BMW 120d Race Car

Author
Discussion

bulldog5046

1,495 posts

178 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
rabailey said:
really hard to see in the video and i'm no engine expert but i beleive you are only supposed to see the diagonal honing marks not vertical marks which will have probably been caused by the piston rings...

rabailey

312 posts

150 months

Saturday 19th May 2012
quotequote all
I know the video isn't good, the quality when you are doing it seems better.

But, yes you are right you should normally see more of the diagonal "cross hatch" pattern from the honing.

IanUAE

Original Poster:

2,930 posts

164 months

Wednesday 23rd May 2012
quotequote all
Latest update from the team:

Steering column removed and components required for the power steering cooler identified
Replaced the worn suspension bolts in rear suspension
Started detailed inspection of wiring loom
Identify wiring requirement for de-mister fans
Identify new wiring requirement for lights and HIDS
Measure up for new motorsport spec radiator
Make buck and molds for bonnet NACA duct and instrument cluster
Make new bonnet NACA duct in carbon fibre (190g and you can stand on it!)

Pics to follow when I can download the images I have been sent by the team.

rabailey

312 posts

150 months

Thursday 24th May 2012
quotequote all
Here you go Ian.

Recent parts manufacture for the SVDP beamer.



A recent locking pin “incident” resulted in the bonnet flipping back going down the pit lane. As a result some GRP work was required. As part of this one of the jobs that also needed doing on the bonnet was the NACA scoop, at the moment there is a horrid ABS plastic unit bolted with nutserts to the bonnet and sitting proud.

Well I thought I could do a lot better, so here we go.

This is the original scoop, it sits about 10mm proud at the front, hardly the streamlined and aerodynamic venturie it is supposed to be.




First step is to make a wooden mould (or buck) cover with bondo, multiple coats of paint, release wax and release agent.



Then lay on the carbon fibre. I used 200g 2-2 twil, four layers on the main part but only two on the flange to give the flange some flex to contour the bonnet properly.




Did I mention mould release ! hmm, yes I did use lots. I think the sides were too vertical for good part release, never mind.



A quick clean up (more finishing work still to do) and here we are.



Not a bad finish.



Some balsa cross bracing on the back side.
The balsa increases the effective thickness of the carbon fiber with very minimal weight.



190g and its strong enough to stand on !



All I've got to do now is sand it, lacquer it and then fit it into the bonnet.

Cheers,
Richard B.

IanUAE

Original Poster:

2,930 posts

164 months

Thursday 24th May 2012
quotequote all
bow

rabailey

312 posts

150 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
Hi All,

We have got the new team site up and running, please take a minute to click and have a look.
Lots of hits make the sponsorts happy !

SVDP Racing


p.s. Got the carbon scoop fitted.


V8mate

45,899 posts

189 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
And you'll be marketing these CF bonnet scoops now? whistle

gabbo

77 posts

143 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
looks great i had 120D with a modified ECU from Rica

http://www.rica-uk.com/viewcar.aspx?vehicle=217

Made a huge difference to it and great fun smile

shirt

22,564 posts

201 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
we've actually had a bit of joy with the ECU and car in general.

at the 24H dubai we had some very valuable assistance from Cor Euser's team. one of their techs was a genius on the control/diagnostic side, runs a tuning business in the netherlands and is somewhat handy behind the wheel of his westfield cup racer.

anyway, to cut a long story short we have cut a deal with this chap, offering him a seat in the 24H barcelona in exchange for final prep. on the car and sorting the ECU and mapping issues.

great news all round, albeit lots of work to do our side before shipping the first week in july. i'm sure the new website will have updates coming thick n fast.

IanUAE

Original Poster:

2,930 posts

164 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
The support team for Barcelona 24hr is being put together. One of the team members who helped out at the BritCar 24hr has agreed to help us out again. The fact that he has just completed his degree in MotorSport Engineering (he graduated with a 1st!) means that he will be a valuable asset to the team and maybe he knows more than us in some areas....

Not Ideal

2,899 posts

188 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
Looks great!

Quick question - do you not need better headlights for 24hr race..?? Standard non-xenon BMW jobs don't look much up to the the task!

IanUAE

Original Poster:

2,930 posts

164 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
We will be fitting 4 HID units to assist the BMW lights. And anyway sometimes it is better to keep the drivers in the dark.....

rabailey

312 posts

150 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
quotequote all
Not Ideal said:
Looks great!

Quick question - do you not need better headlights for 24hr race..?? Standard non-xenon BMW jobs don't look much up to the the task!
The bulbs have been upgraded and we also have two lights behind the grill (grill comes out at night) and there are two smaller flood lights to light up the apex in corners.
If you have a look you can just see them.


rabailey

312 posts

150 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
More carbon fibre work.


From this




To this



More info on the team site, including a how to here.
http://svdp-racing.co.uk/wp/?p=158

PoleDriver

28,637 posts

194 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
I've been investigating carbon fibre lately and have just looked at you link. You put the weave straight into the mould/ Do you not coat the mould with resin first?

wackojacko

8,581 posts

190 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
Great carbon work I'll be buying a carbon kit from CarbonMods.

Going to start making things out of Carbon for no reason hehe

rabailey

312 posts

150 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
quotequote all
PoleDriver said:
I've been investigating carbon fibre lately and have just looked at you link. You put the weave straight into the mould/ Do you not coat the mould with resin first?
I did coat the mould with resin first.
It is much better to coat the mould (carefully to avoid bubbles), then lay in the fabric and then wet through.



wackojacko said:
Great carbon work I'll be buying a carbon kit from CarbonMods.
Going to start making things out of Carbon for no reason hehe
I got my stuff from easy composites which is the same company.
If you are just starting out get the pro finish which is much easier to work with.

rabailey

312 posts

150 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
quotequote all
Hi Guys,

One of the jobs on list for the BMW was to repair some damage to the front bumper.

This is what was there.


A bit of time with this an airless plastic welder.


A bit of this.


Some of this.


And we got this.



More how to on plastic welding, including photos on the team site.
http://svdp-racing.co.uk/wp/


Cheers,
Richard B.

rabailey

312 posts

150 months

Saturday 23rd June 2012
quotequote all
Hi Guys,

Busy day in team HQ, got the lump back in and the front end on.

From


To


This is how
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wrac8Fzn20#ws]BMW ...

As alway more on the team site.
http://svdp-racing.co.uk/wp/?p=548

Hope you like it, if not let the abuse fly.

p.s. If anybody wants to know I used GAWKER on my mac with a webcam, very simple.

Cheers,
Richard B.

IanUAE

Original Poster:

2,930 posts

164 months

Saturday 23rd June 2012
quotequote all
Today we fitted the gearbox and then promptly removed as the selector fork hadn't been fitted and is belieived to be at the garage who serviced the box. Still good practice...... We will try again tomorrow night.

The drive shafts where re-installed only to find out that one of the bolts holding a toe link on has the wrong thread.

The 4 dials and head lights where connected up and work.