New project

[mgbv8]

Hi Chaps
some pictures of progress, yes it may not look much for 6 months work, but you would not believe how many brackets I have welded on. It also seems everything I have to do needs designing first. I have also done the front axel brackets (Roy built the axel) and the steering box is now mounted.
I now have the mechanical fuel injection system, another gearbox, Coan racing one with a straight cut 1.8:1 first and a 5500k stall converter (er yes it is a very high stall ).
Anyway pictures

Mike!!
That is going to look So cool when the Dog Sled Team arrives from Jeggs

[v8trev]

Hi Mike

Have been following this with interest. Presuming that you intend using this competitively I guess there must be certain rules and regs governing how it's built? I've looked for such info on the net and haven't been able to find it. Any idea where such info can be obtained or is there little in the way of build rules?

Cheers

Trev

[kiwicar]

Hi Iain
just have about another dozen brackets to do, unfortunatly they are for things like under tray and wheelie bars that mean turning the thing over, I did my back in 3 weekends ago and I am reluctant to do the lifting of the back axel and the chassis until it is a little better. I think however it is comming on, I need to trial fit the engine/ box soon.
Hi Trev
Yes I intend running this competitivly, I intend doing a Wildbunch season http://www.the-wild-bunch.co.uk/ to start with, this is pretty open on regs but I am new to this and it will get me started, and maybe toward the end of the first year a couple of pro et races. Year 2 I intend adding a blower and entering the supercharged outlaw series http://www.supercharged-outlaws.co.uk/ and add a throttle stop and continue with a few pro et races.
For the fully santioned events you need to be fully "tagged" ie the chassis has to be inspected and certified by an FIA official to a set of specs (sfi standards based on expected elapsed time) http://www.sfifoundation.com/ the specs are about $65 each, and detail the roll cage ang "passenger cell" for a given type of dragster but really are only necessary if you are going to do the safty cell yourself. A more general document and quite frankly enough to work to if you have someone build the cell for you is the santapod drag racing club rule book, if you join the club it is included in the price and quite honestly I would join before you go any further as there is a load of esential info in there.
My chassis (safty cell) is tagged to 7.5 seconds so if I bolt everything in correctly with the right bolts I will be allowed to run FIA events down to 7.5 seconds, that is as low as you can go in FIA with a mild steel chassis but equates to about 175 to 180 mph terminal speed and to do it you need about 1100bhp on a 1450lb car (which is about how heavy this should be).
The supercharged outlaws are a bit nore "flexible" the mild steel chassis bit and will allow about 200 mph and sub 7 seconds before insisting on a chrome molly chassis however to go that quickly on a small block chevy and a blower I would have to go for a chrome molly chassis because I would need to get the weight right down and probably need a much fancier transmission than a power glide!
If you are thinking about this seriously give me a call one evening or anytime over the weekend (I have PM ed you my phone number) and I can try and answer any questions and give you a first heads up on costs, as with all things if you set your sights realistically you can save alot of money, but above all have a plan it will save a packet in the long run.
Best regards
Mike

[v8trev]

Hi Mike

Many thanks for the info and the links. I've always fancied building something like this but, and this may sound weird(!), have little interest in actually competing. Anyway, better finish my V8 Sceptre first . . .

Cheers

Trev

[kiwicar]

Hi Trev
actually I don't find that weird at all there are many teams where the guy who owns the car does not actually drive it, in some cases the owner doesn't even build the thing, just pays the bills and chooses the paint colour. There are many drivers who don't own the car. And some people who build the car and when it is finnished sell it on without it turning a wheel in competition. There are others who don't even get as far as building, just research it as a project. I have done this on ocasions, never got beyond spec and budget stage on a project, (you should have seen the work I did on paper for the 101fc project that never happened and the full set of working drawings for the mclaren M8f chassis) I still learnt alot and had fun on specking the projects out.
As I say if wou want a chat some time give me a call, I promise to try not to persuade you to build one, I'll try very hard
Best regards
Mike

[gelmonkey]

As I say if wou want a chat some time give me a call, I promise to try not to persuade you to build one, I'll try very hard.

Mike
And your nosr just gets bigger and bigger.
Admit it, you are a bad bad man.

P

[kiwicar]

Hi Paul,
that is very hurtfull!
Best regards
Mike

[gelmonkey]

Hi Mike
You know I'm only teasing
How is the body coming on or has that all been put on hold whilst you do the chassis work?
I met Coops a weekend or so ago and he told what you are planning for artwork down the flanks which will be really cool.
Cant wait to see it coming together over the coming months,it looks pretty good already and way beyond my abilities as a fabricator.

cheers
P

[Eliot]

So when the crownwheel explodes - would it be fair to say you are going to have numb nuts

[mgbv8]

So when the crownwheel explodes - would it be fair to say you are going to have numb nuts

Our Mike always thinks ahead Eliot !!
He had them removed from the bags and replaced with Titanium ones from Jeggs !

[seight]

So when the crownwheel explodes - would it be fair to say you are going to have numb nuts

Will you be using a tranny blanket?


Google image search to see some ....... second thoughts, that's probably not a good idea !


Mike

[unstable load]

And a cricket player's box..... maybe the Scots version, the Jock Strapp.......

[kiwicar]

Hi Paul
The body work is comming on, actually I was going to start anoying you again when I get back from holiday, I have a basic plug for the rear now, I need to make up something for the front turtle deck and think about a nose cone, also the area above the transmission needs further consideration, I have made up a cowel in ally as you can see, trouble is that it needs a screen of some sort and in ally that will be messy to join on without half a bucket full of filler to blend it in and version one I've made looks a bit rubbish when you get closer than 20 feet!
To the rest of you. . .
I am pleased that the future generations of Kiwicars are of such concern to you all, however even at max revs the crown wheel will be doing less than 2000 revs and that casing for the 9" is a strange engineering aftermarket unit with a 3/8 minimum wall thickness, but yes I will be puting a shrapnal blanket over it.
I am more concerned about the Transmission itself, and the greek coupler between the box and the pinion, it will have a shield over the transmission and bell housing (it has to for the regs) but I will mave a 1/4" wall thickness ally tube over the tail shaft, shaft joining the box to the back axel and over the input to the diff and probably floors over the whole lot.
Best regards
Mike

[seight]

Seriously though Mike, I think I'm just jealous - I would love to be able to build something like that but never will. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this thread.
Mike

[kiwicar]

Hi Mike,
in many ways it is alot simpler than a kit car, no SVA or it's derivitives to pass. There is alot of figuring out to do though, it does not come with assembly instructions! Beyond the santapod DRC rule book you are on your own (appart from cribbing ideas when in the pits at avon park or the Santapod. The result is you tend to have to think of every part at once when trying to design anything, even if the other parts don't exist yet.
I will try and get a few more photos posted up this weekend, I think I need to stick as many of the bits I have done together to try and convince myself I have made some progress!
Best regards
Mike