Goodbye Kansas

[Bobcat]

ERA206 ...couple of things . You might want to use the search function on a site named corner-carvers.com . They are a highly technical bunch of a$$ holes who don`t want to fool with anyone who isn`t serious . They have NASCAR engineers and other hard core manufacturers/builders who are on the site . Their wheel frequency/shock curve discussions really helped me decide what valving to use on my shocks . Helmut buffeting will also be a major factor at those speeds ... hope you have strong neck muscles .
Their search function works without having to sign in or be a member .
Charles ... at 155 , your pucker factor must have been huge . I know that my car`s front end starts getting light around 130 ! I`m seriously considering trying to adapt a Hurricane Motorsports front spoiler to mine , but am really interested in what ERA 2076 is doing ... and what you did to "stabilize " your car at that speed .
FWIW , some search engines won`t pull their site up .... I use DuckDuckgo ... they really don`t care if anyone visits them or not and won`t release any info on their site .

Bob

[ERA2076]

Bobcat - I have been a member a Corner-Carvers for a decade and have spent many, many, hours there. One is expected to study at C-C. Research at Corner-Carvers is a big motivation for building my FIA. Much of the modifications to my Mustang were learned there. C-C got me to Carrol Smith books. C-C is a very humbling place.

I'm glad you are interested in my pursuit. I knew Chas had run 155, but I also know the cars lift around 130, so Chas was flying the wing. He has much bigger balls than I. I don't like flying and avoid it when ever I can.

Especially since they implemented body cavity searches in the airports.

x-chr

[ERA2076]

The ellipses slowed my progress. Bob P was kind enough to mail me a full scale drg of the grill.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by ERA2076

I'm glad you are interested in my pursuit. I knew Chas had run 155, but I also know the cars lift around 130, so Chas was flying the wing. He has much bigger balls than I. I don't like flying and avoid it when ever I can.

Actually they're standard size - it's the brain that's much smaller than it should be.
The really scary part was getting to the top-snap-shifting 2 and 3 caused the rear to touch both white lines of my lane-again-like glare ice. Very stupid to use drag strip technique. And Hoosier TD's were no help. As Cliff said, going through 130 to the top, the nose felt unconnected. I didn't breathe on the steering wheel then. Nor pounce on the brakes at the top. Was able to see 6200 on the tach.
I did drag the pedal to light the taillights-so the Z 06 could see I was kind enough to wait for him...
Much more stable at 121 in the traps at the dragstrip.
I will respectfully never believe Dick Smith ran 198 unless someone convinces me that the bowl-shaped Daytona track helps....
Cliff-really beautiful thought and work. You're raising the bar for those of us that care-thanks.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by Bobcat

I`m seriously considering trying to adapt a Hurricane Motorsports front spoiler to mine , Bob

This may have nothing to do with anything, but having a late model Mustang GT saw a thread on the AllFordMustangs forum the other day from someone who's Roush's front spoiler was ripped off the front of his car, along with a good portion of the lower front bumper, under car shrouding and wheel well plastic at 155 mph. Some serious forces to contend with for add on aero components at those speeds.

Where some fool got his Mustang up to 155 mph on the highway I have no idea - but he's from Texas so if you live down there beware.

[Bobcat]

ERA2076 ... a few random thoughts . Way back in the day , I used to be pitted in the area where the A/P Cobras and Vettes were at some tracks . I remember seeing several 427`s with the hood opened about 1 " in the rear and was told that was to let the underhood air out . Since that area is a high pressure area if you have the windshield on , it probably was useless .... but if you ran a racing windscreen , it might have helped . Have you looked at that or found anyone who has done any aero testing on that ?
Also , Corner-carvers had a really good discussion a few months ago on splitters and it also went into belly pans , wings , diffusers etc .

Bob

BTW .... love the work you`re doing , looks fantastic !

[ERA2076]

Chas - thank you for the kind words. I have always thought of Cobras as racing cars. I am just following the work of those that came before and it is astonishing CS took the time to document so much. As soon as the Cobras were worthless, aero really took off and there are plenty of guy's who have implemented it on their Cobras.

Dan - Right on the money - attachment is very critical. We are having a new rear deck lid fitted with a 10" spoiler for my SVT. There is a full front splitter sitting on the floor I hope to have installed before the first track day in March. We are attaching the splitter to the chassis and front steel bumber support. We do not plan to have any physical connection between the cover and the splitter except racer tape to seal the two together. It is generally recommended that one should be able to stand on the splitter with no ill affect.

Bobcat - I have heard of this lifting the hood, but I am working on controlling all air flow by either blocking or moving it out (and or away), as soon as I am thru with it. I plan to duct the backside of the radiator and move the air down and underneath the floor pan. With our flat chassis and ride height as it is, there is even room for some tunneling if one were interested (I am). Best of all it is all hidden so we don't have to give up the beauty of the car. A splitter is ideal, but have not seen one yet that is pleasing to me. The spoilers were literally months away when the Cobras were abandoned and look correct on the car to me. Once we get the car running we will use the GoPro and yarn to see how any of it works. If I were going to lift the hood, I would figure how to louver it.

