Rcr Mk11 #38 - Page 2

DaveC · 09-19-07, 06:48 AM

[quote=crossle43;203772]
One question: What differentiates a 'UK spec' RHD dash from a 'typical' RHD dash?
quote]

Thanks for all the positive comments, I am looking forward to receiving a great car at the end of the day.

T - nothing really, I was just differentiating from US LHD.

Apart from various pictures of replica mono chassis from this site the main image that was used to work out the bulkhead can be found on Page 11 of the Karl Ludvigsen book "The Inside Story of the fastest fords".

As many may have noticed there is still some work to do to ensure that the necessary clearance is available to fit the distributor.

Andy - good luck with your car and I hope your shipment does not take too long, I found time passed very slowly once car was shipped and now since it has arrived the last 3 months have just flashed by. I will have to get onto Fran to see if he has any of my final remaining goodies to put in your container as well!

Dave

Fran Hall RCR · 09-19-07, 07:03 AM

Andy,
called the shipper yesterday and you car will be heading your way on Monday....

DaveC · 09-29-07, 01:01 PM

Work on the car this week has focused on the front clip. RCR prides itself in "using the most authentic GT40 replica bodies in the world" and this is certainly the case with the front clip on this MK11A.

I understand from Fran that it was taken from an origional unrestored MK11A and as such includes all those little wrinkles that you get with a bit of racing history and probable accident repair.

My dilema was either to leave it as was and have a bit of "patina" in the finished article and put up with the fact that this is a race car that is not going to be perfect, or to bite the bullet and have Nick correct the replicated 1960's repair.

Well I decided that it would bug me too much everytime I looked at the car and could hear all those comments about the front end not being totally straight, so asked Nick to do his best.

Essentially the nearside of the clip was pushed up at an angle so that the top of the wheel arch was higher than the offside with the wheel arch lip turned out almost as though it was twisted up along the gulley where the NACA duct sits. Also the oppertunity was taken to adjust the back edge to give a better fit along the windscreen scuttle.

Nick told me it took about 3 hours to work out where to cut and then have sufficient confidence to get the hacksaw out!

The following pics show current state of work in progress after the major aspects of surgary have been completed.

Fran advises that he now uses a different front for MK11A so others should not need to have this dilema in the future. I am sure he can provide details to anyone interested.

Once this is done and the front spare wheel cover is made to fit that should be the bulk of the bodywork fit items completed.

Dave

DaveC · 09-29-07, 01:05 PM

The RCR +2" widetrack rear has also been fitted to move the wheels out in the arches more. From specs it looks like MK11A where actually +1" on Mk1, however it looks like +2" will give a good result on the car.

CraigB · 09-29-07, 02:34 PM

Stunning looking car,
I hope we can meet up some time to compare notes

That rear bulkhead is a work of art, very impressive.

DaveC · 10-01-07, 06:37 PM

Craig,

Thanks I am very pleased with how the work is progressing.

It would be good to compare notes, I have been watching your build for sometime and must say you have applied a great amount of detail to your part procurement. I expect your car will be a real head turner once it is complete with that FE motor and attention to detail.

I am still collecting and will probably leave a few items to add to the car at a later date. I will drop you a PM shortly to discuss a few things.

Dave

DaveC · 10-07-07, 10:29 AM

The last week has seen a lot of progress on the front clip. This is now almost completed on the outside, although still work to do installing ducts and front wheel arch covers.

A hinge mechanism has been installed to allow it to pivot to save the risk of damge to the paint when it has to be opened up. I have not seen the mechanism yet but assume it will be similar to the hinged fronts used on several other RCR cars.

The nearside rocker panel still has to be slightly shortened to match up with the rear of the wheel arch.

Once this is done and the hinged spare wheel cover is completed that will be the end of the bodywork for a while, allowing focus on the more mechanical items.

DaveC · 10-07-07, 10:48 AM

At long last it has been possible to perform the first fit of the engine and transmission. Although many hours have gone into the bodywork over the last few months, seeing the engine and transmission sitting in the chassis for the first time really starts to accelerate the sense of excitement with the build.

When the top plate was fitted to the ZF it was found that it needed to be milled out to give sufficient clearance for the crown wheel. In the photo below you can see the milled item against another top plate that had been loaned to enable transmission fitting whilst we waited for the final part from the US.

Work has also progressed on the bulkhead to add the cutout for the distributor (rough form at present) and the repositioned mounting points for the RCR roll cage. The mounting points of this are being modified and the bar that runs insde the cockpit behind the drivers head has been removed. The bracing of the cage that this provided has been transferred to the harness bar running along the back of the bulkhead.

