Old Project Revitalized - 56 Track Car

[mfain]

Everything is so well thought out, it's very much like looking at the component packaging on a fighter jet. Especially with all the heat shielding. Very well done and work quality for us all to aspire to. Thanks for the update.

Thank you.

 

[bobs77vet]

how did you recess the inner fender for the expansion tank tubing? that looks really nice/

 

[mfain]

how did you recess the inner fender for the expansion tank tubing? that looks really nice/

When I built the inside fender panels to accommodate larger tires, I made plugs and then pulled molds off the plugs. I just built the expansion tank tubing recess into the plug.

 

[mfain]

There seems to be a lull in posts - waiting for Superbuickguy to post results of his track event. So, I'll post a couple of photos on progress on the rear suspension. Got the suspension adjusted (roll center, anti-squat, zero bump steer) and installed the coil-overs, sway bar, and calipers/rotors.

 

[bobs77vet]

very nice work on those inner fenders

 

[BBShark]

Are the arms on the sway bar custom made? I see the "bend" for the control rod.

 

[mfain]

Are the arms on the sway bar custom made? I see the "bend" for the control rod.

They are some of Speedway Engineering's standard arms (1" bar). They are a little heavy for a rear application, so I will eventually have them ball milled to remove some of the weight. The front arms are also Speedway's, but they angle outboard rather than up or down in plane.

 

[phantomjock]

Pappy - Nice choice. I've found there are a lot of parts the "roudy-round" folks have built - and work - that are readily available and well priced!
Sure beats the price we'd pay for "CORVETTE" bits.

[CAUTION - RANT]
Suspension bits (like extra high ball joints), body mounts, radiator/cooling bits, and on and on. [Even though I to often do!]
I find it worthwhile to keep a few of the catalogs (Speedway - gotta love PURPLE, Southwest, Coleman's, etc.) on hand for quick reference - beats building a part from scratch. Online UBC and of course who can beat Mcmaster for delivery. I find Jegs and Summit often too focused on Drag/straight line, even though Summit is an SCCA Sponsor.
Sorry for the sideways.
[ RANT - OVER]

Nice pick on the UCA. really like your pick of the RideTech upright and rotor combination too. Also much appreciate the lead on the form-a-metal source for firewall etc..

ADDING MY QUICK UPDATE: Working my suspension this week/month., and building fenders too, then attak the bird cage. Will post updates soon as I have something worthwhile to show.
Rear pushrod setup - waiting TIG work and front spacers. need to mount fender panels and fair. Steering, etc, etc.

Sorry for the interrupt - but I know the forum has been quiet but for you, SBG, and a few others. Spring is passing, summer here soon, and I plan to be hard on it!
Thought it might be useful to provide a "proof-of-life" in your thread. Better chance of being picked up!

Cheers - Jim

 

[mfain]

Hey Jim,

I use a lot of circle track parts because they are generally proven under tough conditions and hold up well. I designed and built the UCAs (and LCAs) with some tight clearance criteria (room for the coilovers and deep offset, very wide wheels, but I did use Howe NASCAR ball joints and Joes Racing Products cross shafts with needle bearings. I also have a Woodward steering shaft and steering u-joints, a Sweet Manufacturing rack and pinion, a Tilton NASCAR car-of-tomorrow bell housing / carbon clutch/starter, Quick Car Racing wiring/switches, Mark Williams drive shaft - all circle track stuff. Rick Hendricks is using the 6XD sequential in his Track Attack cars built from retired Cup cars, and I noticed that the Cup cars were using the AP j-hook rotors at Darlington last week. With the new NASCAR cars having a more modern road race configuration (18" wheels, bigger brakes, rear mounted sequential, coilovers, aero, etc.) we may be able to use even more of their parts in the future. I am curious about the specs on the 18" Goodyear slicks.

Let's see some photos of your project!

 

[mfain]

Close to time to start finishing up some aero pieces. Here are all the lines for the transmission and differential coolers, followed by a photo of the upper layer of the diffuser that covers them. It will be a two layer diffuser, with the lower portion being just below the exhaust tips and extending about 3" beyond the tips. That may help with the exhaust creating a low pressure area above the lower diffuser skin. The lower diffuser skin will be part of the belly pan. The last photo shows where the lower diffuser skin goes. There is a slight air gap between the upper and lower. The center section will have a slightly higher diffuser angle due to the long, flap belly pan running up to it. The outside sections will get the benefit of low pressure created by the exhaust.

