Kiwi scratchbuilt

[Russ Noble]

I was about to fit up the sump that Lim built and remembered I hadn't posted pics of the finished article, so I took some before fitting it up. Pretty much custom built for my application with angled scavenge unions to clear my chassis and also some clearancing at the right rear to clear my starter motor.

Well, I got the photos, then when I went to bolt up the sump I found the gaskets didn't fit. Obviously my parts supplier had provided a 302 sump set instead of a 351! Unfortunately there was no clue on the packaging which only stated to suit Ford F100 - 350. Too late to get another one today. I didn't really need that.

Just taking a short break before going out to the workshop to pull the back off the 930 to remove the selector shaft and shorten and redrill it to clear the body and to suit the gearchange hook up.

Anyway, here are pics of the finished sump.

 

[Jac Mac]

Please tell me that your going to put some structure into your mesh screen?

 

[Russ Noble]

Jeez, Jac Mac!

I don't need bright ideas at this stage.

Will phone you now!

 

[Randy V]

Some fine work per usual going on here...

Before bolting up that sump - don't forget to block-off that old oil pump boss on the block. She'd be a heckuva leaker you know..

 

[Russ Noble]

Thanks for the tip Randy. Did that one at the same time I did the valley drain backs.

 

[Russ Noble]

The upshot of the conversation with Jac Mac was that he didn't think I had secured the mesh screen sufficiently to withstand the windage forces. He also thought it might have been counterproductive in that it would restrict the flow of oil to the scavenge outlets. He opined that a crank scraper would be more beneficial than the screen, particularly as I was running Moroso unions with the integral screen. Anyway, no time to build a crank scraper so I decided to just remove the screen. Will do the scraper during the off season rebuild.

Ross has finished wiring the dash and it's looking good. Very neat, very professional.

Unfortunately today was the day I needed to be firing up the car, if I was going to race at SFOS this weekend, but that hasn't happened. I've encountered a few holdups, just the normal stuff of a GT40 build, plus made a few cock ups myself which hasn't helped. I know how Bill D feels..... Sat and Sun I will be taking a break and will pit crew for Ross. Then back into it....

 

[Russ Noble]

I worked on the car Friday morning and ran into a few snags. I have put so much time and effort into the car recently and this week I have to spend time on many neglected non GT40 issues that I can no longer postpone. Thus I have decided to abandon any attempt to get my car to the remaining SFOS meetings.

As a result I decided to go out to the track in the afternoon and watch practice/qualifying for Skope SFOS.

Just in time to see Ross come limping into the pits with a rear wheel hanging off. A quick look revealed a broken bottom A arm and badly bent radius rod. With official qualifying a couple of hours away we took off the damaged parts, and Lim and I went back to my workshop and fabricated a new radius rod and repaired and strengthened the A arm. Then back to the track, fitted it all up and got him out in time for his qualifying session. I'll leave Ross to recount the rest of his weekend experiences on his 'Team 40 to NZ' thread.

Suffice to say that I will be accompanying him to both the remaining race meetings and there won't be much happening on my car for the next couple of weeks. We are going to have a great time! :thumbsup:

 

[Dave Deerson]

Russ,
I have a few questions on a post from a few weeks ago.When you made the spraybar for the 930 trans :1. What size holes did you use to spray onto the gears, 2. Did you use the same size hole and method for the ring and pinion(and close up the "end" of the tube) or did you aim the end of the tube toward the R&P to supply it with a greater volume of lube? and 3. What size tube was used for the spraybar itself?It looks like a -8 fitting on the end so that wauld make it 1/2 od?
I am at the planning stage of building a spraybar for my 930 trans as I will be re-gearing it with a dog change conversion from Albins soit would be a perfect time to add one.
Your car is coming along nicely,it's a shame you will not make your deadline,but just think of the fun you will be having once it is finished(and done to your high standards).
Thanks for the help,
Dave D

 

[Jac Mac]

One of my NZ suppliers, who shall remain anonymous, has yet to send an item promised for this time last year! No doubt when the summer thaw strikes Gore in a day or two, there will be furious action!!!

Let me know who that guy is Russ, I'll go give him a stir up!!!

 

[Russ Noble]

Sorry Jac Mac. Commercially sensitive information! The guy is an elderly gentleman who is burdened with numerous unfinished projects and still thinks he's going to live long enough to finish them all, plus the new ones that he will be unable to resist!! In the end my parts arrived without being the cause of any holdups, so it's all good. epper:

Dave,

1. 3mm.

2. Aimed the end of the tube at the pinion and flattened the end out to form a 1mm deep slot the width of the flattened tube.

3. Tube is 3/8" bundy tube (brake/fuel line). Fitting is -8 and has been machined for an internal 'o' ring to seal on the outside of the bundy which pushes up inside the fitting.

I'll be very interested in your dog conversion as I intend to go that way with mine once I have it running and know what ratios I need.

 

[Dave Deerson]

Russ,
Thanks for the info...As for the trans,I was told there would be a 6 to 8 week lead time,so it will be a while before I can give a review on the Albins gears.By that time your season will be winding down so it may be a good off season project.As a DGB is out of the budget(unless someone can see it in their heart to give me a smoking deal on one!) and I don't feel like selling of a kidney to fund the deal,I will have to keep the 930 box.The only complaints I have for it are the gear ratios not being optimal for the track(1st gear way too short and 4th being way too long) and the shifting feel being like that of a truck due to the P-car syncros.I hope that the Albins set-up addresses both of those concerns.I'm suprised that any of you in NZ or Oz don't have much in the way of reviews for the Albins kit with them located in your back yard.

 

[Terry Oxandale]

Russ, could you post photos/details/documentation of the end plate work that will shorten the effective length of the rear? Looking at my 930, I contemplating the same work and would rather travel a path previously taken.

