Mid- Engine Modified Sports

[Milwaukee Midget]

I removed the titanium roll cage top cover plate today—it weighed 7 lbs.
 
Regards, Neil

Gee, Neil, I hope you didn't throw your back out . . .

 



 



 

[manta22]

Throw my back out? Of course not! I had help. 

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

Today I cut out three pieces of 1/8” mild steel to reinforce the upper coil-over brackets that attach to the chassis. One is in front and one is in back of each perch. I ran out of material for the last one so I’ll try to pick up some while I’m in town tomorrow.

The first piece I cut out with my reciprocating saw using a bi-metal blade and then dressed the edges with a 4” belt sander. The next two I cut out with a small HF plasma cutter—LOTS easier. Dressing the cut edges took more time but using the plasma cutter made it a far easier job.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Glen]

Interesting set of calipers, I need one of those.

[Captthundarr]

If I think I even know Neil a little, I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut he made it.

[manta22]

Actually it would not be hard to make a scale like that but I got it back around 1970- free if I remember right. It is a nice little sliding scale that looks a lot like an inside/outside caliper. Mitutoyo was trying to get into the US market back then and gave these away as a promotional item. It is a handy item!

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

I removed my firewall this afternoon and put it on the scale-- 11 lbs including all the fasteners. The firewall is made of 0.092" 6Al4V titanium and bolted to the chassis with a bunch of 3/8"-24 bolts. They are NAS6306-6, made of A286, rated at 160ksi.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[38flattie]

Titanium? Wouldn't gold be cheaper?

I really want to see this car up close!

[manta22]

Titanium? Wouldn't gold be cheaper?

I really want to see this car up close!

Maybe, but it would be much heavier!  My lower firewall is going to be made of Inconel. 

Actually, for years I've been buying surplus stuff like some titanium sheet & bolts whenever I found some that looked useful and were cheap. That investment strategy has been paying off better than a 401(k).

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

I just wanted to let everyone know that my friend, John Horsman, has had his book re-published now as a soft-cover edition. If you suffer through an advertisement, you can read a short excerpt about the very beginning of the Ford GT40 here:

 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02//excerpt-racing-in-the-rain.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

I really recommend this book.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[4-barrel Mike]

"Page Not Found" 

Mike

[manta22]

Sorry. Try this: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/automobiles/excerpt-racing-in-the-rain.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[4-barrel Mike]

... re-published now as a soft-cover edition...

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

Thank you for the updated link.

Where can the book be purchased?  Amazon doesn't have it.

Mike

[manta22]

Mike;

The publisher has the soft cover edition: http://www.bullpublishing.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=72

The original hard-cover book is selling for an enormous price. Wow!

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[bucketlist]

... Carroll Smith's books were valuable assets on fasteners and plumbing...

My favorite advice from Carroll: you don't have to safety wire everything on the race car, just those things you don't want to have fall off.