 

[BBShark]

DAMN! This gets more impressive with every post.

 

[mfain]

Any guesses what this is?

 

[phantomjock]

My guess, based on color "match," maybe intake for the front end? Hood color on the buck looks similar, and shape, but the other small bit leaves me puzzled. Is that gel coat? if so it could be any part elsewhere, just set for layup and release. I'm looking at 4 days of rain knocking out any body work, but am getting closer... [I know, I tease. But when I have something to show, you can bet I will.] Meanwhile, I have some honey-dos to take care of.

Cheers - Jim

 

[mfain]

My guess, based on color "match," maybe intake for the front end? Hood color on the buck looks similar, and shape, but the other small bit leaves me puzzled. Is that gel coat? if so it could be any part elsewhere, just set for layup and release. I'm looking at 4 days of rain knocking out any body work, but am getting closer... [I know, I tease. But when I have something to show, you can bet I will.] Meanwhile, I have some honey-dos to take care of.

Cheers - Jim

Actually, it is a mold for a carbon fiber front grill surround for the '56. The pot metal piece is pretty heavy, so I decided I could save 7-8 lb. I already built the grill bar and teeth out of fiberglass. The other little panel is an access panel for the lower radiator hose clamps from inside the wheel well. The "color match" greenish-gray is PPG DP-40 epoxy primer. I sometimes use that on molds rather than gel coat, especially for single-use molds. Behind the grill there are CF close-out panels to smooth the airflow to the radiator and a couple of ducts to take more air to the brakes and shock cooling, plus a small wing behind the center grill bar to add a little downforce and direct some air higher up on the radiator. A short story about my big ole dog. See the shaved areas around her joints? - A few months ago she suddenly became totally lame and could barely stand or walk - appeared to be on her death bed. We eventually tracked it to IMPA - Immune mediated poly arthritis. Her immune system was attacking the joints. A short course of Steroids achieved amazing results. In a couple of days she was up and mobile, and today, several months later the old 105 pound 9-year old runs around like a pup.

 

[BBShark]

Nice ductwork.
Is the steroid for the big ole dog a topical treatment (hence the shaved joints)? Always good when medication actually works.

 

[mfain]

Nice ductwork.
Is the steroid for the big ole dog a topical treatment (hence the shaved joints)? Always good when medication actually works.

Thanks. No, the steroid was oral - Prednisone. The shaved areas were a result of a series of tests eliminating things like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (tick-borne) and bacterial infection. The tests also included x-rays and several CT scans. They finally took samples of the fluid in several joints to confirm the issue was IMPA, hence the shaved areas.

 

[bobs77vet]

good news for the dog, I think people use that steroid also or something that sounds similar and it seems to work well for people to. The underneath looks very nice, does the oil cooler? fans push or pull and do they have to work in unision with the air flow under the car or is it more for cooling during idle?

 

[mfain]

good news for the dog, I think people use that steroid also or something that sounds similar and it seems to work well for people to. The underneath looks very nice, does the oil cooler? fans push or pull and do they have to work in unision with the air flow under the car or is it more for cooling during idle?

The radiator fans are controlled by the ECU, with an "on" switch for cool-down with the engine not running. They are "pull" fans. There is a big Fluidyne oil cooler that gets ram air through duct work from the grill area and exits through the driver-side side cove. I made provision to add a fan if I ever need it, but right now there is no fan on that cooler. The power steering cooler is behind the air dam center opening, but again with no fan. There are temperature controlled fans on the fuel, trans, and differential coolers. The trans and diff coolers discharge air through grills above the diffuser, so they may contribute a little to aero downforce.

 

[bobs77vet]

The radiator fans are controlled by the ECU, with an "on" switch for cool-down with the engine not running. They are "pull" fans. There is a big Fluidyne oil cooler that gets ram air through duct work from the grill area and exits through the driver-side side cove. I made provision to add a fan if I ever need it, but right now there is no fan on that cooler. The power steering cooler is behind the air dam center opening, but again with no fan. There are temperature controlled fans on the fuel, trans, and differential coolers. The trans and diff coolers discharge air through grills above the diffuser, so they may contribute a little to aero downforce.

very nice, I like that idea. I noticed the same idea in a cool down fan in my pellet grill , which has a fan on for a cool down period

 

[mfain]

Found a slick way to support the upper radiator hose with almost no weight penalty.