v8260 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 i been doin a little reading in the Scca solo modified catagory because i want to start getting into racing on the track. In the rule book it requres a "scatter shields", so that the clutch doesnt become part of your face. My questions is this. is there a place that sells universal scatter shields? is there a place that sells them just for the z car? Right now my 280z is in paint but im gona swap an ls1 in the near future, but i want to get into this racing rules so i can build it right the first time. Any one who has done this please let me know. Also i was looking at the MSA catalog and saw a bolt in roll cages thats scca legal. Anyone ever used this cage? Keep in mind this car will also be drivin on the street. Any help is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I don't know about a universal scatter shield. What motor and trans? Stock L series and trans, I don't know. V8 and manual trans, yes, there are several. And the cludtch won't become part of your face, you just won't have any feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-Z Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 The scatter shield is for the driveline U joints coming apart. The bell housing is more then enough IMO from the clutch coming apart (never heard of one braking throught he housing). Usually, they put some heavy gauge sheet(s) around the tranny area for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Never heard of a scatter shield for U-joints. The scatter shields that I've seen are all about the clutch and flywheel exploding, and preventing that from taking your feet and lower legs off. You can buy an appropriate bellhousing that works for the T56. They just make em out of 1/4" thick steel. For an L, there really isn't much out there. I kinda half-assed one together just by bolting 1/4" thick plate in the tunnel area near the footwell. You can also buy a Kevlar trans blanket. They're really supposed to be for trans gears coming apart, but it seems to me I've talked to a couple people who were using them for flywheel protection over the years. http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category2_10001_10002_15519_-1 http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category2_10001_10002_16731_-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 http://www.lakewood-industries.com/ http://go.mrgasket.com/pdf/LAKEWOOD.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 V8260: I'm unfamiliar with the specifiic rules of solo competition, but being in the middle of the preparation of an s30 for wheel to wheel action in SCCA ITS, the GCR is very familiar to me. In my class the scattersheild is not mandatory, but allowed and recommended. I believe on his first point AK-Z is incorrect. I don't believe the scca requirement for a scattershield has anything to do with the u-joints. I believe the requirement is specifically for the containment of a catastrophic clutch failure. (proported to be as powerful as a grenade - thus the doc's comment) I agree with his second point though that it doesn't seem to be a big problem for L type trannies. If you switch to a v-8, all bets are off. Unfortunately the scca doesn't write the rules specifically just for zcars, so the requirement may be based on a need for other models. So... if you're required to have one, I believe you have two choices for the L type tranny. If you switch to a V-8, like doc said, there are a number of aftermarket solutions available. For the L type you can use a fabricated plate, made from (I believe) quarter inch thick steel or aluminum. Jon Mortensen has one on his car, I saw a picture of it in a recent thread. Basically you bend the material into the rough shape of the inside of the tranny tunnel and attach it to the unibody in the area of the bellhousing. He's not real proud of his, but I think it works and am considering mimicking it. Aluminum would make it super light-wieght if that's an issue, but it isn't a bad place for wieght on the car and steel would be strong. Your other choice is a ballistic blanket commonly made for automatic trannies used for drag racing. (available from summit or jegs) I'm familiar with these from my procomp crewcheif days and know one could be made to fit. They used to cost 2 or 3 hundred, no idea now. Anyhow, it wraps like a blanket around the tranny and secures with velcro. Either method will save your ankles, one would probably be cheaper if you have some fabrication skills. On your second question about the roll cage, I believe if you look at the interior of your zcar, you will realize there is NO way to place a full cage in a zcar that is not going to place at least one tube very close to your head, if not actually touching. In a race car, with a helmet on, this is a nessasary compromise. For a street car with no helmet on, this is nothing but outright dangerous. Think twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-Z Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Guess I'm wrong . I've seen U-joints go like that, but not clutches. Well here. http://www.machv.com/stainsteelsc.html EDIT: take that back about the clutches (flywheel). http://www.diamondstarmotorsport.com/threespeed.