Million Dollar Skunksworks Kirkham

[CSX 4039]

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

That was some beautiful playing! That piano looks to be in the 9 foot range. I think it would shake my walls! I am looking for something in the 7 foot range.

David

Thanks.
BTW the Imperial Grand is 9'6", and one ton wgt due in large part to the large cast iron frame. That frame holds over 30 tons of string pressure, and the piano weighs so much we braced the floor from the basement.
So, could a billet aluminum grand piano frame hold the 30 tons of string pressure? Sure would save a lot of lumbar spines when trying to turn the thing on it's side to take it out the front door and down the steps....
It's akin to carrying a Kirkham 289 through your front door, but without the wheels.

[David Kirkham]

We finished up enclosing the foot boxes today. They were very challenging to get around the starter and the header. I do not envy my guy who will start on the header construction tomorrow!

[David Kirkham]

This is a head on shot straight into the business compartment. Notice the huge hole just waiting for an aluminum big block monster.

[David Kirkham]

This is a shot looking at the driver's side foot box. Notice the holes in the top of the foot box for the throttle, brake, and clutch pedals. We also moved the wiper motor into the cockpit. Every little bit of weight you can move back helps (and we moved a lot of stuff back!)

[David Kirkham]

Here you can see the front suspension is now making it back on to the chassis.

[David Kirkham]

Here the rear uprights and the CV's axles (with the right length bolts) are now assembled and installed on the chassis. Notice how long the rear lower control arms are.

[David Kirkham]

Here is a close up of the rear differential with the CV joints. Our CV joint system is much easier to work on that other CV set ups on other cars. These axles simply pull out of the differential (like all modern cars)--making the differential installation much, much easier.