esp42089 wrote:
Any news? Even the echo has died down around here...
Hi Evan, yes it has been a while since I posted. Thanks for the interest and the nudge. On the build front, it has been slow going what with a nice spring and summer for outdoorsy stuff, but a little progress has been made.
I needed to get the headers and sidepipes to the 95% complete point so I could begin work on the side panels, which need to be 95% so I can finish the nose cone fiberglass before it gets too cold/wet in the garage. So I’ve been working on the front side panels.
Attachment:
P7224947-1.jpg
I took a different tack from the book on how to fit the side panel to the bottom rail. To avoid a slab-sided look (my top rail is higher than book) I followed the bottom rail profile as it tapers in, hence the origami look. This will also help evacuate warm air from the radiator and stiffen the panel. The panel’s leading edge was folded over on itself to add stiffness to that unsupported edge. Since the chassis is all round tube, the skin edges are rounded over the rails. The rolled edges will be annealed and finish formed when the chassis is torn down and put on a rotisserie. A little heat shrinking should pull out any residual pucker caused by shaping the panels. The plan is for a “Scotch Brite” final finish on the bodywork.
All the panels will be removable using button head machine screws and floating nut plates a’la mgklufts technique. At the risk of making certain forum members ill, here’s a pic of the nut plate br@ck^ts needed to mount just one of the front panels. Lots of happy time at the drill press and welder.
Attachment:
P7224949-1.jpg
Also starting to rough out templates for the other body panels. As the rear fenders will be free standing from the body (mounted on short struts from the chassis) the tubular sockets that accept the fender struts need to be welded to the frame before the center and aft body panels can be fit. So rear fenders were ordered today. Here’s kind of how the finished panels will lay out.
Attachment:
P7224946-1.jpg
Along the front axle line, at ride height the top of the front fenders should crest just above the nosecone. A long scuttle will be formed from aluminum.
Jack’s nose cone was previously widened 6” and sectioned for a lower profile. As this build will be hoodless (the LS3 makes a nice codpiece) the nose cone will be lengthened about 5” to fill the gap caused by the aft-set engine. The plywood form board will shape the rear edge of the extension’s mold.
Attachment:
P7224948-1.jpg
Ok, back to summertime.