[Project] The Rattlebox

[Kobayashi 35 2 Cars]

fair enough.

[davenport 51]

got some more fittings for my fuel and brake lines:

 

 

got the digi-dash mounted:

 

 

 

i then decided to stop avoiding them and address the wishbones...

 

i`d sen these a while back:

 

 

so i printed the pic off nice and big and scaled a few bits from a couple of KNOWN dimensions....

 

this gave me a start spec:

 

rear mount bearing - 17mm internal 35mm external 12mm race width (will get the rest of the dims off local bearing dealer)

inboard rose joint - 5/8th UNF (they use 14mm i think)

outboard rose joint - 7/8th UNF (they use M20)

tubing - 1 1/4 x 12swg CDS (they use 30mm)

 

once i`m back to work in the new year i can get started with a jig and make a pair.....

 

fingers crossed they`ll look a hell of a lot better than this effort from a 106owners member :

 

[oz. 2]

I can see what that effort was trying to achieve but it looks a bit messy. Using rose joints tidys it up a lot.

[davenport 51]

with the dash mounted up i faced a tricky task... i needed someway to blank off behind it.. but it needed to be shaped and curved to fit the std dial surround AND clear the top of the dash...

 

fibreglass was answer... now having never used the stuff before i`m not sure if my methods are technically accurate but the end result works...

 

step 1

 

some clingfilm was pulled over the dash and plate followed by some stretchy cotton (old t-shirt) and all secured down using the top i cut off an old plastic tray this then had some resin slapped on and a couple of layers of matting:

 

the "creation" baking in front of heater!!

 

 

 

once it was dry i suspected i was gonna have to start looking for a new dial surround as i wasn`t confident...

 

luck however was on my side!!! a quick trim.. a quick sand.. a quick coat of satin black and things looked promising!

 

 

despite it still needing some high build primer and a proper paint up i couldn`t resist trying it in place..

 

 

 

it seems ok so far but i don`t think i`ll be doing anymore fibreglass for a while!!

[davenport 51]

wishbone bits...

 

rear mount bearings - check

circlips - check

 

 

and for the dash insert

 

high build primer - check

 

 

early last year i started a catch tank! LMAO:

 

 

i decided to stop avoiding it and as luck would have it the ally welder was set up in my bay... so...

 

mounting bosses set up in base:

 

 

tig`d up and mid clean...

 

 

BOOooo-yaarRR:

 

 

 

still needs either a breathable cap like them mocal ones or some sort of vent and a -10 fitting for the rocker breather...

 

looks rather huge now its all put together so may cut the sucker down on the bandsaw and shink it down a bit...

 

 

the inlet manifold i started F*CKING ages ago???

 

 

 

well it now looks like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

motorsport kitteh checked the tracts and declared they need some flappy wheel action but where otherwise OK.

 

[Cameron 16]

Nice.

[happygoron 2]

motorsport kitteh seems to know his/her stuff!

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

Is that a pink go faster stripe on motorsport kitteh?

[davenport 51]

aye... pink race livery......

[davenport 51]

as luck would have it the inlet fitted.....

 

 

my fears about the tank however were correct!! the catchtank was too big but it was easily solved.....

 

1 oversized tank + 1 circular saw + 1 dangerous bast@rd =........

 

 

 

and by golly the beggar now fits!!

 

 

 

also there has been some vicious rumours (not from this site) that the welds were only smoothed off because i`m s*ite... now.. i wont lie.. i`m not th egreatest ally welder BUT in this instance i just felt a smooth look would be better...

 

so..

 

in a big F**K YOU polaroid moment i took a pic of the beads on the new cut down revision..

 

 

 

 

thats about it for now.... thanks for the kind words...

[Cameron 16]

Nice welds there.

 

I haven't done much aluminium welding, my first and only experience was welding some 0.9mm silencer skins on placement and MY GOD it was difficult! Got there in the end though, after about 10 practise skins I was able to make 4 that were good enough to go to the customer. Kept one as a souvenir actually.

 

I'm itching to weld some thicker stuff, big ally welds just look awesome! If mine turn out as good as that, I'll be pretty chuffed.

Edited January 18, 2010 by Cameron

[davenport 51]

0.9 ally!! oooooh man they threw you in at the deep end....

[miamichris 9]

in a big F**K YOU polaroid moment i took a pic of the beads on the new cut down revision..

 

 

 

 

thats about it for now.... thanks for the kind words...

