Off Road Racer after 3 long years

[discokid]

Hi Guys

I hope Ive got the right section here as I havent posted onto the site for such a long time


After many years of racing a LS1 powered Defender it was starting to show many weaknesses and after the 2009 Safari (3rd one it finished)plus 4 full seasons of local competition it was time for a rebuild which has taken just over 3 years to complete

Many of the good points from the old were taken to the new

The main difference in philosophy was to build a race car first and foremost and not a compromised street registered rig like the old

To this end the biggest change that was needed was to the suspension and roll cage design. Although the old rig had enough power the standard suspension design let it down to the point where the power was unusable

Enter a new chassis to start from scratch

The new chassis was braced from top to bottom as we wanted to eliminate any flex and let the new fox coilover and bypass shocks do the work

The suspension geometry was re looked at so longer links front and rear were fabricated

The engine was moved back and a new fire wall constructed to allow easy access to the gearbox and rear of the engine. The fire wall also intergrates into a sub frame to help stiffen the main chassis rails

Power now provided by a fresh LS2

All brackets was been laser cut and either MIG or TIG welded

(Ill update this as time goes on and I get access to the photos but heres a video link of some recent testing)

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lofl5RQ5RFE"]881 Dave Fong testing 2013 - YouTube[/ame]


Its goes out for its first local event this weekend at Yearlering. We are treating this as more of a test to iron out any build bugs we get under racing conditions

[isuzurover]

Definitely have to make it out to watch you race one day...

[discokid]

Picutres of the new chassis

Work to make a brace for the transfer case, plates to brace the chassis, A frame mount (we destroyed the standard one in the last car)

Theres been a lot of work done over the last few years!

[justinc]

Dave, that looks fantastic!!!

What trans are you running now? Didn't you have a TF727 for a while?

JC

[rick130]

It's a real race car now

Did you contemplate a four link and Watts link or Panhard at all rather than the A frame ?

[uninformed]

how much longer did you go with the front links?

[discokid]

To answer in order

Still using a torqueflyte
I looked into 6 speeds etc but $ to buy and maintain we're just to high
Besides trophy trucks are still running 3 speed autos
The gearbox has got a few more good bits in it which Ill cover later
The auto really protects the rest of the driveline

Considered alternative suspension designs but still came back to an A frame for ease of keeping the sals rear

4 link wouldn't fit with the fuel tank position etc

I had to draw the line on mods as well otherwise it just wouldn't be a defender anymore hence no independent suspension

The front links are only 150mm longer but mounted much lower to get my castor back length can be adjusted on the rose joints as well

The engine is 200mm further back so a much longer front tail shaft

Rears are much longer and are based on giggle pin arm lengths they measure 1085mm so 300mm longer

[discokid]

Pictures of the cab being built up
Panels are mostly from the old car except for a puma fiberglass bonnet

[discokid]

Picutres of the moulded rear being fitted, removable transmission tunnel and plumbing, The last photos show the general geometry of the car, chassis and links

[discokid]

Random pictures of the build

Ill now have to fill in all the tech gaps. Im just not sure where to start. There are different reasons for just about everything that has been modified on the car

Happy to answer most questions as I go