Author Topic: Aussie Streamliner  (Read 5813 times)

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Offline walkingpace

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Aussie Streamliner
« on: September 24, 2012, 11:48:52 PM »
Hello greater land speed racing community. Yet another Australian member here with a new project for the salt. Perhaps some background first...

I have spent the past few years building and drag racing a 1976 Honda CB750. Whilst that has been a great experience, the wife has decided this whole motorcycle caper is a bit risky and as a result I find myself looking for other ways to travel at questionable speeds.

What this means is I have started piecing together a streamliner to race at lake Gairdner. So far this is what I have;

The motor - An Australian 253ci Holden v8 currently dissasembled for rebuild with a big pile of boxes containing new go fast bits and a choice of 2 Holley 4 barrel carbs (450 and 600)
The differential - GM 8 bolt Salisbury with 2.78:1 centre
Front axle from a 1928 Essex Super Six with Ford hubs
Steering box and associated bits from an old Japanese 4X4
The beginnings of a chassis chalked out on my garage floor along with 8 metres (sorry for the metric system) of 75mm x 50mm x 3mm (again sorry) RHS steel cut to length.
Several instruments and bits and pieces from assorted WWII aircraft including air speed indicator and starter button (WWII aircraft is the build theme)

Chassis design is along the lines of a 98" front engined dragster but with the engine set a little further forward than normal. Also I don't plan to shorten the rear axle so it will not have the typical dragster narrow rear track.

I am building for E/FS which is currently an open record in Australia. I have no idea how fast it will ultimately go or how well my design will function generally but as with my motorcycle racing exploits, I intend to simply bite off more than I can chew and chew like hell. Has always worked for me in the past. I will post pictures soon however I'm yet to take them. The loose goal for completion is 2015 however I promise nothing. The bike took 3 years to build but was frequently put on hold due to lack of funds, a problem I am hoping will not affect this build.

I welcome any comments, questions, or jokes at my expense and am looking forward to chatting with everyone.

Offline Graham in Aus

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Re: Aussie Streamliner
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2012, 12:06:06 AM »
OK, I'll go first....  :-D

Rulebook : http://www.dlra.org.au/rulebook.htm

Sounds more like a Lakester than a streamliner?  :-P

Good luck with your build

Dr G will be along in a moment.....


Offline Dr Goggles

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Re: Aussie Streamliner
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2012, 12:10:09 AM »
...........already acquainted :roll:......

carry on Nick.
Few understand what I'm trying to do but they vastly outnumber those who understand why...................

http://thespiritofsunshine.blogspot.com/

Current Australian E/GL record holder at 215.041mph

THE LUCKIEST MAN IN SLOW BUSINESS.

Offline walkingpace

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Re: Aussie Streamliner
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2012, 12:18:05 AM »
Thanks Dr,

It would be except the wheelbase is too short for an E class lakester, plus I plan to cover the wheels  :-)

I had been planning a lakester and went to the effort of creating a balsa wood 1/18 scale model however a few issues arose with the design which meant it was a little too ambitious. I changed it for simplicity and to move into an open class.

Offline Elmo Rodge

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Re: Aussie Streamliner
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2012, 07:30:06 AM »
Just because it's an open class now doesn't mean it will be when you're done.  :wink: Wayno

Offline walkingpace

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Re: Aussie Streamliner
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2012, 08:01:37 AM »
I guess you're right wayno but if I pick up some competition along the way that isn't a bad thing. Plus if someone comes along and puts the record where I'll never touch it then I will have nothing but respect for them. Either way it's still going to be a blast racing a contraption knocked together in the garage of some nobody.

Offline Seldom Seen Slim

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Re: Aussie Streamliner
« Reply #6 on: September 25, 2012, 10:09:14 AM »
Howdy, WP.  First things first:  Welcome to the landracing.com Forum.  You probably already know what it is that we do on here, and you are invited to stay active and discuss stuff with us at your cornvenience.  Please ask questions when they arise -- and either we'll carefully analyse them and offer up good and thoughtful responses or we'll assume you're an ignorant dork, we'll laugh at you, and then we'll answer the questions anyway.  Don't worry much about the laughing at you part -- we do it with one another on a regular basis.

But then there's the second bit of notice for you, the new guy.  If you want us to refer to you as Walkingpace - that's fine.  But you're also welcome to give us a first name to use.  And also - how 'bout returning to your profile on the registration page and entering your location.  To most of us a simple "Australia" will suffice, but somebody is bound to wonder just where in the land of upsidedown you're located - so perhaps you'll enter some further hints as to where you hang about.

Whatever - once again, welcome to the Forum.  Let's hear from you often.

Jon a/k/a SSS
Jon E. Wennerberg
 a/k/a Seldom Seen Slim
 Skandia, Michigan
 (that's way up north)
2 Club member x2
Owner of landracing.com

Offline walkingpace

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Re: Aussie Streamliner
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2012, 07:29:37 AM »
I've mocked up the chassis to get a feel for where everything needs to go. I had the chassis rails cut a bit longer than I needed them and it seems to have paid off. While the 98" wheelbase seemed a good idea styling wise it is very SHORT. I've used the extra metal to take it to 100" and I'm more comfortable with that. The last thing I want is to spend ages building a car that is horribly unstable. As luck would have it the drop in the front axle means the chassis is perfectly level when slung under the diff which makes things easy.

The diff housing at present has two ears cast into the top to mount upper control arms which will need to be sliced off to clear the driver's legs. Fortunately this can easily be done without weakening it.

Anyway here are the pics. It doesn't look much yet but everyone loves a photo...
I'll also throw in a pic of the WWII guages which will feature in the cockpit. Both are original items used on military aircraft. The airspeed indicator will be plugged in to funtioning pitot tubes while the little one is a gun pressure guage which will see service as a tacho.








Offline walkingpace

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Re: Aussie Streamliner
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2012, 07:43:36 AM »




Ok second attempt at adding photos....