My AK Build

[Hairy Poppins]

Hi Chris. 

Sent you a PM 

Cheers
Mark 

[GTR_Garner]

Well had to take the engine and box back out as when trying to set the lash it was all locked up!

Found the cause to be the clutch pilot bearing! The needles had all come out because of poor alignment due to bad machining of the bushing!
Got a replacement and it was even worse! Waaaay too big to even fit in the crank!



So went to my local amazingly helpful engineering shop and they managed to find a UK stockist of a suitably sized bearing, then also machined me an install tool! Legends



Fitted like a glove


This nightmare gave me a chance to improve on the alternator bracketry which I wanted to beef up.




Got my dry sump pump bracketry machined at the same time along with spacers for my gearbox mount:


Installed the box and all aligned perfectly with the correct shaft angles



So I went back reassembling everything








After a bit of help from friends and some jiggery pokery we got the body on.


Had to do some slight clearancing for the wheels 😁


Started running the wiring loom through the body







Fitted the pedal box and MC's




Engine bay really coming along now, covers back from polishing, ignition leads on along with some other bits



Little touches make all the difference!


Heat shield made up for the master cylinders





Fitted the radiator shroud and oil cooler


Headlights fitted, it's starting to take shape now!


Am not happy with how my dash fits, it's under so much tension so I'll leave it as it is for engine start but have started making a template and ordering bits and pieces to make a flat dash.



Engine start provisionally booked in for w/c 23rd so have a few things to finish off before then but atleast have a goal to work towards now!

[Hairy Poppins]

Just read through this thread.
Superb work, bet you can't wait to hear the first startup!

Cheers
Mark

[GTR_Garner]

Another batch update.

Wheels fitted, had to clearance the rear drivers side from the roll bar.  As they are not structural that isn't an issue:



Installed the prop:


Had to re route the fuel lines to clear the gearbox better and to give more clearance from the prop.

Test fitted the factory five windscreen:


Mocked up everything in the engine bay, oil and coolant lines routed and terminated.





Test fitted the Nomex radiator guard.  Will cut down to suit then spray black.


Went to set the rocker lash ready for start:



However found immediately that engine and box were locked.  Pulled all back out and found an issue with the pilot bearing.  Replacement was poorly machined so sent to local cobra/engine specialist to machine a replacement.

Finished mocking up the dry sump pump and lines.  Final bracket design sorted and sent for laser cutting.





Whilst the engine is out refreshed the engine bay chassis where it had gotten marked during various mock ups in the build.


As soon as clutch all sorted everything will be going back in for the final time. Last few bits on the chassis buttoned up and then body back on.
Then it's loom routing and essentially mapping time!

Seat shells and leather dropped off to the trimmer to start on.

[JON1D]

Just a side note. USA spec is SPEC16.1 for these belts.   

IVA calls for "Note 1: A British Standard BS3254 Part 1 1988 or evidence of FIA 8853-98 approval for a harness belt is acceptable."

So they will not pass at the time of inspection with SPEC16.1 belts.

[GTR_Garner]

Can you let me know where you bought the Simpson harnesses, and the spec? Mina are a bit frayed and grubby, but I don't know where to get replacements. Thanks!

I got them from summit, code 29065BK.  They have the two shoulder straps together on one eyelet which is obviously necessary for the AKs.

[ddare@sky.com]

Can you let me know where you bought the Simpson harnesses, and the spec? Mina are a bit frayed and grubby, but I don't know where to get replacements. Thanks!

[GTR_Garner]

Ok so a bit has happened recently:

Got the chassis back from Redline Tuning after they created the loom.  Came in way over original budget which was annoying but they've done a good job.







Put the custom header and dry sump tanks in situ, worked out the oil line routing.



Will remove the engine and box when I can to finalise the last mounts.

Alternator bracket fitted and tested, measured and ordered suitable belt.  Will brace the bracket off another location for extra stability.





Fitted the tyres to the alloys; 315/35/17 and 225/45/17.