 

[Russ Noble]

Terry, I didn't do a lot to shorten mine. I only needed to shorten the shaft 24mm and drill a new changerod attachment hole. Be warned that the selector shaft is very hard and will be a challenge to anyone trying to drill it without suitable equipment.

How much do you need to shorten it? There is a certain amount of scope to trim back the rear mount and relocate the seal. Shouldn't be hard to work out what you can do if need be. Haven't completed my gearchange setup yet but will post photos when it is done. Should be in a couple of weeks.

 

[Terry Oxandale]

I'd like to shorten it by 4" if possible, but that's asking for the world I suppose. As you've said, there appears to be enough material so simply move the seal (and/or bushing if one exists - I've not removed the end plate yet) quite a bit forward being the only real purpose I see for the rather long extension is to support the rear mounting hardware (which can be removed completely in my humble opinion).

 

[Leon]

Hi Russ
Just a quick note to say I was sorry to hear you didn't get to the SFOS with your car. But the up side is it wasn't rushed together and you didn't ding it !!! and you can continue on the path that you have been taking of miticulous care and craftmanship. I gave up setting deadlines for race cars, they never work out.
the other thing I was just going to mention was that I was in Brisbane last weekend on my way to work and my mate who I stayed with took me to DRB Race Cars. The boss was very kind and gave us a tour of the Factory and a close up look at a couple of DRB 40s they were building, Nice gear. Thank your lucky stars you are building in NZ. The ADR requirements in OZ are tough. Anyway, you've had a rest, get back in the shed we want some more progress photos LOL.
Cheers Leon.

 

[Russ Noble]

Well, I've just about got life back under control again, so I'm starting to get a few wee things done on the car again.

I've got the motor fully assembled now and it's time to mount up the alternator and dry sump pump, I had already sussed out the HTD belt and pulley sizes that I needed Everything on this build is tight and with regard to the alternator I had already cut out, drilled and machined my front engine plate without regard to fitting an alternator as I had planned and ordered a Racemate unit integral with the waterpump. Obtaining that became an unsatisfactory saga so I pulled the plug on that one and went the conventional route.

Fortunately I managed to squeeze the alternator into the space available on the plate by juggling belt and pulley sizes since I didn't want the extra complication (and weight) of running idler pulleys. It's really close to some chassis tubes and there was no room left for the oil pressure sender where I had planned to mount it so I had to mount that remotely.

I was keen to have the pressure sensor monitoring the actual pressure in the block rather than on the remote filter housing several feet away. Probably no real advantage but I feel much happier knowing that the pressure I am seeing is actually that measured in the oil galleries, not some random point outside the motor.

So I made up a sensor mount bolted to the front engine plate with the pressure supplied by a short -3AN line to feed it from the block.

 

[Russ Noble]

So that cleared the way to mount up the alternator and dry sump pump, fit the belts and pulleys and make sure everything was OK. Also to sit the heat exchanger in position to make sure there was clearance to the belts. So far so good.

The basic belts and pulleys came from econobelt.com, they have a massive range and were relatively inexpensive. We modified and machined them to suit my requirements. Anyone having problems with belt/pulley procurement should check out econobelt.

 

[Russ Noble]

Glued and riveted the rear bulkhead panel.

MSNZ in their wisdom forbid holes, including rivet holes, in the rollcage structure. So glue only to attach the panel to the roll hoop, diagonal, and shoulder strap anchor tube. Plexus MA425 again.

To place the panel in position and drill and rivet the lower fixings, and clamp the upper part of the panel to the rollcage, within the working time for the glue, is definitely a two man operation and Leon assisted with this.

Removable panels are going to be used at the lower sides of the bulkhead to enable easier access to everything that is on or in front of the motor. Oil and water lines, heat exchanger, belt pulleys, motorplate bolts etc.

 

[Leon]

Hi Russ....I'm back at work again, have been watching for more progress and something I have been meaning to ask about for some time is your Roll Cage design. I see you have the forward bars coming through the door opening at the top and I would imagine it is going to make getting in and out of the car more difficuilt than if you had run the bars to the front through the roof centre, is this a requirment from the MANZ specs that it must have support at the outside corner of the cage.
I have started a build log for the M20 in the Can-Am section of the forum now, I did manage to get some progress this time home so thought I would start a Log and get some feed back. Have you made much more progress since your last post and how is Lim getting on with his car. Looking forward to some more posts and pics. By the way August 22nd is the weekend I will be in CHCH so hope to be able to catch up and see the car and you guys in person. Cheers Leon.

 

[Russ Noble]

Hi Leon

There's been all sorts of things happening lately, but not much on the car. The last week or so I've been chasing a Mitsi display bus that took my fancy on TradeMe. Flew up to Palmy (my daughter lives there) to check it out in Dannevirke and do the deal. Brought it back on the Ferry on Sunday night! Great vehicle, I think it's unique in NZ. Perfect for my uses. 8.2 litre inline diesel 6cyl., 16mpg, 130 kph, 2 gull wing doors on each side. Maybe when I get some time I should again reincarnate Ross' thread http://www.gt40s.com/forum/paddock/17779-appropriate-tow-vehicle.html with more details.

You're right, getting out of the car is ungainly at best! There are two approaches, either roll out over the sill onto the ground, or use that bar to pull yourself up and sort of unfold out of it. Getting in is not so bad, you just swing in under the bar. That lateral bar through the top of the door IS an MSNZ requirement! Nevertheless I would have still done it that way, even if it wasn't mandated.

I saw the start of your build log and I'm eagerly waiting for pics and more info on the M20 progress and spec. Will look forward to seeing you in Chch in August.