chris.richard
April 1st, 2004, 06:31 AM
Had the local Technical Comissioner round last night.
There is no problem with the Hawk roll cage for rallying - the certificate is valid and it doesn't need any modification (other than the addition of door bars - my weld in ones are already in). Top Tip - leave fitting the doorbars until last. Trying to work in the footwells and under the dash is a real struggle with them in!
The dry Varley type batteries can go in the cabin without any battery box or anything else. Wish I'd known that before siting mine!:rolleyes: He was happy with my battery foam cased in the wings between the door latch and the fuel tank. I've led the earth strap to the top of the rear frame for access to disconnect it, and I've put in a live post next to it so that I can use jump leads if necessary.
On fire extinguishers, he said it didn't matter a great deal exactly where the engine compartment nozzles are placed - the new extinguishants are crap and won't put a decent fire out anyway! Maybe the Halons weren't environmentally friendly, but they did the job, and released less into the environment than a rally car burning out. Good point really.
Back to roll cages - he was inspecting the welds closely, apparently there have been instances recently of professionally prepared cars with cage joints only welded through 180 degrees, not 360. The Mitsubishis of David Sutton Motorsport were one example (they had contracted out the roll cage fitting) The way to do it apparently is to cut holes in the floor under the bottom of the main arch, so that it can be dropped down away from the roof, allowing access all round the join with the horizontal tube that goes forward above the doors. Th completed cage is then raised into position and the floor plates made good. Another possibly worse example were Fiats from Italy where silicon had been placed round the tube join in an attempt to immitate a weld. You'd think people would know better!
There is no problem with the Hawk roll cage for rallying - the certificate is valid and it doesn't need any modification (other than the addition of door bars - my weld in ones are already in). Top Tip - leave fitting the doorbars until last. Trying to work in the footwells and under the dash is a real struggle with them in!
The dry Varley type batteries can go in the cabin without any battery box or anything else. Wish I'd known that before siting mine!:rolleyes: He was happy with my battery foam cased in the wings between the door latch and the fuel tank. I've led the earth strap to the top of the rear frame for access to disconnect it, and I've put in a live post next to it so that I can use jump leads if necessary.
On fire extinguishers, he said it didn't matter a great deal exactly where the engine compartment nozzles are placed - the new extinguishants are crap and won't put a decent fire out anyway! Maybe the Halons weren't environmentally friendly, but they did the job, and released less into the environment than a rally car burning out. Good point really.
Back to roll cages - he was inspecting the welds closely, apparently there have been instances recently of professionally prepared cars with cage joints only welded through 180 degrees, not 360. The Mitsubishis of David Sutton Motorsport were one example (they had contracted out the roll cage fitting) The way to do it apparently is to cut holes in the floor under the bottom of the main arch, so that it can be dropped down away from the roof, allowing access all round the join with the horizontal tube that goes forward above the doors. Th completed cage is then raised into position and the floor plates made good. Another possibly worse example were Fiats from Italy where silicon had been placed round the tube join in an attempt to immitate a weld. You'd think people would know better!