Project 27 worklog

[alien13]

Going on vacation next week, so if I want to get this started, I need to cut the aluminum tomorrow, so I don't have to go back to my dreaded workplace on my time off.

So today I made my mock-up out of cardboard. (Nevermind the print on the cardboard, my father-in-law works for a company that cuts and prints boxes, so we get them free.)

Made my lines

Cut the main body out:

Made the cuts for the folds:

Cut the hole for the engine:

Made the hole bigger for the air filter:

Added holes for the antenna and body mounts:

Added the roof, a-pillars, and sail panels:

The roof, a-pillars, and sail panels will be riveted on with 1/8" rivets, with slight bends to the panels. Everything is a little crooked because I can't find my duct tape, all I could find is scotch tape, and it doesn't stick worth crap.

I have the general area marked out for the rear wheels, but I have frostbite, and it's fricken cold, so my fingers are numb. Later on, when my digits quit tingling, I'll trace them out so they can be cut.

You'll notice the sail panels stick out about an inch past the sides. The reason behind that is simple. I screwed up. The body needs to be an inch longer to accommodate for the number that goes behind the wheel.

Originally, I was intending to use .050 pre-painted aluminum, but after some consideration, I'm going with clean .040 aluminum, for weight reasons, and because it will be easier to work with. The only problem I see with this, is rigidity. So for that, I think I'll either use 1/8" x 1" aluminum flatbar, or the .050 aluminum sheet as reinforcement.

I also have 3/16 6061 aluminum rod to use for the front and rear bumpers, and if I get real ambitious, the roll cage as well.

Just to add, the more I look at it, the more I think I should lengthen the roof another inch, and the body another two inches, rather that one inch.

 

[Racer 1966]

So you're wanting a dirt modified style body? At least that's what I'm seeing so far.

 

[alien13]

So you're wanting a dirt modified style body? At least that's what I'm seeing so far.

That's the plan.

 

[alien13]

Got the aluminum from work, borrowing a sheet metal nibbler from a buddy, as soon as he drops it off I can start cutting out the real thing.

 

[beason]

so... you got the box from rolex?

looks cool man, its really wide though, maybe make it a little longer will make it look better?

 

[alien13]

so... you got the box from rolex?

looks cool man, its really wide though, maybe make it a little longer will make it look better?

Lol @ Rolex

Yea, after looking at it, I'll be lengthening the roof by and inch, and the body will be extended out the back another two inches.

I talked to the guy doing the vinyls yesterday, he's super swamped right now, so it might be a while before I can get that part done. I have the layout sheet form when the 1:1 version was done, so maybe there's a way I can get the vinyls printed elsewhere. I wish I could do it myself.

 

[Rolex]

Where's my ban stick? Ah, here it is, tucked into my fitted briefs.

 

[alien13]

That's it. I'm not using Rolex's boxes anymore.

 

[alien13]

Since I'm on vacation this week, I took a day out to get started, and actually got much further than I anticipated.

There should be a hood scoop, but I'm not sure if I'm going to make it, or for that matter, how I'm going to make it. Otherwise, with a little sanding of the edges, and a quick scuff, it'll be ready for paint. As far as the vinyls are concerned, I talk to the guy on Sunday, and he pretty busy right now. I have the layout sheet already, so I'm thinking about finding a way to do it myself.

I also have to make the bumpers still, but I'm not yet sure where I can attach them. For the rear, I'll probably make a block I can weld it to, and mount it in the place where the wheelie bar is. For the front, well, that's the hard part.

Also, for only the use of this body, I will need to get some stronger shocks with stiffer springs. The weight of the aluminum makes the car squat. I'm debating on just making a straight bar to put on in place of the strut. I won't be running alot with this body, just for show.

 

[BlackHogDown]

It looks nice similar to those cars I've seen running on the dirt track at Lawton speedway in Oklahoma USA modified I think they were called.

 

[alien13]

It looks nice similar to those cars I've seen running on the dirt track at Lawton speedway in Oklahoma USA modified I think they were called.

Dirt modified. There's actually a specific design I'm going for, I'm just not sure how I will go about it, because the guy I need to do the vinyls is swamped right now, and the layout sheet I have is small enough that if I enlarge it to print off it will be pixelated.

 

[BlackHogDown]

Do you plan to have the body tig welded, witch would make it look better than having screws sticking out of it.

 

[alien13]

Have it tig welded? I could do that myself. However, I'm not. The screws are coming out. I'm going to pull it apart, paint each piece, then rivet it together. I had intended to use 1/8" pop rivets, but I screwed that up and drilled the holes too big, so I'll go with a small head 3/16" pop.

The pop rivets will actually look natural, since the body on the 1:1 version is pop riveted on.

Here's the end goal:

 

[BlackHogDown]

That looks nice. I'm sure it will look badass when you finish it.

 

[Metalhead Matt]

I predict a bunch of radio interference. Maybe not though. Props for your initiative.

 

[alien13]

I predict a bunch of radio interference. Maybe not though. Props for your initiative.

Lol, I've thought about that. I've got the antenna sticking up out of the main body just a bit. I haven't had a chance to run it yet with this body on yet, I need to get stiffer springs at the least. Just the weight of the body makes it squat, I can only imagine how bad it will squat on the throttle.

When I bought the Speed-NT, out of the box the 2.4 ghz system was already bound. I think before running it with this body I'm going to rebind it to set teh failsafe, that I think is built into the system.

 

[cwest3355]

yeah iv noticed that 2.4 ghz doesn't like to pass through obstacles

 

[alien13]

yeah iv noticed that 2.4 ghz doesn't like to pass through obstacles

Should I add wire and run it above the body?

 

[Rolex]

Should I add wire and run it above the body?

No. If anything, you should mount the receiver in the driver's compartment where it can get the signal from all sides.
If you don't want to mount the receiver there, at least drill an opening where the Rx antenna can be exposed there. The window openings on all sides should give you a clear signal.

 

[alien13]

If you look at this picture closely, you can see that the antenna is sticking up just behind the front body mounts.