DCs 818r

[D Clary]

Hey there, my name is Dan Clary, I live in northern CA. It is new year so I thought I would start my thread. Chassis is not coming until June 14 but I have been doing stuff and keeping up with the forum since I ordered in August. First and foremost I want to thank those of you who have shared their struggles and made my build so much easier. I have built race cars and hot rods in the past, this will be my first kit car. I think I have reasonable expectations for the kit when it arrives as far as fit and finish and backordered parts. With an R car I have a certain amount of freedom to use or delete factory parts. I started with an 03 wagon donor, in hindsight I could have gone non donor and saved myself a lot of work. I will post some pictures when I get time and talent with the camera and keep everyone current. though most of what I have done has been done before, there may be a few twists.

[Racebrewer]

Hi Dan,

What organization are you going to be racing with?

I have an S kit and my friend has an R on order (delivery scheduled for the end of March).

John

[D Clary]

I auto cross with a local club and do some open track at Sonoma and Thunderhill. Nothing serious. The club autocross has very loose rules as far as modifications. Just # of cylinders and tire type so its pretty low key. Same with open track. I suppose if there were enough 818s for a new challenge series I could get interested.

[drdracing]

Hi Dan, I took delivery of my 818r last sept. It is currently a roller, waiting for my engine so I can do the wiring. I am up in Red Bluff. I autocross with Trinity Touring Club, and run at Thunderhill when I can. Anything I can help with, let me know. Dr. D [email protected]

[D Clary]

I live in Healdsburg and run with the Empire Sports Car club. What are you running for an engine. I am starting stock until I get it sorted out or blown up. Same with the trans, though I have put an OBX posi in it. What kind of tires are you going to run?

[drdracing]

I actually graduated from high school in Healdsburg, Rio Lindo Academy up on Fitch Mountain. I am running an 06 2.5 wrx with upgraded turbo and intercooler. I am running 17 inch front and rear to keep tire costs down. Roger Kraus Racing is still researching tire options for me.

[D Clary]

Wow, my kids graduated from there last June.

[D Clary]

Are you planning on running dot slicks or pure race tire, I have been running Hankook Ventus c-17 compound (soft) I get a season and a little more before they slick up. they don't wear out they just loose all grip. They are very reasonably priced through tire rack

[riptide motorsport]

Welcome to the maddnes, enjoy the build!!!

[D Clary]

818-10 002.JPG818-10 004.JPG
This is what I have for a motor, stock 2.0, new timing belt, water pump, valve cover gaskets and cam seals. I'm not a subie guy yet, but I read the posts on the cooling system. I tapped the holes in the water pump and made new hoses to bypass the heater and to the degass tank. I don't like rubber hoses on race cars so I am trying to lose as many as possible. You might notice the lightened alternator mount.

[longislandwrx]

very cool, what size tap is that?

[D Clary]

The large hose is 3/8 pipe and the small is1/4

[drdracing]

Hey Dan, On my last autocross car(3 liter 914 six) I ran Goodyear slicks one season, and hoosier DOTs after that. I am planning to run slicks on the 818, just not sure which ones yet.

[D Clary]

The hoosier a-6 is faster the Hankook, but drops off quicker, wears out faster and costs 30% more. r-6 is a little better wear but slower. Hankook is still a better buy for a DOT slick. What kind of rules to they have up there? we are pretty light on rules, just # of cylinders, boost and tire wear rating. anything under 140 is a race tire. I run an SVO mustang very modified but only penalty is the boost witch bumps me to 6 cyl class. The 818 will be the same.

[drdracing]

We run SCCA rules and classes. Not sure where that puts the 818. We start testing and tuning runs in Jan. Points start in April. I was hoping to have the 818 in go cart mode by End of Jan. Not looking good.

[Mechie3]

I like those braided lines on the water pump. Your coolant bracket shipped out this evening. It should arrive Saturday.

[D Clary]

Thanks, I can finish making hoses for the cooling system and start on something else

[D Clary]

818-11 001.JPG818-11 002.JPG
Finished my spindles, new bearings packed with redline grease, cut down my cv joints. They are only hardened were the balls ride in the joint. was able to cut easily on the lathe. A better pic of my alternator bracket. Nascar guy Junior Johnson said a long time ago, "all you need to make a light car is a file and some patience"

[Quiny]

818-11 001.JPG818-11 002.JPG
Finished my spindles, new bearings packed with redline grease, cut down my cv joints. They are only hardened were the balls ride in the joint. was able to cut easily on the lathe. A better pic of my alternator bracket. Nascar guy Junior Johnson said a long time ago, "all you need to make a light car is a file and some patience"

I didn't have a lathe I had to make due with what I had.makedue2.JPGmakedue1.JPG

[D Clary]

Ouch! looks like more work. On the lathe I was able to cut from the inside out. Either way gets it done.

