1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car

Woohoo! Now The Fun Part Begins!

Tue, 23 Oct 2018 16:11:08 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyEyIERljcM

Posted 2018-10-23 16:11:08 by Rick Eggers

Miller-Ford Seat Upholstery

Sun, 21 Oct 2018 21:28:36 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

"It's just a cycle kart...". The phrase uttered over and over as I struggled with vinyl, batting, backing material, foam cushions, and metal snaps. I'd rather do ANYTHING else. HUGE thanks to my wife Linda. She's the seamstress in the family, and without her help, I couldn't do it. It's not quite finished, as I decided to take it back out and remove some of the foam in the side panels to get it to lay better. But you can see it didn't turn out too bad. Actually, it's probably as good as some of the real Millers I've seen in photos. I'm sure their attitude was "It's just a race car..." So that's it. It's all done but some tuning and tinkering. I still need to align the front wheels. Then maybe I'll just sit around and polish it for a while. ;)

<Seat upholstery 005>	<Seat upholstery 006>	<Seat upholstery 007>
<Seat upholstery 008>

Posted 2018-10-21 21:28:36 by Rick Eggers

Painting

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 22:17:45 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I made a makeshift "spray booth" in my garage by hanging plastic sheets, and I actually got some paint laid tonight. The hood, engine compartment side panels, and the grill shell are done. It won't be long now. The white will be done this week, and as soon as I can tape on it, the blue will be sprayed. Then the final assembly, which literally will take about two hours. Really looking forward to this. The last big item will be the seat upholstery.

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Posted 2018-10-02 22:17:45 by Rick Eggers

I Hate Body Work - Part 2

Thu, 27 Sep 2018 15:01:29 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

Everything is as straight as it needs to be for a race car, and a cyclekart race car at that. I finally got the tail done to my satisfaction and put several coats of primer on it. The guide coat is on and it's ready to start blocking. Woohoo! I'll be painting soon. I decided on midnight blue for the back, bright white for the front and orange V-8 decals on the sides like my little picture shows. My race cars have always been blue/white/orange with the number 23. This will be the same.

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Posted 2018-09-27 15:01:29 by Rick Eggers

Body Work. I Hate Body Work.

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 18:36:45 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

It won't be as straight as a show car, but I want it to be respectable. I spent the last couple weeks, a day here and there, bondoing (is that a word?) and priming, sanding and doing it again. I have the hood, nose, engine compartment side panels and one side of the tail done. I'll be happy when it's all in primer, and ready for paint. I'm not in much of a hurry, because I should probably wait for the heat and humidity to subside a little before I attempt to paint it. Another month or so.

<Body work 002>	<Body work 001>	<Body work 005>
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Posted 2018-09-18 18:36:45 by Rick Eggers

The Complete Picture

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 11:33:13 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I finally finished the fiberglass work, and that means all the parts and pieces are there. Now I have to think about prep and paint. The fiberglass turned out a little bumpy, so it's going to take some massaging before it's ready for paint. I'm also working on a cool way to fasten the engine cover down, without any visible means on the outside of the car.. I'll post pics soon.

<Progress 8-26-18 001>	<Progress 8-26-18 002>	<Progress 8-26-18 004>
<Progress 8-26-18 005>

