Quote:
Originally Posted by rustomatic
Excellent work! Will there be a tin floor in addition to the aluminum under-body stuff? Sorry for the dose of ignorance here . . .  |
No, that's actually a good question. We have cut away all of the factory floor panels so there's a two part answer here.
There are two "floors" being built here. First is the flat bottom undertray, shown here. This series of panels goes from the tip of the lower splitter plane to the rear axle section, where the diffuser will begin. Lowers under car drag, helps create downforce at the rear with the diffuser.
These undertray panels are semi-structural in nature, and being built like how a Daytona Prototype would be. Some sections are bonded and riveted in place (outers) and other panels (centers and splitter) are removable for service.
The transmission sits a hair under the bottom plane, but that was unavoidable with the way it was ordered. Most race transmissions like this (straight cut gear G-Force) can be ordered with a 90° rotation, which lowers the CG. Requires some different internal oiling tricks, a different bellhousing, and a different shifter. What we have to work with needs to be installed in the traditional manner, with the shifter linkage connecting on the driver's side.
As you can see the square tubing that makes up the floor structure has the undertray panels mounted underneath. The driver and passenger's feet will sit on another set of partial panels called a "false floor". There is one section already built on the driver's side near the pedal box. The open span behind that needs to be filled, but the next one back will have the seat mounted between the square tubes, lower than otherwise possible. No false floor is needed from there back.
There are lots and lots of aluminum panels throughout the rest of the interior. The tunnel (which will be double walled in some areas, for insulation), the engine firewall, the firewall around the massive dry sump oil tank, and the rear panels.
I'll cover more of this in my next update, which will likely be after the PRI show which is later this week. Jason is already on his way there now and 3 more of us fly out in 2 days. Gonna be cold in Indy, but we always see some cool new bits there. As usual I am live posting hundreds of product images from the show floor, which you can see on my personal facebook page (which can be "followed", or friended if you are an obvious car person). Otherwise you can see
my photo gallery for the show in my next post here.
If anyone is going to be at PRI and gets an invite to the FM3 Marketing kart shootout, Vorshlag will have a team there as well. I'll probably break my hip...
Cheers,