[longislandwrx]

The large hose is 3/8 pipe and the small is1/4

6AN and 4AN respectively?

[D Clary]

no, -10 and -6, I got aluminum fittings and hose from summit. stainless from McMaster carr The stainless hose I had made for something else but it fit this perfectly otherwise I would have used aluminum

[AZPete]

Junior Johnson's comment about a file and patience reminds me that in Mark Donahue's book, "Unfair Advantage", he explained acid-dipping. In the 1950s they dipped the frame in a vat of acid to shed pounds!

[D Clary]

At long last got the call and sent the check woohoo!

[Rasmus]

Nice!

[D Clary]

My kit is supposed to be done on the 14th. UPS guy dropped of the rear wing today, getting closer, been waiting since August

[Brando]

Isn't the wing beautiful looking? I'm in the process of mounting it today & tomorrow. Congrats on the kit, so close. I'm down to race Thunder hill again when your build is done

[D Clary]

They just opened the 5 mile course last week, super fast. The wing is awesome looking, wife wont let me put it on the mantle

[Brando]

wife wont let me put it on the mantle

Thunderhill West looks huge! Willow Springs might loose its slogan, "fastest track in the west"

[D Clary]

Getting bored waiting for my kit, ordered last August seem late.car stand 001.JPG

[D Clary]

818 arrival 002.JPG818 arrival 001.JPGGuess what showed up today!

[D Clary]

Quick lookover, powder coat looks very good at this point, no chips but some weld spatter that could have been cleaned. not to much backorder stuff. hope it comes in before I need it. Stewart guy was great no problems at all with transport, no scuffs on the body and all of the corners seem to have a good finish. I am very relieved after hearing and seeing some of the powder coat issues and stewart horror stories. For me they were all non issues. Now all I have is everything else.

[D Clary]

Went on vacation for a week so all work stopped. now trying to regroup and gather parts. Waiting for 11 months for the kit,818july 002.JPG I bought and lost a lot of parts that I need to re-locate. Work will go fairly quickly mostly because of the guys on this forum, once again thanks for saving me endless aggravation.

[Turboguy]

car stand 001.JPG

Are there plans around somewhere for this chassis dolly?


Also, are the holes drilled in the pads to mount a piece that clamps the frame down to the dolly and prevent it from falling off?

[D Clary]

I think AZ Pete has the dolly plans. Most are made of wood but I am not a wood guy. I strapped the chassis to the dolly when we moved it from the truck but I don't think it needs to be attached beyond that.

[AZPete]

Here's my post about the chassis dolly. Read through to the end because there were a few mods.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...-Chassis-Dolly

[D Clary]

I've got the front together and rear is mocked up. I think I'll put the engine in tomorrow. I changed the pan and pickup today. Wayne was correct the oem pickup was cracked. They appear to use to much heat when they are brazing it together. The tubing cracks around the overheated area. I ended up shortening the upper control arms a good inch to get 3 degrees of camber with a little adjustment. I am still looking at the length of the lower rear link. It seems to fit best between 20 1/4 and 20 1/2. We'll see when I get everything tight what it takes to square the chassis. I set the bump steer the same as Plavan but I added a little length to the spacer because of the increase caster. With 2 inches travel up and down I have less than .010 with 4 degrees of caster. The spacers are about 2.495.818aug05 001.JPG818aug05 002.JPG818aug05 003.JPG

[D Clary]

818 rear 002.JPG818 rear 003.JPG818 rear 004.JPGI've had the kit for a month now and progress has been a little slow. finally finished the rear suspension, installed the motor and transaxle. Took al little screwing around but got the clutch plumbed and working818 rear 001.JPG

[Boog]

I like with you did with the lower trailing arm to knuckle connection. I've been debating if going single sheer would put too much stress on the ear of the knuckle since its cast.
What did you do to keep it centered? Pressed in solid bushing? Stepped spacers on each side?

[D Clary]

I made a 2 piece aluminum bushing pressed in from both sides. I don't see the knuckle breaking, if it is cast it is cast steel. The weak link is the aluminum arms and I have never broken one without an impact. the heims are good for 24k radial load. I tried Waynes arms stock and ebays. I didn't like how any of them fit on the rear bushing. There was always a miss alignment that tweaked the bushing around and it bothered me. Probably doesn't hurt anything ,just bothered me. The other plus is weight, these are very light.