Got a lot done, so much that this list is probably lacking:
Received the replacement ECU Interface module and the entire dash system now works - almost. Engine parameters now read(!), though of course some have to wait until after the engine's started (more on that in a moment.) While parameters such as engine coolant and air temperature read and update correctly, throttle position is forever frozen at "26." I know it's working because the Hondata KManager app sees it just fine, yet the dash says "26" no matter what; gotta be an ECU Interface module software bug. Is it a big deal that throttle position doesn't work? Well, no, but it is annoying that even with everything now correct, the product still isn't 100%. I really have my figures crossed that the other parameters - like engine rpm - read when the engine's started!
Finally pressure-tested the cooling system, and my coolant header tank had (cough) six leaks; some of them were virtually invisible, with the soapy water bubbling up out of seemingly-perfect welds, but it's all good now. Also moved the coolant bleed fitting on the top of the radiator to better clear the nose. Replaced all the remaining temporary bolts with AN bolts with nyloc nuts. Cleaned up the last of the loose harness wires around the ECU. Wired up and tested the radiator fan, adding wires to the thermal switch and ECU. This way the fan can be turned on with a switch on the dash, via the ECU, or via the thermal switch. Welding on a muffler support bracket.
So, where is all this heading? Well, the list of things to do before starting the engine for real is getting very short. The goal is to have the car at the dyno shop the week of 20 September, which I'm taking off, so it's really happening. Things left to do over the next two weekends are: install rebuilt rear brake calipers, add remote brake master cylinders, fill and bleed the rear brakes, fill the coolant system, start the engine in order to set the clutch-stop (which can only be done with the engine running.) Check that the dash correctly reads all engine parameters correctly and adjust if possible. Let the engine warm up - for the first time - nervously watching for leaks. It appears there'll be extra time left over, so as many rubber-lined clamps will be added to keep everything away from sharp edges. There's also tying off the various lighting wires, making sure the ends are taped up so there's no sparks.
In other news, I helped my buddy, Ron, with his genuine 1961 Series 1 Lotus Seven. It was a strange feeling welding a frame that Colin himself designed and perhaps even helped with, back in the early days before Lotus got busy. Ron said that his car very likely has a sub-one liter engine, packing about 45 hp on a good day (really.) He noted with some mirth that a modern-day 1-liter sportbike engine puts out roughly four times that. The car had been stored in a garage in the early 1970's - sitting for about 38 years. Ron installed a new battery, changed the oil, dropped a hose in a can of fresh gas, and cranked it just to see what would happen - and it started! He planned a first drive today but I haven't heard how that went.
Then there's the small matter of how to get the car to the dyno shop. I can borrow Ron's trailer, but it needs work in order to fit Midlana onto it (Midlana's quite a bit wider.) There's renting a larger trailer, versus the time spent reworking Ron's trailer to work. We'll see how much time's available.
For some reason I had a mental block on wiring up the oil temperature and pressure sensors. Don't know why, since the issues creating all the angst are resolved. Today it was like having pushed off the yucky vegetables until last. Anyhow, some time back the sensors were calibrated, so with the resistance values on-hand the scalings were entered into the dash. Then there was snaking the new wires through the existing harness, a reminder than it isn't done until it's done. The wiring behind the dash had to be changed, too, adding the additional inputs I'd failed to plan for.
Race Technology references sensor readings to 5 V, and trouble starts when using cheap sensors like the ones used with pointer gauges. The trouble is that the cheap sensors tend to have very low resistance at one end of their scale. Race Tech provides a +5V voltage reference for the sensors, but they conveniently assume users will use the expensive sensors that have higher resistance (that they just happen to sell.) For that reason they used a weenie voltage reference capable of only outputting 50 ma (0.05 amp) and unfortunately, using just one low-resistance sensor means it may draw 50 ma on its own, leaving nothing for additional sensors. Soooo, higher power precision voltage references were going to be added, capable of supplying 150 ma apiece, but I forgot I'd need perf board or circuit board material. Whining aside, that'll be picked up this week, the reference wired in, and the issues will be put to rest.
Great news on the ECU front. Joe of Locash Racing very generously tested my Hondata ECU and found that indeed, the engine has to be running for MAP to read. He said A/F read fine, too, but only after the engine's been running for about 45 seconds. In the 30 seconds I've run the engine, A/F has always been frozen, so that explains that. Knowing the ECU is good is a HUGE step forward mentally (and financially.) I can now move forward knowing that when something doesn't work, it's either wiring or a bad sensor, not the ECU.
There's developments regarding the Race Technology ECU/Dash Interface. Turns out that RT makes exactly two units: a generic one that works with virtually every ECU out there, and another to work with the one ECU on the planet that's different - guess which one that is? The Hondata/Honda ECU's datalog output isn't true RS-232, so RT made a unit just for this ECU. Unfortunately they apparently never told their U.S. rep, so when my order came in, it was handled the same as virtually all orders, and a generic interface module was programmed for my ECU type. So with that cleared up, the correct unit should be here by the end of next week, and hopefully by then a known-good ECU will also be on-hand.
Interestingly, someone with this exact same problem posted on the RT forum about a year ago. Unfortunately, people complain a lot easier than they offer solutions or complements; once they have their answer they don't bother to post the solution. I'm trying to do better, posting the problem along with the solution, maybe saving someone some time in the future.
The ECU has been shipped to a guy who specializes in KPro ECUs. He'll check out the ECU completely to at least get me to a known baseline. As it is, it's hard to know if it's the ECU, me, the dash, or a combination. As said before, air/fuel ratio is always stuck, the O2 heater never comes on, and MAP is stuck. It's possible that I have to run the engine, or run it for a while, to see if these issues resolve themselves. Asking about it on the Hondata forum was frustrating due to the circular reasoning and went something like this:
Me: What's MAP read when the engine's off?
Forum: What does it read when it's running?
Me: I don't know, I can't run the engine now, but it appears stuck. I'm going to send it to someone.
Forum: You haven't even run the engine and you're saying it's bad. Try it in a known-good car.
Me: I'd love to but don't know anyone with one. The reason I think it's bad is because no one's answered my question.
Forum: It doesn't read until the engine's running, don't trust the readings until it's running.
So I still don't have an answer. Turn on the key, see what it says, how hard is that? Since no one can do that... okay, I'll figure it out on my own, so, surprise, it's going out to be tested.
This brings us to the ECU Interface module between the ECU and dash. As mentioned, data is coming out of the ECU at the proper baud rate, so that's not the problem. The Race Technology rep contacted me today and it's down to these possibilities: 1. The Interface module expects different data then what's coming from the ECU, 2. It needs some handshaking it isn't getting, or 3. It's broken. I don't think it's #2 because it's supposed to "just work" without any outside help. Assuming it's not broken, that leaves #1, so looking on the Hondata site, a list was found of the data that's sent out the datalogging port. Comparing it to what the Race Tech Interface module outputs shows some interesting differences. The Hondata ECU outputs 15 engine parameters, yet the Race Tech Interface outputs only nine parameters... hmmm, what's with that? So either the Race Tech Interface is tossing out parameters it thinks I don't want, or it's rejecting the entire packet because it thinks it's the wrong length, which, given that nothing's coming out, seems to be the problem. Awaiting a reply from Race Tech in England...
Heading into the warmest few weeks of the year - very unpleasant to be in the garage. Good news bad news. The good news is that the problem's been isolated as for why ECU data's not appearing on the dash; the bad news being that it appears to be the ECU Interface module. With it hooked up per the manual and feeding the output directly into a PC - nothing. Took it apart and put the scope on it, which showed data's coming in on the right pin, the board's powered up, but nothing's coming out. Oddly, it reflashed okay so it's at least somewhat functional. Waiting to hear from the U.S. rep.
