Step Pan Questions/Help

[Beairsto Racing]

Ok, I have to ask...what is the purpose of the "Step Pan"? Is this an aerodynamic aid like a "belly pan" or to improve chassis strength.
Sorry, just a simple bike guy..I get confused with anything over 2 wheels.
It was the CAD drawing that caught my interest.
Thanks,
Scott

[DallasV]

Ok, I have to ask...what is the purpose of the "Step Pan"? Is this an aerodynamic aid like a "belly pan" or to improve chassis strength.
Sorry, just a simple bike guy..I get confused with anything over 2 wheels.
It was the CAD drawing that caught my interest.
Thanks,
Scott

I don't think it is intended to be an aerodynamic aid nor to improve chassis strength. I believe the intent is to negate the "Fred Flinstone" method of acceleration and braking.

[4-barrel Mike]

Hmmmm, think about contacting the appropriate SCTA rules person? 

Mike

[sheribuchta]

charles   im not a car guy but i read the rule on step pans and it is clear to me---4.EE a step pan may enclose the area from the aft-most portion of the firewall to a line 10 in.forward of the rear axle centerline.-----the transition at the rear of the step pan to the floorboard shall occur at a 45 deg. or steeper angle to be exempt from the definition of belly pan                                  willie buchta

go here to ask the scta         http://www.scta-bni.org/Rulebook/rule-question09.html

[Cajun Kid]

As you can see in these two pics, the underside of my car does not have anything protruding down to dirty up the air much,,, but I was told by putting the pan under there it keeps any air from mixing around the underside chassis rails and crossmembers etc.. the pan would attach flat and flush from frame rail to frail rail and from firewall back to point A or B ?

You would then not be able to see the bottom of the red bellhousing or any of the frame or crossmenbers etc.. as in these pics.






Charles

[sheribuchta]

charles i submitted the question to the scta for you    we will see what they say my guess is A  willie buchta

[Cajun Kid]

Thanks Willie,

I am thinking A as well,,, I will build it in 3 sections from front to back.

Section 3 will be the kick up A to B section, so if challenged I can unbolt it until final resolution.

Hope we get a firm answer before I build it later this week.

Charles

[dw230]

Point A

DW

[sheribuchta]

received a letter from scta from the rules committee chair mike manghelli---im not going to post the letter the last time i did i got yelled at----he said if you draw a line on the floor 10 in. in front of the axle centerline , no part of the pan can go rearward of that line --and that includes the part that angles up to the floor ---its to bad the rulebook wasnt that clear----that makes it B in charles cad drawing   willie buchta

dallasv will get the cigar

[jl222]

received a letter from scta from the rules committee chair mike manghelli---im not going to post the letter the last time i did i got yelled at----he said if you draw a line on the floor 10 in. in front of the axle centerline , no part of the pan can go rearward of that line --and that includes the part that angles up to the floor ---its to bad the rulebook wasnt that clear----that makes it B in charles cad drawing   willie buchta

   I don't think thats right. To me the step pan is part belly pan and to seperate from being a full belly pan the flat to 10'' from centerline
rule defines the brake off point. Flat to 10'' of centerline of rear axle then up at 45 deg or more.
 The rule book states '' the step pan shall be flat, parallel to the ground ( side to side ) and no wider than the frame rails''
 '' The transition at the rear of the step pan to the floorboard shall occur at a 45 deg. or steeper angle to be exempted from the definition of a belly pan''.  THE TRANSITION AT THE REAR OF THE STEP PAN is the key wording. The transition is NOT PART OF THE STEP PAN AS IT IS NOT FLAT.

                                         JL222



 

                          JL222

[dw230]

John is right. Mang is wrong. I'll call him.

DW

[jimmy six]

Belly pans are totally different from step pans. They are for vehicles which are not mandated to use floor boards ei: production, gas coupe and vehicles which allow bellypans ei: streamliner, lakesters, comp coupes, modified roadsters.

If you build a vehicle which allows a step pan it can be what encloses your drivers area along with secondary flooring. The car in the pictures does not show whether it has a flooring above the frame and that really doesn't matter; it can have both.

If you are building a vehicle which allows a step pan in my opinon I would use it. Why would you want all the "junk" hanging under the car not made more "slippery". The main thing is to follow the definition. Flat means flat. It cannot bow out covering parts such as transmissions, bellhousings, drag link mounts etc. Also remember the step pan starts from the "aft most" firewall so it you have more than one vertical plane firewall, start from the aft most. This is why most gas/fuel roadster have a single plane firewall.

Personally the definition of a step pan has alway been perfectly clear. There was never a gray area in it's definition (but then again I'm honest and would never build a questionabe car) ....JD

[dw230]

Believe JD - he wrote the step pan rule.

DW

[sheribuchta]

got the feeling im gonna get yelled at again---how can you say the rule is clear if everyone that reads it comes up with a different answer ---i wrote to the scta and got a ruling now you say they are wrong --what seams clear to me is the rule is not understood by everyone---the rules should be written so that everyone can understand them ,not just you collage graduates and lawyers----when i dont understand a rule i write to the scta and when i receive there answer i have to assume that they are correct ,i file the e-mail in my log book and continue with the build -glad i ride a motorcycle the rules are understandable   willie buchta

[Cajun Kid]

Willie,, thanks for the effort,,, I manage 1.2 Billion Dollars of my clients funds and consider myself  astute enough to read as well,,, I read the rules on step pans and "felt" point A was the correct answer,,, but since I "felt"  point A was correct, I did not "know" for sure... I did not want to plan or lay out, build a template and then build one,,, spend $10,000 to haul out to Bonneville just to be told then in was point B...

Not that I am a perfectionist, but I do plan to pass tech the first time with no items of concern noted in my log book. 

So, like you Willie and others,, if I think a rules is written where even 1 out of 10 folks would have a differant take on it .. I ask,,,,

I do appreciate everyone input, that is why I ask, because you are all willing to help.

Before I build it,, I will wait for DW to get back with us all to clear this up.

I hope no one yells at you Willie for trying to help me...

Thanks again my friend.

Charles