December 2024
29Dec
FF200 model located!!!
For a very long time, I've wanted to obtain the CAD model of the car from Mygale. Or Ford, but neither party were able (or willing) to help. And then 10 years ago, Forza Motorsport featured the car, in glorious detail, and I knew there was going to be a possibility somehow of finding that model, and seeing if there was a way of using it in Fusion. To cut a long story short, I managed to obtain the FOR_FormulaFord_13.carbin file from Forza Motorsport 7, and using 3DsimED, I have opened the file, and exported the FF200 model in to FBX format (as a single file and as all the individual components that make the model). This allows me to import the components that the car is made up from, into Fusion, where, I can convert the Mesh bodies to Solid, and use them in my models.The next step was to try and produce some renders of the bodywork, so I downloaded Blender, and tried to import the FBX files, but Blender said it couldnt open the files as they were in 6100 format. No problem. Opening the .FBX files in Windows 10, using 3D Paint, allows the files to be saved in GLTF Binary format, which Blender then imports.
The results are amazing. I just wish I had the models for Henry's Dissertation that he completed this year, his CFD results would have been even more accurate had we got the CAD model of the car.
The Forza model open in 3DsimED
The FBX export from 3DSimED, imported in to Fusion.
My Fusion 360 aero model with the FF200 body work.
25Dec
Happy Christmas
It's that time of year again, wishing all my friends and followers a very happy Christmas
22Dec
Front wing drop plate support brackets have arrived
Weighing in at just 121g each, these save almost 400grammes over the plate that was bolted to the underside of the crash box. Here's a video showing the design, prototype and production of them both.19Dec
Sierra diff-housing wheel speed sensor kits now listed
The new batch of printed sensor rings for the sierra push-fit output cup have just arrived so the listing for the complete sensor kits is now live on ebay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/156590510729I collected the painted nosecone and bonnet at the weekend from Faircharm Restorations, and they look fantastic in the gloss black. Thanks Shane for another excellent job.
9Dec
Sierra diff-housing wheel speed sensor kits
Just waiting for a batch of sensor rings to arrive, and then these wheel speed sensor kits will be on ebay for purchase. Supplied with all the parts you need to add wheel speed sensors to a kit/space framed car running the Sierra diff-housing (eg Westfield/Caterham/MK Indy etc).
5Dec
Printed Fiesta rings
The pair of 91mm sensor rings for a Ford Fiesta arrived this morning. These are SLS printed, with 24 dowels.
They are built up with the steel dowels and are now in the post to another new customer.
4Dec
Printed Sierra rings and sensor brackets
I've just had another set of Sierra 78mm sensor rings delivered, with a set of M8x1.0mm sensor brackets. The brackets are printed with the 1.0mm thread to allow the sensor to be screwed in, using just one of the pair of M8x1.0 nuts to lock it in place. The other version of the bracket allows the sensor to be inserted and held in position with two M8x1.0 nuts. Both designs are available for £10 for a pair. The sensor rings remain at £25 each. The SLS printing service I use remains to be expensive, but the quality and details achieved with SLS are far greater than anything that can be printed at home.
Offset M8 sensor bracket for the Ford Sierra diff housing
M8 sensor bracket for the Ford Sierra diff housing
2Dec
Trip over to TripleM for a seat fitting
It was good to get back behind the wheel of the van with the trailer in tow again, for a trip to TripleM Motorsport near RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. The A46 and A15 were busy, but the trip only took 1.25 hours and I was there for the 9:30 start.
With the car unloaded and pushed into the garage, Alan and Nick set about making cardboard templates, to block in the space frame at the sides. This is essential to provide the seat with anchors to prevent it from moving.
We then tried the Medium seat kit, but the bag didnt have a great enough volume of beads to provide me with the protection we were looking for. A swap to the more expensive large kit, (which is the same bag but with 50% more beads) provided a much greater volume, and once we were happy with the distribution, the bag is removed and the 1.5 litres of chemical resin are added, and after 15 minutes of break making, the beads were all evenly coated with the resin. Alan and Nick then added the requisite amount of cold water, which starts the chemical reaction to harden the resin. This is quickly spread around the beads, with some more needing, and then we had 20 minutes to put the bag back in to the car, push the beads where they were required, and I sat in the car, wiggled my bum around to get comfortable, and then the bag is pushed in to shape by hand, and a vacuum applied to the bag to prevent anything from moving.
I then remained in the car for a further 35 minutes, which kept the bag from changing shape while the resin cured and hardened. Once that time had passed I hopped out, and Alan and Nick removed the seat, and started trimming it to shape.
The thickness of the sides were reduced, to allow it to be removed from the car more easily, whilst retaining the shape of the space frame, which helps keep the seat locked in to position.
Belt holes were then cut, and after another hour or so of trimming, the seat was refitted with the belts pulled through, and I sat in it, did the belts up to prove everything was OK, and hopped out again. The seat was then removed and will be covered in Nomex flame retardent material, which will keep all the beads in situ, and strengthen the core of the seat.
From start to finish the job took around 7.5 hours to complete. The seat fits me perfectly, and should keep me in situ should I hit anything substantial again. I will be changing from the Hybrid HANS to conventional HANS as I am very aware how much the HANS moved in the crash. It just rolled off my shoulders as I slid forwards, and I'm not prepared to risk that happening again.
I also collected the new Pirelli Ultrasofts from Alan, and these will be fitted to a new pair of rims, and kept for the cold weather events.
Here is a short to the seat fitting process, filmed yesterday at the workshop.
https://youtube.com/shorts/pD1gl-ocZC0?feature=share
