Spirit of South Dakota Lakester

[Jack Gifford]

Tman- you do your own "engine turning"? Do you use abrasives or rubber or what?

[Tman]

You racing on the salt or profiling.... way too many things planned in that dash, you will be lucky to get a peek at the tach....  OK just kidding all those gauges will be useful during warm ups before the runs.  OK back to work on the cage, you won't need a dash for a while.

Nobody ever told Big John Mazmanian his cars LOOKED TOO GOOD! Besides, I had the aluminum mostely turned for my Tudor before I lost patience. I just scribbled some guages on the template for looks. It WILL have several guages, tach and shift light the main one. And, they will be aligned so the all point UP when in the proper range so a person doesnt have too hard. Like you said, mostly for warmup, may just have a couple oh schit lights for the driver to worry about.

[Tman]

Tman- you do your own "engine turning"? Do you use abrasives or rubber or what?

I do my own using CRATEX sticks from a machine tool supply. I did a bunch of tests a couple winters back using these, scotchbrite and madrels,sandpaper in various grits, emery papaer and mandrels etc...............the Cratex produced the best most consistant finish. I bulit a table for the drillpress and used index lines to keep the pattern. I have a tech of it on the HAMB somewhere. Fun stuff  but takes too much time for me.

But hey, ALL the old racecars had turned panels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ron Gibson]

Tman
 Went to Cratex site and got confused.   Which abrasive grit did you use and how was it held for use?
 Going to look cool, if cool counts.

Ron

[Tman]

Tman
 Went to Cratex site and got confused.  Which abrasive grit did you use and how was it held for use?
 Going to look cool, if cool counts.

Ron

I just looked, this batch is not actual Cratex brand. These are a MED grit, you want swirls not deep scratches.  It is SPI Rubberized abrasives. Swiss Precision Instruments, Garden Grove CA. These are 1/2" rubberized abrasive pencils, basically a long eraser type rubber with the abrasives impregnated in it. I simply chuck these in my drill press, if you keep a tiny amount exposed they don't wiggle. I also use a spray bottle of water or some WD 40 to lube as I go.

I also have some 1" abrasive with a metal mandrel to chuck up, they work really well. I ordered all of these through my local machine tool supply.

Here is a great site for inspiration.

http://www.artmetal.com/images/dw_eldredge/2006/08/engine_turning

Here is a good thread where a bunch of us were discussing and experimenting with different techniques.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=454150&highlight=engine+turning

[Tman]

Tman- you do your own "engine turning"? Do you use abrasives or rubber or what?

Here is another great site I had bookmarked on another computer.

http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~eamonn/et/et.htm

[Tman]

Well, we have the "knuckle bars fitted as well as som of teh stuff under our asses.

Not much but progress. I also scored a fuel cell today for half my dealer cost. Yes Dealer. I haqve started a Hotrod/custom/performance parts business and looking forward to the future. My 20 years in retail, several of those in the persormance buiness makes me exited to get back working with racers and hot rodders. Slim, I hope to talk ad rates soon!

[landspeed55]

Hey Tman,
Great looking fit up on the cage!! I am a welding inspector by trade and fit up for critical welds are a real important thing. Keep up the good work!

Brad

[Tman]

Hey Tman,
Great looking fit up on the cage!! I am a welding inspector by trade and fit up for critical welds are a real important thing. Keep up the good work!

Brad

Thank you! I have cut tubes and redone them to get a decent fit. My mentor and pal Randy at is doing the final weld on al of them and I don't want to hear his wrath!@

[SPARKY]

I have redone a few my self over time --still doing it

[Tman]

I have redone a few my self over time --still doing it

Yeah, as I get better at fitting these I find one I did a few weeks ago and decide I don't like the fit. I bought the third? stick of 1 5/8" yesterday, should be in the home stretch! My waste is a handfull of tiny cut offs so far so I feel pretty good.

[Tman]

Picked up my score of a fuel cell. NOS and been sitting in a guys garage. Smokin deal, half off wholesale!





Plan is to have the water tank wrap around and UNDER this tank. They will be above the tranny/QC with a blast shield protecting them.

[Tman]

I am ITCHING to glass the nose but am holding off until I can open up the shop for the fumes (attached shop) But I got the plug down to help get some measurements. Still working on the rear body/component layout but as it sets, the car is somewhere between 17 or closer to 19 feet nose to tail.

[Tman]

Visualizing body shape AGAIN. Room for firebottles above my legs for Glen!

[Tman]

Between plastering straw bale walls and family time I got the front motor mount tacked in place.