All the suspension arm and fixture drawings have been added to the manuscript - whew. Next is creating an inboard suspension pickup fixture which places the pickup points independently (and accurately) regardless of chassis inaccuracies. The suspension brackets will be shifted to suit, making the transition from a bent, warped, and/or twisted chassis to where the pivots should be.
The first step in the engine build has begun; all parts have been handed to Jeremy of Drag Cartel. He's pretty excited about Midlana and will be supplying pictures as it progresses.
Finished the A-arms and fixtures which are now being moved into the manuscript. After that the drawings will be used for making the first set of fixtures and arms. Wonder if they'll fit the chassis...
BTW, if you order from McMaster, be very careful because if you need to cancel an order you have about, oh, 10 seconds to do it. They're fully automated and in a flash after your card goes through it's too late. I bought a 14 mm drill and only later realized that for what I needed, a 17/32" drill is close enough - eh.
The A-arms are being entered into CAD (along with the fixture to build them) and all of it into the book, which is currently at 152 pages. Many hours of tedius work but that's what it takes.
Thanks to reader Ken for pointing out that I didn't calculate the weight of steel versus aluminum panels correctly; steel is 2.9 times more dense than aluminum. I'm not sure how I decided aluminum weighs 1/3 less (probably the internet...) Anyhow, it means that a steel panel has to be much thinner to approach the same weight, so much thinner that it makes it very difficult to weld.
Wife's back tomorrow so that's the end of unlimited guy-time-in-the-garage though a lot got done: fuel tank, coolant system, rear body treatment, diffuser framework, the body framwork on the sides, more-or-less, and the muffler has plenty of space. The curved corners need flanges welded on but that's not hard.
What's next? Probably finish up the rear fender area. Instead of aluminum panels some may be steel this time around, welded on. Typically 0.050" aluminum is used, so going with 0.030" steel means it weighs the same, costs less, and saves time by not requiring rivets. After that? Maybe suspension arms, a very detailed and fiddly task since fully-dimensioned fixture drawings are needed for the book.
The chassis is now fully welded - well, the structural portion.
Regarding the rear of the car, I changed my mind - again. Two trailer fenders had been purchased as a cheap source of an otherwise impossible-to-make curved corner radius. I wasn't going to use them because the rear was going to be the traditional Seven back end. However, since they'd be dropped into the trash can it was worth a shot to see if they'd work out. Turns out they work great - since the chassis was originally designed to use them in the first place. Soooo, they'll be used, which dictates the rear of the car will have a curved panel like a '30's hot-rod. Some will like it, some won't, but I do, and builders can do whatever they like!
In the second picture, the white flange is what the rear fender attaches to, while the rusty fender dictates the rear cover perimeter. The fender will get narrowed down so that only the curved flange and enough material to create a flange is kept.
Note the last picture with some incentive sitting roughly where it'll mount - the turbocharger - pretty exciting.
In other news I'm reading Smokey Yunick's autobiography and it's great. Raw, harsh, many typos, he repeats himself, but it's great stuff, unedited, just like how people talk in real life. Kind of like sitting with him on a porch and listening to his adventures - hard to put down. Check out the book "Best Damn Garage In Town" at SmokeyYunick.com. I actually got to speak to him once on the phone. I had some questions about one of his designs and called his shop, never dreaming that when I asked they'd say, "Oh, you need to speak to Smokey, hold on." Never in a million years did I think he'd take time to talk to me.
This diary is getting pretty large so a new one will start at the end of this month. Your bookmark will still point to the most current one so you don't have to change anything.
Welding continues and will be done tomorrow - which is just as well. Getting the chassis completely welded is a good milestone so I'm taking off some time from that to work on the manuscript. It's good timing, working on the car for two weeks straight is enough for a bit. In that time the car's extended its lead on the manuscript so it now needs to catch up. It's all good though, nothing in the last two weeks has involved precision numbers that aren't already in the book.
Not knowing chassis weight was killing me so since the wife's out of town the bathroom scale was borrowed... 240 lbs. This number would not surprise mechanical engineers who use fancy CAD that totals all material weight, or designers who calculate it. I didn't bother because, well, it doesn't matter. The chassis is built per SCCA tubing rules and basically, the chassis is the body, so it is what it is. I have a spreadsheet with every weight on it; with the corrected weights, not including driver or gas, the total is 1365 lbs. I suspect I'll be lucky if it stays below 1500 lbs. We'll see.
Years ago I watched an excellent PBS show called "Plane Crazy," about a guy who sets out to design, build, and fly an airplane in 30 days! It's an excellent education in human nature, what happens when people put themselves in impossible situations. As far as I know it's now only available on VHS on the used market. However, if you're considering building a car it's very worthwhile viewing. I just bought myself a copy.
My brother stopped by in his Super Stalker, lamenting how it seems like someone always wants to race him - this time it was a Viper. He said the first time he got the jump on the Viper and the guy had a hard time catching up. Second time the Viper got the jump and slowly pulled away. Not bad considering both the cost factor and that the Stalker can out-brake and out-corner it.
Added the four tubes that finish up the rear suspension and the last main structural tube behind the engine.
Cleaned off the table and before welding started I thought you'd like a "big picture" perspective - I'm 6'. I don't currently have the chassis scales so can't weigh it but I'm guessing it's about 170 lbs or so... we'll see. My brother points out that I claim this will weigh 300 lbs less than Kimini, but he can't see where all that weight's going to come from (Kimini weighed 1600 lbs.) Good point, since Mini doors, Lexan windows, and a carbon fiber roof don't weigh much, and worse, I'm using heavier wheels and tires and a larger fuel tank. Eh, it is what it is.
Some details are being put off such as the air inlets and diffuser. There may be a couple more tubes behind the engine but they'll wait until the engine is back in place. I've also been putting off how I want the rear end to look. What I would "like" is a curved "trunk" look of a 30's hot rod. Trouble is, a nasty panel that is curved in two dimensions is needed, which I simply don't have the ability to do. Short of that is the traditional "Seven" look, with a single curved panel wrapping round the tail. Eh, I don't know, we'll see. The rear styling treatment has been a hotly-debated issue on the forum, but of course everyone ignores how hard it is to actually fabricate the various ideas...
It occurred to me that that the chassis table has served its purpose and is not needed much longer. Trouble is, I don't have storage space for the stuff under the table - that is the storage space. Once all the engine parts are sent off that'll free up some space, plus selling off parts I don't need (Honda shifter and cylinder head) will free up more room. Getting rid of the table means whatever metal shavings I produce while adding the remaining bits will drop down into all the boxes... Eh, we'll see. There's still a million brackets to fab and install, plus the scuttle, and panels, and electrical, and engine, and....
The rack mount is done, requiring, as always, endless mocking-up, measuring, and re-measuring to make sure all is well. Shims will be used for the final adjustment to dial out bumpsteer. There is no diagonal in the bay because it is small enough that the floorpan will handle side forces.
Started in on the remaining tubes on the rear suspension. Tomorrow I'll get the second argon tank filled in anticipation of a long welding session, finishing up the main chassis. The engine gasket set arrived so everything is set for delivery to the engine builder next week :)
Tried fitting up the stainless firewall but found it's very hard to put into position. It'll have to be cut in half, either vertically or horizontally to ease installation. Either way there needs to be a large removable section for engine access. Depending upon the chosen engine, the front may be difficult to get at if the intake manifold prevents access from above. Access from below is not possible either if a full floorpan is used.
Kimini was sighted in Utah! I've heard nothing from the new owner so it's good to see she's in good condition and being driven, though I note his registration tags are expired...
Pedal mount is done; the tube layout is a little clunky but much simpler than Kimini and far more accessible. It's took all day due to endless mock-it-up-and-sit-in-the-seat-and-check-how-it-feels-then-get-out-and-fiddle-with-it-then-get-back-in-and-check-it-again. Note the large open bay to the right which will be the storage area. The plan is to drop the floor some since no one needs two feet of vertical footwell. The goal is to allow storing a helmet and all the gear up front so it doesn't have to be carried into every restaurant you walk into.
In other news the coated pistons finally arrived, thought there was brief panic as the invoice has someone else's name on it(!) but everything turned out okay. Once the gasket set arrives (supposedly tomorrow) everything will be sent to the engine builder - expensive but exciting.
So what's next... probably the diffuser tubes, though I still don't know what I want the back of the car to look like. Well, I do know, and that's a curved rear end that looks like a hot-rod. Trouble is I don't have the tools to create curved panels in 3D to give a nice radius - sharp-edged corners look bad. There's always the traditional Lotus Seven rear end which is pretty straight forward. Guess I better make up my mind soon.
Okay, the center tunnel is figured out. As shown, the two lower holes support the coolant lines. The top hole is for the bleed lines (which may be fairly large OD if silicon hose is used.) The large tube at the top serves several purposes: it provides a smooth surface for the center tunnel (I don't like resting my elbow on square corners,) it serves as a through-passage for shifter cables, clutch line, brake lines, and electrical. If that all doesn't fit they can run below (and yes, there will be gaskets in each hole to prevent wear.)
The large top tube also provides a physical support for the shifter assembly and possibly the e-brake. The only thing I wonder about is what happens with that tube in a wreck. Worst-case it gets shoved through the firewall, punctures the fuel tank, and creates a really impressive fireball. For that to happen, the front of the car has to get crushed about 3 ft plus another foot into the passenger compartment for it to reach the firewall - which seems pretty unlikely. However, I'll probably drill 1.5" holes along the bottom of the tube to make sure it buckles instead, and the holes will also double as passageways for cables or hoses to pass between the upper and lower cable-ways.
