Ever the optimist and waiting for the next miracle I'm leaning towards 16 bungs. I'm covered on the machining and materials. Honingcraft is behind me 100%.
I decided to put the ECU, pumps and injector deal on the backburner and concentrate on stuff I know. I made a plug for my water/Methanol injection tank that will sit in the nose of the chassis.
About 3 hours of shaping and it's ready for glass and Epoxy.
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I'm no expert on efi and fuel, but ive also been piecing a system together lately. My focus has been building the simplist, least likely to fail combination i can afford. In my specific setup the OE injector bungs are in the head and require long injectors which can't be bought in the size I need. I thought I would have to mount a secondary injector in the intake of each cylinder to meet the requirements. I was very relieved to find out that you can grind away the material on the outside of the head and build a custom fuel rail that'll allow short injectors in the long spot.
Half the injectors is twice the reliability. Less plumbing. If one of 16 injectors fail during a run on boost one of your cylinders will die. Race over. Trip over. Same for the fuel pumps. One of 2 electric pumps turn off during a run and it takes 2 seconds to figure out? Likely long block damage. Common mechanical pumps here are made by Waterman and Kinsler. Sizing is difficult and often best coordinating with oen of those companies or a vendor that specializes in mech fuel systems.
It would be one thing if you needed an amount of fuel could not be ordered, but 2200cc injectors are somewhat common now. In the states drag racing guys have had good luck using bosch compressed natural gas injectors in the 160lb and 210lb for fuel (not gas) applications.
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I'm no expert on efi and fuel, but ive also been piecing a system together lately. My focus has been building the simplist, least likely to fail combination i can afford. In my specific setup the OE injector bungs are in the head and require long injectors which can't be bought in the size I need. I thought I would have to mount a secondary injector in the intake of each cylinder to meet the requirements. I was very relieved to find out that you can grind away the material on the outside of the head and build a custom fuel rail that'll allow short injectors in the long spot.
Half the injectors is twice the reliability. Less plumbing. If one of 16 injectors fail during a run on boost one of your cylinders will die. Race over. Trip over.
It would be one thing if you needed an amount of fuel could not be ordered, but 2200cc injectors are somewhat common now. In the states drag racing guys have had good luck using bosch compressed natural gas injectors in the 160lb and 210lb for fuel (not gas) applications.
Thanks bub. I'm running Ethanol and from what I hear my 8 might be enough and you're right about keeping it simple. 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
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I've been doing whatever I can where money isn't involved and there's a bunch.
Did some metal shaping/shrinking. The material didn't look annealed to the naked eye and had no code on the sheet so I did the 90* bend test. It was annealed!.
I got to making a buck from some offcuts of plywood. I clamped the Aluminium to the buck with another triangular piece of wood and slapped the hell out of it.
I had a forearm like Popeye after I did the first one but both came out good. I'm happy and they're ready for welding.
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I also got some glass on my water/Methanol tank foam buck.
I have to do this in stages due to the shape. I laid down a few layers of 161gr/m2 woven fabric. It's a staple here. This is the good stuff that has no problem getting into tight corners. It drapes!!!.
It took 138gr of surfboard Epoxy I've started using and added some peel ply to give me a textured surface when everything is cured tomorrow morning. YOU can't sand hard and soft at the same time in case anyone is wondering. I had a little giggle while laminating because I never even got sticky fingers. There's a standing joke here about Ian who built his own CNC mill in his garage. He's a genius with wood, building some of the best amplifiers in the world and even winds his own magnets on speakers. He's a complete Psycho. One day he loves you and the next you're an idiot not worthy of being in his presence. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I don't hang with him anymore but when he tries to work with composites he's up to his armpits sticky. I think he hates me!!!!!!!.
After I've covered this buck with enough glass I'll spray it with the heavy 2K filler using a 1,7 nozzle and get to sanding for making the tooling to mould it.
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I don't know why my files are rotating when posted????.
Sorry guys. I'll try figure it out.
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I don't know why my files are rotating when posted????.
Sorry guys. I'll try figure it out.
