GT40 Australia #27 - Page 2

Mike Dozier · 12-13-03, 09:34 AM

Hang in there Peter...been there...done that...
Things will get better...eventually...

MikeD

DENIS · 12-13-03, 06:35 PM

Better days are coming!! It'll be worth it. Looks great.

Pete. · 12-13-03, 08:35 PM

Great stuff Peter. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] At least your sense of humour
is still there. Hang in there, it always gets worse before it gets better. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

pvan340 · 12-14-03, 01:41 AM

Pete, to ease your pain, it has happened to me too!!
Uni student, wants 308 stroker for panelvan, saves, saves, buys block, buys second block, machines second block, small crack, sh#$, "no worries" says machinist, "ill just plug it!!" Ok, block done, I assemble motor. Botom end done, cam in, home ported heads done, painted, trick manifold and carb on, pull front end of said panno, and in goes engine!! Yay!!! Fire it up Double Yay! Sounding fat out of the pipes, 20 mins to break in cam, all ok, stop check oil, Ohhh NOOOOO milky oil, manifold off, compression test on cooling, OOOOHHHH NOOOOO leaks!!! Heads off, more compression test.......DIE!!
The plug that the machinist had installed on the block and assured me was ok had pushed one sleave away from the water passage, and water was POURING into the barrel, even with the low pressure of a bike pump on the radiator filler!! Soo much time, money and effort down the drain!! sooo start again, and change machinists, second build and 4th block later, success!! You will get there in the end, and good luck with the new moter, your GT40 is looking fantastic!

Pete. · 12-14-03, 02:14 AM

You blokes are starting to scare me. Maybe you should name your engine expert\machinist, on the consumer watch thread so I don't use them. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

Peter D · 12-14-03, 04:40 AM

Thanks guys for your kind words of support - they worked much better than the 4 or 5 Scotches !

We should have the engine back in the car by the end of next week, then back to the dyno.

With this delay, it doesn't look like we will get the car to the RTA for emissions testing before the Christmas shut-down. There was supposed to be a major change to the allowable emissions come new year (hence the indecent haste to get the car done this year), but rumours indicate that this may get delayed due to a lack of production cars which meet the new standards & a lack of updated testing facilities. Fingers & toes are all crossed on this one !

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

Peter D · 01-31-04, 06:53 AM

Well here we are, more than a month after the last update & some things have changed, others have not.

Unbelievably, the RTA gave us an extension of time to get through the emissions tests under 2003 rules -ADR 37/01 (on the basis of the debacle of engine build No.1). We just managed to get the thing running in basic form by RTA test 2 (Jan 21) & failed the emissions as expected (no time to really dial the ECU in to meet the drive cycle test).

Having demonstrated our dedication/stupidity/persistence, the RTA actually extended the extension for another few weeks ! Now the pressure is really on - if we fail the next one, we are going to have to meet the new & nasty ADR 79/00 (Euro-2) emissions. There is absolutely no chance that the current engine can be made to meet this lot.

Fallback positions include registering it in another state (less stringent rules), putting some [censored]-box ADR 79/00 compliant engine in it (Lexus/Toyota/GM Gen3 ??), or selling it interstate or overseas. You can imagine how much I like these options !

However, it is not all gloom & doom - I have actually driven the car. Up & down my driveway a dozen times or so (scared the crap out of the eneighbours & their cats), & a couple of laps of the RTA's parking lot (even got into 2nd there - all to the applause of half a dozen RTA inspectors - an unheard-of response from these normally negative guys).

I'll try to post a few updated pics - not that there has been much change, but they may indicate the pathetic levels we have to go with to meet emissions & noise regs. 10 x Brownie Points to those who pick out the painted (some may call them temporary) exhaust bits. For some strange reason, the concept of having a hugely ugly exhaust system, fully ceramic coated, & just hanging on the garage wall, doesn't seem logical to me !!!

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

Peter D · 01-31-04, 07:04 AM

And here is the bug-ugly (Temporary) exhaust system :

Peter D · 02-15-04, 04:36 AM

Up the driveway on the return from Test Drive No1 around the neighbourhood - note the white knuckles at the top of the steering wheel !!

