Kiwi scratchbuilt
- Thread starter Russ Noble
- Start date
Thanks KB, giving it heaps was always the intention!
Having the molds just makes for peace of mind.... As you know, here in Godzone, miles away from international suppliers, most guys that race seriously have their own molds for vulnerable parts. It just makes sense. Hell, most serious classic tin top racers have a spare shell or two sitting around. Just in case....
When a guy and his mates spend years building a car and then spend countless hours doing between race preparation and development, the driver can't let the side down by not giving it his utmost.....All those hours of preparation and improvement are somewhat negated if you pussyfoot around!
Hope to have the motor back together in a few days and a few new suspension bits built and the new setup ready for testing Friday next week. Then tidy up the bodywork and polish it, LOL, and put it away until SKOPE 5 Feb.
Having the molds just makes for peace of mind.... As you know, here in Godzone, miles away from international suppliers, most guys that race seriously have their own molds for vulnerable parts. It just makes sense. Hell, most serious classic tin top racers have a spare shell or two sitting around. Just in case....
When a guy and his mates spend years building a car and then spend countless hours doing between race preparation and development, the driver can't let the side down by not giving it his utmost.....All those hours of preparation and improvement are somewhat negated if you pussyfoot around!
Hope to have the motor back together in a few days and a few new suspension bits built and the new setup ready for testing Friday next week. Then tidy up the bodywork and polish it, LOL, and put it away until SKOPE 5 Feb.
Yeah, well it's never that simple is it! Missed the Friday testing yesterday!
I've been really stuffed around by the couriers this last week, with the result that my new head gaskets are now not expected from Auckland until mid week. Hell I could have got something out of the States quicker! NZ Post's 'Courier Post' depot in Auckland seems to have systemic failings, the guys down here are good, but I'll never use that company again for anything through Auckland thats time critical.
So Tuesday week is now the first day available for testing, just three days before the SKOPE meeting, first of the SFOS series.
However the other jobs on the car are well progressed. I had held off on them because I didn't want to be welding, grinding, sanding etc when the motor was sitting around in bits, but needs must and I have fabricated and fitted the new rear lower suspension arms. Still got to modify the front uppers but thats not a biggie, then do all the new settings. The 'race patina' on the front clip has been repaired and just needs final preparation and painting. At least some things are under control.
Had a very interesting visit from Kevin today. Not a member on this site, AFAIK, but appears to have spent a lot of time on it, and is wanting to scratchbuild. Came in armed with two good sized portfolios with lots of engineering drawings and 3D CAD chassis work with pushrod suspension and opposing horizontal shocks at the front. He came in looking for some measurements and was enquiring about screens and bodies. Go for it Kevin!
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Russ,
You might as well pull another front clip and keep it as a spare. When the racing season gets going you won't want be farting around with fiberglass repairs. I hope you told Kevin about the hair loss that comes with scratch building. The thining parts on the side of your head from scratching it all the time.
Dave
You might as well pull another front clip and keep it as a spare. When the racing season gets going you won't want be farting around with fiberglass repairs. I hope you told Kevin about the hair loss that comes with scratch building. The thining parts on the side of your head from scratching it all the time.
Dave
flatchat(Chris)
Supporter
Probably some specially hand made ones --they take a bit longer :laugh:
These guys could deliver nearly as quick :- www.performancewholesale.com.au/products/brands/gaskets
www.cometic.com/phuzion.aspx --- looks interesting
These guys could deliver nearly as quick :- www.performancewholesale.com.au/products/brands/gaskets
www.cometic.com/phuzion.aspx --- looks interesting
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Now that's a good idea!
But this is my kiwi scratchbuilt, nothing is ever that f***king simple!
:shrug:The front guards have been modified to Gulf spec, the radiator outlet is part of the front clip and has been changed from twin nostril to single, and because the front of the spider had to be spread to get a good fit for the screen, the back of the front clip needs to be given the chop and widened.
