TomoTek - 182 Track Build here we come!...

[Tomotek]

Excellent work looks like you have an OMP obsession like me lol. Love the strenghtening plates i did the same on my nova bottom arms and will be doing the same on these when i change the engine.

Yeah! I love all OMP's products, I get a good discount too which definitely swayed my decision

Just joined the forum..
Great car & awesome work on the build.. Impressive! ..
A small World tho.. I previously worked for an Automotive/Motorsport company in Woking and now work for JLR.. Are you @ Whitley or Gaydon?

Hey, thanks for your kind words.... and wow, very small world!.. I'm at Gaydon (work in the chassis department) where are you based?

 

[Aaron87]

Certainly is! .. I've recently moved over to Gaydon from Whitley.. I was a Prototype Build engineer and now a Vehicle Development & Durability engineer working in D&R @ Gaydon in 118.

 

[Tomotek]

Certainly is! .. I've recently moved over to Gaydon from Whitley.. I was a Prototype Build engineer and now a Vehicle Development & Durability engineer working in D&R @ Gaydon in 118.

Oh nice!, how you finding the journey in?, worse than to Whitley?... My new role is 'Rear Axle CAD Lead Engineer' work in GDEC. Do you drive your clio in?

 

[Rubicon_]

Needing updates

 

[Tomotek]

#8

Been doing a fair amount of work on the car over the last few months, finally found a spare hour to right a bit of an update. The work I've been doing has mainly been fabrication based, getting the shell ready for a lick of paint on the inside and engine bay areas. I started to install the cage i got last year from OMP while I was still in Woking and I am now nearing completion. I'm going to concentrate this post on the cage and when I get some more time I'll add some more piccys of other bits and bobs that have been done.

I originally bought a bolt in cage from OMP, which when I went to install I was greatly impressed with its fitment (I can be quite picky, I wanted the Main hoop to line up with the 'B' Pillar better as I want to put the seat as far back as possible) plus I wanted to weld the cage in instead of bolt it in.

I decided I would utilise the Main hoop and main side bars as the base of the cage and fabricate the rest on my own. I planned out what the design of the cage would be and ordered some straight tube from Custom Cages and cracked on with it. Here's some pics of my work (Got quite a few, so I apologise haha!) ........

BASE OMP SECTIONS

NOTEPAD OUT - TOOLS OUT...

POSITIONED MAIN SECTIONS - Trimmed out standard seat mounts too!

MARKING OUT WHERE I WANT TO MOUNT THE BASE HOOPS

Prepped and all the horrible seam sealant removed!

TUBES ARRIVED, Welders ready and made up some Gussets at work

FIRST BIG JOB - MAKE THE MAIN HOOP MOUNT PLATES

FINISHED MOUNT

QUICK TRIM AND THE MAIN HOOP IS ON!

I then set about machining some new rear damper top mounts which i wanted to be integral with the cage. This meant grinding off the existing mount plates and bolting in place the new ones I designed.

BEFORE

AFTER

EXISTING PLATE CUT FOR MEASUREMENT NEXT TO NEW MOUNT

[/URL]


Roll Cage fabrication begins!.....

DOOR CROSSES NEXT!

TUNNEL BRACE...

AND FINALLY SOME DOOR CROSS GUSSETS

That's all of them for now.. Next job will be the Harness and seat mounts. I think the cage has come out really well so far. Hopefully I'll be able to carry on the progress and get the car rolling soon!..... I want to get out on the track!!!

Thanks for reading

 

[Tomotek]

Needing updates

As you wished Mate!.. I didn't realise my last one had been back in january!.. my bad!

 

[Scaramac]

Can't believe the craftsmanship going into this build. It's been said before but your attention to detail is amazing. Read the whole thread through and am now watching it also for updates. Makes me want to put mine in the garage and strip it down to the shell but I like driving it too much.

A total credit to you Tomotek. Can't wait to see what's to come...

 

[Apg100]

What's your target for racing, do you think it will be this year? And have you decided who to race with yet?

