E46 Jaffster Build

[Cory M]

I like where it is mounted on a lot of the GrandAM GT cars:

[Steve J.]

Not over the wing, but under the the license plate ares with a 45^ bend at the end of the dump can. Given the tracks I run, I'll probably end up putting it in a similar location, just on the right.

My wing is in the way

[JohnVanHouten]

My wing is in the way

Mine will likely be too, unless I have a _really_ long lower leg of dump can.

[CP Louie]

Because of how the door jam is situated, it needs to stay on the car. As it sits, its pretty much out of the way. Once the car is on the ground, I don't think it will get touched much, especially once the plastic shield is on.

What do you mean the drivers cradle? You should be using a beadseat for the drivers cradle, this kind of foam (or anything similar) is not a very good choice for a seat cradle.

This is the beadseat insert I made for my seat:

Jaffman,

Is that your Reynold's racing seat? I like the butt heat shield...

[diffsonline]

Jaffman,

Is that your Reynold's racing seat? I like the butt heat shield...

I thought it was a booster seat

[Steve J.]

Its just a beadseat that gets me in the proper position. The seat is made for a "european" sized driver, but they put the harness slots too high (smaller torso than avg?) so I needed to get up a bit.

As for the fuel fill on the back...my wing is about 12" farther back than the one on that Vette.

Roof is on the car curing

[jmitro]

looks good, can't wait to see the final product.

is it safe to say that tying the cage into the front strut towers precludes the need for foot protection in the footwells?

also, how many of your body panels will be composite, and what do you estimate the final weight will be?

[Steve J.]

Right now in "phase 1" the only carbon panel is the roof.

"Phase 2" will have carbon trunk skin, hood, and doors. Front/rear fenders are fine, and thats all the body panels really. Stock bumpers are light enough.

I'm unsure on the weight, but I'm hoping after the carbon panels are on i'm well under 2500.

Realistically the car will be fast enough, way faster than I am capable of at this point...so driver potential has to meet cars potential.

I'm pretty sure the tubes going to shock tower are counted as foot protection.

[B.Watts]

is it safe to say that tying the cage into the front strut towers precludes the need for foot protection in the footwells?

As long as you use a bar from the bottom of the A-pillar up to the strut tower, I would assume so. It's the bar that our foot rest attaches to, so it would seem to be well located for intrusion protection into the foot area.

[txse46m3]

is it safe to say that tying the cage into the front strut towers precludes the need for foot protection in the footwells?

Not when the tire is shoved into the footwell, it isn't.

[Steve J.]

Not when the tire is shoved into the footwell, it isn't.

Can you elaborate on this? The E46 has a lot of metal by your feet, and with these two bars there it would provide sufficient leg/foot support.

If the car is in an accident where there is enough force to push the corner through the firewall, through the Apillar structure and through those two tubes...i'd be more worried about internal and head injuries then a busted leg.

[txse46m3]

Can you elaborate on this? The E46 has a lot of metal by your feet, and with these two bars there it would provide sufficient leg/foot support.

If the car is in an accident where there is enough force to push the corner through the firewall, through the Apillar structure and through those two tubes...i'd be more worried about internal and head injuries then a busted leg.

Simple - I have seen cars with really weird damage that "shouldn't" have happened. It's very possible to get the car in a position where the front wheels can be shoved into the driver's foot well with tremendous force. I'm a cage-minimalist, but triangulted foot protection in the driver's footwell is a must IMO.

With Steve J's seating position and custom pedal setup, maybe he's back far enough that the A pillar bar is enough. Anyone with stock pedal location would be nuts not to have foot protection. It's 18" of bar and it's low...the weight penalty is nothing compared to the pain penalty.

[Steve J.]

Noone is arguing IF foot protection is needed...he's asking if those bars can be considered the foot protection.

[tammer]

Noone is arguing IF foot protection is needed...he's asking if those bars can be considered the foot protection.

There are two different ways to make bars to the strut tower, though. Two bars horizontal from the dash bar to the top of the strut tower, or those two bars (or one of them) and a bar going down and back to the A-pillar bar base plate, as Bryan described. I'd say the former is NOT a substitute for footwell protection, but the latter probably could be.

