progress on 1149

[Jim Rosenthal]

No I don't have any photos I can upload, but I am working on it. The body is on, all except one door hinged and fitted. All the suspension bits are ready to put together. We just got the ZF unit from Precision Proformance...lots of other bits on the way like wheels from PS Eng and various other pieces, tires included. I was out to see the car in OH last week and the Safir guys are doing a great job. To see a complete GT40 emerge from what has been a group of parts for so long is thrilling. The quality of their machine work is first class.
The windshield got smashed in shipment. This is the second one that got broken in shipment (fortunately insured). I am not sure what we will do about that. If anyone knows of a custom windshield maker, especially in the area close to southern Ohio, I would like to know about it.
We are aiming for a test run of the car 9/30. If all goes well, you guys will hear the howls of joy just by opening the window, no matter where in the world you are.

 

[Ron McCall]

Jim,

Congrats on the progress! I would LOVE to see it when you get it back to Md.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Hampstead!!! yes I work up near there. I will definitely let you know when it is town. It will still be months. I am hoping to have her finished for the spring vintage rally season 2006. (XXX fingers crossed) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

1149 ran under its' own power yesterday, a short checkout run to verify that brakes, steering, engine, trans etc all function as intended. Kudos to Brady Pack of Safir who is responsible for this success, more than anyone else!!!!
The next step is finishing all the systems and paint the monocoque, then probably the car will come to MD for final paint and trim work. With any luck, see you on the road this spring. Thanks also to many forum members who encouraged me through what were some difficult times with this project. I am supposed to get video and stills from Brady this coming week, which I will post. And no, we don't know how fast it will go, but the estimate is that she will be good for 165-170. Which is pretty good for a 4.22 ring and pinion and 6500 rpm rev limit. Whether or not I will be brave enough to go that fast is an open question.

 

[Ron McCall]

That's great! You must be absolutely stoked! I can't wait to see it !

 

[Ron McCall]

Any new news?

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

News....1149 monocoque is in the paint shop. I have photos which I have to resize (for which I have to learn to resize photos) which I will post. I hope that the chassis painting will be done within a few weeks (always the optimist) and then the real process of putting her together will begin. Rolling by spring, with any luck.

 

[Dutton]

Jimbo,

Congrats on sticking with the drawn-out process. In the end it's worth it, but those hours in the middle sure leave something to be desired.

Like so many others on the forum, I can't wait to see the pics. If I can be of any assistance in resizing the pics, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Send a PM if you like and we'll go from there.

Regards,

T.

 

[John W]

Jimbo, assuming your running windoze, google for 'picture resizer'. It is a free power tool from microsoft. I use it all the time now to resize pics for posting on the forums I visit

 

Hi Jim

as a fellow monocoque builder I personally know just how hard it is to build, collect and find all those original parts. Then getting all those parts to fit correctly together is also a real challenge, looking forward to the photos

regards

Chris.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Appreciate the advice. I will find the picture resizer and learn it, then post the two that Brady sent me. Chris, good to hear from you!

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

This should show a couple of photos of 1149s tub on the rotisserie rig. If I've done this right

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Note SunbeamTiger in the background, evidently these guys are Ford aficionados....nice. Not a GT40, but then again you can't put the top down on my car, either.

 

[Doc Watson]

Very nice Jim......very nice....... would love to see the build-up pictures after the paint goes on.

The chassis looks like its zinc plated sheet steel.... what surface prep, undercoat and final coat are you having done?

(Vested interest in this as my mono is zinc plated)

Regards

Andy

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

They will rough up the existing surface to get a tooth on it, then epoxy primer and a two-part epoxy paint, which is a dark-gray metallic. Including inside the sponsons. The areas which are not zinc-coated will need a little sanding or glass-beading to get the rust off, I think. I don't know what we're going to do with the bottom of the tub- some kind of lightweight undercoat or something like that.

We are still talking about what to do for fuel tanks. I don't think we're going to the trouble of bladders that fit into the sponsons; with cold fuel going in and out, it virtually guarantees condensation inside there, which in turn makes rust likely, especially in a car that isn't driven daily. I think I would favor plastic or poly tanks that can be slid in from the end, with access ports in the top. We're still looking around on that one.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

News from Ohio- final coat of paint on monocoque going on, then a few days for everything to cure solid, then they start putting her together. Can't wait to see photos of the finished tub, I will post them as soon as I get something.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

This should be a couple of shots of the painted monocoque of 1149, just back from the paint shop. Buildup now begins.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Also note the vintage 289 SBF with RIS (rope induction system). How this works: we saturate the rope with fuel, start the engine up, and the airflow vaporizes the fuel in the rope and pulls it into the intake. About every hundred feet or so, we have to stop, get out the fuel can, and resaturate the rope. However for the cost of Webers we can buy lots of rope.

And lots of fire extinguisher refills.

 

[TimB]

Also note the vintage 289 SBF with RIS (rope induction system). How this works: we saturate the rope with fuel, start the engine up, and the airflow vaporizes the fuel in the rope and pulls it into the intake. About every hundred feet or so, we have to stop, get out the fuel can, and resaturate the rope. However for the cost of Webers we can buy lots of rope.

And lots of fire extinguisher refills.

Ohh that's what that is. I thought it was a new take on the bundle of snakes exhaust.

 

[Bill D]

That is a work of art. Absolutely gorgeous.

Thanks, and please keep posting pictures. I can't get enough.

Bill D