lots of angle grinding!

so with the CAD design 90% finalised it was time to start cutting metal.

Following pictures are pretty self explanatory. The sump is in it's final position +/-5mm or so in any given direction in the images, so you can see how far forward and low in the chassis I should be able to get the engine.

This image also shows how the driveshafts will retain an ideal angle. :)

I have also now taken delivery of a load of steel for re-bracing the rear of the car following the cutting of fuel tank area, and up-coming cutting through rear subframe... stay tuned!

Computer Aided Design

so in parallel with stripping, cleaning and checking the engine and 'box I have been busy measuring up the Elise chassis and formalising a plan to mount the engine, without compromising the strength or stiffness of the chassis, whilst also trying to minimise the amount of weight I will be adding to the back of the car.

Pictures speak 1000 words:

Standard model of rear chassis & subframe

Cut out rear subframe and tank area. Concept #1 - Re-braced with 25,30 and 50mm steel tube.

How this would look with engine and gearbox mounted. There is perfect driveshaft alighnment (no offset). Engine and gearbox will be mounted on stiff rubber mounts as solid mounting would be too harsh for a car I intend to be able to use on the road as well as the track.

F355 gearbox/transaxle

Transaxle arrived this week, from a 19,000 mile crash damaged F355. 

I have had the clutch cover off and the clutch and gearbox internals look in exceptional condition.

My initial calcs on the gear ratios with the tyre size I intend to run indicate around 183mph theoretical top speed.

The transaxle has an internal pump so I can run a gearbox oil cooler.