We're trying to get our act together...

...so that we're ready conquer dry lakes in the blistering sun, and we do make some progress right now. As it seems, a deadline is really a good thing. With less than a month to finish it all we'll only take a small break for midsummer eve before we continue to detail our Amazon.

 

WTF is midsummer? International readers with an inquiring mind might wonder. I'd say forget it, it's just a event during which Swedes eat various types of hearing and strawberry's in pouring rain and get drunk.

 

Nevertheless, here are today's contributions that brought us one step further on our journey to the El Mirage dry lake. 

So finally, left wheel housing is complete, reasonably sealed to the Belly pan and rigid.

 

We'd like to pass the security check and it's good to survive as well, so we build up some extra head protection.  

 

But how to get the head protection in the correct position? Anders is practicing the measure twice, drill once procedure. Will he be successful? To be continued... 

Magnus has now tuned and stiffened up the air ducting (we all thought he was already finished, but as it turned out he was not) Now it looks really good as well. The days when we relied on cardboard engineering is gone. We've moved on for now, but we'll be back....

TO DO list is getting shorter.



The Salt Slush Team is focused because we have a Mission. The Mission to make sure that the Amazon is as ready as can be when we're loading it in to a container and wish for the best a couple of weeks from now. Right now we're working hard to make this happen.

 

Yes, we still use some time to shave and shower and, occasionally, we even sleep some hours.

 

This weekend we've connected the Belly Pan with the inner fenders, we've worked and with the safety equipment, sealing the wheel housing, tightening bolts and more.



But at some point, Sunday evening, we felt the urge to see the blue sky and hear the howling engine. Always rewarding. 

All good things have an end. The in-and-out procedure is not the only, but definitely one parameter that makes our Amazon a less good daily driver.  

Coming up... The long haul !

We've talked about it for a while, but now we know when we're shipping our Landspeed Amazon to Los Angeles. We now have tickets for us as well as our mean green creation.

 

If we're ready? No, not yet. But soon. We're manufacturing our way forward piece by piece, evening by evening. The TODO list is getting shorter, but there's still a list and it ain't short yet. Luckily nights are short in Sweden right now, since we're approaching midsommar.

 

Here's a two examples of what we've done recently. We're into sealing and hence (hopefully) reducing dust in drivers compartment.



Magnus made wheel housings in the rear that match the diffusor. Yes, he has done both side, but you'll have to imagine the outer one.

Anders has found a way to seal the rear doors against the roll cage. Yes, it took some how-are-we-going-to-do-this discussion's. Same here, use your imagination for a picture of the driver's side design.

 



Gone with the wind

Gone with the wind with Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh is a masterpiece in the movie world and thereto connected business. Maybe not the movie we would pick. But still, a lot of drama.

Our latest focus was to manage the wind and the dust. From the source of wisdom (Hot Rod Magazine) we picked up some useful information and that is that too much dust in the driver compartment can make it hard to drive fast. This wisdom created a lot of actions. We concluded that we'll need to use the wind to manage the dust and hence make the dust go away with the wind.

Regarding the movie, or the book, we probably should have picked something from John Steinbeck Grapes of Wrath since the wind and the dust is what we need handle like they did by approaching Los Angeles. All tough we have another reasons to go there.

One dilemma, referering to the literature above, is that these stories are brutal. No happy ending there. Not the type of story we are to create. We hope.

But first some pro bono work. We needed to provide some help to a car guy with a lost soul. A warped MG cylinder head...British engineering is as close to controlled trouble as you can get. Designed for a good story in the pub after being rescued. Nevertheless, Magnus sorted it out while constantly singing God save the Queen as the milling machine was humming.

Anders SAJO milling machine takes all troubles away. Always.

Magnus's steady hand brought back the greatness to the British Engineering. A good thing to have at times with election Hallabaloo and Brexit in the UK.

Magnus fixation of the cylinder head was on a new level, never seen before in the SSR garage. Something we appreciated since we usually run around trying to capture cylinder heads flying around like flies before they hit the ground. And that's the truth...

Here's Håkan while creating a device to capture the wind and get some pressure in the cabin. The idea is to use the area in front of the windshield, all according to books of wisdom (among them Hot Rod Magazine) as a high pressure zone. 