Regarding how the dash seemed to only take a portion of its configuration was answered (sort of) by Race Technology, that until the value changes the first time, the dash won't display it or the title. In other depressing electronics news, there's growing suspicion that the used engine computer I bought has problems. Ever since Day 1, Air/Fuel has always been frozen, even after checking and rechecking the wiring - it's as if the ECU's monitoring circuit is bad. Connecting everything up recently shows that MAP is stuck reading -28.9" all the time regardless what voltage is fed into the ECU. Thoroughly checking out the wiring shows no problems... crap.
Left to ponder the above, attention turned to the short list of stuff left to do. Fabricated the spacers for the tops of the front uprights. mounted the steering rack, installed the various C-clips on the spherical bearings, put in the keepers for the bottom shock mounts. There's still the hi/low boost switch and scaling the oil temp and pressure sensors, but it's just too warm.
So I get an e-mail out of the blue... from the U.S. Race Technology rep. He said that someone in Australia told him he had an unhappy customer... me
Since this is the same rep I bought the units from originally, calling him was on the list of things to do this week; I just hadn't gotten around to it due to work being nuts. So he and I had a very constructive conversation and he provided great support. So all three parts of the puzzle will have the latest code flashed into them, then we'll try again. Normally I'd have flashed the lasted code into them first thing, but the manual made a big deal about not doing that unless instructed... well, I got instructed. If something ends up being seriously wrong with anything, he said he's swap it out. That's good support, so I'm hoping for the best.
Before his call I'd been scanning their Knowledge Base, printing out all the pertinent documents, so we'll see how it goes.
Worked all day to get the Race Technology flat-dash talking to the data-logger and ECU, and - fail. The dash configuration doesn't get applied about 70% of the time the panel's powered-up. It's not that it didn't get into the unit, because if it's turned on and off a few times, sometimes it's fine, but turn it off and back on again, it's configured differently. Even worse, sometimes it'll bring up only part of the new configuration.
In addition, the dash isn't reading anything from the ECU, even though the quirky and vague instructions have been read and reread. Data is indeed coming out of the Hondata-modified ECU at the right baud rate, but even with the correct boxes checked in the configuration setup, it's a no-go. I'll read through their FAQ after I cool off, as different document's say different things. It's like a treasure hunt, piecing together what should be one coherent document, yet it's seemingly scattered all about.... Not real happy right now, downright grumpy in fact. I really hope the problem is with me.
It's amazing how long it takes to bolt on suspension: checking and finding the correct grip length of each bolt, making rod-end spacers (the real time-sink), setting the rod-ends at the correct depth in each arm, mocking it up to double-check camber, then tightening everything down - with Nyloc nuts that take a while to tighten down. The good news is that the suspension's all in! And, the rear brake rotors did in fact space the wheels out to where they were supposed to be.
Various bolts are on order, including the ones for the steering rack. Technically, Midlana could be sat down on her wheels. However, as much of a milestone that would be, I'm going to hold off since there's still a number of things to do - lots of odds and ends in the electrical system. Having it up at "working height" is nice. Also, it's good to be able to crawl under the car, so, no video of me jumping and down on the suspension just yet.
Progress contines, albeit at what feels like a glacial pace. Mentally, the project's at something of a tipping point. All the big hard stuff is done, and many of the little bits are done too, so larger sub-assemblies are starting to come together.
Today the right side rear suspension was completed, and the axles were installed (they still fit!) What's frustrating right now is whenever there's a sense of progress, it gets humbled by seeing what's still left to do. For example, the rear suspension's in, but I noted that the oil pressure and temperature sensors have yet to be interfaced to the ECU... which hasn't yet been interfaced to the dash either, and on and on. So while progress is happening, there's still many things on the pile.
Found out today that the rear uprights are in a slightly different location from where I designed them to be. Not off by enough to warrant doing it all over again (good!) but it's very annoying that it happens at all. I triple-check everything suspension-related and this sort of thing really bugs me. It's not a big deal to the design, but it's a real drag mentally - the feeling that something that was thought finished and correct might be wrong.
That aside, part of the reason for going with 275mm rear tires was to confirm they do indeed fit, so that when builders ask how large a tire will fit, well, now we know. There's about 3/4" clearance between the tire and chassis which is barely enough... though... hey... I just realized something... the brake rotors aren't installed. They add about 1/4" offset, which helps correct the above-mentioned unexplained goof... somewhat.
Speaking of the axles; with them in-place, it was possible to finally test the clutch effort and feel. It's not as short a throw as expected, and pedal pressure's pretty firm, but I'll manage. Oh, and the picture with the tire in it, yes, it's spinning, but no, the engine's not turning it, I just gave it a whirl before snapping the shot ;)
Every once in a while there's a company that really impresses me. Not with just their products, but the care and support that comes after the sale. One such company is K-tuned.com. I've bought a number of their products in order to speed the integration of the Honda K-series drivetrain into Midlana and all of them have worked great. Everything has arrived promptly, everything's very nicely finished, yet when I do some bonehead thing, that's when the real test happens. Mike is always there to help out. Case in point is this cool K24 / RBC Upper Coolant Housing. Yes, I could make it myself, but there's always a tradeoff between time, money, and quality of the end result, never mind the perceived pressure to "hurry up and get Midlana done." However, weeks after receiving this, I disassembled the unit for no good reason other than curiosity and managed to tear an O-ring. I called up Mike and asked what they cost and he said, don't worry about it, he'd send me a few. That's good customer support, that's how to run a business. I wish Mike and K-tuned all the best.
Things are moving along and the weekend sure passed quickly: coolant bleed lines and the rest of the aluminum coolant lines are in, finishing the cooling system... pending replacing the O-ring I destroyed, vacuum lines are run, wired the new injectors, added zip-ties here and there. For a change of pace, decided to see what a wheel and tire look like on the car, but doing that took the entire day, making the bottom pivot shaft and rod-end spacers. It was hard to get a decent picture of how the wheel and tire look on the car ("huge" is the term), given that's it's in a cramped garage. I've been reminded that it's about time for some whole-car pictures, which will be taken after I have at least the right side wheels and tires on it. Still left to do is wire the boost controller, switch, and clean up the harness right at the ECU.
Cleaned up the wire harness, a lot. The harness won't be formally covered and wrapped until after the car's tuned. It's to make sure every wire's in-place before "zipping it up." Made a vacuum block, mounting it to the lid of the ECU, along with the boost controller. Due to the heat of the day, quite early and went to visit the granddaughter.
Added the exhaust and messed about with the cooling and vacuum lines. Still need a few odds and ends but the list is getting short: fabricate vacuum block, add boost controller, add last coolant tubes, and possibly clean up electrical harness around the engine. The harness work is just shortening wires so that's easy. There's still getting the engine computer to talk to the dash, thought that's supposed to "just work." The oil pressure and temperature sensors are in but getting them interfaced and scaled will take some fiddling. It's tempting to push it off but it would be good to have oil pressure on the dash during tuning. As far as everything else goes, there's adding the suspension pivot tubes to the bottom of the rear uprights, doing a rough alignment... and that's about it!
More parts of the puzzle in place: added the coolant plumbing bits for the turbo, modified one shifter cable, and received the shorter new one, so the shifter's officially done. Regarding the coolant system, since there will be coolant bleeds in all the high points in the system, it's possible a swirl pot isn't needed. Might try running without and see how it does... I'm always for simpler, lighter, cheaper, and being lazy, it's too tempting to pass up.
Talked with another expert on Honda cooling systems and I'm more confused than before, half the experts say it goes one way, and half the other, lol. Looking at how the system's oriented, it sure looks like the thermostat gates returning coolant into the engine. If the thermostat housing is removed, the eye (center) of the water pump impeller is visible. Being a centrifugal pump, they draw water into the center and accelerate it tangentially outward (just like a turbocharger.) Because of that, it'll be plumbed the way that seems correct, then run to confirm it's right (somewhat related to being lazy, again... ;)
Got the tires mounted and balanced, and boy are the rear ones big! Even though I went into this knowing what I was getting, seeing the tires in person is enlightening. The weight of this tire and wheel equals the total unsprung weight on one corner of Kimini. Than again, those wheels were very, um, delicate. These wheels are much tougher, cost half as much, and weigh probably twice as much, but I won't cringe when hitting a pothole.
