310 replies to this topic

[Alan Carruthers]

Many thanks for the feedback guys, was very pleased with the doors and now they're on with some DSN hinges - a work of art in themselves.

Quite a bit more started but not much finished! Sure we'll get there - my summer cut off has clearly long gone but I've got lots going on with the car so still excited and keen to complete the project. Few photos of various aspects which have been progressed, also got a new rad coming and seat backs being painted.

Boot:

[Alan Carruthers]

So all the holes above will be nicely filled so that you just see the aerocatches, even those will be fibreglassed from the inside so they don't have the 6no. holes round them.

Cage:

Added a few more tubes and gussets, Matt has suggested it could now survive a direct strike from a nuclear warhead, he might not be too far wrong but you can never have enough triangles and swaged holes.

[Alan Carruthers]

Wheels changed, 3" outer rims now on, tyre sits much better but just don't look as good as the Miglia spec. overall. Plan is to add some spacers front and back so that the arches are filled in road going mode but can still fit really wide slicks (spacers removed) when I re-mortgage and get another set of wheels.

[Alan Carruthers]

Needed a place to put the fuel guage and some switches so we came to doing a small roof panel bounded by another tube meeting the front head rail at a bend. Also visible in some of the earlier pictures. Did a few sketches to help Phil get his head round the geometry.

Edited by Alan Carruthers, 25 October 2012 - 02:47 PM.

[Alan Carruthers]

DSN hinges, don't look quite as good here as on their website but when all painted I'm sure all will be well!

[miniblade81]

lots more done then soon be ready for paint then

[kcchan]

Great work as usual. I love the cage! Are you having any other gauges? Or are you using a digidash/data logger? Seems odd that you go for a fuel gauge if you're only having one gauge.

[minimaxie]

Just been reading this, man alive the fabrication skills! Absolutely stunning work done here, attention to detail and the engineering aspects is inspiring! It's going to be one rocket of a Mini ! Keep up the brilliant work, subscribed!

[Alan Carruthers]

Many thanks, really appreciate that, yep, hope it's going to be quick! Got a fair way but always that last 10% that takes the longest and don't think we're even near that yet, lots more to come.

Wish it was paint time but loads of metalwork still to be thought about let alone fabricated, want to hide as many of the 'boxes' which come with the engine in the firewall, ecu etc.

On clocks/guages, we developed a little pod for the stock clocks so that's waiting to be fixed on some more tube but needs to incorporate new bearing for steering column and stalks/ignition barrel. See page 4 and some pics below.

Also, harnesses, wheel/lifeline QR and tank cover tested.

Al

[jonny f]

Looks amazing!

[blue blood]

Looks amazing!

I SECOND THAT :)

Regards Blue

[Thorpey69]

Lovely looking build,looking forward to seeing more updates.

[Alan Carruthers]

Ok, so radius arms are on and all finished so guys are now sorting brakes/handbrake - really pleased with the result. Spec as follows from Phil/Matt:
Standard frame with radius arms and cone/trumpets 29KG (the one weighed had no brake parts at all fitted no hubs, backplates, shoes or drums)
A bare KAD beam comes in at 6KG with no arms.
This pair of arms with mounting plates etc, but again no brakes or hubs so good comparison, come in at 9.2 KG for the pair.
Arms are 38mm diam. T45 steel with standard Metro Radius arm pins, which are a little larger and stronger and with roller bearings at both ends rather than 1 roller bearing and 1 bush at the other on a mini.
The arm unit has built in camber adjuster and castor will be done via shimming the bracket if necessary. The arms from pin centre to hub centre are 335mm long compared to a standard arm of 295mm so should have a slightly smoother action.
They attach to the car via 6 mounting points, 2 are the standard mini heel board mounts whilst the other 4 are held on via 8mm steel plate tapped to 5/16 unf thread, the plate is welded inside the heel board and triangulated to the cage.
The handbrake quadrant is a KAD part with the fulcrum point being in the centre of the 6mm triangular plate in the centre of the arm. They also have the larger KAD stub axles fitted.

Customish Protech shocks as per the front, again the lads there were first class, phoned one day, were on the car the next.

So there you go, I think the arms look great, I would push the boat out and even be willing to cause controversy by saying they look better than the force racing ones!... not quite such exotic materials but yet to sell a kidney. As you can imagine, huge amount of thought and design has gone into this, the keener eyed amongst you will no doubt see that a few design developments have come up as things have progressed but do think they've turned out well and Matt, Phil and the gang have done a sterling job.

All in all means car should be rolling again soon which, after 9 years is quite good news!

If you fancy some rad arms give Phil a ring, sure he'd be happy to make some more!

Edited by Alan Carruthers, 14 November 2012 - 07:51 PM.

[kcchan]

Great stuff. If I wasn't keeping original mini suspension, I'd consider those arms. Well, depending on price. Unless they could be made to be run on a subframe with cones?

[jonny f]

That's some real good weight saving there Alan.

those arms are lovely. I would be interested in set that would fit on a standard beam.