Note sure what to do next. The steering parts are on the way so that can't happen until they show up. Doing some panels would be a nice change of pace, though I think it would be best to fully weld the chassis first (so it assumes its final shape due to whatever heat-warpage happens.) No point drilling rivet holes only to have them shift during final welding. Maybe it's time to add the rest of the tubes at the rear, around the suspension area and diffuser, then final weld the chassis... The only catch is that I haven't made up my mind how I want to handle the body work around the rear, nevermind the side vents. Since that'll use smaller tubing it shouldn't affect the overall chassis. Oh, and there's the pedal assembly mount to finish in order to get rid of all the clamps and wood!
Stared at the center tunnel area for a while to figure out how to best support the coolant lines. Drove down to the steel supply outlet and picked out the needed material, then when standing in line, a better design came to mind. Sigh, put the material back and had to think about it some more. Yup, change of plans, cheaper, simpler, and lighter wins again. Go get different material and drive home before I changed my mind again. Pictures tomorrow.
The coolant lines and swirl tank plumbing is mocked up; the two coolant lines stack above each other along the centerline of the car. Also finished is modifying the radiator, moving the lower hose fitting, plugging the hole, and replacing the radiator cap with a bleeder fitting. It's nice to have the radiator completely modified, though it still needs to be leak-checked.
As for the center "tunnel" (all 1.5" of it), it'll have a removable side panel for access. I'll probably use round 1.5" tubing for the top to give the shifter something solid to mount to.
Welded the oil return AN fitting to the side of the pan, done now so it's not forgotten before everything is delivered to the engine builder - just waiting on the gasket set and coated pistons.
Welded the radiator filler neck to the top of the accumulator tank but tank construction has to wait until the engine's back in. It has to miss the engine and fuel filler hose while leaving room for the overflow tank. One possible use for the left-over pipe is serving as a custom intake manifold, but all in good time ;)
After that, things wondered a bit. The center "tunnel" (such as it is) is next, but it's closely tied to the shifter, which depends where the steering wheel goes, which dictates steering shaft routing - the everything-is-connected-to-everything-else thing. Soooo, hours were spent moving the steering wheel and pedals around until they felt perfect. What's nice is how the steering mated right up to the stock collapsible lower Miata steering shaft. This avoids having to buy steering U-joints at up to $80 each. Oh, and mocking this up confirms that a steering quick-release isn't an option - it's a necessity.
With that set it naturally dictates where the shifter goes. This answers the question of whether a stock Honda shifter will work - no it won't. Not from lack of function - it's just too big. That's okay, a nice shifter is a cool side-project and makes the car look much more "business" than a collection of junk-yard parts.
It's been fairly quiet on the forum, both beta-builders balancing home life and jobs against time in the garage. Mike has the front and rear tubes bent so his chassis, too, is becoming 3D. Forum traffic shows a steady increase in registrations, with many hits on the FAQ; no doubt people bookmarking it and waiting to see what happens...
Finished the swirl tank. It needs leak-testing and brackets added, but both have to wait until the ductwork is in place.
Quit early and spent time on the manuscript. It's flushing out well, with topic stubs being added as they're thought of (serving as reminders) and other sections being filled with content. A "Tips and techniques" chapter is filling up with good stuff and should be very useful, especially since it shows how to solve various fabrications issues on this car, not some generic application. Right now it's at 140 pages so it's looking promising to stay under maybe 250 pages. Why is that important? Well the Kimini book is 350 pages which makes it too thick to fit into a USPS Priority Mail envelope! How's that for a design goal?
Next will be modifying the radiator - pointing the lower inlet the correct direction. Also received a radiator filler neck which gets welded to the coolant accumulator tank. Or maybe the center tunnel (such as it is) will be worked on. I'm curious how the emergency brake, shifter, and seatbelt mounts will design themselves. That's not rhetorical, stuff really does seem to design itself, it's just a matter of letting it - it's hard to explain.
Cooper's running and barking in his sleep... must be chasing a rabbit. And farting, ugh.
The swirl pot removes air from the coolant before it goes to the radiator, and goes goes in the triangular area just behind the radiator exhaust splitter panels. Making the egg-shaped cutouts for the tangential inlet and outlet pipes was easy by first modeling it in CAD and printing it out 1:1 (a surprisingly hard thing to do in Sketchup.) Also made a tube beader - it needs work but does the job.
Fuel tank is done, a big job even with getting help to cut and bend the panels. In fact, it was more work than building headers. Of course building headers is great fun and I'm looking forward to doing that, but I digress. Anyhow, the tank still needs to be pressure-tested but I'm tired of working on it for now. (That's the cool thing about building a car. When you get tired of working on one thing there's always something else.)
With the tank in place it's time to start in on the cooling system. First is building the swirl pot and accumulator tank. Pounding annealed aluminum sheet into domed ends is fun and it's amazing how metal can be treated as a very thick liquid, working it around to form it into all sorts of shapes. (I think it would be fun to make a copper sink for the house, too, but never mind.)
All the recent progress has built up a backlog of work that needs to be incorporated into the book manuscript.
Fuel tank fabrication is coming along and should be done tomorrow.
The engine builder has been chosen, one of the top builders in SoCal if not the U.S; I'll post more as that progresses.
Received the Ridgid brake tube flaring tool - the thing is awesome. Ten times more expensive than the Harbor Freight tool and 100 times better built. Also received the Tial turbo recirculation valve and the threaded bung for the oil pan (turbo oil return flange.) The pan needs to be modified before it's delivered to the engine builder.
Fuel tank. It's been a long time since I've welded flat paneling and relearned how nasty heat distortion affects panels, but the tank is too far along to start over. The good news is that the fuel tank assembly chapter will have plenty of pictures and tips on how to do it right. Anyhow, the tank will be salvaged by making a new front panel which will correct for the rather massive warping. If you look at the second picture it looks like camera distortion bends the tank due to using a wide-angle lens. Nope, it really is bent that much - lesson learned about welding in fittings in the middle of panels! Eh, as long as it doesn't leak it'll be fine.
Though I said I may build the engine I'm always subject to changing my mind. Correspondence with the initial engine builder has (with replies still typically 2-3 weeks) finally convinced me to look elsewhere. Per yesterday's entry, I sent a machine shop (recommended by said engine-builder) a proposal for doing all the machine work... no reply. Either I'm impatient, intolerant, or both, but my feeling is that today's market is internet-driven as far as I'm concerned. I do most correspondence with e-mail because it leaves a written trail of what's been said and what's expected - no surprises.
Anyhow, since they aren't answering promptly either, things are being cranked up notch, contacting one of the top engine builders in SoCal - no more goofing around. The engine WILL get done, but it may be without the company of my best buddy.
Cooper, our dog, is getting old. His back legs are becoming more uncoordinated than usual (due to his injury six years ago.) Researching it on-line, his symptoms best match a nasty and insidious disease called degenerative myelopathy. It's especially sad because - suddenly - the rest of his life has become crystal clear to me, gradual loss of control of his rear legs. There's no cure, nothing the vet can give him to magically make it all go away.
It's life, where as we get older, we're like ships passing through an iceberg field. At first we can easily avoid them, but as we get older, the icebergs get larger and closer together. Someday we'll come face-to-face with a big one with the realization that we've finally met the one that's going to sink us - the one with our name on it. What makes it epecially sad is that the rest of Cooper is completely normal and he still acts like a little kid. He still wants to play tug-of-war, even as his rear legs now collapse occasionally. He's not in pain, in fact if he was it would make it easier to make that terrible decision. It's not what, but when, but all dog owners sign up for this when we bring them home. They look to us for everything, right up to the very end.
Even though we realize it'll happen, it's still very hard. It reminds me of what I read once, about someone who'd just been told he had six months to live. He said that many people say they want to know the future, that some say they want to know the day they're going to die. Reading what this disease is, I wish I'd never read it. Sometimes, the future can be a dark place. (That said, I guess worst of all is to have a lost pet, never having closure, always wondering if they're alive, safe, happy, or not...)
The pistons are being coated this week, having been drop-shipped directly from the piston manufacturer. This is the last step before the actual build begins. I contacted the machine shop that will: check the head, doing a valve job, sleeve the block, prep the bores, prep the crank, and balance the rotating assembly. I have yet to make a final decision on who's going to do the actual build, wishy-washy as I am.
In other news, I have a long vacation coming up and expect to make a lot of progress on Midlana. Look for many frequent updates soon!
The fuel tank is a big project; I was so busy working on it and taking pictures for the book I don't take any of the overall tank. I was warned that heat distortion would be a problem and it sure is; just tacking in some screws was enough to warp one of the panels. All is not lost though because warpage can be undone the same way it's caused, by selective heating of the panel - guess I get to practice that. In the words of one of my coworkers, confronted with a computer that wouldn't do as instructed, "I will beat you, bitch!"
Grips aside, it's a lot cheaper than buying a custom fuel-cell for who knows how much. Granted, some of my ambitious baffles can be left out, or maybe the one-way doors, but it isn't going to save much effort; the less baffling, the more fuel slosh. Kimini had a 10-gallon fuel cell mounted fore-aft. I could actually feel the fuel run forward and thump into the forward wall - it felt like someone giving the car a slight push from behind when I'd get on the brakes. Fuel-cell foam has little to do with fuel slosh control and indeed it did nothing to prevent it. That fuel-cell was 20" long and the tank I'm building is more than twice that. Granted it's oriented side-to-side but I don't want 50 lbs of fuel thumping from side to side messing up weight balance.
Anyhow, my course is set, making the tank just as good as I can; whether builders want to follow the example will be up to them. Starting this weekend I'll be working on the car full-time for several weeks ;)
In other news, Alan Staniforth died this past Saturday, author of "High Speed, Low Cost" and many others. I own a signed copy of that book and practically all his others, too. He, probably more than anyone, helped me build the courage necessary to build a car, which became Kimini. I count myself lucky to have talked to him by phone, probably 10 years ago, letting him know the impression he made on me and what I was building. He seemed to appreciate it though I suppose people told him that many times. The somewhat bitter irony is that he apparently died from a rare form of lung cancer unrelated to cigarettes. Apparently it had something to do with breathing methanol fumes - used in many of his race cars!
