Nocones $2020 challenge build thread

Hell, this may just succeed!!

That thing sounds EVIL!

nice.  congrats on the milestone!

The talent and cool builds that exist on the GRM forum deserve so much more exposure than they get here. This build should be on MotorTrend online or some other streaming service

In reply to loosecannon :

I've been thinking lately GRM should host a cars and coffee during Concours, outside the pavilion. Invite a bunch of influencers/YT personas and whatnot. I agree for the amount of effort you have to put into these builds, you get very little recognition except among a core group of weirdos. Even after winning and getting in the magazine, I had to explain the Challenge everywhere I took Datsaniti.

In reply to maschinenbau :

Someone should @Tavarish and get him to come.  He's local (globally) and used to be into cheap projects. 

I don't personally care greatly about the attention but I think the message the Challenge could make to the millions of people who watch popular YouTube/Influencer content would be huge.   For the most part if you watch the Tube you think all projects have to be some exotic car with 1000+ HP.  It makes the "Automotive" hobby seem so expensive and out of reach so people just sit on the sidelines.   But the challenge flips that on its head.  You can Build anything you want have fun and join a community for cheap.   You can build a great car and don't need to spend $100K.  There are Challenge builds that have more engineering and effort into them then the most popular YouTube car but the platform just needs to see it. 

Also I respect you wierdos and celebrate my membership in your club.  

In reply to nocones :

Cletus is also semi-local.  Challenge might not have enough "Hell Yeah, Freedom!" for him though 

In reply to Mr_Asa :

I think there's a few that fit the bill. 

berkeley tavarish I wouldn't want to go if he was there pimping himself.  I have heard enough things about him and several other "influencers" that I wouldn't want any of them poisoning the challenge.  I'd rather be generally anonymous except among you guys, my core group of weirdos.  

i love your car, wish i was going to be there this year, looking forward to it being closer to your vision next year.  

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

I was thinking something along those lines as well.  How we'd balance the Challenge experiencing such a growth as getting an influencer involved, but keeping it as tight a group as it already is 

Lots of things got done of the past 2 days after Friday’s first start.  Most of them where not very photogenic being a bunch of small tasks that don’t make huge changes.

Big Items of note:

The “Trunk Notch” area where I relaxed and made the rear bend has been re-attached and filled in (mostly poorly).  I tried to keep the lines as good as I can and I’d say I got 90% there.  I also extended the rear decklid cover to go to the back of the chassis.  After seeing this on next year I am going to shorten the chassis to where the shifter just protrudes out the back.   The fenders are going to be about 3” forward of the back of the chassis and the car would look better with a straight line across the back.  Since the bodywork won’t be done this year it’s not as noticeable and I don’t have time to fix it, but that goes on the list for 2022.

Exhaust has been fabricated.  I “Lazied” my way to a $127.92 bill here.  Amazon mufflers (That almost work) @ $33/ea are the largest offenders with 2 mandrel bends @ $16 each coming in second.  I needed new exhaust bolts so those where $3.99 per side, and the OEM manifold exits in a 1-5/8 tube and the mufflers are 2” so I needed an adapter.  Rather then do some AngryCorvair old header adapter pie cut weld art I paid the man $3.99/side for adapters.   I also had to put 02 sensor bungs on and I don’t own a M18 tap, so a Pair of ( $7.99 for the pair) “Spark Plug Extenders” (Most definitely not a product entirely designed to space out O2 sensors *Wink Wink*) where used.  I left the “rear” 02 sensor out of the flow stream and put the front 02 sensor in.    This entire exhaust is ridiculously expensive and next year I will fabricate one out of the scrap exhausts I have from the Subaru’s. Liberal piecuts and welding will make them bend to my will. 

The Throttle cable from the Subaru is understandably too short for my application.  I needed to make it ~2x the length.  The good news was Subaru was nice enough to equip the outback with Cruise control.  I retained the servo and cable to use to extend the throttle.  I built a small adapter and put it inside a channel that allows it to slide.  The cable terminations are just whatever the appropriate OEM cable termination style was.  So basically the Throttle pedal pulls on the cable, which goes to the box.  The box pulls on the cruise control cable which operates the throttle just like the cruise would on the OEM Outback.  I was pleased with this.  It didn’t take to long and works well.    I documented this mainly because it’s going to be buried between the seats and you will literally never be able to see it unless I remove one of the seat sides.

The challenge makes you do strange things.  I’ve had this image of the vehicle being like a big RC car body.  Like a full size RC-10GT you pull a few spring clips and the mechanical bits are just exposed for maintenance.  This is a big reason I added the rails under the doors to help the body be more rigid, and had to have a Frunk and Decklid mount that went with the body.   I also required Hood pins.  Which are like $14/pr.  That’s stupid.  So I made some. 