The Tricolore Trophy guys are racing at Brands on 16th of May. Bob along and see us. We are a friendly bunch and always happy to share and help others to join us.

 

[JP83]

Amazing! Love the welds.

 

[MattJB]

Looks awesome! Any tips on removing the weld sealant? Just grind/brush it off?

 

[a1axx]

This is amazing work, had a quick browse through, those wishbones!! Then the roll cage, and the way the main hoop has been supported, awesome.

 

[Tomotek]

Can't believe the craftsmanship going into this build. It's been said before but your attention to detail is amazing. Read the whole thread through and am now watching it also for updates. Makes me want to put mine in the garage and strip it down to the shell but I like driving it too much.

A total credit to you Tomotek. Can't wait to see what's to come...

Thanks mate!. Appreciate it... Yeah I enjoyed driving it too, just need to get it finished so I can remember what it was like haha!!... I'd only do this again (strip it down) if I already had another track car to play with at the same time. mix fun with the work.

What's your target for racing, do you think it will be this year? And have you decided who to race with yet?

The Tricolore Trophy guys are racing at Brands on 16th of May. Bob along and see us. We are a friendly bunch and always happy to share and help others to join us.

Hi Andrew, Not sure what the target is to be honest. I'm just working on it whenever I can. (with all my other commitments It will probably be next year before any racing happens) One of my friends has gone halves with me on the cost now, so he owns half the car. We're just going to do some track days to start. We had looked into the 'Team Trophy' championship, just because you can enter a 2 driver line up.
I will definitely pop over to a Tricolore race though, probably Mallory in June.

Looks awesome! Any tips on removing the weld sealant? Just grind/brush it off?

Hi Matt, The best way I found was to use the wire wheel on the grinder (make sure you wear a long sleeve top and a mask and gloves though, can get a lil smokey and the wire wheel fires bits of wire off every now and again) I tried scrapping it off, burning it off, wire brushing it off etc.. wire wheel was defo the best way.

 

[MattJB]

Perfect, that's exactly what I'd bought with the job in mind. Thanks for the response. Hopefully get mine cleaned up this week ready for some welding help next week.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Very neat.

 

[Apg100]

Hope you don't mind, but copied your design a bit, to add some strength to my cage. I'm putting the front bar in, and the cross at the sides. Did you buy it ready cut, or cut it yourself? We plan on cutting ourselves.

I've taken my dash out, and the bar will go in front of the new dash, so not sure where I'll mount the clock, etc.

 

[Tomotek]

Very neat.

Thanks Tony!

Hope you don't mind, but copied your design a bit, to add some strength to my cage. I'm putting the front bar in, and the cross at the sides. Did you buy it ready cut, or cut it yourself? We plan on cutting ourselves.

I've taken my dash out, and the bar will go in front of the new dash, so not sure where I'll mount the clock, etc.

Don't mind at all mate.. Safety first!.. Luckily you didn't get T Boned at Rockingham when you spun, looked close (you would have felt that, especially without door crosses and your fibreglass doors wouldn't have offered much protection either) .. I bought straight tube from Custom cages and notched the ends myself. There a plenty of tube suppliers though, Hub Le Bas.. or K Steels up near you! Used them a lot while at Uni at Huddersfield

 

[robbie514566]

Just read from the start, some decent stuff you have done and the cage is looking good !!

 

[Tomotek]

#9

Missus has gone to visit her parents tonight so amazingly got some more time to put a few more pictures up!..

The next step on the cage was to add the harness mounts. I started with the shoulder bars. I put the seat temporarily in the car to figure out at what height and spacing the bars need to be cut and welded in at. I also decided I would make some inserts and use the eyelets provided.

I was also finding the cage a pain to work on when the windscreen was in, and as I want to put A pillar strengthening plates onto the cage too I decided to remove the windscreen. Also as the heater unit has been removed, and after discussions with my mate who will be driving it also, we decided we would buy a heated screen... So out came to tools and off she came!!!

I then decided to mock up and drill the mounting holes for the Pure Motorsport solid top mounts and integrated strut brace!.. Fits like a glove... While I was at the front end I decided i would finish off removing all the unnecessary brackets and seam weld up the front turrets, subframe mounts and engine mounts....

