GT-Forte GTs40 build

[David]

Heh, to be fair her point is that our young son will pick them up and put them in his mouth/eat them. Its a tempting idea though!

[David]

Seeing as I'm going to be ordering a load of metal I figured I'd cut down on delivery costs and order the majority of what I need in one go...

With that in mind what size do people use for the water pipe? I had 1.25" 16swg in mind plus 3/8" 16swg for a header vent.

In addition I'll want to run aircon tubing, do people run special tubing or just 'normal' aluminium tube? What kind of sizes do people run? Even if special only tubing it would be nice to know my space 'budget'!

[Mick Ridley]

David,

I will be useing 1.5" 16swg on my car. for the coolant pipes....

Your pannelling is progressing really well. I cant believe how fast you have done it. I wish I had the same enthusiasm as you do...

My girl-friend used to moan about all the alluminium filings/swarf going in the house. So now she sweeps my workshop for me....

Well, "You dont get a dog, and bark yourself" LOL

MICK

[David]

I think I could just about fit 1.5" tubing in but would have to either be diagonal (and touching the sides with about 1mm between pipes) or take a chunk out of the plate to the back of the tunnel ( which I presume is there for handbrake cables).

[Tim Kay]

Originally Posted by mickky3

David,

... "You dont get a dog, and bark yourself"...

MICK

LMAO

[DARREN]

Hi Mick,

What you cooking yourself for dinner when she sees that comment?

D.

[Tim Kay]

Originally Posted by gtstuning

Hi Mick,

What you cooking yourself for dinner when she sees that comment?

D.

No worries, he's not eating anything, he'll be on a liquid diet, sucking through a straw temporally, since his jaw is wired up.

[David]

Been slacking a bit on panelling over the last week. Still got the rest of the front panels roughly cut out.



And then fettled and fitted the front lower panel.



That's the last of that sheet gone. I was going to pick up some more on Weds but the place was out. :-(

In other news I may have a gearbox from an 2003 Audi 2.5 TDI, I think that makes it a 01X, I'd prefer an 01E but the few that weren't quattros have either been silly priced or silly high miles. AIUI the 01E and 01X are interchangable anyway, the 01E being just a bit 'stronger' but the 01X is still AFAIK rated for 450Nm, that's way more than I was thinking of getting out of my engine!

[Brett James-McCall]

David,
I have an 01X as well. PM me and I'll send you my CV adaptor drawings to fit Granada CVs.

I'll send some pics as well of my gear change.

You are putting me to shame... I have been seconded back to house building by the wife

Brett

[Mick Ridley]

Hi David,

It is looking really good....

I was wondering, how many sheets will you need to completly pannell the chassis in.

mick

[David]

Good question, Tornado once quoted "It requires 2 x 8' X 4' sheets, 1 X 6' X 3' sheet and a floorpan all in 16 gauge". It shouldn't be far off that but I don't know what Tornado say to panel.

I've been through one sheet so far which has done all the 'normal' front panels plus the passenger compartment sills (even though I plan to remake them in 2mm). I think I could have made a bit better use of it with less wastage if I'd marked it up first rather than just cut bits out but I found it was taking me twice as long to make a template and then cut it as it was just to cut a piece out and fettle it to fit. I did use some templates for the inner wheel a/b/c/d panels just because of how awkward they are though! That then came in handy as I could just rough cut them quickly.

I was planning on getting two more sheets of 8x4, its a bit more than Tornado suggest (I haven't bothered asking GT Forte as I did a quick search and found Andy's previous response) but there is at *least* one more 8x4 worth and buying a large sheet makes sod all difference in cost! Plus apart from anything I don't see much point in using 2mm for the entire floor, I'll use it for the passenger compartment and use 1.2mm over the front and rear (and use the extra 2mm for the sills), I think it makes about 2.5Kg difference to use 1.2mm over 2mm over those sections! Not a lot by itself but it all adds up.

So far I've not been overly concerned about minor scratches on the front panels, they will both be normally unseen and powder coated, the inner ones will be seen though so even though they too will be powder coated I'm getting plastic coated aluminium and will take rather more care!

In other news mildly annoyingly I *just* lost out on an engine I'd put a silly punt on today, it went for £155 (£1.67/BHP!) and I'd put a snipe on at £157 (but failed to take the bid increment into account!) Bit of a shame as it was complete with ECU, ignitors and rad but never mind, plenty more about and I wasn't really serious about it (hence comedy bid!)

Haven't done anything this w/e though because filled with cold and don't feel like it.

[David]

Completed a couple more panels


Ok so I slightly cheated as I'd already done one apart from drilling and the other was already rough cut to shape but it's still just about the most awkward one!

[Keith Baker]

Hi David, Looking good mate.
Question about the floor, Is the cockpit compartment in ally or steel and does your T.... sorry GT-Forte chassis have any floor cross bar supports on it ?
My SGT has a galv steel floor, they used to have bracing bars but these have now been omitted.
On both of my Ultimas they have steel floors welded in with ally everywhere else.
If there's no cross supports is it strong enough as you do have two persons, seats and possibly more sitting on it.
Just a question / thought ?

Regards

[Jon]

Steel straps should be put across the floor to strengthen it. I know Andy Green welded his into the chassis, Im bolting mine in between the inner and outer chassis rails. The seats will then bolt to these straps. I suppose the best thing would be to weld in a steel floor pan.

[David]

It came with straps welded in


Note excellent super-light cardboard seat!

I think an entire steel floor would be overkill, yes you want something suitable to attach the seat to but two 3mm thick steel 'straps' should be plenty. Especially as that's in addition to an aluminium floor.

[TrevS]

I think the straps will be fine although I do like the solid feel of the welded steel lowered seating sections Tornado fitted to my car

[David]

Well nothing done the last few nights, partly from still bring filled with cold and not feeling like it, partly because this morning I was going on a little jaunt to pick up a gearbox. Well I say little, about a 255 mile round trip!

Anyway, thanks to a bit of research I discovered the 2002+ Skoda Octavia was fitted with the same 2.5TDI engine as the Audi's and also comes complete with the 6spd 01E. The advantage being that because not so many people know this is an 01E it goes cheap... So I now have a 2003 01E FRF for £200

[David]

Some pictures, its in serious need of a lot of cleaning!

[David]

Originally Posted by fastdruid

Anyway, thanks to a bit of research I discovered the 2002+ Skoda Octavia

*Ahem*, did I say Octavia? I meant Superb....

[Keith Baker]

Hi David, If you use this box how will you register the car for the road ?
I beleive with only one used part on the car can it be registered as new.
Do you know what the inside of the box it like ?