Toms RCR 40 Trackracer

Status
Not open for further replies.

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
Some very nice work there Tom!

Thanks for all your encouragement on my build. I'm making a fair amount of progress!
 
Flare moulds

I´ve been working hard on my flare moulds last week.

Flares sanded 400 grit prior in preparation for the moulding.
PICT2488.jpg


I laminated the moulds last saturday. Couldn´t take any pictures because it was so much work. 10 layers had to be cut an laid on.
1. epoxy gelcoat powdered with aluminum powder , cured over night
2. next day first layer 160g Küpperwoofen glass
3. 2nd layer 220g küpperwoofen glass
4. 3rd and 4 th layer 400g biaxed glass
5. 5 th layer coremate
6. 6th and 7th layer 400g biaxed ( reversed direction vs layer 1 to 4 to avoid warping of th mould)
7. 8th layer 220g küpperwoofen glass
8. 9th layer 160 küpperwoofen glass
9. 2 days curing and tempering ( due to the use of epoxy resin)
10. yesterday: forming out and reinforcement against warping

reinforced mould on the car
PICT2485.jpg


moulds from the inside
PICT2486.jpg


Moulds for rocker panel extensions
PICT2487.jpg



brought the moulds to my " glass guru" and he will form some nice parts out of them.

TOM

awh: 185
 
Last edited:

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
Very nice work Tom - As usual! I also don't know why you wouldn't want to mold your own parts...

I wish I understood what küpperwoofen was... Is that Fiberglass Mat (unidirectional) ?
 
Randy:
found this one: The correct english expression is "crowfoot weave"

"The crowfoot weave is achieved when one warp yarn weaves over three and under one fill yarn. Crowfoot weaves offer more pliability and drapability than plain weave fabrics."

see also this link: ACM - Styles

Why outsource: It is just for economical and quality reasons. Martin has all the materials available, he is quick and affordable; Although i could do it, his parts are of outstanding quality. He achieves a great fiber to resin ratio, giving the most lightweight parts with high stability. I have a seat mould for my racebikes. Once i made a part by myself and all other parts out of it where made by Martin. THe difference in weight, stability and appearance ( he just know how to put in layer for layer in the correct directions to take all the forces) is just so visible, that i prefer his competence for parts which are finally going on to the car.
and
believe me there are nicer things to do than this fiberglass work.

TOM
 
Last edited:
HAven´t done much on the car due to preparing for a 4 h motorcycle endurance race ( see the paddock),

I have started to fix all the body components to the chassis. Some activities planned next week planned (fixing the rocker panels to the chassiis, finalizing weatherstripping and foaming the spider for more stability>). Than another two weeks off for vacation with my family.

TOM
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
Thanks for the explanation of the weaves Tom..

Hope your race goes well!!
 
Fixing Body panels

Break is over, now back to work.
Started to fix my body panels this week.
After i have had it all aligned and the doors adjusted with the weatherstripping in it i started with fixing the spider. For this i reeinforced the base plate of the b pillar with a 10mm carbonfiber plate.
For fixing the spider to the chassis i used nutrivets ( 8mm thread for the b pillar and 6mm thread for all aorund the windscreen base). Underneath the b pillar i used a 4mm Rubberpad and under the windscreen base a 1,5mm rubber gasket. This for sealing and for a some kind of elastic mounting to the chassis.

Base plate b pillar
PICT2524.jpg


Screwed down windscreen base
PICT2522.jpg


I also mounted my rocker panels
same thing, using 6mm nutrivets for mounting it to the chassis.
I also used a 20 x 12mm ( inner dimensions) alu angle stock to clamp the rocker panels to the chassis. The angle stock provides a nice possibility to install a bottom weatherstripping.
Between the chassis and the panels again i used a1,5mm rubber gasket, which also helps to close the gaps even further.
Rubber gasket on chassis
PICT2531.jpg


Angle stock with weatherstripping
PICT2534.jpg

mounted
PICT2540.jpg


ALso mounted my Hartwell latches. This are the shut lines now after fixing everything. I still have not sanded or gapped them at all, they are like they left the RCR factory.
PICT2536.jpg

rear clip, b pillar, door -roof line
PICT2535.jpg

front clip door line
PICT2537.jpg

A pillar- door roof line
PICT2539.jpg


On Friday we will fill the spider with 2 k non-expandable epoxy foam.

