Ivan and John get cracking on making a bell housing pattern and other parts to enable them to fit a gearbox to the Offy midget. There isn't much space in the car whatsoever so they're racking their brains to find a solution.
Proper Engineering. This is what I tell my Son, Imagine there's no Book or Google to look up. Shows just how clever these Men had to be. This Video proves my Point. So Thank you Ivan.
What a wonderful series. Thanks Suzie and Ivan for the visuals and Ivan's dialog explaining what he's doing/planning. I agree with Ivan about watching a midget race versus F1, much more exciting I think. Watching John at work is also a walk for me down memory lane as I spent 30 years doing development work in a shop similar to that with talented craftsmen who could make practically anything from whatever material you needed it made from. I appreciate Ivan's explanation of where the casting sprues and vents might be for the bellhousing. No doubt the man who does the casting will determine where those go to make the best casting.
I just love being taken along with all the mods very intelligent thought goes into each mod not just cobble together all bang on engineering Thanks Team Shed Racing .
Ivan, you will love the insides of Offy engine, back in 1970's I worked on a few, bronze main bearing carriers, tunnel ally crankcase, tubular con rods, new main bearings came undersize, assemble bearings to carriers and carriers into crankcase & line-bore to clearance size of crank journals. One-piece ally cylinder block and head meant doing a valve job was tricky. None of the modern cylinder head machines will work on an Offy, all valves & seats hand-fettled. But done properly they run hard for a long time..
Lot's of Early midgets 'flared' the foot space in the belly pan wider, outside the frame rails. Often not 'pretty' but did provide more foot room. The wide part of your New bell housing should 'just cover' the flywheel/clutch assembly. Reduce it's diameter quickly to then 'just cover' the thrust bearing and fork. that will give some more room around your lower legs. Cheers!
Looks like Ivan and John are unpacking a fairly good deal of work for themselves there. I'm looking forward to all the RU-vid vids. Ivan, how do you think engine repositioning will affect your handling balance of the "midge"? Thanks for taking us along Suzie and chaps.
I haven't seen a actual race but seen the cars, and saw bits of a race in TV. Of the legends cars, they are like 1/4 scale of 30's-40's cars using 4cyl motorcycle engines, with a rear diff. Using a prop shaft connected to the engines output sprocket shaft. Not shure of the type of connection. If it's direct or using a chain. But definitely cool. It would be awesome to have a street version. Call it a motorcycle! Or cycle car maybe even a two seater. Front and rear seat. Use ww2 bomber style seats. Fit a 150-180 hp motorcycle engine. With 13"x8" rims. Or possibly 15-16" with 195/50/15 or 205/40/16 with 7" rim.. use independent rear suspension, and independent front suspension, possibly golfkart parts with coilovers. Custom narrow rear axels. To fit the roughly 48" wide body, most look something like a 40 ford. Having one built looking like a 38-40 chevy truck wiuld be cool. Have an awesome day!
Hey Ivan I am in the states in Tennessee I will have a look for a model a clutch do you need one or two of the centers ? I am very familler with the motors and midgets we have raced them for years also the next cars up which were called big cars with flatheads just let me know
Last remark Ivan made surely resonated with me. I, too, would rather watch a Midget race than Formula One. It's the difference between billionaires throwing money around, where everything's carbon fiber this, and state-of-the-art that, and clever folks with a limited budget tucked away in a grungy shop (no offense, Ivan) scrounging parts and fabricating whatever is needed to make their four wheeled thingie go just that much faster.
Hi Ivan, Loved watching your RU-vid videos on the Offy. My father was involved with speedway locally back in the 50-60’s around Sydney. He and a mate John Merrick ( who raced under the name Johnny Hughes) developed a BRM powered midget but it only ran on all four cylinders once and it scared the life out of John. Later a bad accident in the midget nearly cost him his life. The engine was decades later sold to a group of BRM enthusiasts in the uk who were putting it back in the original car. I have some photos of the car if you would like to see them. Keep up the great work. Regards, Lynn Crase Hervey Bay Queensland Australia
I thought you were behind a drum kit from the thumbnail, Ivan :) :) I thought to myself, “I know he is good at tuning things but I didn’t know he was musical…” 😀
Ivan, what about the alternative of a concentric annular clutch release slave cylinder, around the input shaft to the gearbox, like a number of single seaters, which have the dry sump tank in the bell housing use (like my Ralt RT31). This would save some space at the sides of the bell housing and do away with the need for a cross shaft and external linkage.
That is a really good idea. Susie,if you read this,do the homework on this. Hydraulic concentric throwout been used for many years in the American racing world. Available mail order for the likes of Chevy small block. A spare seal kit for just in case,and a very straightforward kit with all the bits,master cylinder and throwout bearing assembly etc.
