Sunday, July 31, 2016

Stop it! Cool down!

In all projects there are some special tasks that are almost magically repellant. Eventually those tasks might turn sour...if not...someone just steps in and heroically solves them smoothly.  
Today, we put a stop to one though topic as Magnus made magic moves...The rear brakes are now, designed, package and assembled. 
Salt Slush proudly present... The rear end brake caliper brackets!
The proud hero in person.
 Brackets in process.
How difficult can it be? Well, rather difficult actually. We almost wore out internet in our search after a disc brake, with a small diameter but with the correct (rather big) bolt pattern and the correct somewhat odd offset. Eventually we managed find calipers  suitable for the discs while...
...still enable us to fit to the 15'' Crager rims with a rather strange offset.
But now we're good! Celebration! 
Another component which its creator (Kalle) is referring to as The Wisdom Tooth (meaning the ice/water tank) is now in place and completed. Not yet fixed to the frame, but still, another Super Sunday Success.
Why this pic? Well, we're a bit proud, right here, right now that's why. Soon we'll lower the body and hit the, track.

Friday, July 29, 2016

The big, ruthless cake mystery and the vendetta.

What does a cake got to do with it ? Well, as it turned out, much more than you can possibly imagine...

Let me explain. The SSR workshop turned in to a ruthless vendetta between Magnus and Håkan today.
Why? Easy, there were no cake left for Magnus..... 

Let's do some fast forward and take a look at Håkan and Magnus after the showdown turned in to a slow down and peace in the workshop.
Workshop battle: oil cooler versus rear brake caliper adapter. 
How bad can it be ?

After I left the workshop, Magnus got it all together, which for sure is an enormous victory.
Soon we'll have some stop in the SSR Amazon to handle the Go.

The engine oil cooler in the final version. But there's a before and after. It was re-designed... and re-designed. After the third was all good. To cut it short, Håkan was under pressure since he had eaten all Magnus cake just before Magnus arrived and that ain't good.
Meanwhile, as the extremely serious workshop showdown was going on, I maneuvered in the shadow and did some progress on the big water buffer tank. Above you see the precis and complicated schematic of the internal cooling tank set up. As you all can see, we use a pretty advanced drawing program, way better than yesterdays card board engineering.
Finally, all internal pipes and all hoses were connected. Perhaps a small step for mankind, but still, a big victory for SSR! When Anders saw all the connections etc. he started to explain the set up for failure, if you multiply weakness with weakness with weakness ..... it becomes very weak....not strong. If we sum it all up. 
Mårten Björnsson, Håkan's father, had made a delicious cake. Mårten is in to gardening and he had a lot of Zucchini's that had to be used in a good way. When you're from Småland (in Sweden) you don't waste anything. Usually you make a Småländsk cheese cake to feel at ease. But now the cheese was exchanged with Zucchini's. Sound's terrible, but, as you can see, the pan was empty. 

Håkan was extremely clear and stated that the cake could not be eaten and the Zucchini part was just nothing more than plain stupid. 

After some debate Håkan tested the cake, just a small piece.... and then, after two big pieces...he became quiet and at ease, quite unexpected after the statement above. Or was it just the normal father and son debacle?

If you look closely, you see the sign's of sweet big time victory by Father Björnssons
Just after Håkan had cleaned the pan, Magnus arrived the workshop. Ending up with cold coffee and no cake. But Magnus had eaten breakfast before. Or not ?  We don't know for sure...
If you look closely, you can see the signs of disappointment, despair and perhaps even hunger in his face.

After The Fika, I kept on working with the tank. I still have to  finalize some more details, sealing and an easy way to load the ice.

Next big challenge is to fix the tank in the car in a way that makes it safe....
100 kg water in a tank jumping around in the car is not healthy.

But what is this? Who's put a way too thick piece of steel in my sheet metal brake, who has such an evil soul? I'm really worried. Was the showdown a beginning of a workshop melt down?

You should know that I only had a modest piece of the cake.... 
Yes, it was very good but I don't need to grow bigger. 

I don't understand why, I have only expressed nice and balanced opinions in the workshop, talked about the importance of respect and the need of helping and encourage each other. Almost like proclaiming World peace combined with saving all the Whales. If you see what I mean...?

