DRB no.72 - Page 5

hoppy · 09-03-07, 05:29 AM

Jack,thanks mate.

Pete,will be talking to the upholsterer next month,so when he has finished and PR finishes the minimum requirements for rego,will go in,which has to be before Christmas.Then next year will get finished(paint,engine and final little details).

hoppy · 11-09-07, 09:26 AM

Well,finally got to a DRB "sausage sizzle" and sat in my car,even had the engine running and tried out the clutch.
Seats should be back from upholsterers next week and hopefully will be doing the noise and brake tests the week after.
Dual brake and clutch vacuum boosters are fitted and getting closer every day.

Hoppy

hoppy · 11-09-07, 09:46 AM

Missed one

hoppy · 11-23-07, 11:48 PM

Seats are back from upholsterers (painters and upholsteres cannot be believed when it comes to completion date).
Ready for the final tests and inspection early next month.

Dalton · 11-24-07, 07:18 AM

Hoppy,
Is that a vacuum booster down near the transaxle? What is it doing?

Dalton

Bill Musarra · 11-24-07, 07:19 AM

Hoppy,
I know you are getting really excited. I know I am. My completion is drawing near as well. Soon you will be cruising and grooving.
Is that a booster I see on the shifter mechanism at the rear. Send me some pics of it from the rear perspective if you can, or post them here. If it is, you have given me an idea with my hybrid shifter that I am working on. Working on the model caused me to tear up my knee last week. So I now have time to work on it.

Bill

hoppy · 11-24-07, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalton

Hoppy,
Is that a vacuum booster down near the transaxle? What is it doing?

Dalton

Dalton,
I broke my left ankle many years ago and when I was looking at getting a GT40 I soon realised that the "fun factor" would quickly be lost if I was caught in traffic with the heavy clutch and Tilton set up(floor mounted instead of hanging pedal).Looked at a Triptronic but was way to hard to adapt so decided to go for a power assist type set up,it reduces the operating pressure from 25kg to 10kg which gives the clutch a small Japanese car clutch pedal feel.

Bill,
I am looking forward to getting home in Feb,when the car should have the plates on and registered.Then I can sit down with the painter.
This is the only other picture PR has sent me of the clutch vacuum booster set up

hoppy · 11-28-07, 10:24 PM

A sight to behold,my car with the trade plates fitted going to the police station to get its VIN which it received this morning.
Final inspection an noise/brake tests on Tuesday.
PR reports that the brake and clutch power assist set up is beautiful to drive with.

Gary Kadrmas · 11-28-07, 11:41 PM

Hoppy,

I don't think I have ever seen a GT40 in Gulf colors with out the stripes. It looks good that way. Pretty car. Great to hear you are close to getting a license so
you can drive it legally on the street!

Way to go!!!!! Keep the pictures coming, and the updates on your progress as well.

Cheers,

Peter D · 11-29-07, 12:35 AM

Hoppy - big congrats !! With a VIN number, you are now set to go. I reckon that the brake tests are a no-brainer - with huge commercially-available brakes suited to much heavier cars, I fail to see why you have to go thru a full "proof of design" test at all - it should be a simple check to see if they work ! The tests are just annoying & tedious, and chew up a fair percentage of your front tyre treads !!

With those SuperTraps (I think), you should be fine for the noise tests - just make sure to mention "ambient noise" at the test site - my car just scraped thru on total noise, but with a breeze blowing over the open fields at the site, the background noise was over 50dB !! I reckon that there would be a good case for deducting this ambient noise from the total reading in order to get a "true car noise" reading. Might be worth a mention if things are close ?

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

hoppy · 11-29-07, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Kadrmas

Hoppy,

I don't think I have ever seen a GT40 in Gulf colors with out the stripes. It looks good that way. Pretty car. Great to hear you are close to getting a license so
you can drive it legally on the street!

Way to go!!!!! Keep the pictures coming, and the updates on your progress as well.

Cheers,

Thanks Gary,

Actually the finish at the moment is the gelcoat because I have to have the registration process started before the end of the year.Will be getting painted red in Feb(seems all trades people in Brisbane take the entire month of Jan off for their vacation).

hoppy · 11-29-07, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delaneyp

Hoppy - big congrats !! With a VIN number, you are now set to go. I reckon that the brake tests are a no-brainer - with huge commercially-available brakes suited to much heavier cars, I fail to see why you have to go thru a full "proof of design" test at all - it should be a simple check to see if they work ! The tests are just annoying & tedious, and chew up a fair percentage of your front tyre treads !!