Going with Toyo RA1 tires. Wheels will be dropped off tomorrow. Also taking in the various cooling system bits so the right AN parts can be fit up, part of plumbing in the turbo to the rest of the cooling system.
In other news, I think I goofed on the swirl tank placement. I can't think of any reason why it needs to go up front. It seems like it could go at the other end of the same tube it's connected to now, back in the engine compartment...
Welded on the blow-off valve flange and intake air temperature sensor pad. The coolant lines to and from the turbo have been planned out. The loose end right now is finding a place to tap into the engine coolant as high as possible to serve as a bleed back to the header tank. Not sure how that'll turn out.
Connected the engine harness back up, but there's a lot of wires that need to be shortened. It's very tempting to take care of that now before the dyno session.
Will be ordering new shifter cables this week; they're just too critical to proper operation to have "slightly wrong." Grrr.
And finally, the search for the first set of tires has begun. As explained in the forum, I'm tending toward sticky ones since however it handles will be recorded for all time in the book; no point using rock-hard tires and have lousy handling. There'll eventually be a set of track wheels and tires, but for now there's only one, hence the search for stickier tires than might be used on the street. Remember, at half the weight of "normal" cars, there'll be an issue getting enough heat into them, which sticky compound helps solve.
The current list of possibilities is: Dunlop Z1 Star Spec (200 TWR), Hankook RS2 (150 TWR), Toyo Proxes R1R (140 TWR), Nitto NT-01 (100 TWR), Toyo RA1 (100 TWR), Hankook Ventus Z214 (40 TWR), and BFG R1 (40 TWR). I'd have gone with V710s but rumor has it that Kumho's having logistics problems, no one has the sizes I want in stock. While Yoko A048s are available, their sizes are too limited.
As said before, the worst hit to motivation is having to do something over. It's also a great reminder how important it is to have everything in-place before routing cables. Case in point, the shifter cables. If you've been keeping up on the diaries, you know the shifter has been done for about a year. However, only recently was the fuel tank installed and the cables run again. Surprise, the tank and fuel level sensor make the cables take a more circuitous path, necessitating tighter bends - too tight. After staring at it for a while it was decided it had to be fixed, altering the mount at the transmission end to alleviate the stressed cables, so that was done.
Moved about half an inch, it greatly reduced the stress, but now makes the cables too long. One of two things has to happen: alter the bracket again to space the threaded collars away from the transmission (reintroducing the tight bend radius,) or buy shorter cables (the existing cables can't be modified.) Sigh...
In other news, took the kids to the fair. One vendor I'd heard about but never seen was this one, selling two outrageous produces: Deep-fried-Butter, and Chocolate-Covered Bacon - yes, you read that right. Sure enough, there they were, enthusiastically thumbing their nose at cardiac arrest. It's pretty funny - in a rather fatalistic human sort of way - and I wasn't the only one taking pictures of their booth. Only in America... or maybe not. I think the sense of "We aren't getting out of here alive, may as well enjoy ourselves" is probably prevalent all over, just maybe not to this degree... (How do you fry butter anyway? Seems like the same as dropping ice cubes into boiling water. They must roll it in a batter first... probably salt and sugar...)
The new Injector Dynamics injectors are alleged to have better atomization, run at lower duty cycle, run much higher fuel pressure, and even though they're higher capacity, they still idle well, plus they're really small.
The throttle cable is more or less done, just not sure how to fasten the bracket since it's meant to rivet to paneling that's not there yet. Probably just Cleco something in for now.
The intercooler's plumbed in, which took some effort to modify the inlet and outlet so it wouldn't stick way up above the engine cover. It's the first time I've welded to what looks like cast aluminum. Let's just say it's good it'll be hidden... Still need to weld in the fittings for the blow-off valve and intake air temperature sensor. The engine compartment is starting to get busy...
It appears no one really knows which way coolant flows in a K-series Honda engine. Some say the thermostat gates hot coolant out to the radiator while others say it gates cool coolant returning from the radiator - two top engine builders said opposite things. I'll probably get some clear hose and temporarily plumb in it just to find out. It needs to be determined so coolant header tank can supply coolant to the low-pressure side of the system, instead of the other way round which will cause problems.
Several weeks ago the build table was dragged out into the front yard and listed on Craig's List - not one call. Okay, put a "Free" sign on it two week ago... nope, zero interest. Fine, out came the chainsaw today (table is way too heavy to lift.) Only hit one stainless screw on the last inch of the last cut - good thing too because it instantly killed the blade.
Race Part Solutions is off the hook, sort of. Having heard nothing after a week I called, and they explained that their system always sends a message saying they'll call. Guess that means it's, what, okay? Anyhow, they said they'd be shipping today, and when I got home, there were the boxes... okay. Whatever, at least the stuff's here. The injectors should be here tomorrow.
Asked Competition Clutch if their twin disc is supposed to feel the way if does (one long firm push), yup, it's normal. There's no sense of disengagement, at least like a regular clutch, and with 5/8" total pedal travel, it should be one fast-shifting setup.
The throttle cable's mostly done, but I got distracted, wanting to see what the clutch felt like. So that was plumbed, the forward side of the cowl temporarily installed so the remote master cylinder could be mounted to it, then the system was filled. Cool, no leaks, I thought. Then I used the power-bleeder that's been sitting around since Kimini, went back to the slave cylinder, and was venting the air out of the line when I heard, "Pop!" Crap... only I didn't say crap, knowing what had just happened. The 10 psi I pumped it up to had lifted the reservoir right off its mount, spraying brake fluid all round the garage. The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to clean that stuff up, and it's freaking messy. Between that, taking time off for Father's Day, and being tired in the first place, not a whole lot got accomplished.
So I order a bunch of stuff from Race Part Solutions, everything's "in-stock" and nothing's back-ordered - great. Three days later I get an e-mail: "We will be in touch as soon as possible about your order..." Huh? Why? Hearing nothing after a few days I send an e-mail asking when they plan to contact me, and (not very hopeful) asked if it has shipped yet - no response. Not cool.
Enough silicon hose showed up from a different vendor that between that and doing the clutch and throttle cable, there's plenty to do this weekend, never mind the remaining fab work needed for the rear uprights.
In other news, the Kumho V710 tires are still out of stock from the local rep. I wanted to support my local business, but when time's up, times up, and they may have to come from the Tire Rack - if they have them in stock. My brother asked why I'm going with V710s, why not go with something more mild and long-lasting, especially during shakedown testing. I explained that if there wasn't a book, I'd agree with him, but between the choices of: consume a year on harder compound tires, publish performance specs based upon so-so tires, and holding up the book's release until sticky tires are used, I want to go straight to really sticky tires so those performance comments are in the book. Once the car's up and running, it'll go to one or two trackday events, the handling documented, and assuming there's nothing dire, note it in the book and get it published.
And finally, I have mixed feelings about going with larger injectors - not for the engine, but for the guess-the-hp contest. I set the contest rules, listing what parts the engine uses, then changed injectors after everyone made their guess. Obviously I'm going to let the shop tune the car to whatever power they get with the 1000 cc injectors. However, for the contest to stay fair, I may ask the shop what hp the 750s would have produced and use that figure for the contest. That seems most fair, so no one feels cheated.
Ordered all the goodies for the intake side of the turbo: tubing, couplers, hose, fittings. Hopefully some or all of it will arrive before the weekend.
After thinking about it for several months, the 750 cc injectors are being replaced with 1000 cc units. Not sure how those of you who entered the book contest feel, but it buys me some overhead for the expected power for the dyno test. You can do the math and figure out where this is headed, but the goal is >400 whp - there, the number's out of the bag. :) Doesn't mean I'll achieve it, but all the numbers look promising.