Not to worry Mike! Maybe it's because you're below the equator!? :evil:
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No problem with rotated photos it shows that you are about 1/2 way to Australia :cheers: Keep up the good work Mike, your car is amazing
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Bravo on the metal shaping with hammer form Mike...This old panel beater approves. :cheers:
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I don't know why my files are rotating when posted????.
Sorry guys. I'll try figure it out.
Not to worry Mike! Maybe it's because you're below the equator!? :evil:
Hey brother, gravity is heavier down here. Southern Hemisphere stuff. Even the images have downforce!!.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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No problem with rotated photos it shows that you are about 1/2 way to Australia :cheers: Keep up the good work Mike, your car is amazing
Thanks man. The young dude that rebuilt the PC left out the programme I was using to reduce the jpegs. The online stuff works but also has a mind of its own.
Thanks for the compliment on the liner. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Bravo on the metal shaping with hammer form Mike...This old panel beater approves. :cheers:
Jerry, it's soft material but I had salty sweat running into my eyes and arm pump worse than in my Motocross days.
I used to tuck my tie into my shirt when I ducked out of the dealership to work on the F2 car. My race engineer said I was a born sheet metal worker.
The jury is still out but I read a lot so maybe that helps?. Thanks brother.👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
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I whine about finances but I've got a bunch of material to keep me going.
I'm making parts randomly. If I get the itch to make ducts in the morning then that's what I do.
I'm an amateur aerodynamicist but the wind tunnel doesn't lie and nor does the stopwatch.
I see air. No joke.
I need help on placing my turbo intakes?. I know where I would like to position them but one has to take into account where the Speed Demon's units are.
I was thinking on top of the body work because of the surface I'll be running on. I don't need a dust plume being sucked into my system.
The work is the same whether I locate the ducts on the side or on top.
The Hakskeen Pan's surface seems harder than Elmo from the images of cars running there.
I'll go with whatever you boys suggest. Thanks in advance. 🙏🏻
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There's a lot of different theories here. My guess on the speed demon placement is due to the bulging rear end for tires and having an available high pressure area ahead of the rear tires to take the air from efficiently. Relativism from many other cars both land speed and others says top of the car works best. If you look at LeMans and Daytona prototypes which have rules that encourage efficient downforce they intake air from the top at the front and exhaust at the back at the bottom. I intend to take air from a high pressure spot on top, but will wind up testing at least 2 styles. The most conservative, surefire solution seems to be a scoop like the Burkdoll and Burklands cars.
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My gut said top and yesterday I had some high density foam plugs I was trying.
Fitting them on the side is going to be problematic and as in all forms of motorsport it's all compromise.
Top is how I'm going. My initial body design was loosely based on Bobby Moore's Maro Bros liner but since changing the chassis braces the shape is leaning more towards Speed Demon from the roll hoop back. Just too complicated to build around the tubing and I'll have space for the intercooler box.
Biggest concern is the 16 injector bungs. If I weld them all in and Bosch says no to my request for 8 more injectors how do I plug the holes?.
This project is frying my brain. Thanks for the input brother. Much appreciated.
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I'm not positive but have heard that freeze plugs fit.
JL222
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Thanks JL. I just got a PM from Kiwi Belly Tank.
He's a logical dude. :laugh:
I'm losing my head here and he says weld the extra 8 in if and when needed.
I'll fry the originals in to one side of the runners so when the time comes I won't have painted myself into a corner. 🙏🏻
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Track.
How wide should the track on my reared be???.
My wheels are offset to the inside. My chassis is about 37'.
I've got drawings for the bearing cups that will be pressed into the axle tubes but I need to add the length in.
If I go with the current measurement of 31.5" it looks way too narrow.
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Showing great restraint on not commenting on the width of your rear...Back to the injector bungs🤔 Can you Fab -up 8 more and bore them 9/10 ths of the way thru? Then if needed you can remove the manifold and finish the bores. Might save having to machine the surface flat twice as all that welding WILL warp the surface. Carry on, JB
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Jerry, my sponsor that does the machining has closed for Christmas.
