My welder started acting funny after I ran out of wire and replaced a small spool with a large one. The wire was a different brand and I think it was off by +/- .001". It took a while to re-adjust everything but I remember the main issue was that the wire would turn into a flame as soon as I started welding!

I finally finished reading this build. Thanks Kevin.I learned a few things that I know will help me in the future. 2 quick examples are: Use a knotted wire wheel to get the sealer off and do not let sparks hit the glass. I do not think I am gonna go in as deep as you did with yours, probably end up there. Everyone knows how that goes. Keep up the good work. I can't wait to see some videos.

Thanks Rocky. The cage is almost done. We're pretty much down to gussets, the window support (FIA) bars and fabbing the seat mount (and I have to patch the firewall and remount the clutch master cylinder. The previous owner [2 owners ago] did the 6 speed conversion drilled a bunch of holes for the master cylinder in the wrong place and "patched" them with duct tape). Then I hope to get the interior painted, install the starter and ignition and wire it all up. We'll see how that goes... I have been lazy about posting pics lately, but I have a few more to post soon. If I can save someone some time, money or effort by learning from my mistakes, then it was worth it to document this whole process. I've learned a lot of things I'd do different. I told Bill (Racerdad916) just last night that "I'd love to start over and build another one now, we could do so many things better, prettier, and more efficiently. I'd love to apply what we've learned and start with another shell and a tubing bender". But I figure I'll save those lessons for the next car...there's always a next car (eventually).

And I have to credit Alan Blaine and Mitchntx/GlennCMC70 for the knotted wire wheel trick (and too many other tips/tricks to count).

I forgot one question I had regarding your cage install. You said you cut holes to drop the bars through so you could do the weld properly.Are you welding the metal back in or just covering it with the plates? If you cannot answer the next one then hopefully one of the NASA guys can, is either way ok or does it need to be done a different way for NASA and CMC?

You pull the cage back up through the holes and set it on the floor plates. Then you weld in the floor plates and weld the cage to the plates. You don't have to patch the hole, though you might consider welding the sheet metal to the bottom of the floor plate (at least a couple stitch welds). That's pretty standard for doing a cage for any sanctioning body (as far as I know, maybe Alan will drop in here and add more on that).

Make the holes only as large as necessary to get the tubes thru - typ 2" dia. Make sure the plates cover the holes with a generous margin, and weld the plates all round. The edges of the holes can be welded to the bottom of the plates if there is access, but it isn't mandatory. The strength of the cage plates comes from their design, not the integrity of the pan sheet metal. Wrap the plates up onto the vertical sill, and tie the cage tubes to the vertical section as well as the base, and the hole in the pan will not be significant structurally.

This is the clause in CMC rules that allows holes to be drilled for safety equipment:

7.8.8 snip
Other than to provide for the installation of required safety equipment or other authorized modifications, no other driver/passenger compartment alterations or gutting is permitted.

The diagonal and harness bars are in and the inverted V, dash bar and strut tower bars are final welded as well. We're down to fitting the seat, the foot well bars, bars from the main hoop (at the floor) the the rear shock mount, a second bar parallel with the harness bar for extra strength and the gussets.

Closer... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Thanks Alan for the answer. I did not know thats what that section meant. So far since I have been reading this thread I have learned something new everyday.

I put the stock seat back in to take measurements for the seating position for the race seat and I fabricated the drivers side footwell bars. I spoke to Alan and he suggested running the upper bar to the intersection between the top bar and the dash bar, but there's no way to get the tube in there without notching the metal in the dash (and to get a welder in there with it was going to require lots of cutting). So I'm not thrilled with the location, but I still think it's better than a single tube running to the footwell, so that's what I did. It's going to make it tight for placement of my left foot when it's not on the clutch, but I'll find a way to work with it.

I started on the seat mounts last night and have lots of fitting to do (I have to re-cut the first bar). And, I swapped out hole saws on my tubing notcher. I got in a hurry, grabbed the handle of my Milwaukee 1/2" (8 amp) drill and popped the hole saw loose. I knew not to do that, but I was tired and figured I'd get away with it just once. I didn't. I bent the output shaft and/or the chuck of the drill. The output shaft is $20.70 from Milwaukee, the chuck is $74.75. A new drill has gone back up to $140-ish (I paid $99 on special) and I don't know exactly what is bent. I guess I see a new drill in my future and this one is likely to land in the parts bin. Damn. I've done more out of character stuff on this project between fires and broken tools... Anyway, don't do what I did. This is a public service announcement. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Edit:

After seeing the price increase, I wound up taking the drill to a local Milwaukee service center for an estimate. We'll see what happens from there. I'll fix this one, or have them order me a new one.

