Got some more done today..... Here's the tools I'm using to build the tanker... Doesn't get much simplier(sp)...
Ya, That was a baseball bat...Now it's a hammer! Give it a try. My first 'project' was a tear drop made with a ball pean hammer against a piece of wood. Just kept hitting until it looked like something.
I wish more guys would do this.. Nice work! Be mindful of where your head is going to be. Your gonna have to fit a helmet into your roll bar with clearance. Alot of tanks had flat bottoms back then.
God damn Godspeadbear you got some progress going on! In the pic of your wheel do run sand paper over scuffy pads to keep the wheel clean and nice?? Curious never seen that before?? Thing looks great Dave
Awsome work, what will the final finish be? I think it would look great with a matt brushed finish, showing where all the segments were welded together, very nice work please keep the pics coming.
Hey, Keith... Ya the scotch brite is to keep a finish and to knock off anything that was still on the metal, that way it mash it into the alumunium. I think I will leave it bare..for awhile..
Got the bottom almost done. One more panel and trim and weld... Here's a pic for size reference, I'm 5'8"...
Ron, Love your work, doing a tank out of aluminum from scratch is a real project and your's is looking great. Your shape with a flattend bottom is known as a "cambered" section and although it at first appears that it should fly what really happens is that when the shape is close to the ground, 3-4 inches, the "ground effect" causes the air beneath to speed up to a velocity greater than the air going over the top, this causes the air pressure on the bottom to be less than the pressure on the top and so you actually develop some down force. As you lower the car closer to the ground the velocity of the air on the bottom will increase, and it will develop more down force. If you get it to close to the ground you will choke off the air flow and you will lose down force. The early tanks literally just cut a piece off of the bottom so it was just a flat plane and usually the transition from the aero shape of the tank to the flat bottom is not well rounded so the air trips over the edge and becomes unattached and turbulent so it develops high drag. On your shape the very smooth transition to the flatter bottom you have a much better chance that the air will remained attached to your car which means low drag and good down force. Again, really nice job and I agree with you regarding your response to guys that say "I wish I could do that"! It is just practice and good common sense. Rex
I like your work, what is your plan, to split the tank after you have it togeather? I don't see any other way to get a frame and cage in there. I guessing you have this all worked out.--TV
Thanks Rex, good info.. Yea the tank will come apart in sections, kinda like a dragster.. Alot of flush fasteners will be used. The bottom will be one piece, but the top will be; front 'cone', canopy, and L and R rear...
Watching this come together is just amazing. I can't wait to see more of it. My vote for most talented FNG!
I'm not going polish it any more than how it looks right now..Paint eventually.. Ya Johnny, that's the donor..It was a sorts of '23 speedster thingy...A bunch of parts that I have thrown together...
Wow. I usually look at something and think, "I could do that." This is a project that I look and and think, "Man, I couldn't do that, but I WISH I could!" Inspiring. Brian
Outstanding job! All I can do with metal is put dents in it!! I would suggest seeing you have started on the frame to get, if you intend to run Bonneville, a 2010 SCTA rulebook. I race bikes and I'm not 100% familiar with the car rules but there have been changes in the rules. It might do no harm to check it out.
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