FrontEngineDragsters.Org Forum

Technical => Roo Man's Room => Topic started by: wideopen231 on May 08, 2013, 01:45:32 PM

Title: aluminum for body
Post by: wideopen231 on May 08, 2013, 01:45:32 PM
 Wondering if everyones running .040 thickness for bodt work? Was told to use 5052 and .040. Looking at using .030 in cpl areas to cut weight. Not much but hey its weight. Eventually it will be mostly carbon fiber anyway so long life is not big issue.
Title: Re: aluminum for body
Post by: rooman on May 09, 2013, 03:20:17 PM
I use .040" 5052 for the sides and belly pan and .050" 3003 for the cowl. I used to use 5052 for everything but Tom Hanna convinced me to use the 3003 and he is right--it is a lot easier to form the windshield opening etc.

Roo
Title: Re: aluminum for body
Post by: wideopen231 on May 10, 2013, 09:30:55 AM
Rooman

  So do use 5052 everywhere else or do you now use the 3003?  How about for the chute body,seems 3003 would be the way to go there if it forms easier.

 Would be kind of hard to argue with Hanna on fabrication,heck of connection you have there.Not many people can totaly amaze me but his work does.
Title: Re: aluminum for body
Post by: rooman on May 10, 2013, 12:56:49 PM
I use the 3003 for the cowl, upper forward panels/nose and the tail. All the simple stuff is 5052.
I scored a few points with Hanna when I built Brendan Murry's current NT/F car as I tried to make it as retro as possible and he seemed to appreciate the effort. Tom was very helpful when I was re-creating his work on the clone of the Commanche that I built for Ernie Broughton. He spent quite a bit of time walking me through the configuration of the lower panels and belly pan.

Roo
Title: Re: aluminum for body
Post by: janjon on May 12, 2013, 11:45:05 AM
From a fabrication and craftsmanship standpoint, if there were anybody I would wish to be, it would be Tom Hannah. Mucho kudos to Rooman, too.