The Electric S10 build

[d55guy]

Unfortunately the TA axle I got delivered from the COS was full of water and rusty.  The yard was great and refunded my money but I am back in the axle hunt.  I did get the spacesaver spares at Fair Auto in Englewood (nice guys BTW).  They are 4" wide with 2 inches of offset but and even with the stock rear end it's too tight (see attached).  The 2" wider TA axle definitely would not have worked with my wheel well covers.  I have been chatting with Moser and their c-clip eliminator will work with a narrower 2wd 1985 axle I found.  It happens to be at Fair Auto too so I will heading back there again next week.

This weekend is more body work and hopefully getting the motor mounted.

Kerry

[salt27]

Kerry, PM sent.

  Don

[d55guy]

Kerry, PM sent.

  Don

Thanks for the info Don!

I have been under the weather so I didn't get a ton done but I prepped the interior for the cage and working on the body.  I bought a roll pan to fill the void where the rear bumper used to be but unfortunately the Taiwanese part I got fit really poorly.   I also started working on the air dam and the spoiler.

Kerry

[d55guy]

I wish attachments weren't such a pain on the forum....

[d55guy]

Very interesting project you have there..

If you intend to race it in a land-speed-racing event - make sure you have a rulebook and study it very very closely.

Please keep posting pics and updates - that looks like a fascinating project.

Steve.

So taking your advice to heart Steve I was reading the rule book for a second time through and noticed that c-clip eliminators I was trying to make work are specifically prohibited.  I was focused on getting rid of the clips to paying attention on the how.    It's not a problem for the 150mph club or the Colorado mile that I will be racing this year but I want everything I do to be forward compatible for the *real* thing next year.

I will still be doing 2 axles: One that is a s10 4x4 width for on the pavement and the one that is the 2wd width to fit skinnies under the skirts.

Kerry

[d55guy]

First of many motor test fits

[d55guy]

Test fit #2.  I would have a easier time mounting the motors under the cab as there is plenty of room there.  But I am trying to get the motors as far forward as possible as I am worried about CG.  Right now I have 600lbs of batteries over the rear axle and even with the 350lb motor centered on the front axle I will be near 50/50 weight distribution.  For any other vehicles I have built I would be ecstatic about this but I don't know that is a good thing for LSR.

With a brick at these speeds I am worried about getting light on the front.  Having no experience with a truck at these speeds (the fastest I have gone in a car is 160) I am honestly scared about air getting under the the front and sending me airborne.  I can add ballast up front but I am interested to hearing from you guys if I am being overly worried?

Thanks,
Kerry

[d55guy]

I took today off to work on the motor cradle.

You can see my precision sheetmetal brake.

[d55guy]

But I got it all welded and installed

[d55guy]

And I even got my "new" shiva in and installed.  I wired it up temporarily just to verify it was in good working order.  The giggle fit my daughter made when she heard the motor spin up, that alone made it worth all the work.  

I still can't believe I have a Shiva...   1600hp....  I think I will keep it at *only* 800hp for now.  I doubt these poor axles can take it.

I decided to have a shop install my cage so I pulled the Shiva back out to make room.   We are doing a family road trip from Denver to San Diego so the shop can do the dirty work while I am gone.  I usually try to do everything myself but this way the project will keep moving without me.  We leave on Tuesday so there won't be many more updates till July.

Kerry

[Kiwi Paul]

Kerry....Make sure the Shop you have doing the Cage Work is familiar with LSR Rules. There are some fairly major differences between standard Drag Race stuff and what is required to pass Tech at the Salt......

[d55guy]

Kerry....Make sure the Shop you have doing the Cage Work is familiar with LSR Rules. There are some fairly major differences between standard Drag Race stuff and what is required to pass Tech at the Salt......

Thanks for the tip.  I did ask them specifically about it.  I won't know for sure until they actually do it but I will talk with them about it in more detail when I drop it off on Monday,

Kerry

[Peter Jack]

Kerry, a copy of the rulebook and a few sample photos would probably really help. Most shops who normally do drag race or oval track cages are going to feel you're going overboard but the requirements have been developed over the years through a series of unfortunate circumstances which nobody wants repeated.

Pete

[kiwi belly tank]

You might as well be talking in tongues when it comes to electric drives & the Shiva thingy. How about enlightening some fossil fuelers as to where all this horsepower is lurking.
  Sid.

[d55guy]

Sure, i'd be glad to.

I currently have 2 packs from wrecked chevy volts in the back of the truck and room for 2 more. Each one can put out over 400hp:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HYrhykqpyj4

The Shiva is the most powerful EV controller on the planet:

http://www.evnetics.com/evnetics-products/soliton-shiva/

Those two things together mean that I can send up to 1600hp to the motors.   Keeping the motors from melting under those power levels is a challenge though.

Kerry