DRB no.72

[JackW]

Hi Hoppy

that is interesting about Simmons not wanting to Chrome the wheels. Pete you might be able to offer some insight here, but yo uhave very similar Simmons wheels and yours are chromed. Do you know if there were any problems when you had them done?

Hoppy, how long until your car is ready do you know?

JW

 

[Bill D]

Beautilful wheels. Your car has morphed into a gorgeous looking machine.

Bill D

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Hi Hoppy

that is interesting about Simmons not wanting to Chrome the wheels. Pete you might be able to offer some insight here, but yo uhave very similar Simmons wheels and yours are chromed. Do you know if there were any problems when you had them done?

Hoppy, how long until your car is ready do you know?

JW

Hi Jack, (not to be said at airport's). If I am the Pete you mean my wheels are the polished alloy only. I suspect Simmons were reluctant to chrome Hoppy's wheels because plating can hide small defects and cracks and they would want no recourse on them if a crack went undetected and a wheel broke. Either that or they were to lazy to bother until PR gave them a tough time.
Anyway Hoppy if your wheels look better than mine I am straight off to the plating shop.

 

[Bobski]

Regarding chroming alloy wheels, some manufactures are reluctant to chrome alloy simply because they cannot guarentee the quality of chrome on alloys. There are some manufactures that provide a 12 month warrantee but thats iut. I've had 2 sets of chrome alloy wheels and on both of them the chrome failed. I've been told it's the brake dust and other road chemicals that react with the chrome on alloy. Plus alloy is not a good base for chromming. My new wheels for the 40 are polished alloy!

Bob

 

[hoppy]

Jack,due to hitting a speed bump,had to buy a new house with a suitable garage to fit no 72 into(was living in a villa) therefore had to put work on hold for awhile,I am hoping to drive it home when I have my R&R in Feb 08(subject to rego requirements).
Pete,will be home in 3 weeks so can compare wheels then(LOL).

 

[JackW]

Hi Pete and Hoppy

Pete, you are indeed the Pete I was referring to. Hoppy, apparently speed humps are the bane of every car owner, but even more so for GT40 owners. Feb 08 - Ouch. at least you are giving the team at DRB plenty of time to get things right!

None the less, keep up the pictures.

Cheers

Jack

 

[hoppy]

Jack,its all about time and money.I am in Brissy Feb,Jun and Oct so completion will be a compromise of funding and when I will be there to pick it up.

 

[hoppy]

Well,after a brief hiatus,have now got to get No72 through the registration process before years end or will have to fit a 5.4l(no more windsors allowed in Qld next year).
This will mean it will get registered in gelcoat with minimum allowable interior and afterwards painted and upholstery finished off.
Peter and the guys have started installing the suspension etc and we are accumulating the last remaining parts so will be head down and arse up for the next four months.

 

[JackW]

The race is on! Good luck, don't forget to posta few pictures though.

JW

 

[Dalton Veitch]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but just a quick comment on the chrome wheel finish. As I recall from our engineering metallurgy lecturer many years ago, components that are subject to stress should not be chrome plated. Chrome is a very hard, brittle, inflexible material, hence it provides a great surface protection. But this hardness also means any stressing and slight flexing causes minute surface cracks to occur, which initiate extended cracking and stress failures. Additionally, the chrome plating process itself leads to hydrogen embrittlement (in steel, not sure about alloys) which adds to this process. So it was a rule of thumb that any stressed structures (wheels, golf clubs, etc.) should not have a surface coating of chrome.

You can protect alloy wheels with an anodised finish, which avoids this problem, but is a more subdued, satin finish.

Anyway, a great build and keep the photos coming, thanks.

Dalton

 

[Dave]

Hey Hoppy
We had to do the same and go over the pits in gelcoat as WA was changing engine laws and the race is on to get 2 cars licensed by the end of the year. So if we can do 2, DRB should do yours standing on it's head.

 

[hoppy]

The 5.0 engine,for registration purposes,and a G50(thanks Pete,will be bearing gifts in October when we meet-xxxx heavy or gold?).

 

[hoppy]

Can't believe the progress.Rotors,lights and electrics almost finished.Starting dash this week.Blitzin'

 

[hoppy]

Well the "registration" engine and gearbox are almost ready to be installed,brakes are done and a cluster of guages,or is it a gaggle?

 

[hoppy]

Heart and soul is in place.

 

[Pinky]

Hoppy
I will be at the Sausage Sizzle on Sat so will check out Peter's progress first hand . Looks like it is coming along real well.
Hope to have my car(no 37) there now that it is registered.
Kevin

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Doesn't that mask improve Gary's looks
What are the brakes Hoppy?

 

[hoppy]

Kevin,
I will get to see it myself(sit in it and make brumm brumm noises) in 64 days time but an independent non biased opinion on progress is more than welcome.
Pete,
The discs are aftermarket standard size 'vette rotors(11 in) that I got on ebay out of the States,quite reasonably priced too.
Calipers are standard,just been sandblasted and painted.
Do you have any plans for Bathurst weekend?

Hoppy

 

[hoppy]

Pete,

Just noticed this

As yours was a DRB turnkey,you would recognise the updated "bill" on the floor of the cabin.

HINT maybe.

Hoppy

 

[hoppy]

Almost ready to make some noise(somewhat subdued for now).