-tammer

[B.Watts]

I'm a cage-minimalist, but triangulted foot protection in the driver's footwell is a must IMO.

If you've already got a bar running from the bottom of the A-pillar up to the top of the strut tower, there's no room for (and probably no real need for) an additional attachment point at the firewall. That's the point that is being made.

[Steve J.]

If you've already got a bar running from the bottom of the A-pillar up to the top of the strut tower, there's no room for (and probably no real need for) an additional attachment point at the firewall. That's the point that is being made.

Exactly. That bar (as well as in addition to the other 2 bars) are acting as the antitrusion and support bars.

Roof was looking good when i checked on it last night, I left it clamped on so it can fully cure and I'll remove all the 20 or so clamps tonight.

Evosport also has about 100lbs of parts coming to me next week, and I'm trying to get the rear subframe buttoned up and installed so I can get the drivetrain moving along as well.

The only real part I need to fab that will take some time (pro just a day) is the exhaust...which is very simple, and short

[Steve J.]

Quick update:

I've got one more solid mount left to press in on the rear subframe, then I can mount it up with the diff.

I got in my Evosport rear side Lexan windows, fit like a gem! I just need to paint the black the edges and fasten the mounts.

This weekend I'm hoping to finish the firewall enclosure, rear bulkhead enclosure, and get the trunk lid mounted (using 4 bstandard hood pins).

Roof looks fantastic! The structural adhesive Loctite/Henkel provided worked great, and their dispenser worked well, although it did come out very slowly.

I won't be able to get the chassis rolling until I fab a bunch of suspension pieces, and that won't happen until the lathe is setup...couple more weeks.

I'm still pushing to try and get it done for a July event, but its looking pretty tough at this point, we'll see.

[Steve J.]

Good news, Lathe is on its way to me! China made an early delivery, so it looks like July completion could be possible if I hustle in June.

[Steve J.]

I'll have pics this weekend, but I should have the subframe/diff mounted up, trunk mounted, rear lexan side windows mounted, firewall heatshields, and rear seat bulkhead done.

I also just checked the stats on my website (www.jaffster.com) and some interesting stats:
From Tue, May 30, 2006 to Fri, May 16 2008 (716 days) I have had 940,538 hits! Thats an average of 1313 hits a day!

At the rate its going right now, and assuming it picks up a bit as I have more big updates in the coming month or so, I should be hitting a million soon.

[mkodama]

I'll have pics this weekend, but I should have the subframe/diff mounted up, trunk mounted, rear lexan side windows mounted, firewall heatshields, and rear seat bulkhead done.

I also just checked the stats on my website (www.jaffster.com) and some interesting stats:
From Tue, May 30, 2006 to Fri, May 16 2008 (716 days) I have had 940,538 hits! Thats an average of 1313 hits a day!

At the rate its going right now, and assuming it picks up a bit as I have more big updates in the coming month or so, I should be hitting a million soon.

You should just add a small little google advertisement bar to the right side of the homepage and make a little money on the side, haha. Pretty impressive numbers for your webpage, but it's also a pretty impressive build. I can't wait to see some more pics!

[onasled]

So with all your cool stuff Steve, I'm wondering what you will be using to transport this sweet ride.

[B.Watts]

Sounds like you're getting hits for every time one of the pictures loads here in this forum.

[Steve J.]

I am not sure, most likely, but still...that means someone is seeing it There is a number for direct page hits, as well as as list of where people are being redirected from.

As for how this thing is being transported...not sure yet. Nothing crazy though, zero budget left lol We have a local shop that transports our cars to events, I might have to toss this car on there with the others for a couple events before I find a trailer/truck.

I just got the rear subframe all mounted up, and I'm trying to get the diff in, but its a bitch with the car on jack stands. I might have to raise the car higher and try to get two jacks under the diff and slip it in.

[Matt]

I thought you had a two post lift? I put the subframe on stands and lower the car onto it... easy as pie.

[Steve J.]

The two post lift is not here yet, once I get the car as a roller it'll be installed.

I got the diff up in there, but I think I need to clean the threads out of the front diff mount...problem is I don't have a damn m14x1.5 tap...so this might have to wait until Tuesday.

Rotisserie is being picked up tomorrow and Lathe should be here Monday or Tuesday.