Posted 2018-08-26 11:33:13 by Rick Eggers

Grill Bars

Sat, 18 Aug 2018 14:45:44 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

This has been, without a doubt, the most difficult and time consuming part of this build so far. But it's important to the overall look of the car, so I persevered. I used 3/32 stainless steel welding rod for the vertical bars, and 1/8 inch for the cross bars. The grill opening has a slight peak in the center, and it also extends forward slightly so each bar is a different length from the one adjacent to it. The curve at the top is a smaller radius than the bottom. The grill opening also tapers vertically. It's wider at the top, so the two end bars don't extend all the way to the bottom. Mr' Miller couldn't have made this more difficult if he tried. I started by forming two strips of 16 gauge steel into end pieces for the bars to attach to. I fitted them to the shell, bending them into the correct V shape. I then drilled a row of 19 evenly spaced holes in the top one, and 17 holes in the bottom. I screwed the parts into the fiberglass shell, and proceeded to start bending and fitting each bar. As I was satisfied with the fit, I epoxied the ends of the bar to hold it in place. When I got all 17 of the full length ones in place, I removed the assembly from the shell. I used electrical tape to form a dam around the ends of the bars, and I filled it in with epoxy resin, forming a solid 3/8 square piece to hold the bars in. Then I had to attach the shorter end bars and the cross bars. After several experiments with the wire welder, the torch and stainless filler rod, solder, and brazing rod, I settled on the brazing rod. It was quick and seems to hold just fine. I screwed in two pins at the top, and the bottom is held in with two screws. So to install it, you insert the pins into holes at the top, slide the bottom in place and put the screws in from the bottom. I still have some cleaning and polishing to do on it, but I had to assemble it for pictures. What do you think? I think it looks like a Miller.

<Grill bars 001>	<Grill bars 005>	<Grill bars 006>
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Posted 2018-08-18 14:45:44 by Rick Eggers

Fiberglass Grill Shell

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 19:55:46 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

It's far from finished, but I started removing the foam from the inside, then I glassed in a couple mounting brackets. I had to test fit it to the car before I went any farther with cleaning it. It's held on with two small screws through the square tube body support, and two through the rocker panel at the front. So far, so good. It's going to take a little body work to make it really nice, but not too much. Next is the stainless steel grill bars.

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Posted 2018-07-31 19:55:46 by Rick Eggers

First Drive

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 15:28:25 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

With the mechanicals mostly done, I was able to drive it a couple times. I just went down the road a block and turned around. It feels great. It's pretty quick and seems to handle good. It tracks straight, steering is tight and quick, and brakes can lock the wheels. So all that's left to do is body and paint. The foam grill shell is on the car in this pic. It's all coming together. I don't have a time table for finishing it, but it won't be too long.

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Posted 2018-07-16 15:28:25 by Rick Eggers

Engine And Kill Switch

Thu, 05 Jul 2018 20:28:24 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I finally got rested up enough from my vacation to go out and get something done on the kart. Today I opened up the motor and got rid of all the governor guts, and the low oil float. I then tapped the holes left in the engine case and screwed in some plugs. I also put the jet kit in the carb and the offset key in flywheel. When I removed the side cover of the engine case, the cam stuck in it and I inadvertently pulled it out. I saw the thing on the back side of the cam gear and thought "what the heck is that for?" I didn't think much more about it until I was reassembling it and I was checking the valves to make sure I had the push rods installed right and they were moving properly. I was turning the crank by hand and I noticed the exhaust valve opened a little when the piston starts on it's compression stroke. Then I realized what the thing on the back of the cam gear is for. It opens the exhaust valve at the start of the compression stroke to relieve some compression pressure to make it easier to start. Then when it get spinning, the weight swings out and the valve operates normally. I always wondered why it was so easy to pull the rope on this motor compared to the Tecumseh 6 HP in the Model T. That thing will rip the starter handle out of your hand if you're not careful. So when that was finished I bolted the motor in and ran some wires to the dash for the kill switch. I found this nifty little rotary switch on ebay. It's actually for an electric guitar, but I think it looks right on the dash. BTW, the motor started on the second pull. Sounds great too.

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Posted 2018-07-05 20:28:24 by Rick Eggers

Soooo Close!

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 15:03:20 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

Today, in between yard work and thunderstorms, I managed to do the final installation of my pedal assembly, including anchoring the throttle cable and brake line to the frame going back to the engine compartment. It was at this point I realized, if I bleed the brake, bolt down the motor, and put the chain on, I could take this thing for a spin around the block! I'm that close! But now it has to wait a while, because we're leaving for France tomorrow. We'll be in LeMans Saturday and Sunday, then touring southern France and Italy before driving through the Swiss Alps back to Paris for three days. Then it's off to London for a day before flying home. So this cycle kart fun will continue next month.

