Sunday 30 September 2012
Thursday 27 September 2012
Rallye Artois Lys 2012
Late September saw our second outing to France with the Southern Kit Car Club.
Tuesday 18 September 2012
Front Camber Adjustment
The rear camber had previously been set up by adjusting the rose joints on the lower wishbones. I tried to set the front camber, but I found that I could not wind the upper ball joints far enough in to the wishbones as the locking nuts got in the way.
The solution was to either machine down the wishbones or the locking nuts. I decided it would be better to go for the lock nuts. The local machine shop reduced them from 9.5mm thickness to 6.5mm.
Once re-fitted the upper ball joints would wind far enough in to get the desired 1.5 degrees of negative camber.
A test drive confirmed that the handling had been significantly transformed for the better. Previously, with neutral front camber, the car handled okay, but it felt like there was room for improvement. Now the car is much more willing to turn into corners and goes round on rails. I should have adjusted this particular geometry setting months ago. I'm now looking forward to testing the car out further on some more 'twisties'.
The solution was to either machine down the wishbones or the locking nuts. I decided it would be better to go for the lock nuts. The local machine shop reduced them from 9.5mm thickness to 6.5mm.
Once re-fitted the upper ball joints would wind far enough in to get the desired 1.5 degrees of negative camber.
A test drive confirmed that the handling had been significantly transformed for the better. Previously, with neutral front camber, the car handled okay, but it felt like there was room for improvement. Now the car is much more willing to turn into corners and goes round on rails. I should have adjusted this particular geometry setting months ago. I'm now looking forward to testing the car out further on some more 'twisties'.
Sunday 9 September 2012
Front Half of Roll Cage Fitted
Brackets are supplied with the cage to mount the front half. There are some tubes welded onto them to protect the chassis rails from being crushed as the bolts are tightened up. Problem is these are 16mm outside diameter. If holes were drilled big enough this would remove two thirds of the metal in each of the 25mm chassis rails! It would be okay if they were welded in before the body was fitted. So I decided to cut the tubes off and just drill 10mm holes, using the remaining metal of the brackets as spreader plates.
Initially the roll cage came very close to the exhaust, but after tightening up the bolts it pulled the cage far enough away from the exhaust.
The silencer needed to be removed to get the lower bolts in. The seats and interior trim panels had to be removed to get at the upper bolts.
Steel tubes of 10mm internal diameter were needed to space the roll cage out from the upper chassis rails.
Once fitted it was clear that the front half of the cage was going to foul the mirrors.
Initially the roll cage came very close to the exhaust, but after tightening up the bolts it pulled the cage far enough away from the exhaust.
The silencer needed to be removed to get the lower bolts in. The seats and interior trim panels had to be removed to get at the upper bolts.
Steel tubes of 10mm internal diameter were needed to space the roll cage out from the upper chassis rails.
Once fitted it was clear that the front half of the cage was going to foul the mirrors.
New mounting holes were made further back and 25mm rubber grommets were inserted into the holes previously cut into the aeroscreen.
Here are some photos taken on the way to the Southern Kit Car Club 2012 Jamboree.
This was taken at the Jamboree parking.
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