Pete's ADR Sport 1

[biscuit]

Thanks for all the info chaps. Please keep sharing!

[biscuit]

On orders from the team manger, I started work on the seat and rollover bar over the bank holiday. She's impressed, but I'm not quite sure. What do you think?


In other news, I've also mounted the crashbox which locates the nose, and allows me to position the sidepods, so I can measure up for the subfloor. As you can see from the photo, I really need to widen the garage, but not sure the neighbours would appreciate it.



If you want to see the tedious detail, I have started a blog here: http://adr750f.blogspot.com/. I'm hoping the huge volume of traffic will generate significant revenue from Google's adverts, funding the build of the car. This may not be entirely realistic!

[biscuit]

I was expecting a remark on agricultural engineering, but maybe that was too easy?

Anyway, quick update on progress to date. I have had the chassis modified to have the bracing for the rollover bar to the front, to allow me to use the rear bodywork without cutting great big holes in it. The nice folks at ADR also welded in some proper mounts for eyelets for the harness, some extra bracing on the rear of the chassis and some tabs for support to the floor.



I rivnutted the chassis floor, then attached the ali subfloors. As can be seen below, the sidepods sit on the subfloor, then the centre section sits on top of it. The front and rear sections then clip into it.



I am concerned that I make this whole thing strong enough, as it needs to support the weight of all the bodywork and any aerodynamic forces generated. I have some bracing to the rear, but nothing to the front yet. Any suggestions of how much bracing I might need, and how strong it needs to be? Best way to attach to the chassis? Here is the bracing to the rear:



And lastly, a pic with the bodywork sat in place:

[biscuit]

Bit of clarification here, the centre section should be supported by the chassis, and the sidepods hang off that. So I need to build up a frame to support that I guess.

[biscuit]

Progress - of sorts! I should be moving into a new garage this weekend, so I can work on the car again. I've also got a tow car now, or at least I will have when I can sell the Mini, which needs a new rear bumper after being rear ended whilst sat on the M25

[pbove]

Pete,

Good news, I was wondering how you were getting on. I expect to see lots of progress now!

P

[Ian Allen]

Speaking from experience of racing my ADR 1 you will need to brace the bodywork on the side pods extensively, I ran a brace at the front just behind the front wheels and a further brace just before the drivers bulkhead, another brace at the back of the side pod before the back wheel, If you don't the bodywork will flop and drag along the floor as soon as you start racing, promoting very outwardly leaning scrutineers and black and orange flags wondering what all the noise is about. Also if you don't brace it your chassis may be of a legal ground clearance but after the race the side pods will fail the push a lump of 40mm steel under test. I don't know how your front clamshell is supported but the origional ADR support was pathetic, so this had an extended brace fitted and pins for it to slide onto. This was also strong enough to support a tow eye.

Ian

[Ian Allen]

" ADR never knowingly over engineered"

[will]

" ADR never knowingly over engineered"

Carroll Smith had some choice words to say about the UK race car manufacturers and their inability to build a car properly, so obviously some things never change. I used to work for March building Indy car gearboxes and every now and then we'd get to meet one of the crew chiefs, and I naively asked one of them "Do you have to do much when the new car arrives?" "Sure we do" he retorted, "We take them completely apart and rebuild them properly - these things wouldn't run a lap without something falling off" .....there was an embarassed pause while I thought about the thousands of hours spent lovingly putting them together so badly. Still, they were cheap.

Good points there though Ian. I struggled to think of a way to fix my side pods so that they added stiffness to the chassis - no point in them just looking pretty / ugly - (delete as applicable.)

Sitting them on the undertray is not right but neither is hanging them from the body, so the fixing must be bullet proof.

Will

[pbove]

" ADR never knowingly over engineered"

Actually, in my view, much of the engineering on the ADR is very nice... and didn't Tom Sadler make extensive changes to your sidepods??

I do agree however, that you need to consider more than just the chassis when thinking about ride heights..

P