Author Topic: Australian Belly Tank  (Read 3165266 times)

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Offline salt27

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4200 on: January 28, 2014, 10:43:23 AM »
Thank you PJQ, it gives me an idea anyway.  

Gogs, I'm with Freud on the GNRS.

  Don
« Last Edit: January 28, 2014, 11:00:04 AM by salt27 »

Offline Dr Goggles

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4201 on: January 28, 2014, 05:48:23 PM »
Oh No, Don has an idea.  :roll:

Pa, I dunno about the GNRS, my eyes are sensitive to glare, there looked to be a whole lot of shiny things in there. :wink:

Gotta go, have to clock up some annual leave :cheers:
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Offline Reverend Hedgash

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Museum reports
« Reply #4202 on: February 03, 2014, 09:51:01 AM »
Hey all.

As part of my work here I get to explore in depth a lot of great museums and last week I saw two that may spark some interest and relevance here.

Firstly I was taken around the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington where many a landspeed record has been set and the infamous runway where Richard Hammond knocked his noodle about when he crashed the jet dragster filming for Top Gear. I was taken around by one of the main trustees as we are doing a project design for the Airspeed site  in York and needed to see how they operated.

This place was built during WW2 to cater for long range bombers and in this case it launched the Halifaxes of which they have a beauty. The buildings are nearly all period buildings of control towers, mess halls and Nissen Huts which house a range of exhibitions and planes. The planes are a great collection from a Cayley Glider (1849) to today with a Harrier (not yet all gone for spare parts to the US) a Victor and a Nimrod to mention a few of the more interesting ones. The most interesting one for me though and what makes it relevant to this thread is that they have one and a half Canberra Bombers and I was given the opportunity to climb into the cockpit of one. The plane is much smaller on the inside than it looks from the outside and with that strange bubble canopy it must have felt very strange flying at such a speed so high.

The weirder position though was the navigator/targetor position where you lie down and stick your head into the bubble in the front nose looking down. This must have been a blast peaking out at the world below but not so much fun when the Mig 17's appeared and shot these guys up.

Further info on this plane and the site itself can be found here:
http://www.yorkshireairmuseum.org/exhibits/aircraft-exhibits/post-world-war-ii-aircraft/english-electric-canberra-t4?phpMyAdmin=3a0c50473ae0t41cd598f

I then toodled over to the National Railway Museum in York where they hold a couple of other speed record vehicles, with the highlight for me being seeing the Mallard which set the steam record of 126mph. It is a big lump of metal and very similar in colour to Bluebird. It has a strength about it that gives a sense of stability. What I wanted to see was the details and it was simple things like the treaded walkway over the front fenders to stop the operators from slipping when walking down the side that caught my eye; they added a texture that contrasted the smoothness of the overall bulk and were a necessary consideration for operational purposes. It is this balance of need for speed and operability that works so well on this machine. Other exhibits include classics like the Flying Scotsman and some really early locomotives pre-Stephenson's rocket.

Lots of other good things on display but this is a very old school museum with minimal display information and prehistoric packaging of items. You really need to know your stuff to appreciate the exhibits which I guess is a main part of their audience. But given that a lot of trainspotters will be dragging along the uninitiated it would be wiser to instil a context to the story in the form of other exhibits and information so those other halves and not so interested would have a positive experience as well. I personally loved it but I was a model railway modeller from wayback and so well initiated.

The Airspeed project we are looking at incidentally involves the Aviatrix Amy Johnson who set the record of solo flying to Australia (and others). She was a director of the Airspeed factory in York in the 1930's with Neville Shute (author of "On the Beach" made into a movie with Gregory Peck and Ferrari racing Fred Astaire, and "A Town like Alice"). This factory made aircraft and was the place where the retractable landing gear was invented and we are looking at redeveloping the building as a museum and exhibition site celebrating this history and 1930's addiction to speed in general! It is brilliantly located in the heart of York within the Roman fortress walls and on the river Foss.

Photos to come.

Reverend H+

ps on another note the early Bluebird that I saw being rebuilt at the Beaulieu estate workshops last year has been finished and the engine restarted this week without the devastating consequences of its previous start:

http://fortyonesix.com/news/1833/bluebird-heard-singing-again-at?utm_medium=email&utm_source=The+Goodwood+Estate+Company+Ltd&utm_campaign=3613338_FortyOneSix+31%2f01%2f2014&utm_content=bluebird&dm_i=1QLU,25G2I,B0NJQ5,7RRG3,1

Great to see this repainted with a brush from a tin in a non sealed garage as the original was and not over restored like so many classic rods.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2014, 09:57:08 AM by Reverend Hedgash »