McMaster sells 25 giant spring clips for $8.86 for 25 of them (Which reminds me, does anyone need 21 springclips?).  Bulk “Grade 2” bolts are 1.79/lb.  For 4 of them I needed 1.5 lbs including the nuts and 2” diameter “fender” washers that will get riveted or spot welded to the body.  I cut the head off the long bolts leaving just the ½” shaft.  Using the file and the lathe I carefully rounded off the top. 

To drill the cross pin hole I filed a small flat for the center punch.  Without this it’s nearly impossible to get the hole in the center.  Once your done with that you have a 4” long hood pin for $0.77 each. 

In total since Thursday Evening that’s 25 hrs which brings us to the 400 hr update

400 HR update.

So previously I was all “Oh this is cheap my budget is like ~$1000 I’m killing it.”  Then the challenge time crunch showed up and I had to start spending money.  I also hadn’t included a few key items (Like say Rims/Wheel Adapters/15lbs of bolts/brake line adapters).  The net result is the budget ballooned to $1728.92.  This is close to what the challenge budget will be.  I have about $50 more of steel to put on for bodywork over the next 2 days.  Of that budget ~$350-400 will be able to be worked off by trading labor and cheapness for $$ and expediency.  I’m not going to break it out completely like previous updates but will rundown the highlights:

Time: 405.7 Hrs

Total Spent - $2228.92

Total Recoup - $500

Bulk Materials (Steel/Aluminum) – $796.34

Bolts - $62.54 (17.5 lbs)

Wheels/Adapters - $119.95 ($50 wheels, $69 adapters)

Exhaust - $127.92

Fuel System-$136.11 (Tank, Pump, Filter, Fittings)

Wiring - $132.60 (Cutoff switch/Battery/Fuse Panels)

Brake System -$82.95 (Proportioning valve, Residual Pressure Valves)

So that’s where I’m at.  You can see in the picture the secret items being worked on.  More on those later.  I really don’t think I will get the fenders mounted.. .  .    in the way I had originally planned.

Sidepods! Yay!

This car is such a inspiration.

So many emotions.  

There where so many days in the last month where I wanted to just pull the plug, shut-off the garage lights and punt to next year.  I am so glad people encouraged me to continue and I made it.  The event is good, the PEOPLE are great.  I so greatly appreciate everyone who stopped by the car, took pictures, asked questions, gave compliments and just generally encouraged me that the car is something special.  I struggle at times to look past the gaps but everyone's support means so much and makes the effort worthwhile.  

Thank you everyone for welcoming me to the event with open arms.  That middle trophy is something special that I will cherish forever.  

I will post more about my thoughts on the challenge, how the car did, what I learned and the rest of the big thrash to get it done after I get home.  I didn't take as many pictures or videos as I wanted so if people have any to share I would appreciate it.  

But again just a big thanks from me for the support over the build and at the event.  If this build can inspire anyone to pick up a wrench and try something new and push their limits it will have accomplished more then any result could give.  

such an achievement to make it to the event. Superb effort

Very glad you got some plaques. Such a great build!

What an awesome car, first off, and how totally cool that you won those awards!!! Can't wait to see more pics and hear more about the final thrash and the challenge itself.

Congrats!!!

Extremely well deserved.  If I'm being honest, I've been following this thread from your initial paper sketches, and if you'd have told me that you'd not only have it driving and taking plaques at the 2021 challenge, I'd have bet against you.  It was/is such an ambitious project, and you just absolutely nailed it man.  You should be super proud!!!  

I can't wait to see wherre this car is at in another year or so...

preach (fs) said:

Very glad you got some plaques. Such a great build!

+1  Cool, cool car

Today I unloaded the car from the trailer which gave me the opportunity to weigh it.  Living in grain country (and no owning scales) it's just a matter of finding a grain silo that doesn't cover their scale display and weighing the tow vehicle with trailer with and without the car.  

So what did I learn?  The LMP360 as ran at the 2021 $2000 challenge weighed 1480 lbs.  That's a little more then I was expecting but not much I was thinking closer to 1425 or so.  

On one hand I am disappointed that it is only ~140 lbs less then the MG (The MG was 1570 at Nationals without windshield or passenger seat/harnesses).  But on the other hand I need to remind myself that this one is: longer by 13" in wheelbase, Almost 4" wider, Has much larger brakes (294mm vs stock 1996 Miata), Has a full W2W legal Cage, and has Rims that are 50lbs heavier for the set then the 15x9 Advantis on the MG.

So it's not that bad that it's still lighter despite all of that.  

Time to deep clean the garage then get started on V2 for 2022.

nocones said:

 

Time to deep clean the garage then get started on V2 for 2022.

Can you pretend you are attending another challenge in December? I've been enjoying the pace of updates the past month or so  This is one of my favourite builds!

In reply to edwardh80 :

Concur.