I think it says a lot about a person if their positive effect upon others live on, both through his books and his deeds. I hope he departed knowing that he helped many, many people gain the inner strength we didn't know we had in order to build our own cars - I salute you, sir.
Picked up aluminum tubing for the coolant lines, large OD aluminum tubing for the coolant header tank and swirl pot, and some more steel tubing for the rear suspension. Between that and the fuel tank I have plenty to work on.
I wanted to start in on the center tunnel and shifter, but since everything connects to everything else, that means having the coolant lines in place first. If they're needed than may as well work on the coolant system first, which means the radiator mounting needs to be finished - so it was. It's now properly mounted; no more clunky blocks of wood and shims that keep shifting position; having it done helps quite a bit psychologically and cleans up a few loose ends.
Also finished up the steering rack, which will be accurately mocked-up to best determine steering column placement. This time I'll make sure there's no foot interference! Speaking of feet, there's going to be tons of foot room and space for a dead pedal. I may even move the driver's seat forward some.
Making great headway on the book. The latest addition are the Coolant, Fuel, and Brake System chapters. So far it's working out fairly well, the book is staying just ahead of the build so that what's being built tests out the manuscript.
Work on the fuel tank is moving along in parallel - and independently. If I was building just one car I'd model it in cardboard and have it done by now. The catch is, many of you want to build one, too, and that means having accurate drawings. That means knowing bend allowances - which I don't. Instead of spending time on that while I can be working on the car, a local metal fabricator was contacted and they reverse-engineered my overall tank drawing to produce the proper panel drawings. To be sure the drawings are accurate means working off them, so they're CNC-cutting them - the ultimate test. While it costs money it speeds up the project by at least several weeks. Pretty cool.
Oh and if you haven't registered at the Midlana forum please check it out. Post volume is slowly increasing and there are some decent size threads now.
Unseasonably warm weather - 90+ in the garage - means it's too uncomfortable to weld. It's just as well since it took all afternoon to make the four radiator mounting brackets. In the past I always seem to come up with over-engineered mounts so this time a simple arrangement was figured out - first. Welding will be tricky though because the nose needs to be in place to accurately place them but obstructs welding. Removing the nose to gain access causes the radiator to move. Eh, something will be worked out.
In other news, the current manuscript is finally in Latex - a big thanks to Justin for all his help. Now I can start adding sections for the two beta-builders.
Someone at work bought a new Nissan, not an SUV, or Z, or Altima, nope - the GTR! And I got a ride. What a well-engineered machine; everything works together so seamlessly. The engine is so smooth it was a surprise when he said he was reving it to 8500, it sure didn't sound like it (in fact it could use a louder exhaust.) And it sure doesn't feel like a 3800lb car, it road harder than Kimini - really. Speaking of quiet, when we pulled out a driveway and he got on it, there was no spinning tires, no smoke, no loud screaming engine, it just sort of "launched", probably something only a sportbike owner or F18 pilot can relate to. I was giggling like a school girl all the way back to work.
With a 0-60 time in the very low 3-seconds and a mid-11-second 1/4 mile, I'm glad I'll have a turbo in Midlana. Of course, with its 4WD the GTR beats nearly everything off the line. We'll see if I can beat the 1/4 mile time... I think I can since it weighs more than twice as much but only has about 20% more power. The trick - which the GTR knows all too well - is getting that power to the ground...
Oh, and I asked what group of car owners most often want to race him. Lowered Hondas driven by hat-askew kids? No, they give him thumbs-ups. Corvettes and Mustangs? No, they give him thumbs-ups. In his words, "The owners that act most threatened are BMW drivers. They always want to race, but why? What's the point?"
Working on the book this week, detailing the area around the nose. The incentive is that the radiator, fan, and nose are mocked up on the table using wood shims and clamps. Every time the table is bumped or hammered on the nose moves out of position. The plan is to get the book far enough ahead such that this weekend aluminum brackets welded on the radiator can be fabricated, bolting them to rubber-isolated mounts, which in turn attach to the front framework. I have a great dislike for stuff sliding out of position, especially expensive parts that can drop on the floor. I'll have to pick up some aluminum angle for the brackets, or bend my own from plate.
Both the beta-builders have been pretty quiet, a combination of work and life getting in the way, and perhaps me not feeding them drawings fast enough. That'll be cured soon enough.
While VW Bugs aren't my thing I have to admit this is very cool. Granted it has the typical useless hotrod 1" ground clearance but it's still pretty wild.
Okay, so I worked in the garage today, alright?! (I've been getting grief about "slacking off.") However, instead of working on the car I spent the day disassembling and rebuilding the Miata steering rack, converting it to manual steering. I took a bunch of pictures which will be in the book. Yes, Flyin Miata has the process on their website, but websites come and go and the book will be a stand-alone information source, not leaning on other people's material. Plus, I kind of think that's cheating; making money off a book that leans on other people's work feels wrong. Another reason for doing it myself - I discovered a couple things to watch out for during the process and something that'll save you time ;)
The rack is being taking care of now because it has to be done before the car can be driven (yeah I know, a long way off, but all the parts have to be made ready at some point.) The rack was a real mess, too, and it's nice to work with clean parts. Speaking of messes, the garage is much better now, which puts me in a better frame of mind to get back into it.
A couple people have requested an RSS feed... I'd like to but don't know how (it's a time thing.) It's not clear whether the various apps set up an RSS feed to your computer, or set up an RSS source from your website. I'm using DreamWeaver so it's probably straightforward... I just haven't taken the time to figure it out.
In other news I found that while PDF figures in Latex look better than PNG; Google Sketchup has a bug in its export function. Looks fine on the screen but what's produced has some edges left out here and there on tubes... thanks a bunch, Google. I really dislike the timesink of working with defective tools... especially after having paid for the version that can output these (defective) formats :(.
Ordered a camcorder mount, another tidbit to serve as incentive. It's not a total waste since room has to be provided for it somewhere. With Kimini gone there's no way of knowing what tripod head was ordered back then so a new one was found. The surprise was when it arrived, it was the very same model as used in Kimini - go figure.
In other news, if you have iTunes, search for "Truth in 24". It's a free (at least in the U.S.) professionally-produced one-hr documentary on Audi's diesel race car. Very well done.
Apparently the springtime malaze isn't over yet; another weekend passed with no garage activity other than returning the hoist. The good news is that I'm not goofing off; the manuscript is almost completely in Latex (like I said last week...) a time-intensive yet necessary task in order to move forward. While Latex is much more clunky, once pictures and figures are in place, the little bastards stay put, unlike with Word, but there I go again. (What's interesting about working on a document in LaTex is how much it's like like working with raw HTML, which is how I update this site. Maybe the two are distantly-related.)
I imagine some readers are thinking, "What's the point of working on the book without a finished car?" If the opposite were true, the car done without the book, that's no better. With all effort focusing on the car it means important topics, tips, and even what pictures and figures go into the book get forgotten. Creating both book and car in parallel is the best way to keep the book in sync - and accurate. It helps to keep the proper mindset necessary to build the thing. Anyhow, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it... well, okay, the book and the garage mess.
After going into the garage to get something, it's clear that the poor motivation last weekend is due to the mess. I can work in a controlled mess - to a point - but after the engine disassembly, there's stuff everywhere. A clean-up is in order before the next work session.
After the engine teardown last weekend I couldn't decide what to do today - still can't. The day's not a total loss; at least the manuscript is being worked on. I may be taking two weeks off later in May which will allow getting a lot done. I'm sure I'll be back at it next week, but for today, eh.
The manuscript is almost fully imported into LaTex. One unintended side-effect is that Justin, who's doing much of the work to import the document, says that against his better judgement, after reading the manuscript he's now looking for a welder...
Engine disassembly was straightforward but took longer than expected; having a cold doesn't help either. As each part was removed it was like uncovering treasure, wondering if what lay within was in like-new condition or a nasty surprise. Other than a worn connecting rod bearing the engine is in pretty good condition. The biggest problem was underestimating how hard it would be to remove the front pulley bolt. They're tightened to some ungodly torque, plus they tend to stick, laughing at feable attempts at loosening it with an impact wrench. It was finally removed by jamming the flywheel, laying the engine on its side, and having my wife stand on it while I used a 4-ft breaker bar to pop it loose.
The purpose of disassembling it is to measure the piston wrist pin offset to get the new pistons on order. Some engines have offset pins and some don't; what's strange is how (AFAIK) aftermarket pistons don't have an offset upless specifically requested. That, and how no one on earth seems to know the pin offset, so I had to measure it myself, 0.0325" if you care.
After getting a late start in the garage (double-checking suspension CAD one more time) wood was cut to length to mimic the A-arm lengths, the ends drilled and rod-ends screwed in. The lengths were checked then bolted to suspension pivots tacked-in specifically for this test. It's a relief to see that nothing terrible is wrong; no visible toe change and the suspension's free to move beyond its full range without the axles bottoming out or trying to disassembling themselves - good. It'll all be double-checked because the upright's weren't precisely positioned but it's looking good. After that, engine removal and disassembly!
The book manuscript is being moved into Latex, a dated yet extremely effective text editor. It was written back in the 1970s-80s, before Microsoft existed, back when programs were lean and fast, before feature-creep and bloated buggy features. The big deal with Latex is that when you tell it to do something it does it. It's almost a programming language where in-line keywords control formatting for text, figures, pictures, and tables, while the bulk of the text just kind of goes along for the ride. When it's told how to deal with pictures, it just does it, not like Word where what you tell it is treated more as a suggestion rather than a command, and which it'll changes on its own when it feels like it. Latex is what nearly all math-intensive books are (or were) written with because it so easily handles writing equations and formatting tables.