TOM

awh: 200h
 
Good to have you back on it Tom. I've said it before and i'll say it again - those shutlines are exceptional - after gapping, sanding and several coats of paint/clearcoat - wow !
 
Engine Update

My Engine is ready to ship next week.

my desicion was to went with Gordon Levy from Levyracing AZ.
His reputation as a custom engine builder is very high especially in Cobra circels. The major thing i speced was that i want to be able to turn it savely up to 7800 RPM and have peak power around 7200 RPM but still keep drivability and reliability. Gordon came up with the following solution.

A 302 based 331 build on the new FMS Boss block. Forged, internaly balanced rotating assembly. Custom ported Edelbrock Victor Jr heads; a custom grind solid flat tappet cam with comp cams pro magnum roller rockers; Super victor intake; 750 Pro series carb; Aviad GT40 oil pan;
MSD AL 6 ignition; Short explorer water pump setup; Complete including installation of alternator and AC compressor with a serpentine belt system.

THe first dyno runs in june didn´t show the expected result and Gordon went over the engine again, designing a new cam profile, and working on the heads again. Finally he tested the engine again in JUly and here you go. He achieved the desired very flat torque curve, which will give a nice drivable engine ( the dyno sheet starts at 5100 RPM but the engine has 380 lbs ft at 4000 RPM). He pulled it until 7200 RPM on this dyno run, but did´nt want to take it to far, but one can see that it still was building power.

I´m very happy with this result, because it fits exactly my gearing ( which i set up for a power band of 5000 to 7000).
Actually i fear this engine, because i never had to handle this kind of power in a car.

Thomasfinal331.jpg


TOM
 
FOAMING the SPIDER

Just came back from my vacation. 10 days ago Reinhard ( MDA GT40) helped me to fill the doublewalled RCR spider with foam to supress eventual resonance sound effects and add even more stability.

THe RCR Spider has a nice finished surface inner skin which together with the outer skin builds a hollow volume of calculated 10 - 11 liters. It is open at the back end. First i closed this opening with a 1,2mm PS Foil ( we use this in our company for forming yoghurt cups).

I thant fixed the spider again to the chassis and made sure that the alignment is still ok. I also checked the windscreen and door fit.
THe whole procedure was done with all the body panels fixed, doors and rear clip latched and closed, to be able to permanently control the alignment during the process.

Next we drilled 3 7mm holes into the inner skin ( 1 each left and right along the top of the windscreen and one in the middle spider section). We used this first to check for any airleaks of the enclosed spider volume. We found some and we sealed all the seams with gaffa tape. THe only opening we wanted were two at the back end of the spider. THis would force the foam to fill every part of the spider any other material would flow out to this 2 overflow holes.

THe main component is the correct foam.
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DO THIS WITH standard PU foam from the home depot. IT would expand to fast and destroy the spider.

We choosed a material from the proffesional boat industry. It is a 2 K epoxy foam. ( this is the adress of the US distributor

Nida-Core Corp.
541 NW Interpark Place
Port St Lucie, Florida 34986
USA
Tel : 1.7723437300
[email protected] )

Here is a description of the system:
Sicomin - Composites, résines epoxy, fibre de verre, carbone, kevlar, peintures, gelcoat

We used the PB 250 epoxy with the DM02 hardener ( 100 : 36 mixing relation). THis means it will give a foam with the density of 250g/l. It expands with a factor 1:4. As the curing curve is much slower as the expansion curve it will flow as long as it expands without building up any big pressure. As long there is one expansion hole, it will fill the whole volume and than expand through the leftover opening.

Me mixing the foam
PICT2546.jpg

Reinhard
PICT2552.jpg

For application we used 120ml pharmaceutical syringes. We always mixed maximum volumes of 350gr and than filled it into the syringes and than put it into the car. We filled app 0,5 liter mix in each of the front holes and app 1,5 liter in the center one.

Filling the syringes.
PICT2555.jpg

Filling the spider
PICT2544.jpg


PICT2543.jpg


THe result
PICT2836.jpg

We are very happy with the result. THe mixed volume fitted very good to the calculated volume, we had very little overflow. The spider is completely filled. No distortions happened. With the DM02 hardener almost no exotermic reaction was tracable. If i close the doors now, the shut sound is more silent with a fat and solid note. The whole spider gained in additional rigidity to the already very good RCR base.

Although the epoxy foam is not drawing water (like PU foam does ) i will close the back end of the spider by laminating it with polyester and glass.

TOM

AWH: 206 h
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top