A Few Progress Photos...

[ezakimak]

Builder said:

Thanks, Ken. The trans has fluid spray bars pointed at the gears which use an external pump and cooler. This area will be used to mount them.

FYI

I read on the GT40s forum about the need to have these spray bars pointed at the outlet side of the gear cluster, otherwise you get a high pressure build up of oil across the gear tooth face which could cause premature wear…

I trust that CMS have this installed correctly for you.

Ryan

[Builder]

ezakimak said:

I trust that CMS have this installed correctly for you.

I hope so, Ryan. The initial research I did to find a trans supplier leads me to believe they know the correct way to install spray bars. To recount:

I found CMS through contacting Porsche race teams in the Koni/Rolex and American LeMans Series. Three out of the five that I spoke with said Bobby Heart was the man. For this reason, and the discovery that CMS was a supplier to other "trans rebuilders" like PH-II and Renegade, I chose CMS as the supplier for the G50/52.

[Builder]

Some daytime pictures...with light. Too bad you can see my welding. It's UGLY! Never welded before. I will have a follow-up photo of the finished piece soon. It looks pretty good now with good penetration. Yes, Crafty. I said penetration. I reused the bushes by simply cutting off the stock tubes and grinding down the nubs.

Just to test the fit, I flipped the headers around to see if they would fit. I think they will, but the coil packs would have to be moved a little to connect plug wires.

[crafty]

Dont keep welding with it connected to the car - you will ruin the rubber mount. Tack it with a bit of your bird-poo-weld and take it to a shop for finish welding. It may bend a bit but you can straighten it later.

I like the look of the over-the-top headers, but after running my car I agree with Jeff and keep the heat low.

Edited by crafty on Wednesday 31st October 07:47

[Builder]

crafty said:

Dont keep welding with it connected to the car - you will ruin the rubber mount. Tack it with a bit of your bird-poo-weld and take it to a shop for finish welding. It may bend a bit but you can straighten it later.

I like the look of the over-the-top headers, but after running my car I agree with Jeff and keep the heat low.

Agreed, the headers go low. And they fit perfectly low. Someone asked to try that for them. It does look cool, though...like a jet boat.

Bird-poo, ha-ha! Yup, that's what it looks like alright. It took some practice to get that look. Since then, I read a few things, looked at some on-line stuff, and praciced a bunch more. Turns out I just didn't stay in the pool long enough, the wire was too long, the feed was too fast, and I used too much heat. Slowed it all down and got nice, glowing pools. Should finish tonight.

[crafty]

^^^ Ah... you're using MIG - you should be an excellent welder in no time.

Get yourself some bits of scrap and practice:

1. Butt weld on >6mm
2. Fillet weld on >6mm
3. Butt weld on 1.0 - 1.5mm

If you can master those you will be fine.

On the >6mm welds your goal is penetration (oooh - there's that word!!), just do a small bit (an inch or so [surely another penetration reference could fit in here]) then smash it apart to see how much penetration you achieved. With MIG you can get a weld that looks "clean" (no slag or spatter) but have inadequate penetration. (and we all know that we dont like slags when we are aiming for penetration!!)

On the 1.0 - 1.5mm welds, you will learn about heat control as it is very easy to burn through a butt weld in thin sheet. You will also see how much the heat distorts the sheet as you weld. The key with thin sheet is stitch welding.

And if you REALLY want to be an expert - learn to weld alloy with a torch!.

[Builder]

Why don't you just fly your nasty self over here and finish this thing. My neighbor (he's retired) has been telling me about the welding shops he used to own and how good at welding he is. He says he can weld two ali Coke cans together. I am going to try and get him to check my work this weekend and maybe get a lesson.

[crafty]

^^^ Ah... you're using MIG - you should be an excellent welder in no time.

Get yourself some bits of scrap and practice:

1. Butt weld on >6mm
2. Fillet weld on >6mm
3. Butt weld on 1.0 - 1.5mm

If you can master those you will be fine.

On the >6mm welds your goal is penetration (oooh - there's that word!!), just do a small bit (an inch or so [surely another penetration reference could fit in here]) then smash it apart to see how much penetration you achieved. With MIG you can get a weld that looks "clean" (no slag or spatter) but have inadequate penetration. (and we all know that we dont like slags when we are aiming for penetration!!)

Also get some alloy wire and have a go on that.

