BLWNGT40 build

[Douglas]

Not going to lie, having to make these changes in the rear for the 4.6 heads definitely made shaping sheets to fit it is a bit challenging. Annoying too lol.

I tried to reuse the top piece that AK provided, but it is a bit shy or material in the rear edge, might remake, or just not care and blend in some PR sealant before painting... no one but use will know then.....

Definitely need to clean up the nasty edges.

 

[Neil]

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Not going to lie, having to make these changes in the rear for the 4.6 heads definitely made shaping sheets to fit it is a bit challenging. Annoying too lol.

I tried to reuse the top piece that AK provided, but it is a bit shy or material in the rear edge, might remake, or just not care and blend in some PR sealant before painting... no one but use will know then.....

Definitely need to clean up the nasty edges.

Nice work. Let me give fellow builders a piece of uninvited advice... When forming a flanged edge over a curved surface it is preferable to form the curved bend by forming flutes to take up the curvature rather than cut notches. Notches can form cracks where the two cuts intersect. I've used a variation of method #2 here:

There are a number of things that I'm not a fan of in this video. First, the fabricator is forming the flange with a zero radius bend- it works in soft aluminum alloys but not in high strength alloys. A shrinker is a quick & easy way to correct the bend but it looks bad unless you dress the outside surface. ...and shrinkers are a bit expensive.
An alternate method to shrink a flange is to file "V" grooves in the edge of your form blocks so that you can peen flutes around the edge. I usually make forming blocks of rock maple and drill two 1/4" holes through the maple and the aluminum so they can be bolted solidly together. An appropriate radius should be cut on the inside of the bottom block. Here is the preferred method:

I built an aluminum wing for a friend's top fuel dragster by this method. My personal opinion is that if a fabrication is unacceptable on an aircraft, it has no place on a race car.

 

[Douglas]

Neil, I agree completely, the part was made nasty. Mostly just to work out the angles of the corners as there are no curves to it. Just 5 angled direction changes on one side the other is flat.

I'm definitely remaking a correct fitting part.

At the ends of the cut regions to allow the edges to be angle formed, the correct method is to drill a hole and match the cut to the edge diameter of the removed material, creating bend radius relief, then no cracks occur. The relief ideally extends beyond the edge of the bend radius.

 

[Douglas]

Been waiting on this to come in for a while now, and atleast I wasn't ready for it.
Got the Quaife fork assembly. Getting it from Quaife was quite a bit lower cost than from Safir. Parts came as a kit unlike Safir that has everything separate. Really good quality maching in the parts. I like that they provided rubber end seals for the roller bearings provided to keep the grease in and the dirt out.

Slave cylinder and throwout bearing not in picture, but they came from Summit.

 

[Douglas]

The slow fettling continues. Added some small supports you cannot see under some angled parts for panel support.

Picked up a softer grade aluminum to be able to make the bends and creases in the support covers. No nasty V grooves for fitment anymore.

Needs to clean up and radius off all the sharp edges and perhaps I will get these riveted down this month. I have to travel again for work, so another weeks lost to projects.

 

[Douglas]

Riveted in and sealed. Need to make sealing panel for suspension access hole still left open. Also powder coated the engine mounts and other valve covers I removed the filler cap from and welded an fittings on for breather tubes to the oil tank.

They are stamped LH and RH to not screw up lol.

 

[Douglas]

Leaving tomorrow till Friday for work, so I'm trying to knock out little things.

Speaking of little things, small details no one but me will know is where it is at.

And finding parking brake cables for $30 bucks at summit today made it cool too.

 

[Douglas]

Little paneling done again up front this time.
Going to remake the panel above the steering rack, I do not like the original fitment.

I didn't add the access panels on the sides SGT/AK had for the front suspension bolts. Since I changed the shape of the frame I may not need it... if I do, I will make one.

Need to order more for the area under the dash and spider.

 

[Douglas]

Looking for some advise on how to make this somehow work.

The left side has good alignments and opens and closes with minimal rubbing to be sanded and refined down.

