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Re: dick J

To: john robinson <john@engr.wisc.edu>
Subject: Re: dick J
From: Dick J <lsr_man@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 11:05:25 -0700 (PDT)
Thanks for all the thoughts.  I'm keeping this
one in my file. I like the table level gizzmo. 
How about more detail on the frame rotator so you
could alway weld flat.

Dick J

--- john robinson <john@engr.wisc.edu> wrote:
> At 11:19 AM 4/25/01, you wrote:
> >See, that's what I mean.  So many people say
> it
> >won't work, then there's you and a couple of
> >other guys that are doing it.  I gotta think
> on
> >this some more.  What I've got is the rolling
> >frame with a '49 Ford truck beam axle bolted
> to
> >the rails, and the rear end bolted to the
> rails
> >with U bolts.  I can't see where it's going to
> be
> >any worse than a hard tail drag bike, or a go
> >kart.  Power is only going to be 150-200 HP.
> 
> 
>   Howdy, yup, I would say go for it with what
> you got, like you say, a 
> sprung suspension can be put on and you can do
> always it at a later date, 
> make sure!!!the frame is square! way I did it,
> I built a flat table,  I 
> used a pair of 6 inch channels, 2x2x3/8 angles
> and welded together with 1/4 
> plate on the top , and 3/4 inch threaded rod
> adjusters at the corners for 
> making the table flat and level, use four clear
> tubes of 1 inch plexi each 
> with a mounted clear plexi ruler and connect
> them all together with tygon 
> tubing, fill with water and food coloring and
> place on the four corners, 
> adjust the adjusters until all tubes have the
> same amount of water in them, 
> you are flat and straight! now build the frame
> on it....I also built into 
> it a frame rotating gizmo so I could weld the
> frame with all "correct" 
> welding, no welding from the bottom, all top
> down welding.... also, make 
> the body panels removable, ALL of them.... or
> as many as you can, you want 
> to be able to get the salt out of every nook
> and cranny....when building 
> the drivers compartment and roll cage, MAKE
> SURE the driver and car is 
> measured and built with his driver suit and
> helmet on, its' embarrassing 
> when you get in the car at tech and you don't
> fit. (no I didn't have this 
> problem but I did see somebody else have to
> take a mallet to the seat to 
> allow for room for the drivers helmet)......if
> you use only pop rivets to 
> hold panels or sheet metal to your car, they
> are alum or steel and only 
> .004 thick and will rust/go away after a few
> years,  use silicone glue in 
> addition to the rivets......critical items such
> as ball joint mounts, draw 
> it out full size first, you'll catch the errors
> there, and its easier to 
> fix   (big grin here) try to get around 12-15
> degree rake on the front end 
> ((its' not called rake on a car but is on a
> motorcycle, now what the hell 
> is that called???) caster, that's it 12-15
> degrees caster, that'll help 
> steer straight, rules say not more than 20 I
> wouldn't go more than 15...
>          Also, and here is a big problem, if
> you don't have suspension, how 
> are you moving the car when getting from the
> end of the track to the pits, 
> (or the pits to the track, same thing) the
> driver of the race car will be 
> beat up pretty bad!!!!! if towed/pushed at over
> 8 MPH, remember, no 
> suspension to soak up the bumps, and it'll be
> rough, TRUST ME ON THIS ONE! 
> I built my car to be trailered when not under
> power on the track, I had 
> only ONE tow ride at 25-30 mph ((seems like I
> was driving over 50,000 
> railroad tracks the whole time I was being
> towed to the pits that first 
> time....))  fighting the steering wheel while I
> tried desperately to snap 
> together my seat belt.., all the time bouncing
> to the roof (((Not that far 
> away either, no helmet too))) and trying to
> signal to the tow vehicle to 
> SLOW THE &#@X% DOWN ahhh what a great time I
> had that first year, the 
> stories, the memories ....
>          I would also recommend a journal ,
> write down and take pictures of 
> what you did, measurements, stuff that needs to
> be done and keep it in one 
> place and religiously write in it every time
> you work on the car, it'll 
> help you remember what needs to be done, what
> was done, and will trigger 
> ideas too, and then when you are done is a neat
> record of all the trials 
> you went through, also, it'll help you on the
> Salt, you need to write down 
> all kinds of things so the next year you can
> set the car up the same 
> way....air pressure, air temp, fuel type, jets,
> gearing, tyre pressure, 
> timing, plug types, the list is long and you
> will forget from one year to 
> the next....
> whew, this is a long one aint it? good luck and
> drive careful
> 
>               John Robinson, Mechanician
>    Mechanical Engineering University of
> Wisconsin
>                  1513 University Ave.
>                   Madison, Wi. 53706
>                      608-262-3606
>                    FAX 608-265-2316
>       Current World Land Speed Record Holder
>                Bonneville Salt Flats
>             H/GCC 92 cu.in. 1980 Dodge Colt
>                  131.333 MPH set 1995
>                  136.666 MPH set 1996
>                  140.292 MPH set 2000
>                  144.396 MPH set 2000
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