Gt-12

[BONES]

Though this was worth checking out.....Pulled this from the net.

UHMW-PE can be hot-formed on the job to make simple bends and angles that facilitate installation. No matter which method is chosen – torch, electric heater, oven or bath – caution should be used and every effort made not to overheat the material. UHMW-PE, like any plastic, will burn under improper conditions. In addition, the complete cooling cycle will be somewhat longer than the heating cycle due to the high heat retention characteristics of UHMW-PE. Cooling should not occur on concrete or metal surfaces because the process will be too rapid and may introduce additional stress into the material. An additional recommendation is to cover the material with an insulation blanket made from a material such as fiberglass.

This link: http://distributionbizwiz.wordpress.com/2007/08/22/fabricating-machining-uhmw-pe/

Interesting read about uhmw.

 

[gwaii]

wheres the updates!? im jonesin lol.

still mickeying with the firewall,takes lots of time but nothing interesting to photo.i'll get something up when it's a bit further along.

Though this was worth checking out.....Pulled this from the net.

UHMW-PE can be hot-formed on the job to make simple bends and angles that facilitate installation. No matter which method is chosen – torch, electric heater, oven or bath – caution should be used and every effort made not to overheat the material. UHMW-PE, like any plastic, will burn under improper conditions. In addition, the complete cooling cycle will be somewhat longer than the heating cycle due to the high heat retention characteristics of UHMW-PE. Cooling should not occur on concrete or metal surfaces because the process will be too rapid and may introduce additional stress into the material. An additional recommendation is to cover the material with an insulation blanket made from a material such as fiberglass.

This link: http://distributionbizwiz.wordpress.com/2007/08/22/fabricating-machining-uhmw-pe/

Interesting read about uhmw.

looks like good stuff
good to see you've been researching.

 

[gwaii]

ok,here's some pictures....

like i said earlier,i finished the other wheel tub.

i've been trying out dimpled holes...some of these may be sprinkled about the car.

ahhhh....the firewall.this is a complex piece.it's a tight fit everywhere,and needs a huge amount of shape to get around everything,plus it's got things like steering and brakes going through it.one of the other challenges is that it needs to be removable.that is why it ends short of the outer edge of the body-it needs to fit out between the cage bars.the outer ends will be part of the body shell.

heres part of the passenger side,figureing out part of the layout for a panel.i did the layout on cardboard,then formed it up to check the fit.you can see the concept sketch on the chunk of aluminum in the foreground.

this was transfered to aluminum.

after cutting out and bending,i've got some welding to do.

for those wondering what ever happenned to the firewall i was making before,i decided i didn't like it,so it's scrap.

 

[JoshT]

i've been trying out dimpled holes...some of these may be sprinkled about the car.

Very handy things those are. They can cut down on weight while increasing strength. You'll find them a lot on aircraft for that very reason. They also have the added advantage of looking better than a plain hole when you need one for something to pass through.

 

[BONES]

Wicked!! Love progress reports!!!

So when your welding aluminum and steel, do you use 2 different welders, or do you change over each time? Maybe you said before but after 140odd pages I may have forgot some info.

 

[gwaii]

Very handy things those are. They can cut down on weight while increasing strength. You'll find them a lot on aircraft for that very reason. They also have the added advantage of looking better than a plain hole when you need one for something to pass through.

all the real reasons i don't care about too much.i just think they look cool.

Wicked!! Love progress reports!!!

So when your welding aluminum and steel, do you use 2 different welders, or do you change over each time? Maybe you said before but after 140odd pages I may have forgot some info.

well,yes and no.all the aluminum i use the tig welder.most of the steel welding i've been using a small mig,but that's just for tacking.finish welds will be done with my big mig welder,although some steel welding,particularly where appearance is critical such as the header tubes,the tig is used.

tig is always nicer,but it's also slow and expensive.

 

[JoshT]

all the real reasons i don't care about too much.i just think they look cool.

I kinda figured that, I was just point out the other qualities they have. I agree completely with doing it just because they look cool.

 

[gwaii]

I kinda figured that, I was just point out the other qualities they have. I agree completely with doing it just because they look cool.

thought you would

i mean,don't get me wrong,all that other stuff is great....especially if you've got an airplane,or a race car.but we all know,on a hot-rod it's all about the wow factor

ok,more cardboard fabrication...

i'm fighting for every fraction of an inch here.clearance from the bell to the firewall averages about 3/8''.good thing it's got stiff engine mounts-there won't be too much banging going on.

and the tire-exhaust-firewall spacing.no,there's no extra room here either.

 

[gwaii]

and here's one of the reasons for remaking the firewall...

looking down from the top you can see there's lots of room around the header flange-on the old one it was too tight to the header....i could get at the nuts,but it was a struggle.i realized that the room i was saving by having it so tight was just being wasted as open space above the feet,so in this design there's a little less space in the upper footwell,but servicing on the headers(which need to be removed for virtually any major engine service)is now much easier.

 

[JoshT]

i mean,don't get me wrong,all that other stuff is great....especially if you've got an airplane,or a race car.but we all know,on a hot-rod it's all about the wow factor

Sure but have you ever noticed how much airplane stuff gets put into (or duplicated/imitated for) a hot rod just because of the wow factor. Hot rodding, airplanes the two are connected. As for race cars... everybody knows they are just test beds for hot rodders. Biggest difference is theirs only has to turn one way. Referring only to NASCAR there, because that's what all the drunk redneck wannabe rodders watch and try to imitate.

Look forward to seeing more tomorrow. And with a little luck getting a little done on my own projects for a change. With a high around 70* tomorrow, I should at least be able to paint some suspension parts while I'm working on the Trig home work.

 

[JoshT]

and the tire-exhaust-firewall spacing.no,there's no extra room here either.

Doc... I'm not sure it's gonna fit. For my eyes that's to close for comfort, but then I am looking at a pic and not the car itself.

 

[gwaii]

Doc... I'm not sure it's gonna fit. For my eyes that's to close for comfort, but then I am looking at a pic and not the car itself.

ya,the pic makes it look like the exhaust is tight to the firewall.there's actually about 1/8'' there.lots of room.

 

[gwaii]

Brian thomas' seats from his straight eight pakard rat rod.

here's part of my inspiration,speaking of aircraft inspired.


i LOVE this thing.

 

[--weezl--]

how about clearance between header and tire? i'm worried about melting tires!

 

[martin]

You have a car the size of a refrigerator with two holley four barrels sticking out of the hood, no further WOW factor necessary.