<Pedal assembly done 001>

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Posted 2018-06-13 15:03:20 by Rick Eggers

Engine Cooling

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 13:49:17 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I read a lot of info about engines running hot because of trapped air in the engine compartment. This is my solution. Duct cool outside air to the engine's cooling fan. The aluminum duct mounts to the motor with the three bolts that hold the starter on the engine. After final assembly, I'll seal the duct to the inside of the tail with foam weatherstripping. I also intend to duct cool air to the air cleaner and the brake caliper/rotor.

<Cooling scoop 006>	<Cooling scoop 003>	<Cooling scoop 005>
<Cooling scoop 004>

Posted 2018-06-11 13:49:17 by Rick Eggers

Weight

Sat, 09 Jun 2018 10:36:25 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I know this probably isn't the most accurate way to weigh a vehicle, but I did it out of curiosity, I put a bathroom scale under the rear end with a wood block to hold up the car on the scale. Then I did the same under the front end. I subtracted the weight of the wood block and I came up with 120 pounds in the rear and 66 in the front. Not bad considering all that's left is some lightweight fiberglass parts and seat upholstery. With a little work, I might be able to keep it under 200, which was my goal.

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Posted 2018-06-09 10:36:25 by Rick Eggers

It's Getting Exciting Now!

Thu, 31 May 2018 08:21:10 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I had to put the suspension and wheels back on to move it around, just so I could clean and organize my work space. So it was another picture opportunity. I gotta say, I'm liking how this is turning out. I can almost hear the roar of engines when I look at it. The cowl is still not completely finished. Hopefully, today I can get it trimmed up and glued on. Everything else is attached and the glue seems to be doing it's job. Soon it'll be fiberglass work and then paint! Oh wow! Just out of curiosity, I measured the body height at the highest point. 26 inches. That's pretty low.

<Body panels 0018>	<Body panels 0019>	<Body panels 0020>
<Body panels 021>

Posted 2018-05-31 08:21:10 by Rick Eggers

Last Piece Of Skin.

Tue, 22 May 2018 17:00:34 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

The hood is done. I used some stainless steel tool box type latches to hold it down. They're not quite the right look for the Miller, but It's the closest thing I could find. Next will be final fitment of all the panels and attachment to the skeleton, after the frame and skeleton are painted. Then it's on to fiberglass for the nose and tail. Oh fun. I'm so looking forward to finishing the body work and paint so I can assemble everything that I have made. Just a few more months.

<Body panels 016>

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Posted 2018-05-22 17:00:34 by Rick Eggers

Still Playing With Aluminum

Sun, 20 May 2018 19:40:14 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I'm not sure about this, but here's the deal. I ran out of the .040 white aluminum that I made most of the body out of, and I still needed a hood. There actually was enough to start with, but due to a slight miscalculation, the hood I cut out had to be scrapped (measure twice, cut once, dummy). So I was left with a choice - buy another 4 x 8 sheet from the local supplier, or just get a 3" x 3" sheet from Home Depot. I almost didn't buy the Home Depot aluminum because it's thin, .019 to be exact. Then I decided to give it a shot. What I didn't realize in the store was not only is it thin, it's REALLY soft. I think a good pair of scissors would cut it. But I persevered. I went ahead and made the hood. Once it's bent, it becomes pretty stiff because of the curve. I had to put aluminum angle "stiffeners" in the sides to keep them straight and flat, and have a place to attach the latches. Otherwise I think it'll be OK. The slightest bump will dent it, however. The positive about it is, it weighs mere ounces. Go fast and all that. So while I was waiting for the glue to dry on the second side of the hood, I decided to do something fun. I put the instrument panel in, put the steering column and wheel on, and took some pics. Now is that cool looking or what?

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Posted 2018-05-20 19:40:14 by Rick Eggers

Slow Progress But At Least It's Progress

Sat, 12 May 2018 10:24:54 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I got the other cockpit side panel done and started on the tail on that side. It's taking way longer than I was hoping, but there's no hurry, so I'll keep plugging away at it. The cowl is still waiting to be finished too. So much to do.

