UK Lakester build G/GL

[Rex Schimmer]

John,
I am not a big fan of over lapping panels. First you need to make one panel have and offset, joggle, to keep the fit up smooth and then every time you want to take say the top panel off the bottom one drops also and my bet it that it is a SOB to get them all lined up and fasteners inserted. If you have a line of separate fasteners for the top panel and the lower panel then you can remove either without  having to mess with the other. When you are in the pits and it is 100deg F and you are hassling with getting all of the fastener holes to line up and the panels to stay in place you will probably re-think your decision. To me it is about making everything convenient to access. Installing fasteners take time but pays it all back at the salt. Also things like your front panels that cover everything forward of the driver, split them so that you can remove the top to get at things you have buried in the front. If you make the front so it is a single long tube then to get at anything you will have to take off the front axle to slide the panel forward. (Don't ask how I know this!) When Duke and I first got our car it was mostly held together with 10-32 flat head screws, literally hundreds of them, so we vowed that we would make as many panels as possible be held by Dzus's and be easily and quickly removable. A lot of work but it pays of at the Salt.

Rex

[Lemming Motors]

Advice noted: I like the idea of a 250mph wind but will accept anything over 200.

At this stage its mock-up and shaping. I was thinking the lower panel would have a couple of fasteners holding it in place through the lip (i.e. hidden from view) and all the rest would pass through both so when the upper is removed the lower is retained - if I have to take the lower furry underside panel off I have problems so lets assume it stays put for now.

I was thinking, if I stay with countersunk, of laying in tinnerman washers (is that the right term?) to load spread.

[Lemming Motors]

Another reason for making the molds for these big areas is that I can resin a single layer of chopped strand in the area of the mold that the lip will be, then cut that to be a nice clean strip say 2 inches wide and affix it to the panel with a 1 inch overlap, one inch sticking out will look 'joggled' then glass over it on the inside to properly attach it to the panel, thus doubling the thickness in that area and why I spaced the panels off the brackets.

The overlaps will, as much as possible, be facing forward so that 250 mph wind Stainless refers to can't get in.

What is a rule of thumb for a fibreglass body for fixing centres - 15 inches looks good?

[Interested Observer]

if I stay with countersunk

Another consideration is how do you keep them from falling out on course?

[Lemming Motors]

That is a very good question; I assumed that done up fairly tight they would stay put, especially for the time involved in a run but I will definitely lose sleep over that question so watch this space as the body evolves. Some sprung loaded fasteners may start creeping in (other brands are available).

[ggl205]

The overlaps will, as much as possible, be facing forward so that 250 mph wind Stainless refers to can't get in.

John, believe me, air gets in no matter how careful you are fitting up body panels.

John

[Lemming Motors]

Cracked it - no panels - the wind can go in, under, through and around with no body panel getting in its way - less work, faster Lakester 

So... if the air gets in why are the rules requiring a forward pointing fresh air intake (3.E) and adequate venting to carry away fumes (i.e. the smell of me having shat myself). 

[Lemming Motors]

I have these rather good panel attachments - I suspect there might be a bit of wind noise though. 

I have serious question wrt fibreglass; I am joining panels together as I go so it becomes a complete enclosure and the alignment at least starts out close; does anyone have a good way to slice a panel and get a nice clean (narrow) join line? The one mm slicing disc on the angle grinder works but is hard to control for this level of accuracy.

I am purchasing a one handed circular saw 3" blades, I think used on flooring etc, as that has a foot plate that could follow a guide but I need to figure out a guide and how to attach it to the panels. I reckon I could get a reducer adapter for the bore and use part worn slicing discs in this tool.

Any experiences (positive or otherwise) welcomed. 

[ronnieroadster]

 John
  When were doing panels similar to what your doing we carefully trim each section and fit as we go. We never tried slicing the sections when they are on the car. However once the car leaves the shop and its sitting in the sun the close fitting sections have now changed enough to aggravate! Now about the wind noise your never going to hear any noise once the car is under way and the engine is screaming.
 Ronnieroadster

[Lemming Motors]

Engine and driver (me) will be screaming. 

[mc2032]

Big shout out to John!  Received a package from John with not one but three official Lemming Race Team Tee Shirts!  Farmed them out to Bob "Stainless" Steele and John "I desperately need a nickname" Goodman this weekend at the Kansas Twisted race shop and tire storage facility.  Note if anyone wants or needs short wide tires from new to used-up reach out to John, he'd love to hear from you (imagine the columns of Karnak in Luxor, Egypt except made of stacked tires and no heiroglyphics).  I will be sporting said shirt locally and on the salt!  Thank you John!

[Stainless1]

As will I.... Thanks John, the Lemmings are running wild around Wichita...
 Things are looking better here, do you think you can be done in time? 
I hear it's quite a long tow from there to here   

[Lemming Motors]

The Lemmings will not be there in 2021. Lots of reasons excuses. Hopefully the Tees will makeup for your disappointment 

I would like to say I have been having fun with fibreglass but that is not strictly true - it went much better in my head than it is in the garage but it is progressing and I am learning as I go.

I answered my q about slicing panels. It is a single hand held circular saw; 3 inch blade with 72 teeth and using some 1/8th steel strip and duct tape as a guide it is a fairly clean straight slice. I think they are designed for cutting floor boards.

[Lemming Motors]

I regret that the boys high school I went to didn't have Home Ec. I could have done with some sewing lessons and understanding darts etc.

The forward part of the side panels (that I made a mold for) needs to tuck in and down towards the nose cone. I think this is going to work.

[ggl205]

Outstanding work, John. Your fiberglass looks as professionally made as any I have seen!

John