DBski Hot Rod update 1

[dbski]

Making good progress on the hot rod. Suspension, brakes, pedals and steering all in mostly. One bit of frustration is that some parts are back ordered like the knuckles for the steering shafts. Have to jump around a bit waiting for parts to get her. The tie rods ends came today which was cool! It's more fun that I could have ever imagined and if you're thinking of building one at all I highly recommend it. The assembly is pretty straight forward, you occasionally have to massage a few parts but no big deal. One mistake I made is not ordering my crate motor earlier as it's going a lot faster than I estimated and I think I'm going to be on hold waiting it's arrival. Between working on the car and getting skis out I'm becoming a full time resident in my shop! I love it!

 

[skimtb]

Looks fun. Keep updates coming!

[Orlando76]

Looks like a blast. Is there a need to align and square something up with a laser? Or is it bolt up and play on?

[dbski]

@Orlando76 It's just bolt together. Everything so far on the frame has been spot on. I've watched a few videos of the Factory Five factory and production process and so far I've been impressed with the quality. Had to bend a few mounting tabs for clearance and grind a couple of welds for bolt heads and that's it.

[Ed_Johnson]

I know from building Airplanes, there were times I ate, slept, and worked for days at a time in the hanger. It can be really consuming, but really rewarding. It always seems like the last 10 percent takes the longest. Factory 5 has a good reputation and I'm familiar with their Cobra Kits. Good luck with your project and keep us informed.

 

 

[h2onhk]

there's a car frame in the pics? All I saw was a powermatic table saw, nice 8" Jet long bed jointer, benchtop dewalt planer, compound miter saw, lathe and a whole rack of what appears to be exotic wood blanks

[BraceMaker]

@h2onhk thats what I see as well but I say to myself - god that's going to make a mess of your project car.

[wawaskr]

@dbski were you able to get the '32 grill instead of the '33?

[ToddF]

cobra pbr brakes and what booster? what rack?

[dbski]

I ordered the kit just weeks before the new updated kit was announced. I would have still gone with the 33 grill over the 32. There's a zillion 32's in the hot rod world, not that many 33's. In addition there's also all the A's with deuce grills. I just like the 33 grill over the 32. The brakes are the standard ones that come with the kit, they are non-assisted. Again the rack is from Factory Five, not sure the source. Being my shop is primarily a wood shop sawdust is always a problem. The picture shows my attempt at addressing the problem. So far its working okay. I occasionally open the garage door and blow everything off with the air hose. Seems like someone should start a new thread about home shops. There is nothing like having a great shop! I'm not the most organized guy in the world but I know where everything is!

 

[h2onhk]

@dbski is that a CNC shop-bot in the background?

[dbski]

Yes that's what I use to make my skis.

[chrislandy]

Looks like a fantastic project, reminds me of when I built my kit car many moons ago.

 

The chassis looks pretty good, although is that not a torsional and bending weak spot just at the transition from the front to the centre section? Where the side frame "dips" near your pedals?

[dbski]

@chrislandy If you look close there is a good size gusset at that joint and there are also truss like structures that go side to side in the floor area. The design has been around 10 years without any problems I'm aware of.

[chrislandy]

Ah, I can see that now on the third picture, the first picture is almost in line with the gusset so missed it on that one.

 

still, with my engineers eye, it doesn't seem right to have a gusset in a compression zone as they are inherently weak in compression buckling and stiffness.

 

Factory 5 have a good name for themselves over in the UK too, I was just surprised to see that configuration.

[jhughes]

Careful or I'm going to have to start posting about cars, guitars, watches, tools, and every other hobby I've got.

[BraceMaker]

@chrislandy - seems like a production change as well. Most photos of these seem to have steel tube there - but it does look like it makes the wheel well more accessible.

 

 

[oldjeep]

So you guys are talking about this gusset? The one that is flush with the outsides of the box tube, making it effectively an extension of the tube sides? I'm not understanding the problem here. Looks fine. Car is looking great

 

 

[BraceMaker]

If you look at it side on directly you'll see that the X tube and the lower tube are very close together maybe 6" apart - both forwards and rearwards of that cross point the frame has similar side tube separated wider - maybe 10" - based on where it is, I think it is a change they made so you can get your feet out of the wheel well.

 

If you put the frame into a press and squished it you'd expect it to buckle downwards at that exact point where the gusset is.

 

However what's not known would be - does the body provide strength/reinforcement to prevent that, and to what extent is it even an issue, you don't for instance know the thickness of the tube, the type of steel (could be mild could be chromo etc.), and in terms of handling sometimes it is nice when a frame has a bit of dynamic bend.

[AdamCord]

Where was all this expertise on compression zones and buckling strength when this thing came out?

 

 

@dbski kick ass project! My dad has a Factory Five Cobra and it cranks the pucker factor right up to 11 when you stomp on the skinny pedal.

[dbski]

Must be winter when we're debating a known design. The frame is really beefy and you have to remember the car only weighs 2100 pounds when its done. Started running the wire today. Initially the pile of wire was a bit intimidating but I just studied the instruction manual a bit and by the end of the day I had most of the wiring loom mocked up. Now I know I screwed up not ordering the engine earlier. Guess I have to call Blueprint and see if I can motivate them to get it built faster!

[chrislandy]

 

@dbski here's mine

 

 

 

 

[Jetsetr]

As someone who has fabricated and drives things that go really fast for 20+ years that chassis looks fine...plenty of triangulation probably a lot of it overkill. Think it’s going to weigh over 2100 when completed though. My last project weighs 1550. Chassis was 200, engine 450, body less than 150 and then all the other stuff...it adds up quick...but doesn’t really matter in your case either...

 

It looks great and will be a blast!!

[dbski]

@chrislandy Cool car! I'm pretty big gearhead, have no idea what it is. Is it fabricated or Miata based?

[Jetsetr]

deleted...

 

 

[D3dude]

Hmm...that one post seemed a bit uneccessary.......

[chrislandy]

It's a UK kit car, a Shelsley T2

 

Mid engined, 2 seater, I built the engine from scratched based on a rover T16 engine (2.0L 200hp / 170lbft std), it's now 2.2L, turbo, forged everything, lightened.... you name it, it's over 300hp and 250lbft now on full chat.

 

800kg (1800lb)+ driver, 150mph, 0-60 in 4.5s

 

It;'s not based on anything in particular, scratch designed chassis & bodywork, it uses some rover/lotus running gear

[dvskier]

Is it street legal?

[chrislandy]

yup :p

[dvskier]

That would be a great drive on the Tail of the Dragon road in western NC. Mostly used for cafe racer motorcycles.