Soapbox tech

[Dominic]

Wrote the "tasks to-go" list last night, in true project management stylee. It fits on one side of A5. Can hardly believe it.

How tiny was the writing?

[campbell]

My usual scrawl ! I type a lot more than I write so it's suffered, lol.

[campbell]

Team FMC made sterling progress while I was at work yesterday (is there a message in there I wonder...) and painted all sorts of bits in pukka superhero matt black

So our bodywork is more or less finished, other than final assembly.

The same can't be said by Chassis Engineering, though (ie, me!). Been working round the clock all week and it caught up with me yesterday afternoon. A headache started coming on and by the time I got home around 19.30 I felt sick and exhausted. So straight to bed, backshift cancelled, and I was just going to have to trust to luck that Friday evening would hold out enough scope to finish my A5-page-long to-do-list

Awake at 5am this morning, feeling "brand new" (well, relatively speaking). So I hit my desk around 6.30am and I'm going to ask my nice client if I can escape around 2.30pm to complete the final haul

I figure that gives me up to 10 hours straight to complete final assembly tonight (we've an updated steering axle to glue & screw, handbrake reinforcements to make, some tweaks to bodywork framing, some towing eyes to fit, and a bit more painting to complete...and load up the cars...how hard can it be??!!)

[campbell]

It just survived an Elk Test...


Or put another way, it fell off the stands, lol and OMG all at once.

All I did was undo the last 2 retaining screws you see poking up. Shows how much they were holding!

Anyway the great news is the rear subframe survived and showed its strength.

New steering axle complete with built-in castor and aero wing point. Note the trailing centre line of the wheel centres shown by the wooden strip:


I had to drive it for shakedown test #6 as James couldn't be ar$ed :shock but it ran well

Break for takeaway tea now. Back later to install upgraded chassis backbone and OSR upright with new brake mountings.

Stay tuned.

[Ferg]

Front axle upgrade looks excellent!

[campbell]

Ta. It even works! Def getting through the list now but why does everything take 2x as long as it should :cry

Anyway, trial bodywork fitting after coffee break.

James working at pace...

[campbell]

And it's ready

Well apart from the paint drying.

And a couple of wee things to tweak.

Shakedown #7, with James piloting again, was very successful. Several new parts had been installed - many by him - and ALL are functioning correctly. It's a bloody miracle.

Right, bed then a "lie in" before we load the team trucks and convoy North.

Is this what Clare Williams feels like every 2nd Friday? It's mental.

Oh. Sneak preview. If you want to see the rest, you'll have to come to RDSF yourself. Or wait for the action photos next week.

[I-Mac]

Absolutely loving this thread... keep up the good work guys.

[Ferg]

Great work Campbell and Team. We cancelled shakedown and painting last night due to weather. Starting body work this morning. Sent family to shop to find quick drying paint

[campbell]

We're off. Finishing touches made:


See you at the start line!!

[Ferg]

That looks fantastic! Loving the red highlights. I think you're going to out bat mobile us by some margin!

[campbell]

Just home 30 mins ago. Holy Home Made Bearings, Batman - what a weekend!

Too tired to write up just now but the headlines are we survived Free Practice One (there was only one!), rocked up on race day in loads of time, James drove 2 smooth and clean timed runs, and the Soapbox never missed a beat!

No idea of our times (too much going on!) and we haven't brought home any silverware but it's been an absolute blast. And thanks to the usual dependable SE travelling support, who cheered James on brilliantly. Meant a lot

[Ferg]

How are you feeling today? We're all knackered!

[campbell]

A bit spaced out! But in a euphoric way. I think

All a bit surreal. Need to get my pics and vids in order and share anything relevant with you.

Think the Calamity Convoy passed us between Dundee and Perth at healthy Tuts? Lisa was tiring fast. Which means she drives slower. I needed a tow hook or tractor beam to gee her up :-/

[ClarkyBoy]

Guys - I have to say,

What a fantastic effort from you all !!!

outfits, karts, the whole 9 yards. top marks from me!