Scaffolding poles + old VW bits + Rotary engine....
Discussion
Finished off some last bits of dashboard wiring today (few extra's been added, launch control settings, etc), and tidied all the wiring behind it into neat runs, switched idiot lights out for LED's (which then required ripping them to bits and trying to add diodes and ballast resistors in the case of the alternator charging light....good fun trying to solder them in a space about 8mm x 4mm.....lots of swearing, some burnt fingers.
Anyway, kettle went on, coffee came out, shiny lights:
As promised, new front bonnet, ignore the steel box section, it was just there to hold the front square whilst welding as it's fairly thin aluminium, it's on hinges now and will get a gas ram lifter fitted to secure it, much easier to work on if you break down away from the service area then.
And new floorpan is on, new bulkhead, seat mounts, pedals, etc:
Bet you didn't come back into this thread expecting a startup video did you?!
...good because you're not getting one
Yep, you know that slow progress? Done pretty much nothing on the car for the last two weeks due to running around with family health issues again, to the extent of turning work away, so now I'm skint too, so probably not much getting done next week either
Anyway, less rambling, more shiny car, right?
No pictures yet, but we've decided whilst we're sorting wheels out, to swap the front hubs and make some new custom ones - cue groans at the back over more delays - it's not as bad as it seems though this time, honest.
We're doing it so we can run off-the-shelf alloys at the front too instead of the custom steel wheels, we've found some the right size and fairly tough which are a similar weight to the steels.
So, rather than being even more work, it actually just means we only need to machine up two aluminium hubs, rather than making wheel centres, machining true in the lathe and then jigging and welding wheels up, so - theoretically at least - it shouldn't take any more time than we had to spend making some new wheels anyway.
So the good news is, more shiny machining pictures shortly, the bad news is, the hydraulics and rest of the bits to get it running aren't getting touched until next week, although, there's some good news, in that there's only about a week of work left in those until fire-up time at last!
...good because you're not getting one
Yep, you know that slow progress? Done pretty much nothing on the car for the last two weeks due to running around with family health issues again, to the extent of turning work away, so now I'm skint too, so probably not much getting done next week either
Anyway, less rambling, more shiny car, right?
No pictures yet, but we've decided whilst we're sorting wheels out, to swap the front hubs and make some new custom ones - cue groans at the back over more delays - it's not as bad as it seems though this time, honest.
We're doing it so we can run off-the-shelf alloys at the front too instead of the custom steel wheels, we've found some the right size and fairly tough which are a similar weight to the steels.
So, rather than being even more work, it actually just means we only need to machine up two aluminium hubs, rather than making wheel centres, machining true in the lathe and then jigging and welding wheels up, so - theoretically at least - it shouldn't take any more time than we had to spend making some new wheels anyway.
So the good news is, more shiny machining pictures shortly, the bad news is, the hydraulics and rest of the bits to get it running aren't getting touched until next week, although, there's some good news, in that there's only about a week of work left in those until fire-up time at last!
PhillipM said:
Bet you didn't come back into this thread expecting a startup video did you?!
...good because you're not getting one
Yep, you know that slow progress? Done pretty much nothing on the car for the last two weeks due to running around with family health issues again, to the extent of turning work away, so now I'm skint too, so probably not much getting done next week either
Anyway, less rambling, more shiny car, right?
No pictures yet, but we've decided whilst we're sorting wheels out, to swap the front hubs and make some new custom ones - cue groans at the back over more delays - it's not as bad as it seems though this time, honest.
We're doing it so we can run off-the-shelf alloys at the front too instead of the custom steel wheels, we've found some the right size and fairly tough which are a similar weight to the steels.
So, rather than being even more work, it actually just means we only need to machine up two aluminium hubs, rather than making wheel centres, machining true in the lathe and then jigging and welding wheels up, so - theoretically at least - it shouldn't take any more time than we had to spend making some new wheels anyway.
So the good news is, more shiny machining pictures shortly, the bad news is, the hydraulics and rest of the bits to get it running aren't getting touched until next week, although, there's some good news, in that there's only about a week of work left in those until fire-up time at last!
Phil you should become a Project Manager with a response like that! ...good because you're not getting one
Yep, you know that slow progress? Done pretty much nothing on the car for the last two weeks due to running around with family health issues again, to the extent of turning work away, so now I'm skint too, so probably not much getting done next week either
Anyway, less rambling, more shiny car, right?
No pictures yet, but we've decided whilst we're sorting wheels out, to swap the front hubs and make some new custom ones - cue groans at the back over more delays - it's not as bad as it seems though this time, honest.
We're doing it so we can run off-the-shelf alloys at the front too instead of the custom steel wheels, we've found some the right size and fairly tough which are a similar weight to the steels.
So, rather than being even more work, it actually just means we only need to machine up two aluminium hubs, rather than making wheel centres, machining true in the lathe and then jigging and welding wheels up, so - theoretically at least - it shouldn't take any more time than we had to spend making some new wheels anyway.
So the good news is, more shiny machining pictures shortly, the bad news is, the hydraulics and rest of the bits to get it running aren't getting touched until next week, although, there's some good news, in that there's only about a week of work left in those until fire-up time at last!
