TWMC Goodwood TONHIRE SPRINT 28TH June.

[stylussprinter]

Will edit this when I've got more time and not so pissed off ------ However , I beat my previous best two lapper at Goodwood by 6 sec's today BUT due to the club making a complete balls of the ' seeding ' , I was baulked 3 times after being sent out behind cars that were slower than me . Consequently by the time I got my final run I was angry and too aggressive exiting the chicane , slipped too far over the rumble concrete , dropped over the edge and bust the alloy upright so no steering = spin = damage --- ugh

Actual times were --------- practise(baulked) 208.16 sec's following a mini , following a mallock after half a lap Didn't bother asking for a re -run as it was practise. First timed run ----- 187.6 sec's with lots of vibration noises under chassis Having seen what times the Stylus could do , the chap seeding cars just kept getting it wrong . He put me out behind a 205 Peugeot on slicks/modified so I assumed it was a bloody quick car. They allowed just 10 sec' gaps between cars. I went off as quick as I could manage thinking I'll not catch that little Peogeot , only to be on him between Madgewick and Fordwater -- 1/3 rd of a lap
Obviously I asked for a re - run . This time behind a Subaru 400 plus bhp Didn't catch him but was red flagged on the 2nd lap 50 metres from the finish --- absolutely no idea what for either Finally I asked for another run but they couldn't decide where to put me (wasn't rocket science - they had my time sheet at 187.6 sec's ) In the end I got fed up of waiting/refueling/into the car/out of the car/talking to the clerk of the course etc etc -------------------- So I saw one of those new LOTUS ELEVEN's waiting to go and said to the seeder , I'll not catch him , put me after him which was fine. However , by now I was not my usual calm but determined self ---------- I was angry .The run was very very quick , through all corners in 5th other than St Mary's/Lavant in 4th and the Chicane in 3rd. The final lap , I didn't brake for Woodcote or the Chicane just changed gear ---------- the exit was simply TOO quick and I ran out of talent , onto the concrete and over the edge trying to correct . The concrete itself on it's outer edge/by the grass is sections of 3 inches wide and 2 inches deep 90 degree ridges , then the grass edge is 3 inches lower than the concrete rumble . Having got over the edge with the rear then eventually the front too , the alloy upright got into that ridge and simply snapped clean off
The wrecker lorry put the car on before I got back with my low jack and wheel brace , so I could take the wheel off to stop damage forcing onto the trailer deck. CAUSING a lot of f/glass damage around the arch/headlight area .
Shan't get to Gurston now or anywhere else until I've got time to strip it all out and decide what to do so it could be September before it's drivable again , possibly not this year

I've got pic's but not on my camera so can't show you the mess Matt may have some

Just noticed reading the timesheet that I ended up 12th overall from 78 entries . I was quicker than 2 of the 8 single seaters and 9 of the 11 TVR's. Also quicker than a supercharged TVR 5.2 litre in a seperate class. The Lotus Eleven did 177.91 sec's and FTD was a single seater at 160.3 sec's(a 2lt Reynard I think )

[stylussprinter]

Just taken pic's of the damage and have noticed that the ' U ' shaped casting where it snapped has a duller section on each wing , almost as though it had cracked earlier and got dirty , not necessarily at Goodwood either --------- makes you think

[Werner Van Loock]

bollocks

But as you say it looks like it cracked earlier on.

But worse is that you can't get the raceleda units anymore as MNR aren't making them anymore.
So you'll have to figure out something else.

Don't know how compatible the Wilwood's are. They're not ally, but forged steel i think but made lightweight.

[stylussprinter]

bollocks

But as you say it looks like it cracked earlier on.

But worse is that you can't get the raceleda units anymore as MNR aren't making them anymore.
So you'll have to figure out something else.

Don't know how compatible the Wilwood's are. They're not ally, but forged steel i think but made lightweight.

Finding an alternative isn't the main problem ---------- the problem is not being able to duplicate the precise geometry which was fantastic on the RACELEDA uprights . Also the wishbones were made for me to suit the raceleda by an old retired ex- formula racer/builder. At least I've got the wishbones as patterns. The uprights themselves have been made/copied on a computor controlled machine by another friend/competitor of mine in billet SO I'll probably be begging him for a favour but it's liable to still be expensive (must keep quiet about who it is as it's not his design )
On top of that I've not checked anything else underneath or at the back yet and there were noises

[norma]

Sorry to hear this Rob.....
At least it will repair, even if it takes a while.
Problem with ally is that it work hardens and doesn't have the same 'elastic' properties as steel.
The fatigue that your uprights seemed to have suffered (i.e the proogating cracks from an earlier event) may have been caused not just by excessive forces for the alloy profile but also heat may have played its part???
I would guess (although not being an expert, just that I did metallurgy back in Uni) that the shape of the profile at the failure point is not taking the enforced stresses it is required to take.
Maybe a re-design with beefier profile shape at max stress point would be a way forward????
Just a thought...........