As I type this, there's 10-12 sparrows outside my window, running around in the dusk looking for seeds. In the loose dirt areas, they're taking dust baths. Nature's an awesome and fascinating thing. And another earthquake...
My buddy, Lee, let me use his mill to resurface the header cylinder head flange. Facing the face with a fly-cutter was straightforward, if slow. Of course, setting it all up took three hours due to the header being a shape that doesn't lend itself well to being clamped down. Four hours thirty minutes for that. The edges of each port still have to be cleaned up.
Though seemingly much easier, the much smaller turbocharger flange was too difficult to fixture, so it was faced with a belt sander.
Intake plumbing will be ordered this week: turbo to intercooler, intercooler to throttle body, plus various vacuum fittings and hose. Still have to pick up the rest of the coolant lines, plus coolant feed and return fittings for the turbo. Getting there.
More things crossed off the list. Calibrated the oil pressure and oil temperature sensors. That's needed since the curves need to be plugged into the flat-dash so the readings make sense. Still have to convert the low-resistance sensors into something the dash can use without loading down the reference voltage.
Since the oil sensor port on the block is already being used for the turbo feed, the remote oil filter housing was drilled and taped for both the above sensors. Putting them there lessens the risk of engine vibration fatigue-cracking the sensor threads.
Annealled the turbo header flange to help stress-relieve it before milling it tomorrow.
Plugged the last of the vacuum ports on the intake manifold. With that cleaned up, next is making a vacuum block; simply an aluminum block with fittings to distribute vacuum to the fuel pressure regulator, blowoff valve, and wastegates. Need to find some 1/8" right-angle pipe fittings. Home Depot doesn't carry them, and the anodized racer ones are crazy expensive.
Still haven't figured out exactly where to place the coolant overflow tank.
Have to figure out the air filter arrangement. The thinking is to bring in outside air up and over the top of the intercooler, instead of feeding the engine hot engine compartment air.
Ooo, another earthquake. Been having a lot of them east of us...
While there's nothing "major" left to fabricate, of course there's still lots of brackets and such. Made good progress though, modifying the throttlebody, swapping in a smaller throttle cable bracket so there's lots of clearance now. Made the new turbo support, which is about 10 times cleaner than the first one.
The coolant header tank is now mounted; the radiator cap just sticks out the top of the engine cover, making sure it's the highest point in the cooling system to not feed bubbles to the engine. Once the overflow tank is mounted (sitting loose at lower right in the last photo) the coolant lines have to be extended from above the fuel tank to the engine. Once that's done, the entire system can be pressure tested.
Been busy with the new job - think "CSI for aircraft", pretty cool - but car progress continues on the weekends.
The last major piece of the puzzle for getting the engine running "for real" arrived today, the throttle cable. Nothing major is left to order or fabricate; it's now a matter of finishing mounts for the coolant tanks, cables, hoses, plus the throttle and clutch. (Although there is the turbo intake plumbing I keep forgetting about...) This weekend the exhaust and turbo flanges will be milled flat, which bent due to welding heat distortion.
Even before the body panels are made, it's obvious which ones should be removable. I don't want to repeat the Rubik's Cube I created with Kimini where it was really tough to get into the engine bay. This time there'll be access panels on all sides of the engine compartment.
Been (re)reading the excellent book, "Competition Car Downforce" by Simon McBeath, in anticipation of adding wing mounts ;)
Couldn't sell the wood table, zero interest on Craig's List at $100 and not even an offer. With a "Free" sign on it we'll see how long it sits in the yard...
As said before, it's a drag to get something completely done, then realize it can be done much better; case in point is the turbocharger support bracket. For as far off the engine it's suspended, it's too much weight out there flexing the manifold, which can crack it. Anyhow, I had a solution that came off the compressor housing but it was deemed too weak. The new solution directly supports the header at the collector flange, right next to the turbo.
Also welded various vacuum ports closed on the intake manifold. One fitting will come off the manifold and lead to a vacuum block - much neater than a bunch of different-sized tubes running around. Installed a custom throttle bracket which now misses the fuel line, so measurements were taken so the throttle cable can be ordered. Installed the clutch fluid line, but realized without the front cowl panel in place, there's no place for the remote master cylinders to mount. Not a big deal, just another thing on the list.
Cleaned up the garage; it's amazing how much space there is once all the near empty boxes are cleared out... Cleaning up's a great way to feel better about the build in general. Started to measure the throttle cable requirements but turns out the throttle bracket on the throttlebody hits a fuel line fitting. That'll take some adjusting so the cable can get on order. Also measured the clutch line so that'll be picked up this week. Composing a list of correct (as opposed to "whatever") bolts; now's as good a time as any to get that straightened out. Doing a lateral move at work, so it's unclear how this'll affect my free time.
With the help of neighbors, the chassis was lifted off the table and sat on the floor, the table moved out of the garage, then the chassis sat back on the sawhorses. Sunday, the engine was reinstalled. Each time I put it back in, I'm reminded that whoever - cough - designed this thing didn't leave a ton of room around the engine. Oh it goes in fine, but it's close. Messed around figuring out where the coolant header and overflow tank will go, and they fit, just.
The sawhorses are set as low as they can go. I'd like it to be a bit lower (would have made drivetrain reinstallation easier) but didn't want to buy new sawhorses. I forgot to take a picture while the chassis was sitting on the floor... it's really low, almost shockingly so. Guess you have to wait until it's on its wheels to see for yourselves ;)
First thing to do is clean up and reorganize the garage. Looking like the morning-after, the garage's a mess because my lazy place to pile everything is now gone - housecleaning is in order.
So now the big push starts, since with the engine in place, the clutch line can be measured, the cooling system finished up, and the turbo compressor-side plumbed, plus the many odds and ends completed before pushing it onto a trailer and taking it to the tuners. I feel a bit conflicting right now, happy that the project's moving much faster than Kimini, but there's still very much the sense that while 10 million things have been dealt with, there's still a million or so to go...
As a background task, the wiper system's being thought about. It's looking like the cowl may change a tad, adding a front frame like the one around the dash. Doing so makes the cowl easier to fabricate, though I may get stuck making a new one. Haven't checked to see if it's as simple as removing the existing flange yet off the existing cowl.
Still debating whether to do the brakes (including the emergency brake) before tuning. It all has to be done eventually, though the draw is strong to reach the mile-post of just getting it tuned. That in itself is a substantial achievement, no longer wondering if it'll run right when completed. Nice to know that once tuned, there's a solid sense that it'll "just work" once everything else is finished.
Received both front calipers - they're sweet. For now the adaptor brackets will be hand-made; a CNC version will come later if builders want a set :)
Cut off the zip-ties and wrapped the front wire harness in nylon split-loom, which is much cleaner and maintainable. Welded on mounting studs for rubber-line clamps for both the wire harness and front brake circuit. Need to pick up two brake fluid T's so brake line length can be measured and ordered. I have mixed feeling about bothering to plumb and fill the brakes since they aren't really needed for the dyno session. It's the time, and getting brake fluid in all the lines that'll later be dust magnets when everything's stripped off the car for paint.
On the other hand, it would be reassuring to have working brakes as it's driven on and off of the trailer. And of course, the clutch system needs to be plumbed and filled; I'm curious what it'll be like to operate the twin-disc clutch. Some people say it's a light switch - on or off and no in between. Other people say it's the only way to go and very easy to modulate? Some much for hard facts on the Interweb, lol.
After the brakes and/or clutch are plumbed, the car is finally coming off the table; there'll be a lot of moving stuff around that weekend. After that, the drivetrain is reinstalled so all the various tasks counting on it being there can move ahead.
Of course, there is one more chassis-related issue that hasn't been decided: how the rear portion of the chassis will be finished up. I have no idea. It's purely aesthetic and be dealt with after the dyno session - that's the immediate pressing goal. It's not a big deal since it's easy to work on even with the engine in place. Things are moving along.
