FLATCAD RACING Bonneville 2011 Build

Dale, Chris, and everyone else working on the car in Ohio- your doing a FANTASTIC job! I'm amazed, and very thankful, to be part of such an amazing build team, and project.

....All I'm doing is setting here in PA., staring at the clock, and wringing my hands! I think everyone will be relieved when we finally get the car to tech, let alone through it! Time until tech-20 days 01 hours 29 minutes 48 seconds

Rich, we are running a surge setup. We have an electric pump pumping to a 1 gallon surge tank mounted in the engine bay, then the mechanical pump takes over from there.

 

good luck buddy.

 

Thanks Russ!

Regardless of what happens on the salt, I've already won- just being part of this group of guys, with the winning attitudes, planning, and execution of the plans, make this a success!

 

[Rich, we are running a surge setup. We have an electric pump pumping to a 1 gallon surge tank mounted in the engine bay, then the mechanical pump takes over from there.[/QUOTE]
I see it now, reading the electrical system. I guess your running an engine driven water pump. Be glad to see it for myself on a nice white background.

 

Keep going! I know it's hard with all the little details, at least you have a "team". Right now I'm trying to finish up by myself. Although I've had some tremendous help along the way.
Good luck and see you in Tech!

 

07/24 - 16 days to Departure: Exhaust System Work

I've been working on the upper header/zoomie manifolds. This type of work always takes a lot of time. One challenge is that when you weld on stuff like this, it wants to move . . . then the manifold doesn't fit quite right. On the first side, nothing moved and I didn't have to screw with it. On the second manifold, first one outer port moved (bolts didn't align), then the other side TWICE. I have it firmly bolted to the intake girdle during 80% of the welding, that helps a lot. To move it back, I'd use big C-Clamps to force it PAST where it needed to go, then heated a 2" section of the pipe up to cherry red, then let it slowly cool. I'm done with all the fabrication/welding on these two - they fit well.

Here are some pictures:

Here in where I added the sharp 90 degree 3" elbow to the center port flange. These mandrel bends become very thin on the outside - about .050 or so. Having the 1 inch "mini tube" I showed earlier - welded to the flange makes it a WHOLE lot easier to weld.






Here is how I form and pie-cut the outer 2" tubes to fit the rectangular exhaust port flanges. Lots of hammering and forming (what I call 'Black Smithing') to get them to fit inside the flange. Then I tack them - and then use a hammer and some large punches to expand them to as close to the flange edges as possible. I weld these ones inside and out (both sides of the flange). Big pain in the ass - as it just takes a long time to hand form all of this, get it to fit, get it to "stay" so you can tack/weld, etc..




Here are the completed upper headers on our mockup block in the car.







Here is the whole reason I made a two-part header design -- using an upper header and then a lower header section. First, you can make different sets of lower headers to try different things. (I'd love to try to make an equal length collector system - just to see if there is any difference). In our case (this year), we'll be creating a lower zoomie section. This two-part header design makes it possible to remove the outer zoomier/header and pull a cylinder head - without disturbing the top of the motor and Medusa's head of frigging snakes! . FlatCads are a real pain to fit all of this crap and a blower manifold in the same area, so once I have all of this mounted along with the intercooler, blower and injector . . . want to LEAVE it all sealed and torqued down - yet still be able to pull a head.



Okay - lots of other things are done as well. Will update you all this evening. There are 4 of us working on the car today.

If we can get the engine completed at Fowlers (along with the blower and pumps drives) - I think we stand a chance of making it.

Back at it . . .

 

Amazing work there B&S! Great to see this come together.

 

Looking at the fab work, I feel like I just had SEX..You must feel proud to do that kind of work..Hats off to you..
Duane..

 

Damn Dale, once again, OUTSTANDING work!

Um, Duane? I know these girls.......

 

Outstanding work ones again!
Best wishes from Norway

Kjell

...............................
Taildragger&fenderless

 

wow, the headers are great. the car is amazing, we are down to the nut cuttin on the texoma flyer, see ya on the salt, be there the 12th to 17th see ya all there..

 

here is the texoma flyer lookin to see you guys in the tech line.

 

Wow Dale once again you are using your head for something besides a hat rack, great job!!!

just the thought that you guys have put into this in such a short period of time is incredible you all should be commended on it ............

 

Sam, That's Bruce Brady's car, right?

Looks like you've done an outstanding job, in shorter time than we have- that car wasn't in your shop in April!

See you on the salt!

 

yea thats it buddy, had to start over on it completely, 3 months aint long but it is gonna be there....look for number 389. sure hope i get to see you guys while there..... sam

 

7/24 - A Day in the Life of a Bonneville Build:

Today was one hell of a long day - after a whole bunch of long days. Just came in from the shop . . . am exhausted. Chris and I worked like dogs all day - in the heat from hell.

Chris completed the rework/welding and gusseting of the rear push-bar system, parachute mount and Queen Mary mooring mount. This thing is big, ugly and functional . . . just the way it is. I'll take a picture when I have time. Nice work as usual . . . lots of MIG welding you might say.

Outer Headers:

Then, Chris and I worked on making the outer headers/zoomies all day - just completed them about a 1/2 hour ago. As any of you know who have ever made exhaust systems --- it SUCKS Just one big fabrication nightmare . . . especially when you want things to look right, exit on the correct angle (to match the hood), have consistent spacing, etc, etc, etc.. Why can't we just throw shit together and be done with it??? Guess that is not what we're made of - needs to look right.