<Body panels 011>

Posted 2018-05-12 10:24:54 by Rick Eggers

Beat It Into Submission

Sat, 12 May 2018 10:17:11 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

The english wheel only goes so far, and my inexperience using one is part of the problem, but the hammer works too. Like the saying "death by a thousand paper cuts", this little flare on the cowl was bent by a thousand hammer blows. Probably more than that, but who's counting. Anyway, the cowl is coming along. There's still a long way to go. The real car has an asymmetrical flare, because it's a two passenger car and the riding mechanic liked having debris hit him in the face. Also the cockpit sides were radically different, the left side being much lower. I'm making mine symmetrical, which is why it looks a little different. The bottom end and the angled portion on the side of the cockpit will have tabs that will be inserted into the slots in the body support skeleton, and be bent over on the inside. All just to avoid using rivets. It's a lot of screwing around, but the hope is the finished product will look as cool as the real deal.

<Body panels 007>

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Posted 2018-05-12 10:17:11 by Rick Eggers

Started On Body

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 18:14:27 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I ordered a 4 x 8 piece of 3003 .040 aluminum, and had it delivered to the house. When I got home from work, I saw that it was white. Both sides. Hmmm. The sales guy didn't mention it would be white. But I decided to give it a try. If it works as well as mill finish, I'm one step ahead because when it comes time to paint it. I won't have to mess with zinc chromate primer on the bare aluminum. I can just sand this a little and paint it. Well, all the hammering I've done so far have yet to blemish that white paint they put on it. It doesn't crack, peel or chip, no matter what I do to it. So I'm going for it. So far, I have a couple side engine compartment panels (front - not where the engine really is), and the bottom side panels are made and temporarily clamped on. The engine compartment side panels on the Miller had some bumps to clear some component underneath, so I made a couple of those for style. They call them "speed blisters". I don't know, but if they're "speed" blisters, they should make it faster, right? BTW, my english wheel should be delivered sometime this week too.

<Body panels 001>	<Body panels 002>	<Body panels 003>
<Body panels>

Posted 2018-04-17 18:14:27 by Rick Eggers

Another Little Detail

Sat, 31 Mar 2018 17:40:11 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

Speedometer is done. There will be three more gauges but I haven't made the bezels or glass yet. I'm pretty happy with the dash so far.

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Posted 2018-03-31 17:40:11 by Rick Eggers

Total Progress To Date.

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 16:12:00 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I had to bolt the front suspension back on to figure out where the brake fluid reservoir could go, and I got carried away. I put everything that I have done to this point back on, just so I could take a couple pics. It's starting to look like a race car.

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Posted 2018-03-27 16:12:00 by Rick Eggers

Little Details Take So Much Time.

Tue, 20 Mar 2018 19:46:53 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I spent hours on this throttle linkage. I made the bracket, cable clamp, arm, and arm pedestal. I used one of the springs off the original Predator throttle assembly for a return spring. It connects to a bracket screwed to the fan cover. I had to raise the tank about 3/8 of an inch to clear the cable and clamp. It works perfectly now, wide open when the pedal hits it's stop and idle when the pedal returns to normal position. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Um2vYVvUM Sorry this posted twice. I don't know how I did that. It was the first time I used my new phone to post something. How do you delete a post?

Posted 2018-03-20 19:46:53 by Rick Eggers

Little Details Take So Much Time.

Tue, 20 Mar 2018 19:42:13 -0500

Pedal Assembly

Sun, 11 Mar 2018 21:29:03 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I'm dragging my feet on starting body panels, so I stayed busy this weekend with the pedal assembly. I bought a pair of those cheap go-kart pedals you find on ebay. The pedal arms are a little short to mount them on the floor and have the foot pad anywhere close to the ball of my foot, so I built this to hold everything. It will mount in the frame above the floor, so the pedal pads are better lined up with my size 10 1/2 foot. The master cylinder is the usual one you see on a lot of these karts. I built an adjustable positive stop for the gas pedal that works in both directions, with a return spring on the rod. The throttle cable will attach to the frame just behind the arm on the gas pedal rod. Then I welded 4 tabs into the frame to bolt this assembly to. I think it turned out pretty good.

<Pedal assembly 001>	<Pedal assembly 002>	<Pedal assembly 003>
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Posted 2018-03-11 21:29:03 by Rick Eggers

Miller-Ford Body Skeleton Done.