Loving the clever practical engineering solutions. Proper old school and that's no bad thing. And I love the three flying ducks on the workshop wall! Who else but Ivan? Great stuff.
Roger Ward, who won the race at Lime Rock in Ken Brenn's Kurtis Offy was not a tall man. In his autobiography Roger has the most compimentary account of his arrival at the race and how much better prepared Ken Brenn was than any of the other midgets And yes, they always put on a better show than F1. Stateside there niche has been usurped by the "mini sprint". Big fields!
I'm late to your video! I was on a short quick road trip in my Miata seeing I got rid of my Mini's, Spitfire, and MGB! My wife and I had a get time driving south from central Alberta to the south end fuel up and come home again! It was a great day. Keep up the great work all three of you!! Cheers from Alberta Canada!
No computer aided design no three D printers no AI Just good reliable traditional skills. Great to see the old skills used. In thirty years time people will be amazed by what was possible
Im in awe as usual. We'll make the flywheel and recut and lengthen the drive shaft splines. Its all a walk in the park for you two. I notice John is showing his heritage with the white socks. Two-Tone perhaps John?? The three of you make utterly compelling viewing. Thanks as always from the Black Forest, Mike.
It looks too long to me. Theres hydraulic throwout bearings that dont need the bosses ,etc. Its alot of stuff in a small area, Its a midget not a formula 1 car! Just use a R wheel lift, and start it off the tires! Dubs
It's coming on nicely , Ivan and John. Suzi can you put up some pics of the finished flywheel, if you didn't video it being done please? As I'd like to see that. If that were mine I'd have to lengthen it by a foot at the back to get my big bum into it!
This is interesting to see how you modified the frame and such so that it can be used again with a clutch and gearbox. I am looking g forward to seeing it all come together.
G'day all, I must agree with you about F1 racing, I think it applies to the waffle from the commentator's as well. I like the pattern you made for the casting and will be most interested how you piece it all together. Thanks from down under.
Always entertaining, ‘can’t miss’ video gems coming out from the Shed …. with much thanks to all Suzie’s skills. 👍👍 I think the bellhousing pattern might benefit from a ‘handle’ on the side, though - to make it much easier to slide in and out from under the bed !!!! 🤪🤪🤪 Keep up all the excellent work boyz and girlz. 👌👌
Ivan, for a short period of time, these cars could be fitted with a short, but conventional open tail, shaft as opposed to the torque tube style. The front Ford type universal joint at the dog box end was fitted with a conventional tailshaft yoke and the diff snout was modified to take a differential flange. The rear universal joint again used a fixed yoke as in a conventional rear wheel drive car, welded to the tail shaft and the engine end had the spline section either machined in to a solid shaft, or spigot welded into a heavy tube (eg Schedule 40). It was allowed for a while and then the yanks banned it. Naturally one had to have safety hoops and an appropriate shield over the assembly. The front universal / yoke assy was still able to be enclosed in the Ford swivel ball coupling. It worked well but due to the propensity for accidents and roll overs (often violent), there was the omnipresent risk of these open drive shafts separating and causing severe leg injuries to the driver.
My fathers midget had a Standard Vanguard engine in Australia in the early 50's. Unusual and pretty 'high tech' against side-valve Fords, Jeeps, Studebakers, etc. He discovered all the problems that were eventually sorted out in Triumph TR sports cars.
Maybe put some flat sides on bellhousing for feet clearance? Hand lever clutch would certainly simplify. Fergy clutch discs are solid, Ford have torque springs. Not much engine heat if running on methanol.
Watching John fitting the seal housing to the motor plate is a good reminder of how these cars were originally built. Nowadays someone would sit at a computer and design it all in CAD and cut it on a CNC machine. They could have a complete set of parts without ever touching the metal with their hands...
IVAN A SOLUTION FOR A CLUTCH LEVER COULD BE A THUMB BRAKE MOUNTED ON THE WHEEL OR SHIFT LEver. They are used on motorcycles. Uses a cable and to a master cylinder
You don't want too much interference for that bearing housing in the plate. The aluminium expands more than the steel plate , so it may crack when it heats up.
Come and meet him at the Autojumble at Beaulieu in mid September - he will be on his usual stand and have some treasure from his Shed and plenty of old chat - and bring some money !
@@suziepilkington5600 thank you however... You know what I mean. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love there to be an Ivan shed festival special... that also includes you. So many of us are so grateful for what you are doing and would love such an opportunity. Anyway.... No pressure 😇
In a recent video, Ivan had a couple dozen people from one of the car clubs going through the shops with him as the guide and speaker .I would love to have been there too. They filled the spaces.I can't imagine the public there.Yikes.
