Finishing the racecar blog. Yes?

[8T6 SVO]

Bob,

The least I can do is wish you well, and hope you make your track day. It been a long process, but you've got to be close ?!?

When does the season start?

[Horsewidower]

March 8/9.

Here is the full schedule:

http://www.nasaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=19311

I'm thinking we do the SVOCA trackday event that we talked about at either the Willow Springs or late Buttonwillow event, if those also have associated HPDE classes. I wonder when Vince will be ready?

Greg, you ought to come down and see the car over the holidays. I'll be home from the 22nd until January 6th. The engine is nothing special (at least not on the outside) but the suspension is pretty cool.

Bob

[Horsewidower]

Anyone know why when I try to post pics from photobucket I now receive an "invalid url" from the attachment manager? I'd like to post things again.

Bob

[Horsewidower]

Problem solved, sort of.

Given "Bob's rule of aftermarket parts" I decided to check the new QM flywheel before I put it in. Guess what, it has 135 teeth, a stock flywheel has 132. ARRRGHHHHH. I ran it across the starter teeth and, of course, it bound up. When I went from a low torque 86 starter, which would just burn out, to a high torque starter, it tore up the flywheel and bell housing. Well it looks like if I'm going to make it back to the dyno on Monday I'm going to have to put the stock flywheel and clutch in. I'll have to demodify the Tilton hydraulic throwout bearing in order to get the clutch to work. Wish me luck!

The tech inspector came out, I'm OK with everything except the things I knew would need some work. I've got to get a little more weld on the roll bar at the roof, or add some gussets and I've got to get some stock inner fenderwells dzused on the rear. When I have those things done and the car back from the dyno, he'll issue the log book.

So no surprises there.

Bob

[8T6 SVO]

The tech inspector came out, I'm OK with everything except the things I know would need some work. I've got to get a little more weld on the roll bar at the roof, or add some gussets and I've got to get some stock inner fenderwells dzused on. When I have those things done and the car back from the dyno, he'll issue the log book.

So no surprises there.

Bob

Vince could probably get some good tips from your tech inspection.

I'm hoping to take Christmas week off completely - sounds like I need to come by.

[Horsewidower]

By all means, come on down.

Well the attempt to change back to the stock clutch and flywheel didn't go well. The throwout bearing on the Tilton hydraulic system doesn't have the necessary diameter to push the fingers on the stock system. Looks like a call to Quartermaster will have to be made on Monday to sort things out on their flywheel. I checked their catalog for a starter that will work with the 135 tooth flywheel and didn't find one. I talked to my welder/machinist about cutting the teeth off and pressing a stock ring gear on. Not alot of meat on the flywheel for that. I suppose we could press it on, weld it and rebalance it. I'll also check with Tilton about a different diameter throw out if I can get it quick and use the stock one just for dynoing.

I've got plenty of things to do, so I can keep working while I'm sorting it out. I'll have to make a judgement call on Jan 2nd on Monday. If I don't think I can get it done, they have a 15 day cancellation policy. Crap!!

The Nasa exec was pretty excited to see a turbo 2.3. Very encouraging.

Bob

[vrinner]

Tech inspection

Bob,

Anything in particular other than the welds at the roof line? I've got gussets at my roof line points.

I think I'd be interested in where your electrical cutoff is/can be mounted, fire system pull, and fuel line issues (how and where it was ran).

For fuel lines, you used braided hose as opposed to hard lines?

For the inner fender, do you just need to rivet in some plastic all the way around? Thats the route I think I'm going instead of finishing the wheel well in fiberglass. I figure I can go to the junk yard and find something close and then cut and form from there. Do you need both front and rear enclosed?

[Horsewidower]

Vince: Sorry for not responding sooner.

On the welds on the cage, they are simply looking for 360* of competent welds. Our problem is that the cage builder built the cage so close to the roof line that he couldn't get the full 360* without cutting on the roof. There are some other techniques that could have been used, but they weren't, so we are looking to gusset if we can't build up some more weld.

The electrical cutoff is mounted on our dash just to the right of the driver side A pillar. He liked that alot. The fire pull is mounted on the top driver side bar, he didn't like that, worried that it would shear off in a roll over. He suggested that I move it to the tranny tunnel, I countered with moving it to the driver side middle bar. I'm waiting for his reply.

In the fuel line, mine are hardlines mounted inside the car along the inside rocker panel near the floorpan. We discussed that at length. I think he would have preferred braided stainless steel as there is more give in a side collision. Neither one of us was thrilled by running them on the bottom of the car with the possible exposure to curbs, off track excursions etc. We agreed that I needed to cover the hardlines in order to control any leakage if they cracked.

On the inner fenders, my fronts are not enclosed. The rears require, for AI, a stock inner fenderwell, what you choose to line the flare extension is up to you. Riveting plastic would probably be very easy. Mine are fiberglass.

Bob

Picture shows electrical cutoff and fuel lines on the far right.

[Horsewidower]

Got the pics going again!