Thu, 22 Feb 2018 20:34:41 -0600

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I decided that in order to make the body look as close to the real thing as I could, I have to do it the same way they did back in the day. So I built the steel framework for the aluminum skin to attach to. I want just a minimum number of rivets or screws showing, so many panels will have tabs that go into the slots between the steel and be bent over in the back to hold them on. Some other panels will be steel that can be spot welded in place. It sounds complicated, but I think it'll be doable. It took me two days to weld all the joints, and thank God for Dewalt and their awesome angle grinder. I was once told you're either a welder or a grinder. I'm definitely a grinder.

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Posted 2018-02-22 20:34:41 by Rick Eggers

Miller-Ford Spinners

Sat, 10 Feb 2018 22:55:23 -0600

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I finished the front wheel spinner. It turned out awesome, just like I planned :). I had to mill off the lip on the Honda wheel hub, but that was easy. Cast aluminum cuts like butter. Then I used the drill guide I made to drill the three holes. So I have spinners on the front wheels that actually spin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJM2LVNN9dc&feature=youtu.be

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Posted 2018-02-10 22:55:23 by Rick Eggers

'35 Miller-Ford Rolling Chassis

Sat, 20 Jan 2018 17:50:01 -0600

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I finally finished the pin drive hubs and the key ways in the axle, so I could assemble it this far and roll it around. That's progress! Next comes finishing the body support skeleton and then the body panels. I was thinking about using a thin gauge steel for some of the body panels that won't be removable, so I can spot weld them in place and not have hundreds of rivets showing. The real '35 Millers have a very clean look to them. For the removable panels like the hood and side panels I'll use aluminum. The nose piece and top of the tail section will be fiberglass or carbon fiber. So much to do, so little time. Rick

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Posted 2018-01-20 17:50:01 by Rick Eggers

Pin-drive Rear Hubs

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 20:37:37 -0600

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I got my wheels and still hadn't decided what to do about rear hubs. The ones I was considering on eBay have a 4 on 4" bolt circle, so that won't work with wheels that have an oddball circle like 3 3/16". Also, I'm not too crazy about the look of the four bolt sticking out of the rear hubs on a lot of karts I see. Plus the hubs from ACK are expensive. So I bit the bullet and did what I have always done on this cycle kart - I made my own. I ordered some 6061 aluminum, bought some grade 8 SHCS's to use for pins and went to work on the lathe. Now don't be too critical here. I'm not a machinist, nor do I play one on TV, but I did sleep in a Holiday Inn Express one night. I'm self-taught, and still learning every time I turn the thing on. What I came up with is a hub that uses the four holes in the wheel only for rotating the wheel. The support is in the hub of the wheel where the bearings would be and on the lip of the hub. Then there is a cover for the outside, and the whole thing is held together with one nut, no not the one in the driver's seat, the one on the end of the axle. So one side is done, except for the key ways. I have a mill to cut the key way in the axle, but I'm still thinking about what to do for the hub. YouTube how-to videos for me, and then I get to do it all over again for the other side. Watch my little video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8uDqZTijmE&feature=youtu.be

<Cycle kart pin drive hub 001>

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Posted 2018-01-09 20:37:37 by Rick Eggers

Engine Turned Dash

Sat, 16 Dec 2017 15:01:13 -0600

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

After several days of experimenting, I finally have it done. It's far from perfect, but it'll do. I started out using a cone shaped wire brush, because someone told me that works well. I'm not listening to that guy any more. It worked, but I didn't like the dull look of the finished product, plus the wire doesn't give a clean edge to the circles. So I sanded it back smooth and hit youtube for some how-to vids. Every video has a different method, so I had to decide which to try next. One guy used some abrasive scoth-brite type discs from Harbor Freight. So I tried that. Nope. Looks terrible. So I sanded that spot down and looked at youtube again. I found this French guy who had an elderly friend who told him the old-school way was using a wine cork and valve grinding compound. Hmmmm.... So I stole the cork from a bottle of cabernet sauvignon. I screwed a 1/4 lag bolt into the top, took it back out and epoxied it, then re-assembled it and cut the head off so I could chuck it in the drill press.. I used some valve grinding compound, AKA gearhead's toothpaste, and hit it. It looked awesome on a test piece. So the next step was the dash. Before I finished two rows, the cork was starting to fall apart and I was pissed, but the aroma of the cabernet was nice while I was working. I should have drank the bottle, because by this point I was getting pretty frustrated. This is not a job that you can start and stop. So the next thing was a trip to the hardware store for a rubber cork or stopper as they call it. I did the same procedure with a lag bolt and used a fender washer on top of the stopper to keep it from deforming too much. I had to sand it smooth again and try one more time. That worked. I finished it about an hour ago and like I said, it;s not perfect, but once the fake gauges are on it, it'll be beautiful!

