Darrian Cars

Tom Berkley

BSc Motorsport Engineering

Work Experience

By

6th May – 13th June 2014

1

CONTENTS

List of figures ................................................................................................................ 2

6th – 9th May .................................................................................................................. 3

Day 1 ........................................................................................................................ 3

Day 2 ........................................................................................................................ 4

Day 3 ........................................................................................................................ 4

Day 4 ........................................................................................................................ 5

12th – 16th May .............................................................................................................. 6

Day 5 ........................................................................................................................ 6

Day 6 ........................................................................................................................ 6

Day 7 ........................................................................................................................ 7

Day 8 ........................................................................................................................ 7

Day 9 ........................................................................................................................ 8

19th – 23rd May .............................................................................................................. 9

Day 10....................................................................................................................... 9

Day 11....................................................................................................................... 9

Day 12..................................................................................................................... 10

Day 13..................................................................................................................... 11

Day 14..................................................................................................................... 11

27th – 30th May ............................................................................................................ 12

Day 15..................................................................................................................... 12

Day 16..................................................................................................................... 12

Day 17..................................................................................................................... 12

Day 18..................................................................................................................... 12

2nd – 6th June ............................................................................................................... 12

Day 19..................................................................................................................... 12

Day 20..................................................................................................................... 13

Day 21..................................................................................................................... 13

Day 22..................................................................................................................... 14

Day 23..................................................................................................................... 14

9th – 13th June .............................................................................................................. 15

Day 24..................................................................................................................... 15

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Day 25..................................................................................................................... 15

Day 26..................................................................................................................... 15

Day 27..................................................................................................................... 15

Day 28..................................................................................................................... 15

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Fiberglass on Chassis 1 .................................................................................... 3

Figure 2 Fiberglass on Chassis 2 .................................................................................... 3

Figure 3 Fiberglass on Side Skirts .................................................................................. 4

Figure 4 Wishbones Drying ........................................................................................... 4

Figure 5 Foot Plates bolted to Lever Unit ....................................................................... 4

Figure 6 Mounting Pedal Unit ........................................................................................ 5

Figure 7 Bolting Pedal Unit ........................................................................................... 5

Figure 8 Mounting Temporary Steering Rack................................................................. 5

Figure 9 Water Pipe Connectors .................................................................................... 6

Figure 10 Water Pipes ................................................................................................... 6

Figure 11 First attempt at Welding ................................................................................. 6

Figure 12 Plastic Surroundings ...................................................................................... 7

Figure 13 Laminated Interior ......................................................................................... 7

Figure 14 Laminated Chassis and Side Skirts added ....................................................... 8

Figure 15 Finished Laminated Interior ........................................................................... 9

Figure 16 Cleaned Gearbox ........................................................................................... 9

Figure 17 Attaching Drive Shafts ................................................................................. 10

Figure 18 Cleaning Darrian T90 GTR .......................................................................... 10

Figure 19 Stripping Gearbox 2 ..................................................................................... 11

Figure 20 Stripping Gearbox 1 ..................................................................................... 11

Figure 21 Stripping Gearbox 3 ..................................................................................... 11

Figure 22 Wishbone Pieces (1) .................................................................................... 13

Figure 23 Wishbone Pieces (2) .................................................................................... 13

Figure 24 Roof mounted to chassis .............................................................................. 13

Figure 25 Repairing Wishbone .................................................................................... 13

Figure 26 Moved Chassis ............................................................................................ 14

Figure 27 Main Roll Cage Frame ................................................................................. 14

Figure 28 Metal Work Laid Out ................................................................................... 14

3

6TH – 9TH MAY

DAY 1

Started building a new Darrian T90:

Fiberglass was applied to the chassis mold. Firstly gel coat was applied

and allowed to dry. Next resin was applied and then 1oz fiberglass laid

onto the resin. Once again resin was applied and then rolled to get rid of

air bubbles.