Been a while since updates, but we've been through the front suspension machining the worn bits out and sleeving shafts/housings as it had all got a bit tired up front from the abuse again, takes quite some time as the king and link pins are a very close tolerance fit and the fit/finish needs to be perfect on them so that the bearings can take the impact loading - thankfully that's all done now, and tonight the new front hubs got roughed out
Quite a lot of work left on them but I think there should be some shiny machined billet alloy pictures again next week, in case your weekly quota is running low
Quite a lot of work left on them but I think there should be some shiny machined billet alloy pictures again next week, in case your weekly quota is running low
Good news, I'm not dead. Well, not yet anyway. I have broken my radius though which isn't helping progress atm, amongst other issues.
They still need scalloping out, and a bit more lightening work, but this is as far as we can go really with our old lathe and a pillar drill*, need someone with a mill for the rest.
(*Well, it's not, but I'd have to have them balanced after if I rigged up to do them in the pillar drill)
They still need scalloping out, and a bit more lightening work, but this is as far as we can go really with our old lathe and a pillar drill*, need someone with a mill for the rest.
(*Well, it's not, but I'd have to have them balanced after if I rigged up to do them in the pillar drill)
PhillipM said:
Well, we know the engine setup works....
...not because it's running, but because one of the NORC guys has been reading this and done the exact same setup, swine
You snooze you lose ...not because it's running, but because one of the NORC guys has been reading this and done the exact same setup, swine
Any idea on a finishing date for this? Hope the health problems aren't problems anymore...
Getting back on track a bit now, so should be soon, my arm is back usable bar a big lump so I'm finishing the few bits off this week that are stopping us from actually hitting the start button (trigger wheel setup, pull sump and pump for a final clean, etc).
The good news is the front hubs have had a trial run with new bearings and everything fits perfectly, so they're out for anodising ready to be built up.
The upside of the copied one is he can't get it running anything more than a hint of boost yet without issues, so his copying from photo's didn't go quite as well as he hoped
The good news is the front hubs have had a trial run with new bearings and everything fits perfectly, so they're out for anodising ready to be built up.
The upside of the copied one is he can't get it running anything more than a hint of boost yet without issues, so his copying from photo's didn't go quite as well as he hoped
Edited by PhillipM on Saturday 11th July 20:57
Update item #1 - My arm is still buggered. I've had a bking for using it from at least 2 nurses now. Guess I should behave.
Update item #2 - Possibly the last machined piece to be done - which is a good job because the lathe is up for sale (~1m bed length, 200mm over centre, 3ph, if anyone's interested):
The cover/cap for the wheel bearings, bit longer than strictly necessary because it also acts as the guide for the alloys to help with wheel changes, and it seals the hole in the centre of them at the same time to stop them collecting mud and gravel.
And, the most important of them all, item #3 - Bit of promo/workshop mug upgrade, vital performance item, knocks 10 seconds off the 0-StrongEnoughToTarnishTheSpoon time for most good teabags:
Update item #2 - Possibly the last machined piece to be done - which is a good job because the lathe is up for sale (~1m bed length, 200mm over centre, 3ph, if anyone's interested):
The cover/cap for the wheel bearings, bit longer than strictly necessary because it also acts as the guide for the alloys to help with wheel changes, and it seals the hole in the centre of them at the same time to stop them collecting mud and gravel.
And, the most important of them all, item #3 - Bit of promo/workshop mug upgrade, vital performance item, knocks 10 seconds off the 0-StrongEnoughToTarnishTheSpoon time for most good teabags:
Brake bells on the hubs, just need to make some new discs now - the old ones are fine, but, well, they're not shiny...
(No, we're not quite that vain - but the old discs can go with the 2-pot calipers and old hubs as a complete package to sell on then, might cover the materials for the new fronts.)
(No, we're not quite that vain - but the old discs can go with the 2-pot calipers and old hubs as a complete package to sell on then, might cover the materials for the new fronts.)
Edited by PhillipM on Monday 20th July 00:03
Okay, maybe a little vain then - wonky front discs too?
Silly question
(In case you're wondering, we have some small 4 pots - freebies as they need a complete rebuild, but that doesn't bother me - to replace the 2-pot fronts, not for power reasons, but the 2-pots have a very small pad, so with another 100bhp I thought we'd shift up to a bit more area to control the heat at the interface/pad surface for wear reasons)
Silly question
(In case you're wondering, we have some small 4 pots - freebies as they need a complete rebuild, but that doesn't bother me - to replace the 2-pot fronts, not for power reasons, but the 2-pots have a very small pad, so with another 100bhp I thought we'd shift up to a bit more area to control the heat at the interface/pad surface for wear reasons)
Discs, just off for a quick dip at the platers to stop any corrosion between mounting surfaces (as it'd throw the disc off from running true), and then the front goes back together and outside to see how she looks in some sunshine!
Look quite large in the pictures but once they have a 1.5mm chamfer on the inside and outside they look a bit better :P
Look quite large in the pictures but once they have a 1.5mm chamfer on the inside and outside they look a bit better :P
This ain't engineering, this is Bodgit 'n' Scarper Industries
I'm away for a week or two, but once I get back everything apart from a mount for the front calipers is done really, so a couple of hours to fit those, sort out some new hoses, and from now on in it's just bolting parts on, plugging in the loom, and making sure everything is greased and threadlocked, all the making stuff is done.
I'm away for a week or two, but once I get back everything apart from a mount for the front calipers is done really, so a couple of hours to fit those, sort out some new hoses, and from now on in it's just bolting parts on, plugging in the loom, and making sure everything is greased and threadlocked, all the making stuff is done.
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