Thursday, 31 December 2015
Saturday, 26 December 2015
The Good, The Bad And The Rookie!
With a group of friends at RaceConnect we recently enjoyed a foray into the world of Sim Oval racing, being mostly new to this there is no better place to Oval race than iRacing in the USA!
With their Nascar links, including many real world Nascar drivers, iRacing provide a seamless package.
As a novice or "Rookie" the Trucks make a great place to start, all tightly regulated so that skill and strategy win the day.
The physics of these models is astonishing, very quickly you feel like you are there at a virtual Daytona at 180mph, Everything behaves as you imagine it should, the desktop clamped steering wheel is motor loaded (force feedback) giving you every inch of information feedback from the super accurate laser scanned Daytona surface and ever wearing slick Good Year tyre models.
This is a 55min body and brain endurance test ......without exaggeration I leave the table dripping and shaking and exhausted! The 18 RaceConnect drivers around me, mostly online from europe but some are farther afield in South Africa and the USA, are all in my virtual harms way. One careless 180 mph touch from me and their steering wheel shudders, pulse rates quicken and knuckles whiten to regain control!
Slipstream effects become very real, drop too far back from the pack and you are 5mph down on speed with little hope of catching up... unless the caution flag comes out, as it most likely will because the slipstream buffet with no room to move will end in tears somewhere!
Look carefully at the movement of the cars, they sink on the suspension as the speed and aerodynamics increase, they react to control or ground and slipstream influence in a way that cannot be pre scripted and animated, those movements are a direct results of the thousands of physics equations the PC is processing for each suspension part, tyre grip factor and each centre of gravity location.... A lot of fun for young and old, many of which are or have been real world racers.
This is different, this is a PC simulation over and above an Xbox or Playstation game, and it costs very little.
The film consists of random clips, no particular order and as a note I didn't crash as much as it looks, some are the same crash from different angles ;-)
Sorry for the poor edit,the result of late Christmas night and a little too many christmas wines!
With their Nascar links, including many real world Nascar drivers, iRacing provide a seamless package.
As a novice or "Rookie" the Trucks make a great place to start, all tightly regulated so that skill and strategy win the day.
The physics of these models is astonishing, very quickly you feel like you are there at a virtual Daytona at 180mph, Everything behaves as you imagine it should, the desktop clamped steering wheel is motor loaded (force feedback) giving you every inch of information feedback from the super accurate laser scanned Daytona surface and ever wearing slick Good Year tyre models.
This is a 55min body and brain endurance test ......without exaggeration I leave the table dripping and shaking and exhausted! The 18 RaceConnect drivers around me, mostly online from europe but some are farther afield in South Africa and the USA, are all in my virtual harms way. One careless 180 mph touch from me and their steering wheel shudders, pulse rates quicken and knuckles whiten to regain control!
Slipstream effects become very real, drop too far back from the pack and you are 5mph down on speed with little hope of catching up... unless the caution flag comes out, as it most likely will because the slipstream buffet with no room to move will end in tears somewhere!
Look carefully at the movement of the cars, they sink on the suspension as the speed and aerodynamics increase, they react to control or ground and slipstream influence in a way that cannot be pre scripted and animated, those movements are a direct results of the thousands of physics equations the PC is processing for each suspension part, tyre grip factor and each centre of gravity location.... A lot of fun for young and old, many of which are or have been real world racers.
This is different, this is a PC simulation over and above an Xbox or Playstation game, and it costs very little.
The film consists of random clips, no particular order and as a note I didn't crash as much as it looks, some are the same crash from different angles ;-)
Thursday, 24 December 2015
Missing Blog Photos... how to view them
Please Note blog photos, including some missing items, can be viewed here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/reorder?uname=106613665382932489275&aid=5502447611318382513
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/reorder?uname=106613665382932489275&aid=5502447611318382513
BSA C15 Otter Spl
A while ago I completed a very pretty and very light little C15 Faber "Otter" framed Special.