Peter D · 02-15-04, 04:39 AM

No speed limits in my driveway - specially for unregistered GT40's !!

Bill Bayard · 02-15-04, 05:27 AM

Peter,

WHAT A GREAT PHOTO!!! If it weren't for the BMW under the carport, I'd swear you were doing 200MPH! Your driveway isn't that long, is it? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Bill

JOSEPH · 02-15-04, 12:12 PM

Peter, Great color, looks the same as mine. Pictures are great also. Just trying to help. If you don't have one get a polarizing filter for your camera. It will eliminate the glair on the glass of your car. In order for it to work look through the veiwfinder and turn the outer lens until the glair dissapears, then take the picture. Makes a big difference. Also works with digital cameras. Joe [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Peter D · 02-15-04, 11:38 PM

Hi Bill - what BMW ?

The driveway is 120m long, so launch speed into garage should be about 100kph !!!

Peter D · 02-15-04, 11:47 PM

Hi Joe, thanks for the tips (although most of it was lost on me who struggles with a Brownie Box Camera) !

The latest pics were taken by a mate who is a professional racing photographer - the problem was that I caught him relatively unprepared, juggling lenses & filters, when I zoomed back up the driveway ! Next time round, we'll set things up right & should be able to get really interesting pics & effects.

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

Bill Musarra · 03-08-04, 08:29 AM

Peter,
I am at the stage that I am putting the rollbar/cage in my car. I noticed that you put a rear hoop in the engine bay of your car. How did you handle the alterations to the rear clip for the bars comming off the rear uprights. We just realized that the fiberglass will have to be cut for those to go on mine. We are fighting with doing a rear hoop like yours or cutting holes in the fioberglass and attaching to the cage, and putting rubber sleeves on the bars to keep engine heat/noise out. Did you add any support (reinforcement like a steel sheet rivetted/bonded to the cut panel) to the fiberglass around where you cut the rear clip? Did it make the rear clip more flimsey with the cuts? Would appreciate some pics of the rear clip where these bars are.
Thanks,
Bill

bclough · 03-08-04, 11:17 AM

[ QUOTE ]
The driveway is 120m long, so launch speed into garage should be about 100kph !!!

[/ QUOTE ]

American comedian Steven Wright is known for his deadpan monotone delivery. His best joke is...

"I just bought a house in the median of a freeway. It's great, except I have to come out of my driveway at 60 miles an hour."

Peter D · 03-16-04, 10:50 PM

Hi Bill, Sorry I missed your post on this thread (I keep forgetting to click on "show all", so often miss the latest posts).

Did you see my post & pic on the GT40 Australia #48 thread ?

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

Bill Musarra · 03-17-04, 06:32 AM

Yes I saw it. It is what I'll have to do inorder to make the bars fit. We are just trying to see where the attachment points will be in the engine bay. Cage is in. as soon as the rear bars are done, it's off to the painters. Danny Scott of Awesome Specialist Inc. is doing the fiberglass work on the front nostrils and the painting. He has worked for Team Lotus, Panoz, and is currently making all the replacement panels for the Miata team. He has worked on a couple of original GT40s in the past as well.
If you would, send me some pics of the extensions of the front nostrils down to the radiator. Both inside and outside shots if you get a chance. Heck, post them here. I'm sure some of the others would like to see how it looks.
Thanks,
Bill

Peter D · 03-21-04, 07:23 AM

Bill, the only pics I can russle up at the moment are attached - one of mine fitted in the car, & one of Bill Bayard's panel on the floor.

Mine first :

Peter D · 03-21-04, 07:35 AM

This one is Bill's panel sitting on the floor (I hope he won't mind if I post his pic). The long & short of it is that the deep nostril panel really scoops the air out from the whole of the radiator - much the same as a MKII single nostril, but retaining the outside look of the dual MKI's.

My setup runs at 95-98degC for hours in the garage with the fan on, & did quite a few laps of the local area with no fan at 95 or under.

Good air flow thru the rad is one thing, but you still need to sort out the plumbing (bleed from the back of the intake manifold, etc) - this is covered in the thread "Hey Robert Logan" (I think that is the title).

Kind Regards,

Peter D.