Springfield Flyer.

[tauruck]

The last flat panel is out of the mould.
6 in all. Honeycomb sandwich. I tried to make them as heavy as possible.
4 layers per side and although they're pretty flat I wanted some meat on them for the body shop guys.

I also made a bunch of profiles off the back part of the nose so the cockpit deck and engine cover surround have a symmetrical profile.
Nothing's perfect but I gave it my best.

[tauruck]

I set the profiles up and screwed in some 38mm square pine to hold stuff together.
This jig serves as a vacuum bag cradle for when I put in the honeycomb and inner panel.
Two halves get spliced along the centre line and a layer of peel ply so when it cures I don't have to sand.

Nearly there guys.

[tauruck]

The nose is the mould and also the final product.
Too flimsy to remove from the plug so I beefed it up and added a flange all the way around for vacuum bag tape.
When cured I'll get the plug out, flip the nose upside down and add honeycomb and more fabric.

[tauruck]

Nose is on the chassis and it fits.
There were only a few dimensions I started out with.
Width, height and length. The plug was a Polystyrene box with ribs so it never went on the chassis.
It fits perfectly and once the inside gets the honeycomb and finishing layers I can cut off the lip.

Only now has it dawned on me how really long this liner is.
4 more panels in 3 days. I'll give it a go but I came close.

After Christmas we can take a few days to clean my pig stye.

[tauruck]

Stitching bits together.
Weird stuff. The nose was built off a plug that never went on the chassis.
No gap between mating surface with side panels.

Getting the profile around the engine cover isn't easy using 2D parts but it's a big puzzle with small pieces.
I did use peel ply on both sides of every panel for 2 reasons. One to be able to join/bond parts without sanding and
two, to give the painter a good key to work off.

Looks like I'll miss my Christmas Eve deadline of having all the panels made. I'm 4 short but it's still a monster achievement.
Divine Intervention.✝🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[kiwi belly tank]

Nah, you suck M8! aktion086 Merry Christmas.
  Sid.

[tauruck]

I know I do.
God Bless you Sid.
A Merry Christmas to you my Kiwi mate.

[tauruck]

Some scale for you guys.

I'm a tall 5'7" so do the Math.
Tom said "turn everything you know about motorsports on its head and build heavy".
I'm good at light weight.
I never used Gelcoat. I used MS Primer on all parts to be painted and a complete Pro Mod body weighed as much as Willie Shoemaker!!!!. No joke.

I've used more Epoxy and fancy stuff on this nose than on 5 cars and it's STRONG but I can still carry it.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I thought heavy would be easy!!!!!.

[tauruck]

I'm going in a new direction as far as my powerplant is concerned.
The 351 Cleveland won't cut the mustard so I'm looking at the Coyote motor.
Dynoroom, you were 100% right man. Thank you.

I prayed and I know what needs to be done.🙏🏻✝

[tauruck]

The nose flange has been trimmed.
Moving it to the chassis for mockup required a canoe thing.
No one here to help so I make a plan.

Release agent washed off the floor tray. Ready to fit with the nose for mounting flanges and cut out the tyre holes.

[SPARKY]

Well you have just over a month before valentines day  but you sure look like you are going to have a nice present for yourself and us

[desotoman]

I'm going in a new direction as far as my powerplant is concerned.
The 351 Cleveland won't cut the mustard so I'm looking at the Coyote motor.

Just curious, will you use the Cleveland motor for shake down runs, while gathering parts for a Coyote motor? How complete is your Cleveland motor? I thought I read about it quite a few years ago on this diary, and thought it was complete except for a intake manifold you were going to make. I could be wrong, just my memory.

Thanks,

Tom G.

[tauruck]

Well you have just over a month before valentines day  but you sure look like you are going to have a nice present for yourself and us

Nothing like that at all Sparky.
The little woman is getting on a flight to Glasgow on the 14th to go see her daughter.
I prayed about the Coyote  deal and I'm sleeping like a puppy. Not a worry in the world.
It will come. Watch Divine Intervention!.🙏🏻✝

300 is a huge number and I don't think a 50 year old pushrod iron block is up to it.
The only double overhead cam motor I ever built ran like stink and 9 grand was a joke.
The guy I sold it to used to call daily to thank me. 

[tauruck]

I'm going in a new direction as far as my powerplant is concerned.
The 351 Cleveland won't cut the mustard so I'm looking at the Coyote motor.

Just curious, will you use the Cleveland motor for shake down runs, while gathering parts for a Coyote motor? How complete is your Cleveland motor? I thought I read about it quite a few years ago on this diary, and thought it was complete except for a intake manifold you were going to make. I could be wrong, just my memory.

Thanks,

Tom G.

Tom, I have 2 motors, both iron blocks and a bunch of awesome parts for one and Podunk did CNC machine the runners for the manifold. It's set up on the jig for welding but as I just wrote the blocks are 50 years old and common sense says they won't handle the RPM I'll need. South Africans aren't V8 guys in general and of the few that are the Cleveland is more of a restomod motor. They wouldn't want to buy all the good parts I've collected. Prayer is the breakfast of champions so I prayed and something will come.

[tauruck]

Tom Burkland is my mentor and we've come to the conclusion that the only way this project succeeds is to build the liner to where it looks complete.
Body painted and on rubber.

In the US car guys will immediately recognize a long car. In South Africa no one has ever seen one. Mine is the first and showing a chassis with some parts to potential sponsors is a game breaker.
I've done this and they just don't see the finished product. The unique situation is that I can get financial backing here based on showing a "complete" car. In the US finding backing for LSR would be way more difficult.

The big companies here will jump all over this when they see the liner on the floor. I have sponsors with contacts but they need visual stimulation. The push is on to get the body, canopy and wheels all done.

I'll get lucky. I know it.