The right side aligns with the bottom but not in the middle but aligns and works on the roofline.

Ive tried as many variations as possible with the hinges but the gap in the center will not draw in. Nothing on the roof line is touching on the right side.

 

[Jerry Irwin]

Looking for some advise on how to make this somehow work.

The left side has good alignments and opens and closes with minimal rubbing to be sanded and refined down.
View attachment 148101

The right side aligns with the bottom but not in the middle but aligns and works on the roofline.

Ive tried as many variations as possible with the hinges but the gap in the center will not draw in. Nothing on the roof line is touching on the right side.
View attachment 148102

it does look like they have bonded the inner to the outer with the outer not being in its mould..
I would guess the only fix is to seperate the inner and outer and 're-glue' in situ...
what a pain....
Mine were okay.
Jerry

 

[Douglas]

Determined that the whole lower section of the door cants inward 1/2 of an inch more than it should, the whole section under the door cubby needs cut open to allow the door to be expanded out. It is hitting the lower portion of the spider stopping it from closing.

 

[Devin]

Determined that the whole lower section of the door cants inward 1/2 of an inch more than it should, the whole section under the door cubby needs cut open to allow the door to be expanded out. It is hitting the lower portion of the spider stopping it from closing.

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If the door side and upper post lines up with the spider, you might consider splitting the door roof inner structure and use some heat to get the right top profile or worst case have to completely detach the upper door and reattach it for the correct profile.

In my case (pic), I have a lot more challenges going on due to my scratch build and use of my skin mold pieces but am understanding how much fiberglass continues to cure and move without being manufactured or stored properly, especially with warm/hot weather and storage.

 

[Douglas]

I made some adjustments from talking with Jerry Irwin and this allowed all the lines to align way better than previous but makes the bottom of the door hit.
The original thought was to cut the top just like you mentioned.

I also had to put spacers under the front corners of the spider right above the door hinges. This popped up the roof a bit and allowed the windshield to set against the shape best, and ended up making the doors fit best.

 

[Douglas]

Making the rear clam support. Still got to weld on the support material for the lift beaks and make and weld in the braces to the frame, will make removable of course.

Ordered longer hardware and spacers now that know what lengths I need to machine them down to, and bond the aluminum stiffeners I made where the parrot beaks mount to the clam.

Why is aligning straight parts to crooked parts to dang difficult...

 

[Douglas]

Finally got this fully welded up.

 

[Douglas]

Slave cylinder mounted up.

Going to powder coat the bellhousing in crinkle aluminum color to match the block and transmission color, don't care for the black portion standing out. Also will help see leaks later on... lol

Little things, keeping the body work as one big final post as... well it sucks.

Next is to align the bellhousing to the engine crank centerline.

 

[Douglas]

Forgot, return spring not in picture...

 

[Douglas]

I feel like I have not been in my detached garage since August 8th... oh yeah, I havent!

Started on my next journey today. Need to do trimming and a few adjustments to fit in on the back clam. Got the A pillars all welded up and the lower window shield supports welded up. Just need to connect them all and make them look pretty and then add in the B pillar sections which I believe will take the most time.

 

[Douglas]

Wow, ok. I need to step up my game. Jerry is over the pond kicking butt and I haven't been in tge garage sine September 24th according to my last post!

Got a little done this morning before my phone and emails took hold for work..
The roof is definitely interesting to align and weld up, going to definitely spend time cleaning up welds and blends.

.

 

[Jerry Irwin]

Wow, ok. I need to step up my game. Jerry is over the pond kicking butt and I haven't been in tge garage sine September 24th according to my last post!

Got a little done this morning before my phone and emails took hold for work..
The roof is definitely interesting to align and weld up, going to definitely spend time cleaning up welds and blends.

View attachment 149784.

your doing far more than me....
also i'm in the enviable position of being retired so can spend as much time as i want, in the garage ,,,,within reason....have to keep the lady of the house happy...
I reckon you are doing a brilliant job...
Might be slowing down here as autumn is now with us so tempertures dropping and the garage does not seem so inviting....