Building "Thor"

[Storer]

No Sound said:

Give the man a break, a lot of thinking and planning to do which you will not see so just give it some time.

Thanks for the comment Andy. I have not read the threads mentioned (and life is to short to bother) but I assume they did not produce an end result that the forum readers were happy with!

Information gathering is what my spare time is currently spent doing as well as some reorganisation of my workshop. The photo only shows half of it and I am currently improving the "dirty" part where the metal bashing will be done.

Tomorrow I am off to Silverstone to the Bentley Drivers Club race meeting armed with my camera and notebook. What I am trying to build will require a lot of old car parts that may not be designed to fit together. If I do something like this it is done in a way that the end result is a success (at least in my eyes) much as any business activity.

Another problem is that this is a busy time of the year for one of the businesses I own. Things will slack off in about a months time so progress should pick up from there.

Please remember that I do these things for fun. If it starts to feel like "work" then I will take time off. I like to enjoy life and "work" has to be enjoyable too. I do something different every day and a lot is not what most would call work.

I think I am lucky, but my friends tell me you make your own luck........


Paul

[Storer]

Bit more wine this evening.

No purchases, but now wondering if I should buy a 1950's Jaguar XK to fit the engine in............ Lengthen the chassis and bonnet plus a bit of strengthening / up-rating plus holes in the wings for the exhausts.............

Maybe not
....................................................................................................................................................................................................... but I have two engines!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe the next build.


Paul

BTW. Bit busy doing housekeeping and work so progress will be a bit slow for the next few weeks. Sorry.

[Storer]

I could put the earlier engine in this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nuffield-1959-Universal-...


After all they built the engine originally!

In the agricultural world a tractor of that power and torque would be rubber tracked and weigh 24 tonnes.......... not 4 tonnes and two skinny rear driven tyres.


Paul

[Storer]

shoestring7 said:

That's grim. Surely the Bob Peterson car is the sort of thing you're trying to achieve?

http://www.bobpetersenengineering.co.uk/images/IMG...

SS7

You are right.

The Petersen Supercharged Road Racer is as close as I have seen so far but without the "side pods" and with straight pipes for show but with a silencer system if I want to drive to Le Mans..,,

Paul

[Storer]

I would hate to risk someone else's life testing something I have built.......... and I suspect your offer will not be my last!!!

The picture upload facility wasn't working when I posted my last post so here is a picture.




I love the look of this but not for this engine....



I managed a bit more work on my "dirty" workshop today so things are moving (slowly).


Paul

[Storer]

No Sound said:

I like this, i hope your metal working skills are up to scratch, no Tig but lots of rivets. Best of luck Andy

Never tried sheet metal bodywork before so I can see a steep learning curve. I think I need a course.

There are lots of (pop) rivets in an Ultima. So holes in a (reasonably) straight line, evenly spaced I have some experience of and a drawer full of cleco pins. I have compressed air so a riveter is doable. I also know a vintage car restorer who can point me in the right direction.

If all else fails and my attempts look carp then I will pay someone to do it for me!!!!!!



However, I do hope to be able to master the art myself.


Paul

[Storer]

Sorry for the lack of progress. I want to make a start but other business and domestic jobs currently dominate my time.

I have managed to break the back of sorting my "dirty" workshop but still a few issues to sort to enable me to make good quality steel fabrications.

I am still investigating other aero/tank engine cars to see if there are many "do's" and, more importantly, "don'ts".

My life tends to be weather orientated and I like to spend most of my time outside when it is pleasant to do so, therefore it is likely that progress will be greater in the colder months.

Just be patient.

Paul

[Storer]

I have managed to spend a few hours on Thor today. Well not Thor but the dollies and a lifting frame for the engines.

I found that to finalise the engine mount on the dollies I needed to lift the engines off their wooden crates. The safest way to do this is to use the lifting points built onto the engine. I am having to fabricate a frame that will utilise my forklift and 3 points on the engines using chains.

A trip to one of my suppliers is required tomorrow to collect some chain, hooks, "D" shackles and eye bolts. Too wet for the other things I need to get done before the Autumn kicks in.

I will take some pictures and post soon.

Another little side track/delay is, I have decided I need a good, flat welding bench. I am awaiting delivery of a 2m x 1m x 30mm plate and the box section for the legs/frame.

Goodwood at the end of the week so nothing will happen as I hope to enjoy a few days R&R.


Paul

[Storer]

Tried to load some pics tonight but it is not working at the PistonHeads end for some reason.

Tomorrow, if it is fixed.


Paul

[Storer]

Pictures as promised.

The crane for the engine - remember, the engine weighs 650kgs



Rolls Royce kindly designed in some quick fit engine lift points!



And this is the started dolly. I need to offer up the engine to get the mounts in the right place - then fully welded - tacked at the moment - hopefully tomorrow.



All of these items will get painted when I have completed them and can do them all in one go.


Paul

[Storer]

Engine off the crane and on the finished stand (yet to be painted).



The wood at the back is the MOD engine crate. Probably 50 to 70 years old.


Just got to build the second one now!


Paul

[Storer]

andygtt said:

How long before we find out what this beats will look like :-)

Andy

This is not a project with a timescale. It will progress when I have time and manage to source the parts needed. I will probably not use much of what came with the engines so it will be back up on ebay when I know I won't need it.