In other news, my buddy, Alan, urged me to consider Wiggens clamsp on the fuel filler pipe instead of hose. In an accident they could help retain the filler tubing on the tank, and so strong that if the pipe gets yanked sideway, it can crimp it shut. Alan's seen his share of very bad fuel fires during his time on an IMSA team. No, I'm not building an IMSA car, but accidents are always a possibility so they're being looked into. At around $100 each, they're serious hardware, but so is a fire...
Made steady progress, just not along the expected path, another reminder of how everything's connected to everything else. The header tank was completed, but where it's to go is a bit up in the air. Back when the basic components were being moved around in my head, the idea was to put the header tank in the front-right corner of the engine bay, opposite me. Turns out that's also where the bonehead designer decided the fuel filler's supposed to go...
Since there's nothing magic about that corner, the header tank was moved further to the left, but without the engine in place it's hard to know if it'll interfere. However, since the fuel filler has priority (it drives where everything else can go), it was dealt with first, ending up as shown, tipped up to minimize how much space it uses inboard. I was uncomfortable having the filler inside the car (engine compartment) and facing upward, an over-filled tank could splash into the passenger compartment. This way, any spillage will at least stay outside the car. A tube or hose will turn down immediately and route down to the tank, seen at the bottom as a tape-covered pipe.
After that hose/piping is dealt with, the coolant header tank will move as far right as possible to help weight distribution. Having it there also lessens the small chance of being sprayed with hot coolant if something bad happens. Note that the fuel pressure regulator also moved in order to get all these bits to package better.
Having the engine in-place can be a bit of a Catch-22; it's then obvious what components can go where, but can limit access for drilling holes for mounts and such.
The Midlana forum continues to grow slowly but steadily, currently just short of 500 members. There's not a huge amount of posting yet, which isn't unexpected, most are poking around to see if it's something they're serious about doing. Cool.
Scattered progress. As more items are checked off the to-do list, there's less and less holding back taking the car off the table and getting the drivetrain back in. For now it's rather unstructured work, just pushing along through the various tasks.
The driver's seat is finally bolted in, allowing work on the gas pedal to progress. It's tacked in but has to wait until the engine's in before final placement. The fuel filler will probably go where shown, but the drivetrain should be in place to ensure it's not too close, though it's not needed for dyno day.
On the other hand, the intercooler is needed, so it's in. Coolant header tank fabrication has started, with the drain and bottom of the tank having been welded in. The two coolant feeds into the tank need adding, then the top and radiator cap added.
Both the clutch and brake plumbing needs doing, though since aftermarket front calipers will be used, they need ordering and the brackets designed and fabricated, plus the e-brake system needs doing, though it isn't needed for dyno day, either.
Sorry for the lack of updates. A buddy asked why things are so slow, and I explained that it isn't that things aren't happening, it's just not very... what, exciting.
Coming up soon is the header tank in the engine compartment, which is very similar to the front tank, minus the large inlet and outlet pipes. It's the only tank in the system with a radiator cap.
Need to add a collar to the gas pedal shaft for the actual pedal. Yet to be decided is where along the shaft the throttle will attach; that requires knowing the linear motion required to fully open the throttle.
Lots of little stuff, though the priority is getting everything done for the dyno test. I may use a plastic fuel container for the test so the real tank doesn't get polluted with fuel, stinking up the garage for months until it's needed for the final build.
May already... ugh.
Front swirl tank is in place, as well as the cooling lines back to the top of the fuel tank, but plumbing them any further back requires the engine. I may have to buy new hose clamps, or at least trim the ones I have. Having too much of the collar hanging out past the clamp after it's tightened down looks really bad. Gas pedal's about half done.
Can't tell if the ECU/dash interface is working or not with no drivetrain in-place since there are no sensor readings for the dash. Not a big deal for now so it was set aside.
Started this morning with the idea of doing the coolant system, but after realizing one of the main coolant lines running down the center tunnel is a little short, it kinda killed motivation on that front. Plus, with no drivetrain in place it's not clear where to run the lines once they go up and over the fuel tank, so the gas pedal project was picked, but that meant having the seat in its final position...
So the day was spent measuring, fabing, measuring, mocking-up, fabing, and measuring some more to get the seat where it felt right. Even sat in it for a while, testing each iteration. A nit for me is having the front edge of a seat too high, applying pressure to the nerves on the back of my legs - not fun for long drives. Between head-room, lean-back angle, leg and arm room, it's finally right. To me, things like pedal, steering wheel, seat, and shifter placement are extremely important. If any are off, the car feels... mass-produced, an assembly that no matter how much you fuss with it, it never quite feels right. Since this seat isn't adjustable, it has to be done right the first time.
After much angst, mounted the ECU as shown. While I'd prefer it to be in the passenger compartment, there's not much room and the harness is too short. It just seems to want to go where it is, behind the seats inside the engine compartment. It's away from the exhaust but it'll still get warm, though external air will be ducted to it. Running the harness out the bottom ensures rain water can't run down the wires and get inside. There'll be a rain cover anyway to keep rain from dripping in from the top. With it in this orientation, it makes it easy to get at the USB connector for tuning.
The fuel tray's also done, pretty self explanatory: inlet filter, high-pressure pump, followed by a 10-micron filter, all low in the chassis to ensure positive fuel feed pressure. It also ensure that if there's a leak, the fuel has a short way to drip, instead of running all over the place... Oh, and the taillights work, though there's the small detail of fenders to mount them to...
Also trying to work through getting the Hondata ECU to talk to the Race Tech dash. Right now I'm stuck getting the Hondata configuration correct, but the appropriate questions have been posted to the appropriate forums :)
Good progress; received the transmission part that allows to allow shifting to reverse (now that it's a six-speed... a long story.) Installed the part and all seems well. Hopefully there's enough adjustment range in the shifter assembly to allow four gear columns, and if not... there will be.
The headlights, parking lights, turn signals, and emergency flashers all work. Haven't connected the rear lights since I don't have bulbs on-hand. The best news is that the flat-dash and logger came up fine, though I have no idea what the numbers mean - haven't configured it yet. The picture's of the dash in a dark garage - I like the blue backlight :) It'll be connected to the Hondata-modified ECU in a bit - fingers crossed.
In other news, check out the pictures this guy took of the Icelandic volcano... just incredible with the lightning. One heck of a hobby he has!
Mentally, wiring's the toughest part of the entire project, as it was with Kimini. It's not hard, just detailed, weeks going by and the car looks the same, other than wires moving around. It's like having to move a 10-ton pile of sand - with a plastic spoon.
Anyhow, all is not dark. The good thing is that there's no deadline. It is getting done, one spoonful, or one wire, at a time. It's a good feeling, trimming each wire and pulling the excess out of the harness - watching it slowly getting simpler and cleaner - one step closer. Setting up the flat-dash to work with the logger and ECU will be the most tense part of the operation. Well, not wiring it... switching it on for the first time.
Took Midi to Dog Beach again. Man, all the dogs sure enjoy themselves, sort of like Dog Heaven. Big dogs, little dogs, young, old, and in between, they were running all over the place. I counted 37 dogs and they were having the time of their lives - the things we do for our kids.
If it seems like progress has slowed, I suppose it has, partly due to having no vacation where a lot happens. It's also due to the now-familiar mid-project blues, which I don't quite understand having it happen now. That is, the project's at least 75% done, so it's not like there's a huge amount left to do. In fact there's really only one sizable task left: electrical. Even there, all the hard work (the design) is already done, so all that's left is to just follow the diagrams.
Anyhow, the lower firewall is in place and drilled for rivets, which is a fresh reminder how sucky working with stainless is. I decided the upper half needs to be removable to better access the front of the engine, so it was cut in two. At this point, enough of the car is in place that wiring can proceed. Of course there's the taillights and license-plate lights to wire, which seems to indicate that the rear paneling should be in-place. At this point though, the wires can be run to the rear corners and tied off, same with the headlights.
I've been thinking about the path the project should take. Right now the idea is to wire the car to the dash, reinstall the drivetrain, and trailer it to the dyno shop. Getting the engine tuned would be a huge motivator, easily helping to push the project to completion.
