What we heard at Bonneville:

These are Greg's notes from Bonneville 2003

Body

  • Register as later hawk and then we can use rear deck
  • No door lock. Simplify opener
  • Hood hold-down should be well anchored
  • Bear claw latches recommended, but all studes used stock
  • Hood cable should be easy and straight
  • Maybe we can have vent behind window like Joe
  • Maybe perforate trunk surround and out 2nd exhaust pipe thru air amp
  • Wheels/disks outboard to fill well

    Windows

  • Lexan on outside
  • Vents Perko brand
  • Number and letter plate with wing nuts

    Brakes

  • Many run rears only
  • Jim Lang runs both: front disks from hawk
  • Stop quicker in a fire, can be set up for minimum drag

    Tires/Wheels

  • Metal valve stems and caps
  • Space saver rims are 4.5"
  • Check with Fred, is front runner really the Bonneville type?
  • Joe uses 65# pressure and welded stude rims
  • #787 has 26" back and 26" x 4.5 front
  • Barlow says new rims

    Weight distribution/ballast

  • 787 51% front 49% rear caster 9+ 4210# loaded
  • Hart make it light
  • Joe 3200# 300# in trunk
  • Bruce Geisler 5500-6000# Go heavy 1500# in trunk, h2o tank, fuel in front
  • Stay in front of rear axle get some low

    Springs/shocks

  • Geisler Ford coil-overs fit in front
  • ½" to snubber
  • 50/50 shock
  • he doesn't remember any bump steer problems

    Roll Bars / mountings

  • Watch steering wheel inside roll-bar plane
  • Old Stude make front loop of drivers cage far enough back-behind rear edge of door opening. This will make entry/exit easier.

    Seat/headrest

  • Seatback should be braced well up to neck/back of head

    Fuel tank/Line/pump

  • Should need only 4-5 gallon for 4-5 passes
  • Fuel line must be protected as it passes flywheel
  • Tank up front means shorter lines, easier access and protection from clutch.

    Water tank/ Radiator

  • No consensus

    Turbo

  • We know as much or more than many out there racing. No blowthru was seen.

    Intake design

  • Largely primitive designs
  • Ask Kennedy about a "bump" in the hood for the carb/turbo
  • If turbo'd, can we use an air-scoop?

    Exhaust

  • Keep it short and up front. Could go "lakes" and adjust length

    Paint

  • Paint everything! Salt works fast! FAST!

    Wiring

  • Bloomberg crimps only
  • Route thru clean holes with rubber surround
  • If we "solenoid" parachute, then double team it with parallel systems to actuator lever with 2nd "hotwire" switch for chute.
  • Tommy Cox has bank of switches in a row to stop guessing: front to back fuel pump-battery-Ignition forward is off
  • Wiring diagram on fenderwell, in cab and in trunk

    Harnesses

  • Full net over door opening, good welds!
  • Toe pull to pull accelerator

    Clothing

  • Nothing outside of the rules

    Battery

  • Remote battery hookup external, plug in to charge
  • In a box, they can blow up.
  • Many running dry cells
  • Some ignition set-ups need alternator (msd) but many run total loss with umbilical cord for starting.
  • (consensus on mailing list is to use alt of possible since the difference would be tenths of mph)

    Gauges/ controls

  • Hood release accessible
  • Old stud running vcr
  • Many keep gauges to minimum
  • Speedo might be nice (qualifying runs etc.)
  • Tack oil pressure, h2o temp, boost, A/F ? EGT fuel pressure on engine
  • Pull knobs for hood release, fuel shut-off, parachute
  • Place controls in "shut down " sequence:
    1) Standard Ign-fuel pump-bat-chute
    2) Emergency fire-chute-fuel-bat
  • could have lever to shut off both fuel and battery at once

    Drive shaft

  • Nothing

    Clutch/scattershield

  • Consider aluminum flywheel

    Transmission

  • Our choice of tough 3 speed is considered a good idea. #40 with turbo 350 and turbocharger blew up immediately. Towing automatic (common sight) is going to bite you sooner or later.

    Rear end

  • Use a breather
  • Use higher number than we calculated, maybe 3.00 to 3.20 to start
  • Adjust gearing with tire sizing. Make sure front of car can tolerate the larger tires

    Fuel

  • ERC catalogue. Like 120 octane

    Push bar

    Log Book

  • We bought one with sticker to place on rollbar after it is painted

    Wire seals/safety wires

  • They take a strip of duct tape across top of fuel cell and use 4 drops of nail polish to seal

    Ignition

  • Keep it simple as possible
  • Lock advance at 15-26 degrees on turbo'd car
  • Push button to start
  • Separate hot wire to coil

    Fire extinguisher/mounts

  • Solid mounted bottle in cab
  • Nozzles mounted around feet and firewall
  • Under hood under header area
  • Not too many nozzles
  • Mount bottle to read tag easily, KEEP RECEIPT and inspect just before event.

    Firewalls

  • Sealant around tunnel and trunk compartment

    Fuel shut-off

  • Next to tank and 2nd with cable to driver

    Throttle

  • Double springs
  • Bar to pull back with toe on pedal

    Steering

  • Lang likes it fast, Geisler likes it slow

    Alignment

  • Nothing

    Air dam

  • We can use one and these are available fiberglass Hart has one

    Bring also:

  • Sheet aluminum
  • Balls for tarps
  • Coffee urn or express maker
  • Brushes/whisk brooms
  • Hat pins and membership card
  • Press passes
  • Plastic garbage can and liners
  • Tarp leg extensions
  • Graduated cylinder
  • Water reclaim bottle
  • Nails and washers
  • Barn fan
  • Gum-off
  • Tire-air squirter ( a valve stem to put on a gas station air hose to shoot air)