A roof panel for a MK6 Darrian was measured and marked out. Next

resin and fiberglass was applied and left to

dry.

Brake Hub mounted to brake disc.

Bearing housing lacquered and spray painted black.

Figure 2 Fiberglass on Chassis 2 Figure 1 Fiberglass on Chassis 1

4

DAY 2

Continued to apply fiberglass to the Darrian T90 mold.

Side Skirt molds also had fiberglass applied in the same manner.

Wishbones were dismantled after set-

up/alignment. Next they were cleaned, wiped

over with a tough brush and spray painted.

Firstly primer was applied to help prevent them

rusting, then black spray paint was applied.

They were then left in front of a heater to dry.

DAY 3

The wishbones prepared on day 2, now were

reattached to the vehicle, paying due attention to the

alignment required for the wishbones on this

particular car.

2 sets of pedals were bolted into their required

position, using a tape measure to keep the mounting

points at specific distances from the beam at the rear

of the bonnet. Also the foot plates were bolted to the

lever unit of the pedals.

Bolted a temporary steering rack in order to mark

positions for connecting rods and to also make sure it

was flat using a spirit level. Also as there is a 90˚

curve where the mounts bend around, packing was

Figure 4 Wishbones Drying

Figure 3 Fiberglass on Side Skirts

Figure 5 Foot Plates bolted to Lever Unit

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required in order to fill gaps. Layers of

fiberglass, carbon fiber, and carbon Kevlar

were applied to the chassis with resin in the

gaps and allowed to set.

A second set of front and rear wishbones were

removed, cleaned and prepared for spray

painting.

DAY 4

Wishbones were sprayed with primer first and then in matte black.

Mounted a second steering rack. This time I had to use a file in order to

shave down the surface of the chassis until the spirit level showed the

steering rack was completely flat when mounted. Once flat the steering

rack was bolted to the chassis.

Mixed foam to then be poured into a gap between chassis and plastic

cabin shell. Any excess was cut away.

Using a drill, small circles were cut out of a carbon fiber sheet which

when then glued above the hole where the foam was applied.

Drew out, cut and bent an aluminium sheet to fit in the engine bay. Used

as a heat shield.

Figure 6 Mounting Pedal Unit

Figure 8 Mounting Temporary Steering Rack

Figure 7 Bolting Pedal Unit

6

12TH – 16TH MAY

DAY 5

Mounted a full set of wishbones onto another car.

Manufactured water pipes out of aluminium tubes. Then added a lip on

the ends for in order for pipes to fit and then cleaned the surface of the

pipes.

DAY 6

Laminating the chassis with fiberglass and Carbon-Kevlar.

I was given an opportunity to attempt Tig Welding.

Using a grinder and sander, cuts in tubes for the wishbone arms where

made.

Figure 11 First attempt at Welding

Figure 10 Water Pipes Figure 9 Water Pipe Connectors

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DAY 7

Laminated a splitter mold with fiberglass and Carbon-Kevlar.

Cut out plastic surroundings for interior cabin holes.

DAY 8

Laminated the interior mold. Firstly white gel coat was applied and

allowed to dry, then we applied fiberglass to the mold.

Figure 13 Laminated Interior

Constructed an outdoor table and bench.

I did a full dust and clean of an old MK7 Davrian in preparation for

repair work to be started.

Figure 12 Plastic Surroundings

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DAY 9

Attached side skirt panels to the main chassis currently being laminated

on the mold. Also applied fiberglass and Carbon-Kevlar to combine the

pieces into one unit.

Figure 14 Laminated Chassis and Side Skirts added

Finished making P-clips by bending aluminium around a pipe for hole

size and then drilling a hole where they are bolted tightly.

Inserted the previously made water pipes into the vehicle and used the P-

clips to secure the pipes in place. This was repeated on a second Darrian.

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19TH – 23RD MAY

DAY 10

Finished laminating the interior compartment with fiberglass, Carbon-

Kevlar, fiberglass, Kevlar, fiberglass.

