The "Project"

[FABRICATOR]

Okay, this may ruin my chance for a skunks feature, but one picture does not make a skunk and it's all there might be for a while. (It would be appreciated that anyone privy to this project in the past maintain confidentiality as promised.)

Here's a first time body-off picture of the antique, Geezer-built, rust bucket.

[500” BBC, “new” transaxle with quick-change gears, IFS/IRS (28”/33”) with interface to auto/driver input, 125” W/B, steering is one turn lock to lock, 80 gallon cell, race weight approx. 4,000 pounds. Seat, radiator, or shock <6 minutes. Water pump, distributor, or final drive ratio <10 minutes. Overall quite simple, low C/G, low unsprung wieght, approx 6 lb/hp, and well under $1 million!]

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[Samco Fab]

That "Project" looks cool, are the front lower shock mounts in the blacked out area at the outer end of the lower control arm and super layed down at full compression, or highly inboard mounted like on the new Pfleuger Machine?

Will it run 35's or 37's?

Will it see dirt soon?


Watch out for giant potatoes, if you hit one with that front skid plate you might have a ton of french fries to deal with

I cant wait to hear the whole story about the "Project"

[moabWalker]

Please sir I'd like some more... This looks amazing and it would serve most of us well to take a long look at the way FAB put it together. I've been standing in back listening to FABRICATOR's advice for a while and I always wanted to know what his truck looked like. If I was that talented I probably wouldn't start giving my secrets out on the web; just giving a little nibble and pulling away. Much respect FABRICATOR. Stay up.

[FABRICATOR]

Thank's for the good words! Feel free to critique as well. As those who design know, there can be a tremendous amount of work in something that looks very simple. This was also put together before there was CNC in every shop, and before the age of "bling".

I do need to apologize to Mr. John Bitting. He's been waiting patiently for a very long time to skunk the beast. Well it's just not ready to show at other angles. Not because of the stage it's in, but because of how things work. (Sorry, the "blackouts" looked OK on one monitor and pretty bad on another.) FWIW, it's only been shown here.

The front shocks are not laid down, or connected similar to Mr. Pfleuger's new TT. They are simple coil-overs and position sensitivity is provided without by-pass technology. (read: smoooooothly)

Good or bad, absolutely nothing on the car is similar to Mr. Pfleuger's new TT, aka "Dirty Harry".

If it looks like there should be a tube here or a gusset there, it's because there probably should be a tube here or a gusset there. Tubes were left out for access.

The front arms may look vulnerable to some, but the main reason for big boxed arms is to hold up to bypass shocks, not the bumps. The great Dodges, mighty Toyota, and venerable Arnold, Trophy-Trucks, all had/have open tubular lower control arms. The arms, and many other important components, are upgradable. But the rear is designed to be much more boulder and impact resistant.

The upper skid plate does look a little old fashioned. It's wide to help protect the radiator. And that would be...Flamin Hot Cheetos, not french fries! The lower plate is about 8" wide, made from .250 4130, and goes all the way back to the seats. That's so it can survive almost any hit (in the center at least), provide substantial lower lateral strength, and to help to keep the front end down. Many things, including the dual batteries that sit on the floor, were moved forward and low.

To make a long story very short, factory support was out and about, then it wasn’t, permanently. Even the biggest and most successful teams could not keep the doors open. But some things did get finalized before the big plug was pulled. I'll try to explain what our little group considered necessary to take on the western dezerts.

[MikeAdams]

I remember you mentioning this thing in another thread eons ago..

Can't wait to see the skunk and the whole story. Secrecy allways makes things more fun lol..

[moabWalker]

"it was intended from the very first thought that nothing ground based would catch it."

Does Johnny Campbell still have his flight license for the XR?

[Devin J]

Can't wait to see more!

I like that it's shrouded in secrecy.

[FABRICATOR]

Thank you for the interest. I assure you that omissions are not for fun and games. Certain specifications and advantages need to remain vague for a while as they too can reveal significant matter.

Fast forwarding past the observations, study, research, brain picking, and various other influences...

Ever see a list of requirements for a truly unlimited car? Most would scoff at the very thought, little less grab it by the horns. The very first one gave different meaning to the term “clean slate” and presented mammoth design challenges.

• It needed to have substantial power (that one was easy),
• It needed to have IRS with improved capability and control,
• No existing transaxle was close to what was needed in strength, proportions, or layout,
• No known rear suspension layout was adequate (either weak, short, or both),
• Unsprung weight had to be kept very low (this one collided with by-pass technology),
• This kind of travel to power/weight ratio would require an interface to automatic and/or driver input,
• Enhanced control was to be applied to all driver comand functions.
• Safety and reliability were paramount, and had to be improved (No leaf springs, plunging CV’s, etc.),
• Maintenance was to be low, and trackside component change AQAP,
• Perfomance and range were to be maximized. Race weight had to stay under 4,500 pounds.

Of course this was only a get-started list. There was at least one list generated for each item on the list.

Anyone else make such a list? Does it have to cost a $million? How do you spot problems on the drawing board? How do you know what will work? Where does one begin?

[Devin J]

How many people were assigned to the project ?
All of my questions would equate to a very large post, so I'll start there.

[FABRICATOR]

How many people were assigned to the project ?
All of my questions would equate to a very large post, so I'll start there.

Actually producing something? A whopping 4. Of course there was also collaboration with outside powertrain and other gear/drive specialists.