Allen English RCR40 Turn Key Build

Good find Allen..
You might want to add a post to the section where we were discussing various heat shields!

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How are you coming on preparing for your first racing event?
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Got the Registration and Insurance going on her so you can legally drive on the freeways?

Hi Randy, I have been working a little to the car. Got it insured, titled and registered. Been going over the nuts and bolts to make sure everything is tight. I still have a few things to do before it can be trusted on the road.

No racing plans, but we do have to get it ready for the Portland Roadster Show coming up in 3 weeks.

Quote By; Cam
Allen, here is a pic with the lava mat on. I think it takes up to 1200c. Dunno how it works, haven' gotten my engine started yet. Prettty easy to put on, takes 2 people. you will get a few creases but i think it looks cool. carbon fiber-ish.

Thanks for the picture Cam. It looks good and I like that it was easy to install. I will be ordering up mine today.
 

Randy V

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Well I don't have our car home yet, but I have already entered it in the Portland Roadster Show. This is one of my two favorite events that we have in Oregon every year. My other favorite event is the Portland Historic Races, which we will be entering - more to come on that later.

I guess this is where I got the idea you were going to be putting the car on the track.. I can understand how plans change though.. I've been there myself and am still dealing with the area Vintage groups on homologation..
 
Yes I still plan to attend the Historic Races, but they don't let replicas compete.

We have our car club out there to attend the car show. They also have a section with cones for us to race around. It pretty fun and we get to see some real vintage race cars hit the track and battle it out. Jim Click usually brings out some great cars.
 
Re: Got lift?

Here is a pic of the RCR Lift system on my car.

Hence - GOT LIFT?
:thumbsup:




RCR40Lift1.jpg

Allen_English
Hi Allen

has that whit bug soemthing to do with you, I could have taken a very similar pic in my workshop ( With the bug of my son)

TOM
 
Re: Got lift?

Hi Allen

has that whit bug something to do with you, I could have taken a very similar pic in my workshop ( With the bug of my son)

TOM

Hi Tom,

No that picture was taken while my car was at another shop. I sent my car to C & G Automotive to see if Cary Gressinger would go over the car for me on a few areas I didn't want to deal with. The car is back home now and it will have to go to the painter next for a little boo boo on the door it received during the transport here. Then it should be home long enough for me to actually realize I have an RCR40 and I can get some things done to it.
 
We I added the Lava Mat heatshield part #770003 it is a 36" X 48" w/adhesive backing. It goes on real easy and I just decided to start at the top and work it down to the bottom. The mat actually complements the exhaust which has turned to a golden shade.

I also tried to adjust my doors a little better than they are, but I still can't get them perfect. My problem is that it looks like adjusting the doors is a two person job and there is only one of me. While looking at the door hinges on the chassis they look to be adjustable forward and rearward, but the nuts on the back side are hard to access. My roundels on the doors don't line up with the half on the rocker and it's driving me nuts. My wife doesn't thing its that bad, but they are off by a 1/4" on both sides and I still haven't put my numbers on because of it.
 
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Randy V

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Hi Allen,

Adjusting the doors is a job that really needs to be done when you have plenty of time and are freshly rested! :) Every adjustment affects the door in multiple plains..

If your hinges are like mine, there will be a nut-plate for the three allen head bolts on both the top and bottom hinge plate. I finally got tired of reaching inside the door to fiddle with the nuts on the large 1/2" hinge bolts so I just cut a hole in the door and will bolt a plate over said hole once I am done inside there.. Plus - I needed the access to work on my Anti-Intrusion Beam system..

Here are some pics for you and I hope they help;

IMG_1293.jpg


IMG_1294.jpg


IMG_1290.jpg


IMG_2967.jpg
 
Hi Randy thanks...

My problem with those adjusting locations is that I can't seem to get the forward adjustment I want or need. I spent half a day fiddling with the upper and lower hinge tilting in and out and back and forth. After a couple of drinks it started looking good - OK...OK... so I didn't have a drink, but when I finished you would have thought I had.
 

Randy V

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I don't know how RCR mounted the hinges to the chassis, but the hinge base itself is adjustable (slotted holes) for elevation as seen here;

IMG_1247.jpg


I made the mounting holes in the chassis slotted front to rear so I could cant the hinge base or move the hinge base fore/aft just a little if needed.

IMG_1254.jpg


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One thing about Fiberglass.. It seems to move with temperature quite a bit.. On one of my old Corvettes, it was still moving when it was 5 years old! So adjustments can be expected periodically..
 
