GT40s.com - View Single Post - Big-Foot's RCR-40 Build Thread

Randy V · 22nd June 2008, 12:56 AM

Spent good 10 hours in the shop today..
Well I wish they were good hours..

A few weeks ago I found that the spider / or rear clip was "Z'd" about 3/8". I used a Porto-power to push it to where it needed to be to fit the contour of the rear clip. Actually I pushed it about 1/4" beyond. I didn't use any heat - I wanted to see how much memory this fiberglass had. About a week later - I removed what little pressure I had in the Porto-Power and to my surprise the Z was gone and the alignment was pretty good. Over the next two weeks the spider moved back to where it was before. (CRUD!)
I pushed it back and used my heat gun to warm up the span of the spider across the back - I didn't get it over the heat of good hot water - I could still touch it - My fear was that I was going to warp it - All I wanted to do was convince it to "forget" it's Z'd shape an remember it's new contour.
I let it sit for a a few days to cool and remember it's new shape!
I removed the pressure from the Porto-Power again and everything looked fine..

I opened up the rear clip so I could have access to the self-tapping screws used to hold the spider B-pillar as the left side was sticking out about 3/16" from the contour of the rocker panel.

Today -

When I first started to fit the spider, I found that it was 1/2" higher on the left side of the car than the right side.

The door would not fit into the hole because it (door) was too big for the hole. But that was a good problem as you can make the door smaller.. Once i carefully filed the edges of the door/roof - the door was below the top of the spider at the left front corner. The door was aligned with the rest of the spider and the front clip pretty well..

I knew I had no alternative but to put some tension on the top of the spider and use some gentle heat to get it to bow down 1/2" to get the door to fit.
I still have my center support post to keep the spider at the right height for the windshield through all of this.
I used a ratchet strap hooked in through the top left corner of the windshield and down to the floor at the rear bulkhead.. I gave the ratchet a few clicks and it pulled the roof down where it needed to be. I actually pulled it about 1/8" further (1 click).. Gentle heat once again at the lower left corner of the A-Pillar where it meets the base of the spider. Heat again at the top of the spider in the front and a bit of heat across the back of the spider..

I went in for dinner and to call a friend. About an hour later I went back out to give it another go.

I released the tension on the now-cool spider and was happy when the spider went exactly to where I wanted it at the top of the A-pillar and it was the same as the height of the other side..

A little more trimming on the door for the desired 1/8" gap and the left door is now fitted.

I then lowered the rear clip only to find out that the spider had gone back to it's "Z" again and the rear clip does not even come close to aligning with the contour of the spider.

It's off by 3/8" or more on the left side..

I'm really not very happy with this fiberglass right now..

Tomorrow I go out and pull the alignment studs out and figure out how to get this rear clip to fit...

I'm not a bad fabricator but body work like this really frustrates me...

Fran / Jeff / Tom / Rob / Ron / Jac - anyone!!!

If you have any ideas on just what in the h*ll is going on with this body - I could sure use a hand....

Pictures follow;

LF Corner is now "Perfect" height

Across the front - not bad

A bit tight at the base of the A-pillar but that will clean up

Left side of clip is parallel to the rocker - 1/8" gap

Left side B-pillar alignment - note that I needed a 1/16" washer to increase the gap of the B-pillar to bring the angle of the B-Pillar back just about 1.5 degrees to be same as other side

Spider body lines are weird on left side - I suspect that the door and the spider molds were not from the same car - even when spider was not canted 1.5 degrees, it still didn't align.

HERE's the part that really torques my nutz

I don't think that MK1s were supposed to have an extra scoop on the left side!

3/8" misalignment

It's off by 1/4" on the right side

and here's a shot across the roof

Here's my Porto-power in position when I was taking the Z out

Has **ANYONE** had this much trouble getting the pieces of the puzzle to work for them? I don't care if it's an RCR / RF / Tornado / CAV / DRB / MDA - they're all GT40's and all clones of an original...

Any suggestions short of dynamite or a can of gas and a match would be VERY appreciated!!!