We pondered quite a few different configurations - but we really wanted something that will stand out and make a bit of a statement. We mocked up zoomies down low (like most folks), but this crowds the heads, the plug wires, etc.. We finally decided to make them high and out the side of the hood panels -- like a WWII fighter!

The FlatCad car (who I call 'Medusa') needs functionality first, but if you're going to take the time to do the work, make it stand out. So hey gang - if you don't like zoomies and WWII airplanes with exhausts out the side, then this isn't for you. If that is the case . . . tough shit

We completed both sides but have not yet cut them off to length - to match the angle of the hood sides. We created a jig that matched the hood line and after all our welding, we were upset - the big 2.5" zoomie on one side is 1/16 of an inch higher than the other side (measured from the floor) . . . we suck! Actually we were amazed it turned out that consistent. Good planning and making some crude jibs sure helps. Also having two guys to hold stuff, place tack welds, etc - makes the job even possible. There is no way in hell I could have done this by myself -- a BIG thanks to Chris!

Results and Ponderings . . .

This was a tremendous amount of work to get done in a day - starting with just a 'zoomie' idea, but no design or approach for where they'd go, how we would route them, which pipe goes first, etc, etc.. I'm very pleased to have accomplished this in one day -- but it was a long one! I hope I don't do an exhaust system for another 10 years or so.

Here you go - two grainy ass pictures . . .





Time for sleep - need to go back to my real job in the AM . . . I'm knackered.

B&S

 

Next year, Dale, next year!


You guys do great work!

I wish now, I had went with my original thought- a flying tiger mouth on the front, instead of the grill!

I received this message this morning, from Jeff Fowler, Fowler Engines:

The heads are finished with resurface and o-rings. The block main saddle is finished as well as bored and honed. Now that I have the DFX file for the additional head bolts, we will set it up again and locate the bolt holes and set it up again and deck the block to get the piston protrusion.

 

B&S, I'm getting to old to have SEX everyday..Again, extreamly beautiful work..
Duane..

 

100% Bad Ass!

Sometimes you work on something to make it as functional as possible - and at the same time you achieve something that is more than functional . . . something that makes a statement and stands out. Yes - you had it in the back of your mind the whole time, but it was second to functionality.

Well, Curt and I put the hood on the car tonight and finished the outer headers. I debated on how to cut them off and decided to match the hood angle/line.

It looks 100% Bad Ass . . . it is just awesome how the front of the car looks now! Buddy's idea of doing a WWII 'Flying Tigers' Shark Mouth graphics would be the final touches. That will have to wait until next year.

Also, this is about the only design that makes it possible to change the plugs without pulling the headers or getting burned -- that was a big part of the 'going high' design we came up with. The purpose/design was a far more important aspect than the looks . . . but the looks sure make me happy

I'm headed to Fowler's in the morning - we have a chance to get all the engine work done and make the salt. It is more than a rush - it is an unbelievable undertaking at the 11th hour . . . but the road is lined with quitters and Chris, myself and my handful of part time helpers are sticking to our guns and seeing if we can pull off a miracle. If we don't make it, it will not be because we didn't give it everything -- I can sleep on that.

Stay tuned - I'll keep you up to date . . . day by day! Wish us luck and THANKS for the support

Back to Bad Ass . . .





Time to sleep for a few hours - need to get up at 5:00 and weld in the exhaust temperature and AFR bungs before I bring it to a local ceramic coaters.

B&S

 

Great work on the headers guys!!! Kinda what I imagined it would be like when we first worked on the intake.

 

Great Dale, once again form follows function and that is one nice form!!!!!!

 

Right on!!

 

man the headers are kick ass, i wondered how they were gonna end up when i did the cage and was looking in that little eng compartment around the motor, I feel your pain we are counting every day on bruces 29. it will be down to the last day but it will make it... and when we pass tech it will be miller time for me...

 

yep, keep at it, you're moving mountains, and despite the end resolve, a credit to all involved, keep swinging.

Cheers,

Drewfus

 

Keep Cranking Gang!

Just so everybody knows . . . I'm not even CLOSE to throwing in the towel as of yet! By gosh if we can get the engine work completed this week - we stand a good chance of making Bonneville. Plenty of folks are working at the 11th hour just like us - this is nothing unique or new.

Keep at it boys - no time to get weak in the knees after all this work!

B&S

 

I'm cheering for you here in Kalifornia! Go Go Go!

 

Let me know if you guys need anymore help from our shop.

 

I sent you an eMail - could use a simple 1/2" aluminum timing cover adapter plate. I'll supply the DXF - just simple holes and a cut-out in the middle.

Let me know - need some help to make it!

Dale

 

keep thrashing guys!

 

Heads and O-Ring Grooves:

Just got back from Fowlers - reviewed the heads and the newly added O-Ring grooves. They are about .030 wide and .025 deep -- they follow the combustion chamber outline and take a stainless steel wire (O-ring). Fowler used a .030 end mill and did a single pass at 9,000 RPM and about a 7 inches per minute feed rate. Came out frigging perfect!

It is in times like this that you really appreciate an operation like Fowler Racing Engines - their capabilities and talent are second to none. Dale Cannister runs the CNC machines and he told me that he designed last Friday to "Getting Hays' FlatCad work done" . . . took him all day, but the end result says it all.

We're all pushing to make the race - keep on it guys!