I'll catch up with them next year.
I'm working on all non machining related right now. Composites and Aluminium sheet metal.
Got enough to keep me busy.
Been going with my gut most of the way and the reared is too narrow. If I don't get advice I'll wing it.
Thanks for the comments my brother.
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Mike, Target 550 is 36 inches wide... so track is narrower than that....
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I think you will find many 'liners run narrow track width's. Flashpoint is less than 30"
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37" outside measurement is a good number Mike & is normal for a lot of liners. With you not having been around any other liners it just looks narrow AF. My 4WD front is 35" wide outside with tire clearance for steering giving a center to center tire track of 22". The rear body is 36" with a track center of 25". That's enough clearance to run the 30x9x18 Mickey. The Goodyear is a touch narrower than that so either tire will be ok. On top of that 30" you'll need a minimum 1-1/2" for tire growth & that's going to be at the "positive" bump stop if you have suspension.
If you come back later & weld in another set of bungs in the intake just bolt the muther on the engine, it won't move!
Sid.
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Showing great restraint on not commenting on the width of your rear...Back to the injector bungs🤔 Can you Fab -up 8 more and bore them 9/10 ths of the way thru? Then if needed you can remove the manifold and finish the bores. Might save having to machine the surface flat twice as all that welding WILL warp the surface. Carry on, JB
Jerry, I read your comment and replied without actually seeing what you were saying. Last night I was up in bed thinking and then it sunk in. Absolute "genius" brother!!!!!. Don't turn the bungs all the way through!!!!!!!!. I've been on this liner for the longest time and have three or four instances where guys have presented me with "Eureka" moments. This is one. Thank you, thank you. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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37" outside measurement is a good number Mike & is normal for a lot of liners. With you not having been around any other liners it just looks narrow AF. My 4WD front is 35" wide outside with tire clearance for steering giving a center to center tire track of 22". The rear body is 36" with a track center of 25". That's enough clearance to run the 30x9x18 Mickey. The Goodyear is a touch narrower than that so either tire will be ok. On top of that 30" you'll need a minimum 1-1/2" for tire growth & that's going to be at the "positive" bump stop if you have suspension.
If you come back later & weld in another set of bungs in the intake just bolt the muther on the engine, it won't move!
Sid.
Thanks Sid. I'm going with 36" axle flange to axle flange. I measured and eyeballed the situation. The bulge on the body work won't be crazy. Adding 2 1/2" on each side will work. Not worried about tyre growth. I made provision for that from day one. The tyres I have are the units off the Target 550 Marlo sent me for setup. I'll PM you.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Mike, Target 550 is 36 inches wide... so track is narrower than that....
Bob. Thanks. I'm going 36". I'm a noob and the current deal looks way too narrow. The old adage "if it looks right, it goes right". It just doesn't look right.
It's tough getting one's head around this LSR thing. I come from single seater wings and slicks and as Tom advised I should turn everything I know about motorsports on its head.
36" is fine by me.
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Mike, with any luck all you will be doing is going straight... no cornering... I think the track on our Yellow Liner (something happened and it turned sharp left) was 24 inches, the lakester is 31R x 44F and the new liner is 24F and 8R. These are the center track measurements....
Be thin to win.... :cheers:
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Mike....I have moments of lucidity :cheers:
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Mike, with any luck all you will be doing is going straight... no cornering... I think the track on our Yellow Liner (something happened and it turned sharp left) was 24 inches, the lakester is 31R x 44F and the new liner is 24F and 8R. These are the center track measurements....
Be thin to win.... :cheers:
Stainless, I'm a good worker but sometimes I lose it and overthink stuff. There's not even a drawing for this chassis. I measured the width last night. It's 32" so with the offset on the wheels I'm going for 31". The diff housing with all the mounting plates and links are already built and narrowing that is impossible now. Here's another small problem. Chris from ARP sent me a set of NASCAR wheel lugs. They have the thread start/alignment nub that's fairly long. I'd hate to have to cut those.
