HELEN:

FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT

HELEN FTDS February 2010

 

It's still about adding weight. We've got to add 70 kg for the 2010 season. Madness.

 

Power windows are going back in, and the original door cards, complete with armrests, which adds nearly 8kg per door! The electric windows were the first modification I ever made to the original Angelina, it's a bit retarded to go backwards by 3 years, but all in the name of weight.

 

We don't write the rules, we just obey them.

 

It's supposedly impossible to retain the armrests, but with some patience, a saw, and some re-upholstering, they can be cut to fit round the cage. If I'm going to do this, I'm doing it right.

 

The effect is comical. The rollcage we went to so much trouble carefully welding in and painting to match the body, as racy and professional as anything on the grid, and  now there's cream leather upholstery wrapped round it.

 

The rear seat has to be horribly butchered to fit around the cage and extinguisher, but it can be made to work. Obviously I refitted the original seatbelts too, it's all free mass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the left, 3 generations of window winder. Top left, electric. Bottom centre, the mechanical version I built for Mallory '07. Top right, the string and pulley version from late '07, weighing in at precisely sod all, and amazingly it worked. A loose interpretation of the rules, you might think, but wind the handle and the window went up, what more do they ask of you? Nothing, actually...

 

 

 

To go further, the original ski slope gets put back, the steel one in place of my 3-year old aluminium home-made one. But painted blue, and pimped with white stripes. And refitted with ashtrays. Really I only wanted it because it's ready to accept switches for the windows.

 

By the time all this is done, we're 35kg heavier, half the target weight gain. Bugger, need more....

 

Never mind, we're on the way. With some welding to be done, and some more beef to the subframe that's about to be dropped, we'll get closer. Then we'll add lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out with the old aluminium, in with the wood and leather. Now that's progress.

 

 

 

Yet in the midst of all this, the Bear is lightening things. He's had another batch of solid propshafts made. 3kg lighter than usual, and without the weakness inherent in the stock version. Helen gets one, of course. Very expensive, but she's worth it.

 

But it means I need to find that much extra. It's odd really, all the effort to make a lighter, faster race car, and 70kg to then add to slow it down.

 

Whilst we're tinkering, I got all excited by the old Broadspeed cars. Time to see about that mad rear spoiler I want to fit....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HELEN CONTINUES TO GAIN WEIGHT.

 

 

Most-played in the garage this week - Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers!

 

Injury of the week - finger lacerations - don't hold onto a nut as you use an impact gun on the bolt.

 

Helper of the week - The Bear