The Bonneville Project

This one is for the next H.A.M.B. challenge, of which the Aussies have won all eight so far.

My car is a streamliner for running in AA/BFS class. That's unlimited engine capacity, supercharged, nitro burning streamliner. There's still a few details to work out like finding a suitable truck trans and rear end strong enoght to take the horsepressure from the big 16 litre blown Rolls Merlin.

It's made up of a Long John Dragster body/chassis unit, most of a Speed Racer body plus the wheels, tyres and a few other bits, a $15 aeroplane kit, an AMT Parts Pack Rolls Royce Merlin engine, a resin driver from the parts box and whatever else it takes including a half tube of Squadron filler (so far) and some sheet styrene.



There's a little tube chassis structure (from an old dragster kit) that fits into each side of the engine compartment to provide chassis detail Of course being a streamliner the wheels will not be exposed as they are here, they will be covered by fitted panels in the openings.



The section of canopy over the driver will be painted to match the body with only a small windscreen in front, so that the driver doesn't lose his direction at 400+ mph by seeing more in the periphery than he needs to see at at that speed (like blinkers on a racehorese).



I'm running way behind schedule thanks to too much travel and work stuff taking up my time, but we'll see how far it gets before the deadline is up.

Hehehe ...you got some serious sanding time coming mate. Nice so far and Im sure it will look awesome when finished. Keep the updates coming. Go Speed Racer wanna be !!!!

Looks promising but you've got a world of sanding ahead...

Isn't the AMT engine an Allison V1710 (28 litres)?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_V-1710
Or did they do a Merlin (27 litres) as well?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Merlin

Are you planning on using a gearbox or just a direct drive into the diff?

Truck gearbox, with an overdrive ratio or two.

Cool. It's not like you need to pull away from rest.

baZOOKa wrote:Hehehe ...you got some serious sanding time coming mate.

Dremell tool and various different sized and groits of sanding drums should look after the hard part.

And this is no wanna be, we're huntin' for the big numbers and the record!

The speed racer actiually arrived late to the plan. I was originally going to use '40 ford fenders, but then I spotted that kit at Don's shop when I went to get the Parts Box driver (he brings the whole package of different scale parts into perspective) and the voices in my head told me there were my wheelhousings. So, what was I to do............

Ilike that train of though mate, a bit from here and a bit from there, sanding doesn't take long if you knock the top off with something course, the idea looks awsome, can't wait to see it finished Carps, keep on postin' mate.

Very nice...and original as always. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

I was wondering about the whole scale thing , is the driver the same scale as the engine ? I thought those engines were a lot bigger in comprrison to the driver but wasn't sure ???

Looks like its ready for launch.

Good project Carps - that's a real mixed bag there. It resembles "Speed Racer" but way more sophisticated, plus a vertical fin from a "Panther" jet? I'm interested to know if you used the Allison engine parts kit by AMT, or a Merlin engine from an aircraft kit (or resin copy)? I'm assuming this is 1/25 scale? Below is the AMT Allison V12.



Here's a P-51 Merlin in a slot car model (1:32 scale).

Yup the driver and engine are the same scale as is everything else except for the aeroplane fuselage which was 1/45 scale but is now a 1/25 scale Bonnevile car body.



The 421 Pontiac engine & mechanic should help put it all into perspective. I reckon I could fit at least two Ponchos for 16 cylinders in the space taken by the big V12 (Tezza, it's the AMT Parts Pack Alison).



The body is coming along nicely, but I don't think I'm gunna make the contest deadline as the engine cover is going to take some work and the exhaust manifolds also need serious modification to fit inside the fuselage. The plan there is the chute fits in the jet exhaust outlet and the exhaust pipe exits below. To ensure the chute doesn't get tangled around the push bar it'll be a single rod with a dolly wheel in the end.



Also need to add some louvres, or maybe a couple of NACA ducts along the lower sides, to vent any air that does get into the cockpit space from around the front wheels.

Great styling mate, awesome shape! cant wait for more!

Im reading through this and thinking ..Yes you can make the deadline Carps ...and Im listening to Uriah Heeps The Wizard .... Oh yea !!!

Looking good Carps - you can do it!

Good choice in choons Dean.

Cool , I always thought they were bigger than that . Looking great now it's being sanded .

now that is one wild and wicked salt racer

Well I finally got some more work done on the Bonneville project.

Added some small fairings ahead of the front wheels and larger ones ahead of the rears. At the back I modified the skirts to align with the fairings.



Under the rear of the car the fairings become a flat panel and form a F1 style vortex generator that stops under car air getting into the wheelhousings and straighten s out the airflow for maximum aero effect.

The exhaust pipes also use airflow around the wheelhousings to maximum effect and exit through the holes in the wheelpods.



The body is almost ready for paint, I'm thinking MOPAR Sublime Green, just so the car doesn't get lost out there on the salt.

Harry the driver is has had his seat custom fitted and giot a new firesuit and facemask, so he's rarin to get this thing cranked up[ and blasting across the salt.



Not sure how I should attack the body panel seam lines. I figure maybe tape them off and scribe or just draw them on with a sharpie after the paint dries.

Rather than being metal and held together with Dzus fasteners, I'm thinking this body is made of composite with tight seams and held together using F1 technology to ensure there's nothing to disturb the airflow.

that's one wicked Bonneville racer

Each time I tune in to this topic I am more amazed by your creation Carps. It's looking fab mate. Yeah go with the F1 tech - keep that beautiful body as smooth as possible.

Hey why not bring it along to the next AMCC meeting Nov 21, Ashburton library? I'm sure the guys will love to see this in person.

Wouldn't the panel gaps be (gaffer) taped over for high speed runs?
In which case you don't need to scribe them, just replicate strips of tape with the media of your choice.

zenrat wrote:Wouldn't the panel gaps be (gaffer) taped over for high speed runs?
In which case you don't need to scribe them, just replicate strips of tape with the media of your choice.

Don't know about anyone else but I'm liking that idea , makes sense to me .

zenrat wrote:Wouldn't the panel gaps be (gaffer) taped over for high speed runs?
In which case you don't need to scribe them, just replicate strips of tape with the media of your choice.

The speed this puppy is gunna run, 200mph tape will be gone by the end of the first mile!

I'd love to come to the meeting Tezza, but will be overseas.

Good job mate

This is really shaping up nicely. Great work!