Well, I wasn't going to tell anyone......

[Allen Nicholas]

Dean,
You're a lucky boy. Mark Donahue and Denis Hulme both had near death experiences with serious injuries caused by the rear deck departing the car at high speed on the straight. This was the main reason the MK IV's were changed to hinge from the leading edge. Look at it this way, you're now in the same company with some famous names. Just, don't do it again.
Allen Nicholas
KMP 517

 

[Bill Musarra]

I Have the same fear as I am an ex-hyperactive. I say that because I have to force myself to slowdown so I don't forget where the socket wrench is that I have just laid down. It is a dangerous disease, and has caused me many unseen verbal attacks on myself because of it.
Seriously, it is easyier than most people know to get distracted and not know where you left off. In that vein, I have taken precautions that will not allow that to happen to me. I am installing the "Aerocatch" system to the rear clip of my 40. It is an ingenious system that "will not" allow you to overlook latching of the rear hatch.

AEROCATCH.NET


This site explains the mechanism quite nicely. I will add that the flap remains up until it is locked in place. I have the keyed version. With it you cannot remove the key until it is locked in place. It utilizes the same type of mounting as the CAVs slam lock for the rod mount. I think it is even better than the rod through the passenger compartment into the rear hatch mechanism seen elsewhere on the forum.

Bill

 

[Howard Jones]

If you are going to do open track you must get a mental check list final walk around and NEVER start the car until you complete it.

Mine.

1 Place foot onto each wing nut (wheel knockoff) and stand on wing. Look at safety wire at same time.
2. Look at hood pins that hold on front bonnet down in nostrils and check latchs.
3. Look at hood pins that hold on rear body work and check latches.
4. Look at tie raps that keep fuel covers closed. Both.
5. Look at passenger door and make sure it is completely closed.
6. Fuel levels (when key on before engine start)
7. Steering wheel tight.
8. Brake peddle up and firm.
9. Gas peddle returns (spring good)

This isn't everything that must be checked before going back on track. It isn't all the stuff like tire pressures, suspension fasteners, coolent fill cap, oil puddle under car and on and on. It's the stuff that is easy to see and touch and must not be left to chance.

If you do it the same way every time it will become habit. I call it my itwillkillya check. I learned this from bikes when I had a clipon (handle bar) fall off. You don't do THAT twice.

 

[Craig White]

Dean, glad you are ok and no one else was hurt.

Good news that the rear clip is on the road to recovery.

It certainly happens to the best of us.

 

[Price Walton]

I hate to sound morbid, but wasn't it a rear clip coming off that was a factor in Ken Miles' accident at Riverside?

On a brighter note, I know a couple of guys with serious interests in cars, one of whom used to race in Formula Ford. I went with him to Oran Park for his first test day before his first FF race and strapped him in. He started up and put it in gear, then as he released the clutch the steering wheel fell in his lap.....

 

[Rob]

Dean...... sorry to hear man. For sure...we have all done the bone headed moves. It happens TOO easily, especially when there is an outside influence (people everywhere, someone else has your helmet), it brakes up your routine.

Bottom line is glass can be fixed...just glad to hear you did not get hurt and/or it was not worse.

 

[Ross Nicol]

I've developed a system that works for me. Every time the rear clip is closed I fit the locking pins and over centre catches as well. I lock one side and then move around the car and lock the other. I don't entrust this job to anyone else and so far so good I haven't had a problem.I will admit to moments on the pre grid though, where I've had doubts if the catches are locked. I can, reach my arm out the door to the locking pin on the drivers side and after I have satisfied myself all is ok on this side I am happy to go racing. Glad to hear you have it fixed Dean, I get annoyed when competitors hit my car, especially when they lunge at a gap that never existed.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Dean, glad you were not hurt. DRB have in addition to the side locks a pin that goes through the door pillar and through the clip locking it securely.
With the door shut it cannot possibly move. When I have the clip open I throw the locking pin on the drivers seat so if I jump in without it in place it sticks me in the Khyber as a reminder to put it in.

 

[John Milmont]

Wasn't this how Bruce McLaren was killed? This could have been much worse, thank God no one was hurt.