Offline twodear

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Is this a good place to post about another Bluebird? 1963 - Lake Eyre
« Reply #4203 on: February 05, 2014, 04:46:18 PM »
I watched the video on the Reverends link and then tried to find a video from the 1993 explosive first attempt to start that early Bluebird. I found this video instead. Perhaps it is old news, and it certainly doesn't have anything to do with Lake Gairdner or the Spirit of Sunshine. But it gave me a feeling of the trouble and expense Campell and his team went through, as well as the trouble all you guys go through to put your cars on the salt and go fast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cruT46lzPr8
If enough is good and more is better, too much should be just about right.
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Offline Riot patrol 1

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4204 on: February 06, 2014, 04:59:24 AM »
Hi Reverend
On my way home from the Big Smoke I took the short cut to Warrnambool when I turned off at the Pombeniet Tractor Wreckers, not sure if you still have the farm out there or not, but certain you will have lots of friends in the area so a quick up date on the latest fire to hit the area south of the Cobden / Stonyford road about 8 km west of the rail line,
Light Easterly Winds, 34 deg C, no visible flames from the road as the front has pushed into the bush about 4 kms.
20 tankers, 10 slide on teams and a couple of water bombers mopping up, officially under control.
It started by the roadside where it passes through the rocky area beside the small volcano and ran about 4 kms SW then south, the houses visible from the road were saved and other than fences and small stuctures there have been no reports of injury or loss.


Insert: big sigh of relief
All the Best, Adam

Offline tauruck

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4205 on: February 06, 2014, 07:38:08 AM »
Thanks Reverend.

Very interesting post. :cheers:

Offline Reverend Hedgash

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4206 on: February 06, 2014, 11:13:43 AM »
Hi Reverend
On my way home from the Big Smoke I took the short cut to Warrnambool when I turned off at the Pombeniet Tractor Wreckers, not sure if you still have the farm out there or not, but certain you will have lots of friends in the area so a quick up date on the latest fire to hit the area south of the Cobden / Stonyford road about 8 km west of the rail line,
Light Easterly Winds, 34 deg C, no visible flames from the road as the front has pushed into the bush about 4 kms.
20 tankers, 10 slide on teams and a couple of water bombers mopping up, officially under control.
It started by the roadside where it passes through the rocky area beside the small volcano and ran about 4 kms SW then south, the houses visible from the road were saved and other than fences and small stuctures there have been no reports of injury or loss.


Insert: big sigh of relief
All the Best, Adam

!!! I do indeed still have the farm up there, we are on the Princes Highway west from the tractor wreckers near the old gun club and basically on the rail line. The fences are all stone so no risk but the house is a 1910 weatherboard so very susceptible to the odd spark and have just paid for some guys to clear the gutters, slash and generally clear up, the cows clear up the rest. I miss it a lot. Planted a bunch of trees a couple of years back which hopefully have survived the heat.

Thanks for the update.

Dik

Offline Reverend Hedgash

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Re: Is this a good place to post about another Bluebird? 1963 - Lake Eyre
« Reply #4207 on: February 06, 2014, 11:22:42 AM »
I watched the video on the Reverends link and then tried to find a video from the 1993 explosive first attempt to start that early Bluebird. I found this video instead. Perhaps it is old news, and it certainly doesn't have anything to do with Lake Gairdner or the Spirit of Sunshine. But it gave me a feeling of the trouble and expense Campell and his team went through, as well as the trouble all you guys go through to put your cars on the salt and go fast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cruT46lzPr8


Wow, that is a fantastic film. Gina Campbell mentions it in her autobiography and so I knew of it but didn't expect to see it so soon. And yes, a John Barry soundtrack to boot.

While we are on it, I found this short one about John Cobb, very moving and what a great looking design. I am heading up that way in Spring and will pay respects at his memorial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYrafKbTqV4

« Last Edit: February 06, 2014, 11:26:19 AM by Reverend Hedgash »

Offline Dr Goggles

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4208 on: February 06, 2014, 06:54:16 PM »
Hey Twodear, I loved the film too, apart from the overt "ockerness". Even as a musician though the score kind of left me cold, it has an overbearing wartime propo feel to it that I can't stand. The song "Waltzing Matilda" is mawkish on a good day and everytime they cranked it up there I cringed.  I have always encouraged people to read "The Dead Lake" as a great account of the record attempt, that film was a strange and beautiful portrayal of the brutal nature of the environment out there. Campbell really was a smooth piece of work wasn't he?......he had persuasive powers for sure, 2 million quid in 1963-4 was an astonishing amount of money. I do know though after talking to people who were peripheral to the effort back then that there was a current of ill feeling, that Campbell persisted, and succeeded is a credit to him. The winner as they say, takes the spoils, those who are still grinding axes can at will, Campbell of course paid the ultimate price for his ongoing pursuit.


Good to hear that  the fire at Pomborneit wasn't too severe.

On the topic again.

