WEEK FIVE

Monday, 16th December

By Friday afternoon the rear axle is in and located.

Now, she's an ERF on two MAN axles. Suspension ride height comes next.

We load 2 x pallets of freight weighing two and a half tons, on the top of the chassis where the engine and gearbox will go, to see the change in ride height, and check axle/chassis clearances. We measure, and have 6" movement at the rear, before the rear springs bottom, on the axle, but at least 14" at the front, when she is loaded up by two and a half tons.

I wanted to lower the front down more, but this will be dictated by the rear, which only has 6" of movement, and the chassis rails have to be level (front-to-back) for Racing. High at the back creates too much weight transfer to the front brakes and tyres when braking, and causes understeer when cornering. Low at the back creates not enough weight transfer to the front brakes, causing overheating of rear brakes and tyres, and oversteer when cornering. Got to be 'spot on' front to back by a spirit level's bubble. So -

Problem 1)
The front suspension cannot be lowered as much as we had foreseen. The measurements can only now be calculated to lower the cab on the chassis to get the bottom of the cab as low to the front tyres as is possible, without touching the cab wings in Race conditions.

Problem 2)
The cab will have to be lowered twice as much as had been foreseen and the steering box mountings form part of one of the cab mounts.

Problem 3)
I did not want to lower the steering box mounting position, in fear of unsettling our steering geometry.

Problem 4)
The cab interior roll over bar needs to pass through the bottom of the cab in at least two points, to fix to the chassis. So we cannot calculate the distances. to manufacture roll bar, as has to be a pair of one-piece loops, until lowered, the cab mountings, steering box carrier, leaving room for the radiator under the cab that cannot be lower than the bottom of the front axle beam, or, higher than the thermostat housing on the engine.

So - on Week 5, Major problems, and the design build plan goes out of the window! Time to re-think it through, to get it right first time!

While we were thinking, I've given Ben permission to start disabling my faithful Volvo White, for its engine gearbox and mountings. So we take her off the transporter, for the first time, where she's been sat patiently since 11th November.

She starts first turn of the key, and a tear came into my eye as Ben drove her past my office window on the way to the workshop for open-heart surgery!

End of week five. It's Christmas and 15 weeks to completion date, and we're delayed with 4 major problems.

I MUST be ready on time now though, as I will not have the Volvo White to contest Rounds 1&2 at Pembrey in April. As she will be without her engine and gearbox, and I can't win like that! I hope we will make better progress in the New Year, because now I'm starting to worry it won't be ready in time!

So much more to do!!

Such little time!!

Week Six is Christmas week so nothing done that week!!!