1990 UK Vauxhall Nova SR20DET Space Framed Trackcar

[The Simps]

2 pieces means more parts to fail...

[Jet966]

Keep the driveshaft in two pieces. I went one-piece, had two different shops re-do the job, spent over a grand, and still can't keep the thing from wanting to shake itself out of the car.

I'll feel a little better about it if my loss can become your gain.

[The Simps]

Keep the driveshaft in two pieces. I went one-piece, had two different shops re-do the job, spent over a grand, and still can't keep the thing from wanting to shake itself out of the car.

I'll feel a little better about it if my loss can become your gain.

Interesting! cheers for the info. What car is your on?

[TruTaing]

This build is so cool! great work!

[The Simps]

Been a while since I updated so....

I took another look at the turret top set up and decided to slowly chop away at the a pillar to see what room I have to run a continuous bit of tube from the cage a pillar around the outside of the turret. It can work with only a slight kink needed as shown by the measure...




Next up I bolted on one of my wheels I had a tyre put on this week so I can get an idea of clearance for the inner tubs. The car has been designed so the bottom arms will run just under level. So with the wheel onl I jacked the wheel until it was at this point. The hubs I intend on running raise the spindle which has the effect of lowering the car 50mm without even touching the coilovers. So to replicate this I then tried to jack the wheel 50mm but only got to about 35-40mm before the std shocks bottomed out. But it gives me a rough idea...




As I moved the engine back 2" I still need to dial in some decent amount of castor so the wheel is going to go a fair bit further forward as yet, so that in mind I started to think about the inner tub design and my new outer tubing route. If you can imagine the bit of upright box is tube it will be something like so...





The upright tube I plan on being a one piece hoop that goes through the centre of the box rails, 90deg bend then straight across between the box then 90deg back up and through the other side. The bends and straight will be under the box, so an inverted hoop, and the tie/tension bar brackets will attach to this. The uprights either side that will come up through the box will meet up to the slam panel and be used to mount the rad, intercooler & oil coolers. As the force exerted on the lower cross member will be mostly forward motion under braking I intended on adding a diagonal from the upright down onto the tube coming from the bulkhead. Still with me? lol

So the new tube that will come around the outside of the turret top will bend down slightly and attach into the upright, probably at the same point the diagonal piece going to the bulkhead tube attaches. I will then run a piece of tubing (well actually 2!) to connect the new outer piece to triangulate into the bulkhead. Here's my half assed attempt at drawing it out...




Top drawing should hopefully be self explanatory and the bottom from a birds eye view shows the shaded areas where I will add sheet metal.

I would like to thank at this point all the people who gave constructive criticism on this area and got me to rethink the design. I gutted to loose the beauty of the full front wheel tubs but its function over form on this build. It needs to work!


So next was to take a look at getting a wing in place. So market out a preliminary cut along the existing swage line and set to it! *Remember the wheels has to come forward yet!*










I think I will end up cutting it back to where we pencil line is then adding a flair a similar shape to the e46 M3's design...




Its certainly going to take some creativeness to blend it all in nicely with the sills/skirts...




More progress at the weekend hopefully of which the plan is to get the rear end all lined up and square ready to be tagged into the cage. Oh and in other news, based upon the current gearbox and rear subframe position I will be able to run a completely flat floor from bulkhead back. The front subframe sits every so slightly below the floor line but only maybe an inch. Happy days!

[The Simps]

Bit more today focusing on the rear end as I really want to get it tagged into the frame!

So using a spare subframe I put in the polybushes i'll be using and I had some 5mm thick plates made up. I put the plates into place and bolted down then put a temporary tack bar in place...





I then moved this over to my frame as I know its level and got the discs clamped down and temporary tack out the way...





Tack in the uprights then horizontal tubing making sure it was level. After tacking it ended up close enough to level for me!...





That could then be put into place on the rear end...




I could then get the rear end lined up level and with the use of the box rails I could get the whole thing true left to right, front to back and the diff angle matching that of the engine & box - i.e. for a straight, level prop! It would of been nice to then get it tagged into the cage but I've not enough tubing so will have to get some ordered.

In the meantime I made a clamp for use with my tube bender to help keep the pipe in the die and not rising and therefore kinking! Can't wait to test it out...

[The Simps]

So progress this weekend on the rear half of the cage. Need to build in the rear strut tops next. I'll let the pics do the talking...

[The Simps]

Feeling motivated I got in a few more hours tonight as I had a free evening!

Tonights topic was turret tops! Talking about the rears first, as you probably noticed in my pics in the previous post the std s14 shocks will sit very high, too high! I need them around 5" lower. Quick chat with Driftworks today and they confirmed that the earlier s13 shocks are 110mm shorter and they can happily do me a set of the s13 coilovers but with s14 top mounts. Perfect! Here's a shot of where they'll be for comparison....




I then did a lot of staring at the rear end and believe I now have a plan of attack on how to tie in the rear shocks but need to get some more tubing first!

So that brings us on to the front turret tops. In a recent visit to the good chaps James & Ash at Relentless Performance where I picked up some more tubing they were also kind enough to bend me some pipe to 110deg which my bender can't do! This will be used to remake the turrets, I'll let the pics do the talking from here...








I won't lie, it was a pig to do with so much cut, tweak, check, tweak, check, cut, tweak, you get the idea. Its only tacked in but already much stronger than the other side and doesn't move at all. Need to make the plate for the top to tag it into the actual turret next.

Thats all for now, thanks for looking.

[OrangeBlue]

Quality work in here!

Did you decide how to make the arches jet, i'd keep the box style.

Will the body be removable or welded in?

[The Simps]

Quality work in here!

Thank you!

Did you decide how to make the arches jet, i'd keep the box style.

Most likely the round flare route. Not a lover of the box style myself, too 80s

Will the body be removable or welded in?

Welded in. Would love it removable and would do it that way if starting again but how I welded in the main cage originally doesn't really allow for it now

[OrangeBlue]

Ah ok, keep it up!

[The Simps]

[The Simps]

Not a great deal of time free for the car this weekend but did get a few hours in this morning, so now they're not required I chopped out the box rails from within the cabin. This meant I can try my seats for fitment. Its going to be tight around the tunnel but I always knew that. With the seats right back where I want them the seat wings are also a tight fit but look doable. If not, then normal, un-winged seats certainly will. Gear lever seems in a good position too. The seats will be fixed position and floor mounted pedal box adjustable. Putting together the long steering column will be interesting and steering wheel will have to be quick release to aid getting in and out!

Picking up some more tubing this week the next weekend will hopefully see the upper half of the rear cage largely completed.










Can't wait to get this rolling now!

[P78]

Not a lover of the box style myself, too 80s

then why did u buy that box like vauxhall


some great progress again

[The Simps]

then why did u buy that box like vauxhall


some great progress again

Ha! Lol

To bring it into the 21st century