SALT TORPEDO Chapter 15—Progress Report

Wham, we are cooking. In this chapter we will discuss frame progress, front suspension progress, seat progress, harness progress, rear brake progress and more.

We are now working with the team three days a week, in the afternoons, Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday. I’m the janitor and responsible for cleaning the shop between sessions.

I’m also all over ordering parts, tools, whatever it takes to keep the progress on track.

I need to clamor out of the shop early tomorrow and fill the Argon canister, so TIG welding will proceed without obstacles.

A couple of weeks ago another Paughco swingarm arrived. I drew up the design so Kevin could get a visual and he went to work cutting legs to be only 4-inches long.

Micah coped the ends to accept the axle and I started to put together the pieces to make it attach to the frame plate, and I had to machine a piece for the center to replace what would normally be the transmission.

We discussed the clamps to hold the axle in place and allow us to adjust the trail of the vehicle. We decided to buy a chunk of steel from Phillips steel and ask if they could bore it out and split it. They sent us to a local machine shop. That’s when we shifted to widening the nose of the frame and making the rail to hold the dash and steering wheel or handlebars.

Micah is forced to clamor in and out of the Torpedo constantly. We needed to fit the helmet and him. He must be able to crawl out of the Torpedo in less than 30 seconds.

Sometime ago I purchased a drag racing aluminum seat and Kent Weeks modified it. When Kevin Kahl jumped into the mix, he didn’t like it and wanted to make another one. He’s a fab guy, wants to make everything. I’m the production coordinator and want significant progress, quick, and pronto. We’re burnin’ daylight.

We started three aluminum elements last week: the dash, the seat and the firewall. We investigated the price of 1/8 inch aluminum. I believe a 4 by 8 foot sheet was priced at about $400. We kept digging and bought a 4 by 4-foot sheet of 1/8-inch 50 series aluminum sheet for $129 from Tell Steel. We hoped it would do the trick.

Kevin started to make templates, when we picked up the dragster seat and started to make it work. They made marks on the aluminum seat and I was responsible for cutting away material. With a handful of wild bends and Kevin’s TIG welding, we had a seat in place.

Then we started discussing the 5-point, quick release Safety Harness. We’re big fans of Pro-Fab weld-on pre-drill tabs and bought a batch of them at Phillip’s Steel in Long beach.

Before long we had the straps in place. Then we shifted to mounting the seat to the frame. What a discussion that was. Micah discussed his upholstery guy and a thin leather cover, although Saddlemen wanted a hand in it and a brother back east who makes hand-crafted leather seats. While Micah discussed the seat covering, Kevin kept saying, “Just drill the seat and bolt it on.” We developed a system with a stout bracket in the back.

On the bottom I came up with a notion to create two covered stainless studs, held in place with thin nuts on the outside glued with green Loctite. Kevin welded two Pro-Fab pre-drilled tabs to the frame and we popped the studs through for an easy installation.

During the early part of last week, we grappled with my design for an inboard front suspension system, using a Paughco swingarm we cut to have 4-inch legs, but we needed a clamp and Phillip’s steel recommended a local machine shop. It’s a long story, but Tomas got it done for a large bag of gold. Then we needed to modify it and decided Tomas wasn’t the only machine shop in town.

We tried the one down from McQuistons custom cycles, but video games in the back seemed more important and Micah took the clamp to his local guy in the Valley. We will be ready to rock on Monday.

The front plate holding frame rails and front suspension will be key in many respects. I had to order the quick-release handlebar or steering-wheel mount, quick and the coupler between the steering post and the rack and pinion steering box. I should have them this week.

This coming week will be key. If we can master the front suspension, mount the seat, work on the dash and steering column, we will be set to mess with foot and shifting controls. Scott at BDL had become a major assistant. We share emails two or three times a day. The BDL, GMA, Jamar group is helping a lot with the primary drive, foot controls and the brake calipers.

My notion was always to install two rear brake calipers over rear rotor. I spoke to Jeff Cochran, of Speed King, in Daytona last year at the rally. I thought he said to use a 13-inch rotor for better leverage, so that’s what I ordered. As it turns out his general system uses a 11.5 which is a better fit for caliper access. We almost considered not using the MetalSport Wheel for a stock 16-inch wheel and a 140 tire.

Another major challenge will be the firewall, since our frame structure is a maze and we have numerous considerations such as air around the engine, and the exhaust system, but we’re getting close to tackling those issues.

Micah is anxious to mess with the drive line and I’m hoping for a big box of BDL goodies coming this week, including the primary drive, some foot controls and perhaps Jamar or GMA brake calipers. Also, the stuff from S&W Racing should arrive.