Homebuilt improves

[jerry freeman]

Just thought I would try to motivate some of the homebuilders and conversion guys. It's not a national race but at least the car is getting a lot better.

I ran the double SARRC at Nashville a couple weeks ago with the 07 Suzuki in the car for the first time. The difference in power is a whole lot better than the 94 Honda. I was running 1:05's in the car by sunday afternoon. The best lap of the weekend was a 1:01 by a DSR. Last year I was running 1:16's with the old motor. I could actually race with some of the cars in my group! Had fun with a couple of FM's. I know that don't mean much to most FB guy's but that's a huge accomplishment for me and the car.

The motor ran great all weekend. I got an oil cooler from Dustin at Phoenix. It's 14.5" x 28". Temps were 210 water and 240 oil all weekend. It was 95 + degrees with high humidity. I think I can get the water temps down with some side pod work. I never ran an oil cooler with the old motor but obviously that doesn't relate to the newer motors.(I guess?) I don't run a dry sump or one of those fancy shallow wet sump pans either. My motor is bone stock top to bottom. Yea, I know I have a higher center of gravity because of it but oh well. Will it last 5-10 weekends? We'll see. I also kept the revs down. It turned 11,500 a couple times when I got close enough to pass the FM's. The rest of the time it stayed at about 10,000.

The only problem I had was the chain got loose enough to start jumping teeth in the first session. I tightend it up and it was fine the rest of the weekend. This chain has a lot of time on it so I guess it's time for a new one.

I was running the stock front sprocket and was told there was a rubber bushing in the center of it and that may be a problem. Anybody know anything about that?

Anyway here are a few pics. Maybe that'll help get some more cars running. It is possible to do it yourself folks. Just keep working on it.

Jerry

[Brandon Dixon]

Way to go!

[Wright D]

Well done Jerry! From the entire Phoenix team, it is a pleasure seeing you and your car's steady improvement, keep it up!

Also the stock sprocket has a rubber ring molded onto it that helps keep down noise. The rubber rides on the link plates and reduces some of the chain whine. I have been told that it also help to prolong the life of the chain by softening the blow each pin makes with the sprocket, but I am not sold on that.

[Richard Dziak]

Great job Jerry.

It must have been a great feeling to get the car out and have some fun. If you have any photos from this past weekend, forward them to me so I can add them to the F1000 owner/drivers website.

[jjstecher]

Badass Jerry!! Next year you'll be rolling the nationals.

[Sean Maisey]

Glad to see it coming up good.

Sean

[SteveLevin]

It's just amazing how you've really put it all together, Jerry!

Steve

[provamo]

very cool, quite admirable, neat, awesome!!!!!

[Richard Dziak]

Jerry:

Can you tell us what type of bodywork or skin is on the car. looks like lightweight aluminum rather than fiberglass.

[jerry freeman]

Everybody thinks the body is aluminum but it's not. The side panels are aluminum for the anti-intrusion panel rule. The nose is also aluminum for the crush structure. The top pieces and the side pod covers are made of .030 fiberglass sheets. We used the fiberglass sheets where I used to work and it was easy to get scrap pieces. It is actually very light weight. I painted it aluminum color to get around the no unpainted cars rule without having to paint the aluminum pieces. I plan on using the body as a plug for a better more rounded body parts but when I got the car running I quit working on the body and worked on the mechanics instead.

Thanks to everyone for the good words.

Jerry

[RobLav]

Way to go Jerry. This is so much more advanced than that old Tui you started with.

[R. Pare]

My hat's off to you, Jerry. I know exactly how much work it is to design and build a complete car from scratch with limited resources - I built my first car straight out of college in my rented house basement (but was lucky enough to be working in a $200M machine shop) - and then the pleasure of actually racing it. Not all that many people have had that experience.

Even if it never becomes the fastest car out there, you got some solid bragging rights!

Congratulations!

[carnut169]

Great work Jerry!

You do need to be careful about oil starvation. It is my understanding that if the pump picks up air your motor is done. It's the long, high g corners that may get you like Roebling has. Maybe an accusump would be a good idea...


Fix those brakes?

[jerry freeman]

Sean,

I don't have a data recorder so it will blow up before I know if it starved for oil or not but there's a long G load corner at Nashville from turn 3 to turn one all the way around the tri-oval. I could look down at the guage during that stretch and the pressure was always above 60 psi. Hopefully it will stay together.

Brakes seem to be better but still not what I think they should be. I keep working on them.

I'm working 7 days a week right now so I couldn't make it to Atlanta next weekend.

You still interested in driving this thing at Barber on friday and giving some driver coaching during the races?

Jerry

[carnut169]

When is Barber?

[formulasuper]

I believe Jerry is the only privateer that has built his own F1000 from scratch, not a conversion chassis. Now that is a true "racer" in my book.

[jerry freeman]

Barber is September 5-6.

[Stan Clayton]

I painted it aluminum color to get around the no unpainted cars rule without having to paint the aluminum pieces.

Just to clarify, Jerry, there is no rule requiring cars be painted (either composite or aluminum). The rule (9.3.6 on p. 73) just doesn't permit "partially or totally in primer".

Keep up the good work...you are an inspiration to the rest of us!

Stan

[carnut169]

Ok Jerry, I'll help you out. Just let me know if your plans change prior to the event.

[carnut169]

... and that's not primer, it's flat grey paint over primer. What's the difference anyway??

[Misterkris]

Yeah that fooled me too. Always thought the car was completely metal skined.
Its my dream to build my own car someday. Lookin nice.

[ghickman]

I believe Jerry is the only privateer that has built his own F1000 from scratch, not a conversion chassis. Now that is a true "racer" in my book.

I also built a car from "SCRATCH" and I for sure fit in the "PRIVATEER" catagory....I used ZERO DONOR parts other than an engine. Of course I have a Million Dollar machine shop 20 paces out my office door and a few decades of CAD/CAM experience. Those that have seen my car can attest to it's degree of construction.

Gary Hickman
Edge #76

[SteveLevin]

I also built a car from "SCRATCH" and I for sure fit in the "PRIVATEER" catagory....I used ZERO DONOR parts other than an engine. Of course I have a Million Dollar machine shop 20 paces out my office door and a few decades of CAD/CAM experience. Those that have seen my car can attest to it's degree of construction.

I've had the opportunity to chat with Gary and see his car up close...it's truly elegant, a beautiful car.

Steve

[jerry freeman]

Minus the machine shop Gary and I are the same.

Wonder where I could find a good composites guy to make my body look good?(Cheap)(Free)

[Brandon Dixon]

Minus the machine shop Gary and I are the same.

Wonder where I could find a good composites guy to make my body look good?(Cheap)(Free)

When you find that guy tell him that I'll double that rate to work on my car

[ghickman]

Jerry
If you would just move to sunny San Diego I'd offer my help for a Large Slurpee now and then. I work cheap LOL....

Gary Hickman
Edge FB #76