Spirit of South Dakota Lakester

[Tman]

Some new pictures, our future driver studying,



DIY lakester roll cage kit. We bent the rest of the tubes tonight! All are long with room to trim. Off to the steel shop for 2 more tubes tomorrow!

[Tman]

Getting those tubes fit. Front helmet hoop is almost coped perfectly, hop to tack it tomorrow. This is fun! Note, this is ONLY A MOCKUP! the yardstick-ductape let things shift a bit. We do have the 3" from the helmet to the tube.

[Captthundarr]

Is the yard stick legal? It looks like the tape will pass.

[Tman]

Is the yard stick legal? It looks like the tape will pass.

It is oversize so I THINK I am ok?

Joints are now dressed and tacked so I can fit the other tubes!

[Tman]

Hmm, looking at my goals and sketches of the car things grew upwards. Car is 8" taller than planned. Time for more fitting,adjustment.

[Rex Schimmer]

Tman.
It looks to me that you could bring the roll bar in closer and down closer to the helmet. Look at Jack Costella's cars for a good example of close fitting and low frontal area roll cage. With the divers shoulders pretty much enclosed by the upper rails do you really need the roll bar to be a double bend?

Rex

[Tman]

Tman.
It looks to me that you could bring the roll bar in closer and down closer to the helmet. Look at Jack Costella's cars for a good example of close fitting and low frontal area roll cage. With the divers shoulders pretty much enclosed by the upper rails do you really need the roll bar to be a double bend?

Rex

Yes, that is one option. Working by myself I have to wait until my brother can come out and help. I have many shots of Jacks and others cars spread out on the bench as reference. We can do single bends with the Hossfeld but went with the double to make egress easier. Plus I am still considering the ISP helmet retention foam. Lots of room to work with we just have to fine tune things. Tack welds are your friends!

[Rcktscientist]

Tman, you have the right idea. I know everyone wants the smallest car possible for Aerodynamic drag, but safety comes first. There should be a mandate in the rules for helmet to cage clearance and requirement for Padding such as ISP. The small Aero drag penalty by having a slightly larger and much safer cage is negligible, especially in a Lakester where the tires will be a much larger contributor. With a well designed cockpit enclosure and design from the cockpit back (very important), the slightly larger cage should be insignificant. Just my opinion but I have designed and built fast cars and lost too many friends over the years due to head injuries.

[Tman]

Tman, you have the right idea. I know everyone wants the smallest car possible for Aerodynamic drag, but safety comes first. There should be a mandate in the rules for helmet to cage clearance and requirement for Padding such as ISP. The small Aero drag penalty by having a slightly larger and much safer cage is negligible, especially in a Lakester where the tires will be a much larger contributor. With a well designed cockpit enclosure and design from the cockpit back (very important), the slightly larger cage should be insignificant. Just my opinion but I have designed and built fast cars and lost too many friends over the years due to head injuries.

Reading what John Force had to say when he first tested the ISP stuff is what got me to consider that route. Thanks for your input!

[Elmo Rodge]

If I find there is a problem with the tank in the engine compartment I can fit 5s in the cockpit. I'll aprise you of my findings.  Wayno

Thanks Wayno, I went out back in the "storage" Yard and cut some lengths of PVC the same size as a few of the fire bottles. Looks like we have more room than I thought. Glen, thanks for a great phone conversation! I take what you say serious.

Trent, I spoke with Frank Acosta from Deist at El Mirage on Saturday. He advised against mounting the bottles in the engine compartment because the heat cycling up and down has a tendency to turn the suppressant to fudge. (Not a direct qoute  ) Hope this helps. Wayno

[Tman]

Thanks Wayne, I am looking at Glens idea of using space above our legs. I can fit one in the nose if need be.

[Tman]

More measuring. After these pictures were shot I climbed in in full winter gear, much thicker that a -20 firesuit and still fit well. Top hoop is off for more fitting and time to bend seat formers.





Head back too far, need seat formers and support.



Held head closer to real position, what is that fuzz under my chin? WTF? time to shave!

[Tman]

And my knuckles look like a death grip from the fact I have no real back support! All fun, Carla, my wife shot these pictures and I think it sunk in to her what we are doing. 

[4-barrel Mike]

I'm glad she brought the camera back. 

Mike

[Tman]

I'm glad she brought the camera back. 

Mike

You do know I have a Banger block here for mockup as well?