The plan is to do a new mold off the altered body, and pull another nice lightweight one out of it and keep the current clip as a spare, since it's starting to get a bit heavy with all the mods and repairs. But that's not going to happen until the season is over. Ideally, I want to have a complete spare body sitting there so as to have all the bases covered. I have at the back of my mind too, that I would like to build a really nice road car......
Also, if some lucky kiwi punter decides he wants a body, then I can supply one straight away with no hassles. At present I am trying to get some body parts out to take south for a guy when we go down to Teretonga in three weeks. I could do without that sort of pressure right now.....
The racing season is already under way, I have at least eight race meetings before the end of April
KB and Chris. Thanks for the pointers.
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Leon,
Gaskets finally arrived a couple of days ago, but I was in the middle of doing some bodywork and suspension stuff, so I've just finished fitting the heads and manifolds now. Got to hook up all the silly little bits and pieces in the morning and fire it up and bring it up to temp.
While it's cooling down I'll be doing the initial setup on the new suspension then retorque the heads and redo valve clearances. Then just have to finish painting the body before Tuesday when we will be testing. Will be fine tuning the new suspension, checking the motors OK, and I've got some brake temp paint so I have a better idea whats happening with the brakes. Then back home, pull the heads down again, carry out any adjustments we might need to anything, then a spanner check and polish it LOL.
So yes, unless there is a problem on Tuesday, it looks like SFOS is under control epper:
Gaskets finally arrived a couple of days ago, but I was in the middle of doing some bodywork and suspension stuff, so I've just finished fitting the heads and manifolds now. Got to hook up all the silly little bits and pieces in the morning and fire it up and bring it up to temp.
While it's cooling down I'll be doing the initial setup on the new suspension then retorque the heads and redo valve clearances. Then just have to finish painting the body before Tuesday when we will be testing. Will be fine tuning the new suspension, checking the motors OK, and I've got some brake temp paint so I have a better idea whats happening with the brakes. Then back home, pull the heads down again, carry out any adjustments we might need to anything, then a spanner check and polish it LOL.
So yes, unless there is a problem on Tuesday, it looks like SFOS is under control
epper:hi russ my name is tyrone and i was just wondering if there is any ways you can help me out with plans for building a gt40 cause i'm trying to build one with my son as a father and son project.
thanks...
thanks...
Not wanting to hi-jack this kiwi scratchbuilt thread, Tyrone, but it appears you could start by throwing great wads of money down the drain, tear most of your hair out, arrange a quick divorce, then all that's out of the way and you can concentrate on the plans. Ooops, what plans? Rather mysterious. You may have to develop your own.
Tyrone,
There are some plans on this thread http://www.gt40s.com/forum/gt40-tec...348-help-gt40-space-frame-drawings-plans.html and also some pertinent comments about what is required to build from scratch........ Like lots of searching and reading........
If you hadn't already found that thread, maybe a scratchbuild is not for you......However you may just be at the bottom of a steep learning curve, so if you think you've got what it takes then go for it!
If you search diligently most of the answers are are out there, if you get stumped there are lots of guys here who will share their knowledge. Bonus too, is that if you participate intelligently, you will also make a lot of very good friends.....
Good luck with your father/son project.
Cheers,
Russ
Amaizing how distorted some views can get.
Tyrone I can clearly remember going into a certain establishment asking for some info and perhaps encouragement on my build, If I thought I was being snubbed then that pails to todays treatment. Now they complain that my copy looks like theirs!
The point I make is that with respect...do what you wish to do and there will be many more positive people who will help you achieve your dreams. Mine took 5 years from scratch and there were no plans to make it easier. The satisfaction is the drug, I had the chance yesterday to take my wife for a quick spin around the back streets as my Mclaren replica is not road registered and yes even she had a grin from ear to ear.
As for knowledge, there is very little that you can not learn if the desire is there so look ask question and get started.
I would have loved to have been able to do a father son project.
Regards
Russell
Tyrone I can clearly remember going into a certain establishment asking for some info and perhaps encouragement on my build, If I thought I was being snubbed then that pails to todays treatment. Now they complain that my copy looks like theirs!