A temporary lick of Paint later to prevent any rust and it has started to look a lot better. I used U-POL weld thru Zinc primer, just incase i need to do anymore welding.. You can weld straight onto the paint without the need for any prep!!.. Just need to clean up a few areas and patch some small holes and the front end will be nearing completion!

 

[sonny172cup]

Looking good fella, how did you remove the seat rails?

I could be wrong (not got bluebook to hand) but those harness eyes in the harness bar might not be allowed.

 

[Tomotek]

Looking good fella, how did you remove the seat rails?

I could be wrong (not got bluebook to hand) but those harness eyes in the harness bar might not be allowed.

Thanks!.. erm lets just say i had a grinder/tin spins/small pry bar and a free weekend!.. removing them had to be the most time consuming/awkward thing I've ever done.. My spot weld drill was at my parents and didn't want to buy a new one.

I've welded in my own FIA spec seat mounts now that i fabricated. I'll put some pics up tomorrow.

Good spot regarding the harness eyes in the harness bar! I checked and the design is MSA/FIA approved.. Off the top of my head its the last drawing in the competitor safety section in the blue book .. no. 42 or 44 i think... I got an extra 4 made up while at my old work. Intended for life in a McLaren 12C GT3 roll cage.

 

[sonny172cup]

Excellent stuff mate

Thats next on my shitlist.. Seat rail removal.

 

[Martin.]

Excellent stuff mate :smile:

Thats next on my shitlist.. Seat rail removal.

You'll have fun doing it.

 

[Martin.]

Proper OCD build this. Love it!

 

[SamHowell]

This is fantastic. Keep up the good work :up:

 

[Tomotek]

Proper OCD build this. Love it!

Another 'OCD' post coming up in a sec! watch this space..

 

[Tomotek]

#10

With the harness bars in i turned my attention to the seat subframe rails. I removed the original seat mounts as they were too far forward for where I wanted to put the seat. I also wanted them to meet the latest tech regs:

http://media.turbosport.co.uk/2008/2/2008021123198948975FIA253-65b.jpg

The FIA regs have changed now which means you have to bolt these rails to the sill and tunnel rather than weld them on. When people were welding them on as low as possible they were unable to weld underneath the rail (only 3 sides go welded) This way you can remove the rail and weld all the way round the ends, thus making a stronger connection. I suppose an additional bonus to this means that when I don't run the passenger seat I can remove the rails to save every last gram!

I welded some M8 top hat bosses into the original seat inner mount holes on the tunnel. I intend to use these to mount a frame i am fabricating which will house my brake bias valve, hydraulic handbrake.... drinks holder?? etc etc.

I bolted my OMP aluminium seat mounts to the drivers seat and sat it in the car to work out where abouts fore/aft i needed the rails to be located. I marked this with a paint pen and then began the laborious task of making all the plates and rail tubes as per the regs.

SILL PLATE - Welded on M8 nuts which will sit inside the sill onto which the rails will bolt.

HOLES DRILLED & AREA PREPED FOR WELDING

PLATE ON - Quick measure to check it was all ok

WELDED IN!

The next stage was the trickiest. As the tunnel is not a vertical flat surface like the sill, a bit more measuring and fabricating was required to create a flat surface that allowed the rail to bolt too.
This is what I came up with.. I aligned the main plate with the rail laterally and angled it so it matched the tunnel as best as possible. I kept the top edge aligned with the car in the longitudinal direction. I then tacked it in a couple of places before making 3 extra plates per side to fill in the gaps, creating a box structure (Should be nice and strong!!!)

BOTH SIDES DONE - (Easy as they were a mirror of the first side - I made sure i traced round the drivers side plates before I welded them in)

HAVING A QUICK LOOK AT PROGRESS :relieved:

Next job was to make the plates which would be welded to the box section and bolted to the sill/tunnel mounts. I measured up to make sure they were above the minimum surface area stated in the regs. I then bolted them in and sat the box section on ready for welding!

