TR5/TR250 250 miles logged and still Smilin'

[milemarker60]

I'm happy to report that I have just turned over 250 miles since putting my project officially on the road last week. Nothing of any consequence has hampered my enjoyment as of yet (knocking on wood this very second) but I have identified a couple of things I need to address besides installing the interior trim.

My fuel cell I had made (to my design...) would have worked perfectly but like an idiot, I forgot about the internal baffling when I decided to turn it front to back in the final stages. This was done to change the fuel filler location and I welded a new bung on the bottom forward corner for the outlet. Problem is that I had internal baffles welded in around the original fuel outlet that prevented fuel from sloshing away from the line. When my tank is full all is well, when low, aggressive acceleration or cornering forces the fuel away from the pick-up. I'm going to have to take it out and perform surgery on the baffling system.

The exhaust is just temporary but needs to be dealt with sooner than later as it's got a pretty good harmonic vibration around 6K-8K RPMS and is very annoying.

Need to find a supplier for the R200 diff that sells higher than 3.54 ring and pinion gear sets(3.08-3.15 ideally). I'm turning 3500 RPMs @ 68 MPH which is fine for the engine but somewhat annoying as I can't hardly get it shifted out of first quick enough. Might just replace with a BMW 6-spd which holds all the first 5 ratios the same and adds a .83 OD but with the power and weight I really don't need six gears.

Anyway, here are a few pics I shot this morning in its current state.

 

[Tinster]

That cannot POSSIBLY be a real car!

I stand in awe.

 

[Silverghost]

!!!!!!!!!! <faint>! The maroon Jag from the latest Cars-N-Coffee has a child!!!

 

[tdskip]

Wow - amazing.

She looks <span style="font-weight: bold">mean</span>!

 

[14dna]

Dave;

that is one really nice car, and it hangs out with some real cool fly guys I see.
Now when can I come down and go for a ride? Oh, wait,I'm in Canada and Annie says no more vacations until she can go with me. Never mind.


PRETTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dave

 

[swift6]

Love the bumpers! :thumbsup:

 

[Silverghost]

Shoot! I didn't even notice the bumpers the first time! Very cool!

 

[Jorgen]

I think you have my somethign close to my dream car right there.

I have always wanted to build something (ideas have mostly been 32 ford, cobra, e-type) and using an engine from an M5 in it.

That thing is beautiful.

 

[mgNOT]

Very nice doesn't quite cover it - I hope my project looks as good from across the street! Would you care to elaborate on the project? I'm interested in the roll bar and if it acts to stabilize the frame. Also, what is the color, custom of from a production car?
Thanks much!
Dennis

 

[Banjo]

oooooh Baby!!!! that's sharp!
Now that's a custom Job I have no gripes about. Good choice of power, styling is sweet! and all the work looks factory professional.
I Am duely impressed.
When can I place an order?

 

[davidk]

Dave, the car looks great! What size, brand and where did you find those wheels?

I had the same problem of starving for fuel on hard corners with my home made fuel cell. My tank is baffled. I added another outlet on the other end of the tank, and tee'd them together under the tank so that the fuel now feeds from the center of the car. No more fuel issues.

 

[mrv8q]

Beautiful craftsmanship! Just spectacular, how well that "M" engine fits in there! You'll be swatting away the auto journalists eager for interviews, and drives, very soon...

 

[2wrench]

Gorgeous car. Looks beautifully done. Congratulations. (Salivating).

 

[GBRandy]

...and is the Meridan yours too? I hope that has more that 250 miles :wink:

 

[DNK]

My wedge does that on right handers when the fuel is below a quarter. Great Idea.
I 'll do that to the 6 in preparation for the TBI

 

[Brosky]

That is absolutely beautiful..........sniff. Looks better than a lot of new brides that I've seen.

 

[BobbyD]

I'm having a fantasy about this car parked next to Bowtie at a show. Only problem is they'd both be coated in drool.

 

[milemarker60]

Thanks for all the props guys. I'm still not sure about the bumpers... My intent was to cover the original mounts and have something to mount a set of large round driving lights onto up front. At this point I'm skipping the lights but I still like the look of a bumperless TR6. Maybe I need to switch them to Black? Opinions wecome.

The roll bar is actually a 6-point cage tied into the frame in the trunk and the body mounts in the cockpit with a front hoop under the dash. I had the side intrusion bars made removable. While it definitely helps with the chassis flex, it still does have some movement with the side bars out. I'm scrapping the rear section this winter and re-disigning it to allow for about 2" more seat travel and extending the harness bar to the rear supports which will increase the recline as well.

The M3 engine uses less than half the fuel supplied by the pump and it returns the excess. The only problem with two draws is that it sucks so much it'll pull in air no matter what if any supply is dry and that bubble will cause a miss. I'm just going to cut an access hole in the top and weld in a bent piece in the corner with a one-way flapper on each side so no matter what type of g's I put on it there will always be fuel at the draw point. Essentially boxing it in as a tank with in a tank.

I haven't really pushed the engine yet as I want to make sure all is broken-in well but I have recorded 0-60 times 5.1-5.4 without really getting on it. I'm hoping for something in the mid 4's but I might need a shot of nitrous to get there.

The wheels are a 17x8 et20 multi-piece BBS outfitted by BMW on e39's (BMW Style 5). I sent them to a shop in CA that took them apart, filled and redrilled the lug pattern for the TR6, powder coated the centers and polished the barrels (rims). No spacers were used and the front upper arms needed to be ground very lightly at the corners to prevent scraping (oddly enough only in reverse). I have a custom rear disc brake bracket installed that added about .625" net over the stock drums so they are pushed out a little more than the fronts but look perfectly balanced.

I sell planes so technically the Meridian is mine but hopefully not for long. We are the Piper, Pilatus and Diamond Distributors in the midwest (KCAC). Love flying but the only way I could figure how to play with all the new planes was to get involved in the business.

 

[DNK]

My wedge does that on right handers when the fuel is below a quarter. Great Idea.
I 'll do that to the 6 in preparation for the TBI

After what Dave just wrote. Never Mind.

 

[humanoid]

OK, I think I need to change my pants after looking at those pics and maybe a smoke too. That 6 is too sexy for even words to describe!