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Pastywagon sprint dates 2010 - Overall championship win!

old 'uns

Modern Life is Rubbish...
Mar 20, 2003
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walsall
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nah, he's hoping for this....

p4010913_x.jpg
 

RobT

Full throttle trip
Nov 30, 2001
2,558
10
Congleton
Hey they used to put planks of wood on the bottom of F1 cars so dont knock it :)

And at £11, thats the kind of price we like for performance modifications!

Biological composites - its the future
 

F2 Stu

I. Am. Legend.
Oct 4, 2001
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Crawley, UK
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LOL, but you're not using it to see how much the chassis is bottoming out :)

are you going to seal the ply to stop it absorbing moisture and possible warping?
 

RobT

Full throttle trip
Nov 30, 2001
2,558
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Congleton
If it doesn't get smashed off when I try it out, it will act as a template for a carbon/kevlar/foam vac-bagged sandwich

it wont be on the car for long all being well
 

RobT

Full throttle trip
Nov 30, 2001
2,558
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Congleton
Now in 9mm ply - just under 4kg - coat of black paint and stick it on

original calc was 4.52kg, but its actually 8.5mm thick hence a touch lighter, so nominally '9mm' ply

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RobT

Full throttle trip
Nov 30, 2001
2,558
10
Congleton
Ply floor now test mounted to the car and needs a couple small mods so thats todays job (a bit more clearance for front tyres when on full lock and a tiny cutout for the very bottom of the gearbox bellhousing).

Hydraulic struts specced and ordered and should arrive start of next week - pics soon

Support cables arrived - really nice and high quality, pics dont really do them justice - these are military aircraft spec 1.6mm stainless cables (plastic coated) with stainless eyes swaged on the ends - very lightweight and with a breaking point of over 100kg each. Was going to use cables as used on sailing boats but apparently these are generally crimped together so are no where near as strong for a similar size. Also the stainless is a different grade which is chosen for corrosion resistance over strength. They really are very nice. 4 of these supporting the floor - should be enough; dont think we will be getting more than 400kg of downforce :)

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m0rk

sarcasm comes free
Staff member
May 19, 2001
27,787
33
Clanfield, UK
What will the cables be tied onto on the bumper?

Or are they going to be secured to your towing arrangement?
 

RobT

Full throttle trip
Nov 30, 2001
2,558
10
Congleton
The cables wont be seen externally - they will be fastened to the top surface of the floor behind the bumper and to the car chassis - they will suspend the front edge of floor from the car, the rear edge being attached to the hinge shown - the gas struts will put the wires in tension so that the whole thing does not bounce around (with a force of 25kg each side of the car).

The idea is that the floor will essentially be rigid when any downforce is generated, but if I should hit a big curb, the floor will be able to hinge upwards and not get broken.

Thats the idea anyhow.

Inspiration taken from this 911 (cheers Barny), which had the wires/flexible floor but not the gas struts (and also a pair of diffusers mounted into the floor which will be a future mod)

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RobT

Full throttle trip
Nov 30, 2001
2,558
10
Congleton
gas struts arrived (just short of 300mm long):

DSC01606.jpg


Only just about possible to push them in by hand so about perfect for the app I reckon - set at 250N of force (25kg easier to imagine)

Ordered another couple of wire teathers today to give option of another mounting variation so as soon as they arrive, assembly time.

Ave it

Rob
 

m0rk

sarcasm comes free
Staff member
May 19, 2001
27,787
33
Clanfield, UK
Got it I think... hinge at the back, gas struts at the front, so if you bosh something at the nose of it - you can keep the splitter.

Look forward to seeing this now :)
 

RobT

Full throttle trip
Nov 30, 2001
2,558
10
Congleton
yep, your gettin it

heres the first one mounted to the car - it will actually be compressed a smidge when finally fitted, by the wire teathers, so any downforce is carried on the wires rather than trying to pull the gas strut apart

ali angle bracket now to make to attach it to the floor

DSC01607.jpg
 

RobT

Full throttle trip
Nov 30, 2001
2,558
10
Congleton
getting there - wires to attach now but its all got to come off first to cut a small hole for the very bottom of the bellhousing before I can get it totally flat for attaching the support wires

a bit extra clearance for the front tyres on lock will be added also while its off

tomorrow nights job

At full strut extension, the floor slopes down to the front by 2.1 degrees (front of lip at 80mm ground clearance, or just above the minimum 70mm that I have to run). The support wires will pull the front lip up by about 40mm so leave the floor dead level at 120mm off the deck. This will be the starting point for testing.

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RobT

Full throttle trip
Nov 30, 2001
2,558
10
Congleton
I think it looks ace - with the front bumper on it looks mini-touring car 'esque' - will look ace when its painted black and fully done

makes the front of the car look very wide
 

RobT

Full throttle trip
Nov 30, 2001
2,558
10
Congleton
Latest: all wire supports now fitted - took ages getting it all completely flat. Into the last phase now which is fitting a length of flexible material between the bottom of the bumper and the floor - easy bit :)

then it comes off for painting and job done.

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