Car 495 - Small Gas Coupe

[LittleLiner]

Progress (or lack there of) report.

I've done the math and there is no way I will be ready for the April Maxton event.  The goal is now (hopefully) to make the May meet.

I have taken a piece of advice offered here and moved the driven sprocket to the machined side of the carrier.  (will post photos later tonight or tomorrow).  To do this I initially tried to file down a 1/4 inch relief on the inside face of the bearing carrier.   The result was pure crap.  So I went to my sponsor (my wallet) and took one of the spare bearing holders to a speed shop and had it professionally machined.  This change had some unexpected benefits. 

The position of the driven sprocket is now about 1 inch farther to the right.  Which means I need to move the engine 1 inch to the right.  This slight change has solved a clearance problem I had with the radiator and has given an additional inch lateral clearance for the exhaust header.  The cost of machining the bearing hanger saved me big bucks that were planned for a custom radiator (have to run a radiator in Gas Coupe) and for modifications to the header (now not required).  Although I will have to enlarge the hole in the hood to clear the air box.  Not a problem.  Fortunately I had not yet fabricated a hood scoop.

Last weekend I started to test fit some brackets to mount the drive train.  My Harbor Freight chop saw is finally coming into play.  I suspect I'll be hitting up my brother in law to tack weld the pieces together then I'll remove the drive train mounts and take them to a professional welder to finish the job.

Since my last post I have acquired some missing Honda pieces including throttle cables, kickstand safety switch, kill/start switch and a spare airbox.  Along with the key/ignition switch acquired earlier, I now have a complete bike electrical system to modify for use in the car.  This includes the tip over switch which is now a required item for LSR.

[LittleLiner]

photo of before and after  . . .



To save you going back and reading every post I'll explain what this photo shows.  The photo shows how I had a bearing hanger machined to give cleanance to the sprocket mounting bolts.  Prior to this there was not enough room the mount the sprocket on the right side of the ring gear mount - that's the side with the proper machined surface.  To adjust for that problem I had monuted the sprocket on the 'wrong side' of the mount and it was a problem just waiting to happen.  So I spent some bucks and had a machine shop properly cut away the needed space  . . now you know

[LittleLiner]

Engine and ‘axle’ mounts – After considerable scratching of my head (and other parts of the anatomy) I finally cut some metal.

Engine closeup of both sides 

 Mounting the engine is no big deal until you consider that there has to be room for a radiator, there has to be room for the fuel tank, there has to be perfect alignment of the sprockets, there has to be adequate ground clearance, there has to be a way to pull the engine without disassembling half the car, there has to be a path for the exhaust while using the stock headers, there has to be access to see the oil level sight gauge thing, there has to be a way to either move the engine or the differential fore/aft to adjust chain tension or switch sprockets, there has to be ample clearance for impound to get to the sparkplug holes (it could happen!),there has to be a chain guard (life is so much more enjoyable if you have two feet), there has to be a way to activate the shifter, etc, etc, etc. . . .Plus the longer the chain the less the likelihood that we will burn it up.

Another problem is that I really have a bare minimum of fabrication equipment and even less fabrication skill.  This will be a ‘bolt-in’ because I don’t have the ability to weld in my ‘shop’.  After it is fully assembled and has run we may consider redoing the mounts with some more professionally fabricated mounts.  But for now this is the prototype that will hopefully get the car down the track at Maxton.

To get around many problems I removed the front cross member.  I also cut out the center of the hood latch holder/radiator mount/cross brace that runs from headlight to headlight.  To replace the lost structural strength I have decided to run a square tube across to each side just above where the original cross member used to be.  This will be the front mount for the engine.

To attach the cross bar to the unibody frame I used two pieces of 2 by 2 steel angle cut to about 8 inches in length.  Here is the left side mocked-up to test fit. 


Holes will be drilled to fit two bolts through the bulkhead.  A third bolt will go through the cross bar and attach to the bulkhead support.

Here is the other side of the bulkhead where the bolts will come through.  The bolts will be held in place by a flat steel plate to spread the load


When everything is in place I will make some tabs to attach the engine moiunting bolts to the cross bar.   Here are photos of the two mounting points.
Engine Right Mount closeup 


Engine Left Mount closeup

[LittleLiner]

Last night completed the installation of the front mount (less the tabs for the engine mounting bolts).  Then spent about an hour under the car trying different ideas for the engine rear mounts/drive axle mounts.  Think I have it figured out. 

Tonight will start on the side plates that will tie the bearing carriers to the crossmember and align the driven sprocket with the engine.  Have to decide if I will use 1/4 inch steel or 3/16 inch Aluminum . . . (How hard could it be?)

Here is a very rough sketch of what a plate will look like.  The adjustable rod will allow me to pivot the sprocket closer to the engine for chain removal.  Extending the adjustable rod will push the axle back into position and set the chain tension.



Bolts will go through the pivot holes and through a crossmember I am fabricating.  The pivot bolts will be tightened when the axle is in the proper position.  . . . . . And it's just that easy (yeah right)

[LittleLiner]

Over 18 months since I posted to this build . . . .  so sue me.   
What has changed?  What has happened?

A lot has changed.  The primary change was moving from Pennsylvania to Colorado.  My wife thinks we moved here for the great weather, clear sky, the mountains, nice people and a more laid back life style.  Boy or boy did I fool her.  This place is only one days drive (tow) to Bonneville.

Another change was the new SCTA rule wording for radiator size and location in Gas Coupe.  I could not get my engine car combination to fit in Gas Coupe with the new radiator rules.

In April I sold both CBR600RR engines.  Then I towed the Metro to Colorado.  And started to search for a better engine (750cc)

The new (used) 07 Suzuki GSX-R750 engine has been purchased and delivered. 