22nd June 2008, 12:56 AM	#42 (permalink)
Randy V Big-Foot Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kenyon, MN GT40: RCR40 - #45 Posts: 4,847	Re: Big-Foot's RCR-40 Build Thread - "SuperCar" Spent good 10 hours in the shop today.. Well I wish they were good hours.. A few weeks ago I found that the spider / or rear clip was "Z'd" about 3/8". I used a Porto-power to push it to where it needed to be to fit the contour of the rear clip. Actually I pushed it about 1/4" beyond. I didn't use any heat - I wanted to see how much memory this fiberglass had. About a week later - I removed what little pressure I had in the Porto-Power and to my surprise the Z was gone and the alignment was pretty good. Over the next two weeks the spider moved back to where it was before. (CRUD!) I pushed it back and used my heat gun to warm up the span of the spider across the back - I didn't get it over the heat of good hot water - I could still touch it - My fear was that I was going to warp it - All I wanted to do was convince it to "forget" it's Z'd shape an remember it's new contour. I let it sit for a a few days to cool and remember it's new shape! I removed the pressure from the Porto-Power again and everything looked fine.. I opened up the rear clip so I could have access to the self-tapping screws used to hold the spider B-pillar as the left side was sticking out about 3/16" from the contour of the rocker panel. Today - When I first started to fit the spider, I found that it was 1/2" higher on the left side of the car than the right side. The door would not fit into the hole because it (door) was too big for the hole. But that was a good problem as you can make the door smaller.. Once i carefully filed the edges of the door/roof - the door was below the top of the spider at the left front corner. The door was aligned with the rest of the spider and the front clip pretty well.. I knew I had no alternative but to put some tension on the top of the spider and use some gentle heat to get it to bow down 1/2" to get the door to fit. I still have my center support post to keep the spider at the right height for the windshield through all of this. I used a ratchet strap hooked in through the top left corner of the windshield and down to the floor at the rear bulkhead.. I gave the ratchet a few clicks and it pulled the roof down where it needed to be. I actually pulled it about 1/8" further (1 click).. Gentle heat once again at the lower left corner of the A-Pillar where it meets the base of the spider. Heat again at the top of the spider in the front and a bit of heat across the back of the spider.. I went in for dinner and to call a friend. About an hour later I went back out to give it another go. I released the tension on the now-cool spider and was happy when the spider went exactly to where I wanted it at the top of the A-pillar and it was the same as the height of the other side.. A little more trimming on the door for the desired 1/8" gap and the left door is now fitted. I then lowered the rear clip only to find out that the spider had gone back to it's "Z" again and the rear clip does not even come close to aligning with the contour of the spider. It's off by 3/8" or more on the left side.. I'm really not very happy with this fiberglass right now.. Tomorrow I go out and pull the alignment studs out and figure out how to get this rear clip to fit... I'm not a bad fabricator but body work like this really frustrates me... Fran / Jeff / Tom / Rob / Ron / Jac - anyone!!! If you have any ideas on just what in the hll is going on with this body - I could sure use a hand.... Pictures follow; LF Corner is now "Perfect" height Across the front - not bad A bit tight at the base of the A-pillar but that will clean up Left side of clip is parallel to the rocker - 1/8" gap Left side B-pillar alignment - note that I needed a 1/16" washer to increase the gap of the B-pillar to bring the angle of the B-Pillar back just about 1.5 degrees to be same as other side Spider body lines are weird on left side - I suspect that the door and the spider molds were not from the same car - even when spider was not canted 1.5 degrees, it still didn't align. HERE's the part that really torques my nutz I don't think that MK1s were supposed to have an extra scoop on the left side! 3/8" misalignment It's off by 1/4" on the right side and here's a shot across the roof Here's my Porto-power in position when I was taking the Z out Has ANYONE* had this much trouble getting the pieces of the puzzle to work for them? I don't care if it's an RCR / RF / Tornado / CAV / DRB / MDA - they're all GT40's and all clones of an original... Any suggestions short of dynamite or a can of gas and a match would be VERY appreciated!!! __________________ Regards - Randy GT40 RCR40 #45 G50-331-Weber IDAs My build site: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.