Foaming openings

[Carl Johansson]

So in prepping our 88 corvette for GT class - we cut away some of the inside plastic to get to the frame to mount the rear supports for the roll cage.
 So now you can see the ground through the cutouts.  Once we get inspected and get a logbook we want to close those off from the dust salt etc.  So do you fill em with expandable foam -  like the great stuff brand?   I can put a cover plate over the top to make it look nice but the holes really need to be addressed!

Thanks

Carl Johansson

[JackD]

Electrical supply houses will have a fire resistant expanding foam that works just like the Home Depot stuff but will resist flame.
It is used to go around conduits and cabling that penetrate fire rated separations.

[dwarner]

Oh how soon you will find the need to fill those holes this weekend. Br prepared to hose out the interior of your car following the meet.

DW

[1212FBGS]

yep... if ya are gonna make a pass you will need to seal up your interior. and you will need to tech the vehicle as you plan to run it... so get a move on....
kent

[JackD]

The best way to keep dust out of the drivers area is to be sure it is maintained at a higher air pressure than the dusty parts.
If you don't , it will smoke you out no matter how much you seal it up.

[Carl Johansson]

yep... if ya are gonna make a pass you will need to seal up your interior. and you will need to tech the vehicle as you plan to run it... so get a move on....
kent

wait a minute -  If I foam up the hole before inspection -  they cannot see the welds for the roll cage and the mounting plates -  i assumed they wanted a look at them.  Once they give me the ok -  the plan was to foam it with expandable foam to seal it up -   after I have the logbook and they had checked out the welds.  am I thinking incorrectly here?

Also -  i'm hoping a positive pressure cabin will help keep out some of the dust - 
Has anyone ran with their ventilation fans running full blast -  i would be sucking in air from in front of the windshield -  running it into the vent system.  I could also close off the outside air and run it closed circuit.  Anyone try this before?

I can easily cut in a tiny roof scoop and let air in that way too!

3 days and counting!
carl Johansson

[JackD]

The highest/ cleanest air pressure on your car will be at the base of the windshield.
That is why some take air for the motor there rather than a big, forward facing scoop.
The speed you will expect to be going will cause air flow in excess of anything the fans can stir up.
A recirculating setup (closed loop) will only cause the dirt you didn't eat the first time to come back.
You have the best system built in.
As for the foam, check on the cure time and you may find that after inspection Friday, you can apply it and it will be cured by the time you run it Saturday.
Put your trim covers on right after you spray it and it will find any unsealed cracks.   

[jimmy six]

Carl, Why don't you take some pictures at many angles showing what you did. and put them with your log book? In the 3 ring binder, with your club and SCTA membership cards, with the fire bottle reciepts, etc. You don't have a 3 ring binder....Shame on you............................

We are not a bunch of Ogers...That always works for me. Then again I don't inspect every car. JD

[Carl Johansson]

first i have to get a logbook -  that should happen this weekend!

[JackD]

Tag your it.
How did you do with the inspection plates and the foam ?
It works both ways.

[Carl Johansson]

Roll cage passed inspection with flying colors.  We didn't have time to foam the openings because we went through tech saturday morning -  so we just duct taped up the openings and went out and ran.  no dust problems whatsoever.   4 runs over 2 days.  Now we will paint up the roll cage real nice -  then foam the openings and put on a nice sheetmetal cover.

[JackD]

Good for you.
You got past that and got to run.
Not everybody does.
How was the dust inside ?
It was about the worst conditions for that at the lake that any will see.
In the future, call it 200MPH tape and you will get to stand closer to the rest of the racers.