Week 39 - Seat belts and Safety cell mod

Hours to date 343.25

Made some decent progress over the long Bank holiday weekend.


I took the plunge and cut the front off the Safety Cell. 


It will need extending by 5 inches at the base and 7 inches at the top. Such is the freaky nature of my long legs!


The upper part curves inward - hence the top being extended further - that way my toes won't hit the end when full lock with the rudder.


It was a bit of a mission to cut. Kevlar is super strong and destroys the Dremels cutting wheels. I went though my 2 best wheels and then about 12 of the cheaper cut off wheels. All in all took about 4 hours to mark and cut.


The weird shape of the cut is due to the safety cell being attached at the front lower portion by a huge amount of Micro. Rather than grind all that away I just went around it.


A further complication is the carbon reinforcing struts that come back from the firewall. They will get in the way of the front lower part of the safety cell when it is moved forward. So I will have to modify the shape of the cell in those areas to accommodate the Carbon struts.


I also cut out the lower and upper access holes - which are needed anyway - but needed now so I can work on the outside of the cell when I extend it.


I plan to attach the front of the cell temporarily in the right position with strips of plywood and 'bondo'. (A technique I learned from Mike Arnold on one of his videos). It's going to be a mission to do this mod - also I have no experience of working with Kevlar and have heard that it is hard to wet out properly. Still it's got to be done. Comfort in the cockpit is paramount!


Next up is the seat belts. The manual shows the two plywood reinforcement strips  already in place. Mine as you can see from the photos were not done. Studying the photo in the manual I saw that this area has been reinforced by carbon. So I've applied two strips to stiffen up this area and distribute the load some more. When that is dry I will add the plywood reinforcements with a load of Flock.

Micro at front of cell

Footwell of cell before marking or cutting

Bingo!

View through to firewall and carbon struts

Seat belt holes and reinforcing plywood - pre fitting

Plywood blocks now shaped to fit better to the cell

Carbon reinforcement - prior to bonding on plywood blocks

Lower access hole cut

Remnants of cutting wheels - Kevlar is tough stuff!