[Vicegrip]

Had to take a bit of a break from the car for some silly non essential stuff like work and family. When I do have time I have been working on some of the million little details. One of the larger things I was able to rough out was the drivers containment system. I am using a Kirky containment seat and it requires more than the normal 4 bolts at the seat base. The seat has a halo that has 4 mounting points to the overhead cage and 4 more in the upper torso area. The lower torso and leg area has 8, the standard 4 along with 4 more at the leading edges of the seat. I built leg boards that tie into the seat and help prevent fulcrum leg breaks in hard side impacts. A hard side hit such as T bone can break you legs just like a stick over a fulcrum. Containment seats hold the torso and upper leg so well (good) that your unsupported legs can be levered against the seat edge and broken. (bad) The, still to be covered with SFI padding, leg boards were made from some 2 inch square tubing left over from some FDA food storage shelving that was getting chucked out as I walked by. "You done with that?" On that note the silver panel material used in the car is a sandwich composite material that is stiff and light. It is two layers of aluminum bonded with a layer of light plastic between. Light, stiff, easy to work and deadens sound. You might recognize it if you have been to a Porsche dealer. It is the material used on the outsides of the buildings. It comes in large sheets and can be cut and routed into almost seamless boxes and other shapes. HBL did some remodeling and I somehow happened to stumble onto the leftovers. Used the stuff to make the rear firewall, the pass side floor board that will contain the oil, fuel and electrical runs and the oil tank box access panels.
I moved the seat as far away from the door as possible and almost over top of where the shift lever used to be. I also wanted to lift the lever up and over for better ergonomics as well. I tool the stock shift rod and unbent it. Welded up a bracket that mounts to the right side leg board that holds the stock shifter up and well over from the stock location. This put the shaft angle well out of the range of the stock shift coupler so I was forced to make one. Took a common industrial power transfer coupler and drilled out one end so the shift shaft fit with no play. Drilled and tapped a hole in the side for the locater pin/bolt thingy after making a locater pin/bolt thingy from a socket head bolt. Turned some select round stock (also known as the closest and big enough bolt) down to shift shaft diameter and welded it into the other end. Po-mans coupler.
I also figured out how to install a second seat. I use about 1/2 pound of added metal and had to angle the second seat for it to fit. There are welded in place nuts that the seat bolts thread into no muss no fuss. Puts the passangers feat right in the corner where there will be some space and the seat is easy to install and remove as needed. It will be needed while I figure out how to drove all again.

The next few projects are getting the clutch throwout gear in hand and working, roughing in the dash area and brake cooling.