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Fast-forwarding ahead several hours and here is the finished part compared with the design drawing (yes, it's a hand drafted drawing, my CAD system does not reside in the garage!). Overall, pretty much exactly what i drew.
Fast-forwarding ahead several hours and here is the finished part compared with the design drawing (yes, it's a hand drafted drawing, my CAD system does not reside in the garage!). Overall, pretty much exactly what i drew.
0 2011/05/14 08:52:43
Of course the biggest test was to see if it actually worked the way it was intended. I have learned that this is often NOT the case (as evident by my overflowing "scrap part" box). However, it worked exactly as intended and i was able to scratch on very little task off of the list!
Of course the biggest test was to see if it actually worked the way it was intended. I have learned that this is often NOT the case (as evident by my overflowing "scrap part" box). However, it worked exactly as intended and i was able to scratch on very little task off of the list!
0 2011/05/14 08:52:43
Now that the trunk had hinges and a strut to hold it up, it needed a latch. Not wanting to invent everything on this car, i cheated and raided the corvette parts bin for a late model electric latch assembly. unfortunately, the "latch" part could in no way be mounted to the underside of the trunk lid. that started another little "diversion"... here is the factory trunk latch with the "adapter plate" i cut out of 16 gage steel.
Now that the trunk had hinges and a strut to hold it up, it needed a latch. Not wanting to invent everything on this car, i cheated and raided the corvette parts bin for a late model electric latch assembly. unfortunately, the "latch" part could in no way be mounted to the underside of the trunk lid. that started another little "diversion"... here is the factory trunk latch with the "adapter plate" i cut out of 16 gage steel.
0 2011/05/14 08:52:00
well, this is clearly out of order but, this is how it fit together before the bit of welding and grinding...somehow i have to figure out how to re-arrange photos in an album on this site! LOL
well, this is clearly out of order but, this is how it fit together before the bit of welding and grinding...somehow i have to figure out how to re-arrange photos in an album on this site! LOL
0 2011/05/14 08:52:00
after fitting the pieces together, a bit of welding, and a bit of grinding, the part looked like this:
after fitting the pieces together, a bit of welding, and a bit of grinding, the part looked like this:
0 2011/05/14 08:52:00
Here is the mold used to lay up the carbon fiber center tunnel. this will be bonded into the chassis much later in the saga.
Here is the mold used to lay up the carbon fiber center tunnel. this will be bonded into the chassis much later in the saga.
0 2011/05/11 19:04:18
And a few shots of my “virgin body” before I got my mitts (and my sawsall) on it. The hood shell:
And a few shots of my “virgin body” before I got my mitts (and my sawsall) on it. The hood shell:
0 2011/05/11 19:03:12
This is the rear body section out of the mold and with most of the mold flashing removed.
This is the rear body section out of the mold and with most of the mold flashing removed.
0 2011/05/11 19:02:26
We couldn't resist and had to "mock up" what the car would look like some day. it was amazing how light these large body panels were.
We couldn't resist and had to "mock up" what the car would look like some day. it was amazing how light these large body panels were.
0 2011/05/11 19:01:08
The entire body weighed in at about 120 lbs. Pretty cool. Of course, it only looked like this until it met my sawsall!! Next we moved the body to the Lucra shop in Oceanside CA where, with their help, my brother and I started bonding the body to the frame. After cutting off all of the mold flashings and cutting the body to slide down over the frame, we were able to begin the bonding process. Because of our limited time (both of us had to be at work on Monday) we worked very long hours and typically locked up well after the Lucra folks had left at night.
The entire body weighed in at about 120 lbs. Pretty cool. Of course, it only looked like this until it met my sawsall!! Next we moved the body to the Lucra shop in Oceanside CA where, with their help, my brother and I started bonding the body to the frame. After cutting off all of the mold flashings and cutting the body to slide down over the frame, we were able to begin the bonding process. Because of our limited time (both of us had to be at work on Monday) we worked very long hours and typically locked up well after the Lucra folks had left at night.
0 2011/05/11 18:58:38
While waiting for the glue and resin to cure, we started putting the suspension and rear end into position. Here, the differential and half shafts have just been installed. the next step is the lateral links, trailing links and toe rods.
While waiting for the glue and resin to cure, we started putting the suspension and rear end into position. Here, the differential and half shafts have just been installed. the next step is the lateral links, trailing links and toe rods.
0 2011/05/11 18:56:39
All sections where the carbon fiber body touched the frame were screwed, glued, and wrapped with carbon fiber lay-up to create a “uni-body” type of construction:
All sections where the carbon fiber body touched the frame were screwed, glued, and wrapped with carbon fiber lay-up to create a “uni-body” type of construction:
0 2011/05/11 18:55:49
Once the rear portion of the body/chassis bonding was completed, everyone participated in the hood mounting ceremony! This was a critical step as it would determine the alignment of the largest panel of the car. The more hands the merrier! So, I did the honors and drilled the ever-so-critical hood hinge mounting holes. Felt good to get the hood on because it actually started looking like a car…sort of anyway
Once the rear portion of the body/chassis bonding was completed, everyone participated in the hood mounting ceremony! This was a critical step as it would determine the alignment of the largest panel of the car. The more hands the merrier! So, I did the honors and drilled the ever-so-critical hood hinge mounting holes. Felt good to get the hood on because it actually started looking like a car…sort of anyway
0 2011/05/11 18:54:36
here it is from the back. it is now basically a unibody as the carbon fiber body and steel frame have been epoxied and fastened together. Only the hood, doors and trunk lid can be removed at this point.
here it is from the back. it is now basically a unibody as the carbon fiber body and steel frame have been epoxied and fastened together. Only the hood, doors and trunk lid can be removed at this point.
0 2011/05/11 18:52:38
After 4 very long days on the left coast, this is the rolling chassis with a body. The wheels are borrowed as PS Engineering had not yet finished making the custom offsets and widths I had sent to them earlier. This is the original shape of the "narrow body". the final version is MUCH wider!
After 4 very long days on the left coast, this is the rolling chassis with a body. The wheels are borrowed as PS Engineering had not yet finished making the custom offsets and widths I had sent to them earlier. This is the original shape of the "narrow body". the final version is MUCH wider!
0 2011/05/11 18:49:51