thank you for the advice.
and i ordered the parking brake unfortunately. hopefully they have a better version today.
Alex's SLC build thread
- Thread starter Alexr59
- Start date
and i ordered the parking brake unfortunately. hopefully they have a better version today.
let see what i get when i receive my emergency brake from RCR. if not good, that might be going this direction.
do you have RCR bracket laser cut reversed?
I don't see how I can use these brackets without reversing them, it put the seat way too far from the center
Joel K
Supporter
Here is a pic, I think three were like this and 1 was the opposite… but to my earlier point, they still may mount the seat too far from center…
Ahhhhh the old my steering wheel is off center debate. Just for sh..ts and giggles check out a few of the cars you either drive or have access to. You will most likely find a lot of steering wheels off center from the seat. As a matter of fact there are hundreds of thousands of them driving around as we speak. Its just an accepted weird thing the major manufacturers aren't concerned with. As far as angling the seat to the column that seems much more invasive to have your head turned out of whack in reference to the actual direction of travel. Your dominant steering arm will naturally compensate as you may not have noticed in your daily driver.
One wind turbine asked another wind turbine what is your favorite type of music?
to which the second wind turbine answered I'm just a big metal fan
One wind turbine asked another wind turbine what is your favorite type of music?
to which the second wind turbine answered I'm just a big metal fan
I had them manufactured at a local sheetmetal shop that we utilize at my workplace. I know of a couple small shops in and around Greenville that should be able to help you out. Since my car is just sitting waiting on it's title we can pull my seats and brackets out and you can see how my arrangement fits differently in your car.
umm your right Rich. I sat in my cars and inside most of em. (Not all) the steering wheel is a little off center from the seat and I noticed my leg rest against the center console in the smaller ones with just a little wiggle room also..
Chris Kouba
Supporter
It sounds like a squared up driving experience is important to you.
The first GT I sat in (replica, never ridden in an original) had a noticeable steering wheel center to seat center offset, and seat centerline to car centerline angular offset. I know that there are lots of examples out there with big OE manufacturers where that's the case, but I wasn't going to have that happen with my GT. It seems silly to go through the exercise of building a car just for you and not have it exactly the way you want it.
If it is important to you, I would encourage you to make the effort. It can't be impossible, but it's something that you will confront every time you get in the driver's seat. It may take a bit of effort, but building a car isn't necessarily supposed to be easy, right?
Luckily for me it wasn't too hard to square things up. It's been a long time but I think it just involved re-positioning the column and specific placement of the driver seat. Figure out now what it's going to take and make your decision. I assume it'll be much more difficult to change once built out. It was something which bothered me, so I made the effort- but it's up to you if it's worth it.
The first GT I sat in (replica, never ridden in an original) had a noticeable steering wheel center to seat center offset, and seat centerline to car centerline angular offset. I know that there are lots of examples out there with big OE manufacturers where that's the case, but I wasn't going to have that happen with my GT. It seems silly to go through the exercise of building a car just for you and not have it exactly the way you want it.
If it is important to you, I would encourage you to make the effort. It can't be impossible, but it's something that you will confront every time you get in the driver's seat. It may take a bit of effort, but building a car isn't necessarily supposed to be easy, right?
Luckily for me it wasn't too hard to square things up. It's been a long time but I think it just involved re-positioning the column and specific placement of the driver seat. Figure out now what it's going to take and make your decision. I assume it'll be much more difficult to change once built out. It was something which bothered me, so I made the effort- but it's up to you if it's worth it.
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Howard Jones
Supporter
I used to race motorcycles a LONG LONG TIME AGO. The one thing I would not compromise on was driver controls and their placement. Same thing with my GT40 and the SLC. My advice is to center the seat and the steering wheel in relation to each other at all costs. I am talking about 1/8 inch or less. Believe me, you can feel that much, then do your best to place the brake peddle on the same centerline. Then when the seat, steering wheel, and brake peddle are as close as you can get it to perfect, place the shifter so it is just "right there" when you reach for it. This stuff really matters a lot IMHO. No compromise on that statement.