Harnesses arrived:


Good progress should be made in the next couple of weeks, hopefully in March can start the car, perform leak tests and heat cycles then body on to fit the last of the bits!

[KevinW]

Haven't seen anything in the manual as to why I wouldn't?
All Aks with crate LS3'a etc are DBW.

ah OK, thought I had seen a rule on this some years a go, but its probably all changed.
Best of luck with it.

[GTR_Garner]

Great work, love the pics.
Are you allowed to use drive by wire for IVA?

Haven't seen anything in the manual as to why I wouldn't?
All Aks with crate LS3'a etc are DBW.

[KevinW]

Great work, love the pics.
Are you allowed to use drive by wire for IVA?

[GTR_Garner]

Nice bit of machining and fab' work there.  Did the mating faces remain flat during welding?

It lifted ever so slightly but it flattens out when bolted down. If I was to do it again I'd make a few little design changes.

[GDCobra]

Nice bit of machining and fab' work there.  Did the mating faces remain flat during welding?

[GTR_Garner]

Ok so about time i updated this thread as a fair bit has happened since September!

Had the intake manifold produced, plates CNC cut from billet and the stacks were 3D printed from aluminium.  I then had it all welded together.  It came out very nicely, need to grind down the internal welds and the top end is nearly done!









Got them test mounted and starting mocking up an airbox.





Velocity stacks arrived 







Some other bits did too!





Had my pedalbox modified to take the drive by wire pedal:


Custom header tank i designed and had produced:



Had the exhaust manifolds and sidepipes made!  Over the moon with how they look:





Test fitted the dash with the slimmed down column:


Cut the gauge holes, went for traditional gauge placement, tacho and speedo not drilled here.


Will have a hinged lower panel for switches that i didnt want on the dash, including map and traction control rotaries.


The previously mentioned slimmed down steering column (removed all caging, stalks and metal frame).
Non airbag version on the top, airbag on the bottom.






Changed the water feed as the manifold wouldnt flow enough. 


Custom dry sump tank nearly finished:



Got all the electronics together and sent the car off for its custom wiring loom! Should be back with me very soon!


In the meantime i cracked on with some of the bodywork, turning the rather miserable looking inner arches with astoundingly big gaps between some of the body from this:



To this (all the visible fibreglass strands i sanded down, refibreglassed all the gaps, put seam sealer where you would find normal panel gaps to make it look less like a fibreglass car, stonechipped the underside then painted gloss black):





Painted the interior:


Notched the footwells for the large primaries, even though its a fully custom system the primaries came a little close to the footwells for my liking.



Got the car back in the booth and shot some colour 




Mocked up for the heat shielding:


Laid the gold sheeting down:


Started on the thick aluminium sections which sit near the exhaust:


Mocked up the radiator guide that i had made with the 'fake' oil cooler.  As im dry sump i wont need a cooler to maintain oil temps.


Drilled and mocked up the filler cap:


My wheels arrived from Vintage over in the US!  17x8 fronts and 17x11 rears!






I think this leaves me pretty up to date.  Ive got leather and carpet samples through which im going to finalise this week and get the material ordered.  Once i get the chassis back i can start to button everything up and fit the final bits and pieces.  Then it will be fluids, setting the rockers and getting a date in the book for first fire and heat cycles! 

[GTR_Garner]

Some more shiny things arrived 



Nicely sized delivery from S&J



Picked up some Spiyda L452 style LED rear lights



Adaptor arrived for the prop so need to have that made now:


Temp roller wheels on


Outside she goes to put the body on for the first time since I started the build!





Cutouts in the boot worked out nicely for access to everything in the tank.  Will neaten up when it comes to taking the body off to do the engine bay and underside.

Checked the height I have for velocity stacks, thankfully more than I expected.  Have a solid 4" between the top of the ITB and the bonnet cutout.



Looking forward to my intake manifold arriving in the next couple of weeks or so from production.

In the meantime car loaded up and off to HR Fab for custom manifolds, to attach my no doubt noisy side pipes and to make me up some water pipes!



The next month or so will see some big steps forward!