Thanks for the input brother. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Mike....I have moments of lucidity :cheers:
You definitely do. Geniuses are like that. 👊🏻👍🏻👌🏻😁
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You won't be doing pit stops Mike so cut the studs! cromag
Sid.
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I'll have to. Thanks Sid.
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Mike...When you chop those studs off with a cut-off wheel on your angle grinder....Remove the lug nut first and spin a thread chaser down the stud. It will clean off the burrs when you take it off. JB
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Mike...When you chop those studs off with a cut-off wheel on your angle grinder....Remove the lug nut first and spin a thread chaser down the stud. It will clean off the burrs when you take it off. JB
I'm a national champion at cutting bolts. I live in Africa brother. The selection is good but not great. I've been spinning nuts on for years. 🤣🤣🤣
Just a pity to cut these works of art man. Sad.
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So, cut them artfully, Mike. :-)
Wayno
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I'll take that Wayno!!!. :wink:
Thanks brother.
Guys, these file reducer programmes are driving me nuts.
I have a bunch of photos to post but they keep getting rotated.
I tried five times yesterday and eventually gave up.
I edit them and save but when I post they rotate.😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡
I give up. Maybe Jon can help?. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Mike, I'll get in touch with a few ideas about your pics. No hu-hooo.
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Mike, I'll get in touch with a few ideas about your pics. No hu-hooo.
Thanks Boss. I'd really appreciate it. This forum is my only connection to you guys and is a big part of my life.
I want to share the progress. 🙏🏻👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
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Hey Mike, go ahead and throw a couple in a post about what you are doing... if they show up turned when I see them I'll flip them... in the time between you posting and me fixing Stan will have to turn his monitor on its side :laugh: lol8 :?
:cheers:
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My mini Nitrogen chute cannister needs a final coat of colour and the Carbon holding it is about 8mm thick.
Overkill????. :wink:
If you all think it's diminutive it's OK. At least I know it will be fully gassed before any run. Old lessons last.
Thanks Bob. I thought everyone used phones these days?. Geez, I opened the forum on my phone and I needed a magnifying glass. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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You think your screen is small, I'm still driving a 4G flip phone! :-D Don't nee no stinking apps!
Sid. aktion086
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I guess that's what I have -- whatsa G.
In the last year I did complete one call -- to my wife. She was 10 feet away and tutored me.
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🤔I had to ask Patti my phone number. :cheers:
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My PC is a rocket but I've never bought a phone in my life.
I get hand me downs. I don't even buy airtime. It's a camera that receives calls and only works off the Wi-Fi at home.
Even the gardener has a fancy phone. I don't know where they find the money?.
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You have a gardener? :? I don't even have a garden & the name on my desktop ends with saurus :-D!
Sid.
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He's not really mine.
TK works for the old lady.
I refuse to cut lawn. :wink:
Sid, the workshop is my domain. As long as I'm dry I'm happy.
This boy has mental issues!!!. I was in the bush for two months and it was still raining when we were pulled out.
I've given the shop a new name. The "Depression Depot". I'm in a bad mood lately.
Today I embark on a new adventure. I need to roll some 3mm Aluminium so I have to build a sheet metal roller from
scrap. If you don't hear from me you know the dudes from the mental home took me.
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Mike, I can send you my oldest son's email address... he's an addiction counselor....
although I don't think he can help anybody on this site... including me!! :laugh: lol8 :cheers:
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I don't think anybody into this LSR crap could be considered "normal or sane"! :dhorse: cromag muutt
Sid. aktion086
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Funny guys!!!!!.
I got into this because of addiction.
Some coke head asked me to build stuff for his BMW "land speed record" car.
We had a fight and I needed to prove a point.
Turns out he was a waste of space and I'm an idiot!.
I was the guy telling kids to buy golf clubs and don't go near the black hole. :dhorse:
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I never touched the liner during the holidays.
Yesterday it turned out to be a smart move.
I'm a new guy. Everything I touch turns to done!!!!.