Lots of rulers and spirit levels were used at this point!.. I think I took "measure twice 'Weld' Once" to a new level!! After tacking and re measuring a million times they were fully welded in!

WELDS!! haha

REAR RAILS IN - Now to EAT, SLEEP, WELD, REPEAT for the front!! :unamused:

I'll leave you all with the fruits of my labor!. Proper chuffed with how they came out. All i need to do now is put the seats on and mark out the holes for the side mounts, get the rails drilled and weld in the M8 top hat bosses to mount the seat and it will be JOB DONE! (well one more job ticked off, still got the other 100 to go!)

 

[JP83]

I need to learn to weld. That looks awesome dude!

 

[Apg100]

What are the tube bits for?

 

[scotiamr2t]

superb build so far, good to see someone doing everything themselves aswel!

 

[Tomotek]

What are the tube bits for?

Their the base tubes to a frame i'm going to fabricate to mount the brake bias, switches, etc etc

 

[JoeMarano]

Blimey I think if I had a cage like that I'd puposefully roll the car just because it would seem rude not to!

 

[JackJack]

Awesome project.

 

[haimsey]

Great read this thread, love the level of detail and effort being put in!

 

[NorthloopCup]

 

[Greeny.]

This is going to be an amazing build, bloody great so far!

 

[Tomotek]

#11

Again, thanks for all the positive comments
Just been sorting all my pics out from the last few months, so going to wrap up the cage fabrication in a few more posts. Then hopefully I can start to post some more interesting build pics and bits!

After the last post I just needed to finish off the harness eye bolt fixings and the seat rails......

CENTRAL HARNESS LAP STRAP EYE BOLTS - I Welded in two threaded Bosses into the central tunnel support tubes, to create a strong anchorage point that it at the correct angle for the harness.

SEAT RAILS - Measured and Drilled with threaded bosses ready to weld in.

SEAT RAILS - Bosses fully welded in, They have a larger diameter underneath so there is absolutely no chance of them pulling out if there was ever a crash.

SEAT RAILS - Welded flush on the top so the seat rails sit flat.

Drivers seat rails and seat mounts bolted in!... All ready for the new OMP seats!

Feels good to finally see a bit more progress, feels like I've been staring at tubes and welders for too many months now!..

 

[GrahamS]

I have to say this is easily the most impressive thread on here because there are real craftsman skills being used. I'd love to be able to weld and have the equipment to do such brilliant customisation.
Hats off.

 

[Tomotek]

Cheers @GrahamS I really enjoy doing all the fabrication.. I wanted to put my own stamp on the build. Yeah its been a huge advantage having access to all tools etc!

 

[Tomotek]

#12

I have changed the seats I am going to fit form earlier in the thread... I initially was going to fit a pair of OMP 'CHAMP' seats. But rethinking what the car will be used for (potentially some form of racing) me and my mate decided to sell them and buy a pair of 'HTE Fibreglass' seats which have a higher side structure and integrated head restraint; their 0.6kg heavier, which isn't that much when you consider the added protection. Overall weight is 9.4kg..

Off came the doors!.. don't know why i didn't take them off earlier, so much more room to access the cage and cockpit

Trial fitting the OMP 806 HANS Superleggera 6 Point Ultralight Saloon Harnesses!..
As I already have a Hans Device I decided to get a set of HANS harnesses too, hopefully they'll sit better on the HANS device than the wider width ones.

Seat in too!.. Fits like a glove... Feels absolutely solid in the car. I had a quick sit in and the harnesses really hold you into the seat!, really happy with the final position!.. really makes me wana crack on and get driving it now!

All the effort of measuring and jigging and re measuring has paid off.. Few more cage additions to go and it will be ready for paint!!.. then the excitement will begin!

 

[NorthloopCup]

Did you sit there and hold on to a pretend steering wheel and gearstick making brum brum noises too? I would've done. Lol!
So one question for you, how come you've put the lap belt harness mounts that far apart? I'm going off what I read when I mounted my schroth harnesses and it said no more than 400mm apart ideally.