In Simon McBeaths "Competition Car Aerodynamic"s 2nd edition - there are quite a few graphics using Computational Fluid Dynamics to model air flow around a vehicle. There is a picture of a Cup car with a fully sheeted bottom - a gift for an ERA runner.

chr

[ERA2076]

Surly the ERA boys are licking their chops (replacement uprights?)





3ea 5/16 fine thread - 3/4 thread depth in upright






Caliper 120-7374 w/ Thermloc pistons



pretty good risk - we still have to fit to the car and try to get an offset that puts the tire where we want it while maintaining caliper clearance. It is fitting on the bench, but we are increasing the width of the wheels so we are not exactly sure how it all fits.

We are trying to fit these.

[mrmustang]

I like it


Bill S.

[ERA Chas]

Cliff-4 lugs bolts gonna be OK with that much tire contact?
-and the hub pic above it shows 5.

[ERA2076]

nah - I don't have the wheels yet. I purchased some steel wheels from Sumitt for fitting.

Minilite stocks a 10" 5 x 4.75 X 4.75 BS for GM applications. We have been working around that and it looks pretty good, but may need to space some. We are going to refit the rear to check shock length so we will mount a tire and mockup wheel location with the steelies while we are in there.

Identifying and fitting calipers has been a project to itself and we have struggled to get wheel dimensions from Minlite as they are not published.

There is a risk the parts will not allow the wheel to be properly placed for wheel to caliper clearance and tire to body clearance. I found a dimensional work sheet at Panasport last night so I will print, fill out, and send to Minlite. I intend to talk to Panasport also.

Still have my eyes on a set of magnesium copies once we get it all fit and tested.

Getting the caliper mounted is a big step forward.


chr

[ERA Chas]

Minilites rule-mag Minilites kick ass!

[ERA2076]

They are beautiful - not like you just go to Tire Rack and order up a set.

[ERA2076]

We want to stiffen the steering linkage so we opted to go with some Howe Racing stuff and have been beating around how to attach.



While browsing around here for a solution to some other problem, I came across an ERA owner who added a cross brace so he could add down tubes.

We got hold of some .062 rec tubing and mocked it up. We are going to weld a plate between the firewall tube and the new tube and then mount the steering column to that. We are going to use 3/4 x .120 DOM tube for the steering shaft to the rack.

There is 8" of collapse/extension in the column so I should be able to put the wheel right where I want it in relation to the seat, screen, and pedals.

The Street Dash goes right back in - maybe a little wiring re-route, but nothing really.

[ERA2076]

The drivers foot box shows some stress cracking from the steering, but not at the bearing. The bearing we are putting in is larger so we must modify the box to accept it.

I am thinking of sandwiching the box front wall between aluminum sheet and riveting together. I would cover a larger area than the stock mounting surface to spread load.

The lower inside corner shows stress. Add some sheet here? I don't care about the cracks, but want to stop flexing.

Things to know?

x-cliff

[ERA2076]

We got some more work done this week.

We installed the rear cradle assembly and dialed it in so that wheel back spacing and shock length could be determined. We have some adjustable blocks we use for setting frame height. With the frame sitting at ride height, we cycle the suspension to check for clearance.



These are steel wheels 15 X 10 X 4.5 BS. There is plenty of room to run 4.5 BS on the inside, but a brake package would not work. I purchased 4.5 so I could shim back out checking for interference e.g. caliper clearance, body interference, etc. The 10" wheel increased the tire section by 1/4"



A 3.890 Backspace yields 2.1" of Bump
A 3.700 Backspace yields 1.8" of Bump

The calipers will be very close to fitting at 3.890, but I think will interfere with the inside of the whee barelyl. I will shim out as needed to get clearance. I do not have the calipers yet so I cannot final fit. Wilwood sent me a mockup caliper, but if I scratch it I own it so I am unwilling to mount it in the car. They are building a set with Thermlock pistons.

This picture is 3.700 BS with 1.8" bump. The calipers will fit with this BS, but I will try to shim the least to preserve bump. Tires are Avon. The Avons and steel wheels are laughably heavy.





I built a lid for the reservoirs



I had to bulid a new floor plate. The Tilton pedals come with a pedestal under each cylinder. The pedestals under the gas and brake are used to fasten the pedals down. I did not think about the one under the clutch until I tried to adjust the pedals all the way forward. We added an extension to the steel plate for the clutch pedestal and cut a new slot for it to slide in. You see it on the left.

[ERA2076]

I installed the new bearing into the foot box. The box is clearly being stressed at the bearing you can see the fractures in the gel coat.



I folded a 3 sided box shape and attached it to the inside corner of the box.



I am hoping the roof connection will stop the stress along the bottom, but I may bend some alum and attach to these two surfaces.



Started messing with the new dash.

[DanEC]

I'm surprised you are getting some stress cracks in the footboxes - they are pretty stout and the steering column bearing shouldn't be transferring any great loads to them due to the universal joint and the column brace. But, a few stress cracks are not an indication of pending breakage with fiberglass. It looks like you have it well reinforced now.

[strictlypersonl]

I've never seen any stress cracks in the footboxes either. Not even in 30-year-old cars. What he might be seeing are markings from imperfections in the molds. They sometimes come from prying the mold segments apart when de-molding the parts.

[ERA2076]

The cracks do not bother me, but they do indicate noise in the steering. The passenger box shows stress at the bottom corner where it meets the frame.

chr