 

that photo certainly does say "f**k you, I can weld"

 

Nice cool project too mate, been keeping my eye out for your updates, some great fabrication.

 

I too can fabricate, but only with wood, no metalwork for me!

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Nice project, good TIG skills btw

 

I'm welding at the minute for my pipefitting apprenticeship, only MMA nowhere near as hard as TIG!

 

MIG is normally my favourite

[Cameron 16]

Yep! Was an absolute nightmare 'cos the welds had to be as flat as possible so that a mounting bracket would wrap around it. I'd get to about 3/4 of the way along and then suddenly the pool would turn to a massive hole and I'd have to chuck the skin away!

 

Oooo MMA is probably my most hated type of welding, mostly because it can be really tricky to get the arc started. Oh, and chipping off slag!

 

Ps awesome picture Paul.

Edited January 19, 2010 by Cameron

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Tell me about it, right pain in the arse to get the arc started sometimes.

 

I've been setting plates at 2.5mm apart, then using a Nu5 rod to do the root while maintaining the key hole to ensure full penetration.

Not to mention a restart 3/4 of the way along...

Then a hot pass, fill and cap. Fun, Fun, Fun

 

It was soo funny when we saw it, my mates got a pic of him hugging it

[davenport 51]

well this week has been busy at work but i have finally managed to get the fibreglass dash surround smooth and painted...

 

LOTS of sanding and primer...

 

mounting plate + surround:

 

 

 

 

dash display mounted:

 

[davenport 51]

right today!!

 

other than laugh at spank as he fiddled yet again with his dub.. i have...

 

fabrcated and fitted some brackets to fit my LHD wiper setup:

 

 

checked it all lines up with the scuttle trim:

 

 

unfortunatly there was a small issue with clearance,,, some twat had fitted a chunk of roll cage that fouled on the passenger side arm.. luckily some tickling with the sander and some arm tweaking sorted that out!!:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

also started checking there was room for my ICE:

 

[Cameron 16]

[davenport 51]

whats so funny cam??? you think the black fur is too much???

 

 

what about furry leopard print instead???

 

[Cameron 16]

Oh yes! Leopard print all the way bay-be!

[davenport 51]

started laying the dash out but think i`ve put the aux power socket and hazard too high.. so may well scrap it and start again....

 

 

 

finished the brackets for the wipers and also chopped the brackets on the frame that would have mounted to the scuttle:

 

 

 

then set about filling in all the bulkhead holes that werent needed.. TEDIOUS to say the least!!

 

now ya see it:

 

now ya dont!:

 

bloody loads over this side!!!

 

all gone!!

 

got the dash mocked up but i`m not happy with it.....

 

 

 

going to move the aux power socket and the hazard switch down and move 1 of the toggles (the engine start one) onto that row and move the rear fog up onto top row...

 

that`ll give 2 banks of 4 and at the bottom (looking from pasenger to driver) hazard - aux - engine start...

 

 

i`m not too disappointed as i`d kind of knew i`d be lucky to get the layout right first time...

 

the 4 push buttons to control the digital dash will be mounted up in the right hand side air vent blanking panel.. (i think they scroll through the display screens and control the lap timing functions of the dash)

 

 

 

the battery master switch will go where those 2 switch holes are to the right of the HORN toggle..

 

 

 

the relay box will be mounted in the dash hidden under the squishy bit in front of passenger..

 

 

 

fuel pumps will be controlled by the ECU via a realy so if i crash into a hideous twisted lump of metal or stall the fuel supply will be cut automatically...

[Cameron 16]

Dash looks good but I can see what you mean about the 12V socket and hazard switch being too high, if you left it it would probably bug you forever.

 

Can you reach all the switches when you're strapped in? I'm sure you've thought of it but it's best to check!

[davenport 51]

yeah.. annoying but its hardly a complex bit to remake..

 

also yes can just about reach everything... i very rarely have the shoulder straps mega tight as things like leaning forward to look either way at Tjunctions becomes a nightmare

 

despite being 6` tall i also like to have my seat freakily close to the pedals i`m not sure why its just how i feel comfortable..

Edited March 19, 2010 by davenport

[jackherer 543]

Can you reach all the switches when you're strapped in? I'm sure you've thought of it but it's best to check!

 

So true, my mates 205 has a pretty much on/off clutch and you can't reach the starter button with your harness on, it certainly keeps you focussed