(Here's something that I found amazing. The author of Latex has a standing offer that if anyone finds a bug he'll pay them a cash award. Granted it's been out a long time, but the point is, he stands up for his product. Imagine how Microsoft products would be if they took as much pride in their products.)
To be honest I probably wouldn't have done this, mostly from fear of the new and different (and the associated timesink.) However, reader Justin took it upon himself to get my manuscript into Latex. This is HUGE because it speeds up the learning curve by about a million times since I learn fastest by example and I'll have examples of virtually everything I need. Once it's in there I can take over, adding more sections and using his examples of how to handle formatting. Hopefully this will end the battle with the tools rather than getting the job done.
The plan for this weekend, now that the rear suspension points are more or less in place, is to make a pair of wood A-arms and double-check that I haven't made any bonehead CAD errors. After that, engine disassembly!
The last of the four engine mounts is done, along with more of the rear suspension framework. This brings the chassis to the point that the engine's no longer needed for mockup. It's probably a good time to pull it out and get it on its way to being built up.
Remember the engine builder that took forever to return correspondence? He finally answered and says he's still interested. So, as something of an experiment, I'm corresponding with him about my goals, which really serves to see if he proves to be more on the ball than I thought. Last time he wrote he asked for my phone number, saying it's a lot faster for him to communicate that way. Okay, fair enough, so I gave him my number... haven't heard anything and it's been a week. At this point it's just become sort of sadly amusing, wondering how long the next exchange will take; the consistent slow replies does indicate a trend. It would be far from funny if he had all my parts and wasn't answering...
Somewhat related, Honda offsets the rods on the pistons in order to quiet them down (by eliminating the piston side-loading that causes them to knock into the cylinder walls.) The strange thing is that almost all aftermarket piston makers don't offset this, unless asked. The catch is that they have to be told how much offset yet one seems to know the OEM amount. Regardless who builds the engine I plan to disassemble it myself to become acquainted with it, so the pistons will be measured then.
I appreciate the input regarding MS Word; I know real writers all use something else, like Adobe InDesign. The embarrassing thing is... I own CS3 but got so annoyed with it's quirks that I went back to Word just so I could get on with things. InDesign had a bad habit of eating pages - they'd just vanish. I think it has something to do with how I was adding new pages. It's one of those Catch-22's where I pushing to be productive yet the tools I'm using have problems. Other tools are better but they have their own learning curve which eats time - I'm impatient. So I guess I can't blame Bill too much. If you're an InDesign expert and want to help out, drop me a note. If I can get the manuscript into InDesign intact I can probably figure out the rest of it myself.
So I'm writing the book about Midlana, and, just like when I wrote the Kimini book, I'm cursing Microsoft Word. It's truly amazing how badly it screws with a document. The latest fiasco is having inserted a picture (the problems are always picture-related) then later moving it. Word refuses to use the area where the picture was and won't allow any text there; it's an invisible and unusable area. Type something just above it and the letters just jump around the "void." I'm pretty sure the pages have to be deleted and redone, and thanks Bill.
Goodies! The fuel level sensor arrived in a box about 50x its size. The Pauter rods are here, too; you may be able to see the EDM-machined oil hole that runs its length. They're rated at some astronomical power rating and I wonder if I really need all that safety margin, though broken rods do seem to be a common disaster on turbo engines due to owners cutting corners. And lastly, the dash and datalogger arrived. Pretty sweet; I look forward to making use of the extensive features this combo provides.
In other news, the fuel tank is coming along nicely. Talking with beta-builder Jim; he feels that due to no chassis structure below the tank (other than the outboard rails) it means the bay becomes a collapsible structure... hmmm, good point. So the tank has changed a bit, with 1" removed from the bottom to make room for a triangulated frame that bolts in below the tank. This causes a small loss with tank volume, now about 14.5 gallons, but is plenty and the peace of mind is worth it.
Yesterday started by removing the tubing mentioned earlier; it's always impressive just how strong tack-welds are. There was a YouTube video (since removed) of a Locost builder who wasn't too concerned about his tack-welded front suspension and went for a drive. He did a bunch of donuts in a parking lot no problem and it wasn't until on his way home, under braking, did the suspension brackets break off - a lot later than expected.
Anyway, with the main cross tube removed the new suspension base was welded on, along with short legs used to extend the bottom tubes back further. Of course it heat-warped terribly, so it was dealt with appropriately, using the truck to hold down one end and jumping on the lever arm on the other end. This reminds me what my boss once said, loudly, to a computer when he was dealing with some troublesome software, "I will beat you, bitch!" It worked.
The last two pictures show the upper suspension cross tubes mocked up. The right-side tube appears to be very close to the blue oil filter but there is plenty of room to remove it. The addition of the two large OD thin-wall tubes on the sides solve the previously nasty issue of how to support the bottom panel. Previously, the A-arms, axle, and shock, plus their arcs, completely blocked any direct path from the upper strong point.
I'm not sure how much of the rear structure to build up; the concern is possibly not being able to remove the drivetrain... kind of important! I would have added this entry yesterday but the day seemed to come up about an hour short...
The good news is that the framework under the rear suspension is being changed to make it simpler, lighter, and easier to build. Unfortunately it means redoing a bunch of drawings, the manuscript, and, since tubes are already in place, the chassis has to be modified, too. However, it's worth the effort; no point saddling builders with something that's clunky because I was too lazy to fix it. Granted, I could have left my car alone and simply made the changes in the plans, but it would always bother me the car wasn't per the plans, so it's being changed.
Today was spent updating the associated CAD drawings. "Real" CAD sw updates all drawings in a hierarchical manner, where one drawing can be changed and however many other drawings linked to it automatically incorporate the change - no so with SketchUp. Soooo it's a long laborious process to chase a change through all the drawings. Then, all the affected drawing have to be exported as .tiffs into the manuscript to replace the old drawings. It's not hard, just very detailed and time-consuming.
Today was spent fine-tuning the modified rear suspension geometry, made necessary due to changing the pickup points last week. The drawings are being finalized, which have to be kept up to date so the documentation stays ahead of fabrication. (The rule is that I work from the same drawings that builders will use.)
Added up what a good set of pointer-style gauges cost, including the same Spa Techniques tach/speedo I had in Kimini. The shock was that it's the same as the flat dash I'd been considering which does a lot more: data logging, alarms, speedo, odometer, even turn signals, an "Alt" light and even a high-beam light. So, when the US$/British Pound exchange rate improved to where I could no longer resist, the Race Technology Dash2 flat dash and datalogger was ordered. It claims it does everything but the dishes; I just hope it proves reliable.
Received the ARP studs for the engine build, and as the Brits say, various bits and bobs: clutch slave cylinder, flywheel bolts, engine bolts, and a small diameter clutch master cylinder. I got talked into using a twin-disc clutch, which should be great for reliability but I hear they're a light switch, either they grab or they don't. That's not great for the street so I'm hoping that between the pedal ratio and cylinder ratio that there'll be enough control to modulate it. We'll see.
Because the rear suspension pickup points were moved, the numbers will be run again to make sure the geometry is still okay. Worst case the brackets will change slightly; not a big deal but it's good to know what they'll be before construction gets to that point.
Worked on the rear suspension pickup points; the bottom frame is tacked up. Once the tubing was in place it became clear that the lower pickups could move forward about an inch. This gives the lower arms more of a straight shot at the uprights which is good structurally. It also frees up more space for the muffler, that's good, too. It does place the lower triangulation tubes close enough to the transaxle that a (useless) tab sticking out the side of the tranny has to get trimmed, not a problem.
Things were going okay when, within 15 minutes I cut myself, twice, the second time enough that I had to stop to not drop blood everywhere. This is always a sign that I'm not "at one" with the project and if I continue, something worse will happen. So, done for the day, time was spent on the gas tank assembly - in CAD - where's it's harder to cut myself...
The gas tank is tentatively done, in CAD at least. By moving one side a little, capacity is now 16 gallons! This is enough for just about any drivetrain builders want to use, and even gives the option of cutting it down if not as much capacity is needed. Still waiting for the fuel level sensor, and have to place the various external hose fittings, but it's getting there.
Over the last couple days on the forum there's discussion of the side air inlets. If you're registered you can read about it here; if not you'll have to register first. The reason for the links is so you can voice your input on the side inlet design. As I said on the forum, unless I hear otherwise I'm going to assume everyone just loves it...
Speaking of voicing input, I had a discussion with a race car designer who feels that the flat diffuser is better. The Katz book (figure 6-39 if you have it) shows that downforce increases with a diffuser angle of up to 12 degrees, while drag actually drops at angles up to about 4 degrees, then increases up to 12, but remains lower than if there was no diffuser. McBeath, in, Competition Car Downforce, discusses curved diffuser design but doesn't provide data (which is understandable since aero design doesn't transfer easily between vastly differing cars.) I don't have a big-ass wing helping to suck air out through the diffuser, though the Katz data does not either which is a good thing for my application. So, since Katz has actual quantifiable data, and because Kimini felt very stable at high speed, I'm going back to the flat design.
I changed the shape of the diffuser. The Katz book only has downforce data for flat diffusers yet all recent cars use smoothly-curving diffusers. That means they probably work better so I'm going that way (who knows if a diffuser on a Sevenesque car will do much anyway but it's worth a try.) With it curved it also provides slightly more space for the muffler. It does look funny, like skis, but the side panels and fenders will cover them. It will look interesting from the rear though and above the diffuser will be engine compartment vents. The idea is that low pressure air exiting the diffuser will suck hot engine compartment air out through the vents.