<Instrument panel 001>	<Instrument panel 002>	<Instrument panel 003>
<Instrument panel 004>

Posted 2017-12-16 15:01:13 by Rick Eggers

Last Mango In Paris

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 16:58:16 -0600

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

Did that title get your attention? It should have read "last hemi in Fort Myers". I decided it was nearing the time I need to think about engine mounts and actually having an engine would be helpful. So I ran out to my local Harbor Freight store and got the last hemi they had. I was hoping the box would indicate which style head that motor had, but no. I had to get out my google machine and look it up. I learned that the easiest way to tell is by the rocker cover. The article was complete with 8 x 10 photos, each with circles and arrows explaining.....wait, that was Alice's restaurant. Then I had to hope the motor IN the box matched the picture on the outside of the box. It did! So I'm one step closer. I have my hemi Predator.

Posted 2017-12-14 16:58:16 by Rick Eggers

Miller-Ford V-8 Indy Car

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 17:40:27 -0600

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I had a dentist appointment this morning and when I got home I didn't really feel like welding or anything else on the car, so I decided to sit in front of the lathe and turn my instrument panel. What a tedious job that is.

Posted 2017-12-12 17:40:27 by Rick Eggers

Miller-Ford V-8 Indy Car

Sat, 09 Dec 2017 13:59:35 -0600

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I've been working on the steel structure that will be the skeleton of the body. Getting the hoops shaped just right is a challenge, but I think it's looking good so far. Everything is just tacked in place until I'm satisfied that I won't have to re-do anything, then I'll add some gussets and weld it all up. The '35 Miller-Ford had a lower cockpit side on the left, I assume for getting in and out of the car easier. So I did my cockpit sides similar to that. I'm not sure if I like it that way or not. Opinions?

<Body skeleton 001>

<Body skeleton 002>

Posted 2017-12-09 13:59:35 by Rick Eggers

Miller-Ford V8 Indy Car

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 19:38:24 -0600

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

Fourteen heim joints and the front suspension is done.

<Front suspension 003>

<Front suspension 005>

Posted 2017-11-14 19:38:24 by Rick Eggers

Front End Mocked Up On '35 Miller-Ford

Tue, 07 Nov 2017 12:32:47 -0600

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

It's all there now. It looks a little busy with the addition of the rack and pinion, tie rods, and panhard bar, but it's really pretty simple. Everything is just tacked right now, until I'm happy with the way it all fits and works. There are just a couple minor clearance issues to address, then I'll take it apart and finish all the welds, and paint it. Then it will be assembled with the proper bolts, not the junk that I used for the mock-up.

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Posted 2017-11-07 12:32:47 by Rick Eggers

Adjustable Camber Spindles

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 16:44:14 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I still have some work to do on these, but this pic should give you an idea how they work. They adjust from approximately 1 degree positive to about 4 degrees negative camber. Oh, and I found this awesome smart phone app, a clinometer. It reads out in tenths of a degree. Makes a job like this easy.

<cycle kart front suspension mock up 007>

<clinometer>

Posted 2017-10-31 16:44:14 by Rick Eggers

Making Good Progress

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 07:50:41 -0500

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 Race Car --

I'm nearly done with the experimental torsion bar front suspension. Everything is there to the point where I could support the axle with jack stands and actually put my weight on the frame to test it. It feels like it's going to be pretty stiff. According to the formula I was given for figuring out the spring rate of torsion bars, it should be around 83#.

<cycle kart front suspension mock up 001>

Posted 2017-10-31 07:50:41 by Rick Eggers