Thread: The Ultimate FC

DSCN0461 by john smith, on Flickr
DSCN0460 by john smith, on Flickr
DSCN0464 by john smith, on Flickr

DSCN0463 by john smith, on Flickr
DSCN0462 by john smith, on Flickr
DSCN0467 by john smith, on FlickrDSCN0466 by john smith, on FlickrDSCN0470 by john smith, on Flickr

Wow, that's not something I would of expected. Shows that there's no shortcuts doing something like this. More hard work ahead by the looks of it.

In the above photos the rods and bell cranks are for the water jet steering buckets.
The left-hand side of the vehicle will not have the same problem as there is not a red hot exhaust, only the tool box and radiator header tank, both of which are water tight and apart of the hull proper.
The holes in the cross member are for access for the bolts which hold on the tailgate rubber seals.
When finished I should be able fill that cross member with fish oil or add drain plugs to drain any water instead of holding it.
The steel used above the vehicles waste line is thin and appears to be mild steel.
Below the waste line the steel is thick and is a low carbon steel which tends not to rust very much.............in fact the lower hull is in perfect condition.

Mufflers are now out.

DSCN0485 by john smith, on Flickr



I am thinking of wrapping the mufflers in something like asbestos to try and stop the intense heat burning the muffler box and paint.

The raw fuel from the Rolls Royce 8 and the cherry red mufflers create the famous stalwart back fire..............sounds like a loud shot gun and anyone with in 50 mtrs gets poo in the pants very quick.

The exhaust system on the stalwart goes cherry red when the old girl is working hard.
The heat is bad for any paint work
This picture shows the double ball coupling of the exhaust from the exhaust manifold and the Two quick release stainless steel clamps.
DSCN0487 by john smith, on Flickr

The above short balled pipe goes though this double hulled section of the vehicle.
The engines exhaust manifold outlet can just been seen.
Why you would want to use a sealed double hull on this sort of vehicle is beyond me.
The outer exhaust is held on via 1/2 UNF bolts....naturally the heat locked the fine threads and the die grinder had to save the day.......I still will have to heli coil the threads.

DSCN0490stalwart by john smith, on Flickr

This is the lower forward inside of the muffler box and the main reason I needed to get the mufflers out so I can replace the non existent metal.
The main bilge pump pipes and flanges goes here and must be water tight.


DSCN0489 by john smith, on Flickr