Have your tailshaft crack tested more often.

[105gta]

Sorry to see this but glad you weren't harmed in the process.
Out of interest, when you get it all apart. It might be worth checking to see if the crack may have originated from welding heat where a balance weight was welded on.  Possibly part of the weight still stuck right beside the break/crack line??
Might be something to think about for future balancing?
Perhaps crack testing after balancing?

Ben

[105gta]

Or maybe excessive grinding marks where a previous weight was removed during balancing?

Ben

[aggie57]

Hey Mick, several thoughts:

- really glad you're ok. You could have lost one or both feet.
- didn't Neil fix his GTV after similar damage with the floor and tunnel from the old wreck I had?
- you were very thoughtful having it happen at the pit entry
- Broadford rocks. What a great track. I miss it.

[Ray Pignataro]

On a lighter note couldn't you just take the floor out of Stevens car when he is not looking,I'm pretty sure he won't notice well not straight away

[lightyear]

Good excuse to build a new car? Fresh shell and all. Or go full tube frame chassis.

[Neil Choi]

- didn't Neil fix his GTV after similar damage with the floor and tunnel from the old wreck I had?
- you were very thoughtful having it happen at the pit entry

Yep, fixed it and exact same damage.
Me too thoughtful, I rolled along front straight and into pit entry at Winton,...........after showering your Porsche with my bell housing.

[Neil Choi]

Watching the vid with Mick in the garage, both of us jumped and f-bombed at the same time.
Brings back bad memories and now can see what happened to me as well.  The thoughts still haunts me.
WOW.
Now to fit some form of a shaft loop too.

[Mick A]

Good excuse to build a new car? Fresh shell and all. Or go full tube frame chassis.

Geez that's a bit extreme mate. That's like saying if you break your toe you should cut your whole leg off.

I have a spare body shell I am going to cut the floor out and replace the floor and tunnel on this car. I am also going to reinforce it with 10mm thick steel on the drivers side. Fuck the weight disadvantage, I don't want to lose my feet.

It will be as good as new.

[Evan Bottcher]

I did the scrutiny school last year at a factory in the eastern suburbs full of interesting race cars.  An ex-Stone brothers v8 supercar (pre-CoTF) was up on the hoist and we all had a good nosey around under it.  It was interesting to see the fairly simple tailshaft hoops (made of mild steel from memory) but especially interesting the hefty alloy scatter shield around the clutch and flywheel. 

From the CAMS manual (scatter shields):

"The shield must be of a thickness of:
• 6mm if mild steel plate;
• 3mm if tungsten impregnated alloy steel plate;
• 6mm if Alcoa aluminium alloy A5083H321"

[Mick A]

Thanks Evan!

I'll split the difference and go for 8mm just to make myself feel better.

[hmd]

WOW Mick, Neil and Chris Blanden all different failures but similar results.

[aggie57]

- didn't Neil fix his GTV after similar damage with the floor and tunnel from the old wreck I had?
- you were very thoughtful having it happen at the pit entry

Yep, fixed it and exact same damage.
Me too thoughtful, I rolled along front straight and into pit entry at Winton,...........after showering your Porsche with my bell housing.

Yeah - seeing the wayward bits of your bell housing bouncing along the road towards us is a memory neither Crump or I will forget in a hurry!

[aggie57]

Good excuse to build a new car? Fresh shell and all. Or go full tube frame chassis.

Geez that's a bit extreme mate. That's like saying if you break your toe you should cut your whole leg off.

I have a spare body shell I am going to cut the floor out and replace the floor and tunnel on this car. I am also going to reinforce it with 10mm thick steel on the drivers side. Fuck the weight disadvantage, I don't want to lose my feet.

It will be as good as new.

Good to hear.  Have you fixed that rear guard yet?   

[Mick A]

Yes the ironic thing is I just had both front and rear spoilers painted and the rear guard fixed! haha

[Mick A]

Progress at least!