On the subject of harnesses I had a long discussion with Willans last week and they have recommended moving the lap strap mounting points to the floor of the car, instead of using the points provided at the bottom of the rear bulkhead panel on the RCR chassis. With this modification the lap strap will hold you down into the seat rather than being more held back into the seat if the standard points are used.

Work has also now started on the MK11 style rear clip frame (you can see the first nearside mounting bracket in the bulkhead picture), the aim being that the car can be used either with this or swapped back to the standard RCR rear frame as required.

Dave

DaveC · 10-14-07, 01:34 PM

Latest progress has been the manufacture of the MK11A style rear frame. This is interchangeable with the RCR supplied frame so I will be able to swap them around if required at a later date. The frame mounting points are in the same positions as the original cars, thus it has been possible to create a close copy of the frame structure used.

One objective was to try and maximise the area available for fitment of the luggage boxes, and get as close to the 1966 Appendix J sizes as possible 600mmx200mm. In the end 550mmx200mm was achieved to give appropriate clearance to the transmission, suspension and driveshafts. These should be large enough though to ensure we can pack in enough stuff for the trip to Le Mans next year.

Can't wait to see it all sprayed up in Norfolk Blue.

I expect to receive confirmation from Fran that the final parts (driveshafts and a few odds and ends) will be shipped from RCR next week, which means we will now have all the major components needed to complete the build and start thinking about getting that SVA test booked

Dave

Big-Foot · 10-14-07, 02:21 PM

Some very nice Fab work there....

Ian Anderson · 10-14-07, 04:35 PM

On the harnesses - I can highly recomend the ones supplied by Frank Catt

The normal belts have the adjusters close to the bolt so the adjuster ends up under the seat Franks have been designed to avoid this problem!

Re the moving of the anchor ponts - please check up on SVA requirements if this to be used on the road. It will need triangulated points etc. Take pictures or they will ask you to remove your seat to see the mount points.

Ian

Bill D · 10-14-07, 05:23 PM

Incredible progress!! This is going to be a fantastic looking car!!

DaveC · 10-14-07, 05:47 PM

Ian - Thanks for the note on SVA, we have been studying the various mounting requirements closely to ensure that all the points will be compliant when they are finally installed.

The standard RCR lap belt mounts are also on the chassis and these go through the bulkhead into if I remember about a 1" cube block.

The car will be fitted with Willans Supersport Caterham 4x4 harnesses for SVA and road use, and I will be fitting full 6 point Willans harness with exactly the same Type B 11mm tabs for track use, although these will be custom made to correct dimensions once the car is nearer completion.

I also agree that Nick's fab work is excellent, and I am really impressed by the attention to detail he is putting into the build for me.

Dave

DaveC · 12-23-07, 12:13 PM

As it is over 2 months since the last update I thought it would be worthwhile just giving some notes on the progress. A lot of work has been done by Nick on the car bodywork, especially recently on the internal ducting to the front and rear clips. The decision was evntually taken to cut out the MK1 internals that RCR fitted to the rear clip and start fabricating inner panels and ducting closer to what would have been fitted into a Mk11. This is still work in progress in the pictures below with the brake cooling ducts and wheelarch still to be fitted.

On the front clip the front ducts have been fabricated and ducting for the NACA ducts has been added which will eventually mate up with ducts on the top of the chassis infront of the windscreen, to allow a switchable supply of cool air into the cockpit.

The hinged spare wheel cover has been fitted using the Mk1 Mini door hinges as used by others.

DaveC · 12-23-07, 12:28 PM

I have also had made a louvre panel for the roof which will be used for cosmetic reasons. It is not planned to open out the air vent into the cockpit.

On the last visit I also saw the car with the rear clip fitted to the Mk11 rear frame for the first time. Starting to look the part now.

Major engineering decision recently was to change the QA1 shocks/springs fitted by RCR for a set of Protech single adjustable shocks allround. Currently these are standard lengths from the Protech catalogue and appear to be OK for a 5" ride height. Some adjustment of spring lengths may be required once fine tuning is undertaken. The 2 1/4" ID springs are very close to the rear hub but it looks like clearance should be OK. If not may have to go back to 1.9" ID

There is now a firm deadline for the car as I have booked ferries for the Le Mans trip. I just hope the driveshafts arrive from RCR in time so I do not have to push the car all the way to Arnage!!

Dave

DaveC · 01-27-08, 12:02 PM

Most of the fibreglassing work on the car has now nearly finished. Over the last 6 weeks the inside of the front and rear clips has been completed.

The rear clip has had some strengthening bars bonded in to ensure that the rear deck does not flex through all of the priming and rubbing down process.

All internal ducting has been fitted except "y" pipe for brake cooling. This will be fitted later after the periscopes have been added.

New internal wheel arches have been fabricated, and you will see a big differance in appearance to that with the initial Mk1 fittings as shown in earlier photographs.