Starting on the rear suspension bracketry. I must have measured wrong because my CAD drawing shows I have an inch of clearance under the rear suspension bracket - nope - it's actually more like zero, which makes the rear mount easier to make. Another good thing is that since it's so low there's plenty of room to get the engine out even after it's in place.
Once the fuel sender gets here I may take a break from the chassis and build the tank. It needs to be in place to make it clear where the control cables and coolant lines need to run. (If you haven't noticed I like to use the actual parts during construction. It's the only way to make really, really sure it'll all fit together.) Speaking of control cables, it doesn't look like the stock e-brake cable will reach, oh well. I'm investigating what it takes to get the gas tank parts cut via CNC. That would save a ton of time but as always it's a time-versus-cost issue.
Check out the size of those huge rear fenders. I haven't measured to see if the full width will be needed but I suspect they will be. They'll look pretty menacing.
The forum's starting to get more active which is good. The idea is to have it reach critical mass (meaning, a decent number of posts per day) before the car's done and the book's finished. Oh and it's looking like another beta-tester will be coming on-line. In case anyone's wondering, two "beta-builders" are enough, any more and it becomes too much to deal with, and have a day job.
The front drivetrain mount is done, though one overlooked aspect was the consequence of swapping pans. I bought a baffled aluminum pan which bolts to the bottom of an RSX engine. While my transmission is from an RSX, the engine is from a CRV. The CRV stamped steel pan is one size while the aluminum pan is another and it (the aluminum pan) bolts to the face of the transaxle unlike the steel part. However it appears I lucked out because the aluminum pan is actually slighty smaller in the most critical areas so it should work.
Someone asked why the tubes on each side of the engine don't meet the floor in the corner of the main bulkhead, instead being welded higher up. That's because the trailing links go there and the tubes would be in the way. The suspension brackets will double as gussets to strengthen the area though.
Next will be extending the floor tubes back to complete the floor; that shouldn't take too long. That's safe to do because it doesn't box in the engine, but it is getting near time to take the engine out and start on the rear-most chassis tubes.
As Miata parts were collected there was the question of whether to use Miata calipers or go with aftermarket Wilwoods. Rebuilt OEM calipers are roughly $100 while Wilwood units are around $140 - and half the weight. What's really driving this is my bad experience with what I think were flexing OEM calipers (granted, not Miata) but I'll probably just go with the Wilwoods and be done with it. This stuff's way down the road but making decisions now makes it easier when the time comes.
Ordered the last of the parts for the gas tank. Capacitive-type fuel level sensors (no moving parts and compact) come in two lengths, 12" and 24". Since the 24" unit is more expensive, and because the tank was already about 10" tall, it was made taller to allow using the 12" sensor without being cut down. This brings total tank volume to 14.4 gallons which is pretty nice. I think the tank will be a cool side project.
There are a couple different rear body treatments being discussed on the forum, here, but you'll need to register to see it. As long-time readers know, there was such differing opinion about what looked best that builders are encouraged to do their own. It'll be a nice way to differentiate and personalize each car so they aren't simply copies.
Finished the right-side mount and removed the wood stand, letting the weight of the drivetrain down on the left and right-side mounts. Now, I knew better than to think the OEM mounts don't deflect so I had jacked up the drivetrain an extra 1/8" to allow for them to get squished - not enough. The oil pan now sits on the table... it's supposed to be suspended slightly above the table. It's not terrible, the engine mount is vertically-oriented so washers can be used to raise it. Also, there's two more mounts to add and once they take on their share of the weight hopefully the pan will be raised a bit without resorting to washers.
Also added the rear transverse tube behind the drivetrain and engine bay diagonals, all of which define the floor under the drivetrain. The front mount will be done next since it needed the floor tubes in place. After that I'm not sure. Doing the rear mount means starting to built the rear suspension structure, which boxes in the drivetrain and can prevent it from being removed due to the low garage roof interfering with the engine hoist. However, the rear mount does need to be in place before the engine's pulled, and probably won't be going back in until it's built, probably after the chassis is off the table. I might make a wood mockup that mimics exactly where the rear mount is so the drivetrain doesn't need to be in place.
The forum is pretty quiet though that's understandable at this point. There's a fairly extensive FAQ on there now, and some people have been discussing drivetrain choices. (Note that much of the forum is unavailable to guests as I see no point in providing everything to those who don't bother to register.) Beta-tester Jim is making faster progress than me due to working on his chassis more; you can see some of his pictures in the build diary. There's a possibility of another beta-tester coming on-line in March.
Got the left-side (transmission) drivetrain mount done and tomorrow the right side will be dealt with. These seem to be taking forever but it's probably the mental shift from the big fun pieces to the first of the less-fun little stuff. The idea is to support the drivetrain off these two mounts so the wood stand can be removed from below it. With that out of the way the lateral tube behind the drivetrain can be fit-up, along with the bracing on the floor bay, then add the remaining two mounts.
Received the nice spherical bearings for the rear suspension. Finding a place that sells bearing cups was a challange but necessary so builders don't need a lathe. Received some nice Lenox cutting tools. The big blade is for the Makita cold saw to give it more teeth for thinner material. They also make some cool carbide-tipped holesaws that work really well, actually cutting the material rather than tearing it.
Oh and the last picture is going in the book with the caption, "I'll just add the brackets now and weld the chassis tubes later, it'll be fine." This is a great illustration of why it's so important to attach important brackets last. As I drone on about, heat warpage is a really big deal, as evidenced by the near-1/4" shift of the bracket during welding of the tubes!
It's frustrating coming home and thinking I'll get something done on the manuscript; so many times things dictate otherwise. Today it's the RAID 10 hard-drives... one of them went offline. Backed up all the important stuff, powered down the PC, wriggled the connectors and presto, everything's now "fine." Yeah, sure it is. I hope to make good progress over the next week due to having next Monday and Friday off, depending what pops up, of course.
Worked on the engine mounts Sunday... or should I say, engine mount. It took all day to more-or-less finish one that consists of four tubes and three brackets which, like magic, works out to a not-so coincidental 5-6 hours, just like the rule of thumb said. I'm not complaining; it's just a terse reminder that the little stuff takes just as long as the big stuff, much like golf where 7" putts are just as important as long drives.
This brings back memories of Kimini - though the difference is feeling the pressure to "hurry up already" from people who want the book. I have to be careful not to let that rush me - which surfaced Sunday. I was going to push things and weld on the mount without first welding on the drilled tabs first. Why? Because something's being welded it gives a sense of "progress", but a false one since it's then much harder to attach the brackets later. So I forced myself to put down the welder and quit for the day instead of pushing things.
Ordered a bunch of bits for the engine, mostly hardware since some of it's missing off the donor, clutch slave cylinder, flywheel bolts, engine-to-transaxle bolts, etc, etc.
Cooper's been feeling much better, running around like a lunatic and wanting to play tug-of-war. It's great to see him happy, my little hairy son. I think it's rather telling how my mood tends to mirror how he's feeling.
Picked up some 1/8" plate for fabricating brackets (for just about everywhere.) The OEM drivetrain-side mounts are bolted on and will guide how the chassis-side mounts fasten to them. The mounts need to be fairly strong since they have to handle vertical loads of maybe 5x for hitting worst-case potholes (about 2000lbs total.) Then there's engine torque which can be 600 lb-ft or so, depending upon traction and gearing. In fact, the worst combination is to be at full throttle - at the edge of adhesion - and hitting a bad pothole; the shock loads through the engine mounts are quite large. And, if builders bolt on a supercharger and wide racing slicks and go drag-racing there'll be even more force. That's why they'll all be triangulated; though it adds tubing, it's better to be a few pounds heavy instead of having the drivetrain drop out half way down the track...
Speaking of brackets, someone asked how complete the chassis is. I asked if I should include the time to make brackets in my answer. That is, the chassis is probably 70% done if brackets aren't included, but probably 30% if they are. Brackets take a ton of time, probably as much as doing the tubing; it's just how it goes. Oh, and once again the rule-of-thumb is proving correct, that each end of a tube takes about 30 minutes to fully fabricate. Have six tubes to make and weld? Figure six hours to do it. Hmmm, doing some quick math, there's roughly 100 tubes in the car so that means roughly 100 hours to build the chassis, then probably that much time again for all the brackets. Actually, these numbers are high because that's how long it's taking me - and the first car always takes the longest. Once it's documented, future car's should go much faster, especially when it comes to the brackets.
Along with the correct fuel filler from Aircraft Spruce came their latest catalog - great bathroom reading! Go to their site and order one; it has a lot more stuff in it than the website.
And finally, several people asked how I like using the Makita LC1230 saw - it's a beast. The blade turns a lot faster than expected and I learned a lesson early on. In hindsight it's perfectly clear what happened and why, but it was pretty exciting. I wanted to cut a round tube at an angle, so set the vice and tightened it down. The blade just barely touched the tube - and it shot out of the saw at about Mach 7 across the garage. (The wife coming out and asking what the noise was, "... nothing.") The problem was two-fold, clamping round tubing in a vice with flat sides, and cutting it at an angle. The tube had an impressive spiral pattern of teeth marks all down its side. Lesson learned, I now only cut round tubing at 90 degrees since I haven't made an adaptor to properly hold it. For square tubing it's fine. Sure enough, the cut end is absolutely clean, with not even a tiny burr on it.
One thing nice about Aircraft Spruce is how fast they take care of problems; the correct part's already on the way.
Saw this posted in a car-building forum: "... have been reading kimini posts for months. as a matter of fact, he's the reason I'm in this mess. love his car build and listened to him and now am convinced that rear-engine is by far the best path to follow.” I hope I guided him down a path where he'll be happy!
