LocostUSA.com

Perfect, I'll have Bubba on standby for that last quarter turn.

Hmmm, I remember rebuilding a LaSalle transmission back in the day and all the internal bearings were loose roller bearings.

The Mustang half-shafts use tripod-style CV joints with roller bearings in steel gages. These are worthy of some extra care. I wasn't planning on using an impact wrench, only a long bar and lots of grunt. My concern is holding the hubs while tightening the axle nuts. The chassis is on sawhorses, I'm not buying tires until its ready for the road and the thread locker will be set by then. I'm thinking of making a "wrench" that fits over the wheel studs and block the long end against the floor. Then turning Bubba loose on the nut.

BTW, John, I used your laser and mirror approach to check bump steer. Very effective.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

Glad it worked for you

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When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting -- Steve McQueen from LeMans

My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6

Tom, I think that 45* is more like 1/8 of a turn. A quarter ( 90* ) turn might be a wee bit too much. Don't let Bubba get too carried away.
Walt

Thanks, Walt. Good catch, you are absolutely right! My bad, been hanging around with Bubba too much, I guess. He will be duly restrained to 1/8th turn.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

JD would be proud of you

_________________
Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle

Hey Tom,

I'm collecting all the information I have on making the body panel mounting tabs. I saved quite a bit of information, but after reviewing Martin's build log again, I found mention that you were planning to do a tutorial file on them. Did that ever happen? If it did I don't have the tutorial. I have a question for you, though.

1) How much do those nut plates from Aircraft spruce move around? 1/16" in all directions?

I may do things a little differently. I found a bunch of weld-in tabs from McMaster-Carr I bought some time back. I think I bought them to do the panels, but can't remember for sure.

It's a different type of caged nut setup. If they move around in a similar way to the ones you used, I may just use them instead. They're cheaper and don't require the rivets and the two extra holes on the tab. That way, I could have the tabs waterjet cut out of 16 gauge sheet with just one hole for the panel screw.

I'd need to make some kind of centering jig for their placement and welding of the tabs, but I could do that.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm going to get some practice by making panels for the inside of the boot using the technique first, I think.

Cheers,

_________________
Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

Hi Lonnie, not sure if I ever did a tutorial on making the nutplates tabs, but the process I used is below.

To answer your first question, the 2 lug nutplates I used allow the machine screw to wiggle around about 1/16” in all directions. This has been really helpful in fitting my panels and aligning the screw holes. Otherwise, I would probably have needed to use oversize washers here and there. Not an aesthetically pleasing solution.

My finished tabs are 1” tall x 1.5” wide with the hole for the #8 screw 5/8” from the weld edge of the tab.

My tab fab started with a strip of 1/16” thick cold rolled steel, 1.5” wide and a convenient length (2' - 3'). I marked a center line down the length of the strip and drilled a string of center holes at 1” intervals using a #19 bit.

Then using a nutplate jig from Aircraft spruce placed in the center holes, I drilled right and left side rivet holes with a #41 drill. Usually I drilled a string of right-side holes and then flipped the jig over and drilled the left-side holes.

The center holes were then opened to 13/64” to give the screws the wiggle room mentioned above.

The rivet holes were dressed with a 120* countersink for the flush-head rivets and the rivets test fit into said holes. Then the nutplates were riveted in place.

The steel strip was cut into 1” tabs along pre-marked lines using a horizontal band saw. The tab edges were cleaned up in the belt sander and the upper corners rounded to a ¼” radius.

Tabs were placed as needed on the chassis and tacked then welded in.

Panel holes were marked on the backside of the panels through the nutplate screw hole using a sharp awl. Panels were drilled to 11/64” for the #8 button head screws. A small-diameter round file (chain saw sharpener) was used to make any panel hole adjustments needed.

I used a LOT of these t@bs to make all my panels removable. Many happy hours on the drill press.

Hope this was helpful.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

@seattletom
Thanks for that detailed response, Tom. I will copy and paste the above into the digital file I've created. I'm copying out the build logs and dates of entries when possible, so others can use it in the future. It takes hours to put this stuff together, so I'm appreciative you took the time to communicate your technique.

Lonnie

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

Inspirational!

Just joined the forum, and have read your build log in it's entirety.

I've been reading about the different types of chassis, and it seems like the Car9 design is the superior version. Have other Car9s been built?

Tom!! So glad to see this build still going. How have you been?

Hi Briggs, yup, still at it. I've been well, just 10 years older than when we last chatted. I'll post an update soon. My garage time got waylaid this fall, but I should be able to get back at it. Looking forward to following your new build.


Welcome to the forum, Al.

You must be dedicated if you read all the way through my build log. I've been using those 90 pages of posts and pics as a memory tool as I go through final assembly. The Car9 chassis design is likely the strongest locost chassis to date. Marcus was thorough in his design work and his FEA work added a number of refinements. I used 0.095" wall DOM for the main tubes for my LS3 build. Marcus used 0.065" DOM (small block Ford.) Briggs used square tube, IIRC. So lots of ways to implement the design. Marcus built his frame, but I've lost track of him. Briggs started a business and changed direction (see his recent post.) So I think I'm the only active Car9 builder at this point. Final assembly is underway and the Vroom-Vroom sounds are getting louder.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

It's been a busy Fall, but unfortunately not much of that was in the garage. I did get the rear halfshafts and hubs installed and torqued to spec. Needed a counterclockwise-Bubba to hold things while tightening the axle nuts. So fabbed up a wrench of sorts from an old brake disc. Try as he might, Bubba could not collapse the stool and the axle nuts now tightened to spec.
Set up a string box and made the initial suspension settings. Then used John's mirror and laser approach to dial in bump steer. Actually, did all this twice. The second time I used a screw-jack to move the suspension up and down. Could not get fine enough control with my hydraulic jack. The steering shaft and brackets are all tightened down now. Loctite everywhere needed and yellow marking paint so I don't miss any loose nuts.

Checking the braking system for leaks is the next big step. This requires getting a lot of little things done first so the layers of the car can be installed and then removed. Surprising how much the final welds made on the rotisserie have impacted panel trim.

Lots of fiddly stuff to do, but once the brake lines all check out serious progress can be made.

_________________
Cheers, Tom

My Car9 build: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14613
"It's the construction of the car-the sheer lunacy and joy of making diverse parts come together and work as one-that counts."
Ultima Spyder, Northstar 4.0, Porsche G50/52

Nice to see you forging ahead, Tom!

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Peace, Ron

That "Bubba brake" is quite clever, Tom. I hope we'll be hearing the vroom-vroom stuff soon.

Cheers,

_________________
Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

Can't wait to hear it run!