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

C10 TLC and issue management

Do you remember the copper metallic C10 that I've been working with? And eventually managed to turn in to a law obedient and tax paying member of the society. Do you?

Nevertheless, last week I've  been working with it  again, improving and solving a number of issues.

Issues like getting the AC to work properly with a new compressor, a new dryer and some essential O-rings from LMC trucks  located in the  US of A. Together with an environmental friendly (of course!) fluid and some leaks sealed at Herdberg Kyl and Service AB, ,Gothenburg the C10 is now cool as can be. No more sweat.

Another detail that has been a problem, is that I've hade a crave for a big block engine to deliver bang for the bucks which means big and effortless torque. Yes, it uses some fuel, so why not make it worth it?

So, l thought  let's spend some time and give it the carb service and  ignition overhaul that it deserves?

 The Carb is already at the work bench but I started with labelling all hoses and wires to not lose track when putting it all together again.
Let's be careful with the distributor and ignition cables...
The carb, a Rochester, together with its repair kit. I went over to Rogers Custom, a local speed shop and of course, they had what I needed at once !!!!
Similar to Noble Party, the table's set: New ignition parts and fresh hoses for all vacuum supply that goes in all directions.

New parts is always nice Mallory and Accel historic brands 

Old and new. The old wasn't too bad, but the new is new....  

The Ignition cables were old and dry. Should be fresh and juicy.

The remains. There will be no ceremony, no farewell.
The Rochester is now cleaned, made up. The choke is deleted and other vacuum devices as gone to where old Rochester goes when it's time.

The old spark plugs. Big gap, rust and brownish.

All in all, after some tuning (the owner in US had put it on a starvation diet) of the carb and ignition the song became completely new and much stronger. I now get a strong effortless grunt from the big block. I bet the fuel consumption has improved as well...

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Ain't no cure for the summer time blues...

The sun is shining everywhere in Europe, even Gothenburg got some dry days and all the city dwellers are spending their vacation with ice cream and sunbathing.
How about the Salt Slush team?  Let me try to explain...
Sometime we wonder
what we're gonna do
but there ain't no cure for the
Landspeeding blues.
The Lucky ol' Sun might shine, but the race car is howling for brakes.  
But how to soothe the souls of workshop warriors?
Well, coffee and milling makes a man feel fine...  
Magnus milling makes magic moments. Even if he's got to work late...
We all need to catch it if we can...and Yes! We can!
Racing heritage catch tank needs a location even if it's Sunday! 
Find place find space and be happy! 
Salt Slush doesn't need ice to keep cool, because we have nice looking front end and internal...sorry, inter...cooling.
But there ain't no cure for the summertime blues...

Friday, July 22, 2016

Let's get down to business!

At some point in time in life, we all have to stop and think about the essentials. What is really important in life? For you who wonder... Here are some hints.
Some hydrocarbon resistant hollyhooks the outside the workshop is nice to have
To know that the most important control device is installed in the Land Speed Amazon and in function feels good.
To enjoy speed and stop systems aligned in peace, side by side make you sleep just fine.
To realize that electronics and the exhaust heat are separated from each other is encouraging.
To experience the Beast while understanding its beautiful soul makes the future bright. Even metallic.  

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Heartbeat EKG. Knowledge is King!

Perfect vacation? What does that really mean? 
Get some sunshine, feel the power, enjoy some speed, but most importantly, to get to know your engine under various conditions. That's a nice vacation. 
Therefore we were prepared for a combo of work and pleasure.
Carina is ready for some full load logging. Salt Slush likes HP tuners. To know what's going on is nice.
All expeditions needs a mix of high altitude, high speed and high temperature.
We got it all. Hard work, but nice work. Then there were some pleasure as well, but that something else. 

Friday, July 15, 2016

Everything counts. Even the workshop toilet need to be fast...looking...kind of...