The steel for my new welding table will arrive tomorrow (a 2m x 1m x 30mm plate is not off the shelf at our local steel stockholder). Wonder what it will weigh????

I will also need to spend some time fixing the rear clip on my Ultima when I take it off the road for the winter. Also have a second front clip to finish at the same time.

There are also holidays, shooting a day a week and last, but not least, a bit of work/business to keep the funds flowing.


Paul

[Storer]

Huff said:

O/T from 'Thor - which I am all in favour of! - but..:



That's just superb. Lots of space for a big V8 under that bonnet, regardless of what the TUV may suggested...

I have to say I quite like that.

With a Meteor engine it would be a real handful and lord knows how the Land Rover transfer box and gearbox would cope with 1500ftlbs.

Maybe a Range Rover 2 door with that amount of bonnet stretch for the second engine..........


Paul

[Storer]

Please don't expect CAD drawings and computer generated images of my project. I tend to design as I go with the old adage of "if it looks right it is right".

This may not be considered "best practice" and if I need to get something made by a specialist I can use pencil and paper.

On the other hand CAD could be another challenge to learn!!! I usually find that if I am determined to do something I can usually master it. I usually use a specialist if I haven't got the tools or I can't be bothered/haven't got the time.

Paul

[Storer]

Why can't companies/people do what they say they will??

My welding table 30mm plate has not arrived and is currently touring the country on it's way from Northampton. It is about a 1.5 hour journey by lorry (at the speed limits) but delivery is taking over a week!!! I suspect it is on the bottom of the lorry and the last drop never happens due to driving hours. Pissed off is an under statement. It is not cheap at £368 + VAT for one flat plate so they could at least deliver on time!

I will construct the legs/frame tomorrow and the top can be added when it arrives. Sunday at Silverstone so not a wasted weekend.


Paul

[Storer]

Storer said:

Andy

This is not a project with a timescale. It will progress when I have time and manage to source the parts needed. I will probably not use much of what came with the engines so it will be back up on ebay when I know I won't need it.

The steel for my new welding table will arrive tomorrow (a 2m x 1m x 30mm plate is not off the shelf at our local steel stockholder). Wonder what it will weigh??

I will also need to spend some time fixing the rear clip on my Ultima when I take it off the road for the winter. Also have a second front clip to finish at the same time.

There are also holidays, shooting a day a week and last, but not least, a bit of work/business to keep the funds flowing.


Paul

Checked the weight and the plate will weigh 471kgs so about half a ton of table when finished!!!
Doubt I will tip it over. Good job I have a forklift.

Paul

[Storer]

Plate arrived late this afternoon so over the next few days the second dolly should be constructed followed by a mass painting session. Took 12 days for the plate to arrive which was probably enough time to dig up the ore, smelt it, roll, cut and deliver so should be nice and fresh.............

Sunday I ended up at the Kop Hill Hillclimb (the Ultima running in the Silverstone Britcar 1000 blew it's engine in practice/qualifying) and had a chance to see the Napier Railton run up the hill as well as a chat with the driver.

It was designed to run quietly for Brooklands in the day (they were even worried about noise in the 20's/30's) so was very disappointing in sound terms but it was great to see it run. 24lit, 500hp, 1200ftlbs and 2000kgs. Hopefully I can better all of those figures and make lots more noise.


Paul

[Storer]

chuntington101 said:

Mark Benson said:

I seem to remember he had trouble finding a transmission that could cope with the torque, last time I saw it he was using a double decker bus 'box as it was the only thing he could find with a torque converter sturdy enough (and even then he thought it was borderline).

Along with the 'Scratch Built Car' thread, this is one of the most interesting projects on PH at the moment. Good luck!

No he is using a jag box! He is using a x3 stepper box from a truck to increase the output shaft speed by 3 and thus devide the torque by 3. The problem he then had was finding a torque convertor with a high enough stall as the engine sat at say 1000rpm idel would have a output shaft speed of 3000rpm.

Sorry I didn't spot this earlier but the Meteor will tick over at below 500rpm even down to 300rpm so not the issue it seems with the box.

Not sure I will go down the x3 stepper box as I don't plan more than 100mph (in a 1930's chassis!!!!) so x2 would be OK. Charlie want's to do 200 in his Rover
- knutter....... (sorry Charlie!) We will have to try to top the double ton at the same time but I will use the Ultima.


Paul

[Storer]

So, very little progress as the acquisition process is a case of search, wait, search again, more waiting, etc. Hopefully in a couple of weeks time I will be able to reveal a few purchases that will allow the build to progress.

I have, however, been thinking further and I came across a picture of a blue car that might fit the bill.



I know the pic is b&w but I think you can imagine what it looks like in the paint.

Not planning an exact replica, rather an inspired vision. I still want 2 seats and I know he never had a passenger when he topped 250mph. Speed is still not the aim but you have to admit it would look cool on the inside lane of the M1 or terrifying in the outside lane coming up behind you!!


Paul


BTW. I can probably find a period suit too.

[Storer]

I would hope to achieve a much lower kerb weight than the 3.5 tonnes but can't match the 1450hp despite the larger engine displacement.

At 25ft long it would certainly have street presence. My large car trailer is only 16ft long so I would just have to drive it to any event/venue!!!!


Paul

Edited by Storer on Wednesday 9th October 22:42