RF #12 "Race" Chassis

[Ross Nicol]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Troy
AP on their website give the rotation for curved vane rotors.Should be installed with cooling vanes running back from the inside to outside diameters in the direction of rotation.Paul would no doubt have been drawing your attention to this.

Ross

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Hi Ross,

Thanks. I was all over the AP website on the weekend after realizing this.

As a side note, Harrop don't seem to promote these sized rotors on their website, and I can only assume that they are specific to a certain race category.

Melbourne has got to be the place to be for this kind of stuff, much bigger racing community over there.

 

[Ross Nicol]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Paul gave me a loan of one of those rotors off your car when I was doing my brake upgrade and they wouldn't fit inside my 17" wheels with my calipers.I had to stick with 330mm rotors but they really are adequate as my brakes work well now.

Ross

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Before the car and bits left the factory, we put a rotor and calliper inside the 17" wheels that RF offer and it did fit, by about a bees dick.

But this was not set up with the hub, and the correct mounting block for the calliper so it is anyone's guess. I will measure them properly once the blocks are machined up, and take it from there.

Handy info though, thanks for that. Your racer going well?

 

[Ross Nicol]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

I still have my old motor in, down on HP but wheels are all ready to go and I've fitted a rear spoiler for a bit more down force. So during the year the HP will be back plus a bit, well more torque anyway.State race meeting at Sandown this weekend so let's hope 2008 is a better year than 2007. Having said that a little cup arrived in the mail last week for 3rd place in VMRC 2007 - Victorian motor racing Championship, one more trophy for the cabinet.Can't be too bad.

Ross

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Nice work Ross, hope the year is tracking nicely.

As for my car, progress has been steady. The car is now being stripped back to the chassis for re-powder coating. Given it has seen a fair few years in the old RF's workshop, I thought it best to give it a birthday and make it look like new once more.

I need to make some alterations to the chassis beforehand though. As the car was destined for life on the track, certain areas of the car need to be modified to withstand daily (yeah right) use. There was no provision for a handbrake, and hence steel framework around the centre of the car. The plan of attack is to finish this in the next few days, using round tube for a clean radiused top panel down the centre of the car.

Thanks to everyone who replied to the "superwide rear clip" question on the RF section, I will be making this change to the bodywork in due course.

Here are a couple of fairly recent shots of the car nearly naked (lets hope she never ends up on this angle again - especially once finished!). Looks a bit grim I must admit, but even though it looks like I'm going backwards, it definitely feels like I've turned the corner!

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

I'm making a few changes purely for my own preference. First shot shows location of old and new rear chassis rail, as well at the new rear structure bracing. (That is the project foreman just inspecting the tack welds - in the background)

Second shows that things are getting serious! Not an easy cut to make.

The car is currently living on the back patio area due to the partial house renovation.

 

[Bobski]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Brave man Troy. Just a question, whats your lower "A" arm going to swing off?

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Hi Bob. This car doesn't run the standard rear suspension set-up. It has the two adjustable lower conrol arms. New pick up points for these will be attached relative to their original positions, along with new braced brackets for the upper control arm.

I am yet to weld on the rear clip hinge plates, and also mounting holes / brackets for the transaxle.

Happily, everything is still square and true though. More progress pics to follow, along with the new tunnel frame being installed.

 

[Clayton]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Hi Troy
The first cut is always the hardest. Have you trial fitted the engine and gearbox with the new cross member ? The reason I ask, there’s not much room between the back of the gearbox and rear clip. Or will you be moving the engine fwd ?

Clayton

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Hi Clayton, from what I can gather, mine has been positioned a little further back than yours. From it's original position, it is 120mm higher, and 90mm aft.

Measurements seem to indicate that it'll fit, but of course if it doesn't, that's what grinders and welders are for!

She is welded into place now (sorry, haven't taken the pics yet), and I have specifically left the top of the rear member without any connections welded to it. The top braces (from the top suspension mount) attach to the front of the bar, and the main chassis rails rise to meet both the bottom and the front of it.

I did this so that I can mount the oil coolers without obstruction.

Tonight I will be adding the bracing and triangulation, but at least the bones of the thing are there again!

I'll bang a couple of pics up tomorrow to explain it a little better.

 

[Clayton]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Hi Troy
My cross member is 530mm back from the bulkhead (65 x 35mm RHS) to the front edge. And 205mm from the bottom of the chassis to the top of the cross member.
Had to make it a triangle cross section to clear the rear clip and a cut out for the gearbox as well. Can’t remember how much it moved from the original position though.

Clayton

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

No progress last night (too cold out there!)

But here are a couple of shots showing what I am trying to achieve. The lower brace angle and spacer can be seen still in place, they'll get cut out once she' all welded up.

Hopefully more welding tonight...

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Things have been progressing slowly on this build, but it's all ramping up again - finally!

Here are a some shots of the chassis. At this stage the frame is in primer, just waiting for the final 2 pack paint finish. I had some hold ups with various blasting companies for the original powdercoating removal, so attacked the job myself. Hardest part was properly removing the existing Sikaflex from the chassis.

All suspension pick up points, roll cage brackets and trans mounts have been fab'd with thicker material, and the chrome moly rear cage extension (with solid ali bushing) needs to be tig welded at some point (I'll be in touch soon Doug - winter lurgie just wouldn't go away this year!)

Feels like a new start...

 

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Looking good Troy.

I've managed to add the front suspension to mine. I have lots of bits to assemble to the front end and still have engine - trans to assemble as well. With the new baby arriving last week I think time may be a rare commodity in the next few weeks though. I'll post a build log when I can clean the shed of all the extra crap that I haven't found a place for yet after moving to Melbourne.

 

[keohep]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Hi Troy

Thanks for the offer of the cad programe id love to get a copy.

My email is [email protected]


Can i take a look at your GT40 its pretty sweet.

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

No Worries, good to talk to you today.

Also, I've been pretty slack on my build log - time to get updating...

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Here are some not-so-recent pics of the chassis. The new aluminium panels are on, and everything is all going back onto the car well. Phew...

 

[Troy]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Just thought I'd post a few pics of the car with thge suspension fitted. Some of the pics you'll see the "gulf' flare taped on to check for wheel fit (sill ext not shown). The rears still need to come out approx 1", this will be dictated by the driveshafts.

There is so much adjustment in this set up, as you'll see from the rear shot showing all of the linkages.

Also, there is a pic there showing the net result from raising the rear chassis cross rail. Some f/glass doctoring is still required to cover the area, but it looks like a diffuser is well in order! Just a note, the sill is just sat in place for the pics...

 

[Gus Richmond]

re: RF #12 "Race" Chassis

Hi Troy! Looking good. A fair bit of progress :thumbsup: Good to see you are still going ahead with the 40
Cheers, Gus.