L/w Strengthening

[Guest gdc]

thought i would set the record straight re cost of build of the mk2.

 

total invoices sent to insurance co for build costs are £9866.89.

there are some other costs that i dont have invoices for but i would think they would be another£700 to £1000.

some of you are going to think im nuts ,thats a maybe.

but to achieve a new plate you have to fit new bits,

and to recondition a 30 year old engine to as new standards costs big money cos you need an invoice for the work.

yes you can build for a lot less i did with the 2b ,that stands me in about £3600 with a full hood.

but to sort it out is going to add to this somewhat.

just rambling but i would be interested to here of other builders build costs .

by the way this only started as a hobby ?

 

regards graham

[Guest ScotMac]

I don't think your crazy Graham (well, maybe only a little)...i spent $1400 on front uprights/brake/hubs, $1000 on Throttle bodies/trumpets, $1000 on ECU, $650 on just FRONT shocks (dampers), $500 on a diff, and probably atleast $500 on *extra* aluminum....so far!!! You have to be insane to build a l/w (any hood?)!

 

As i mentioned, i am up-to about $12000, total.

[E.Hunt]

upto £2500 including donor & kit but not including all the extra tools I needed and thought I had

 

Still along way to go and spending put on hold till the xmas bills are sorted.

[Guest gdc]

hi colin

 

hows it going, build? life?

do we need to get pi ed again and sort the world out?

is there any info i can help with?

 

regards graham

[Guest gdc]

scott

 

have you ever concidered a holiday in the uk ?

 

if you do let me know and we can sort out some things to do ,

myself and the good lady would be happy to provide accomodation and poss a run in the mk2.

you know you want to!!!!!!!!!!!

 

im sure a lot of the uk builders would like to meet you and exchange ideas,

i think the $ to£ exchange wont worry you as you obviously have money to burn building a lightweight,

in case the humour dosent travel well over the pond please accept my appologies>

but the offer stands and if your ever in our neighbourHOOD.please give me a call.

YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO COLLECT SOME BITS AND BOBS FROM GBS.

 

best regards graham

[Guest ScotMac]

Thanks Graham, i would love to spend some more time in the UK. The last time i was there, it was drizzly december, and i had no time to do much of anything (extremely rushed pick up of rh l/w). And it would be great to drive the l/w mk II...give me some more incentive to finish mine. Maybe combine it w/ some type of track day, or car show.

 

Cheers, -Scot

[Guest gdc]

hi

 

just thought i would add that the mk2 is hopefully going on the rolling road this week to set up the new 45s and new dissy,

the guys doing the set up are good but very busy , the car has been there for 10 days now ,

sent them some new jets last week got them from burtons £107 plus the 34mm chokes .

we ought to set up a way of exchanging the jets between us to keep the costs down .

but with a lot of injection stuff out there i spose that i am old school.

let you now the results from the set up at a later date .

there are aspects of the additional streangthening required to achive sva for the lightweight that have not been fully discused .i intend to submit a full explination backed up by photos of the mk2,

when time allows and if the other members require them

 

regards graham

[Guest Ad_W2001]

this may sound like a lot, but has anyone put together a definitive list of the major areas to bulk up, and by what is the best method? its really scaring me that i've progressed too far and now i'm gonna have to undo a lot of work to put things right.

[Guest ScotMac]

Yep, you really need to think about it as you go along. This thread covers most of the issues, but to summarize, here are the main areas (cripped from my reply to this question last week ;-):

 

1. Diff box

2. Boxed suspension cross members: both front and rear

3. Engine bay: both sides and nose areas

4. Chassis sides - close off the chassis side folded over section w/ boxed aluminum

5. Roll-over-bar and seat-back: reinforce underneath (in diff area) w/ thick flat panels

 

 

I have also added angled aluminum (usually 1/8") to many of the angled sections:

- entire length of diff box bottom

- on top of rear suspension boxed cross members (at the diff box, both inside and out for top boxed members)

- floor pan area: replaced rh angled ally w/ 1/8"; also added *two* 3/16" flat panels to the main cockpit floor area

 

All of my strengthening is via 6061-t6 aluminum and automotive strength glue.

[Guest ScotMac]

And yes, since you essentially start w/ the diff box, you really need to be careful. As i said in this thread, i added 3/16" flat panels to both sides of the diff box, and added 1/8" angled ali to all the "diff box to boxed susp member" spots, including one on the inside *and* outside of the top susp boxes. ie, for the 2 rear top suspension boxes, at the diff box sides, i have (outside to inside) one 1/8" angled ali, the rh outside angled ali (1/16"), a 3/16" flat panel, the RH 1/16" diff box side, and finally another 1/8" angled piece. So, that would be 9/16" of ali on the diff box side!!! ;-)

[Guest ScotMac]

Here are some photos of how i did the diff area:

 

note, ignore my stupidy, and run the 3/16" all the way to the top of the side of the diff box. I had to add a spacer later, to extend it.

note2, i had to do a bit of filing to fit the bottom diff mounting bolt, since it fouled the bottom angled section a bit.

 

http://flickr.com/photos/7235304@N07/51276...57600048842494/

 

http://flickr.com/photos/7235304@N07/51276...57600048842494/

 

http://flickr.com/photos/7235304@N07/51276...57600048842494/

 

http://flickr.com/photos/7235304@N07/51279...57600048842494/

 

http://flickr.com/photos/7235304@N07/51279...57600048842494/

 

http://flickr.com/photos/7235304@N07/51276...57600048842494/

 

http://flickr.com/photos/7235304@N07/51276...57600048842494/

[Guest Ad_W2001]

Thanks very much for that fast response ScotMac, unfortunately im up to this stage of the build where the wishbones etc are already in place with driveshafts and rear brakes, front hubs and steering rack installed! i feel the need for a strong drink........... well its all a learning curve, even if it curves downhill and backwards! would a shed load of aluminium angle do the job, or are big fat plates the way forward?

[Guest ScotMac]

Adam, sorry. I had this thread here forever, but i guess i shouldve posted the photos sooner...in order to get the point across. Wouldn'tve helped for you though, since you just now found the site, right? Oh well.

 

Anyway, you have now enterred Graham's (GDC) realm. ie, he did the retrofiting, vs. the upfront strengthening that i did. Yes, i believe Graham did a bunch of angled pieces on the outside for the diff, among other things. Ask him for the details, he seems to be happy to supply them.

 

Also, even the retrofitting should be well bonded. As i have mentioned, i use Fusor, which is meant for auto body panel repairs. A similarly strong multi-part metal adhesive is the way to go.

 

Sorry about the bad news, but better now than at SVA.

 

-Scot

[Guest Ad_W2001]

thanks again scotmac. I have been through the whole thread, but when you read things about parts you worked on last year, things are blurry to say the least. I'll just have to assess the whole situation when i get the chance, and see what can be done.

[Guest gdc]

hi adam

 

re the mods they are do able without a complete strip and start again.

however the more you remove the easier the job as a whole is.

 

if you fancy a trip to sunny dunstable i have the second lightweight well under construction and with most of the mods done, may be easier to see the mods first hand than try to get your head round the pictures

i have pmd you my phone no ,

we have a long weekend here and i am working on the car all weekend.

 

regards graham