I gained a few IQ points. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
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Got no lathe or milling machine but I need some sheet metal rolled.
There's a South African saying, 'n Boer maak 'n plan AKA a farmer makes a plan!.
I'm building a backyard sheet roller. Got a box of bearings and of 40 none match.
1 is perfect so I'll get it a buddy. The other four shaft ends will run metal on metal with the help of Copper Slip.
It's not like it's going to do 7,000RPM!!!.
Got some 1" plate which is a leftover bit from waterjet cutting for the ends.
The machine will be called "Bitsa". Bitsa this and bitsa that. Africa at its finest. Can't find anyone with a roller!!!!!.
Freaking stone age here. Stay tuned. lol8
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This slip roller is kicking my butt.
Nothing to do with the design. Some stuff you just can't do without a lathe. :dhorse:
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This slip roller is kicking my butt.
Nothing to do with the design. Some stuff you just can't do without a lathe. :dhorse:
I binned the project but I learned a lot and will get components machined so I can put this slip roller together.
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I'm just building some new front wheel tub outer panels for the liner out 062 6061-T6 & the top has a 5" radius 90deg bend 3ft long. I don't have a roller here in outback Idaho either so with bruit force, some ignorance, a cuppla 2x4's clamped to the bench I tweaked it every 1/2" & then with a big a$$ hammer & a hunk of wood I beat a decent radius onto them over an argon bottle. I figured there was three options, I could make a part or make some scrap metal, they turned out really good! The third option was the bottle would blow up & solve all my problems. muutt
Sid.
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Mike....One thing I have learned over the 50+ years I have played with metal, There is more than one way to make any shape. 3 mm. sheet? How wide and what is the radius? JB
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Thanks Sid and Jerry.
Sometimes I just get stuff in my head.
I want a slip roller. Why?. I just love tools.😁
I will do what Sid did. I've always made a plan. The one part is annealed 3mm Aluminum but the cone is 76mm x 125mm x 180mm long. That's 2mm Stainless.
When I was building the custom bikes my money guy/business partner offered to buy me a lathe and milling machine. I turned him down because I hate Chinese stuff and the only 220V machines here in South Africa are belt driven junk. My excuse was that if we had the machines here I'd be playing with them all day and not get work done.
I'll use something here to shape the Ally half round no problem but as soon as Honingcraft and Aquajet are settled back in I'll get the components made for a real slip roller. All I'll need are bearings and I'm good to go.
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One down.
I used the billet for my front wheel hubs as a form and a ratchet strap did the rest.
I only need a portion, about a third so it should be fine.
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Another view.
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Bravo Sir.
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Thanks Jerry.
I had to section the sucker and there's about a third left.
Got to put some "ears" on the sides tomorrow.
I'm having a good time. My brain is working at 100%.
This is a man's journey. I think it's all about not quitting.
Hey Sid, it was a variation on a theme but it worked. Thanks brother.
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There you go Mate, getting it done! :-)
I needed a 1" flange on my radius pieces today so a couple of 2x4's with 1/8" spacer plates between them & clamped to the bench gave me gave me a slot to stick the panel into & bend them.
Sid.
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Sid, One thing you can never have enough of is clamps.
I've run out of good timber too but I'm almost finished with shaping so not too bothered.
Glad you made a plan.
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Yeah, I agree with that M8, the only tool I have more than clamps is Clecos.
Sid.
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Clecos. I have hundreds. All sizes and they live in coffee bottles full of Acetone because if you use them on composites they clog up with resin and you can toss them out. Got no WiFi here again. They said the copper cable thieves struck again. Waiting for fibre. As soon as the incompetents wake up I'll be able to post pics. Working off my phone here. Later guys.
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Guys, I'm back online. I had to get LTE. These guys don't know their right from left.
Got a bunch of photos to shrink before I post.
Got quite a bit done on the liner..
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Anxious to see your progress!!!
Rex
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Hey Rex, I reduced all the images and wrote a long report yesterday.
When I tried posting one of the images was over 250kb.
We all know what happens when you get into that.🤣🤣🤣
I gave up and went to lie down.
