Composite Engine Shields

Gidday Mr T

I just weighed the OEM ABS guard. It weighs around 2.75 kgs. That makes the Ravolar one around 2.5x the weight. This of itself should make it a lot stronger, even if it were a non-composite material.

As a composite, it should be far tougher than the OEM one.

As I mentioned before, the design of the OEM guard is as much of a problem as its (lack of) strength. If the OEM guard didn't turn into a scoop, it would be a big help. I'm thinking of riveting an aluminium strip along the front of mine so that it doesn't pull out from above the lip of the lower bumper. I reckon about 20-25 mm would be more than adequate to prevent this from happening.

At the bottom of the Phasmid Track in Bunyip SP, I slid along on my OEM guard for around 15-20 metres (with my wheels off the ground!). It didn't break, or tear off ...
 
NachaLuva said:
I'd suggest hitting anything at 90mph (150kmh) will do considerable damage regardless of the type of sumpguard lol :rotfl:
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Regarde... what actually happens

Code: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOA2cmJ5HlA

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
^ The car was repairable and repaired ...

Austin 1800 MkI.

From my Batphone
 
koomahai said:
Well, i have talked to the manufacturer + a few guy who are using those shields. They are not bad - lightweight and easy to install. But none of the guys recommended them off road. For serious offroad, that is
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If I only went on sand, I'd get one, I think they're great for light offroad use, esp the protection they give the entire engine bay from water, mud, sand, etc

The weight seems the same (around 7 kgs).
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I'd hate to think what mine weighs, prob at least 20kg :(
 
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We were doing 96 mph when we left the road - infinitely preferable to having a head-on with a semi-trailer ...

There was an intersecting minor road at the apex of the corner. Both roads had a graded drop-off of about 8-10 feet. We went down the embankment of the main road; up the embankment of the intersecting dirt road, carving about 4-6" out of the embankment with the sump guard. This was around 10-20 feet long.

We lofted it over the lip of the road, coming down just over the far side! That's where the wheels tracks started again ...

Down this embankment. Hit a 10x8" fence straining post in the middle of the P/S headlight. This did not break the headlight ...

Went under the twin strand barb wire top wires of the fence (like cat scratches over the bonnet and roof of the car). Came to rest against the next post along the fence line ...

The car remained completely stable at all times - directionally and while airborne.
We could open/shut all the doors, boot, bonnet.
A truly extraordinarily commendable performance for a car from the late 1960s.

It is why I am such a fan of both primary and secondary safety being built in to cars at the design phase ...
 
Tannin said:
^ OK.



^ But why?
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The Austin 1800 MkI (and MkII, Austin Kimberley/Tasman) had the strongest torsional rigidity of any car made at the time - 15,800 ft.lbs./degree to twist it 1 degree out of alignment (front to rear).

Next was the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow MkIII, at 15,000 ft.lbs./deg.

Volvo came in at around 11,500; Mercedes at about 10,500 ... Holden/Falcon/Valiant were all around ~6,500!! Ugly ... And useless. All the torsional rigidity of a piece of well soaked spaghetti!

For those who don't know:

The torsional rigidity of a car helps to keep the wheels and suspension where they are designed to be at all times. This in turn improves steering, handling, braking, directional stability and predictability in all circumstances.

Because they incorporated pre-determined crumple rates and an extremely strong passenger cell, they were among the safest cars made up until that time.

The long wheel base, fully independent suspension and wheel-at-each-corner design also helped all this; as did the low centre of gravity; and the rack and pinion steering (uncommon at the time).

There is a lot more that could be said about these cars, and on this subject.
I'll leave it at this FTM.
 
Ahh, I was only stirring. Actually, my grandmother had an Austin Kimberley, which later became our second family car. The main family car at the time was an FB Holden, wich gives you a bit of an idea. Or possibly we had the XA by then, I don't think so. Anyway, the Kinberley was way cool. We loved it! I learnt to drive on the Kimberley, and also in the Fiat 1800 which came immediatewly before or immediately after it. Before, I think. Anyway, these European cars - Fiat and Kimberley - were light years ahead of the Aussie junk. OHC engines with around double the HP per litre, real leather bucket seats, independant suspension all round, wonderful comfort and excellent roadholding, even disc brakes!
 
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