Nocones $2020 challenge build thread

This is not the 150 HR update.  I am at 149.5 hours.

Today I welded the box section onto the shear plates.  I then built the lower tubes that will be beneath the engine.  Hopefully the design is becoming a bit more obvious.  

I'm hopeful that I get the subframe done this week.   I realized that it's going to be tricky to get it in and out with the enigine and chassis on the build table.  The engine will kind of drop down into the subframe and the chassis prevents lifting the engine up so it's a bit of a think ahead on what parts to weld when on the subframe.  Eventually a piece of 1" tube will go across the front of the oil pan and that will make everything difficult. 

+4 hrs, +$11.36 (44" 1" OD x .125 wall $4.95, $6.42 .58 sq-ft .090 4130 sheet)

Some of the welds where ground down.  This was due to tight clearance around the bell housing I swear. 

Not at all because Gumby is watching...

great progress, i'd like to know how you managed to edit yourself to be in the same shot as yourself, 

https://youtu.be/Pn2Zp01pAg4?t=248

is this just 2 layers running on top of each other with a fixed camera?

Yes.  It's the same continuous shot I just split it into two and overlaped it on layers.

I noticed that I never crossed over myself during filming.  I actually did it two different ways for this.  

The first time I did it the same way I did during the suspension video where future me came back.  That was just a cropped video on top of the other video.   This works ok but only if the split is truly verticle.  

VSDC has the ability to make colors transparent.  I started out trying to remove the white of the wall, but there was to much overlap with the body of the car and various parts of the image where lost.  But that I got smart.  I realized I could draw any green shape I want on top of the video and then remove green.  So then I was able to make the cutover point much more complicated which makes it look a little better.  You'll occasionaly notice that things cross the boundary (The saw, the tip of my welding helmet) but at fast speed I thought it was decent enough.   Production quality is pretty low and I'm not making Oscar rated stuff here so I sent it anyway.  

I'm by no means an expert at this software and I actually doubt I use it correctly.  But every video I seem to learn more and more.  Zippy was applied as a JPEG just floating around the screen on move paths.  

Rigante said:

great progress, i'd like to know how you managed to edit yourself to be in the same shot as yourself, 

https://youtu.be/Pn2Zp01pAg4?t=248

is this just 2 layers running on top of each other with a fixed camera?

I thought that was pretty sneaky too.

In reply to nocones :

That's great, thanks. you do make the fabrication look easy, which leads to huge project creep every time i watch the channel

Not going to be anytime soon as this is a suprising amount of work.  But...

What your looking at here is the steeringwheel I created in Sketchup Animated to rotate in Assetto Corsa attached to 4 wheels and suspension from the Praga R1, with the HP adjusted to a 2002 WRX, and the sounds of a Porsch 718 Cayman over the top of it all.  And it is glorious!

Eventually I will slowly create the rest of the car in digital land.  But since I ..  um.. Borrowed the hard parts from the game It's just a matter of importing all of the geometry of the chassis, body, etc. and ajusting the config files for performance.   Textures are stupid dificult in this.  But I am learning.  

I amuse myself.  This morning I drove my steering wheel around monocco.

I'll stop I promise.  

I can't wait to drive an LMP360 in VR in Assetto Corsa! 

I still think you should finish the real one first though.

Not certain if it's been discussed yet or not, but what will you be utilizing for steering? Making the Subaru steering rack work? 

After a large delay it is finally time for the 150 Hr Update.

151.0 Hours

$1177.84 spent (GC8, WRX uprights, Radiator, Rod Ends, Metal used to date)

$347.29 Recouped (Subaru Shell, Transmission)

$830.55 Total 

Tube / Metal used is now

4130 - 638.75"@ 6.50/ft = $345.99

2x2 - 331-7/8" @ 1.67/ft = $46.19

1x1 tube - 791-1/4" @ $0.67/ft  = $44.84

4130 Plate - 2.41 sq-ft @ $11.00/sq-ft = $26.49

3/4 x 3/4 tube - 283-1/4" @ $0.69/ft = $16.09

1/2 x 1/2 tube - 69" @ $0.52/ft = $2.99

3/4" x .25 Wall 4130 Tube - 29.6" @ $0.50/ft - $1.23

1" x .125 Wall DOM Tube - 107.2" @ $1.35/ft - $12.06

.125" MS plate - 1.75 sq-ft @ $6.50/sq-ft - $11.36

18 ga Steel sheet - 3.5 sq-ft @ $2.82/sq-ft - $8.61

.063" Aluminum - 5.5 sq-ft @ $3.38/sq-ft = $18.56

.032" Aluminum - 15.5 sq-ft @ $1.44/sq-ft = $22.27

Total = $556.68

I apologize for the long delay on this update.  Honestly I hadn't touched the car until last night since Feb 22nd.  I got released from the COVID isolation but I had lingering symptoms until really just last week.  It kind of messed with me mentally and I just wasn't feeling like doing anything to work towards any long term goals.  We went on vacation last week and I was able to Mountain Bike a few days and decompress and finaly lost most of the Fatigue/metal fog/cough/shortness of breath.  That helped improve my outlook and I got back more encouraged to work on long term projects.  This week I unfortunately had to spend a lot of time coordinating repairs of the Daily after the Squirrel incident but now that is done so I am getting back after it.  

I'm hopeful to be a roller by the 200 hr update.  I am still full steam ahead planning to bring this in whatever state it is to the 2021 Challenge.  7 months to go.  Anyone want to join the team?  I could use the help.

Cut the upper subframe diagonals and welded them in.  With these tubes the rear subframe support structure starts to become more apparent.

