Dude, you did a really cool job. And ditto on the strength of those little tack welds! It never fails to amaze me how much abuse a little bit of metal can take.
That would be an ugly scenario, for sure. The backstory is that I didn't intend this to be a test drive...I was just planning on loading it on the trailer to take to a muffler shop. I pulled onto the street, and...well...couldn't help rednecking it a bit. I had not done a final inspection (or an initial inspection, for that matter), and really had no business driving on the street. After my pulse got below 225, I promised myself (and my wife!) that I would not take...
...it out again until after a thorough nut-and-bolt check by both myself and another car builder.
The failure here was not due to a design flaw, or even faulty construction. The tack welds were intentional, appropriate for a design under design/revision. The failure came from putting it on the street prior to any of three critical steps: final chassis welding; painting the chassis (brush-painted...an inch-by-inch intimate affair); and final nut-and-bolt inspection. ...
Any one of those steps would have revealed the problem, which is trivial to correct.
In a way, I've gained a lot of confidence from this incident. As an amateur welder, I've believed my welds are good, but had little practical experience to back that up. After seeing how much abuse three tack welds (each a 1/8", poor penetration weld) withstood, I look at the final welding (5 linear inches with good penetration) with absolute confidence in its strength.
I love how you can just manhandle the back end of the car just lifting it to move. Tell us though, did you intend on not welding the brackets before you drove?
Also, great video because im making a similar locost but with turbo volvo parts.
1. I don't actually recall. But from the video, it appears it was surprisingly controlable. I mean, I didn't hit any of those trees or the yellow car, and I was able to turn to the left to avoid the telephone pole at the end. When I turned to the left, that's when the right wheel started a-floppin'. Clearly, I was absurdly lucky. If I had been in a left turn at the point of failure (or some other condition?) there's no telling if I'd have had any control at all.
2. Stock header. Nothing else. I was supposed to be towing it to the muffler shop that day, but got distracted.
Also, my AFM was FOOBAR, so the fuel pump cut off between 1500 and 4000 RPM or so. That's why you hear all that revving...it wasn't me just showing off. ;-)
You had better put a decent fire wall between you and that gas tank. If you get rear ended, you could be engulfed in flames.
gumpydoood 2 years ago
good thing you weren't going to fast when the front broke
Minus42Zero 2 years ago
Oh, but I was...
dhempy 2 years ago
this is so cool!!! i simply love it!
haugstule 2 years ago
Dude, you did a really cool job. And ditto on the strength of those little tack welds! It never fails to amaze me how much abuse a little bit of metal can take.
fjschuler 2 years ago
how much did this one cost you to make?
Decauer 3 years ago
Dunno yet. More than $1500...less than $4000. Someday I'll total up the receipts, but that would probably only depress me. (Tools don't count!)
dhempy 3 years ago 2
Kinda nifty and cool idea, but what if that steering failed as a child was crossing the street and you were doing 40mph?
SmartDrug 3 years ago
Thanks, SmartDrug.
That would be an ugly scenario, for sure. The backstory is that I didn't intend this to be a test drive...I was just planning on loading it on the trailer to take to a muffler shop. I pulled onto the street, and...well...couldn't help rednecking it a bit. I had not done a final inspection (or an initial inspection, for that matter), and really had no business driving on the street. After my pulse got below 225, I promised myself (and my wife!) that I would not take...
dhempy 3 years ago
...it out again until after a thorough nut-and-bolt check by both myself and another car builder.
The failure here was not due to a design flaw, or even faulty construction. The tack welds were intentional, appropriate for a design under design/revision. The failure came from putting it on the street prior to any of three critical steps: final chassis welding; painting the chassis (brush-painted...an inch-by-inch intimate affair); and final nut-and-bolt inspection. ...
dhempy 3 years ago
Any one of those steps would have revealed the problem, which is trivial to correct.
In a way, I've gained a lot of confidence from this incident. As an amateur welder, I've believed my welds are good, but had little practical experience to back that up. After seeing how much abuse three tack welds (each a 1/8", poor penetration weld) withstood, I look at the final welding (5 linear inches with good penetration) with absolute confidence in its strength.
dhempy 3 years ago
Enough excuses/justification. You ask a good question, SmartDrug. I screwed up and you called me on it. Thanks for the tough love!
-dave
dhempy 3 years ago
I love how you can just manhandle the back end of the car just lifting it to move. Tell us though, did you intend on not welding the brackets before you drove?
Also, great video because im making a similar locost but with turbo volvo parts.
hathunt 3 years ago
Brilliant David! Just the sort of thing I would done... but I would have probably died!
1. What was the steering like before it failed?
2. Why does the engine sound so snarly, is it a racing exhaust or just incomplete?
mayhem001boats 3 years ago
1. I don't actually recall. But from the video, it appears it was surprisingly controlable. I mean, I didn't hit any of those trees or the yellow car, and I was able to turn to the left to avoid the telephone pole at the end. When I turned to the left, that's when the right wheel started a-floppin'. Clearly, I was absurdly lucky. If I had been in a left turn at the point of failure (or some other condition?) there's no telling if I'd have had any control at all.
dhempy 3 years ago
2. Stock header. Nothing else. I was supposed to be towing it to the muffler shop that day, but got distracted.
Also, my AFM was FOOBAR, so the fuel pump cut off between 1500 and 4000 RPM or so. That's why you hear all that revving...it wasn't me just showing off. ;-)
dhempy 3 years ago
That my friend...was EPIC!!
hanklynch 3 years ago
Good timing though. No tow.
GeSchmidtt 3 years ago
It lives! =D Shame about the front end but that's the purpose of test drives, right? Better now than later.
Drekafluga 3 years ago
Oh crap. Didn't see the failure when I wrote that. Delete. Delete. Lucky bastard.
gwellwood 3 years ago
Awesome! Yay!!!
gwellwood 3 years ago
Awesome video Dave. Those were some pretty good tack welds!!!!!
chetcpo 3 years ago