Now that most of the effort to buy the new place, sell the old place, move 1700 miles and get the new place in order, (paint, landscape, etc., etc.) is mostly behind us I can FINALLY get serious about finishing this car. 

So . . . . I'll be putting together new build postings to show mounting the new engine, changing the front axles to offset the engine enough to fit the stock radiator, rollcage design and installation, installing fire bottle, belts, net, push bar, seat, fuel cell, wiring, dash and and a thousand other things I have to do to make Bonneville in 2012.

The Hudson Boys set the record in J/GC to 129.998 mph so there is something to shoot for.  Don't bet on me appearing in impound but I'll have a good time trying . . .

But first,  next week I finally (for the first time) go to the Salt

[landsendlynda]

LL

When you get to Land's End be sure I get a chance to meet and greet you!  It's great being able to put a face to a name that is synonymous with friend!  There's no telling where at Land's End I'll be, so be sure and ask for me.

I'll be reading your diary as you prepare your new ride for your " Ride of a Lifetime" so keep those updates coming.

Also, welcome to the West, your wife is gonna love it and I hope you do too!

See you next week!

Stay Safe,
Stay Upright,
Lynda

[LittleLiner]

Don’t pay the ransom, I got away.  
We didn’t make it into impound at Bonneville in 2012.  The primary problem was the fact that the car wasn’t done and we didn’t go to Bonneville.  
Yeah, yeah, I know . . . . the car is taking way, way, to long  . . . but I am still working on it and, yes, I am still going to finish this car.

Plans for 2013 are to run the car in Wilmington, OH with ECTA and (time and funds permitting) maybe run the July meet with LTA in Maine.  Full SCTA safety requirements will not be installed for 2013 (full cage, fire system, etc)

To bring this build diary up to date. . . .  

The rule change in 2012 for gas coupes requires using the stock radiator or a replacement radiator at least the same size as the stock radiator mounted in the original, as produced, location.   With this car/engine combination this presents quite a challenge while retaining front wheel drive (a gas coupe requirement)
I considered swapping the axles left to right and right to left (they are different lengths) to offset the differential to the right.  But this still did not leave enough space to mount the radiator.  So I abandoned the axle swapping plan and went to a drive shaft set up like a power takeoff shaft.  
Here is the engine and shaft mounted.  The cross members and mounts are in place but everything is finger tight until all the alignment issues are finalized.  
           
With the PTO shaft I was able to move the engine as far to the right as possible.  This leaves exactly enough room to put the original Metro radiator in the original location

Here is what the shaft looks like with coupler, bearings, sprocket the spicer flanges/universal joint.  The final install will not have as much shaft sticking out to the left (driver’s) side.  One advantage to using this setup is that I can fine tune sprocket alignment without moving the engine or the driven sprocket.  All I have to do is slide the drive sprocket along the shaft to achieve perfect alignment.

I’ll also add a few locking collars to prevent the shaft from walking away from the engine . . . .
The coupler is from a dwarf car. .

[Stan Back]

Sneezy's?

[LittleLiner]

Sneezy's?

No.  Not Sneezy.  I think it was Doc's

[robfrey]

Cool build! Can't wait to see ya in 2013!

[BHR301]

I may of overlooked something, but what ever happened to this project? 

Bill

[LittleLiner]

I may of overlooked something, but what ever happened to this project? 

Bill

It still exists.  I've been slowly working down the 2-do list.  Very slowly.
Nothing exciting to report.  Just nickel and dime stuff.  The car will be strictly an Ohio Mile ECTA car. 
I've given up on predicting when it will be done .  .  .  .  But life is good.   
Art

[BHR301]

Thanks for the update Art..See you at Wilmington one of these days.

Bill

[LittleLiner]

"Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated"

Seeing that I have not posted to this build for a year, I suspect that some may have written me off.  Oh contraire.  Suffice it to say that I have been greatly enjoying being retired.  And since I expect to be around forever there hasn’t been much incentive to get-err-done. 

To put things in perspective please remember that this is NOT a car that is intended to run SCTA or USFRA events (at least, not for now, but maybe later).  Speed is unlikely to exceed 135mph.  It will comply with the ECTA and LTA rules for cars running under 135mph.  The intended class remains J/GC. 

To bring the build diary up to date this is where I am. 

The engine, power-take-off shaft, sprockets, third member, axles, and radiator/cooling system are all in.  The hood is now complete with a very ugly hood bulge to clear the Suzuki air box. Racing seat is installed.
Brackets for attaching the ends of the Metro and Suzuki throttle cables have been fabricated and mounted.  The cables are mounted. 
 
Clutch adaptor/linkage that attaches the Metro clutch cable to the Suzuki Clutch Lever is fabricated and installed.   

The one gallon fuel cell has been modified to fit the stock Suzuki fuel pump.   I installed the fuel line and ran overflow lines to contain spill incase of rollover.

Currently I am modifying the stock motorcycle wiring harness to adapt it to the car.
Once finished with the wiring I’ll be installing a new master cylinder and all new brake lines to the Metro rear drum brakes. 

Over the next few months I'll post a few photos to show the work described above.   Goal is to have the car move under it's own power before the end of the year (Yes, this year . . ) 

[LittleLiner]

To get the clutch activated from the Metro clutch pedal I had considered having a custom cable fabricated but instead of that I  decided to use the Geo Metro clutch cable and the Suzuki motorcycle cutch cable and lever assembly.  I fabricated a pretty simple adapter to have the Metro Cable "pull" the bike clutch lever. 

This allows me to use the clutch lever switch from the GSXR wiring harness and I don't have to mess with problems that occur when you bypass the clutch switch.