E class streamliner

See cars and bikes being built for the salt

Moderator: DLRA

User avatar
RGV
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2011 9:17 pm
Location: Mid Murray Mallee

Re: New lakester build

Post by RGV »


Last Minute Racing
DLRA #928

2010 MPS/G 250 118 MPH
2011 Washed Out
2012 Washed Out
2013 MPS/G 250 131 MPH (RECORD)
2014 MPS/G 250 140 MPH (RECORD)
2015 MPS/F 250 DNF
2016 MPS/F 250 114 MPH (RECORD)
2017 MPS/F 250 DNF
User avatar
AuotonomousRX
Posts: 729
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:05 pm
Location: Eyre Peninsula SA

Re: New lakester build

Post by AuotonomousRX »

Great Model, but you don't need the balsa to keep the weight down :lol:

I agree about hanging in there.

I started planning a Hot Rod - then a Lakester - then a Streamliner - then I realised if i did build a Car I could not afford to get it there, so I ended up with a 250cc 2stroke :shock:

It is the best thing I've ever done,have a go.

The cars were going to be 4 cylinder powered and the Lakester and Streamliner designs/drawings were both rear engine to get as small a Frontal Area as possible. Low HP engine so Aero was critical to going as fast as possible.

Pete#866
Still trying to decide if I am a procrastinator

Pete :?
DLRA #866
User avatar
walkingpace
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Central Coast NSW

Re: New lakester build

Post by walkingpace »

There hasn't been much progress lately thanks to moving house and one hell of an electricity bill :shock: however I'm now in a position to get things in motion. There have been some changes to the design, thanks in no small part to the advice of some of you forum dwellers. Firstly I will be including the fancy wheel fairings which will place the car in the uninhabited fuel streamliner class (I didn't really want to compete with Goggles and Hedgash). Also I have revised the driving position, moving the seat behind the rear axle front engined dragster style, meaning I can get the drivers seat low without worrying about setting up a chain drive just yet. This still forms a part of the plan but my emphasis is on getting a functioning car as soon as possible and then working on the more complex engineering challenges to make it faster. The famous "redhead" streamliner is a big influence on the chassis design as it made use of this layout and is a beautiful and well balanced car (which has done 320mph :shock: )

As to the suspension issue, it will be included, but not for any of the usual reasons. My concern seeing as the front axle is a cast iron jobby, it that repeated high speed bumps will cause stress fractures which I won't know about until it fails (I seem to have misplaced my xray machine). I like the torsion bar setups used on a lot of dragsters however they are awfully expensive so it will be a more traditional transverse leaf.

The chassis design has been chalked onto the garage floor and I'm off to start cutting and welding.... 8)
User avatar
RGV
Posts: 708
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2011 9:17 pm
Location: Mid Murray Mallee

Re: New lakester build

Post by RGV »

At the last place I worked we did a lot of N.D.T. We used Dye penetrant inspection on some non ferrous metals. Cheap and easy to do but limited to surface imperfections.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye_penetrant_inspection

Dave

Last Minute Racing
DLRA #928

2010 MPS/G 250 118 MPH
2011 Washed Out
2012 Washed Out
2013 MPS/G 250 131 MPH (RECORD)
2014 MPS/G 250 140 MPH (RECORD)
2015 MPS/F 250 DNF
2016 MPS/F 250 114 MPH (RECORD)
2017 MPS/F 250 DNF
User avatar
walkingpace
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Central Coast NSW

Re: New lakester build

Post by walkingpace »

Turns out the font axle is forged and not cast (I didn't even know there was a difference until someone with knowledge of all things metallurgical explained the difference. I thank him for suppressing most of his laughter :oops: ) Anyway, stress fractures are not such a problem for a forged axle but now that I'm underway I'm not changing the plan. Suspension it is.... :)
User avatar
walkingpace
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Central Coast NSW

Re: New lakester build

Post by walkingpace »

Here's a couple of pics of the first chassis mock up. I've set it up front engine dragster style with the driver behind the rear axle. Wheelbase is 100". It looks as though the upper control arm mounts will need to be ground off the diff for leg clearance but otherwise I now have a good idea of where things need to go.
Image

Image

these are the WWII aircraft guages mentioned earlier
Image
User avatar
walkingpace
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Central Coast NSW

E class streamliner

Post by walkingpace »

Thanks to the long weekend I've been able to get a little bit more done. The two lengths of steel which I had the metal supplier cut for chassis rails turned out to be 5mm different in length. I would have thought cutting accurately with one of those huge, extremely accurate saws would be easy but there must be more to it than meets the eye...

