Author Topic: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster  (Read 193890 times)

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Offline Skip Pipes

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Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« on: September 18, 2009, 02:34:56 AM »
Hello All,
Skip Pipes here.

I live in Huntington Beach, California and I’m in the process of building a Blown Fuel Roadster.  I’ve posted a bit in the past, but now it’s time to start a build diary. I’ve waited a bit to post this project as I wanted something to show, rather than talk theory. I call this adventure “Skip’s Thing” after a conversation I had with my wife’s friend, who declared; what’s that “Thing” you’re building? So there you have it; I figure if Jonny can have “Hotnuts”, I can have a “Thing.”

I’ve spent many years hanging out at El Mirage and been fortunate enough to meet numerous So-Cal roadster owners (all really nice, helpful people). From them I’ve taken a lot of ideas and inspiration, but the Wilson & Waters #369 and Brauer & Sons #716 are the two that I’ve stolen the best ideas from (as I’ve no shame).

Well, my roadster going to be a primitive “Garage Built” deal for a rookie driver (me). I think it has a personality all its own and after viewing the build you’ll likely say; hey, you started one way and now you’re going a different direction. Yep, that’s the benefit or hazard if you will of a car with personality, as well as one guy driving the project (and designing on the fly). Surely you’ll see more dirt track Sprint Car influence vs Drag Racing as my background is in Midget Car Racing.
 
I also like/admire Sumner’s work and copied his idea for a build platform to get the car up to a workable 18” in height (read that seat high), sort of a combination poor man’s build table and back saver. Also you might also notice my 2 car garage is sort of congested; I assure you I know where everything is, one I find it (I like a controlled mess). As I’m fond of 29 Ford roadsters I’ll be using a Poly-Form body, which I’ve got mocked up on the frame rails.

Some of the details:
•   Poli-Form 29 body with tonneau cover and 32 grill shell
•   2” x 6” x .125” main rails, pinched and tapered
•   1 5/8 x .134” DOM roll cage and frame structure
•   Coil over front suspension, tucked inside grill shell
•   5” od rear springs with weight jacker, ala circle track
•   4 link rear and 4 bar front
•   Quick-Change, TBD
•   M/T Tires 24” front, 30” rear
•   Built to take a Hemi or Big and Small Chevy – all have seen time between the rails. 
   
I’m a big guy (6.1”) and need all the room I can get so following current trends I’ve shifted the seat to alongside the driveshaft and dropped it as low as possible. I’ll also shift the rear axle the opposite direction 4” ala Wilson & Waters #369 roadster. I’m also thinking of moving the engine (Big Block Chevy) over 2”

Should be a fun project until the money runs out!
Thanks All – Skip


Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline Skip Pipes

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2009, 02:59:14 AM »
No splinter jokes! Here’s the chassis mock-up on build platform.
Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline Skip Pipes

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2009, 03:05:37 AM »
I mentioned the rails were tapered and pinched. Once I opened them up I placed spacers to stiffen the rail and hold down some of the inevitable distortion. Normally I cap the rails with flat bar, but this time I reused the cut away.  Here are some shots of how I did it.
Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline Skip Pipes

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2009, 03:21:05 AM »
There’s simplicity in using a wooden platform in that you can mark/draw on it, so that’s exactly what I did. I traced an outline of the body on the platform to set the frame width. Then I set the wheelbase and mocked up the suspension. Sounds easy; however, there was a lot of looking at parts, pictures of other roadsters and shifting to get something that looked workable. Let me tell you, everything eventually changed as the car progressed. I now work on the premise that I’ll build the first part for mock-up, the 2nd part to finalize concept and placement, and the final part after the car tells me what it wants. That’s why if you’ll notice a progression of changes, modifications as the car evolves. 
Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline Skip Pipes

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2009, 03:29:14 AM »
I decided to go with a Kirkey 20 deg layback seat and you’ll notice I set the seat off to the driver’s side as far as I thought I could go and still get the 4-link past. Here are some shots of the seat mountings, front, side and rear. I’ll also tie the seat into the roll cage structure behind the headrest area. Additionally, I’ll mount Kirkey shoulder supports. 
Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline Skip Pipes

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2009, 03:38:49 AM »
For the front suspension I built a 3” x 2” tower with ½” id sleeves to hold coil-over’s tucked inside the grill shell. It’s force of habit from my circle track days and probably unnecessary, however I built adjustable slider mounts for the coil-over’s to compensate for major tire diameter adjustments.
Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline John Noonan

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #6 on: September 18, 2009, 03:46:21 AM »
Congrats on the "thing"

I heard Huntington Beech was overrun with the bad crowds :wink:

Is tit and Tank still fighting along side Kimo?

John

Offline Beairsto Racing

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2009, 03:47:05 AM »
Thanks for sharing your project Skip. I enjoy seeing the fabrication involved. Best of luck!
2 Club since '02
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Offline Skip Pipes

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2009, 03:52:20 AM »
Here are the tower pieces and my trademark (messy) organizational skills on display. The shocks are double adjustable QA1’s with custom shock valving. I’m theorizing that the valving will allow the front end to settle and hold it down as it has a very aggressive rebound.     
Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline Skip Pipes

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #9 on: September 18, 2009, 04:13:28 AM »
Next up is what I call the middle tower. It’s where the step pan/firewall will start and it’s a combination of 2” x 2” and 1-5/8” roll cage material. I’m using a mounting plate that bolts into the tower and is sandwiched between the bell housing and the trans. I’m fond of ridged frames from the circle track days and so the middle tower is tabbed to take a bolt-in down tube arrangement that ties it to the front tower.   
Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline Skip Pipes

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2009, 04:15:10 AM »
The rear section of the car is as robust as the rest, if not more so! In the rear I used 2” x 3” to form the rear risers. Most of the cars I’ve studied go with kick-ups over the rear axle. I wanted something lower, so I just continued the rails under the axle and tied them together with another tower-like structure. 
Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline Skip Pipes

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #11 on: September 18, 2009, 04:30:16 AM »
I took some council from JD and installed a Howe steering quickener, backwards, to slow the steering, rather than speed it up.   
Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline Skip Pipes

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #12 on: September 18, 2009, 04:36:27 AM »
Here are some shots of the cage going together. This brings the car up close to its current state and I’ll work on posting the brake pedal set-up over the weekend.
Skip's Garage
Builder of the SUNBEAM ALPINE Police Interceptor

Offline jww36

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #13 on: September 18, 2009, 10:58:52 AM »
Skip;
I'm in Costa Mesa and building a '34 gas roadster. Call me if you need any help.
John
714-427-0835

Offline bvillercr

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Re: Skip’s “Thing” – Blown Fuel Roadster
« Reply #14 on: September 18, 2009, 12:17:13 PM »
Looks great, you sure did a lot in one day.  :-o :-D :-D