[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.

[HoodPin]

Amazing work Kurt! I can't wait to see the finished car! I especially like the vintage steering wheel.....

....but it's looking like the co-pilot seat is gonna be a bit cramped. I guess you'll have to incorporate some bungicord hooks for all those desparate riders...

[Vicegrip]

Ima idiot. Took the 7 pound Halon system out of the 912 for the 911 being careful to not fire the system I taped the safety in place. Last night I made a nice strong but light mount for the Halon tank. Figured the whole where the bottle goes, where the push button goes, routing of the cable and even added another port so there was no T fittings. Tonight I mounted the mount to the previously carefully made oil tank cover panel lining everything up just right. Took the cable off the system so I could finish fitting up a nice tight mount for the fire button and weld it in on the A pillar bar. The firing spike pops out along with the spring that ejected it. I put the spring and then the spike back in the hole....nicking the foil seal.


Little tiny wallet deflating hiss turns into a full on discharge of 7 pounds of $$$ Halon. Did not even bother throw the designated goddamnsonofabitch! throw down wrench across the room. Turned the lights off and shut the door.

Min of $250 but more likely a $500 F up and a new mount to make. Not gonna even bother with a little mad face.

[Fairfax 944]

Originally Posted by Vicegrip

Min of $250 but more likely a $500 F up and a new mount to make. Not gonna even bother with a little mad face.

I set off my 10 or 15lb halon system at Summit this year. So, don't feel bad. We all pull moves like that at one time or another.

My system had a push button trigger, and I always run with the safety pin in. However, for an SCCA school I was doing, they required the pin out. The big red push button was right next to the passenger seat. At the end of the day, I take my helmet off and set it down on the passenger seat and bump the red button with the helmet. Once you hit that button, there's no going back.

[Dr K]

Sorry to hear it, Kurt.

[markwemple]

And I thought forgetting to put in the drain plug in my Honda before refilling sucked. not even close (although a lot more embarrassing, thank god I have mono as an excuse). Hope the rest of the provides only smiles!!

[realroadrage]

Originally Posted by markwemple

Hope the rest of the provides only smiles!!

His story provided smiles for some.

[Trak Ratt]

Originally Posted by mscheidt

His story provided smiles for some.

Me too but more shared pain... Triggered my fire extinguisher in the back of the SC taking a suite case out around the roll bar loop. I was visiting my son in MI and the SC is still a daily drover. Chems R-bad for interior! Prolly not that big of a problem for VG My extinguisher was prolly less $$$ too!

[Andy Clements]

Pisser! I'm sure this would be much easier to swallow if the shop monkeys were to blame....instead of the big dumb ape with the tools.

Not sure what system you have, but I had these guys in Rockville charge a halon handheld bottle a few years ago.

http://www.marylandfire.com/

[HoodPin]

Dohhh.....DAG has been activated. Unfortunate....but inevitable from time to time.... My last personal demonstration was frying portions of my wife's iPod when I tested an apparently incompatible cable for the Boxster's radio. At least most of the iPod still works........

I always sweat when I remove or install the water-based ESS extinguisher bottle from my race car. I just know that one day I'm going to make it go pooooof!

At one of the Summit Point events this past year, I met a guy who was DE'ing his car. Later that day I see him drive by, and he & his passenger are covered in dust. I asked him why he didn't roll up the windows when driving the dusty trails to the various spectator spots around the track. He put on his embarrased face, and then admitted he'd accidentaly discharged his chemical extinguisher because he'd forgotten to replace the pin after his last track session. Later that same day I heard some folks talking about a car they'd seen near one of the grandstands that "had caught on fire". White smoke was billowing out the windows for a bit...and then it stopped. They were puzzled.....