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This page will outline the assembly process of my first FSCCA car. As you read this understand that at the time of this assembly the
writer had zero experience with formula race cars. Hopefully this section will help others as they go through this process. I would like
to thank Ken Brown at SCCA Enterprises, Kevin Klopfler at Comprent Motorsports and the Mumm Brothers for all their help as I waded
through this project.
writer had zero experience with formula race cars. Hopefully this section will help others as they go through this process. I would like
to thank Ken Brown at SCCA Enterprises, Kevin Klopfler at Comprent Motorsports and the Mumm Brothers for all their help as I waded
through this project.
Arrival of chassis 83. We picked it up at Yellow Freight with
an enclosed trailer. I brought along 4 car dollys and the
helpful Yellow Freight yard guys were great with the fork lift.
We place the forward part of the pallet on two dollys, then
pushed the pallet into the trailer with the fork and then set the
rear part of the pallet on the second set of dollys and pushed
it into tie down position in the trailer. Off loading was done
manually by pushing it down the trailer ramps and then under
the two post lift for offloading.
an enclosed trailer. I brought along 4 car dollys and the
helpful Yellow Freight yard guys were great with the fork lift.
We place the forward part of the pallet on two dollys, then
pushed the pallet into the trailer with the fork and then set the
rear part of the pallet on the second set of dollys and pushed
it into tie down position in the trailer. Off loading was done
manually by pushing it down the trailer ramps and then under
the two post lift for offloading.
Using one post to lift the chassis off of the pallet and place it
on the assembly stand. Don't try this with your one ton dually.
on the assembly stand. Don't try this with your one ton dually.
Everyone I talked to at the beginning of this project suggested that I totally disassemble the car and inspect it before
beginning the assembly project. They were right. There were many little things that needed to be tweaked to make
life simpler down the road. Additionally, it is a good idea to inspect all the welds and fittings to insure integrity of the
frame and attachment points. As Carroll Smith put it, "the people that build your race car don't have to drive it" or
words to that effect.
beginning the assembly project. They were right. There were many little things that needed to be tweaked to make
life simpler down the road. Additionally, it is a good idea to inspect all the welds and fittings to insure integrity of the
frame and attachment points. As Carroll Smith put it, "the people that build your race car don't have to drive it" or
words to that effect.
One of the first things I did was test fit the front wing assembly before disassembling it for
powder coating. The powder coating was a mistake as most of the pieces have an official
FSCCA Enterprises sticker on this that will not take the oven heat in powder coating. I
had to ship them back to Enterprises to have the stickers reinstalled which took time and
cost money. I will paint my spare nose assembly and mask the stickers.
powder coating. The powder coating was a mistake as most of the pieces have an official
FSCCA Enterprises sticker on this that will not take the oven heat in powder coating. I
had to ship them back to Enterprises to have the stickers reinstalled which took time and
cost money. I will paint my spare nose assembly and mask the stickers.
The side panel button head screw were all tapped directly into the chassis frame. We
drilled all of the attachment points out and installed insert nuts. Down the road this
should preclude lots of stripped out screw holes. Removing and installing the side
panels requires removal of the side pods and front corners, more time than I want to
spend to fix a stripped out hole.
drilled all of the attachment points out and installed insert nuts. Down the road this
should preclude lots of stripped out screw holes. Removing and installing the side
panels requires removal of the side pods and front corners, more time than I want to
spend to fix a stripped out hole.
As a "not so tall" driver I had to relocate the pedals aft of the delivered position. Then
the actuator rod was to short so I fabricated three extensions from 1/2" steel rod and
tapped it with a 5/16 x 24 tap, cut the heads off of some grade 8 5/16th bolts to use
from the pedal to the adaptor, used a jam nut and also put a dab of blue locktite on the
threads.
the actuator rod was to short so I fabricated three extensions from 1/2" steel rod and
tapped it with a 5/16 x 24 tap, cut the heads off of some grade 8 5/16th bolts to use
from the pedal to the adaptor, used a jam nut and also put a dab of blue locktite on the
threads.