Anyway they have now been evened up and I've cut out the front and rear cross members. The wheelbase that started at 98" when first drawn up, then grew to 100" when chalked onto the garage floor, and has now grown to 103" in metal. It seems like every time I play with it it gets bigger..... :roll:

The next job will be welding it all together then making a spring perch and brackets to mount the front end. Will also be getting the roll cage tubing bent up very soon.
User avatar
Greg Watters
Posts: 760
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:57 pm

Re: E class streamliner

Post by Greg Watters »

Why sitting above the tailshaft ?
wouldn't it be much lower if you were in front of the motor, and potentially safer ?
User avatar
walkingpace
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Central Coast NSW

Re: E class streamliner

Post by walkingpace »

Greg,

The design has changed a bit from the first model. Drivers seat will actually be behind the diff with legs slung over the axle like the old dragsters. As for safety there will be a significant scatter shield over the back of the diff. Not sure I'd be brave enough to run without it :shock:
User avatar
zork
Posts: 124
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:29 am
Location: St Marys 5042

Re: E class streamliner

Post by zork »

The biggest problem with front engine rails was that they could not breathe oxygen when the motor blew.
User avatar
Greg Watters
Posts: 760
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:57 pm

Re: E class streamliner

Post by Greg Watters »

I have sat in and launched a front engined rail up a driveway,even then with a 1/4 " sheild and seat between me and the diff.... i was nervous,
But the launching part was real good :D

Be looking forward to reading about your "real good" when its done :D
User avatar
walkingpace
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Central Coast NSW

Re: E class streamliner

Post by walkingpace »

At the moment it's fun to just sit on the clamped together chassis and play broom broom games like a little kid :D I can't imagine how much fun it will be when I eventually get to drive this thing.

Don't worry Zork, if the motor turns into an expensive grenade I'll probably be holding my breath anyway :o Plus methanol smells nice. As my brother once described it, "it's like someone put a gummy bear in a toaster"
BIG GAZ
Posts: 354
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 2:52 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: E class streamliner

Post by BIG GAZ »

I can guarantee the novelty will wear off after getting in and out a million times before it is finished. At this stage I can only assume that it is all worthwhile once it is on the salt in race mode.
Gaz
momec3
Posts: 780
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:36 pm
Location: Cedar Grove Qld

Re: E class streamliner

Post by momec3 »

I'll second that Gaz :lol: :lol: :lol:

Chris
Chris
User avatar
walkingpace
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Central Coast NSW

Re: E class streamliner

Post by walkingpace »

Greg Watters wrote:I have sat in and launched a front engined rail up a driveway,even then with a 1/4 " shield and seat between me and the diff.... i was nervous
Thanks Greg, now you've made me nervous. I'm really not sure I trust that little 8 bolt GM character enough to rest my nether region on it then hold the throttle wide open. I'm now shopping for a 9". There is actually another justification for this as well.
The pinion on the GM diff is offset 20mm to the right and I had planned on shortening one axle to sort this issue out. Trouble with shortening one of these things is...you can't.

Captain tightwad at holden only hardened just enough of the axle to cut a spline in it then threw it on in there, plus on inspecting the axle, the tips of the spline actually sit slightly proud of the general axle width. I can only assume the splined bit was a touch wider than the rest of the stick before it was machined. The only option would be custom axles and that would be a great big waste of money on this thing.

I know a 9" is not necessary for the modest power output I can expect and the limited grip offered on the salt, but the thought of shrapnel coming back through that little tinplate cover causes the sweat to bead on my forehead.

....now where did I put my credit card.....
Post Reply