Too Busy's R1 Project

[TooBusy]

Cardboard is cheap, or even free if you scrounge around behind the grocery store...

I'm planning/plotting a hood for my car, and thinking along the same lines. I've been folding up pieces of cardstock and such thinking I'll do "life size" in poster board next. Might take the poster board pieces to the fab shop and let them do the cutting! (That way it might even wind up being square and have straight edges!)


JDK

y'know, there's this construction method from the experimental aircraft world, called, "Taylor paper/glass" where forms are made out of heavy duty craft paper, and then glassed. I've actually been thinking of doing what you mention for the rear boat-tail on the B-3, simply because I know forming the compound curves in sheet aluminum will be difficult. I'd already done a mockup in posterboard, way back in the summer of '12. just sayin'.

That's popular in some circles of skin on frame kayak building as well. Some others use polyester shrink fabric and aircraft dope or polyester resin. If I'm making decorative panels paper and glass are fine. I've also been known to pull 6 mil poly sheeting, aka painters drop cloth, over a frame and lay glass on that.

If I'm doing structural or impact resistant I lean toward wood cored panels with 8 oz glass cloth on both sides.

[nick47]

I think my hood is just a decorative panel.

[TooBusy]

all hoods are decorative. They have enough structure to support their own weight and and forces from hinges, latches, and springs.

It really wouldn't be hard to make a wire frame to do a skin on frame bonnet.

[TooBusy]

Nothing to report. The R1 is collecting dust while I try to wrap up TETANUS

[TooBusy]

and she's still collecting dust. I did however talk to the DMV and I think that I'll get her titled with INOP status during the build. That way I'll have a title and just need to call for an inspection to get the roadworthy certification once all is done.

[TooBusy]

Since Tetanus is just waiting on paperwork I thought I'd piddle with the R1 project.

First order of business - Garage cleanup.
If you remember the Tetanus first start video the garage was looking a lot like Fido's ass

Empty the garage, fill the mobile-toter with garbage, sweep and put stuff away. There are a decent number of parts with value left over from the 'Yota donor, so those got pics taken and lined up against the garage wall for easy access when they sell.

Then I moved the R1 over to the "working side" of the garage and put her up on stands.



Yesterday I started looking her over closely to decide what was good to go and what needs more attention so I could start to build a project to do list. After about 2 hours of inspection I came to the conclusion that I'll be taking it completely apart.
All I did constructively was fit the front caliper mounts and swap the steering arms to the correct sides on the Toyota uprights.

Here's my first thoughts project list.
APPLY FOR SCDMV SPECIAL SERIAL NUMBER
Pull wiring harness
Pull engine & Trans
Pull rear axle, linkages and springs
Pull front suspension and steering
Pull the few aluminum exterior panels
SAND BLAST FRAME
remove most weld spatter
paint frame
CELEBRATE
re-install suspension and replace all mount hardware
re-install engine / trans
shorten and clean up electrical engine control harness
TEST FIRE AND CELEBRATE
build drive shafts
build shifter linkage
brake lines
fuel lines
FIRST DRIVE
install lighting harness
fit outer skin
paint glass parts
install lights and gauges
fit interior / seats/ whatever
Seat belts
SCHEDULE DMV INSPECTION TO REMOVE INOP STATUS
CELEBRATE

[GonzoRacer]

Gimme a call when you get to that "Celebrate" part. Will there be adult beverages involved???

[TooBusy]

There will be adult beverage at every BOLD milestone... plus a few more scattered throughout for good measure

[TooBusy]

Talked it over with Wifey Dearest and she green lighted the total tear down.

Time to make things interesting

[TooBusy]

Tomorrow is planned tear down day. In no particular order I plan to drop front and rear suspension, remove all of the cooling system, hoses and piping and pull the wiring harness.

If there's time I'll yank the engine.

Sunday I travel again for work, leaving right after church, so no plans to accomplish anything more until Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Stay tuned for pics of a nearly complete car going the wrong direction.

[TooBusy]

Spent today taking things apart

Radiator and lights off


Front suspension off


Rear suspension and rear end out


fuzzy pic pulled the bulkhead and wiring


Better pic with forward shelf out and wiring gone


Engine out


End of day - stripped to the frame


Beer time

[TooBusy]

Looking at the frame I'm seriously considering dropping a car engine/trans back in place of the R1. Wouldn't be as high revving, but would be infinitely more streetable.

Thoughts?

Give me the pros and cons again of BEC vs plane jane.

[a.moore]

A car engine is definitely more streetable. The bike engine clutch takes some getting used to and some tweaking to get the feel and engagement right. The small flywheel also makes smooth engagement and smooth cruising more difficult. There is always some oscillation while cruising due to how quickly the engine can change RPM but running through a dogbox's gears is an absolute blast.

Bike engines are also very unforgiving when it comes to oils starvation. The internal clearances are tight by car standards and starving one a couple of times even for only a few seconds will ruin the engine so making sure the oil system can handle car duty is all the more critical. Car engines were designed for cars and overall seem to be more forgiving. For a street car it would have to be a really bad design to matter but if you plan on driving the car hard on a track it needs to be a consideration.

I'm always contemplating what I would use if I did a second build but I don't feel like building another of the same car is the right call. The next one would have to be something different. I think I'd either go full Lotus 7 SII replica and choose an engine that was originally a 7 engine from that era (or something representative of it) or go Locost and drop in a V8.

Do you have something else laying around? If you already have the bike parts would it be too difficult to start with a BEC and if it is too unbearable remove it and drop in a car engine?

[nick47]

Yes, I would seriously consider it. Looks like you might have to widen the transmission tunnel opening.

[robbovius]

To Busy, if you do go the car engine replacement route, would you be willing to part with that Quaife reverser?