Been reviewing the rear suspension and changed the type of spherical bearing to a stronger part. Since the forces on this bearing are three-dimensional it means one of the forces is applied axially, a spherical bearing's "weak direction." The only way to solve it is to use a larger bearing, which works out well since the OEM bolt that runs through it is too small anyway so it'll go up a size for the larger bore.
My best friend in the world, Cooper, our dog, is getting old. He's starting to have rear leg problems that long-time readers may recall was caused by a slipped disc years ago. Some days he's fine and other days his rear legs are somewhat uncoordinated, making it hard for him to walk very far on our outings which he loves. He looks to me for everything, and the last thing I have to do for him is going to be very, very hard. What's strange is how I get more emotional about him than I do at people's funerals. Someone once told me, "treat your friends and animals as though each day is the last day you'll see them." I try, but it doesn't make it any easier.
Almost but not quite. I ordered an identical gas filler (even used the same part number as last time) from Aircraft Spruce. Their website is a bit, um, 1990's, lacking a lot of pictures so you really never know what you're ordering. They don't even list brand names so you can't confirm on the actual manufacturer's website what you're ordering and, surprise, it's the wrong part. Anyhow, while the front (shown) is the same, this version is intended to bolt directly to a gas tank. Unfortunately I need the panel-mount unit that connects to a hose that runs to the tank. Not cheap (and a lot more expensive than last time I ordered one) but so good looking I can't resist, again.
It was pointed out that perhaps I shouldn't be building an engine at the same time I'm building everything else. It's a very valid point, potentially having to sort both suspension issues and engine problems can be very non-productive. I absolutely agree but can't help myself, it's a mental thing. When the car is "done" I really want it to be done, not with a potentially tired-out engine of questionable health that may or may not be reliable. Yes, it could get a leak-down check and just call it good but I just want to do the whole job up front. There are other issues, too, that regardless if the engine's built or not it still has to be tuned since it has an aftermarket computer. I'm going to have it professionally tuned so in one afternoon it'll be ready to go. Also, for the first track event I'll probably crank the boost down in order to concentrate on handling issues (like there'd be any of those, pfff.)
Cooper-Dog at my feet, a drink on the table, Stranglers and The Stray Cats on the headphones, working on the manuscript, life is good.
Rear main chassis tubes are in. The main diagonal and rear cross tube will wait since it makes accessing the drivetrain difficult. The chassis could be lifted off the table, leaving the drivetrain in place if I had more overhead room, oh well. I should probably tack-weld in a temporary cross-tube and diagonal just to keep things square until the real deal happens.
Received two key parts for the gas tank, a vent and filler neck, both containing one-way valves to prevent fuel spillage if inverted. The connecting rods have been ordered and sometime this week the pistons will also be ordered. Need to order the uber-cool flush mount filler cap, too. If I get tired of working on only the chassis I might build the gas tank.
Weeknights are filled with keeping the manuscript ahead of the build, creating detail drawings, writing accompanying text, and constantly reviewing and rewriting existing chapters. This is the best way to write a book like this, in parallel with the build so important notes aren't left out. In fact, you can see a sheet of paper at the bottom of the third picture; it's a page from the manuscript being used as directions on tube placement. This way the book you get is already tested and proven, and of course, Jim, my "beta tester" is hard at work on his chassis, too.
The engine builder I wanted to do the work never answers his e-mail and while he might be really good, not corresponding with potential customers just isn't acceptable. So... a change of plans; I'm going to build it myself - with help. Very fortunately for me, is a coworker buddy was one of the top Honda engine builders back 10 years ago and has agreed to mentor me on the build. Even better, he has all the special measuring and assembly tools for the job - pretty darn cool. Anyhow, first thing on the list are Pauter connecting rods with EDM-drilled holes to lubricate the wrist pins. The exiting oil also splashes onto the bottom of the piston to help cool them, avoiding the task of installing oil squirters in the block.
Pistons are next but will take a bit more effort to define. The manufacturer has a big form to fill out and I don't know half the parameters. We're going with custom pistons with a few "enhancements" which should make them live a long time. Granted I'm not building a 1200 hp engine but whatever can be done to make it very reliable engine is worth doing.
The timing should work out about right. The rods and pistons won't show up for probably a month, giving time to build the chassis around the drivetrain enough to know where everything goes. Starting to get exciting.
This is a reminder of much fun fabricating Kimini's radiator mounts was... not. It was, and is, an annoying, awkward thing to mock up, not helped by the radiator not having mounting brackets, made more fun since it's inside the nose cone. Anyhow, the frame under the rack and radiator is done, now it's "just" a matter of welding tabs onto the radiator and picking them up with rubber-isolated brackets off the frame. As I was told years ago, and it's proven true over and over, brackets take the majority of the time when building a chassis.
Been thinking about the front storage area and one item that would be nice to hide is a helmet. Right now the space isn't deep enough for one but since the footwell is fairly tall, the floor of the storage area can be lowered some on that side... we'll see.
Speaking of Kimini, had a weird dream about her, one of those disjointed dreams where nothing makes sense. I'm reminded of what my mom told me as a kid about not eating nuts before bed or I'd dream, yup, still happens. Anyhow, my sister(?) shows up driving Kimini. I basically said, "WTF?", and she explains that she's dropping it off per instructions from the new owner, handing me a list of things he wants changed or added. I remember thinking that he's not going to like the bill since he didn't call first, assumed I'd do it, and assumed I have nothing else going on, and then the dream ended - good! I can only handle one project at a time.
Fit-up the aforementioned front diagonals. The triangular area will house adjustable door vents to pass warm air from the radiator to the footwell - a free foot heater - plus crushable material for "accident mitigation." Next task is the rack mount and radiator supports.
Finished placing the front diagonals (in CAD.) The trick was to have them double as both chassis stiffeners and panel mounts. I had marginal cooling on Kimini and am designing in a kick-butt solution: open entry into the radiator, minimal tube obstructions, puller fan (allegedly 20% more efficient that a pusher), a splitter to guide exiting air into low pressure areas between the body and front wheels, and a double-pass radiator. That should fix it!
There may also be a panel across the forward end of the footwell to block whatever hot air gets through the splitter. If that's done it gives an opportunity to install some sort of energy-absorbing material into the otherwise unusable triangular area. Not sure what to put there; I had the idea of a vent between the radiator outlet duct and the footwell - cheap heater? Or maybe some real high density foam that doesn't weigh anything? Beer can crush space? Have any ideas?
No welding today; mocked up the nose, radiator, fan and steering rack to ensure they package well. Jim, Midlana #2 builder, asked if there was room for a puller fan. Right after I said "No, pusher only", I remembered I'd bought a puller fan myself, doh(!) so now there's room for a puller or pusher. Verified the brake master cylinders and hose fittings to the remote reservoirs fit under the front cover – just. Still deciding on how the radiator exit ducting will route. Verified the steering shaft routing is a no-brainer; it'll route upward using a second U-joint to ensure the shaft clears the driver's feet and to ensure it'll collapse into a "Z" in an accident.
Received the master cylinders to confirm the front cover clears them. Also picked up 20' each of 3/4" square and round tubing to use as diagonals at the far front and back. Makes nice crush structures and rivet flanges for paneling.
Okay, okay, you guys win - I fixed the pictures. Have to keep potential customers happy!
Changed some of the diagonal tubes in the front a bit, nothing that's been built yet so no time or material wasted.
Reader (and first Midlana builder!) Jim told me about a type of cut-off saw I was unaware of. I own an abrasive cut-off saw and haven't used it in years due to it throwing grit and sparks all around the garage. At the other end of the spectrum are cold saws that cost a fortune so they're out. So, for years I've been using the little weenie Harbor Freight horizontal bandsaw that does okay. What Jim introduced me to is a "dry saw", something like a cold saw but without the coolant system. He loves his and hasn't used his abrasive chop saw in years either. So I ordered a remanufactured Makita LC1230, available for about $280 and up; new they list at about $450.
Ordered brake master cylinders in order to confirm I absolutely have enough space for them and the remote cylinders. With Kimini it took three tries to get the master cylinder sizing just right and it may be the same there, but I have to start someplace. At the same time I decided to go straight to Wilwood front calipers since they weigh 3 lbs which I'm sure is way less than the stock ones.
The wood and clamps at the top are during fit-up of the brake pedal assembly. There will be bolt-on brackets for the assembly with multiple holes to set the pedal position (or not - it's up to builders.) The way it's done there won't be any large holes for dust and hot air to sneak through. There was some concern that it might hit the cover but it fits fine. A nice perk is that a convenient diagonal to the left of the pedals will serve to mount a dead pedal to, something missing from Locost footwells, never mind having actual foot space!
The piece of wood at the top of the first picture is the hood line while the lateral wood at the back is the top of the cowl. It was raised slightly to make space for instruments and to make the car look a bit more sprint-car-like and less dune-buggyish. It's still below line-of-sight with the nose so it doesn't impact visibility.
Slight design change. The front suspension pick-up brackets stuck out nearly 3", kind of nuts and looked, as the Brits say, daft. The tubes they mount to were moved outboard to get closer to the pivot points. The nose has to be trimmed to fit around the tubes but it's not a big deal since it gets trimmed anyway. It looks kind of different... have to see what it looks like once done. It was either this or have side-loading on elephant-ear-size brackets.
I hope wherever you are you got a chance to see the moon-rise last night or tonight. I hardly ever use the word "awestruck" but it's a worthy description. Between being closest to the earth right now and the clear air, just, wow.
Fabricated the major front tubes. It always amazes me the extent and force of simple tack welds. The far end of the top cross tube pulled upward about 1/2" when tacked at the other end. It wasn't a problem and was forced back into place but I imagine the total force in a finished chassis must be massive.