[crafty]

^^^ Ah... you're using MIG - you should be an excellent welder in no time.
... edited - PH down and it posted twice

[Builder]

I am attempting V2.0 of the trans mount. This welding stuff takes a little practice. I am welding 0.75 OD 0.065 wall chrome-molly tube to 0.75 OD 0.120 wall DOM. The 0.065 tube blows through. If I am going to do any more of this, I will have to get a welder that allows better temperature control than just 60A or 80A.

Instruments going into the "removable" dash...

[kylemrushall]

Why do you US boys like so many dials????

it aint the space shuttle

[Builder]

kylemrushall said:

Why do you US boys like so many dials????

it aint the space shuttle

It ain't? He-he... You know us Yanks. We always want bigger, faster, more.

For me, the need arises from actually being a pilot (Beach, Cessna, Mooney, Piper - not Shuttle). I want to know what's going on at a glance, without pushing a button. These dials display the engine info (I deem necessary) the way I want it, with the look I want. Besides, four of them are really small.

I like the all-in-one setup, too, but prefer the individual instruments. These are Nordskog and most of the units I have selected display min/max data and have alarm outputs. The water temp and oil pressure alarms will be connected to indicators and audible buzzers.

Just like an airplane, there will be a pre-flight checklist to complete before launch. If you have ever been in a small plane, you know about checklists! You check the weather; then the pilot; the aiplane maintenance log books; the outside skins of the plane, the aero surfaces and control systems, propeller, external instrument ports, lights; tires and brakes; engine fluids, ventilation, and belts; electrical systems; windows; cabin condition, seats and restraints; instruments and settings, and visually examine the fuel for water and contaminantes by extracting some from the lowest point on the fuel line. That's all before start-up!

The GTR checklist will obviously not have as many steps, but there will be a writen, systematic approach so as not to do something stupid like leave the oil filler cap sitting on the valve cover or leave the front/rear canopy unlatched.

Hey, if I liked the dash pod, I would see how many dials I could fit in there too!

[kylemrushall]

I suppose with LS power if you did put wings on it it would fly??

[Builder]

Another bit of progress. Won't be long now. Seems I have said that before. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Yes, I know the sump breather doesn't go into the left fuel tank. And, the fuel line doesn't go to the expansion tank. The center seciton is not attached yet.

[San Diego GTR]

Hey Scott,
Here are a few suggestions. Before you permanently secure the center section have the doors and windshield in place to make sure you have the right spacing. Don't ask why I suggest this...

Also, The expansion tank may make it tough to change the belt. Make sure you've got enough room to fit a wrench in there on the tensioner pulley. Otherwise, it looks really clean.
Paul

[Builder]

San Diego GTR said:

Before you permanently secure the center section have the doors and windshield in place to make sure you have the right spacing. Don't ask why I suggest this...

Good suggestion, Paul. I think I understand why.

San Diego GTR said:

Also, The expansion tank may make it tough to change the belt. Make sure you've got enough room to fit a wrench in there on the tensioner pulley. Otherwise, it looks really clean.
Paul

Yup, it's tight. But I think I can get to it. I am going to make a specially shaped wrench handle to make it easier.

Thanks, Paul.

[crafty]

San Diego GTR said:

... Before you permanently secure the center section have the doors and windshield in place to make sure you have the right spacing. Don't ask why I suggest this..

I wish I'd been told that. I lined my body back up with the original holes... had the doors on, but not screen in. Its now just a touch out on the driver's door and I need to grind the dirver's door a tiny bit to fix it.

[Miraz]

Looking good - looks like you are a couple of stages ahead of me at the moment.

On the dash thing - I've got to agree with the other comments, keep the dash as simple as possible - even in the air

Edited by Miraz on Saturday 16th February 04:17

[Builder]

Thanks, Geoff. To each his own on the dash thing. I like info and lots of lights, dials, and read-outs. Speaking of that, what in the world are the switches that come from Ultima?

There are two momentary switches that I want to be clear on before I use them. I think they are flash-to-pass with a red circle and exclamation point in the center and amber hi-beam and windscreen washer with a non-descript blob. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks!

[Builder]

Thanks to Craig in MN for clearing up the brake fluid level indicator/switch and verifying the squirter switch.

By the way, Brad Zeman says a hearty "hello and how'ya doin" to everyone...