Helmet or hair dryer . Anyway, waiting to see that all come together and to be raced. I know, that time will come. Should we start betting you against Tim?

 Seppo from Järvenpää, Finland
www.hollowheads.net (just click the hole in the head to proceed)

Seppo, sometimes it takes me a while for concepts to sink in.  It finally dawned on me that your comment about the "helmet" was the hanging light fixture.

I had great plans to use the Y-Block Quick Time bell, but have decided to abandon it for now.  I have a good idea of how to modify it to use a Y-Block flywheel and starter, perhaps next year.   Tim set me up with a T-5 adaption to a stock truck bell.  He also modified the throwout bearing to match up the truck clutch arm with a diaphragm clutch type bearing.  I am using the metal on top of the scatter shield to double the width.  Tech has passed me with the 3" band, but with greater speeds expected, they will want more.

It is such a blessing to have a friend like Tim.  If it wasn't for him I would just be a spectator.

Charlie Burns Laton, Ca (South of Fresno)



BurnsRacing981@gmail.com

The composite leaf would be great, but if I had the time and funds I would use a 4 link with air bags.



Bill, I have a smile on my face right now just thinking about it.


Charlie Burns Laton, Ca (South of Fresno)



BurnsRacing981@gmail.com

Y-Guy Charlie:     I think, with the clamped leaf set-up, you can custom "Tune"

                     by removing or adding clamps. Can't wait to see it finished and

                     the "LOOKS" it's going to get when you lift the hood!!!!

                                               Keep it up,

                                                   Bill

Bill

Pelham,Al

Hi Charlie - nice looking truck. I was thinking about those leaf springs too......In a recent article I saw a "replacement" for a rear leaf spring, a composite. Where the forward portion of the spring was made rigid (a bar from pivot to axle) and only the rear half was a clamped on flexible spring bar attached to the rear shackle. Quarter elliptic spring?

It created a (very) short version of the "truck arm" arrangement used on the NASCAR speedway cars. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Good progress Charlie! Is that "round one" your new helmet at the door opening?

Is air suspension allowed at Bonneville? That would make the ride smooth and you could choose the ground clearance at seconds. Juha Kankkkunen went over 300 km/h on the ice this spring and he drove a Bentley with stock air suspension.

 Seppo from Järvenpää, Finland
www.hollowheads.net (just click the hole in the head to proceed)

With the firewall finished, it is off to the paint shop with the cab.  All other parts to the truck are painted.

Charlie Burns Laton, Ca (South of Fresno)



BurnsRacing981@gmail.com

Doug, thanks for the comment.  Panhard technology is very comprehensive and specific to dirt or asphalt.  I lay no claim to knowledge of circle track suspension setups, but I've tried to follow the dirt track applications.

First off, utilizing a panhard bar with leaf springs is very uncommon in closed course race cars.  But, here I am trying to fuse everything together for a system that suites me.  Dirt cars usually have center mounted panhard bars with a 20" minimum length (mine is 21") to affect the roll equally left and right.  Attaching the panhard bar to either end of the axle affects the roll mostly in the direction of attachment.  Next the axle mount being lower than the frame mount lowers the roll center keeping it to a 2" maximum difference (mine is 1 1/2").  The effects of all this is minimized due to the fact that I will only have about 1" of suspension travel.

Having said all that, most people say that it takes lots of trial and error to fine tune the panhard bar setup, and that's too bad because all I can do is hope that the first trial is not an error.

(Now I need to get up to speed with anti-sway bar setups)

Charlie Burns Laton, Ca (South of Fresno)



BurnsRacing981@gmail.com

Hi Charlie

Great progress on the truck, you guys rock out there! 

I was a little surprised by the location of the axle joint for the Panhard rod.  I thought as a general rule Panhard rods should be as long as possible, the ends on the axle and frame should be at the same elevation, that is, the 'rod' should be horiizontal and the height of the rod determines the rear roll center.  I am not sayin' what you have wont do what you need, just wondering if that is accepted practice for LSR vehicles. 

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.

Thanks Charlie, you nailed it, when you live on the farm, you use what you got.

Here are the donors.

Charlie Burns Laton, Ca (South of Fresno)



BurnsRacing981@gmail.com