Cosworth YB Turbo Into Elan

[stevebroad]

Exhaust box, what exhaust box?

Nowhere near finished, a lot of sanding and blending in still to do, but the basic shape is there. Before you ask, the weight of the fibreglass removed from behind the carbon end caps weighs more than the caps by approx 300gms, so adding parts whilst adding lightness, a win-win

[stevebroad]

Engine bay nitrous setup now complete. Replaced NOS solenoid with a WON pulsoid, saving 155gms as a bonus. Pipe lengths are equal.

Next task is to route nylon pipe to tank in boot.

[stevebroad]

Selfie alert! I am pouting and my free hand is making a gesture (as you have to, apparently) but, unfortunately, you can't see them

[stevebroad]

I HATE body prep! Spent a hour or so sanding the grill and splitter area. All looked pretty good until I sprayed it and all the imperfections leapt out at me.

[stevebroad]

[pauljones]

Steve

Your now obviously making an LMP by stealth.
Considered a full Carbon body?

[stevebroad]

Steve

Your now obviously making an LMP by stealth.
Considered a full Carbon body?

Damn, rumbled

That was the plan a few years ago, but my carbon man has health issues so the plan was cancelled. However, as I have become better with the stuff I have slowly replaced many panels with carbon:

Roof
Floors
Boot floor
Rear wheel tubs
Boot lid
Rear lamp panel
Rear firewall
Front bulkhead
All interior panels including dash and footwells
Centre console.
Bonnet

I also replaced passenger door skin but am now attempting to make carbon doors. Standard door weighs in at around 5.8Kg. My carbon version should be less than 1Kg.

[nmauduit]

I also replaced passenger door skin but am now attempting to make carbon doors. Standard door weighs in at around 5.8Kg. My carbon version should be less than 1Kg.

awesome ! please keep posting...

[stevebroad]

I had planned to make a complete CF body a few years ago. Well, I say me, but it would have been done by Nick of Carbon Weezel fame. However, work and health issues scuppered this idea.

I had bought the carbon to make the body and this was lying around doing nothing, so I decided to make a few things; Hardtop, door skins. I then got into vacuum bagging and made new floors. After that it was a slippery slope

The front end is heavy so I have been thinking about making a CF one for a while. I looked into infusion, and even bought the materials and gear to do it.

Then I discovered prepreg and I am now hooked on this stuff. It is clean to work with and there is no rush, once the prepreg has thawed and you have cut your panels out and refrozen the unused prepreg, you have around 3 weeks before it goes off

So I decided to make a flip front. Lots of research and ear bending of Warren at Easy Composites and I am ready to go. My son, Alex, works for a racing car builder who has a contact at a prepreg carbon company so I get a good price - ?31/m2 for 210gm and ?38/m2 for 450gm. The bonnet will use around 3.5m2 of each (one layer of each) so around ?210.

I have built an oven big enough to take the front clip. I now just have to prepare the front by blending in the bonnet.

Bonnet held in place using a glue gun as it is quite floppy so had to be persuaded to line up with the wings. Rough filling done and a quick spray shows up the defects to be dealt with.

My son saw the wing vents for the first time today. His immediate thought was that there are too many vents. We discussed it for a while and settled on 5 which I think looks better.

[elanfan1]

I don't suppose you will ever be 'properly' finished but how long before you have the car in a useable state?

[stevebroad]

I don't suppose you will ever be 'properly' finished but how long before you have the car in a useable state?

Correct. Car is due to go in to have wiring fitted in March. Then it is all hands (one pair) to the pump to prepare for first fireup. Once that hurdle is cleared it is 'just' a matter of bolting everything down and getting some wheels and tyres.

Although everything will be fitted there will still be a lot of detailed work required to make it presentable.

[pauljones]

Steve

I cant wait to hear that beast, you gotta do a youtube link or post a video at least.

There was a plus2 with a flip front a while ago running a Rover v8 if i remember. Looked fantastic. And tons of access. Jyst tried looking for a link but couldnt find it.

[stevebroad]

I will do a video of the day, good or bad

Here's the link

lotus-twincam-f39/topic-t27803.html

[pauljones]

Thats the badger. Shes sweet looking. Thanks for the link.

[stevebroad]

Working out where to make the mould joints. Mould will be made up of four sections; front valance, bonnet and two wings.