Mid- Engine Modified Sports

[tauruck]

Neil, the only thing you haven't shown us is the landing gear!!!.
That's built like a plane. AWESOME!!!
I love your work and it's great to see pics again.
You inspire me.

[manta22]

WW;

Wheelrdealer's solution is an excellent one. The cause of the breakage is flexing the wire at points where the solder has wicked up into the strands, making those points a transition in the wire from flexible to rigid. This concentrates the stress and the wire breaks from fatigue. A butt crimp eliminates the solder wicking but it still needs some mechanical support such as the meltable inner wall shrink tubing he suggested.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

I needed a new ignition wire from my coil to the distributor post so I ordered a kit from Taylor/Vertex. They make a very nice ignition wire called "409" which is a large-diameter (10mm) silicone insulated wire with a core resistance of 400 ohms per foot. My Crane ignition box specifies this resistance for best operation. I'll post a picture of the distributor end, before the boot is installed and before it is bent 90 degrees. Taylor makes good stuff.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

More little tasks. I wanted to give some support to the fiberglass nose of my Mirage so that aerodynamic down force wouldn't cause it to deform too much. I had a 1 3/4" gap between the bottom of the fiberglass and the top of the forward bulkhead that I needed to seal anyway so I found an aluminum extrusion that was the perfect size, a 1 3/4" tall "C" section that both supported the nose and sealed the cockpit. Lucky find.

To fasten the extrusion to the fiberglass, I pressed in five floating captive nuts. There will be 4-40 screws thru the 'glass and into the captive nuts. This way I can remove the extrusion when I remove the front body work.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

The access panel in the nose is simply flat fiberglass with a small remainder of 'glass that was cut off so it wasn't as stiff as I'd like; down force might distort or bow the panel so I added two aluminum angles on the underside. They are 1" x 1" x 0.060" 7075-T651, zinc chromate primed and fastened on with a row of 1/8" Avex rivets. This added a lot of rigidity to this panel.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[tauruck]

Looks good Neil.
I always like to bond and rivet when doing jobs like that.
That way the glass doesn't have chance of tearing the holes or opening them.

[Finallygotit]

Looks good Neil.
I always like to bond and rivet when doing jobs like that.
That way the glass doesn't have chance of tearing the holes or opening them.

Note to self, remember this.

[manta22]

Good advice- thanks, Mike.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[wobblywalrus]

Thanks for the advice about the wiring problem.  I had been using the single wall shrink tubing and it was not enough.  The double wall works a lot better.  Also noted are how you secure the wires to the frame so they do not wiggle.

[manta22]

I thought I'd take my car to the "Tucson Classic" car show next month after Joline and I return from a trip to Normandy. Since I'm tired of explaining what it is-- people always ask-- and I'm tired of saying "Its just a car that I'm building", I've decided to name it: Werewolf.

It's black, sinister looking and I've never seen another car with that name.

Off to France on Monday morning. After a bit of polishing, it is ready to put on the trailer when we get home.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[wobblywalrus]

Neil, that looks great.  Was it hard to register a car that you made yourself? 

[Peter Jack]

Looks great Neil. Well done. 

Pete

[tauruck]

Beautiful Neil. Have a good trip.

[Stainless1]

Neil, that looks great.  Was it hard to register a car that you made yourself?  

WW... I think its a race car.... no lights... no horn... looks like it would be hard to do hand signals, especially when he is strapped in  
 

[Milwaukee Midget]

I've decided to name it: Werewolf.

"Better stay away from him
He'll rip your lungs out, Jim
I'd like to meet his tailor"

Warren Zevon