Here are some pics of the dyno shop. Dynapac dyno. He specializes in NSXs.

[Raven855]

Nice shop! I like the mini. I lived in Charlotte and had a friend there from England who raced 3 of them, great fun! I also raced carts, I'm a little heavy to do that now The car is looking great! You know that lite blue color means you have an "available" daughter to alot of the older folks. Its also suppose to attract fewer bugs, but apparently it has no affect on the starter kind

[vrinner]

Vince: Sorry for not responding sooner.

No problem...thank for the info.

So on the fire pull, there is just one pull, and it should be near the outside of the car, right?

[Horsewidower]

Vince: My system has only one pull and its near the outside of the car. I'll take a picture of its new position tomorrow and post it. We moved it from the upper driver's side bar to the dash near the electrical master switch. The Nasa inspector did not like the original position.

Well we've put in two nine hour days and a couple of 3 hour days to try to get things finally finished. So:

Finished gusseting the roll cage. Done
Finish mounting rear window. Done
Finish mounting front window. Done
Plumb the Accusump. Done
Move the transmission tunnel back. Done
Build the CCW wheels. Done
Get the RA-1s mounted to the CCWs. Done
Remount the nose structure (must be the sixth time) so its removable. Done
Remount the fire pull to the dash. Done
Rewire (again) for a different starter. Done
Install flywheel and clutch assembly. Done
Install new starter and bell housing. Done
Start the car!! NOT DONE.

We still are having an interference problem with the QM flywheel and (now) the Pinto starter. We've got 12 amps to the starter, when the starter is laying on the floor, it spins properly. But, when its in the car, it won't turn the motor. Motor turns by hand; its not stuck. Tomorrow I'll work on clearancing the ears and the bell housing so that I can move the starter away from the flywheel. This has been quite a problem.

1. Where the fire pull was, where it went.
2. mmmmmm, CCWs
3. Moving the transmission shifter hole back 3/4"

Bob

Oh, and Merry Christmas everyone.

[Ken Potter]

Very cool...

[8T6 SVO]

Vince: My system has only one pull and its near the outside of the car. I'll take a picture of its new position tomorrow and post it. We moved it from the upper driver's side bar to the dash near the electrical master switch. The Nasa inspector did not like the original position.

Well we've put in two nine hour days and a couple of 3 hour days to try to get things finally finished. So:

Finished gusseting the roll cage. Done
Finish mounting rear window. Done
Finish mounting front window. Done
Plumb the Accusump. Done
Move the transmission tunnel back. Done
Build the CCW wheels. Done
Get the RA-1s mounted to the CCWs. Done
Remount the nose structure (must be the sixth time) so its removable. Done
Remount the fire pull to the dash. Done
Rewire (again) for a different starter. Done
Install flywheel and clutch assembly. Done
Install new starter and bell housing. Done
Start the car!! NOT DONE.

We still are having an interference problem with the QM flywheel and (now) the Pinto starter. We've got 12 amps to the starter, when the starter is laying on the floor, it spins properly. But, when its in the car, it won't turn the motor. Motor turns by hand; its not stuck. Tomorrow I'll work on clearancing the ears and the bell housing so that I can move the starter away from the flywheel. This has been quite a problem.

1. Where the fire pull was, where it went.
2. mmmmmm, CCWs
3. Moving the transmission shifter hole back 3/4"

Bob

Oh, and Merry Christmas everyone.

You will definately be well versed in fox race cars after your done with this one. I'm sure you can pull the tranny and have it back in in less than an hour now.

Merry Christmas, and as always, nice read.

[vrinner]

Vince: My system has only one pull and its near the outside of the car. I'll take a picture of its new position tomorrow and post it. We moved it from the upper driver's side bar to the dash near the electrical master switch. The Nasa inspector did not like the original position.

Well we've put in two nine hour days and a couple of 3 hour days to try to get things finally finished. So:

Finished gusseting the roll cage. Done
Finish mounting rear window. Done
Finish mounting front window. Done
Plumb the Accusump. Done
Move the transmission tunnel back. Done
Build the CCW wheels. Done
Get the RA-1s mounted to the CCWs. Done
Remount the nose structure (must be the sixth time) so its removable. Done
Remount the fire pull to the dash. Done
Rewire (again) for a different starter. Done
Install flywheel and clutch assembly. Done
Install new starter and bell housing. Done
Start the car!! NOT DONE.

We still are having an interference problem with the QM flywheel and (now) the Pinto starter. We've got 12 amps to the starter, when the starter is laying on the floor, it spins properly. But, when its in the car, it won't turn the motor. Motor turns by hand; its not stuck. Tomorrow I'll work on clearancing the ears and the bell housing so that I can move the starter away from the flywheel. This has been quite a problem.

1. Where the fire pull was, where it went.
2. mmmmmm, CCWs
3. Moving the transmission shifter hole back 3/4"

Bob

Oh, and Merry Christmas everyone.

Well thats a nice big list of Done! Congrats on that.

Thanks for the info on the fire pull.