Chassis stiffening

[Escadrille Ecosse]

7 hours ago, NeilR said:

We do tend to get used to things that initially seem odd (note to self - no comments about marriage!), however we have a chance to correct this and hopefully the angular displacement may make the car a little safer in a frontal impact.

Wise decision on that first bit.

And if you are having to extend the column anyway then makes a lit of sense.

One thing that occurs to me is to check that the column and road wheel don't try and occupy the same space on full lock. Should be fine but worth testing.

[Nick Jones]

1 hour ago, Escadrille Ecosse said:

hopefully the angular displacement may make the car a little safer in a frontal impact

Yeah….. never been fully convinced by the “telescopic” arrangement.

Is you wife monitoring your Sideways posts?  We best behave….

[NeilR]

This is roughly the projected steering link and front structure tubes. You can see the ingress into the wheel area - I think we'll be OK.

We'll actually have to shorten the rack, fortunately this is not much of a problem as we'll machine another flat on the shaft further down, taking about 10" out of it.

The top universal joint will back onto a pillow ball bearing. which will support the end of the steering column shaft.

[Escadrille Ecosse]

That should fo the job nicely 

[PeteStupps]

On 4/10/2023 at 1:44 AM, NeilR said:

note to self - no comments about marriage!

On 4/10/2023 at 1:44 AM, NeilR said:

hopefully the angular displacement may make the car a little safer in a frontal impact

Seems sensible. When I bought my Spitfire I was telling a wise old workmate about my plans to fit inertia reel seatbelts for safety, when he interrupted to explain that the steering column would harpoon me to death in a front-on collision so seatbelts were neither here nor there. 

[NeilR]

Added a couple more tubes and the steering universals arrived ... the universals themselves are not long enough to get the angularity to where we hoped, so there will be some steering column angle, but less than the original. Now we are just waiting for the pillow bearing - 9/16" was not available locally, so it's coming from the UK. Sadly it may not arrive before I head off to Scotland for a holiday.

 

[NeilR]

I keep looking at those big RHS sills and thinking ... 'hole saw = lightening holes!'.

 

[NeilR]

Latest:

 

[JohnD]

Um!   Hate to point this out, but the engine won't fit over that.     

John

[Nick Jones]

45 minutes ago, JohnD said:

the engine won't fit over that.     

Indeed… but I suspect the engine is being moved back.

Links to the turret will stiffen the front end nicely.

[JohnD]

The engine is - was! - mounted between the turrets.  Through rubber blocks, but still a most rigid mounting!

[NeilR]

Perhaps this picture will provide clarity as to the layout I've been talking about:

[JohnD]

Ah,so!   Yes, engine setback a bit and without it in between, the turrets will need a stiffener.

You've braced it fore-and-aft on the left - is there room for that on the right?

[NeilR]

Yes, but a bit more of a K frame to clear the new steering shaft. There is also structure missing above the gearbox, that will close in the tunnel. As noted previously, we need to be mindful not to make the front and rear too stiff, as we are trying to create a more linear torsional performance.