The origin of the frame was from a company in Devon near the River Otter, Faber continue to build a development of this original "Otter" frame.
We decided at an early stage in the build that it would be very appropriate to have a sign written tank instead of stickers.
I was able to recommend a friend and highly respected portrait artist who also carries out very specialist work on cars of special interest and history.
Mark is very busy and in great demand, he has now been able to schedule the fuel tank work and here is the completed rendition of the owner's and Mark's design.
The origin of the frame was from a company in Devon near the River Otter, Faber continue to build a development of this original "Otter" frame.
We decided at an early stage in the build that it would be very appropriate to have a sign written tank instead of stickers.
I was able to recommend a friend and highly respected portrait artist who also carries out very specialist work on cars of special interest and history.
Mark is very busy and in great demand, he has now been able to schedule the fuel tank work and here is the completed rendition of the owner's and Mark's design.
Monday, 21 December 2015
Delage DISS Finishing Work
Having run the Delage engine for the first time in many "tens" of years, here are some photos of routine inspection work and final little details.
Additionally, a picture to remind us of how she will look before too long!
Again, just as a reminder, much of this car was rebuilt in the early '70s by the current owners father, we are simply completing that process, adding paint and engineering touches only where absolutely necessary.
The Delage is a lovely car with beautiful engineering throughout. Like the 3 litre W.O Bentley, It is certainly a car you feel you could travel on great adventures and if necessary, always be able to fix it and return home.
Additionally, a picture to remind us of how she will look before too long!
Again, just as a reminder, much of this car was rebuilt in the early '70s by the current owners father, we are simply completing that process, adding paint and engineering touches only where absolutely necessary.
The Delage is a lovely car with beautiful engineering throughout. Like the 3 litre W.O Bentley, It is certainly a car you feel you could travel on great adventures and if necessary, always be able to fix it and return home.
I have only been responsible for the engineering / mechanical work but the work by Hugh, the coachbuilder, is beautiful and I am proud to display it in the following three photos
Saturday, 19 December 2015
Friday, 18 December 2015
Thursday, 10 December 2015
Racing Memories. Mallory Park 1983 TZ / RD 400 SPL
Early ventures from MX to road racing. Clutchless down change mid corner, as in MX, caused quite a moment! oops
Monday, 7 December 2015
Sunday, 6 December 2015
Triumph Gloria Progress
After lots of behind the scene panel work the paint and body are taking shape!
Photos are not in correct sequence because the upload shuffles them for some reason.
Photos are not in correct sequence because the upload shuffles them for some reason.
Saturday, 28 November 2015
Sunday, 22 November 2015
Thursday, 19 November 2015
Tuesday, 3 November 2015
Re Visit Of A Daimler Sleeve Valve Blog Post
Having lost many old blog photos from a technical fault, here is a re visit of this popular post.
The engine is mid 20's. It required a strip and inspection and "do what we could" within a limited budget and even more limited parts supply ...within that budget.
The engine is mid 20's. It required a strip and inspection and "do what we could" within a limited budget and even more limited parts supply ...within that budget.
1/16 " Sleeves each has a white metal outer coating!
Manufactured Rings
Mini Crank (cam) to operate sleeve conrods. 1 for inner and 1 for outer sleeve.
Each rod has a white metal bearing!
Oil pump, one plunger per dip tray and one for timing chest.
Drip tray hinges away from big end when throttle is released giving a very small "lick " at low revs.... not so good for coasting perhaps?
The main bearings are totally splash feed, something to bear in mind when starting after a long period of sitting dormant.
Long overhang of the flywheel and the drive train loads make the rear main bearing work hard. However, It is unfortunate that this overhang and a flexible flywheel (when not fitted with the heavy pressure plate), are easily lifted with a long lever during impromptu inspection or engine manoeuvring and this gives the wrong impression that the rear main bearing has worn badly even though it may have minimal wear.
Small "Wills" type rings collapse into groove. The second sleeve valve engine in the blog, used small individual head gaskets, it also had an oil pump and pressure fed crank.
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