In other news, we had two employees pass away last week of unrelated causes. We're hoping the earthquake counts as a third event, as these things seem to happen in threes - or so says the urban legend.
So I'm drilling rivet hole #527 and start feeling strange, slightly dizzy - or something. Shutting off the drill, things in the garage were rattling, the lights swaying, and the chassis rocking slightly - earthquake! I've lived in SoCal all my life and while this one wasn't the strongest, it lasted a really long time. What's always scary is, unlike storms or even tornados, is that when these start, there's always the question, "is this as bad as it'll get, or just the beginning of a much larger one?" At around 120 miles from the 7.2 epicenter, I'd hate to be closer. Doesn't help to have recently seen the movie "2012", either...
Anyway... oh, yeah, the car. Added the panels below the fuel tank and engine. The rear-most panel, the diffuser, will wait until later. Work on interior paneling will continue, then electrical.
Leak-checked the fuel tank, which had an undisclosed number of leaks! Welded in the upper tank mounts, which reminds me of something someone asked; the upper mounts do not rigidly attach to the tank. They simply hold it down in the support tray. The chassis tubes already do a good job at containing it. Finished up the tray, installed the right hardware, sat the tank on it, and there we go. With the tank in-place it means work on electrical and paneling can push forward.
In other news, I tried ordering tires, but my local - and preferred - tire guy says they're back-ordered. Eh, no problem, they can wait a while. It won't be until the electrical's done that I'll get itchy for them.
The transaxle's supposed to arrive tomorrow, though it needs a slight modification. When they did the work, I requested that while they were in there to go ahead and install a lower ratio TSX 6th gear. Somewhere along the line the message got confused; what I sent was a 5-sp, what I'm getting back is a 6-sp! It's not a big deal but it's a reminder about how important communications is and how easy things get confused if not spelled out... It's at least as much my fault as theirs.
Just read that Sir Stirling Moss stepped into an elevator... only it wasn't there! The 80-yr old ex-race car driver fell 40-ft to the bottom of the shaft and broke a bunch of bones, but is alive and recovering in the hospital. I'd have thought it was a poor joke had I heard it through different channels. I wish him a full recovery.
The plan was to use straps to keep the tank from rising upward or tipping forward. That was well along, with the straps half-way completed before it sank in that far more efficient are simple - and strong - brackets on the ends. These will work as well as the straps, weigh less, and make it easier to install the tank. The concern was that lifting the tank up against fixed straps would be really awkward. This way the tank is easily installed, then clamped into position. There may be a third bracket in the center if framework ends up in that area as part of the emergency brake solution. Might make sense to leak-check the tank soon.
Gas tank frame/support. Gads, what an easy trivial task, yet it's taking several days... (I'm having flashbacks of building Kimini when the going got tough.) It's all mental - nothing here is hard, but it's facing my various little goofs and having to back up and fix them that makes it tough. Redoing things has a way of sucking the week's enthusiasm out of what's supposed to be fun work sessions. After it's done, instead of feeling good it's feeling relief.
I think the reason for these more numerous false starts and goofs is that this project is being pushed more than Kimini, which was better thought out. It had a total of one construction goof while Midlana's already up to half a dozen. They're all worked out, but it comes at the expense of time.
Anyway... the tank. It's not rigidly supported. In an accident, the frame may shift and rip open the tank if it's hard-mounted. Instead, as with fuel cells, straps are used so that it can move about independent of the chassis. Because of the tank's location, it's already well contained. Chassis tubes already keep it from going left, right, foward or back. Straps above and toward the front keep it from tipping forward. It'll be installed from below, sitting on a frame below it. It worked out well once I got my head on straight.
A few builders expressed concern about it being hard to remove, but it's a non-issue. I don't really understand the concern though since the tank will hardly ever have to come out. Kimini's tank never needed removal, which was a good thing because it's about 10 time harder to get at than Midlana's. See, I did learn something!
Pictures tomorrow.
Worked on the dash mid-week, which is done other than adding an accessory outlet which is on the way.
Instead of working in the garage, spent time on this beautiful day doing family stuff. Yesterday was spent replacing the garage door opener. I don't know what's with these things, but this is the third unit that's failed the same way: the "collision/reverse" feature goes bad and it starts backing up for no reason at all. No, the light beams are working fine and show "green" the entire time. The odd thing is that of three different models and makes, they all failed the same way. This afternoon, worked on the book which has been languishing, creating drawings for the front rocker assembly. That's nearly done and after making related changes to the chassis, it'll be up to date - finally!
Next weekend's plan is to make the fuel tank cradle. In order to move forward on the wiring, the tank needs to be in place since everything has to go up and over it, including wires, cables, coolant lines, and emergency brake.
Instead of spending the day in a cold garage, wired the dash on the kitchen table (as was done 12 years ago with Kimini's dash.) It's nearly done other than a couple forgotten switches and needing to tie off all the spare (white) wires. Of course the mate to the dash connector needs wiring, adding supply lines from the fuse box, and wiring various system parameters into the data logger. What's nice is most engine parameters are in the OBD-2 message packet, so the logger automatically reads this without needing any wires. The down side is that oil temp and oil pressure aren't measured, so I have to add sensors. What will be a bit of a time sink is calibrating the sensors, but so it goes.
Need to order a couple more switches and connectors, as a couple spares are needed. There also needs to be connectors at strategic places in the harness so the entire mess, including the fuse box, doesn't have to be pulled for service.
Cut and drilled the dash, blue here due to the mark-up compound. The two empty holes are due to me forgetting two switches. The spreadsheets are done so it should be pretty straightforward to wire it but just in case, there are plenty of spare connector pins for the inevitable forgotten signals. All controls are visible with the steering wheel in place, and the controls to the right are up high due to the proximity of the shifter in first and third gear.
Haven't made a decision on the fenders. This may get put off until the tires are mounted, giving a better sense what the fenders do to the overall appearance of the car.
Working on the dash schematics. There's a lot of detail, switches, lights, flat-dash, logger, and picking what has to run through the single dash connector so it can easily be removed as a unit. Each wire has to be dealt with, either up-front when it's easy to make changes in a spreadsheet, or later when wires have to be cut...
Forgot to mention that the "guess the horsepower" contest ended the end of February; thank you to everyone who entered. The range of guesses is pretty spectacular... something like a 250 hp spread! Well, guess we'll all find out, right after I get past silly things like fenders, electrical, and paneling.
Turns out I had it easy with Kimini, as do Locost builders with their cars: being handed the basic shape, be it plans in their case, or a carbon shell in mine. With Kimini, I had the luxury of building a car to a shape conveniently defined by someone else. With Midlana, however, I get to deal with something new, something I'm unfamiliar with - styling.
I almost got away with it, too, more or less copying the Lotus Seven shape, but am changing things as I see fit (be careful what you ask for...), like the area immediately ahead of the rear fenders. I've seen how beat-up Lotus/Locost rear fenders get, pelted by sand and pebbles. The usual tactic is to either ignore the issue, or add stainless shield rock-deflectors. Of course, then the stainless shields get's beat-up, being - like the fender - directly facing the onslaught, sometimes bouncing stones into the car. Then there's the case of autocrossing the car, cutting close to cones with the front tires, only to have them smack the rear fender and possibly cracking it. (And yes, I know, "don't hit cones.")
Finally, because Midlana is mid-engine, cooling air is needed for the engine, oil-cooler, intercooler, and maybe brakes. Which brings me to now: how to integrate stone deflection, cone "nerf bars" and air-inlet vents into an aesthetically-acceptable shape. Of course, I knew going into this that side-vents are such a subjective issue that no two people agree on what looks best. For that reason, every builder's free to do what they want, and in fact there's a thread in the forum with potential builders voicing opinions on what looks good.
Shown here is half a day's effort of messing about with cardboard, scissors, and tape. There's several different attempts: different sizes, lengths, and shapes. I'm undecided for now; maybe by next weekend I'll either give it another go or just call one of these good enough and get on with things.
