Aaron's Dax De Dion build thread

[aaronjb]

Most modern alternators don't need one of course.

This is true - the "too large" 3G one I have currently is internally regulated (comes supplied as 1-wire but can be wired as 3-wire), the 1G fitment one (in need of rebuild) is externally regulated. I don't think you find external regulators over about 60A (maybe 75A) which I guess makes sense given everything* since the 80s has been internally regulated

(*There's probably exceptions to prove the rule)

[aaronjb]

Your kind words, as always, appreciated

If you mean the regulator for the charging system, then on top of footwell - see post #7 here:
http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/igni...placement.html

You cannot buy them in the UK (or at least I couldn't find anyone that sold them) if you want the correct item (black with a suitable sticker).
So I gave up....there have to be some limits!

Aha! I hadn't found that thread - I'd found various discussing the different models of regulator and how to make a new one look like an old one etc (this assumes you can find the 'correct' old one first) but no examples of where it lived. Not that my footwells are the right shape anyway..

I am disappointed that your search for originality has limits, Kevin. Disappointed

[ChrisP]

Aaron, just received my 60amp tiny alternator from London and Essex (EBay link I sent in an earlier post)
It is much smaller than most. If you couldn’t get this in then you wouldn’t get anything in!!
Am about to see if I can get it in the GT40 although my March pulley is in the air somewhere over the Atlantic so will have to wait to get brackets done.

[aaronjb]

That's what she said! etc

Could you do me a favour and measure it from the pulley V backward, Chris? No rush though! I may spend some time itching all over tonight*, instead of looking at the alternator

*Cutting and glassing the footwell for more header space

[aaronjb]

OK, I believe I've got the alternator thing sorted - thanks for all the advice & help! I'll let you know what the solution was when I've executed on it and know it actually worked

Got the second parcel from Rock Auto today so now have a bronze (oilite, actually) pilot bushing for the gearbox - I also have a pilot bearing (ball, not open roller) so have a choice. I'll see which fits best! And also in the box were a new thermostat, thermostat gasket, oil filter adapter gasket etc. I figure they haven't been on long but no point risking trying to swap things over and then getting stuck needing a $2 gasket!

I bought the wrong temperature thermostat though, so need to pick up a 180F 'stat per Clive's installation instructions, whoops. (Better call Real Steel this morning!)


Did spend a little time in the garage last night but didn't achieve much beyond re-routing the fuel line, figuring out where the main +ve cable(s) need to go, and just how much of the footwell I can chop out (very little as the clutch pedal is only 1" behind it, but I think just enough!). Onward and upward!

[ChrisP]

Hi Aaron
Some pics of the little alternator

[aaronjb]

Thanks Chris, that is a teeny tiny one!

Couple of little jobs tonight - finished the purge fixture and did some practice welds, much better with the purge on and 2.4mm filler instead of 1.6:


Also took drastic action for an extra 1/2" to 3/4" of space for the headers, just need to glass the hole back up again now..

[aaronjb]

Yesterday I further enlarged the hole in the footwell and then glassed the hole over again - used parcel tape on the inside backed by blue roll stuffed in there and a board, then parcel tape on the sticky side to make a kind of buck to glass over..




Then glassed over it with black tinted resin - I may filler over the whole lot with P38 tinted black as well now that it has cured (which I thought might take forever - I should have used more than 1% catalyst given the temperature):





Today I took the flywheel off the new engine so that I could install the 'block plate' (essentially a steel spacer between engine & bell housing) and then reinstalled the flywheel. Reinstallation did not to go plan as one of the ARP bolts .. well, it went in half way, then went very tight, and wouldn't back out again.. galled thread maybe? But now, well, the bolt is half a bolt:




And the hole .. after running a 7/16 UNF tap through it to clean out the galled ARP bolt chunks .. has four or five good threads, some scraggly threads and then essentially no threads. I guess I have two chances - either it'll torque up to 75lb/ft or it'll rip the remaining threads out of the brand new Scat crank.

If I was ham fisting them I wouldn't feel so bad, but I cleaned the threads out, cleaned the bolts, blew them out, made sure they went in the first few threads with my fingers etc. If anyone needs me, I shall be crying in a corner.

[philbrad73]

Is it possible to go up a size in UNF or even Metric?

[ChrisP]

It happens. Exactly what happened to me with the 302 build for the GT40 only with a head bolt. Just a thought, did you have the flywheel lined up properly?
Anyway I don’t think there is need for tears! Worst case you can drill out and tap to a 1/2 inch bolt on that hole, drill the flywheel and away you go. It will be fine.