Good bye Locost 7 Hello GT40!!

Have been searching for a used single plane aluminum 351 Windsor intake manifold for about 3 years. Several trips to the Charlotte Auto fair did not even net a reasonably priced intake. If I had been willing to just build a 302 could have had 30 intakes by now.
Last night on EBay I finally found my intake.
 
Engine gasket kit and cam bearings arrived. Fall Auto fair this weekend hoping to find a couple bits and maybe see some 40s.
 
Just returned from the Auto fair. Picked up a spare Holley carb. If I read the sign correctly.
They had on of Kenny Thompson's MkIV on display in the Carrol Shelby tribute area. there was also a Powder Blue MkII that must have been from Olthoff Racing. Lots of empty spaces in the swap meet area.
 
Th 016 trans came with a slave cylinder. I purchased a rebuild kit a while ago. A couple nights ago I took it out of the transaxle bell housing. The roll pin holding it in was no joy to remove.

Last night I disassembled the cylinder and brought it to work today. Gave it a 20 minute bath in the ultrasonic cleaner and rebuilt it on my lunch break.
 

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Thanks Frank.


Got a bit done tonight. My intake arrived so I was able to get the engine mocked up. Had to trim the rear cross member under the transaxle in order to get the engine in place. Also was able to get the last 4 pistons and rods out and removed the crankshaft from the new engine.
 

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Made a visit to the local Pull a Part. Was hoping to find a 70s 351 w pulley set up. Not many 70s cars there. Found a thermostat housing and coil bracket.
 
Dave:
I am somewhat in the same situation you are in respect to motor placement. I may need to go back approx 1/2". Also pulleys are an issue right now.
How much room do you have in front of the motor?, and do you have an idea what water pump and damper pulley you can/will use? Just wondering as there are some good solutions.
Cheers
Phil
 
Phil :
It looks to me to be about 8" from the front of the block. I will measure it and let you know for sure. I was surprised how close the bulkhead comes to the top of the engine. My block is a bit taller being a 351 so now that is a concern for me.
 
Dave, thanks for that dimension, it sounds close to mine but I am home right now so it will have to wait until manana. I need to measure for pulleys also so I will post that.
Bill, you are spot on about the water pump/bulkhead/distributor issue, I currently have just, and I mean just enough room for my distributor cap. The frame member below the rear window has good clearance, but the bulkhead angle just clears the front two wire connector posts.
I remember working on some of the GTD cars and this was not so much an issue, and my motor is mounted relatively low so just to be comfortable I am going rearward a bit. I have my mounts set up so that can be accomplished fairly easily, but the shifter will need re-adjustment, and some spacing at the gearbox mount also. I will post the changes as I do them.
Pulleys are another story, and I have looked at the ones you mentioned, also at Zoops I think out of florida.
I am using a Ford Motorsport pump that is 4 1/4" from mount surface to the pulley flange and Ford stopped making those pulley sets so aftermarket or maybe make them myself.
I am sure we will figure it out shortly.
Cheers
Phil
 
No photos today just some more lathe work (Boring actually) on the second rear upright center. Ordered the motor mounts should have them in a few days
 
Here is the second upright center I have been boring out on the lathe at work.
 

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Made some progress this week. More lathe work boring out the back side of the second upright center.

Today turned the focus to the doors for a change of pace. My doors came in two parts the outer skins were not bonded to the inner panel. They have hung on the wall of the garage bound together with strapping tape for the last few years.
I ground the edges of the skin and the inner panel to achieve the best fit possible on right side door. Made some putty from resin, cabosil and a little chopped fiberglass strand and bonded the two halves.
 
A couple of photos of bonding the drivers side door. It is nice to have 2 parts instead of 4.
 

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Randy V

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Hi Dave,

Good to see the progress! This is a very interesting build...
I hope that you got the doors assembled with the right profile to fit the spider with spider bolted down securely and windshield installed... I have had a heckuva time with fitting my doors and had to warp one of them at the roof and add filler to the other as well as the roof on the passenger side. Fitting these doors is one of the largest challenges of the GT40 bodywork.
 
Randy:

I completely understand your comments and concerns. I agree whole heartedly but in reality I had no choice. I could see no way to build hinges with out the doors together. I fully expect to have to use filler. I did set the doors in the taped together state to into the spider with side pods in place. Notice in my avatar photos that the windsheild area of my spider is still solid fiber glass, I was instructed to cut that out last to hold proper shape it remains solid still. The doors seem to fit within reason.
 
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