It finally hit me, standing back and looking at the rear fender - it's starting to look like a car, and a small car at that, even sitting half an inch higher than final ride-height.
Back to work tomorrow; everything on the floor was cleaned up to make room for my dear wife's car once again. It's just as well; it'll take some time to think about how to do the vents.
Drilled lots of holes, switching back-and-forth between the air/battery-powered drills when the compressor/battery needed a break. Added a couple diagonals across the forward floor. The thinking is that people will step into the seat first, then slide down into it. Getting out however, they'll likely put most or all of their weight on the floor. Since it's only 0.050" aluminum, additional support is needed; I hope the 0.75" stiffeners are enough... maybe should have gone with 1".
At the end of the day, the next panel to do was the one below the fuel tank, but to make sure it fits perfectly, the panel under the engine may as well be installed first. That means it's finally time to deal with the last undefined area of the design: the side air-inlets ahead of the rear wheels. The car will be sat back down, spaced off the table at its designed-to ground clearance. One rear suspension will be bolted on, one wheel, a fender (and maybe a panel riveted-on behind it.) Then, various paper patterns will be tested out to see if there's a mix of functionality and aesthetics that's acceptable. The trick's going to be to come up with a shape that's single-plane bends yet decent-looking. Good stuff!
I thought I had pretty much experienced everything that can happen when TIG-welding. I was welding some 1/8" material, which requires decent current. I was feeding the rod into the puddle and it stuck briefly, then sprang free, welding itself onto the tungsten. Thing is, I was leaning into the chassis at an awkward angle, so the other end of the rod was against a grounded chassis tube. So until I was able to get my foot off the pedal, there was about 100 amps flowing through the rod... that was in my gloved hand... boy did that get hot in a hurry! The thumb of the glove has a nice burned line across it - could have been my fingers.
Finished the welding, at least all the missed spots I could find - some of them are hard to spot. Anyhow, today marks the transition into the next phase, paneling the floor. For some reason, the local aluminum supplier doesn't stock 2024, which is what I really wanted, but since it isn't structural, I just went with what they had, 5052.
This place has the strangest pricing structure. If you want a 4 x 4 ft sheet of the stuff, no problem, they keep that size in-stock, cut down from 4 x 8 ft sheet. So I asked for an uncut sheet, figuring it would be slightly cheaper since they don't have to cut it. The surprise was that it's nearly twice as expensive per pound. I asked the counter guys about half a dozen different ways to make sure I wasn't misunderstanding what they were saying, and that they weren't misunderstanding me. Nope... sigh.
Fine, so instead of the floor using a 4 x 8 ft sheet, it's two 4 x 4 sheets. I'll have to figure out something for the side panels - those will need to be 8-ft. Sooo, anyhow, the first sheet's been cut and the first row of Clecos installed. I actually enjoy this part of construction, probably because the parts involved are once again larger in size :)
Also picked up a small sheet for the dash. Between wiring the dash, making the fuel tank tray, and drilling lots of rivet holes, I'm set for now.
More finish-welding. Normally, I pick up metal stock at lunch during workdays, since the metal supplier's closer to work than home, and more importantly, isn't consuming valuable work time. However, finish-welding will probably be done tomorrow or Saturday for sure, and I need material on-hand so there's no lull in progress. So, took some time off from the garage (have the week off) and picked up enough aluminum sheet to do the entire floor, plus steel for the fuel tank cradle - that's definitely enough to keep busy for a while.
Added a few more gussets and floor diagonals under the engine. Removed everything from the chassis so it can be rolled on its side or back. The chassis isn't complete; the idea is to finish everything near the floor that's been tacked-welded. The idea is to fully-weld everything so panels can be attached without concern about heat-distortion shifting the rivet holes.
There's still lots of tabs and brackets to weld on for the seats, fuel tank, coolant tanks, seat belts, etc. However, they don't require pumping a lot of heat into major tubes, so they can be done later if desired.
Odds and ends. Went ahead and - after placing the seat just right - welded on the quick release fitting. The steering is now complete; it feels good turning the wheel and watching the hubs turn. By eye there's some bumpsteer, though that's expected since the rack doesn't have its spacers yet, and is missing mounting bolts. Speaking of lack of hardware, with no nuts or spacers on the suspension bolts, everything is real sloppy, so for a change of pace, cutting, drilling, and welded stopped while all the needed bolts, washers and stop-nuts were totaled up and ordered. Getting AN hardware in there will go a long way toward a rattle-free suspension.
Welded in the last bearing cup, finishing all the A-arms, though they need a few more gussets. Right now I'm "suspensioned out" and ready for a change. That's the thing about building a car; it's like moving an enormous pile of boulders, rocks, pebbles, and sand. There's no point angsting over what exactly should be moved next because it all has to get done eventually.
Made a list for all the needed aluminum paneling. Kimini had a stainless floor, but because the stuff's not much fun to work with, I'm going with aluminum this time around. The main floor panel is 4' x 8', which will be interesting to get home since I have a small truck. Not sure I want to roll it up, but something will have to be done. Maybe curve it just enough to fit in, then tie it down; the concern is it's a big surface area and the wind might try ripping it out the bed...
Starting to think about tires. I did learn something from Kimini, where tires were the first thing purchased, and they sat in the garage for 10 years... not this time. Technically the car could be set down on its suspension right now, but there's not much point. The floor panel needs drilling, which means rolling the chassis over. In fact, before paneling, the chassis should be finish-welded so heat-distortion doesn't shift the rivet holes after they're drilled. And even after that, I don't really want the car sitting on the ground - it's too low to work on - so it'll be on jackstands for a while, but we're getting there.
I guess the thing to do next is add what few chassis tubes are needed, then completely weld the chassis. Better fill the argon tanks...
If anyone knows of a shop that can punch large louvers, let me know. I don't mean little weenie ones like on air-conditioning vents, I mean ones like 6" long, raised at least 1/2"... 3/4" would be even better.
Yesterday the right-side rocker arm was cut off and moved... grrr. Today, the steering rack arms were modified, extended to reach the outboard steering tie-rods. Pretty cool watching the suspension finally steer, and the steering's done except for pinning or welding the quick-disconnect steering hub. That may wait until the seat mounts are in.
After a very long push, the suspension's done - almost. After the second rocker, push-rod, and A-arm were installed, turns out that the right rocker-arm pivot was welded in a bit too far inboard, so at full-droop the push-rod contacts the chassis - not acceptable. So next week it get's cut off and repositioned. Not a big deal in the overall scope of life, but another lesson in what happens when things are rushed. Or maybe it is that there's no one to blame...
The suspension has taken so long that not much thought's been given to what's next. The immediate list is: fix the mount, fully weld the chassis, and add a few gussets on various things (which ensures the drawings are - once again - out of date...)
I always make things out to be worse than they are, kind of like shaking my head at myself and wondering "what takes him so long?" Anyhow, things are moving along, because after the chassis if finish welded, it's time to start adding panels - or do the electrical. Probably makes more sense to do panels first so it's more obvious where tubes, cables, and hoses pass through, ensuring things don't get missed. Paneling will be a welcome change.
Time's running out to enter the "Guess the horsepower" contest and win a book - it closes the end of this month. If you have not registered yet, go to the Midlana forum and sign up, then go to the contest thread for full directions.
Where did January go? A lot more got done on vacation... not that I'm complaining.
The good news is that one push-rod setup is done. Turns out that the next shorter shock size could have been used. As it is, the setup has more droop than it needs, meaning the springs will rattle loose under full extension. Not really worth the money to correct at this point. The plans will use shorter shocks unless the extra travel's needed for softer springs... doubtful.
Again checked the wheel motion versus shock motion and it's still as close to 1:1 as can be measured. Right now most of the bolts are either the wrong length, aren't AN bolts, and don't have bushings holding the rod ends in the brackets. Needless to say, it rattles a bit.
