Million Dollar Skunksworks Kirkham

[Guinness]

Kirkham Winter Summit spy photos.

[Guinness]

Secret Billet Chassis Spy Shots!

[Guinness]

[fsstnotch]

:drool:

[CobraV8]

Looks impressive! When you actually use it for normal driving, would it need to be x-rayed/dye penetration tested now and then to detect fatigue cracks (like airplane parts)?

-Simon

[David Kirkham]

Simon,

No, airplanes are made out of very hard (and crack prone) aluminum alloys. (Typically, 7075 and 2024). Additionally, airplanes are typically only made with a very small safety factor as an airplane has to fly and everyone knows it is very difficult and expensive to get extra weight (more safety) off the ground. Finally, airplanes can't just pull over on the side of the road when the crap hits the fan.

On this car, we observed as strict of weight discipline as was reasonable. We used 14,000 psi as the endurance limit on the FEA (Finite Element Anaylsis) tests. (The aluminum doesn't yield until 30,000 psi.) The chassis should last forever. It is amazing the amount of material that can actually be removed when you run a part through FEA.

It is extremely interesting to design a part and then run it through FEA. You think you are cool until Cosmos tells you otherwise. After the tests, it is amazing to see where the computer tells you you have too much material and when you think about the colors you wonder why you were so dumb in the first place. (We call FEA "looking for rainbows" as different stresses show up as different colors). What is really interesting is when you actually REMOVE material and make a part stronger by shifting the load paths around. As you can imagine, we were very concerned with keeping our customer happy and him off of You Tube.

David

[Don]

Guiness:

RE: Spy Photos, 3rd photo:

Appears to be the hood and fenders of a Series I XK-E ? If so, any other info, such as reproducing the entire body ?

One of my previous vehicles was a Series 1 1967 XK-E coupe, silver blue with the gold head. I do not know if they are still in business, installed an Abarth exhaust system, real neat sound with the Jag engine.

[wtm442]

Too nice to cover up with a body. Does anyone make a 427 S/C body in a clear material?

[Lew Ledyard]

It would look great with 15" magnesium wheels in 15X8 and 15X10.

[Mark IV]

Somewhere, slowly moving out of Utah, is a railroad gondola car full of aluminum chips and kerf.....courtesy of the Kirkham Brothers.

Methinks perhaps you have too much time on your hands and a full machine shop, a dangerous combination!

Way kewl!

[David Kirkham]

1ntCobra,

I guess you could read his post that way??? But I am not sure. I guess the tubes could be made from a billet aluminum block, but I think the effort would be pretty tremendous. Of course, the whole car's effort was pretty tremendous. We used the tubes in those locations because the original car used tubes in those locations--sort of a nod to the original. So why didn't we use tubes in other places??? Artistic license I guess.

Lew, the car weighs in about 20 pounds lighter than an original car. Now, we haven't weighed it yet (not done) but everything else in the CAD was right so far so I imagine that will be right too.

SPO1715,

Thanks for the kind words. That was certainly the goal we had in mind. The proof will be in the test drive, however!

David

[69boss429]

Dear Mr.Kirkham,
You must immediatly stop what you are doing with that billet alum chassis!
If not I will be forced to come out there and order one in person.
That is exquisite,breathtaking,and went to the very top of my wishlist of cars I'd stuff full of an all aluminum Boss 429 engine.
Congratulations!
Now,I'm off to purchase a powerball ticket.

[David Kirkham]

bnewell,

Thanks, more pics coming up in the next few days, weeks as the build progresses.

Bill,

The thought has crossed my mind many times.

KM480,

Yes, the possibilities are virtually endless.

Meat,

I like the cup holder!

69boss429,

Thanks for the kind words. This car really is a reflection of our company and we love to try new things. The car is spectacular in real life.

Well, everyone has gone home from the Summit. It was a GREAT time! Thanks to all who came. I will post more pics of our Killer Car soon.

David

[BLACKJACK]

Oh My Gawd !!!!!!

Dave: In The Words Of My Dear Sweet Grandmother From Pittsburgh: "plumb Friggin' Gorgeous".

I've Been Salivating All Over The Keyboard Looking At The Pictures. Absolutely Incredible.

Now - - - Having Said That - - - When Are You Going To Start Building The Replica P-51 Mustang ??? I Have A P-39 Airacobra But Without Selling My Home I Couldn't Afford A (real) P-51.

I Know, I Know, We've Had This Conversation Before. My Offer Still Stands To Do All The Test And Trial Flying And "sorTing Out" For Expenses Only.

Man, The Coupe Is Fantastic !!!!

Y'all Have A Really Great Day.

Blackjack

[David Kirkham]

Blackjack,

Thanks for the kind words. I messed up (staying up too late) and posted all the pics on the other thread. I will fix that soon. In the meantime bump over there and you will see some really cool pics.

David

[David Kirkham]

Here is an overall view of the billet chassis. You can see the vertical parts of the chassis now coming to life--like the door hinge pillars and the cowl supports for the windshield. You are looking at the car from the right front corner towards the rear of the chassis.

[David Kirkham]

In this shot you can see the cowl supports going up behind the dash. The cowl supports will take the load of the stressed tunnel and feed them into the foot boxes.

Also, you very clearly see the door hinge pillars in this photo. The plates the door hinges pillars mount to are hidden under the doors. That is one of the big secrets for the incredible stiffness of the chassis.

The rear bulkhead is also very clear in this photo. The rear bulkhead forms the back of the cockpit and takes all the loads from the wheels and the differential and feeds them into the tunnel and down along the sides of the chassis under the door sills.