 

[Simon]

While picking up a GT40 on a trailer, I gaffer taped the (unfitted) windscreen in place. A few miles down the road it was gone! I just thank god that it flew off and into the bushes at the side of the road and not into somebodys car, it surely would have killed them. Lesson learnt there!
Simon

 

[Jac Mac]

That setup of Petes in the DRB, if the pin was moved outboard into the 'door cavity' and the door frame reworked in the pin area so that the door would only shut with the pin correctly fitted, plus the pin configured so it was a captive item in the pillar, would be a fail safe system then. Only issue would be if it was in a race situation & marshalls etc couldnt open rear clip without doors opened first.

 

[Doug Clark]

Boy howdy that sucks!

Race tracks do weired thing to people, normally organized people get easily screwed up and so on, I think the main thing to do is develop a routine and stick to it like glue.

In my own case after one too many times of trying to start a TZ250 with the carb covers on (yes I bet it looked really funny). I took some orange streamer and attached it to the carb covers, then I'd need to be really really stupid to miss it.

If there's a way to make it latching down the cover idiot proof then I'd do it for example if there are R clips involved stick them on the steering wheel when they're not on the car for example..

Note to self: Make sure all bodywork hinges from front

 

[Dave P]

Sorry to see it happen. I can send you new Ferodo decals though.

 

[Ian K]

That setup of Petes in the DRB, if the pin was moved outboard into the 'door cavity' and the door frame reworked in the pin area so that the door would only shut with the pin correctly fitted, plus the pin configured so it was a captive item in the pillar, would be a fail safe system then. Only issue would be if it was in a race situation & marshalls etc couldnt open rear clip without doors opened first.

I was thinking along the same lines - some sort of spring mechanism similar to hood/bonnet
releases such that the pin when not locked into place is sprung out and prevents the
driverside door from closing. The pin can only lock into the proper receptacle if the clam
is closed.

However, the issue of not being able to open the clam if the door is shut is definitely a show
stopper. Some sort of external emergency pull would be needed to disable the mechanism.
Maybe some sort of double spring action where the housing inside the clamshell can also
be locked into place by default, but have an emergency pull that releases the pin housing
and slides is rearward. So, to completely close the clam, you'd have to lock the housing
into place, close the clam, and then slide the pin in from the driverside door and lock it into
place.

Ian

 

[Bill Musarra]

The pin in the door frame is a good idea, but for me it would never work. I have a cutout switch on the clutch, so I couldn't crank the engine with the rear canopy open without the pin someplace else. Too much for a hyperactive person like me to keep up with.

Bill

 

[Ian Anderson]

I like the Aero Catches like Bill posted above - when open they are really obvious.

I also have a cu off switch mounted inside the rear clam and have to reach through the side vent to turn it on - it puts my clips directly in lin of sight.

Still a bugger to have lost a clip at all but I believe there have been a lot of others before you and no doubt others will follow

Ian

 

[TimB]

Dean, glad you were not hurt. DRB have in addition to the side locks a pin that goes through the door pillar and through the clip locking it securely.
With the door shut it cannot possibly move. When I have the clip open I throw the locking pin on the drivers seat so if I jump in without it in place it sticks me in the Khyber as a reminder to put it in.

I really like that Pete. Reminds me of the bonnet release latches on my E-type

 

[Duncan Potter]

Dean

Glad it's just fiberglass damage and neither you nor the car was seriously hurt. I've shed my share of glass at the track. No fun.

 

[Pete K.]

I'm late to the party but...

WOW!

Great to hear that the rear body simply tore itself away and didn't cause you any problems at 150 mph! Imagine if it had stuck around.

Bummer to have something like this happen but it could have been so much worse.

The bright side is that you'll probably never have it happen again (and perhaps others won't either).

 

[speed220mph]

I wasn't going to admit this, but since it's confession time . . . Here's where pins are good. You can see whether or not they're secured. My hidden latches weren't secured good and the clamps weren't in place. I was just going to take a slow short drive!

First sensation I had that the rear section was departing was a load bang. Next was seeing the rear body section in the mirror sliding upside down and backwards down the road behind me. Anyone who has experienced this knows the sickening feeling. Ruined the backlite, which cost over 400 USD, ground the spoiler lip and tops of the fenders, plus ripped the cables out of the rear inner panels. Lots of body work and two months and we're back in operation. I now have a check list that's similar to the one in my airplane.