Thanks for the pictures Randy. That helps me to understand what I can do with the doors a little better. I did stand back and look at my situation a little closer this morning and it almost looks like the eyebrows are part of the problem. Like when the car was painted maybe they weren't taken into consideration. Either way if I can get the roundel half on each door a little more in line with each other that would be cool. Then I will put my numbers on and call it good.
 

Chuck

Supporter
Allen:

Recall that old Beatles song "Let It Be?"

If the doors work well, seams line up, nothing rubs, clunk shut nicely, I would consider letting it be for now. Live with it a while. Let it set out in the sun and see if expansion of the panels changes anything. With time it may become less of an issue.

I would also guess that if the numbers are applied, and if the extend below the bottom door seam, and if the are perfectly lined up, it will divert the eye's attention to the number and not the circle, making the minor imperfection noticeable only to those that have read this thread.

I spent many hours getting the door adjusted on my GT. The slightest movement at the hinge can have significant ramifications at the other end. As Randy noted, make sure you are well rested and have lots of time if you decide to tackle the task.

I suspect that RCR used nuts and bolts to secure the hinge to the body. To gain access to the nuts on the rear may require remving the gas tank filler cap and filler hose. You can then reach down through the gas cap opening to access the nuts on the back side while loosening the bolts on the hinge side. Loosen just enough that it can be levereged, then carefully move the door forward, backward, up or down from the latch end until you are satisfied with the alignment.

Problem is once the roundel lines up perfectly the seams may be off.

Just my ten cents worth . . . . .
 

Chuck

Supporter
Allen:

Here is another thought.

Lets assume the door works perfectly and from a function standpoint all is well with the doors.

If the only issue is the 1/8" mis alignment of the Roundel, how about sliding the rocker panel forward or backward that distance? True, there are lots of screws that would have to be loosened, perhaps some holes would have to be enlarged slightly, but it would be less risky than adjusting the doors.

An eigth inch won't be that noticeable where the front and rear of the rocker panels meet the front and rear clip - indeed the original cars often had significant descrepancies at those points.

Just another ten cents worth . . . . .
 
Hi Chuck,

I pretty much decided to leave well enough be. The numbers will go on soon I hope. I guess getting the car ready for the Roadster Show got me trying to be too picky with things. Thanks for your input.
 
Here is a link to my pictures, about 50 or more. Seen the man Chip Foose today.

SLIDESHOW:
Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket

Photobucket page:
2010 Portland Roadster Show pictures by Allen_English - Photobucket




As you know we had entered our show car in the Roadster Show this year, but unfortunately it wasn't up to my standards yet and will have to wait until next year I guess. Once my personal touches have been added and the car has been sorted out I will post new pictures of it's final look.
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432010PoritlandRoadsterSho_04172010.jpg
 

Chris Kouba

Supporter
...My problem is that it looks like adjusting the doors is a two person job and there is only one of me...

Allen,

I've only been perusing the forum intermittently lately so I missed your posts but feel free to drop me a line whenever you need a second set of hands. I am currently still buried in kitchen work and other house stuff so not yet working on my GT (read: still letting the budget recover from kitchen stuff) but will happily help out with what ever.

I even have a bit of experience with trying to line up GT40 panels...

You still have my number?

Chris
 
A trick I used to work on my doors was to use the engine hoist. Jerry rig it to hold the door in space while you make the adjustments. It takes a load off your hands and allows you to step back and see which direction it is going. Sometimes a floor jack is a good stand in. When you work by yourself, you have to be innovative( often referred to as red neck engineering).

Bill
 
Allen,

I've only been perusing the forum intermittently lately so I missed your posts but feel free to drop me a line whenever you need a second set of hands. I am currently still buried in kitchen work and other house stuff so not yet working on my GT (read: still letting the budget recover from kitchen stuff) but will happily help out with what ever.

I even have a bit of experience with trying to line up GT40 panels...

You still have my number?

Chris


Actually the car hasn't been home much since I got it. Right now it is at Champion Collision having a small paint chip (courtesy of the transport company) repaired. While there they are going aligned my doors. I am having a chip guard sprayed over the front end by them as well. The chip guard is supposed to protect the front end as good as the 3M stuff does, but I won't have the faint line you see with the 3M product. The cost is comparable as well.

I hope to have the car home by next weekend so I can actually start working on it.

I still have your number and will give you a call one of these times.
 
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