DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

I needed an adaptor bracket to move the the mounting points for my race harnesses to make them HANS safe in the Reynard.

I measured what I needed and was going to get my local fabricator to make it, but decided to have a go myself. Got a piece of 6mm (eeek) mild steel from ebay and a cutting disc for my angle grinder and away I went. Cutting with the grinder in a straight line was horrible, but it kind of worked.

And amazingly it fits and bolts in to the existing fittings without any fettling at all!

And then the question...how do you finish mild steel?

Is hammerite any good? Or get it powder coated? I assume I have to get the holes masked otherwise the bolts won't go through? Or is there a better paint?

Graham

Lots of options, depending upon how durable you need the finish to be. Powder coat will be very durable, but isn't the cheapest and generally can't be done at home. Spray etch primer and then some automotive or enamel paint often works well.

If it's going inside the car and won't get knocked-about, I'd just spray it with etch primer and then Simoniz Tough Black. It's a nice paint for stuff like this.

cool, gone for some etch primer and some Simoniz. I'll compare with Hammerite which I am used before.

Did I mention how chuffed I was with making a bracket out of steel? It even fitted first time. Measure twice cut once worked!

Graham

Satisfying isn't it?

Converted my Lola a month ago for the same reason.
Cutting a straight line with a grinder sounds like hard work!

Mine is all exposed, but made from the light gauge angle iron off eeeb-y and simply de-greased and painted as ever with Hammerite Smoothrite satin black rattle-can, my racer's best friend.

With an old race car you soon get used to making bits, and that is a real part of the fun.

DIY is great if you can.

It's certainly good fun!

Your harness fittings look to be super lightweight there Graham.

I scared myself by reading the Schroth info on the forces involved in a head-on, eeek.

ETA: I'm sure my bracket is over engineered, but wanted it to be stronger than the surroundings rather than weaker!

Graham

I worked on TRS knowing the Standards, and the cross section of good steel they have in their bolt hole I've doubled in my angle iron adaptor.
The angle shape give good stiffness in many directions.

I recently saw an in car vid of a head on in a rally car, classic drive into a ditch on brakes, the navigator has a Hans, the driver did not.

The distance the drivers head when in comparison was astonishing and he immediately grabbed his head after the abrupt stop. The navigator was looking around and getting out asking if he was ok.

This is why the MSA are getting heavy about Hans and the like.
Wise move for us all.

Buying my kit next week.

gridgway wrote:cool, gone for some etch primer and some Simoniz. I'll compare with Hammerite which I am used before.

Did I mention how chuffed I was with making a bracket out of steel? It even fitted first time. Measure twice cut once worked!

Graham

The last few times I have used Hammerite Aerosol, I haven't been impressed. I find it doesn't like edges and you can still see the metal on sharp corners. Found Wilko's own brand rattle can good, and Halfords.

Yes, it is not as it used to be like many other's products (green issues?)

You need to ghost a covering over and leave to 'dry' and then build up from there, but it is weak, but on a race car good enough protection IMHO.