Well sorry for the long delay between updates, but unfortunately life gets in the way of such things as building cars and we had also got a few seperate areas of the car on the go at once so none were really far enough along to post about really.
So this post is really going to focus on the progress with the dash (very close to being complete now) and the bonnet (hood for my american friends) and the start of the work with the front guards.
We have finally got the centre console prepared and ready to be covered in carbon fibre (not done yet in the photos of course) and have made a small depression in it for the fire extinguisher controller so it is mounted nicely and warning lights are easily visible. We have also finished the cowel for the datalogger (also needs carbon finished) and so I've just sat the dash in there to give you the idea, but it's not fully finished I guess, but finished as far as the construction side of things goes.
Oh yeah, the gear stick and handbrake surround....... I made up a template the shape I wanted as the handbrake and gearstick had to be quite close together to make it all clear the tunnel and fit between the seats so I had to design up a template to suit and then we got a local engineering place to laser cut us something to suit........ I think it looks awesome......... it's obviously just sat on there, but will get bolted in properly in the next few days to hold the leather boots in place also.
Next big step to get done it the bonnet (hood) as it is now all one peice with the lower part and upper skin now bonded together and the custom ducting we've made to get the air extracted from the back side of the radiator is all finished too. Only part of the whole system still to do is the front duct from the bumper to the front side of the radiator, but that shouldn't take that long and we wanted to get the bonnet done so we had some point of reference for the front guards and bumpers so when I remove it to do the front ducting that it goes on back in the same place.
Mounted some aerocatches in the bonnet and it all fits perfect.......
Next was to modify the front guards to they extend out flat to meet the flat bottom undertray we're making. If you look at the ARTA NSX you'll get the idea of what we're heading for.
Only other thing of note picture wise was the mounting of the external fire extinguisher button for marshalls on the outside of the car...... I know I know, everyone will say "Oh but people will push it" but you can disable the master controller inside the car so as long as I remember to do that then things will be OK.... we intend to build a warning into the dash to tell me if I'm moving and don't have the extinguisher armed and also to make sure the airjacks can't be deployed if the car is moving as we considered the possibility of a passenger pressing the buttons to raise the car when it was moving and it wasn't a pretty picture !!! So those safeguards should protect me from my own and other peoples stupidity !!
More updates soon once we've progressed with the front guards and rest of the bodywork. Fingers crossed the plan is to get started on the panel and paint work in about 3 weeks......... !!!
As always, a massive thanks to Zac for his efforts on the project........ no idea how we would have got there without you mate, I hope that the finished product will help repay yours, Steves and other peoples efforts on the track and we can all enjoy it.
and potentialy warp the rear rotors if used hot.
