Superlite Coupe production

[Fran Hall RCR]

A couple of shots of some new componentry and some new parts that are on the production Superlites....

The new DOT windshields are now heated as standard..

Also the new in house flywheel for the LS7-Ford GT Ricardo conversion...

New rear shock location and geometry...again a development for the LS/GT package...

New front and rear uprights..... with a very trick easy adjust/race setup adjustment that allows suspension changes that dont impact Camber/caster/toe etc allowing independent changes....

I am also testing a new speed sensitve fully electric standalone power steering package....for the endurance race guys looking to run the SL-C in competition.

I really am aiming to make this car a serious contender with a long term future .....it was a serious piece of kit when we unveiled it at the end of May...but customer input and their Supercar performance drivetrains have spurred me to continue development at a rapid pace...even by RCR standards......but I am so excited by this car I need to wear "depends" while working/enjoying it.......

[J. Salmon]

Jeepers..... Clean-up on aisle two!

If I had seen that pic from above, I may have gone modern also. That thing just looks fantastic. At least I get one of those flywheels, eh? I cannot wait to see it in person.

[Fran Hall RCR]

Yes you do in your RCR40 with LS7 and Ricardo transaxle...and yes folks it fits when using a Chev LS motor

[Dave Lindemann]

Fran -

Beautiful work as always (amazing actually) - thanks for posting the photos. I can hardly wait for the finished product!

Dave L

[scott]

Fran, I know you have posted that the car weighs 1400 lbs less drivetrain.
Can you please estimate what the car will weigh with an all aluminum small block chevy ready to run with fluids?

[Fran Hall RCR]

2200lbs..depending upon transaxle and which SBC you use...
Dry sump tanks etc etc all add to the weight but obviously have their advantages also..
I have a new mildly tuned stage three LS7 going together ,that makes 660hp on pump gas along with a Ricardo transaxle going into my personal SL-C and the target weight is 2200lbs.....

[Doug Clark]

Hi Fran,

One of my pet peeves is Rod Ends loaded in bending, looking at the damper mounting frame the Rod Ends on it look as though they are exclusively loaded in bending?

Obviously there's going to be virtually no movement in the joint in operation, would you say that affects the applicability of the type of part?

I guess you must be using the parts based upon a reasoned argument, I'd love to know what it is, if only to modify my paranoia on the subject.

[Fran Hall RCR]

Your worries are unfounded for the application.....so long as your parts are sized correctly and used as part of a system ..not just a singular component...which the ones shown above are...
The 5/8 shank of each rod end will accept at least 30000lbs of shear loading prior to failure....
The spherical bearing is fully captured in the event of the above mentioned failure....(but if you have a failure like that I would be pretty certain the brain failed first and you had already impacted something)

The total loading is spread across the DOM steel structure that is 1 1/2 OD DOM tubing ...similar to roll cage tubing....so with that said we have a pretty high level of redundancy...and "overbuiltness"...........(FEA proven)


Nnow get off the paranoia armchair and get back to work on your car....and post some pictures for all the other budding builders....

[Doug Clark]

Here's the current state of play, the frame is nearly finished in terms of main structural members, each week I only ever seem to get 1/2 the number of tubes in there required to finish the job.

Its not quite the Hall Industrial Megaplex but a hacksaw, a big bastard file and few measuring devices have done most of the job.

[Bill Tracy]

Doug,
Is all that trussing necessary? That frame seems really stout! How does your frame compare weight wise with other frames of similar application?
Thanks for posting the picture.
BT

[Steve]

I love the "engine stand rotissere"......great way of accessing when welding

[Doug Clark]

Bill,

A good part of this exercise from my point of view was to do the whole thing "my way" for what I've thought were the important first principles.
For me torsional stiffness (I worked to a goal of 10,000lb/deg in the model) and occupant protection were the primary goals and I spent a lot (probably too much) of time working on structural analysis to achieve these goals (I hope). The computer model shows the completed frame coming in at 127kg (the last time I weighed it, it was about 10% less than what the model said it should have been) , the completed car I expect to way about 950kg.

[Fran Hall RCR]

Doug,
Nice work.....
How about some body work pics too....?
Why dont you start a build thread and keep a log there ...like the Locost Forum?

[scott]

Originally Posted by gt40fran

2200lbs..depending upon transaxle and which SBC you use...
Dry sump tanks etc etc all add to the weight but obviously have their advantages also..
I have a new mildly tuned stage three LS7 going together ,that makes 660hp on pump gas along with a Ricardo transaxle going into my personal SL-C and the target weight is 2200lbs.....

Very good and very light, nice work.

[Doug Clark]

Hi Fran,

I've got my blog site (which I don't update regularly enough). I kinda felt as this proj is only tangentially 40ish that it would be a bit of an imposition to be taking up too much space with it here.

I would like to have a place at least where people can comment on the whole thing, but where would that go?

Bodywork, hmm yes I've definate ideas about what i want it to look like but I'm as artistic as a goat so its hard to get them out of my head.

The closest to what I want is shown at the top of my blog, but that was done some time ago and the images in my mind have evolved bit since then...

[Fran Hall RCR]

Doug,

a build thread is a build thread...you hang out on the forum enough as a valued member that Ron may turn a blind eye....

Put it in the build thread....or even off topics....

The M8 is not a car listed on the "approved list " but there is a cool thread on it...

[Troy]

Hey Doug,

What area are you in again? Feel free to pop in and see my 40 if you like, currently at my office in Canning Vale.

Sorry to Fran for the thread deviation, back to the Superlight Coupe in no time!

[Fran Hall RCR]

No problem with the thread hike.....its for a good cause....