Sheets & Giggles

[sc5080]

a little lower than that, like about half way between shoulder top and elbow, with your arm at your side.

otherwise everything looks great.

Thanks for your interest and advice. Would 1" x .095" mild steel tubing be adequate for this?

While I'm sure you are aware of all the regulations the following is for anyone else that might be reading this and not knowledgeable in this regard. I have also listed the materials I used. Most exceed the minimums required and as a result the car will be a little heavy but still well under 2000 lbs with driver I think.

The SFI specs call for minimum 1" x .083" for the helmet bar (an exception to the minimum .118" wall thickness for round mild steel tubing.) I used DOM .134" wall throughout the frame except for the helmet bar and front "bumper" which I measured at 1" x .109". The rectangular frame sections are 2" x 3" x .134" wall, well over the .058" allowed for rectangular mild steel tubing. Roll bar and shoulder hoop are 1 5/8" OD, uprights, back brace and upper front rails are 1 3/8" OD and diagonals, crossmember and K member are 1 1/8" OD. The front diagonals are 3/4" OD.

I intend to have the chassis certified for 7.50 and slower and expect to be running in the mid to high 8's if all goes well.

 

[Saxxon]

Didn't give a lot of help this past couple of weeks so I thought I'd throw something inspirational on here.

When Larry said he was going to build a nostalgia altered we weren't sure how serious he was. Even when he started gathering parts we still weren't sure of the intent.

The last few months Larry has really put this thing together and has done an amazing job. He's meticulous and obsessed about measurements and attention to detail. Because of that, the Sheets and Giggles altered is over built, well built - and - dead straight from all angles. When this thing is done it has the potential to be crazy fast as well as safe... not to mention stupid cool.

The plans are for a blown alcohol sbc that should easily put this thing in the mid to low 8 second range. A similar altered at Meltdown last year (Boogie Monster) went 7.95 using a very basic blown and injected 355 so you never know.

Even today I mentioned he should tip the can to 30% to get some cackle and **** off the authorities. It's getting to that point in the season when my Brother and I turn our attention to our own race cars to have them ready. Hopefully we can help Larry to some extent to get this thing to Meltdown 6 in July. That would be sooo cool

Keep banging on it Larry. Very few folks ever actually do anything about those dreams they sketch out on a napkin or bench race with their buddies... Now about that 1500 hp blown Chrysler in the garage ....

 

[sc5080]

Geez Dave - you're gonna make me blush but thanks for your comments.

This was a busy weekend. I got the front motor plate fitted and then started mounting the steering box. Much as I hate having a quick release on the steering wheel I have no choice in this car if I want to keep the wheel I'm using. I simply can't get in the car with the steering wheel attached

 

[sc5080]

I decided to heed the advice offered by BlueNorther and added some extra bars to the roll cage. Since my knees went higher than the top rail I added some "knee bars" and carried that all the way around the cage using 1 5/8" tubing.

I also got the supports done for the steering shaft and the pitman arm. And I finally got around to tacking on the battery box.

 

[AZRodDave]

Man that thing is cool! And just keeps getting better and better!

 

[BlueNorther]

I like the way the knee bar blends into the extra shoulder bar. Makes it look super safe.

Keep at it and I may have to see If I still fit in my old drivers gear.

 

[21willys]

Nice craftsmanship, really wish I had the equipment to build a nice cage like that! Keep up the awesome work man!

 

[Saxxon]

Nothing fancy as far as equipment is concerned. Pro Bender hydraulic bender ($650) a good tube notcher ($180) and a decent mig welder for tacking. Hopefully you have a friend with a Tig welder to do the finish welding (We have one, just not the talent). Throw in an assortment of measuring devices and a good angle grinder and away you go.

The trick of course is justifying the cost vs. the times you will use it. The bender has come in handy for us as well as the shop since this is the third race car being built with it and it gets used occasionally for shop builds (Bumpers, custom work etc)

 

[bob w]

You Winnipegers know how to build race cars. I like the extra pipe going in the roadster as it indicates that saftey is a prime objective.

 

[sc5080]

Another busy weekend has passed. I got the steering connected and now when I turn the steering wheel the front wheels turn. Amazing Actually with 1 1/2 turns lock to lock I thought the steering effort would be a lot harder than it is.

I also got some new shackles for the front spring that incorporate the shock mount. Still have to fab the upper mount.

And, my 3 1/2 gallon fuel tank arrived from Speedway Motors. Hopefully that will be enough fuel to make a run. Driving back to the pits afterwards is likely out of the question.

 

[sc5080]

Then, it was take everything apart and load up the frame and take to my buddy's place for welding. Man this thing is heavy compared to anything I'm used to - must weigh 250 to 300 lbs. Thanks to Scott McVey for the welding.

As a side note, Scott is a competitive alcohol funny car owner/driver and won the national at Brainerd last year. He also supplied the steering box for the T.

We also reinforced the front mounts for the ladder bars, the rear shock mounts, the front drive shaft hoop, and the mounts for the steering box. I don't think anything is going to bend, break nor come asunder now. The notches in the ladder bar mounts are to provide clearance for the safety loops (not yet fitted) that retain the ladder bar in the event of a heim joint failure.

And finally, back together for more mockup, fitting and fabrication.

 

[sc5080]

Had a pretty good day at the shop. I decided to raise the panhard mount on the rear axle to try have it sit more level and so fabbed up some new brackets for it. Then we welded all the brackets and reinforcements to the rear axle. Also fabbed up some mounts for the wheelie bars and welded them to the housing. I was a little worried about getting them "square" but I think it worked out ok. Definately don't want the wheelie castors steering the car.

The wheelie bars were remanufactured from parts that have been collecting dust in my garage for about 20 years. Had to clean them up and make new aluminum straps for them. They are spring loaded using recycled valve springs that allow about 3/4" of travel to cushion the action when the wheelie bars hit the ground.

That's all I'm going to be able to do this weekend. Have to paint a forklift tomorrow to raise some extra funds for the T. Glad to be making progress though.

 

[earthman]

Looking forward to the videos now.

 

[Skip]

Lovin' it! I want wheelie bars for my 39. Even if it doesn't need 'em.

Can you say, "Poser"? I knew you could.

 

[sc5080]

Lovin' it! I want wheelie bars for my 39. Even if it doesn't need 'em.

Can you say, "Poser"? I knew you could.

Only if you add the parachute anchor as well Skip. You can see mine just under the axle braces in the middle of the pumpkin.

 

[Skip]

Only if you add the parachute anchor as well Skip. You can see mine just under the axle braces in the middle of the pumpkin.

OK, that looks easy enough. [cl

 

[Saxxon]

Glad to see you leveled out the panhard bar. Wheelie bars like great...

 

[supersmitty]

Beautiful work. Love the wheelie bars!

 

[sc5080]

Got the upper front shock mounts fabbed and fitted today. Took me three tries before I was satisfied with them but I think they are OK now.

Tomorrow I hope to get all the tabs in for the midplate and front engine plate and maybe get the pushbar fabbed up. Then its mounting the brake and throttle pedals, get a floor done, do something about a seat, and four or five hundred other little things and I'll have a car

 

[Skip]

If I had that drain right under my project, I would spend more time fishing nuts, bolts, parts, and tools out of there than working on the car!

Looking good.