OT plastic kit car

[kencombs]

That flat floor is the reason for bead rollers existing.    A few beads properly placed will improve the looks and remove the flexing and popping. 
 

Do you have an access to one?  Maybe a friend or a local fab shop?

[Ulu]

I’m having some other issues as well.

 

I was measuring to order a fuel tank.

 

You can’t buy a racing style tank in California. At least not from the vendors on Amazon. Even Speedway!

 

The laws affecting power lawn equipment somehow cover this too.

 

I didn’t want to make a fuel tank, but it seems maybe I will.

[Ulu]

9 hours ago, kencombs said:

That flat floor is the reason for bead rollers existing.    A few beads properly placed will improve the looks and remove the flexing and popping. 
 

Do you have an access to one?  Maybe a friend or a local fab shop?

This floor has already been trimmed so it’s too late bead roll it, unless I trim the flanges off all the way around and mount the floor on ledgers.

 

because of my fuel tank issue and one other consideration, I’m probably going to change my design a little bit.

 

I’m looking at making a steel fuel tank here, from a cylinder I already have, and it’s maybe gonna want some sort of a skid plate under it.

[Dave72dt]

i just watched a couple days ago a Y-tube video (Make it Custom) where he made a 3 piece steel  hammerform that could be bolted to a panel and with an airhammer formed crisp beads.  He experimented with a simple x pattern and then made a specific hammerform for the firewall of a car.   He also said he may be selling the x pattern hammerforms for interested customers.

Edited November 9 by Dave72dt

[Ulu]

I have finally come to grips with a situation I was fighting, and it is really a big relief.

 

I was set on making the front compartment (“frunk”) watertight, but it just cannot be airtight. Not unless I seal around the batteries and gas tank, and vent them outside. 
 

Also, working on the master cylinder or fuel filter will be much easier if at least part of the floor panel is removable.

 

I decided the battery area will have a solid structural floor, the floor under the master cylinder and fuel filter should be removable, and the fuel tank doesn’t need a floor.

 

I might use this thick 5gal pressure tank. That’s enough fuel for this kart.

lf you look closely you’ll see I did cut the two little rails, but the frame only popped back 3/16” Not the 3/8 to 1/2” I foolishly expected. The weld draw is 90% from the long seams. I will live with it.

 

I had to get the steel lines out of my way. I cut the fuel line, installed the master cylinder and pedal assembly, and bent the rear brake line to fit.

 

I cleaned up the pedal assembly 95% then had to fuss with cable ducts and control cables, and bend the tunnel out a bit with a slide hammer, to get it all working smoothly and without anything rubbing.

 

The brake push rod is 2” too short, so I must make a longer one.

Also I stuffed an aluminum shim in the pedal stop for temporary alignment. (See the red arrow?) It still needs a bit of welding.

 

 

Edited November 10 by Ulu

[Ulu]

I set this up with some “gage blocks” and I find both rails sucked in by over 1/4” each in 6 feet.

 

At least the body won’t rub there.

[Plymouthy Adams]

for sure...hard to prevent heat creep......

[Ulu]

It’s a flaw in my design, but I will live with it.

 

Today I started to bend the front brake lines (before I install any more obstructions) and realized that I didn’t have any brackets worth using. Just these, which I cut off & cleaned up.

Then I cut up some scrap parts for the straps, and re-made them.

 

Now I have to locate the brackets.

 

 

Edited November 11 by Ulu

[Plymouthy Adams]

hey that is easy, I have located them for you, they are on your bench.......it's the details that eat your time and your brain...but stuff like this is easier on your wallet when fabricating your own stuff....if you don't believe me, get out there and so some of the stuff Ulu (& others) are doing.  

[Ulu]

If you wanna go down a rabbit hole about location, there’s a lot of philosophy to cover there. 😉

 

When I went to put these on, I realized I had no dimensions written down anywhere in my sketches. All I had was a photograph to go by and I had to find it.
 

Here it is and you can see by the arrow where the little bracket and the brake line will be mounted.

 

There is however now, a big steel box over that area, because I have boxed this entire section of the frame from approximately that bracket rearwards.

 

There may be dimensions or a template in the construction manual.

 

Time to go look.

 

You can also see in my photograph that the brake line just kind of snuck out from the gap between the body and the frame. There was no grommet or any provisions for retention in that area.

 

 

Edited Monday at 09:07 PM by Ulu

[Ulu]

 

 

I located those brackets and installed some brake lines. One turned out too short, so it’s off to the buggy shop for parts.

[Ulu]

This week was kind of a bust. We had a storm that messed up the boatyard. I spent some time cleaning up, then I caught some stomach bug that spoiled my week.

I did make an extension for my brake pushrod. I also made a floor for the battery tray, some small frame reinforcements, and a pedal stop, but none of that is welded yet.

I got some better brake lines flared up. I still have to bend and install them.

 

I won’t install the brake lines yet. I want to install the front axle at the same time, but there is bottom welding yet to do on the frame. I should paint the bottom first too.

I took off the forward pivot clamp business for access to the brake lines, but it will be reinstalled soon.