Figure 15 Finished Laminated Interior

Striked the chassis and trimmed and sanded it smooth.

DAY 11

Cleaned gearbox.

Figure 16 Cleaned Gearbox

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Attached gearbox, clutch and drive shafts to a Darrian T90 GTR, plus

connecting sensors.

Cleaned the same car as it is to be sold.

DAY 12

Stripped down completely, inspected and rebuilt another gearbox. I did

this a couple of times in order to practice getting all the gears in the

correct position and slotted correctly into the box.

Figure 18 Cleaning Darrian T90 GTR

Figure 17 Attaching Drive Shafts

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Figure 20 Stripping Gearbox 1

DAY 13

Made throttle pedals and linkages.

Fitted an engine bay cover at the back of the interior compartment.

DAY 14

Laminated roof section and splitter.

Figure 19 Stripping Gearbox 2

Figure 21 Stripping Gearbox 3

12

27TH – 30TH MAY

DAY 15

Stripped the Darrian T90 GTR of driveshaft’s, gearbox, clutch, engine,

anti-roll bar, seats, and wheels.

Emptied the oil and petrol tanks.

Removed extinguishers.

DAY 16

Measured both the front and rear corner masses of the Darrian T90 GTR.

Removed tank bags from the vehicle.

Removed tank covers.

DAY 17

Stripped down another gearbox and identified areas of pitting and

shearing on 2nd and 3rd gears.

Removed a complete PI dash system from the Darrian T90 GTR.

DAY 18

Removed, cleaned and measure spring compression on the current

dampers so that the new springs can be fitted to the same specification.

Cleaned various components i.e. radiator, pipes and brackets.

Filtered the gearbox oil into a container.

2ND – 6TH JUNE

DAY 19

Cleaned Darrian T90 GTR in order to take decent photo’s to the

customer.

Fitted new springs to the dampers and set them to their original height.

Adjusted brake and clutch pedal positions to suit the customer.

Bolted in a gear lever.

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DAY 20

Started making metal pieces and arms for new front and rear wishbones.

Using grinders, metal cutter and a jig for them to be welded by another

employee.

Started cutting steel bars in order to bend them into a roll cage frame.

DAY 21

Started bending the cut pipes for the roll cage. Using chassis

measurements and a spirit level, cross-bars were cut and tacked to the

main frame.

Fitted a roof to the new chassis.

Repaired a rear wishbone after it was bent at Mini Epynt Stages Rally

2014.

Figure 25 Repairing Wishbone

Figure 23 Wishbone Pieces (2) Figure 22 Wishbone Pieces (1)

Figure 24 Roof mounted to chassis

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DAY 22

Continued fitting the roll-cage.

Laid out all the metal work pieces to the car for a customer to see.

Moved the new chassis into the main workshop.

Figure 27 Main Roll Cage Frame

Figure 28 Metal Work Laid Out

DAY 23

Cleaned-up brackets and sprayed them with primer first, then with black

paint.

Wire brushed the new wishbones and covered them in a solution that

causes the metal to turn black.

Made some minor changes to the roll-cage.

Figure 26 Moved Chassis

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9TH – 13TH JUNE

DAY 24

Used Fertan to cover wishbones and a few brackets.

Cleaned up gear lever brackets and polished them.

Prepared a finished minimum specification chassis for being picked up

by the customer.

DAY 25

Made a jig in order to improve the making process of the front bumper

bar.

Made pipe spacers.

Drew out, cut, bent and drilled various metal pieces to go on the front of

the cars.

DAY 26

Rebuilt Hewland gearbox, replacing gears in order to change ratios.

Dismantled and replaced crown well and pinion.

DAY 27

Made adaptations to brake calipers so that they would fit the disc more

suitably.

Cut Pipes.

DAY 28

Helped adjust and fit the roll cage.

Bled brake system.

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MORE PICTURES

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