Toms RCR 40 Trackracer

[EGLITOM]

Installing Front lights

Mounted my front lights.

I choosed to go with the round driving lights. Target was a nice clean installation with no visible screws from the outside.

DRIVELIGHTS:

Did the cutout with a template and laminated two additional bases to the inner surface.

The lights i got are 5,5" CARBELLO´s H1. THey had no provision for mounting them, so i glued on a chrom bezel ring on the backside with PU glue. To this i riveted 3 aluminium angles. I fabricated mounting bolts out of big washers and M6 allen bolts ( stainless).

bolts installed on light

After mounting them on the light with springs i glued them in place with epoxy using the light as guiding template. After curing i laid another layer of glass on top of the bolts.

I made the openings about 3 mm bigger in diameter than the light and mounted the light with a stripe of closs cell foam around it. Should help to prevent any rattling and vibration and gives enough space for the adjustment. SHould not be visible after blacking out the openings.

Installed light from the front

from the backside

HEADLIGHTS
Basically did the same with the headlights. Used Hella brand eurospec H4 lights. THey have the same dimension as the original lights. Bought them also on a swap meet ( they are not produced anymore).

bolts on laminated base

Fabricated an alumnium block to utilize the original mounting bolt.

and welded on washers to the other two brackets

installed light from the front

from the backside

overall view

AWH:387 h

TOM

 

[Rob]

As always......very well done Tom. Looks great.

 

[Chuck]

You keep raising the bar. You have shed some light on a better approach for mounting the driving and head lamps. Another glowing success. This project really shines. Very nice!!

 

[H.J.Bayer]

When do you sleep???.......

 

[EGLITOM]

Headlight covers

I thought some about how to mount my plexiglass covers ( same princip will account for side and rear windows).
Oftentimes you see fine cracks initiating from the mounting holes. I think the reason is very often the use of countersunk bolts. THe countersunk is weakening the glass and the spreading force apllied by the bolt helps for the rest. Also i want to use a fastening method which could be reused all the time without damaging the fiberglass.

On the other sided one dont want to use bolts which stay on top of the glass like warts.

I came up with the following solution:
Using self threatening stainless inserts (6,5 mm outer thread, M4 inner thread ,type ENSAT from KERB KONUS) which are screwed and epoxy glued into a 6,2mm hole. The holes in the covers where drilled with 6 mm diameter. The covers will be mounted with a M4 screw. An O-ring (4x1mm) will protect the plexi from hard contacts with the bolt and gives some flexibility for expansion and or vibrations.

I had difficulties to find a bolt which is black, anticorrosive and has a lowprofiled look with a classic design and no countersunk needed.
Finally i gave up searching and decided to have them custommade. They are made of F51 Aluminium, can be anodized in black, silver or gold. THey feature a classic slit design with a low profile head (1,5mm height). They are available in 2 lenghts (15mm and 18mm), the unthreated part is either 3mm or 5mm, which limits the screw-in depth and protects the plexi.

installation princip

Alubolts custommade

ENSAT stainless INSERTS with "mounting tool"

Installation was pretty much straight forward. I used the template for mounting holes from chucks build , because i liked their spacing most. Fixing the covers with tape, marking the holes and drilling with a special 6mm plexi glass drill all the way through the fiber glass. Always when one hole was drilled a 6mm bolt was inserted for momentary fixing it. Afterward redrilled the body holes to 6,2mm and installing the inserts with epoxy glue.

inserts installed

covers mounted with alubolts

details

AWH: 392 h

TOM

 

[Mark Clapp]

Tom, you don't have to worry about star-cracks around the screws because of the type of plastic that the covers are made from. The main thing is to not over-tighten the screws which might distort the plastic over time. Your depth limiting screws should take care of that. Great job on trimming and mounting the pieces.

 

[Jonathan Strain]

Mark, that is not completely true. If you get gas on the plastic it will crack. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[EGLITOM]

Tom, you don't have to worry about star-cracks around the screws because of the type of plastic that the covers are made from. The main thing is to not over-tighten the screws which might distort the plastic over time. Your depth limiting screws should take care of that. Great job on trimming and mounting the pieces.