Ok, we made some progress on the seat mounts. Tomorrow I'm going to section the rear factory seat brace and put a section of 1 x 2" steel in there to give me a flat surface to sit the seat on and bolt it down. I'm going to fully weld it to the flange from the factory floor bracket and stitch weld that to the floor. It will be plenty strong. The front required a spacer, that's how the 1" square stock got on there (the lower bar is fully welded, the upper bar is stitch welded and will have the seat bolts running through it and out of the bottom of the 1 x 2" bar). I tried to mount my seat as low as Dave Algozines (based on Alan's pics) and it was just too low in the front. So, I think this should fix me up at the expense of an extra 2 lbs of steel (it's plenty strong). It's welded to a floor plate on both ends and the outboard end is notched and welded to the bottom door bar. I guess overkill is still what we do best.

The final cage bars are all cut and most of them are welded in place. Some aren't tacked, but I have the gussets from the main hoop to the harness bar laying in the car (cut and fitted), one of the rear bars from the floor at the main hoop to the backstays is fitted and laying there, the other is welded. Some of the bars need finish welded, but it's all there (or cut and fitted and ready to go once we clean things up and weld). Here's some quick photos I took once I finished up tonight.

The front window corner gussets line up better with the FIA bars (from the top of the front vertical row of door bars to the A pillar bar) than they look from that angle. I actually walked around the car and looked at it after shooting that picture).

Tomorrow we finish weld (and mount the seatbelt brackets and seat), then we assemble and wire.

And I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but I wanted to take another moment to thank Alan Blaine and Blaine Fabrications for all the assistance, guidance and putting up with the late night phone calls. Thanks!!!

Sounds like you'll have it finished by the time I arrive! Congrats on the progress.

congrats on the progress Kevin. It's really coming along great. what color are you going to paint the inside?

Well, no welding was accomplished last night, but it's not that much left to do. So, I got the dash sorted and am ready to fab up the mounts and start wiring.



The interior is likely to wind up grey, like the roof and part of the cage that we already sprayed. I think it's going to get painted after NFME. I can't give up the time for the paint to dry right now.

First, the local Milwaukee repair shop fixed my evil 1/2" drill under warranty. They replaced the chuck and called me to come get it. Price=Free...Time=1 Week.

Ok, the MSD starter is in. The coil is mounted. The Techrods wiring harness is partially in place (the part of the harness that fits, I'll extend the wires tomorrow and I hope to have the rest of it wired up as soon as I make it fit). The cage is final welded and everything is there (except the upper gusset from the main hoop to the halo bar since I'm not sure how I want to do that yet). The seat is mounted to the floor and the seat brackets have been tig welded together (they were too hot to touch, so they are still on my bench). We're going to finish the seat brackets, paint the interior and get back to wiring as soon as the paint dries. I have lots of work to do, and a few days off to do it. We'll see what happens.

And I need to thank Bill (92Voodoo) for spending the evening fitting/shimming a starter (and clearancing an oil pan so it would fit), changing oil and helping with the seat mounts while I welded up brackets. That starter was a frustrating, tiring and messy job and I owe you several beers (and probably another dinner). Thanks!!!

Ok, the interior is painted, MSD is mounted, the ECM is on "shock mounts" and will be mounted as soon as I get the wires inside from the wiring harness. We fixed some of the harness issues tonight and will fix the rest tomorrow. The Techrods harness just isn't "right" and there are a few leads that are impossibly short. That should be sorted asap. The bracket for the accusump is done and the bracket for all the relays, etc is done (I just need some hardware to bolt things down) and the battery box is mounted. Also, the car is back on the ground. I haven't seen the thing sitting down in so long, I thought it was supposed to be 6 feet tall.We'll put in another full day tomorrow and see if it's running by tomorrow night. I'm off to bed, here's the pics.

here is what it looks like on the ground in case anyone forgot....

(IMG:http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w178/1meanz/OVR%20autox%20pics/kevinfast2.jpg)

(IMG:http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w178/1meanz/OVR%20autox%20pics/kevinfast.jpg)

Good Job-Kevin
Can I drive your car at NFME (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/happy.gif)
See ya there.

Heck, I hope I can drive my car at NFME. Off to the garage!