Let the fun begin!!

[fezzic181]

Got started on my conversion project today.

Donor is the car from this thread http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40244 .

I was pleased to find that the fire system is a fully charge halon bottle, and the exhaust is practically brand new. Removed the upper roll cage since it was to short and to narrow for my 6'4" self.

More pics to follow as I piece it together.

The rear shock mount will take some redesign. Right now the ends aren't captured in any way so the rear can pivot almost like its a solid axle.

[Bill Bonow]

Mark,

Congratulations on your purchase and your choice of class. Looks like it's a great starting point for an FST conversion. In looking at those photos, the car does seems to have a pretty funky rear susension set up.

I see your in PA, I hope you can come out to Nelson Ledges at the end of the month for the series races. Should be plenty of FST's to look at and get ideas on how to do your conversion.

Have you started collecting parts? You'll find that the FV stuff you take off can be sold and should finace a good portion of your conversion. Biggest purchase item is the engine. If I could make a suggestion, buy one from a professional FST engine builder (not the local dune buggy guy). You will be happy that you spent the money.

Take lots of photos (before, during and after) of the conversion and post them here. Everyone loves to watch the progress of a project.

Best of luck with your new toy and hope to see you at Nelson Ledges.

[fezzic181]

Ran into some fun attempting to get the beam off the car last night. The bumper shown below seems to have been welded on the car when the beam was already installed. They managed to capture the beam solidly in place. Time to get out the big toys.

[Bill Bonow]

Mark,

Looks like the previous owner had some issuse with the beam moving around

It looks like mounting the ball joint beam will be a breeze. I'd just redrill the upper mouning hole in the new beam to match up to the king pin beam mounting holes and bingo!

What is the deal with that rear suspension?

[fezzic181]

Here's a short vid of what the rear end does.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7XgjneAo8Y

[problemchild]

That is called zero-roll .... as in zero roll resistance.

All modern FV and FST cars have a pivoting rear suspension like that. I cannot tell if your system is good or bad from those pics .... but nothing jumps out as being wrong. It looks pretty slick!

[Bill Bonow]

Mark,

Nothing in the general design is wrong. Their could be potential improvement in geometry over time, but what you have will get you going for the first couple of years. If I'm correct, you're coming to Nelson Ledges at the end of the month? You'll see many versions of zero roll on the FV's and FST's attending. Basically, they all function just like your video (great idea). They suspend the car to keep it at ride height, but have no resistance to roll.

[sracing]

Mark,

As advised here, your rear suspension is correct. This "zero roll" (actually zero roll resistance) is how it was designed. The zero roll system is lighter, more arero dynmamic doesn't require corner weighting and keeps the tires on the track in corners. 99% of the roll control is up front in the beam sway bar.

Jim

[fezzic181]

Aww ok. I guess I misunderstood what zero roll was supposed to accomplish. Will have to find one of you guys when you have a car actually off the ground.

[SwanTechEnt]

Hey sorry to intrude on this thread, was just poking around and found it.

fezzic181 when I looked at the youtube link, I got all excited thinking it was video of a rear pointing camera at the rear suspension working when a car was out on track, but it was still a great idea how to show everyone your setup. I'll have to experiment with a rear facing camera some time

(P.S. I realize this is the FST section, but here is a video of what the front end of a Vee does when out on track, my dad and I were experimenting and we put our gopro hero camera on the axle tube pointing forward, somewhat scary...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dombJDMiOc0 )

[sracing]

Ya gotta love link pin camber.

[Doug FST 5]

Hey Jim,

I watched that video and didn't see anything negative about that link pin camber....

[sracing]

Hey Jim,

I watched that video and didn't see anything negative about that link pin camber....

Are you POSITIVE about that? Yes, I didn't see anything NEGATIVE about it either.

Jim

[killerken53]

Thanks for all the input guys. Mark and I aren't terribly familliar with Zero-roll, my solo-vee still runs twin shocks and a Z bar. (I am the guy moving the axles in the video)

I am helping Mark with this project, us ACVW nuts have to stick together. This is our second major car project, we built a car and ran the LeMons race at Nelson last year.

I am sure we will be updating with photos and questions quite often. Thank you guys in advance for all your help.

Our first step will be to cut the front end off the car so we can add length. Mark is a big boy, and anything we can do to give him more room in the car we are going to do. From there we have to re-build the front and rear roll structure, plus the rest of the chassis bracing. From there, swapping the nesecary parts for FST will get us well on our way to a sucessful project.

[fezzic181]

So we got the beam off and then chopped the front bulkhead off. Its now back on but located 3 inches farther forward bringing me to a nice 85 inch wheel base. Amazing what 3 inches does for your knee angle sitting in the car. Now to put a cage back on top of it.

[fezzic181]

Managed to get a running engine in it last night. Carbs are for autox.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcCY6ywo1Gw

[fezzic181]

Well after wrenching Friday night and all day Saturday the car made it to the autox course on Sunday. What an absolute blast. Even with 11 year old all season 400 treadwear tires from my thing the car was more fun then any of the street cars I've run.

Now to sort out how to maybe have just a wee bit less positive camber while trying to turn.