Springfield Flyer.

[tauruck]

I'd hoped to post a bunch of pics but for some reason even with reducing the size the file size is too big for the site. Sorry, I'll try figure what I've done wrong.

[tauruck]

I managed to get my chassis off the jig table.

It only took about four hours.

I couldn't lift the crossbar for the block and tackle on my own so I had to use a little trickery.

I jacked the one end of the chassis a few inches off the table, installed jack stands then went to the other end and repeated the process.
Once I had the chassis up I pulled the table out and lowered each end a few inches at a time.

I did make sure that the area around where I was busy was devoid of tools and other debris in case the car fell and I needed to bolt in a hurry.

Eventually it was sitting on the dollys, I was safe but exhausted.

All good.

[tauruck]

Before getting the chassis off the table I did manage to weld on the fuel tank box.

I added some brace bars top and bottom on both sides and boxed the sections.
I'm not done and still have to finish fitting plates fore and aft.

Yes, it sits behind the rear axle.

[tauruck]

I then got to do some work on the chute tube/push bar setup.

I decided after all the good advice to go with a cable and air release just to make sure.

The Carbon tubes slide over and will be bonded to the housings with Epoxy adhesive after the chassis is painted.

Housings already have female NPT fittings tigged in place.

[tauruck]

I haven't built the push bars yet.

I ran out of material and should have a few more lengths on Monday.

When I started out I ordered 16 lengths thinking it would be enough.......
Yup for 60% it would.

Chute tubes will sit in two half round cradles when the time comes to mount them permanently.

[Freud]

Enjoy this time in the build.

As the parts get smaller it gets tedious.

Besides you can see the progress now.

That's more difficult later.

FREUD

[tauruck]

Thanks Freud.

Going like a Boeing here as they say.

Got a lot done today including a cleanup.

I'll have the Carbon tub dummied up in the chassis by morning.

[Sumner]

You're making a lot of progress  .  Do you have chutes yet?  Have you decided how you are going to load them? 

Sum

[Dr Goggles]

Amazing progress Mike, Freud's right too, enjoy this part.

[tauruck]

Sum, we're having our chutes made here.

I bought the materials and there's a chute company that will do the sewing etc.
We'll have a bar between the tubes for the mounting and we'll hopefully get some help on the loading etc.

Thanks James, I have to get this car done but I'm not complaining and it is what motivates me to get up early every morning.

I got the tub into the chassis today. It was a bit of a win because it goes in from underneath and the height that the chassis sits at on the dollys was perfect.
I never had to jack and I had 5mm clearance.

A few pics of the temporary install.

[tauruck]

A few more angles.

[tauruck]

Last pic.

She's coming along very nicely and everything fits as designed.

[Sumner]

...and we'll hopefully get some help on the loading etc. ...

One option on loading I've seen and what I hope to do is to be able to load the chute and its spring fairly easily into the tube without having to compress the spring much.  Then have a mechanism that compresses the chute back from the forward part of the tube back into the spring and the release hardware.  This really activates the spring so that it is compressed fully which launches the chute better.  This can make packing the chute into the tube easier also.  Maybe someone who has done this has pictures.

....I got the tub into the chassis today. It was a bit of a win because it goes in from underneath and the height that the chassis sits at on the dollys was perfect....

What are you doing for protection under the driver's compartment?

Sum

[Peter Jack]

How is the tub retained in the chassis such that it doesn't get pitched out in a violent accident? I really like the tub idea in that it gives excellent driver protection, especially in the leg area. I have a couple of friends that have suffered severe leg injuries in race car crashes and it seems you never fully recover from those.

Pete

[tauruck]

Don't laugh, OK???

I'm nothing like these guys but I do have my work cut out.
The place is rudimentary at best.
I don't think we'll run on the same stretch of track either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uli51c35oY4

The tub sits on a steel frame and is fastened at 12 locations.

The frame is bolted to the chassis with five fixtures on each side and two each out front and rear.

The tub also attaches directly to the chassis at four points.

Safety harness attaches to the chassis low down on the bulkhead below the roll cage and then other mountings go through the Carbon to the steel lower frame on the sides.

Believe me, if there was an easier way to fit the tub I would have used it.

A rough estimate is that it all goes together with 34 fasteners but the cool thing is that once it's all together there won't be a reason to take it apart.

Thanks for the advice on the chute system Sum.

Pete, my orthopedic surgeon said I have so much steel in my leg that if I break it again he'll have to weld it together.