With those SuperTraps (I think), you should be fine for the noise tests - just make sure to mention "ambient noise" at the test site - my car just scraped thru on total noise, but with a breeze blowing over the open fields at the site, the background noise was over 50dB !! I reckon that there would be a good case for deducting this ambient noise from the total reading in order to get a "true car noise" reading. Might be worth a mention if things are close ?

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

Thanks Peter,

PR is handling the noise/brake tests as I am still in Afghanistan and won't be back in Brissy until Feb,I am sure he knows all the tricks necessary to pass.
The supertraps will be coming off as soon as the rego sticker goes on,they do the job but I do not like the look.

Cheers

hoppy · 02-11-08, 06:24 PM

Well I drove my car yesterday for the first time and will have to make an appointment with a surgeon to have the smile removed from my face.

Found myself just wanting to "play" with the gears,accelerator,brakes and steering.

Even though the interior is only two seats and a dash the overall experience was an assault on the senses.

Totally impressed!!

Have an appointment for the final QT inspection on the 11th of March so should be registered then.

DRB has expanded its operation and has moved the fabrication and fibreglass shop next door so now the original building is just for assembly and servicing.

Gary Kadrmas · 02-11-08, 07:46 PM

Hoppy,

Your last post telling us about your first drive in the 40 gave me goose bumps!!! I can definately relate to the feeling and experience.

Many years ago, when I got my Cobra to a drivable state, my first drive was done with MANY things not finished. With the engine/trans/rearend/ect in a functionable state and about 45 minutes to break in the cam, it was time to DRIVE the beast. I set the drivers seat into the interior (without bolting it in), bungie straped a 5 gallon gas can where the passenger seat was suppose to go with the temporary gas line held into place by a red rag, and thought to myself.....its time for a drive! Now keep in mind when I say the Cobra was not fully put back together, I am talking about not having any doors, hood, trunk, mufflers (open exhaust headers), transmission tunnel, windshield, seat belts, ect. in place.

So I pull out of my driveway, and proceed to make about 4-5 blast down the block in front of my house. Five minutes after I parked the Cobra in the driveway, one of my neighbors came over to see what all the racket was about......and I come to find out that the neighbor was a Oregon State Trooper (opps!), and he brought to my attention that the next time I venture out on the road, my car had better be completely street legal. He turned out to be a nice guy. So when you posted your first drive experience, I immediately thought of my first drive.

Your car is looking great. I hope you take the time to write more about your driving impressions, and how the 40 drives/handles/brakes, and how people react to seeing it on the road. By the way, you should share with us how the people at the QT Inspection station reacted to your 40 when you brought in in!!!

Great looking car, and keep us posted!!!!

Cheers,

andys · 02-12-08, 04:41 PM

Hoppy,

Would you be willing to share some more details regarding the remote booster you are using for the clutch operation? Application, source(s), sizing, etc. Any information would be appreciated.
Thank you kindly,
Andy

JackW · 02-12-08, 05:34 PM

Looking Good Hoppy. I look forward to seeing it with a coat of paint.

Jack

hoppy · 02-12-08, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andys

Hoppy,

Would you be willing to share some more details regarding the remote booster you are using for the clutch operation? Application, source(s), sizing, etc. Any information would be appreciated.
Thank you kindly,
Andy

Hi Andy,
The booster for the clutch is just a brake booster installed in the clutch control rod so it works the same as power brakes.
It is a PBR VH44 which is the normal power assist unit,either twin or single used on the DRB's and standard on many Fords and Holdens here.
The clutch is nice and light to use,the only problem is if you rest your foot on the clutch pedal a bit before operating it the booster builds up vacuum and when you push the pedal it will over travel.I am getting a positve stop fitted to prevent this.

hoppy · 02-25-08, 10:52 PM

Well No 72 is booked into Queensland Transport for its final inspection on 11th of March and should have the plates fitted that day,then off to the painters for a couple of months,no doubt,before the interior is finished and then home to my place.

After driving it I am looking forward to having it in my garage at last.