AA-Ron had a great idea and several folks expanded on the idea. I wanted to move the fans onto the upper trunk deck and have the intakes in the cubby. I posted the idea on AA-Rons thread but did not want to kibutz his thread and his great idea, so I'm starting a new thread to show how I used sheetmetal ducting to bring fresh air into the cubby through fans mounted on the upper trunk deck, then routed down to the lower aft cabin wall to transition plenums and into the cockpit following AA-Ron's ducting and leading into the footbox. With 45 years of aircraft maintenace and a well stocked tool supply (box brake, stomp shear, and every aircraft sheetmental hand tool imaginable), it was easier for me to use .020 2024T3 aluminum and do what I do!
I had to mock up the rear axle assembly to make sure everthing would clear. I also had to make sure the deck lid gas rods would clear. Then there was the matter of " how do I access everything for future maintenance"?. The inner roll bar posts will be installed with a close tolerance Pip Pin and I welded nuts on the shoulder harness attach points. So I can access everything with one hand, or one socket on an extension.
I will be installing a Ford 9" rear end with a trianglutated 4 link so there is plenty of room in the aft wheel well. I dont know if this would work with a IRS. The transition plenums took all day to make just one. I had to install a couple of nut plates on the inside in order to mount them to the frame. They transition the round airducts to 1x3.5 rectangle ducts and transition from the wheel well to the cabin behind the seats.
Lastly, the rectangle ducts pick up AA-Ron's idea here. I only had to make the outer wall (cabin side) of the ducts. I did shave off 1/4" of the rear side of the outer seatbelt mount tabs. They are way overkill as they are. The seat belt would cut a person in half before the tab fails. (Ask me how I know this). This will make it way easier to attach the seat belts and clear the ducts. I also canted the outlet to a 45' angle so it will fill the center of the footbox with fresh air drawn in from the cubby opening.
Alway's enjoyed seeing some original ideas by builders.
I used a fan mounted in the trunk for my roadster's footbox cooling system back in around 2010.
It incorporated a four speed squirrel cage fan drawing fresh air through a controllable blast gate via an intake scoop mounted between the dual roll bars. The air was then fed though insulated duct hose that was run forward though the tranny tunnel, to a Y connector that split off to each footbox, where a vent outlet was installed. I hid the squirrel cage fan in an aluminum box, mounted to the upper trunk floor. This type of fan moves much more air than a bilge blower fan will. Yes it took up some room, but I can still fit a pair of folding camp chairs beside it. The blast gate and the fan speed is controllable from the cockpit.
FFR6803RD, MK 3.1, 302 EFI, fr/rr disc brakes, WC-T5, c/w Hurst Competition Plus shifter, 3 link rear, Koni adjustable coil over shocks, dual roll bars, BBK 4-4 headers, 3.55 rear gears, BBK rear lower control arms c/w poly bushings. Ivy Green Metallic Arrived-02/08, On road 09/2010
Rebostar. That is a thing of beauty, glad you did what you do. Where did you bend wrenches for 45 years.
TXboiler, thanks for the compliment.
I'm a retired helicopter mechanic. After I got out of the Army I used the GI bill to get my Airframe & Powerplant ticket in 77 at Colorado Aero Tech. Got my Inspection Authorisation and privet pilots licence in 86. Spent 20 years in Juneau Alaska. The last twenty were here in Oregon working for Evergreen Helicopters and after they were bought by Erickson Helicopters I worked for them. Spent the last 12 years on a Navy contract maintaning two French heavy lift helicopters (EC-225's) on an MSC Ammo/Supply ship doing VERTREP for the Navy combat ships. Maintained most every helicopter in the civil market. While in Alaska I worked on every thing from a Super Cub to DHC Beavers and worked my way up to the Director of Maintenance at Coastal Helicopters. Even as an inspector I still kept my hands on my wrenches. Tried driving a desk for six years at Evergreen, but hated it, so I took the Navy contract to get back to being a mechanic. Its what I love.
Now I build Hot Rods and restore Muscle cars. No FAA telling me what I can and cannot do!!!!
By the way.....if you havent already, check out my build thread under Rebostar. 165 hours in, and I still havent bolted on a single part. Everything is prep work for all the mods and improvements.
Allyn
TXboiler, thanks for the compliment.
I'm a retired helicopter mechanic. After I got out of the Army I used the GI bill to get my Airframe & Powerplant ticket in 77 at Colorado Aero Tech. Got my Inspection Authorisation and privet pilots licence in 86. Spent 20 years in Juneau Alaska. The last twenty were here in Oregon working for Evergreen Helicopters and after they were bought by Erickson Helicopters I worked for them. Spent the last 12 years on a Navy contract maintaning two French heavy lift helicopters (EC-225's) on an MSC Ammo/Supply ship doing VERTREP for the Navy combat ships. Maintained most every helicopter in the civil market. While in Alaska I worked on every thing from a Super Cub to DHC Beavers and worked my way up to the Director of Maintenance at Coastal Helicopters. Even as an inspector I still kept my hands on my wrenches. Tried driving a desk for six years at Evergreen, but hated it, so I took the Navy contract to get back to being a mechanic. Its what I love.
Now I build Hot Rods and restore Muscle cars. No FAA telling me what I can and cannot do!!!!
By the way.....if you havent already, check out my build thread under Rebostar. 165 hours in, and I still havent bolted on a single part. Everything is prep work for all the mods and improvements.
Allyn
That's super cool. I once worked for a company that was flight safety certified and did a lot of work for Bell Helicopter. Really cool stuff. Made lots of parts, especially for the old Hueys and Cobra gunships. I remember one part we made for the 204 that everyone referred to as a "Jesus Nut" that went on top of the main rotor mast and literally held the rotor assembly on. It was explained to me that the glide path of a helicopter is straight down so if this nut fails the next person you meet is named Jesus.
Mike,
I know the "Jesus" nut well. Bell seemed to use them on all there light and medium ships. Its about 4 inches in diameter and is made out of unobtainium. What most folks dont know about is the "12 desciples". Those are the twelve 3/8 nuts that hold the mast on, that the main rotor head bolts to, that the Jesus nut holds on.
" Helicopters dont fly....they beat the air into submission" .
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Originally Posted by txboiler