The pressure device soon in an high speed Amazon close to us.

In place, ready to get pressurized

Tada! Between helping out with adjusting British greatness, Magnus built 

the beautiful air guidance in front to get the hot wind out.

Air Guidance in front of the cooling pack

To enable over pressure in the cabin it needs to be sealed. Here's Anders while using the latest state of the art technology to figure out the geometry and to seal the deal. The deal of dust if you know what I mean.

Kids Dough is something every garage needs.

Janne is making miracles with his Bonneville, a time capsule bobber that is an awakening program...... More info when it starts. 

We try to understand what is happening. Anders is checking up formulas to size the possible pressure from Håkans pressure device.

It will make some difference according to Anders.

Ok what is this ? Well, Anders has returned to childhood and salt dough. Soon to be converted in to ol´ sheet metal.

My cooling tank has now a pressure valve / hose. Support the law physic's.

Summary: Let's end this day with a well known Gone with the Wind quote " After all, tomorrow is another day" and even though we're not going to California to pick grapes we're intending to go fast and create a dust bowl and as a consequence we're shipping the SSR Amazon on a slow boat to LA like there was no tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, today it's the day after yesterday or the day before tomorrow.

We're facing the Wind.

We're now in unknown terratory. Left with our own ideas, the SCTA rulebook and good hope. Because we're now facing The Wind. The Aerodynamics.

 

We've done the engine and the rest of the powertrain and all was verified in a chassi dyno. A powerful feeling.

 

We've build the chassi and tested it on asphalt, on a track and we came home safe and sound. Inspired. 

 

But now we're forming the Aero details of the Amazon body and we won't know if we got things right until we're sniffing low over the dust and the salt in desserts far from home. Exiting.

The Amazon face. Now with spoiler, front Belly pan and soon coolant flow guidance.

What comes in must get out. Magnus is working on the air ducting

Magnus is in precision mode.

The aluminum floor is now really flat.

 

The only interruption in the endless flor flatness is the rear end cover bulb and the five degree diffusor. If you don't know what I'm talking there's no need to be worried. You're not alone.

Rules. There's rules as well. SCTA has rules regarding roof rails and we're following them. We're at 16mm roof rail height which is typically Swedish since it's in the middle of min and max (12,7mm-19mm). We're always lagom. Or not...

Coming back to the diffusor. Anders and the metal saw in silently communication regarding diffusor outlet form. Something good is going on. We'll soon find out what.

Go flat, Go low because that the way to go...Bro....

If you wanna go fast you gotta go low. That's what we all know. On top of it all we're in a tight spot, because we're sending our superduper Amazon on a slow boat to the US of A soon

No rhymes. Just an Amazon gone low.

When going low, you gotta know how. This is our aluminum attempt.

The front Belly Pan from a different angle and different view. Felt good. Felt new.

There's always another side of a story. Allow me to introduce the front Belly pan held up by Anders, displayed on a surface of grey Gothenburg skies.

The road to success is paved with casualties. 

The other angle. Here's Kalle adjusting the Anders made diffuser with the magic plasma torch.

The 2D Egg.

Kalle presenting The All Aluminum Egg.

Or at least part of it. What it is?

-The rear end cover, stupid!

We're going low, we're flat. We're good to go. 

Like Sam. Or not...

First High, then Low. That the way it goes!

Eventually the sun went down. The amazing Ringö Swap Meet and the wind down Salt Slush garage party was over. The garage was cleaned up and the rain was pouring down outside. We turned on the heating fan and looked at each other silently. It's summer in Gothenburg.

 

On the positive side, we all gained energy. We got back to the workshop and started to finalize the Belly Pan.

 

Not only the Salt Slush team were back on track, we've seen sign of serious Turbo and Supercharger activities as well. The turbo community is pumping up the pressure.

 

No, we're not building a Baja Amazon, yet...our Green machine is just jacked up while Anders and Magnus is creating the frame for the front part of the Belly Pan and tuning the diffusor.

Is it a framework, when you're working with a frame? Nevertheless, here's the first step in the making of the front belly pan.

The diffusor is almost ready, it just needs some final adjustment. You know the final, small details that just takes a zillion hours.