Updating the drawings goes on; parts are changing faster than the drawing modifications are happening - the consequences of the first article. It only hurts once; after it's in the computer and in the book, I'll relax a little. That's not too hard with a dog who, exactly like a 5-yr old kid, comes in every five minutes wanting to play. We both get in trouble running around the house...
Cleaning up the chassis table does wonders for a positive mental attitude.
One rocker arm is done thought the support are not - what's shown here is not the real deal! Not much else to show other than this because of how much time goes into designing bits. Once it's complete and the first item produced, building more goes much faster. These use spherical bearings instead of rollers. Yes, it can be built in many different ways using many types of bearings/bushings, but the approach worked well for Kimini, so it's used again here.
Received the Grizzly metal-cutting blades... they're a massive 1" wide blade and too course a tooth pitch; it's all they had. Better blades have been ordered from elsewhere, as the 1" wide blades are no good for going round corners. (Great for small lumbermill, though!)
Like I mentioned on the forum, I admit I'm a little down about having to cut out pre-existing tubes, tubes that were "done." Mentally it's a drag because it's more that double the work, kind of like sliding down a hillside aways and having to claw myself back up. However, the silly issue pales in comparison with having your entire city collapse in an earthquake.
Spent the day figuring out the push-rod suspension, this time in metal. A few tubes have to be cut and a few more added, but it'll be okay.
However, the day wasn't very productive because sometimes I get "out of phase" with the project. When that happens, not much gets done, concentration isn't there, dumb things happen and mistakes are made. Today's big indication of that was smashing my finger good. Hurts like hell, too, and it's no fun typing. We'll see if I lose the nail. Anyhow, when things like this happen it's time to clean up and get out before something worse happens. No point tempting fate when there's a bandsaw with a very sharp blade nearby.
Since the hoist was on-hand to set the bandsaw on its stand, it was used to pull the engine. The chassis is complete enough that it can come off the table. Unfortunately, dismantling the table leaves the tubing (stored on a hanging rack below the table) with no home; guess it'll go in the rafters. The table is a beast, 2 x 6 lumber, two MDF surfaces, glued and screwed together, probably around 300 lbs. There's no way it's coming apart nicely - might need the chainsaw.
Anyhow, the chassis will sit on sawhorses, making access much easier, though things such as tipping the chassis over to get at the bottom become a bit dicey. How to proceed is a bit unclear:
1. Finish the chassis, cut and drill the panels, then finish the electrical, dash, brakes, clutch, reinstall the drivetrain, then drive down the road and back. Then, completely disassemble it for paint, repeating assembly once it's back.
Or:
2. Finish the chassis, cut and drill the panels, and go straight to paint. When it comes back, then finish the electrical, dash, brakes, clutch, reinstall the drivetrain, get it tuned, and be done.
At the moment, the second approach seems more efficient because the engine, wiring, brake, and clutch system are installed only once. With Kimini, the first approach was used, ensuring that every bracket and hole was in place. The second approach is faster and can be just as good, but there's a chance of missing a hole or bracket, meaning the painted chassis would have to be drilled or welded.
Then there's the fuel map. Disassembling the engine today revealed evidence that it's running very rich, the exhaust system contained a lot of raw fuel. Too much fuel washes oil off the cylinder walls, causing trouble with the rings. It seems wise to have the engine tuned before driving it, though this alone doesn't decide which approach to use. Still, at the moment, #2 is looking faster.
In other news, I asked my brother if he was ever going to finish painting his Stalker. He said that at the moment, there's no point. His rear fenders are badly sand-blasted by grit kicked up front the front tires. This pretty much seals what I'm going to do with Midlana's rear fender treatment, using the side vents as shields for the fiberglass fenders.
Mocked-up one push-rod front suspension with wood. One "feature" is that a portion of the rocker-arms will stick through the hood. Is it worth compromising the geometry (100% motion ratio) to force it below the hood? I'm thinking not, leaving it as-is. The mock-up confirms that the front shocks will be shorter than the rears.
Making the wood mockup required cutting up wood fairly accurately, and the new saw worked great. Metal is cut at around 200 feet/minute (fpm), where it runs eerily silent, while wood needs around 2800-3000 fpm. That's when an oscillation was noticed when passing through 1800 fpm or so, like the wheels are out of balance. Visually they run true, so who knows. While it doesn't really affect me for how I use the saw, it shouldn't be doing that. If I had to cut at that speed it wouldn't be unacceptable. We'll see what Grizzly says.
On the forum, membership continues to grow so it looks like it'll stick around. I tend to make daily posts in there as it's far easier than doing so here.
The Grizzly bandsaw arrived, so the day was spent cleaning off the goo they put on exposed metal, then assembled it. I give them high marks for quick shipping and for how it's put together, and 9/10 on their manual. It's clear and well-written, walking through assembly and setup, but they have a few logical-flow problems.
For example, the blade is carefully setup, yet the following steps, if needing adjustment, throws off all the work done earlier. Eh, I'm happy with it; the variable speed is sweet. Still waiting for the metal blades, coming from a different warehouse than the saw, so for now it's still a wood-cutting saw.
The spherical bearings showed up - sort of. It's a sore point with me, how companies take your money, say the stuff's on the way, and it isn't until you receive it do you find some of it's back-ordered. Specifically, it says, "Shipping direct from the manufacturer." Okay, so now the book will recommend buying directly from the manufacturer instead of this business that wasn't up front about being out of stock - what goes around comes around.
Over on the Locost forum, someone complained about my advice that reaming critical holes is a good thing. He said it isn't necessary, that drilling with a Unibit type drill is just fine. As proof, he showed pictures of the hole that he drilled. Huh, a picture, I'm convinced. I guess if it's pretty, it must be good, right? Incredibly, he either never measured it or didn't post what size it was.
Curious, I drilled three holes in some scrap material with the drill press, starting with 1/8" pilots, then 3/8", then 31/64". Then the first hole was finish-drilled to 1/2" with a drill bit; the second finished with a Unibit, and the third with a reamer, then measured with digital calipers.
Frankly, I'm impressed how close the 1/2" drill bit was, 0.502". The reamed hole was - not unexpectedly - 0.5005", but the big surprise was the hole Unibit hole... 0.508" - yes, you read that right. Perhaps if the Unibit was brand-new it would have been closer - perhaps not. Maybe my drill press is worn, but since the reamed hole was accurate, and the drill and Unibit were not, that's proof enough for me. So the next time says something's "fine" because of its appearance, be sure to do your own research.
Anyway... the good news is that the bandsaw's been ordered, from Grizzly :)
The end of a nice long vacation, and a lot was accomplished; here's a group photo of all the suspension arms. The inboard brackets have all been modified, and the rear shock mounts added. Getting this all done was something of a mental challenge - good to have achieved it. As said, next up is the front rocker setup. The only downside to all this is that I'm building a list of drawings that have to be modified or tossed and replaced - oh well.
My little weenie horizontal/vertical Harbor Freight bandsaw is dying. It had a long productive life, having cut all the steel for Kimini and much of Midlana. One big realization is that, having the non-abrasive chopsaw, I no longer use the chopsaw function of this bandsaw. I always use it upright with its tiny useless table, so the replacement bandsaw will be a vertical unit. I'm narrowing down the choices now :)
Happy New Year everyone, time for a new diary. As usual, previous entries are in the Old Diary section.
A long day but things are moving along. Gussets were added to the front-lower suspension arms, completing them, minus the second bearing cup (which arrives Monday.) Progress was slowed due to removing and modifying the rear-inboard suspension pivots - same has to be done for the rear. The remaining rear arms and left-rear shock mount need doing; should be able to get them tacked-up this weekend, a big accomplishment to have the suspension out of the way, mentally at least. Of course, with the bearings arriving Monday, it means next weekend will be spent on the front rocker-arms, so the suspension's still a work-in-progress.
There's a snoring, dreaming, barking, and running dog in my chair, consuming nearly all of it. I'm not complaining :)