RL-7000 PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ENSURING IDENTICAL CAR SET-UP FOR SHELBY COBRA RACE SERIES
Located in Las Vegas, NV, Finish Line Motorsports, Inc., is the Shelby-licensed dealer for the CSX 4000 Cobra. In addition to constructing the street version of the CSX 4000, Finish Line Motorsports has also been designated by Shelby America as the exclusive source for the identically prepared racecars for the upcoming Cobra Senior Challenge. Among the drivers signed to compete in the series are such legendary motorsport figures as Mario Andretti and Parnelli Jones.
Finish Line Motorsport's first task was to put the 35 year old Cobra design in line with the Sport Car Club of America's (SCCA) regulations for competition cars. This entailed reinforcing the original chassis with a SCCA Pro Racing-approved cage and drivers compartment intrusion system. The chassis was also triangulated in order to cope with the greater forces generated by today's racing tires.
According to Thomas Barnard, one of Finish Line Motorsport's chief fabricators, the RL-7000 enables them to design/build the race-version of the Cobra, while ensuring the level of precision necessary to achieve the identical car set-up dictated by the IROC-inspired racing series. "To ensure that each car is set-up identically, we use the Rapid Line measuring system , explains Barnard. "This allows us to confirm the accuracy of all X, Y and Z measurements at any point on the car."
In comparing the system with previous flat-type benches, Barnard cites the RL-7000 for its flexibility, adaptability and mobility. "We're a fairly small shop, so there aren't a lot of extra hands. In many cases, I am putting the pieces together and adjusting the fixtures by myself....which is no problem with this design bench. Barnard adds that he is unaware of any design system that offers a similar level of flexibility. In his words: "It will adapt to just about anything."
The design bench represents the latest collaborative effort of Finish Line Motorsports and Rapid Line Industries. However, Barnard points out that the relationship between the two companies initially began when they incorporated Rapid Line's Performance Calculator™, a computer-aided design/simulation/racing software package, into their CSF 4000 development program.
With the Performance Calculator, "...we were able to make changes to the drive train and suspension geometry, and see how those changes would affect the rest of the chassis. It took only a few hours of working with the program to make changes that we were satisfied with, explains Barnard, adding that those changes resulted in 2-1/2 second faster lap times.
Established in 1984, Rapid Line Industries, Inc., has an impressive history of providing specialized products for the automotive industry. In addition to the universal, mobile-bench prototyping systems currently being used by automotive designers/ manufacturers, racecar builders and repair facilities around the globe, the company also markets the Performance Calculator™ software tool for calculating and simulating engine, chassis and suspension design and development.
