crush box?

[bonedome]

I have a 1986 Dolphin F500 that I rebuilt and run as an FMod car in autocross now. The car was originally run in road racing and nothing has been changed. I plan to hit the Roebling 4-day school next year, but do I need to have the much-talked-about front crush box before I can do that?
j

[lancer360]

Yes, you will need a crush box. Your car must pass tech before being allowed to run at the school. Since your car is a KBS you can call Quadrini to get a crush box that fits.

[bonedome]

Like I said, it's a Dolphin, not a KBS. As I understand it, Jim Elder designed, built, and marketed teh Dolphin fo ra number of years then sold the line off to someone else. I don't know if any were produced after that or not. I have all the original body molds and have laid up several pieces for my car. I'm not sure the KBS box would fit, and while
I've spoken with Mike Q on several occassions, this never came up...might've even been before the subject came into view through rules changes.
Having raced FA, FB, and FF and worked tech back in the 70's, I understand I have to get through tech. I was just asking abuot the box because last I heard there was still some questions as to whether or not it was going to include us. I autocross the car now, so that's a different set of rules.
I have access to brakes and shears, so making the box won't be that difficult...I just needed to know if it was required adn thought someone here might have the definitive answer.
Thanks,
j

[Evl]

Yes, the crush box is part of the F5 rule set.

[rudolphtg]

You also want to be certain the roll bars are 1 3/8", not the older 1.25 inch bars that were common until the early 1990s when the rules were changed (and a ton of cars were made obsolete).

[bonedome]

Really good point there on the tubing diameter...thanks! I'll measure it this weekend. Here's the funny part...the car is very tight on me now-the forward-facing diagonals are very close to my head and I have to turn my torso almost 90 degrees to slide down into the car below the main lateral tubes. At first, it seemed almost impossible but the more I did it, the easier it got. Another long-time FMer suggested that if I was to never roadrace it again, that I re-configure the laterals and remove the diags since it also has the rear-facing tubes as well. That's all well and good, but since I'm thinking road racing, I can't do any of that. NOW...lol...if the tubing is undersized, well, that makes it a racecar of another color, don't it?..lol....
Thanks to all,
jerry

[lancer360]

Doh! My bad. I was thinking by a Dolphin car you had one of the rental cars they sold off last year. Good luck with making a crush box and post some pics. I'm not familiar with the Dolphin car.

[iamuwere]

Just because the tubing is too small (if too small!!) it does not make the car obsolete. It makes it a car that needs new hoops. This is not terribly difficult and can be done by a local chassis shop or the like. Also, at the time, you can move those tight bars out a bit. Comfort is key and don't be afraid to make yourself faster by making yourself safer and more comfortable.

[bonedome]

Well-spoken, and I've considered that very thing: widening the long tubes. The only place they're really tight is at my shoulders and once I'm in the car, it's not bad at all. I did have to form a couple of elbow bulges and add them to the cowling so I could buckle myself into the car, but that's a lot easier now as well. I live pretty close to the SIDEWINDER guys and we've talked about that a couple of times. I also realize I can just change out the hoops fairly easily and do some other mods while I've got the car apart.
Thanks!
jerry

[rudolphtg]

Just because the tubing is too small (if too small!!) it does not make the car obsolete. It makes it a car that needs new hoops.

True, but the Solo FMod market certainly reaped the benefits of the rule change from folks unwilling to make the upgrades. Otherwise we might have folks talking about a Club-F440 class for older cars....

Regardless, you'd have to be pretty crazy to undertake a roll bar project yourself.....

(Can a get a huge delivered on that line???? And maybe a rimshot for emphasis?)

[bonedome]

Rimshot delivered! I don't weld, but I do have a guy ( everybody has a guy, right?) who does it day in an dday out and would make very short work of it. I haven't measured them yet...

[rudolphtg]

Rimshot delivered! I don't weld, but I do have a guy ( everybody has a guy, right?) who does it day in an dday out and would make very short work of it. I haven't measured them yet...

The line was VERY tongue-in-cheek. Jim's 1990 KBS and my 1992 Raptor are both updated cars....