For the two longitudinal tubes a simple jig was created by cutting notches in a masonite sheet, saving the trouble of wondering where the front end of the tube are supposed to go. These two tubes are square because the sides of the "engine" cover sit on the top, and a panel is riveted in to form the floor of the storage area. There are more tubes to add but these form the framework and will make the rest of them go pretty fast.
After the tubes were tacked, the nose was test-fit for the first time. The natural width of it at the back corners is about 26" but the design requires 28". However it's flexible enough to accommodate the increase, and could go a bit further but I don't want to press my luck. The reason for the 28" is because the mid-engine layout moves the passenger compartment forward causing the front tubes to have slightly more taper than a standard Locost.
Oh, and I got a note from a reader who wasn't real happy about the huge pictures, which greatly slows down his page downloads. I guess I get lazy and spoiled here in SoCal where everything's on cable modem. If you're on dial-up, let me know so I can get a sense of whether it's worth the time to create thumb size pictures. It does take time to do it which is why I've stopped, giving more time to work on the car and book.
This week the manuscript was updated, adding detail chassis drawings to bring it up to the same level as the build. Drawings were also added for the front chassis tubes which will be fit-up tomorrow (every other Friday off, whoo hoo!) These tubes, the ones forward of the foot-space, have reduced wall and diameter to serve as crush space.
At the rear, behind the main hoop, 1.5" tubing is used but thinner wall. Between that and the small suspension tubes, the idea is that it becomes crush space for rear impacts. Worst case, it'll let the drivetrain break free before the cage is compromised. That's all theory of course - I can't afford to submit a completed car for official crash testing!
In case you missed the notice over the holiday break don't forget to check out the Midlana forum. I've added a big FAQ, list of needed parts, basically answering common questions. There is already a builder (my beta-tester!) starting his build so watch the forum for his progress.
Welded up the tacked-in tubes and added a few more, completing the basic cage.
Fully welding the tubes always results in a vivid demonstration of heat warpage, note the 3/16" gap under the tube. Having a wood fabrication table with wood clamps is no match; the metal just laughs at the pathetic effort to contain it, ripping the screws right out of the wood. Never underestimate the power of (the Force, sorry) contracting steel. This is why the suspension brackets get attached last, and why adjustable rod-ends are used everywhere. This happened in Kimini, and in every other welded-chassis car I've asked builders about. We learn to coexist with it...
It has been pointed out a couple times that the window frame and X-roof is not really structurally sound; the forward-outboard corners have little support to resist folding down. Granted the main hoop prevents the entire top from caving in, limiting the front corners from deflecting more than 5.5". For builder who are concerned there will be alternatives, one is to add a tube from the upper corners of the windscreen frame down to the waistline tubes (third photo.) It conveniently forms a triangular area that could house small windows and greatly reduce the infamous wind whipping around the ends of the flat windscreens Locosts are known for. Mocking it up showed it doesn't cause much problem when getting in and out so a decision will be made before going to paint - if I don't forget.
Of course that's not really structural either. To do it "right" means running tubes from the top corners back to the junction on the main hoop at shoulder-level. To really go nuts means adding horizontal tubes from the top front corners back to the main hoop, but doing so will make getting in and out very difficult. The final decision will be up to builders.
As the vacation time-off winds down I'm pretty happy with the progress. Getting the SB100 ball rolling really helps with the motivation, too. Not sure how much I'll get done tomorrow, might just goof off for a day.
So I show up at the local DMV office, pulling into the parking lot at 6:15 am (they open at 8 am) and was disappointed to see there were already four people in line, freezing. Turned out the first guy in line had been there since 10pm the previous night(!), saving the place in line for his employer, Business Owner Guy (BOG), who'd just shown up. (I have mixed feelings about that, not that he was paid someone to save his spot, but that it was his employee. I mean, if your boss came and asked if you'd stand in the cold all night for him, can you say no? If you later lose your job might you wonder if it had anything to do with turning down his "offer". Anyhow, back to the story.)
Did I mention it was really cold? Anyway, that explained the first two people in line. The other two turned out to be husband and wife, cool, so that meant I was #3. There ended up being a total of five of us, three registering Cobras (big surprise), one GT40, and me; I was surprised no one was registering a hot rod.
It was foggy, a damp kind of cold that cuts right through a jacket - had I remembered to bring one. Long underwear, gloves and a hat helped a lot but by the time the doors opened I could feel neither my nose nor my feet. They were expecting us, handing us numbers as we came in and sat us off to the side. BOG went up first and what we overheard was not encouraging - the clerk was a trainee and had never handled SB100 cases (which isn't hard to believe since they only do it for about an hour each January.) Hearing BOG's voice getting louder (maybe it was because he knew he couldn't buy her?) wasn't helping, especially since we still had to deal with her - let's not piss her off right away, okay?
Anyhow, BOG comes back and sits down, shaking his head and muttering "We're screwed." However, the clerk was working pretty darn fast and in fact was moving faster than anyone else in the office. The next two got up and their paperwork didn't take long, then it was my turn. The first thing she asked was, "Has it been started yet?" Figuring she meant the car project I said yes, but what she really meant was the paperwork... oh, sorry, no. She asked for the VIN, "there isn't one, I'm building it." Then she asked who I got the frame from, "no one, I'm building it", feeling sure I was going to get screwed because she was going to get stuck any second (since everyone else's car had a manufacturer's certificate.) She asked what the car looks like and I said a two-seat sports car. She asks, "convertible?" Yes. She asked for the total cost of components and I answered honestly (and in fact had to total all the receipts up beforehand to pump the amount higher else it would be a suspiciously small amount. "Here, write us a check for this amount" she says... okay. Then I go back and sit down, watching the next two people go through the motions, and then the waiting starts.
The local DMV office telephones into the main office in Sacramento to have the official numbers pulled. Getting through on the phone is like trying to win the lottery, with all the branch offices calling simultaneously. We were all immediate close friends, like survivors who find themselves floating on a melting iceberg, wondering if we'll get saved before it sinks. The waiting was killing me so I called my brother, who went through the same process a couple years ago, and asked how long he waited for his number, "about 15 minutes." Geez, 20 minutes, 25, 30, 45, and then a different clerk came over and said, "Here you go", and handing out our numbers - we'd all gotten them! Whoo hoo! She mentioned she was surprised more people hadn't applying and wondered aloud if the slow economy means less people are buying/building kit cars - could be. My brother got his number in 15 minutes and was assigned #482. After waiting 45 minutes I got #334. Regardless, I/we couldn't be happier. When I got home I added a few more tubes.
Happy New Year. A big deal happens Friday, my date-with-DMV-destiny to see if I get one of the coveted 500 exemptions. The car will be built regardless but it would be great incentive to know I can drive it on the street when done rather than trailer it to the track until 2010... Anyhow, have to get up early to be first in line and even though I have an appointment it can't hurt. I have all the receipts and forms filled out so we'll see how it goes.
Got a couple more tubes done but quite early to goof off. Oh BTW, attention married guys: I learned a valuable lesson about how to buy a new tool. What you do is come in from the garage clutching your wrist like it's hurt. When asked what happened, say your non-variable speed 1/2" drill (the one with 8000 ft-lb of torque) jammed and twisted your hand 180 degrees (the wrong way) in around 0.05 seconds. That drill is like owning a 2000 hp commuter car, only the throttle is either 100% on or off... not pretty. Years ago I was using the same drill to put holes in railroad ties, standing over it to apply pressure, when the same thing happened and the bit jammed. The handle whipped around so fast I honestly though it had broken my leg.
Anyhow, back to the story, so then, casually mention that a variable speed drill wouldn't have that problem. Worked like a charm, though I don't recommend doing what I did; my wrist still hurts and I'm waiting to see how bad it is tomorrow. That said, the variable speed drill is indeed about a million times better. The reason I'm not using the drill press to drive the tubing notcher is because the long tubes won't fit.
In other news, I've been banned from the honda-tech forum but haven't posted in months. Here's their "full" explanation: You have been banned for the following reason: No reason was specified. Date the ban will be lifted: Never. In 2008 the forum was bought by a large internet company and it's gone downhill ever since due to people getting fed up and leaving. Afraid they might wipe the archives I moved a thread I created years ago, moving it somewhere safe - here!. It's a thread listing many of the trackday organizations in North America which is too useful to be lost to corporate greed.
Yesterday the first downtube was welded but the alignment wasn't double-checked before fitting-up the second down-tube. The heat distorted the main hoop enough to be really irritating, requiring "getting medieval" with a fence puller(!) to force it back square. That's what I get for not tacking both and then welding them instead of doing them separate. Just a reminder to not get too unset when it happens to you!
With that fixed the main hoop diagonal and cross tubes were fit-up, much easier than the down-tubes. There will be another diagonal from the opposite lower corner, extending only up to the lateral cross tube. Its job, along with the main diagonal, is to support the gas tank. The full gas tank will weigh around 100 lbs, and hitting bumps mean the mounts could see 3-5x that, hence the healthy tube size.
One consequence of making such good progress (while on vacation) is that I'm getting ahead of the book. Since work starts Monday that'll sort of take care of itself and the manuscript will be updated during the week.
Fit-up the second down-tube which wasn't much easier than the first. Making a template of one tube and expecting it to just work for the opposite side never seems to work as well as it should due to weld distortion and cut variations making each tube slightly different. However, with lots of fitting and measuring I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. The two down-tubes are tricky though and we'll see how many builders curse my name fitting them up ;)
This is the fun part of the build; big pieces going into place and giving a nice sense of accomplishment. Alas, as the build proceeds that physical sense of progress gets smaller and smaller, with probably the low (and darkest) point being the electrical system. Regardless, it's fun to experience; the journey's a great deal of the fun, but I digress. Not sure what'll be next, maybe the main roll-hoop diagonal and cross tube, or the side tubes around the engine. The idea is to get the engine mounts figured out then send the engine out to be built up. I'd like to do it myself but in the quest to get the car on the road it's most efficient to have a shop do the work while I push on with the chassis.
