I can bring you a spare Lucas headlight. You know for when your switch goes from off-dim-flicker to off-off-off.
I can bring you a spare Lucas headlight. You know for when your switch goes from off-dim-flicker to off-off-off.
In reply to maschinenbau :
Yup, it illuminates a sign on the shop wall that says" A good days work and home before dark"...
Looking at the overall width difference front to rear this car is going to have a lot of natural oversteer generated by weight transfer alone. Prepare for major front roll stiffness. The differential tire size is only a partial compensation, but a real good one. If only the rear spokes had a similar cross section to the front ones, the 4/5 thing would mostly disappear.
The fender flare goal has been set: 1 beer can of width required. The long end of the can...
Love this!
I need to get moving on TCST...I am envious....
TurboFource said:The fender flare goal has been set: 1 beer can of width required. The long end of the can...
Love this!
I need to get moving on TCST...I am envious....
Fosters.
I made a Lexan windshield, since my car was missing a windshield and real ones are way too expensive. It's actually generic house brand polycarbonate, not real Lexan. But it was only $100 from a local supplier and I saved on shipping by doing will-call pickup. The template took almost a whole day to make right.
Since this car is fiberglass, the original windshield would have just popped in with a rubber gasket, which is also expensive and a tough job. The polycarbonate sheet is flat, so it needs bolts to flex it into the shape of the body. But this is a fiberglass body, which isn't thick enough for that. So I had to invent some brackets. These aluminum tubes came attached to a racing seat, which was included in the Free Europa project package. I sliced them into angles. Unfortunately the racing seat doesn't fit this car, so more on that next.
The brackets bolt to the A-piller. Then the perimeter got a roll of 3M Window Weld, which is really just a long, forbidden tootsie roll.
There are more brackets in the horizontal parts of the windshield, otherwise it would bow outward due to flexing.
And there you have it, a real custom racecar windshield for about $120. This added a surprising (concerning?) amount of rigidity to the roof.
This is big because it means the Lotus is one step closer to being weather-proof, so I can kick it out of the garage and get my spot back.
I saved the one original seat frame and reupholstered it in a very low-budget way. Marine vinyl, 2" cushion foam, and some thin plywood, total supplies under $50. This brings my Challenge budget just past $1500.
Seat done. Feels pretty comfy and not too hard to get in and out of.
Ooh that looks nice. Your gonna make it. I have faith.
That seat is kinda sexy.
Hive, remind me: Is polycarbonate easily scratched, or is plexi that one? Knew a guy that towed his car to a local auto-x event after putting a new plastic windshield on and got there and it was so berked up he couldn't drive with it in. Can't remember which he used, but he always fastened an old towel over the windshield on future trips.
If the Lotus is put on the trailer backwards there is less concern though
Either will scratch. Polycarbonate is a little more resistant. However, for a windshield application, it's usually best to get a sheet that has a scratch / uv resistant coating.
It does seem very soft even for polycarbonate. I may look into a clear film or wax for extra protection. Backwards on the trailer is a good idea.
How about Race Car Tearoffs?
Temporary windshield protection is in the adhesive carpet runner adhesive film area of the big box store. Apply before transit and remove before on track use. Make sure to test and make sure it does not leave a residue that is hard to clean. Also static charge will make dust stick to the new windshield.
YMMV but I've had the same polycarbonate windshield on the E21 for years now. Also just a no-name brand. It's sat uncovered in the garage, been towed without protection and (obviously) has been on track and it's just fine. There are definitely fine scratches in it but most are from me cleaning it, I'd guess.
There's also plastic polish.
Either way, awesome work, it's really coming together!
I like the look of the windshield! I hate the Lotus trim....
I hear never tow a Europa backwards or the engine cover may blow open with
less than optimal results! I would think you could strap it down ?
forbidden tootsie roll
TurboFource said:I hear never tow a Europa backwards or the engine cover may blow open with less than optimal results! I would think you could strap it down ?
I may need to replace the latch altogether because I don't have any keys and the locks are seized anyway!
Delete the latch and go with dzus fasteners. And while you're at it, use pip pins as the hinge pivot pins. Or copy what did and cut down some clevis pins that get retained by some caliper pin retainers. It allows the rear lid to come right off the car with very little work. Though I did have to extend the Dzus fasteners to make up the distance between the body and lid.
Dzus fasteners? Sir, this a $2000 car. Washers welded to clevis pins do. Actually the engine cover hinges are already pip pins, so thank you whichever previous owner did that.
Man I love your car Roddy. That paint turned out amazing.
Always great to see pics of your Europa Roddy!!
More weekend progress, most of it not very visible. I got the oil changed and the rear brake pads swapped to a different compound that should make the biasing work better for this car.
I also got the dashboard fully mounted thanks to this lower bracket, which attaches to the frame tunnel.
I found a rusty old leftover can of random wood stain in the shed of the house I just bought. When I opened the can, I couldn't tell if it was just rusty water or actually stain. Turned out to be stain, and I think it looks great.
And finally, I busted out the resin and mat. This is the electronics enclosure, which houses all the Toyota modules needed to run the engine, including the ECU. It needs to be sealed from the elements, with an access door from behind the (nonexistent) passenger seat. First I built a simple mold from dry-erase masonite board (AKA the windshield cut template) and clear packing tape. The intention is to get the first layers to hold this shape, then remove the temporary molds and add more layers directly to both sides.
Since I am using 1.5 oz CSM, this will take probably 10 or 15 layers to build up scratch. So far I have 2 or 3 down to get the shape of the mold. I feel like I can put down at least 4 or 5 layers at a time for the simpler geometries.
Eventually there will be 3 flat aluminum access panels with gaskets: this lower passenger one for the electronics, a mirror of it behind the driver seat for battery, and one big firewall panel in the upper area that spans the entire width.
Will there be any gauges in the dash?
In reply to TurboFource :
Still debating on where to put the Toyota instrument cluster, if I use it at all. It's really only good for tach, fuel, and oil pressure light. Definitely adding a phone mount for OBD bluetooth app gauges so I can get coolant temp, CEL codes, and other engine data.
The molds peeled away nicely from the freshly cured fiberglass last night. I added more layers after this and will probably need even more again tonight. Trying to match the roughly 1/8" thickness of the original Lotus stuff in this area.
In reply to maschinenbau :
i dig the enclosure, it will look relatively OE while hiding all that modern tech.
without meaning to sound too man-crushy, you're a talented kid with a good eye for aesthetics and a growing skill set. move to detroit. we need your kind up here.
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
Much appreciated brother, but I already did the midwest OEM thing early in my career with a few years stint at Cummins. I may be older than you think! Indiana was plenty cold for me, and that was still 5 hours south of the D. I do love visiting my friends in that city though it's been a few years now. I'm very happy and warm back here in the good 'n gracious South. Plus it's closer to the Challenge, where I will be seeing you and that badass Corvair soon :)
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