The GT40 is perfect on the seat-to-steering wheel relationship but the peddle box is off-set to the center just a little bit. I have found that that doesn't bother me that much.
I should add that when you are at the building stage getting this right isn't really that difficult. It may take a little time but hobbies should take some time. That is what they are for.
If I was in the market for a used home-built car and when I got in it and sat down the steering wheel was pointed one way, the seat and peddle box were on two other alinements and when I reached for the shifter it was way over there then I would have a very good idea what the quality of work was that went into the car. You kinda know that all the really hard stuff is AFUed.
"Ya............... thanks for letting me see the car but..................well it just doesnt fit me so..............thanks anyway."
The GT40 is perfect on the seat-to-steering wheel relationship but the peddle box is off-set to the center just a little bit. I have found that that doesn't bother me that much.
I should add that when you are at the building stage getting this right isn't really that difficult. It may take a little time but hobbies should take some time. That is what they are for.
If I was in the market for a used home-built car and when I got in it and sat down the steering wheel was pointed one way, the seat and peddle box were on two other alinements and when I reached for the shifter it was way over there then I would have a very good idea what the quality of work was that went into the car. You kinda know that all the really hard stuff is AFUed.
"Ya............... thanks for letting me see the car but..................well it just doesnt fit me so..............thanks anyway."
Thanks all for all the advices.
I think I can deal with a small offset, but as it was, it is over 1.25" offset and it doesn't look or feel good.
First thing I did was to move the steering 5/16" on the left. if I do more, it will not be centered with the dash board. (I also center the dash).
Next step was mounting the interior seat bracket reversed, what bring the seat closer to the center console, but not enough to be center. I still have over 1/2" gap between the seat and the console.
Now my next step is to modify the interior bracket to be able to get as close as possible to the center console, for that I need to bend it. I used the second hole of the seat mount so I should be able to bent the RCR mount and use the top hole.
Of course to be able to do that I had to cut all the fiber of the tube first...
I think I can deal with a small offset, but as it was, it is over 1.25" offset and it doesn't look or feel good.
First thing I did was to move the steering 5/16" on the left. if I do more, it will not be centered with the dash board. (I also center the dash).
Next step was mounting the interior seat bracket reversed, what bring the seat closer to the center console, but not enough to be center. I still have over 1/2" gap between the seat and the console.
Now my next step is to modify the interior bracket to be able to get as close as possible to the center console, for that I need to bend it. I used the second hole of the seat mount so I should be able to bent the RCR mount and use the top hole.
Of course to be able to do that I had to cut all the fiber of the tube first...
Alex:
Remember that if you have the gated shifter the center console does not fit at all, and has to be heavily modified together with the bracket for the shifter cables. I don't remember what shifter you are going to use. I did ended up using the original center console because I love the shape, but took countless hours to make everything fit , I also added padding for my elbow. You can see all the details on my build thread.
Hector
Remember that if you have the gated shifter the center console does not fit at all, and has to be heavily modified together with the bracket for the shifter cables. I don't remember what shifter you are going to use. I did ended up using the original center console because I love the shape, but took countless hours to make everything fit , I also added padding for my elbow. You can see all the details on my build thread.
Hector
I have the RCR shifter. I will modify the console for sure, and I am planning to let the beautiful peace of billet showing the mecanism!
update of this week end
Installation of radiator with grommets. There is a little flex but not too much (hopefully enough). Bolt have nylon nuts and are not torqued.
I finally have the driver seat in place. Steering wheel as left as possible without looking off with the dash, interior seat bracket modified (still need to weld some gussets to reinforce) but the seat is 1/8 off the center consol. Seat and steering wheel alignment are 1/2" off, not really obvious and not bothering me anymore !