Here is a shot of the new 5.5 inch two plate racing clutch and flywheel installed on the
engine. This reduced the rotating mass by 18 pounds and it revs up exceptionally
quick now.
engine. This reduced the rotating mass by 18 pounds and it revs up exceptionally
quick now.
In the photos below, the top left photo shows where we had to grind off a mounting boss in order to fasten the top
left engine mount to the engine. The next photo shows the right forward engine mount installed. While you have
the engine in this position you should grind down all the razor sharp edges of the engine mounting bosses and
other sharp flange edges. Your band aid supply will thank you. The next two photos should help with routing the
oil hoses. Note that we installed the optional oil cooler from Comprent Motorsports.
left engine mount to the engine. The next photo shows the right forward engine mount installed. While you have
the engine in this position you should grind down all the razor sharp edges of the engine mounting bosses and
other sharp flange edges. Your band aid supply will thank you. The next two photos should help with routing the
oil hoses. Note that we installed the optional oil cooler from Comprent Motorsports.
The photos on the left and right show the current progress
with three corners installed. All the wishbones were
measured and set to the preliminary distances provided by
Enterprises. I suspect that will change once we place it on
the floor, set ride height and do the initial alignment.
with three corners installed. All the wishbones were
measured and set to the preliminary distances provided by
Enterprises. I suspect that will change once we place it on
the floor, set ride height and do the initial alignment.
I decided to order the Pi Clubman data recorder as it just plugs into the Pi X Dash and has
six additional analog sensor capability in addition to monitoring all the engine information,
wheel speed and receiving a track side beacon for lap times. With both lateral and
fore/aft accelerometers built in, it will also graph acceleration, braking and cornering G
forces in addition to track mapping. This photos shows how I installed it just forward of the
forward bulkhead. I mounted the rubber mounts to the back of the aluminum piece with
counter sunk screws and then mounted the plate to the nose pan with four button head
screws into insert nuts I installed in the pan.
six additional analog sensor capability in addition to monitoring all the engine information,
wheel speed and receiving a track side beacon for lap times. With both lateral and
fore/aft accelerometers built in, it will also graph acceleration, braking and cornering G
forces in addition to track mapping. This photos shows how I installed it just forward of the
forward bulkhead. I mounted the rubber mounts to the back of the aluminum piece with
counter sunk screws and then mounted the plate to the nose pan with four button head
screws into insert nuts I installed in the pan.
Finally.......just picked it off the assembly stand with my lift. I was happy to see that this
would work rather than jury rigging some straps on the lift to get it off and on the assembly
stand. Just finished readjusting the brake pedal so that it doesn't go over center in hard
braking.
would work rather than jury rigging some straps on the lift to get it off and on the assembly
stand. Just finished readjusting the brake pedal so that it doesn't go over center in hard
braking.
Sitting on the scales for a quick and dirty initial weight so I can put together the lead that I
will need to add for ballast to get to minimum race weight of 1,265 lbs. The car weighed in
at 1,013 lbs with water and oil, no fuel. At my weight I will have to add 95 lbs of lead to get
to min weight. That's the bad news, the good news is I can put it forward and very low to
keep the CG low and also hopefully help the understeer that can sometimes develop in
these cars.
will need to add for ballast to get to minimum race weight of 1,265 lbs. The car weighed in
at 1,013 lbs with water and oil, no fuel. At my weight I will have to add 95 lbs of lead to get
to min weight. That's the bad news, the good news is I can put it forward and very low to
keep the CG low and also hopefully help the understeer that can sometimes develop in
these cars.
Four miscellaneous shots from different angles. I don't have all the body fasteners in yet, so there
is some misalignment of some of the body panels. In the second photo from the left, the muffler is a
Super Trapp. Some of the tracks in California have sound restrictions down to 98db. We had to
add a 90 degree fitting on the end and aim it away from sound control to get there.
is some misalignment of some of the body panels. In the second photo from the left, the muffler is a
Super Trapp. Some of the tracks in California have sound restrictions down to 98db. We had to
add a 90 degree fitting on the end and aim it away from sound control to get there.