We bought a flat tandem trailer last week. It is black, that will change, you couldn't stand near it in 40 degree heat, let alone touch it, I'll paint it whit. I have a 4&1/2 tonne winch which I'll mount and then set about making the ramps flush with the deck, and working out how to attach all the storage we need. Last year was the first time we've used an open trailer and frankly the car was the cleanest it has been so that is how this trailer will stay for the time being.

Last weekend I went about repairing some of the damage that the tail of the car suffered when I dropped it from the tow truck in 2011. It wasn't immediately obvious but it left a small gap in the top of the bodywork where the tail joined the top of the cowl. You can see it here, just ahead of the rear wheels....



I measured the height of the gap as 11mm, did a little head maths and decided two 4mm pleats should do it, I scribed lines and then pleats that went from 4mm to 0 over 350mm, we cut them out with a 1mm wheel and the pulled it all together with a ratchet tie down around the body, here is one side.....I used a mig, argon and 1mm wire



It all came together nicely.

The week before we built the raised height rocker covers we need for the taller posi-locks, with the tight space under the cowl the original plan of just lifting the whole cover wasn't going to work so I just cut the centre out and used 2mm plate to raise it about 20mm.





A few weeks before that I got involved in some earthworks with the radius rods, this cooked up a little bit of agro from a few fronts. Structural integrity and aesthetics were the main complaints. These items are really only subjected to compression forces. I cut them and added a piece of 25mm OD 3mm wall seamless pipe inside them and then a piece of 10mm plate as a spine. It was necessary for two reasons. In order to comply with the scrutineers demands for 300mph tyres since we crossed the 200mph barrier we had to change  from 26 to 25 inch tyres, that meant lowering the front axle by half an inch, that brought the tie rods into conflict with the radius rods, then I decided I finally wanted the tie rods to hide behind the axle for aero reasons. The only way to achieve that and keep the radius rod attachments on the midline was to scallop them.



I still have to paint the car, I also have to get new decals I think....Rev, you got the file for them?

Cheers

Dr G
Few understand what I'm trying to do but they vastly outnumber those who understand why...................

http://thespiritofsunshine.blogspot.com/

Current Australian E/GL record holder at 215.041mph

THE LUCKIEST MAN IN SLOW BUSINESS.

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4209 on: February 06, 2014, 07:22:04 PM »
Hey Doc, do we need to have a fund raiser to get paint or do you still have some left from that school bus project  :evil:

Car is looking good, it is a never ending battle...  :cheers:
« Last Edit: February 06, 2014, 07:23:47 PM by Stainless1 »
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Offline grumm441

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4210 on: February 06, 2014, 07:30:01 PM »
Maybe a fundraiser for some spare time as well
I just found out the boys from Lowbrow customs are going to Sweden for Speedweek on ice
They seem to have time
G
« Last Edit: February 06, 2014, 07:31:53 PM by grumm441 »
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Offline Dr Goggles

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4211 on: February 06, 2014, 08:08:36 PM »
Hey Doc, do we need to have a fund raiser to get paint or do you still have some left from that school bus project  :evil:

Car is looking good, it is a never ending battle...  :cheers:

Hey Bob there was a friend of mine at Bonneville last year ,he swept up a huge smear of yellow paint that I 're-dissolved with solvent so I'm right for that stuff, I got a heap of red from my bank statement and I got the off white color from the Reverends face when he saw the radius rods. :evil:
Few understand what I'm trying to do but they vastly outnumber those who understand why...................

http://thespiritofsunshine.blogspot.com/

Current Australian E/GL record holder at 215.041mph

THE LUCKIEST MAN IN SLOW BUSINESS.

Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4212 on: February 06, 2014, 09:03:24 PM »


Hey Bob there was a friend of mine at Bonneville last year ,he swept up a huge smear of yellow paint that I 're-dissolved with solvent so I'm right for that stuff, I got a heap of red from my bank statement and I got the off white color from the Reverends face when he saw the radius rods. :evil:
[/quote]

Okay - so you can repaint the wiring harness . . .  :wink:
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline Speed Limit 1000

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4213 on: February 06, 2014, 09:41:43 PM »
Dr. that was a good one. Stainless sure left some paint on the salt. Glad he is OK.
John Gowetski, red hat @ 221.183 MPH MSA Lakester, Bockscar #1000 60 ci normally aspirated w/N20

Offline Dr Goggles

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #4214 on: February 06, 2014, 09:42:10 PM »
Stay out of this Mogwarts it isn't appropriate for someone who can paint their car with a can of Humbrol to enter this discussion......
Few understand what I'm trying to do but they vastly outnumber those who understand why...................

http://thespiritofsunshine.blogspot.com/

Current Australian E/GL record holder at 215.041mph

THE LUCKIEST MAN IN SLOW BUSINESS.