Got both turbos hung finally and started fabricating the exhaust snakes that will exit on the top of the engine cover.
I haven't cut the tailpipes but ran some fishing line to simulate the top of the body.
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Sorry, these images rotate after being resized.
I give up.🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
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Mike, they rotated back when I viewed them. I was going to rotate them for you but it might make them rotated when viewed.
Stan, pick up your computer and turn it on its side if you have to... :laugh: :cheers:
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Rock on Mike....Is there a flexible connector somewhere in the pipes?
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Mike, they rotated back when I viewed them. I was going to rotate them for you but it might make them rotated when viewed.
Stan, pick up your computer and turn it on its side if you have to... :laugh: :cheers:
I saw that after I posted. I'm going to have to sort this out.
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Rock on Mike....Is there a flexible connector somewhere in the pipes?
No. My first ever turbo deal.
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The war continues.
No access to a lathe and milling machine.
Then there are the guys who make promises. I give up. In future I'll get those utterances in writing.
I hate South Africa. I think there are 5 people I trust. This is the era of the talker and not the doer.
Never met such a bunch of lying, risk averse people in my life.
I decided to wing it and make the cold side turbo flanges myself.
I've got a drill press and hand tools. I blued some 12mm plate and scribed it.
I used the cutting disc to rough shape the OD. After that I set the plates on the drill press and used a hole saw down to 10mm deep on each side.
I opened the hole and ran a 10mm bolt through and locked the plates together on the drill press.
I used the angle grinder with a new fan grinder to shape the OD.
It took some time. I got the part ground right to the scribe mark and used the green abrasive cloth to finish.
Part two was to drill a bunch of pilot holes on the ID because the hole saw cut was a wee bit small. After most of the holes had intersected the centre bit fell out kinda.
I helped it with a hammer.
On to the Aluminium burr. After running two small bolts through the pilot holes to keep the plates together I spent the day grinding all the way to the scribe mark and then used a flapper wheel to polish.
Klingspor Abrasives South Africa is my #1 sponsor. I have so much product I could open a store. I call Brent and tell him I need abrasives and he just says chat with Clodia and collect. Their products work.
Here's the stages of two days of blood, sweat and tears. The only downside are the splinters in my dang socks and feet. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
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Next stage.
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The finish.
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Drilled and tapped the M8s.
Final is to use 1500 grit on a sheet of glass to polish the 4 flat surfaces.
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Nice craftsmanship your an inspiration for us all, hope to see the long car run :cheers:
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Thanks John.
Truth is I do this because I was inspired by all you guys.
Failure is not an option.
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Whittling those out with basic tools & coming up with quality looking pieces confirms you are not normal but we all kinda knew that Mike! :-D You are a streamliner guy in the outback of the world getting it done where it just shouldn't be possible.
Sid.
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Mike, I needed four piston pins shortened 0.5mm many years ago and had no lathe, no help! :-(
I bought a cheap bench grinder {still have it} and ground all the pin ends flat and to length within 0.0005"! :evil:
Keep at it, you're not alone in spirit mate! You just have to start casting your own aluminium! :cheers:
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Nice work Mike...Guessing that vice could tell a story or two.😁
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Your quality of work is outstanding. We all know everything your doing is prototyping every day. Mike you certainly fall into a category I consider the ultimate in Bark Yard Hot Rodding.
Ronnieroadster
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Guys, thank you all. Every comment is just pure motivation and I take the advice seriously. I appreciate everything and the humility shown here is off the charts. I've gotten packages from members who want to remain anonymous.
I never paid attention in school. I was a dreamer.
Art class and library class were my deal. National Geographic and Popular Mechanics.
I was born a car nut. No one in my family ever worked with their hands and that's both sides.
God has a sense of humour. I grew up 200 yards from the oval track and the ice rink.
After school I was hanging out at the oval even though there was nothing going on.
This stuff gets in your blood and it comes out of nowhere. I ask why daily, I quit daily too but by morning I say one more day.