I also check clearance with the roof panel. The seat is 1/4 inch off the floor due to the sliding rail, it is the lowest possible with the modified bracket because the rail is almost under the bottom of the seat (in the side curve)
now waiting for hardware to do the passenger seat!
Installation of radiator with grommets. There is a little flex but not too much (hopefully enough). Bolt have nylon nuts and are not torqued.
I finally have the driver seat in place. Steering wheel as left as possible without looking off with the dash, interior seat bracket modified (still need to weld some gussets to reinforce) but the seat is 1/8 off the center consol. Seat and steering wheel alignment are 1/2" off, not really obvious and not bothering me anymore !
I also check clearance with the roof panel. The seat is 1/4 inch off the floor due to the sliding rail, it is the lowest possible with the modified bracket because the rail is almost under the bottom of the seat (in the side curve)
now waiting for hardware to do the passenger seat!
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A couple of week ends working on tla house project, but I am back on the SLC.
Pedal assembly installed, working on coolant line now.
The brackets have different size rubbers in the package. I mounted the pipes with one size bigger so there is a little play to compensate for misalignment and insulation.
Everything is tacked and I am thinking paying a professional to do the final welds.
Some of the bracket coming on the side have been modified
Next step is motor side, weld and proper spacers for the front brackets. The big nuts are temporary
Pedal assembly installed, working on coolant line now.
The brackets have different size rubbers in the package. I mounted the pipes with one size bigger so there is a little play to compensate for misalignment and insulation.
Everything is tacked and I am thinking paying a professional to do the final welds.
Some of the bracket coming on the side have been modified
Next step is motor side, weld and proper spacers for the front brackets. The big nuts are temporary
Progress on harness this week end.
Everything is divided by area it is going in.
Front power harness is routed, nothing finally attached yet
Cells are mounted and almost all connected
Master cell harness is also prepped with one set going to center console, on to the steering wheel, on for brake switch and one for door light switch.
I have used 2 of the 4 open cables, but still have so many .
Green/brown , green/black, blue/green, green/blue, green/yellow, tan/green , lightblue/blue, green/lightbrown.
What do you do with all these cables? Just remove from the plug? They are not mentioned in the manual
Everything is divided by area it is going in.
Front power harness is routed, nothing finally attached yet
Cells are mounted and almost all connected
Master cell harness is also prepped with one set going to center console, on to the steering wheel, on for brake switch and one for door light switch.
I have used 2 of the 4 open cables, but still have so many .
Green/brown , green/black, blue/green, green/blue, green/yellow, tan/green , lightblue/blue, green/lightbrown.
What do you do with all these cables? Just remove from the plug? They are not mentioned in the manual
More progress on wire harness. The main routing is finalized, with enough room to run all additional wires I will realize I am missing
I also started cutting the dash so I can fit the plenum and the evaporator as I received my vintage air kit
the issue with the evaporator is the fitting (i have created a post for that)
I also started cutting the dash so I can fit the plenum and the evaporator as I received my vintage air kit
the issue with the evaporator is the fitting (i have created a post for that)
The week end activity was focused on the evaporator.
After getting answers from @Jkviper (thank you!) , I decided to go with the bending of the heater pipes. When trying to bend these pipes, they started to show "waves" on the back of the curve. I then decided to open the evaporator and bend the smaller pipe inside.
much better but still not impressed with the clearance, I then cut the front of the box shorter, so gain another inch forward. Pretty happy with the position now.
I cut off the holes and added 1/2 insulation foam in place, maybe 1/2 is too much as it not squashing easily.
After getting answers from @Jkviper (thank you!) , I decided to go with the bending of the heater pipes. When trying to bend these pipes, they started to show "waves" on the back of the curve. I then decided to open the evaporator and bend the smaller pipe inside.
much better but still not impressed with the clearance, I then cut the front of the box shorter, so gain another inch forward. Pretty happy with the position now.
I cut off the holes and added 1/2 insulation foam in place, maybe 1/2 is too much as it not squashing easily.
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