In reply to wheelsmithy (Joe-with-an-L) (Forum Supporter) :
Glad to hear it helped someone. I need to start editing the 5th episode. Episodes 5/6 are going to be a lot of same same since it's all about the roll cage. Oh well. They might just be a bit shorter.
Grindered the door posts and Rebent the side impact (40"). This style is much easier to bend.
Seems like good space for easy(er) entry/exit. Still likely to make the door header and roof up to the forward hoop swing with the door.
Tube / Metal used is now
4130 - 371.75"@ 6.50/ft = $201.36
2x2 - 267-3/8" @ 1.67/ft = $37.21
4130 Plate - 0.61 sq-ft @ $11.00/sq-ft = 6.70
Total = $245.28
Also since I cut our the door supports I could hang the doors.
This thing is going to look so cool. Who knew a derpy little Subaru had this lurking inside.
Achievement Unlocked: Learn geometry of the Ancients. Quest to Bend the tubes of Chromoly complete.
All bent tubes on the roll bar are complete/fabricated. That means I can't bend any of them wrong anymore! Yay!
I also got the main hoop cross bar (46") complete and tried climbing in through the window. So much easier now that you can sit on the side impact tubes. I may still make the door top swing with the doors but I don't think I would have to now. We will see once the chassis is at ground level when I am welding it. I can't weld the main cross bar in yet because I have to fully weld the forward impact tube as they want to occupy the same space.
Tube / Metal used is now
4130 - 417.75"@ 6.50/ft = $226.68
2x2 - 267-3/8" @ 1.67/ft = $37.21
4130 Plate - 0.61 sq-ft @ $11.00/sq-ft = 6.70
Total = $270.19
Nodes; it's what's for breakfast.
I am so pumped seeing this thing come together.
I've got Nodes.
I've got Nodes.
Wherever my Chassis Carries Loads
Chassis Carries Loads
Nodes
I think I had a dream last night that you posted in this thread something along the lines of "4 days to go!" and I thought to myself, this crazy bastard is gonna get this to the challenge this year?!?!
In my dream I didn't actually have any doubts you would get it done.
In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
I don't think I could get it rolling by the challenge if I didn't sleep until then. I wish I could it would be so awesome. The cage has gone faster then I thought it would. It should really start rolling along once I get to the easier parts of the chassis. Round low gap tolerance thick wall tubes are much harder to fit.
I didn't get a ton done this weekend on the car. I did some more grinding of the body in preparation for the forward chassis construction and completed the main roll cage tubes.
Once I got the tubes fit I realized that I really needed to fully weld the roll cage prior to constructing any of the rest of the chassis. There will be quite a few tubes that weld to the roll cage and the roll cage joints should be complete before those tubes get installed. That required taking it off of the build table. I couldn't resist setting it at ride height and putting the body back on.
I was able to get into the chassis through the window easily. The addition of seats will make it a bit more difficult but I believe entry/exit will still be relatively simple.
Total weight of the main Cage and the 2" chassis Floor and the Body as shown was 140lbs. I've got around $80 more roll cage to build and then the rest of the chassis steel is expected to be ~$50. I'm hopeful that I can get the whole chassis / suspension done for $500.
Tube / Metal used is now
4130 - 498.75"@ 6.50/ft = $270.16
2x2 - 267-3/8" @ 1.67/ft = $37.21
4130 Plate - 0.61 sq-ft @ $11.00/sq-ft = 6.70
Total = $314.07
This is a really exciting point in a build. Looking at these pics makes me nostalgic for the time I was working on the Pink Panther. Great job!
In reply to nocones :
Whatcha think the finished weight will be?
In reply to Recon1342 :
I'm hoping it will be around 1300lbs (This is based on a quick summation of the largest components plus 5% with estimates for the Engine/Trans and WRX uprights). It probably will be a bit closer to 1400-1450 as the WRX brakes and 17" tires weigh quite a bit more than 15" wheels/brakes would. The MG is 1475 but it has much more steel in the chassis and body then this will. I should be able to get a better estimate once I weigh the engine/trans. I'll keep it up to date as I go.
And because I'm a child I had 5 minutes so I positioned the wheels and fenders and opened the garage door so I could back up a bit.
This car is all kinds of stupid.
nocones said:
This car is all kinds of stupid.
That's my favorite kind!
In reply to nocones :
That looks just a little bit lower than your Miata...
In reply to nocones :
That has WIN scribbled all over it!!!
nocones said:And because I'm a child I had 5 minutes so I positioned the wheels and fenders and opened the garage door so I could back up a bit.
First of all it amazes me how quickly this is coming together. Awesome, awesome work.
Second, those tires are giving me an idea... what if you had the ability to swap to a long-travel suspension set up. LMP car for the road course, Baja buggy for rallycross... Just sayin.
In reply to AxeHealey :
I had never thought that before.. now it's all I can think about. I mean all it would likely require is some smart design when the Fenders/Aero are installed so they separate from the center chassis cleanly and some different holes in the bellcranks... And making sure there is enough clearance in the rear for the driveshafts.
This forum is dangerous.
Got about 1.5 hours of TIG welding in before I ran out of argon.
Chassis is in "Service Position"
Welds are looking good? I think? I don't know for sure I've not done this. I'm using the recomended amperage, mashing the pedal full, and pushing enough filler to avoid undercuts as much as possible. I'm trying to keep the weld lengths as long as possible but each tube takes probably 5-6 starts/stops to go all the way around.
Practice practice practice. +15yrs of practice at this point and I'm still trying to make every weld better than the last.
A uniform weld comes from a consistent puddle, but a consistent puddle may not be found with a constant amperage.
Assuming your recommended amperage is equal to tubing wall thickness X 100, don't be afraid of raising your amp setting to give some headroom and pulse the pedal as required to maintain the puddle while adding filler, e.g. my welder is set at 117a for the chassis above, constructed with mixed wall thicknesses 0.065-0.095"
In reply to nocones :
You're welcome / I'm sorry.
In reply to gumby (Forum Supporter) :
Your welds look fantistic. I really hope I avoid getting 15 years of experience TIG welding on this cage. My TIG experience is welding a FSAE car with 4130 thin wall (<.032) 15 years ago then running about a 124cu-ft Bottle through the Eastwood over the last 5 years finishing up the MG. Good tip on the higher amperage. I am running 100 amps now but I'll give bumping up a bit and using the pedal to pulse a try.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who gets the little... Divot? when the arc stops. (Edit, I thought I had divots, I do not have all divots I had 1 divot that happened to be the one I looked close at the end of the night and through my pictures I took thought I had more. The divots on camera look exactly like the little cones that you get when you finsih a clean weld which I had everywhere else. Gumby Definitely does not have divots)
nocones said:I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who gets the little... Divot? when the arc stops.
The spots on the center of the last puddles in my pics are on top of the bead. Contaminates floating on the surface of the puddle.
If you have divots or craters, reflow the end of the weld and fill them in. Your contaminates can hide in the bottoms of those craters and weaken the welds.
Will you look at that. I just checked. I had one that was a tiny crater and the rest where little nubs like you are describing also. In a picture they look the same. I got new Argon this morning (Thank you early open weld store) and just quickly fixed the one with the divot.
AxeHealey said:In reply to nocones :
You're welcome / I'm sorry.
YOU DID THIS TO ME!
*Of course it has Carolina Squat, Also Absolutely downloaded a "Moto Metal" rim. This probably won't happen but It is amusing to look at.
You'll need to log in to post.
