'84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread

[Jon]

Jon:
    I like that idea, but then how do I seal the 90 to the turbo outlet?

The same as from your pipe to the intercooler.
Short piece of hose, 2 clamps and a boost bar to take the strain off the hose.
Same number of hoses and clamps as your 90 but you can put a boost bar on it because its straight.

jon

[SteveM]

Time for a post-weekend update.  I had 3 goals set for myself over the weekend.

1)    Finish the brake line plumbing.
2)    Install the fuel cell and plumb the supply and return lines to the engine compartment.
3)    Get the dashboard layed out and holes cut for the gauges.

I'm happy to report that I got all 3 of them taken care of, with the exception of 1 section of brake line (flexible section) I need to order today.

There are no photos of the brake plumbing, as I didn't drag the camera under the truck to document all the bends, clamps, and fittings.  I'll bet I made 50 trips under the truck and back to the work bench over the weekend.  For my "next" project, I'll try to do all this work while the vehicle is still on the rotisserie.

Fuel cell - I decided to use Uni-Strut for the mounting of the fuel cell, as opposed to fabbing something from scratch.  If you haven't used Uni-Strut in the past, I highly recommend it.  The number of fittings, clamps, and nut inserts make any type of mounting job much easier.



On Sunday morning, I made a junkyard run with my neighbor, to pick up a few odds and ends.  I grabbed 2 of the Ford inertia switches, one of which will be used to kill power to the electric fuel pump in the event of something bad.  You can see it mounted to the inner bedside panel in the photo above.



This photo shows how the fuel lines (1 supply and 1 return) are routed through the bottom of the truck's bed.  I had initially planned to use rubber grommets, but these electrical cord connectors were the perfect size for the 1/2" OD of the fuel line.   Again, what you cannot see are the total of 16 cushioned clamps securing the fuel lines from the bed of the truck to the engine compartment, as they are routed along the floorpan, adjacent to the subframe rail.  Also visible is the Mr Gasket low-pressure diesel pump and filter, which will ensure a steady supply of diesel fuel to the main injection pump.  This pump will be wired through the inertia switch.




The photo above shows my first attempt at a dash layout.  After posting a pic of this on Facebook last night, I received some feedback that I will put to use this evening.  The advice was that I should strap myself into the seat, with the HANS device and helmet on, then check the visibility of the gauges.  The person offering this advice suggested that I may want to raise the entire dash panel for better visibility.  I will definitely check the layout tonight, before welding the brackets in place.

I brought the dash panel in to work with me today, so that I can use our sheetmetal brake to form the upper and lower edges of the panel.  In keeping with my newfound love of Uni-Strut, I'll be making a framework of Uni-Strut to support the panel.




That's all for now.

Steve.

[SteveM]

Dash frame fabbed and welded to the cage, and the skin has been formed and bolted to the frame.

[SteveM]

Okay - I've been a little slow posting updates, but have remained busy working on the truck.  I'm still on track for World Of Speed, but can't afford to slow down.

I picked up the "race" transmission from my rebuilder guy over the weekend.

I pulled the mock-up engine and trans from the engine bay, cleaned up the bay, and shot a couple of coats of can-o-dizing on it.

The "real" engine and trans will be going in (hopefully for good) on Thursday evening

Water lines have been run from the bed to the engine compartment.  Fuel lines have been run, as well.

The brakes have been fully plumbed and bled.

Electrical work has been progressing, here are a few semi-crummy cell phone pics....



I sunk the battery disconnect switch into the side of the bed.  It's a fairly tidy installation.  I fabbed up a polycarbonate protector for the terminals.  That's clear, adhesive containing heat shrink tubing on each terminal.  This feature resulted from a discussion on the Technical forum here at landracing.com.  Good stuff.




The disconnect handle is above the passenger's side taillight.  I still need to make a label for the handle.



With the help of some more Uni-Strut and related fittings, the battery is firmly secured in the bed of the truck.



Here's a view from the rear of the bed, showing the relative location of all important functions.  I made a protective cover for the battery terminals from the lid of an old Attwood battery box.  The cover is not structural, it's just to prevent inadvertent contact with the terminals.

The cooler will serve a dual purpose.  It will keep beverages and perishables cold during the drive to Wendover, and will then serve as the intercooler icewater tank during WoS runs on the salt.

That's all for now.

[Tman]

Looks sano Steve. 

[Frankie7799]

Pretty bitchin Steve. Like the cleanliness of the wiring.

[SteveM]

Thanks, guys.  It's tidy, but not super-duper detailed.  It is nice working with all-new stuff. 

Tonight, I got the "race" engine and trans installed in the engine compartment.   This should be the last time I'll need the engine crane for a while.

Semi-crummy cell phone pics are on their way.

[SteveM]

[SteveM]

[redhotracing]

Love the little VW diesel... Wish you could find a new TDi to stick
in there... They are pretty wicked from the factory. 140hp/236tq
and can be easily brought up to 275hp/400tq with nozzles & tuning.

[SteveM]

When I started this project, my first inclination was to figure out how to build a 1.5L TDI through some combination of factory available parts.  After some research, I realized that there was no easy (affordable) way to de-stroke a 1.9L TDI to fit under the 1.5L limit.  I think it can be done, but looks like it would require custom rods and possibly a custom crankshaft.

I also figured that the 2.0L (G/DT) record was a little too steep for a first-time build.   The G record is right at 130 mph.  The H record currently stands at 106 mph

I have since learned that in Europe, there were some 1.3 and 1.4L, 3 cylinder TDI's, which have good power potential.  These smaller TDI's were never sold in the US, but it's possible (at least on paper) to import one for non-road going use.

Of course, if someone had a 275HP TDI engine available, I might be able to find a home for it.....

Steve.

[SteveM]

Spent most of the day in the garage today, getting the flywheel shield, injectors and lines, and intercooler worked out. Cell phone pics to follow







This is the pizza I ate for dinner.

[gkabbt]

This is the pizza I ate for dinner.

Steve,
The little engine that CAN! 
Pizza looks good and I hope you had several of these    for your accomplishments! 

Looking forward to seeing you and your truck at WoS!

Gregg

[Peter Jack]

This is the pizza I ate for dinner.

One of the major food groups during race car construction!  (The other!)

Pete

[SteveM]

My wife and kids were gone all afternoon.  Wife and daughter went to a wedding shower. 

My son went with my father-in-law to the shooting range and then fishing. (Sorry I had to miss that trip).

It was a good day in the shop, and I had the opportunity to go out to a local restaurant by myself.  There's something satisfying about going out to eat all by myself once in a while.  I love my family, but sometimes that "Fortress of Solitude" is needed to keep a man focused.

Steve.