Hi Mark

Thanks for the cudos.

Should we start a poll about how many have this problem ?:thumbsup:

It is exactly how you and Jonathan describe it. Overtightening the screws and aging of the material leads to cracks especially in the case with countersunk installations.

TOM

 

[Randy V]

I purchased black nylon machine screws from McMaster-Carr just like the ones I used for years on my motorcycle lexan windshields..

I do agree that countersinking (too far) can lead to stress risers in the lexan and can have an impact on the durability of the lexan while under the pressure of a tightening screw or the dynamic forces of wind..

Just went out to my shop to find them so I could give you a part number.. ((frustrated)) Could not locate them.. Now I know what I'll be spending part of my weekend doing...

Nice work on the lights and per usual a GREAT job of innovation and fabrication..

 

[Keith]

Tom,
You continue to make the rest of us look bad................ Nice work!
Keith

 

[Jack]

I have also seen those black nylon machine screws used with a rubber insert the thickness of the plexi. Boat center console windscreen parts I believe.

 

[frank beuker]

Tom it's really looking great
nice details

 

[EGLITOM]

I have also seen those black nylon machine screws used with a rubber insert the thickness of the plexi. Boat center console windscreen parts I believe.

I found them too, but the head is to high profiled for my taste.

TOM

 

[Howard Beck]

Keith,

Tom's not making us look bad, he's pushing us along to think harder and work smarter. I laugh every time I open this thread out of the joy of Tom making things look so easy and elegant. The rest of us are "drafting" behind him. He must definitely spend a lot of time thinking and studying. ( Probably an "A" student in school!):laugh::laugh::laugh:

 

[EGLITOM]

( Probably an "A" student in school!):laugh::laugh::laugh:

probably could have been !
my dad always shouted at me, about wasting my potential, guess with what.
The only things i had on mind where cars, bikes, good music and of course the girls (exactly in this order)

This changed later when i started my proffesion, yeah things change when you have to take care not only about yourself.
This wasn´t the worst thing that could happen to me, actually it was the best thing in my life.

TOM

 

[EGLITOM]

Front turnsignals

As i have the round driving lights. The usual way to mount the turnsignals are the originalstyle "warts" along the body line. I don´t like them at all, because IMHO they destroy the nice line of the car at that place and look like the don´t belong there.

I looked for a solution where the signal lights are almost not visible when they are not flashing. I choosed to mount "miniblinker" from the aftermarket motorcycle section.

They have a blackened lense and therefore will be difficult to tell apart from the blackened out light recess. they feature a strong 21 W bulb, so will be decent bright when flashing.
I mounted them on a bracket made out of 1"x 1" aluminium angle. The bracket is bolted to the clip via a nutrivet.

Mounted assembly

from the front

mounted on the car

Outside look

Thanks
TOM

 

[Howard Beck]

Tom,
You keep coming up with cool solutions to little irritants. I have been looking for a solution to those warts and I like your answer. The other objective I had was the round driving lights which take up considerable space, leaving little room for turn signals. I take it they are 12 volt turn signals, duhhh? Where did you find the turn signals?

 

[Randy V]

Nice work Tom - I've been contemplating a number of different solutions as I don't like the wart lights either..

I'm curious about your front clip - Did you add those two webs from the area of the driving lights up to the bottom of the headlight recesses?

I don't have those on my front clip...

 

[EGLITOM]

Howard:
yes they are 12 V 21 W and i bought them at a motorcycle parts store

http://www.louis.de/_109a93a8523863...t_total=52&anzeige=0&page=4&artnr_gr=10033780

Randy, i added those webs, see my post above about mouting the headlights.

Thanks
TOM

 

[EGLITOM]

Finished blocksanding

I used long elastic and adjustable sanding blocks frome eastwood and 180° rhino paper. Worked very well.
I did´nt need much bondo. Used 2 k epoxy bondo which is less prone to shrinkage. My flares blenden in nicely with very few bondo needed as well.

Achieved gaps are now 1/8 to 1/6 of an inch.

next step is spray fillering

awh: 426 h