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8260 Posted November 26, 2006 Author Share Posted November 26, 2006 thanks alot guys. Like i said in the first post im going to put an ls1 in there, so ill be on the look out for one. But does anyone have any expericance the the MSA roll cage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 But does anyone have any expericance the the MSA roll cage? opps... forgot to mention.... the msa cage is the autopower cage I'm pretty sure edit: opps again... I forgot to mention in this thread, got a little mixed up with the other current thread about cages and such, yes... I have one out in my garage. It isn't installed in the car yet, but it has been mock assembled inside the car. see the other thread for some pics of mine and others. the thread is entitled race harness. Also search, it's been discussed ad naseum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLave Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 EDIT: take that back about the clutches (flywheel). http://www.diamondstarmotorsport.com/threespeed.shtml WOW! Maybe I do need to reconsider a scatter shield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonZ Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 FWIW, I heard Kevlar scatter blankets hold in heat. I myself would like an appropriate shield for the Z tranny. 1/4 inch mild steel should do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 the SCCA seems to think so, and I would agree. It's more important for a drag car then for a road racer or street car. Clutch explosions that I've witnessed occured on launch. For a drag car, heat build up won't be a problem as the car is only run a very brief time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnadyne Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 I have seen both. I am around import mainly, so the ones I have seen that cover the clutch area are for front wheel drive vehicles. These also cover the transmission. I have also seen the type that cover the drive shaft of a rear wheel drive vehicle. Because if a u-joint goes at high speed the drive shaft is going to tear things up! If I remember right summit has both kinds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rayjay Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 I have seen many cars with the shield on the interior side of the footwell [ as opposed to being on the tranny side of the tunnel ] . On lots of cars there is no room between the tranny and the tunnel to put in a sheild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Clutches blow up on road race cars too... A good friend of mine miss-downshifted and blew his clutch... It broke several chunks out of the bellhousing and dented the tunnel on his Spec. E-30... The BMW bellhousing was pretty tough and substantial... it was trashed... I have personal experience with driveshaft u-joint failure in 240Zs... I had a rear joint let go and the driveshaft bashed up the tunnel near the inside seat belt bolts... luckily there is reinforcement there from the factory... If a front u-joint goes it can do much more damage before the car stops rolling.... in addition it can jack up the car if it digs in.. It also tends to lock up the rear wheels once it jams and then you go off track spinning like a top.... A driveshaft hoop does much more than protect you from the driveshaft.. It will also help keep the car under control if it breaks at high speed... If you put one hoop in the car.. make sure it holds the front of the driveshaft.. the rear is far less dangerous... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Ask Norm about that clutch disc that came through his floor one day! Matter of fact, I have seen 510's with stock 1600's frag a clutch, though in that case the bellhousing held it in. We had to make one for Bonneville. The easiest way to do it is heat and bend some 1/4" plate that has been sheared 4 to 6" wide. Weld some tabs on it so you can 1) either mount it with the engine to tranny bolts (means you have to pull the engine tranny as a set---this is what we have, and it's a PITA) 2) drill and tap some holes on the bellhousing to mount the bent plate to the top of the tranny (you know that flat spot?) and another tab for one of the starter bolts, and then underneath for some of the holes on the bottom of the tranny. I think #2 is the best choice. This is of course for the L-Engine. It works, and has gone through tech inspection. There is no SFI stamp on our shield, but 1/4" plate is what the hydroformed scattershields are normally made from, penetrating 1/4" plate will be very difficult. Driveshaft hoops are also a good idea (and required for our Bonneville car as well) and there are plenty of Universal kits out there for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8260 Posted December 7, 2006 Author Share Posted December 7, 2006 thanks. ill post pics when i do get around to doin it. (when i start the ls1 swap in 5-6monthes haha). I just figured to do some research in advance first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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