There's this vertical wall in front of me and I know I can't afford a Liberty trans or the tires but the voice inside my head says just keep going because something will come. Must be blind faith.
I've got a fair amount of material here so I use what I can and jump around from project to project. I'd love an A to B type process but I lack certain components so I have to fab what I can with the limited access to engineering.
Tomorrow I'm throwing a Hail Mary pass. A sponsor was supposed to do all the CNC work for me and I've got bags full of drawings with samples and some materials but he's obviously got a business to run and I must be the last guy on his mind when he walks into his factory. God willing I get the meeting promised and if it pans out I'll make a huge dent in this project. I'm not looking for sympathy at all and this is quite hilarious. I have some loose change in a plastic piggy bank and it's about $1,25. 😁😁😁😁😁. I swear on the Holy Bible. If I pull this off they'll make a movie and BTW my Lemon tree is way bigger than Burt's. I water it three times a day and then the dogs line up to add their contribution. You guys would roll on the ground screaming.😎😆
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Hang in there, Mike. Your description of yourself fits many of the rest of us, too. Prayers for your success.
Regards, Neil
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Thanks Neil. I appreciate this. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Mike, if I looked at those flanges finished without the fab process photos I would assumed you turned them on a lathe. You prove to all of us... if you want it bad enough you can make it. Great work and inspiration.
BR
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Thanks for the compliment brother. BTW, I have an oil stained torn up T shirt here I wear for a working week without washing so you're in the shop with me daily. 👊🏻👍🏻🙏🏻
Your kindness will never be forgotten.
Murphy's Law rules. I bit the bullet and contacted the guy who agreed to sponsor me with CNC machining. It turns out that I was wrong. He was waiting for me to deliver the drawings and I thought he was playing me. I put my hand up. One thing with me is if I'm right only God will convince me otherwise. When I'm wrong I'll put my hand up and take what's coming. I'm going to the factory Monday.
I had more good news and bad today. This liner doesn't need a lightweight Epoxy body. I've been using Scott Bader resin systems since 93 and it's highly chemical and heat resistant. I'm getting enough to build the entire body, floor and specialized tanks I need. Just when you think South Africans are risk averse people like Thiru Kirsten and Dineo Ramaghotla pitch in.
The AC/DC tig machine Craig promised me in September isn't happening. He's in a divorce war and his personal funds are under attack. I feel for the guy and no hard feelings. Something will turn up.
Thanks guys. Every PM and comment is like Manna from heaven. It means the world to me. God Bless you Bill and everyone else for faith and guidance.🙏🏻✝
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Mike:
If the SA government won't tax you crazy dollars, PM me shipping address and I send you some more T-shirts. Anyone that works that hard for two flanges deserves my respect! :) I don't LSR anymore. Doing some circuit racing but I have some LS shirts around.
BR
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Thanks Bill. I'll PM you. Got to check with the post office.
These dudes move the goalposts daily.
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Guys, I'm covered on all the CNC machining.
Just got confirmation.
Now WE can build a long car!!!!.👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
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Guys, I'm covered on all the CNC machining.
Just got confirmation.
Now WE can build a long car!!!!.👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
Great news!
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Thanks Neil.
Big weight off. 8-)
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Oh heck Mike, From what I have seen...You do not need much in the way of tools beyond a drill and a grinder or two. Great news on the machining...Carry on, JB
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Jerry, I put myself under pressure.
I want this so bad I spread myself thin.
Over 50 sponsors and as on the build I'm numero uno!.
Chief cook and bottle washer.
Stuff gets lost in translation and I'm probably to blame but the yes boys are still out there.
Ultimately it's all on me to get stuff done.
I saw a cool vice that could turn my drill press into a mill but I inherited Fong Kong so the vice would probably overpower the drill.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I'll just carry on and roll with the punches eh!.
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Build your liner is like a rollercoaster ride M8 but I haven't heard you throw up yet :-P so we know you're going to make it to the end. SA battler. When do they run their meets down there?
Sid. NZ battler. :-D
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Sid, they hold a meet every August but it's a run whatya brung event.