Fixed the welder then fit-up probably the most awkward tube on the car, the first front down-tube. It's awkward because it's first, with little to reference it to since it's neither vertical nor horizontal, plus the top back tube end is a tricky profile. It took lots of checking and trimming before it was ready to weld. Since it's a bent tube I tried hard to avoid screwing it up and having to make another. Rulers, a T-square, plumb-bob, and digital protractor were a big help. The chassis drawings helped a lot for setting the angles though the top tube end profile took a while to get right. SketchUp can't unwrap tube ends plus the tube intersects at an angle on a curved tube. I found it easiest to trim and test-fit the end cut until it fit, then made a pattern to use on the other down-tube, which will go much faster.
The floor tubes have been fully welded. It came out pretty square and after removing it from the table and welding the bottom it fit back into its blocks with some "help" from a big hammer. At this point the floor doesn't include the forward extension for the radiator support nor the rear diffuser extension; just keeping things simple at this point. Also trimmed the main roll hoop and had just tacked it in when a puddle was spotted under the welder... uh oh. Not one but two hoses are leaking near the chiller. Granted it's a 10 yr-old machine but it's odd how two leaks started at the same time in two different hoses. The leaks seem to be in the hose itself, not the threaded fittings, which are crimped on which makes shortening the hoses and attaching new ends impossible. Oh well, so it goes.
Without the welder, the two forward down-tubes can still be prepared. This may take a while due to their 3D nature, trying to make them "square" when nothing on them is horizontal or vertical. Guess that's what the CAD drawings are for; they should provide the angles necessary to make it all just work. Then again I have to take some of my own advice: it just doesn't matter that much. As long as they're symmetrical it'll be fine. Anyhow, hopefully Monday the local weld shop will have a set of replacement hoses, though I suspect they come attached to a new torch handle...
Been doing a lot of family stuff but with Christmas and shopping done things should settle down and I can work on the chassis. It's pretty sad when the wife asks what I want to do tomorrow and what I really want to say is I'm happy to spend a quite day in the garage welding instead of dealing with traffic and angry shoppers.
There's some decent information on the forum now to give an idea of what's what but it'll never really be done; I'll be adding stuff for years. With the forum at least off the ground it frees up more time for working on the car.
In other news I replaced my dying cell phone with one that gets e-mail so I don't have to check it as frequently on the PC. Back when I started Kimini the Web was fairly quiet. Now there are dozens of sites conspiring to suck up at least as much time as TV does. Not needing a PC to check e-mail helps keep the distractions away.
Worked on the forum to add more content. As Admin, I have complete visibility into who's on the forum and it was surprising to see "Google [bot]" looking through the forum. Hopefully it'll increase on-line visibility.
Managed to get out to the garage and tack-weld the tubes; it's downright pleasant welding on a cold day. Between the jacket, gloves and hood, things that must be worn anyway, it's very comfortable. It's in the summer that's a real killer. Hopefully I'll have the majority of the welding done by the time the heat arrives.
The bottom tubes will be tack-welded more completely then pulled off the table and fully welded. This gives a chance to straighten it once welded, especially after the main hoop's welded on which will draw the ends of the chassis upward like a banana. Correcting it now will result in a more square chassis, then it'll go back on the table for the front down tubes, which will again try and draw the floor upward. Again it'll be removed and the tubes forward of the front downtubes bent back down to keep the floor flat from front to back. This should go a long way toward having a flat base for all the other tubes... but I'm getting ahead of myself.
I'm starting a design competition for a Midlana logo, check out the details here! If you don't register many of the forums aren't visible.
Merry Christmas everyone!
You know, no point in waiting around for the forum to be more complete, it'll never be "done," so I present the Midlana Forum! And yes I'm excited. Note that many of the forums won't be visible until your register.
I'll be constantly adding stuff to the FAQ and various threads so check it out, and be sure to point out if something's missing or unclear. One problem with running the whole show is not being able to see the forest for the trees; I forget what's been disseminated and what hasn't but I know you'll point it out!
Been busy with family stuff but found some time to set up a Midlana forum. This website works well but since no one knows what anyone else is asking I end up answering the same questions. Hopefully it'll serve as a useful and informative meeting place to exchange ideas. It can also show - if it succeeds - potential builders and book buyers that, hey, looks like this thing's for real.
It's a uncertain feeling, stepping into having a site for something that's still in the works. Will anyone post? Am I being presumptuous that anyone even wants to build the car? It's a bit like getting ready for open-mike night at the local comedy shop. Getting out there and telling some jokes, all the while worrying that when I'm done, no one's laughed and no one's clapping. Angst aside, the more I think about it the more a forum makes sense. As said before, I think a mid-engine Locost is inevitable and I hope to make Midlana a contender. Besides, I've already been called "Suspension Nazi" so I guess "Forum Dictator" isn't any worse! I'll let everyone know when it's ready, very likely before the of the year, but don't expect a ton of information on it at first since I'll be building the car, too!
I've given some thought to setting up a forum for Midlana builders but, is there enough to talk about? Builders will ask a lot of questions but those can be listed and answered in a Builder's FAQ link here. I don't know; I'm not sure there's enough hours in the day to add Forum Czar to the list of daily tasks. That aside, it would be cool to post a list of builders with links to their builds. I'd also like to serialize the builds and/or the books to keep track of who's doing what. That leaves open having future variations and it would help to know who's building what. Just daydreaming, and I'm a little surprised that I'm talking like anyone's going to want to build these. I think it means that I really, truly think this is the next logical step forward for the Locost concept.
In other news, in the Locost forum there's currently discussion about how to add a lockable "truck" area. Hah, I have you covered! Among the perks of going mid-engine is the front "hood" doesn't have anything under it except the brake pedals and master cylinders. By adding a panel at the top of the foot well it creates a nicely isolated - and lockable - storage area. A forward bulkhead keeps radiator heat out and there should be minimal water intrusion if weatherstripping is added. It's already part of the plan.
First off, sorry for reorganizing the Diaries and not posting something first. This way the link to get to the latest diary is a constant address, so you can bookmark it and it won't change... from now on.
Received a note from reader John who raised a point about the outboard tubes next to the driver and passenger. The concern involves what the upper horizontal tube (near the occupant's outboard shoulder) will do in a frontal collision, a well-warranted concern and one I've been thinking about. The issue is that as the front collapses there'll be a lot of compressive force in those two tubes. At some point they'll buckle and the question is, which way will they bend? If they bend outboard, up, or down, that's fine, but if they bend inward that could be bad news. Solutions involve: doing nothing, substituting thicker wall material for one or both these tubes and the diagonals below them, or, remove the diagonal and substitute three tubes in a more truss-like arrangement. Keeping in mind the tubes won't be visible from the outside, adding extra tubes is free other than the weight (and possible interference with elbows.) As John notes, as it stands, Midlana's already much safer than a typical Locost but there's still the question. The aluminum side panels will keep them from bending up and probably down, leaving in and out. Adding a couple tubes won't prevent it from bending inboard but will reduce how far it can go and in what direction.
I think this will be added to a growing list of decisions that builders must choose from. Leave it as is, make them thicker, or add a couple more tubes. It's my way of having builders take responsibility for the level of safety they design into their own car, understanding the risks involved. I'm curious how my liability stands by suggesting several ways of building the car, noting the give and take of each, and letting builders have the final say. I think it's the grown-up way of dealing with it, though I suppose if someone balls up their car they can always say, "But you didn't say it could fail that way", as if I can possible know all failure modes without extensive simulation and/or crash testing...
Believe it or not we do get weather here in Southern California, usually in short but heavy rainstorms. I just noticed a damp spot in our living room where the ceiling meets the wall, uh oh. Yup, and it's hard to tell where it originates since it could be anywhere between there and the peak; time for a new roof - soon. The question is, do I spend thousands and have someone do it quickly, or spend less than half (saving way more than what a flat dash and GPS data acquisition unit cost) and do it myself. I have a buddy who's done roofs before and who would help. Get the stuff delivered onto the roof, rent a couple staple guns, pick up a couple air hoses and I already have the compressor. Hmmmm, gotta decide quick. It's a simple house, single story, not a steep roof... it comes down to time versus money, like always. For the time being I spread a plastic sheet in that area, betting the problem is local and not higher up.
And so it begins; today the major base tubes were cut and jigged. The lateral tube immediately behind the drivetrain has to wait - the drivetrain support is in the way. Though there's no reason why the drivetrain can't be slid out of the way, it's reassuring to have it where it's supposed to be at least until some more tubes are in place. At the front, smaller tubes will be left off until it's ready for the nose. The tubes are ready to weld but that's for next time. I'm considering fully welding the base tubes, being a flat assembly and by alternately welding each side it can be kept that way, within reason. If it warps it's still easy to straighten now instead of after it has all the other tubes attached to it. OTOH, tacking the entire chassis then welding might help keep distortion to a minimum though I'm skeptical. Kimini's chassis warped like a banana from front to back due to the welds on top of the base tubes pulling them upward. It would be nice to have known-flat base tubes, but if welding tubes to the top distorts everything anyway I may not bother.
I'm working from the tubing drawings to ensure what you build is the same as what I'm building. The lengths and angles came out fine but there were a few helpful numbers missing, those were noted and will be fixed.
I'll be at work this week then have two weeks off so there should be decent progress. BTW, if this site is slow to load it's because I'm lazy and not compressing the pictures. The book manuscript needs 300 dpi so the camera's set up for that; I just copy them straight over to here instead of fussing with them - too much else to do. Oh, and I'll try to catch up on e-mail, sorry for blowing everyone off.