[stylussprinter]

Sorry to hear this Rob.....
At least it will repair, even if it takes a while.
Problem with ally is that it work hardens and doesn't have the same 'elastic' properties as steel.
The fatigue that your uprights seemed to have suffered (i.e the proogating cracks from an earlier event) may have been caused not just by excessive forces for the alloy profile but also heat may have played its part???
I would guess (although not being an expert, just that I did metallurgy back in Uni) that the shape of the profile at the failure point is not taking the enforced stresses it is required to take.
Maybe a re-design with beefier profile shape at max stress point would be a way forward????
Just a thought...........

I think you could have something there all that heat created during the brake seize problems I had at least 3 times now and it was cast alloy
The billet ones I'm hoping for have been strengthened but keeping the same geometry hopefully they'll be tougher

Nice result though aye

[MattD]

Hi Rob.

Nope, no photo's from me.
I was just standing there 20 feet away with my mouth open !

Bit more kerb than usual > 180 spin, missing the tyre wall by about a foot > Travelling backwards fast, all locked up > Then a nice 180 flick turn back onto the tarmac, to a stop.

Just realised you'll be missing Gurston, which I know you wanted to do, now the bug's bitten again !.

Matt

[stylussprinter]

Hi Rob.

Nope, no photo's from me.
I was just standing there 20 feet away with my mouth open !

Bit more kerb than usual > 180 spin, missing the tyre wall by about a foot > Travelling backwards fast, all locked up > Then a nice 180 flick turn back onto the tarmac, to a stop.

Just realised you'll be missing Gurston, which I know you wanted to do, now the bug's bitten again !.

Matt

Yes , Gurston's where I got the ' bug ' in the first place at their hillclimb school day in 2000 . I did a 44 sec's then a 42 sec's and in 2004 39.85 sec's but not been there since. I'd really like to try again but it wont be this year now
I've been in touch with Dennis/Andy for a price today . He reckons he could make/adapt to anything I want so might get a special
I'd like a test in that ' E ' Type Matt seeing as I'm car----less

[norma]

I think you could have something there all that heat created during the brake seize problems I had at least 3 times now and it was cast alloy
The billet ones I'm hoping for have been strengthened but keeping the same geometry hopefully they'll be tougher

Nice result though aye

billet is MUCH stronger than cast - denser and stronger - something to do with crystalisation and alignment of the molecules during cooling.
You'd be hard pushed to break billet ones.
The other reason for discolouration on the legs of the sheared upright may not be that the failure started 'x' miles beforehand, but that the casting cooled at a different rate in the different areas which would have affected the crystalisation process and the eventual strength of those sections.....

[stylussprinter]

I think you could have something there all that heat created during the brake seize problems I had at least 3 times now and it was cast alloy
The billet ones I'm hoping for have been strengthened but keeping the same geometry hopefully they'll be tougher

Nice result though aye

billet is MUCH stronger than cast - denser and stronger - something to do with crystalisation and alignment of the molecules during cooling.
You'd be hard pushed to break billet ones.
The other reason for discolouration on the legs of the sheared upright may not be that the failure started 'x' miles beforehand, but that the casting cooled at a different rate in the different areas which would have affected the crystalisation process and the eventual strength of those sections.....

The billet I have in mind is aircraft spec' and the design is geometrically as Raceleda but without any 90 degree angles , rather radiused corners to reduce weak points and thicker at stress points. From an engineering point of view they are an upgraded Raceleda

[stylussprinter]

Just picked up the uprights . Slightly beefier in places and a better stub location. Raceleda's went through the upright and had an enormous nut on the back to keep it in place. It was tricky to get the correct torque due to problems keeping a socket on because of space This design locates by a 4mm peg going into the front face then a bolt into the stub from the back --- much simpler They are a touch heavier but only ' grams '

All I've got to do now is find time to strip it down

[stylussprinter]

Stripped one down today , looking for other damage but it's not obvious so I'll dismantal the wishbone another day and measure it all up
I may just be lucky

[stylussprinter]

Got the wishbone off now and although it looks at first glance ok ---- it has a small kink in the diagonal which puts the wheel end 3mm out So I'll get the other side stripped then I can use that wishbone for a pattern

[stylussprinter]

I've made a jig now using the passenger side wishbone as a pattern , just waiting for the tube to be notched each end and threaded inserts to be turned up then it can be welded together. Hopefully the wishbones will be all painted and back on the car next week

It took a while but I've managed to tack the several pieces of front wing f/glass together , reinforced from behind with ' mat ' . There were quite a few bits missing which got filled with ' mat ' then the whole area has been roughly rubbed down ready for the filler . Filler on but not prepared ----------------- family taking precedence this weekend

[stylussprinter]

Managed to get it rubbed down last night then up early this morning to give it 8 coats of VW Red Flash in a spray can. The arch extensions I did with a brush but this area's so much bigger and more obvious , it had to be sprayed. It'll show anyway on the join . I considered rubbing down with wet and dry when the paint's 24 hours old but not having done it before , I'm not sure what the result might be

Any paint experts out there