The point I make is that with respect...do what you wish to do and there will be many more positive people who will help you achieve your dreams. Mine took 5 years from scratch and there were no plans to make it easier. The satisfaction is the drug, I had the chance yesterday to take my wife for a quick spin around the back streets as my Mclaren replica is not road registered and yes even she had a grin from ear to ear.
As for knowledge, there is very little that you can not learn if the desire is there so look ask question and get started.
I would have loved to have been able to do a father son project.
Regards
Russell
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Absolutely gutted!
Testing Tuesday, only three laps and temperature climbing. Pumped out the water, and this time water in the oil too. Both these failures have occurred immediately after retorquing the heads. Back to the workshop for a teardown. Motor out in order to remachine head and block surfaces which were .002" out of true. Probably not the cause of the problem but in this situation worth getting everything 100% anyway.
Had to pick Ross Nicol and Andrew East up from the airport late Tues night, they'd come over specially to watch the SKOPE SFOS meeting and are staying at my place, so I felt terrible having to inform them of the latest developments.
Talking to various engine gurus revealed the Cometic gaskets don't require retorquing and, depending how you do it, you can break the seal if you do. Several also suggested that the 85 ft-lbs stud torque rcommended by ARP for alloy heads was a bit low. The problem with the latest graphite gasket I had did appear to be insufficient clamping force.
With the head and block trued up, I am planning on going back to the Cometics and not retorquing and at this stage am undecided whether to increase the clamping force or not.
Anyway, today we stripped the motor back to a bare block and got the heads ready too to go to the machine shop for first thing Thursday. Lim, Ross and Andrew assisted with the teardown and clean up. We'll see how we go.
Unfortunately competing at the SKOPE is now out of the question and the Levels round is also looking doubtful. And if I don't make Levels I'm also not sure that I want to drag an untested car all the way down to Teretonga either. I might have done that in my youth, but I'd like to think I'm older and wiser now......
So a couple of pics from today....
Testing Tuesday, only three laps and temperature climbing. Pumped out the water, and this time water in the oil too. Both these failures have occurred immediately after retorquing the heads. Back to the workshop for a teardown. Motor out in order to remachine head and block surfaces which were .002" out of true. Probably not the cause of the problem but in this situation worth getting everything 100% anyway.
Had to pick Ross Nicol and Andrew East up from the airport late Tues night, they'd come over specially to watch the SKOPE SFOS meeting and are staying at my place, so I felt terrible having to inform them of the latest developments.
Talking to various engine gurus revealed the Cometic gaskets don't require retorquing and, depending how you do it, you can break the seal if you do. Several also suggested that the 85 ft-lbs stud torque rcommended by ARP for alloy heads was a bit low. The problem with the latest graphite gasket I had did appear to be insufficient clamping force.
With the head and block trued up, I am planning on going back to the Cometics and not retorquing and at this stage am undecided whether to increase the clamping force or not.
Anyway, today we stripped the motor back to a bare block and got the heads ready too to go to the machine shop for first thing Thursday. Lim, Ross and Andrew assisted with the teardown and clean up. We'll see how we go.
Unfortunately competing at the SKOPE is now out of the question and the Levels round is also looking doubtful. And if I don't make Levels I'm also not sure that I want to drag an untested car all the way down to Teretonga either. I might have done that in my youth, but I'd like to think I'm older and wiser now......
So a couple of pics from today....
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Hi Russ........I'm real sorry to hear of your continuing woes with your engine. "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger" I know thats cold comfort now but I know you will also get beaten one way or another. I have my fingers crossed that you get on top of it quickly as I know how long you have waited for this series of race's and I want to see it running at the levels next weekend. Good luck and I will give you a call when I get to CHCH even if its just to meet you in person and have a beer.
Keep the chin up Mate. Leonmac
Keep the chin up Mate. Leonmac
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
Hi Russ, sorry to read about the trouble, a real pain in the butt. The look on your face in the picture says it all. At least you had a couple of mates to help with the pull down and clean up.
Lets hope all goes well once you have it back together.
Lets hope all goes well once you have it back together.
