Author Topic: Belly Tank Rule Changes  (Read 10514 times)

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Offline pofg

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Belly Tank Rule Changes
« on: September 28, 2012, 08:15:44 AM »
While we're all sat around at the shop waiting for the Flower to return from her lengthy post Speedweek cruise, Salt Fever is setting in badly!

The drawing boards have been out... rule books been thumbed... and something classic like a belly tank build is appealing to us here.

However, given the number of cars up for sale etc... it seems a bit daft to worry about the fabrication of the actual car itself and concentrate more on the re-engineering we were considering...

TO that end, I've found a couple of great looking start points on the web, but I'm wondering if the SCTA have done much in the way of frame/roll cage rules over the past few years since these cars last saw tech that might mean they are a dead end rather than a cunning starting point???

For example, this looks like an interesting bit of kit... but not seen a tech inspection in a long time.

http://www.sakowskimotors.com/detail.asp?carid=462

Is there any glaring reasons why it wouldn't pass tech structurally that can be fathomed from these photos?

All contributions, as ever, greatly appreciated!

Cheers

Rick

#1133 Flower of Scotland
Grazing the Gravel Trap of Insanity.

#1133 Flower of Scotland.

Offline SPARKY

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2012, 08:47:16 AM »
IF someone told me it need to be REWELDED  a HUGE red flag would go up for me.
Miss LIBERTY,  changing T.K.I.  to noise, dust, rust, BLUE HATS & hopefully not scrap!!

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Offline bearingburner

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2012, 09:59:49 AM »
Frame and roll cage materials and wall thickness have not changed in a long time. What has been added is the head
restraint requirement.

Offline pofg

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2012, 10:25:27 AM »
So we're talking about the amount of padding that needs to go around the crash helmet? And whether there's room for that and a lid within that roll hoop?
Cheers for educating the european numpty
Rick
Grazing the Gravel Trap of Insanity.

#1133 Flower of Scotland.

Offline Tman

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2012, 10:31:39 AM »
Rick, the special construction rules that your liner fall under (gussets, head restraint, etc.)would be the same for a bellytank with the only differences are that the wheels are out in the air. But get Lee or Kiwi Steve for an official answer.

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2012, 10:34:55 AM »
You already have the best lakester foundation on its way back to Scotland.  If you have decided to run a lakester instead of a streamliner, put the wheels on the outside.  We did that about 28 years ago... turned out not too bad... all things considered.  Just something to think about.
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline Tman

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2012, 10:36:38 AM »
You already have the best lakester foundation on its way back to Scotland.  If you have decided to run a lakester instead of a streamliner, put the wheels on the outside.  We did that about 28 years ago... turned out not too bad... all things considered.  Just something to think about.

I sometimes forget that the Bockscar started out as a liner.

Offline pofg

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2012, 02:56:40 PM »
The Flower is the Flower... she'll travel to the Salt from Scotland whenever funds allow and one day she'll take me to a blue hat, but she was built as a tribute to someones Dad initially and she needs to stay in this form until she achieves that record. But we came close to not making it this year because of the funding, if the BBC hadn't been there we'd have never raised the cash we needed to show up. (We raised $60,000 of sponsorship this year and that didn't cover all the costs, we all had to dig deep... without the BBC next year... we need to think afresh given the wreckage that is in the container on its way back to us.)

So I was thinking of maybe a little lakester type project... run out of a little Hot Rod shop on the West Coast to keep me in the game in the years when the money's not there to bring the Flower into town.

It's a friendship thing guys: the thought of NOT being at Speedweek each year is just completely unacceptable right now. From the first beer on the Salt with Kiwi and Adam on the Thursday night straight off the plane to stealing sausages off T-man's bar-b-q to the last G&T in the White Goose with Mayor Kennedy when I've broken the car for the final time: it's simply an unmissable part of my year.

So we know an Buick I8 can run fast... but are they big buck motors the guys are using? I understand the XO class is pretty limited?

Stainless has got me thinking though.... how much drag can those wheels really create??? We've run 270mph easily... the I/BGL record is 194 right... god I spend too much time with the rule book.

Rick
Grazing the Gravel Trap of Insanity.

#1133 Flower of Scotland.

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2012, 03:21:12 PM »
Rick, you won't destroy the car to repurpose it into a lakester... a little tin here, a little fiberglass there, some green paint....  :-o
and you have a car destined to put you toward the first step... get in the 2 club with the car.  That might help you sort out your motor and other parts.  Then reassemble as the liner.  Racing is fun.... setting records is more fun.  Don't count on that 194 lasting forever... gas lakester is 199.665.... did I mention we still have the turbo we used last year on the busa motor....
Come on out, lets play
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline Tman

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #9 on: September 28, 2012, 03:37:24 PM »
Oooooo, I think Stainless just threw down the gauntlet! :-D Thats a good idea, keep him out of XO until I am able to play!  Rick, we will have even better feasts next year, the rain threw us a curveball.

Offline pofg

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2012, 04:12:31 PM »
"come on out lets play"

why do I hear "have u danced with the devil in the pale moon light?".  :wink:

so would we just need to move the wheels outside the bodywork?? is that it?

Is there any rule about how far out we'd have to move them? Or is it simply that they are uncovered?

Cheers
Grazing the Gravel Trap of Insanity.

#1133 Flower of Scotland.

Offline pofg

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #11 on: September 28, 2012, 04:14:12 PM »
And as a true Englishman I am a sucker for a spot of gauntlett throwing!

"You challenged me Sir???"
Grazing the Gravel Trap of Insanity.

#1133 Flower of Scotland.

Offline Tman

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #12 on: September 28, 2012, 04:18:15 PM »
Inner plane of the wheels has to be outside the outer plane of the bodywork.

Offline pofg

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #13 on: September 28, 2012, 04:25:25 PM »
And that is literally all the changes we'd need to make guys?.

I am thinking about moving the wheels out then 2 sets of bodywork ??? Has it been done?

I know some of the roadster guys change classes by adding headlights or summink but flipping between lakester and streamliner?
Grazing the Gravel Trap of Insanity.

#1133 Flower of Scotland.

Offline Jon

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Re: Belly Tank Rule Changes
« Reply #14 on: September 28, 2012, 04:39:58 PM »
Hi
None of my business but what is the intended outcome of the change?

I can't see a cost saving which is what I thought the initial driver for a simpler project was.

Just curious is all.
I think from reading you've run over the record one way.
I guess it handles well then.
I fully understand the money thing.
If you put some wheels out in the wind you will push the driveline just as hard, spend all the same running costs plus the money to change it.
Say you then get a record, the first you will say to yourself is "If......."

Again none of my business, feel free to tell me to naff off.
jon

Underhouse Engineering
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