No sanctioning body, classes or anything. Fun day out in the desert.
I think the have fast beer drinkers but other than that I can't say.
Never been to the place.
We could buddy up, you and I. Start building "Battler Built" cars!!!!. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
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Realistically Mike, neither of our liners should exist. The general consensus for quite some time has been that building a competitive streamliner had gone way beyond the Joe Average & his backyard shed. Growing up on the wrong side of the track so to speak molded me into a "build something from nothing" kind of person just like yourself but the big difference is I have a lot of years experience in streamliners & salt racing but you have never even been near another liner so to me your accomplishments are so much greater & I salute you. Battle on :-D Mate!
My battle is now affording to run my impossible dream to it's maximum potential without selling the shirt off my back or my spare kidney.
Kiwi battler out! :-)
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I get you. You were with Al and you're based in the right country. All the experience.
Something about Kiwis and South Africans. Good battlers. It shows in the rugby.
I'm a determined guy. More than most. I'm that black sheep you don't want around at Christmas.
I tell it like it is. I don't do family. A real "racer" might cosy up to them because they have unlimited funds
but I'm not entourage material. I came in alone and I'll go out alone with my boots on and no silver spoon borrowed from anyone.
I got lucky on God given talent. Most of this stuff comes naturally so all I need are the sponsors, hard graft and a bit of luck.
Time is short and it's go time brother. 🤛🏻
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I got the cold side turbo flanges pressed on and we'll weld on Friday.
I'm not into these V band clamps.
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This post is for my bud Sid.
These boys in South Africa have some nerve.
A guy I have known since I was 14 who is involved in the most high end race shop in the country contacts me about getting work done on the only BMW M3 from the late 70s.
The car is owned by a billionaire real estate agent who is ailing right now but has an offer from BMW HQ in Germany who want it for the museum.
All the way there and back the guy is buttering me up. Lets cut to the chase.
He says he knows I need the work and if I do the job before Christmas it will open doors for me.
He offers me R100/hour which is about $5.
My answer was "hey Ted!!!!!!, I'll do it for 50 grand and you'll pay up front. Plumbers charge a standard rate of R800/hour but the going price is R1,200. I'm not a plumber and the last job that was supposed to open doors for me has been taking up space in my shop for 5 years. For that one you better bring 5 grand for storage or we'll cut it up and put it on the kerb for Friday morning garbage".
Total gentleman I am. Clever too. I waited to break the good news to him about half a mile from my home. Now he's dealing with the old girl but she's the real deal. She won't give an inch.
I can go long periods without eating and I'll hunt birds to feed my dogs before I get used by these operators.
This is the stuff I deal with while trying to build a liner. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
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$5 per hour is an insult to somebody of your talent Mike. Golden rule "If I want to work for nothing I'll work on my own $hit!"aktion086
I get that kind of promise from trucking companies saying "we can get you lots of work! We have X amount of trucks coming through there & we've been doing it for X amount of years". My response is, I've been here for 25 years & this is the first job I've done for you guys so I'll give you a big fat break on the next one! :-D
Sid.
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Sid, the boys from the old hood know me.
You can't bring the street into business so I humour these operators.
Give them enough rope and they eventually hang themselves.
That 530 BMW was butchered. I could have fabbed the wrecked part in steel no problem
but the guy knew what the real fabricators would have charged so he "assumed" the poor guy was an easy target.
I laugh because they brought me another Beemer a few years back and tried to tell me how to do my job so I said if that's the case do it yourself.
The guy was micro managing like a school teacher so I never let him through the gate.
After the job was done I didn't get any feedback so I asked. It went 2sec quicker and they broke the class lap record.
I have a connection in Europe that was a designer on Schumacher's F1 car at Ferrari so I asked him what 2 sec was worth in F1?. $400 million.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The joke is I never even put all the good stuff on. Wait until uncle Ted comes back. He's buying me a Liberty gearbox like George has.😁😁😁
The life and times of Mikey. Hilarious.
I love that you give them a break on the next one. Way to go brother.