+48" 1x1 tube @ $2.72, +1.5 hrs

The amazing curve on this one just keeps getting steeper and steeper. 

Glad to hear you're on the mend.

One foot in front of the other, gets you up the mountain.

Lower subframe is put together which enabled the fixture to come out.  This added 6.38' of tube @ $4.34.  This makes it much easier to see the subframe.  

I'm trying to figure out all the triangulation.  It's difficult to get all the triangles in and still allow the suspension to suspension.  

Overall I'm starting to get somewhat frustrated by the amount of steel I'm using to make this thing.  The chassis is getting fat.  I estimate that the chassis weight will be ~310lbs.  Now that is both the front and rear subframes and a full roll cage.  That is about the same weight as the MG frame is.  It is what it is and the car will still be very light, but It's apparent that I overbuild things.  

I am in suspense about your suspension.

I freaking love this build. I'd love to see you do one non-challenge.

great progress once again. Frame weight may seem a little high, but, this will be super safe and stiff. Lighter structures are possible but this is going to do everything you need and then some

In reply to preach (fs) :

I've often wondered what I could build or would build if I acted like I wasn't under wierd budget restraints.  The MG is / was more expensive but even it is only about $4k with another $3k worth of wheels and tires.

I'd like to think I would do work like Retropower does or like the Rampage Camaro by Roadster Shop.   

retropower must be in the £6 figures region for their builds, but then you are getting effectively a brand new car to your ideal spec. [they are about 8 miles from me]  The sunday evening update from them is always a highlight

 

In reply to Rigante :

Do they ever do shop open houses?  I would love to see one of their builds in real life.  I wonder if any are in the States.  I eagerly await their Weekly videos.  I just really like hearing their thinking about how and why they do things.  You can tell that they are enthusiastic about what they are doing and really care about the details.  

I'm sure their full builds are pushing 6 figures.  Just the paint/bodywork has to be $30k+.  But you look at Gordons Escort, or the details going into the JAG and I cant say I wouldn't rather spend $150k on that vs a Used McLaren. 

In reply to nocones :

On the contrary, I think your frame is "beefier" than you expected due to non-Challenge constraints you gave yourself. For example the full roll cage. You made this car way safer and stiffer than it needs to be for just a few autocross and drag runs, but that makes it more valuable and usable after the Challenge as a track car. In that regard, 300 lbs is pretty damn light.

In reply to nocones :

The Morris minor just looks so good, and the effort to do the arches in steel rather than fibreglass is insane. It's a serious amount of money to spend on a normally low value classic. It's all expensive, but then there is a strong market for their work and they are booked up for the next 2 years.  I'd love one of their builds, just need a much better job first :D

they have done open house days before, but not likely for the next year due to Covid. They should have quite a presence at the retro rides show if it goes ahead.

Retro rides weekender

Also Update:Moar Triangles

Each of the 4 rear bungs will have 3 tubes connected.  On my build spreadsheet I've creatively called them upper/lower Diagonal 1/2/3.  Last night I got lower diagonal 2 and upper diagonal 3 done.

U3 was one of the harder tubes to fit so far. It's just all angles and wierd contact points.  I fabricated the Left side first and it looked possible that the mirror would work for the right side.  So I did the lay the tubes on each other and trace all 4 sides of the copes as you roll the tube. This mirrors a tube because geometry is wierd like that.   Shockingly with minimal adjustments to the tube bung end it just fit (Or at least fit enough that the Metal Glue Gun knew what to do with the gaps).

So with those done I am down to just L3 and the reinforcement of the bungs will be complete.  Then it will be time to mount the engine.  I've already preped the OEM mounts for their new life as solid mounts (Cut off all the rubber leaving just flat plates that bolt to the engine/trans).   Then once that is done it will be finally time to end the suspense on the suspension and start on the rear.  

Now that the Upper node is complete I can finally show the general layout of the shocks.  Originally I was going to attach them under the transmission with the belcranks attached to the little step on the back of the front shear plates.  The issue with this was going to be that the belcranks would become the lowest part of the entire car.  That seemed subpar.  So I've moved them.  Inspired by the Redbull F1 car rear pullrods I'm attaching them to the rear shear plates with the shocks pointing back up to the upper bung.  I've prepared this amazing graphic to demonstrate.

So that's it for today.  +2hrs, +$4.02 worth of tubes.

nocones said:

In reply to preach (fs) :

I've often wondered what I could build or would build if I acted like I wasn't under wierd budget restraints.  The MG is / was more expensive but even it is only about $4k with another $3k worth of wheels and tires.

I'd like to think I would do work like Retropower does or like the Rampage Camaro by Roadster Shop.   

The one thing that the Challenge budget constrained me on was finding steel tube. I bought mine off Craigslist and it's almost all 0.125" wall. If I were building a car for track use and wanted to spend a bit more , I would buy thinner wall. A GT2/3 car chassis is much lighter because of the wall thickness. I figure there's close to 100 lb potential in my Corolla with a better choice of tubing. After I was well underway I came across some 2x2x0.065 tubes in 5 foot lengths, and only $3 each. I almost stopped and started over....almost.

F40 chassis

When you look at supposedly exotic chassis, built by professionals they are often no better than builds like yours and many times cruder and less stiff



F40 above, 308 below

imagine the abuse from the peanut gallery if you proposed that 308 chassis as a new build on here  

Love seeing the updates here. Think we can find one trailer for both this and F-DAT? Also, I was scoping the CCSCC website for dates, I want to hit their upcoming test and tune for sure (June 6th) but I might try to get to some autoxes before that too. 

Put em on ramps in an enclosed trailer? (see my CAD skills below)

|/oo/--|