How about this? One day a friend of Salt Slush (Olle) came with a focused mind, a serious face and two buckets of paint. His mind was set and his buckets filled with various obscured paint. He wanted to make the Salt Slush workshop toilet in to a showroom. Since the place was in dusty old grey, we were open to sensations. 
Next day our enthusiastic man showed up again, full of energy. Salt Slush felt that; If Olle is happy we're happy.
When Olle was ready and the normal odour changed into paint smell and grey-yellow walls got white, Salt Slush felt that a contribution was needed...
...hence...we bought a new lid. Slow closing...
We later learned that V8 Hotel in Stuttgart, Germany has selected the same stuff for the same purpose in the "Nostalgi Theme room". We're ok with that. We're used to be copied.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

It takes have fun and go fast. Supercharged expedition!

Autobahn is full of silver colored, low power and high weight vehicles with brick wall type coefficient that force its way forward while offering very little joy...
...but Salt Slush cheered thing up with two bright colored opposite-way-around type of cars that stands out from the crowd and provides unconditional love and happiness. Because of the color?
No, no, because of the booting systems of course!
But why are the Salt Slush Racing team not at home working on the Amazon?
Well, we cannot only enjoy weld smoke in the workshop everyday, sometime we need to go to Germany for a proper expedition. How to get a proper tip-in calibration adaptation from 3000rpm and upwards on the 6th gear otherwise? Swedish police would be upset.
We'll tell you more later, but the LS2/LS3 engine with the Magnuson Supercharger is addictive. Pull down the throttle at almost any rpm and enjoy an robust acceleration at  any speed. The mild supercharger whine fit perfect to the exhaust sound since it promise speed.
How fast it is? Not tested yet. But let's put it this way...its fast, really, really fast.
Bonus picture: Young German daredevils in cooperative action in the search for speed.

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Charge Air cooler or Ginger bread house?

A certain task needs a certain skill and sometimes, even a certain talent. But let's start from the beginning.  At some point in time it became quite clear to Ragnar that the Lotus Exige top-of-the-roof type of intercooler air scoop was perhaps not state of the art in terms of efficiency.

Hence a painful design & manufacturing process started. But let's cut the story short. The modification involved a  lot of aluminum welding (Anders is for sure getting better and better...) but as well a sealing procedure which required a lot of experience as ginger bread house builder as a child or to simply just be gifted.   
Ragnar in making of Intercooler inlet, Ginger bread house style. Natural born talat or experienced? Nobody will know.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Robin Antonsson needs Boost. A lot of boost. Fast. Salt Slush try to help...

 It's Time. Time to make a difference. Which is why Robin Antonsson came to our shop last weekend to get a high boost wastegate actuator for his EFR 9180 equipped Supra Time Attack racer.
With this final piece the puzzle is complete. It's time to get the final calibration before the race in Mantorp, Sweden the coming weekend.
Robin, ready as can be. May the Speed be with him!

Monday, July 4, 2016

Bare bones & Broadband!

Small step every day means a giant leap in the end. But to make small step we had to lift off the body again. Which means that our racer stood there naked again.
But when the weld and grinding smoke cleared, Magnus could make some final precision adjustment to the crank sensor position which meant milling off 1mm from the bell housing (but yes, he had to separate transmission and propshaft apart again) and today, Anders installed and connected the broad band lambda sensors.   
The Power calibration is coming closer and closer. Cooler and pipes indicate airflow. Airflow means power...hopefully a lot of Power. 
More boosting system.
Last, but definitely not least... The Broadband lambda sensors. Mechanically and electrically connected. 

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Back on Track! We're focused!

We're now beyond the final TODO list. The Salt Slush team are now back in dream mode again. Where the mental life is all about flat surfaces, blues skies and a furious FAST experience. We all know that this will be coupled to tensed nerves and a new focused mindset. This Saturday we all felt the need to move on to the next level. 
Anders, aluminum and the machine. The front spoiler in creation.
Kalle, deadly determined to do deeds, while grinding his life away.
Spoiler? Yes, I think so....but let's wait for The End.
The engine cooling tank plumbing is in need of a steady TIG tiger. Anders thinks that practice make perfect. Maybe he's right...
Not perfect yet, but you can see where we're heading. But I assume... 
...expansion is needed to start with. 
A high cool place, close to the firewall feels like a good place to be in when you need to keep the pressure on the right level. ﻿