J. Salmon RCR-40 Build
- Thread starter salmjo1
- Start date
I took the car out Memorial Day weekend for a great drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway near home. Went with a buddy who has a 360. He wanted to go for a ride, so after he signed the waiver he buckled in. The required launch with seemingly endless burnout left him laughing for 30 minutes or so!
I have my head rests installed, footrest in the passenger compartment, and a heel rest for the pedals. I didn't think this last bit was important but WHAT a difference. I have a dead pedal made and that goes in next. I have the driving position so well dialed in now, it's just fantastic! The car is so much fun, such an experience, it is really out-doing my expectations, and I am just starting to get things sorted. It's going to be simply awesome. Hats off to Fran!
The only niggle from the drive was the dash wiring. In the two years it was at the guy that was supposed to be doing my body work, the dash was almost ruined, inside and out. There are misaligned nutserts with cracked fiberglass, the oil temp gauge no longer works, and the switch wiring is all bungled. The dash is even painted gloss black, when we discussed anything BUT gloss. Word of advice: no matter what you think of your own skills, NO ONE is going to be as obsessive about your car than YOU.
So I have yanked it. Next phase is to re-do the dash and finish the interior.
I have my head rests installed, footrest in the passenger compartment, and a heel rest for the pedals. I didn't think this last bit was important but WHAT a difference. I have a dead pedal made and that goes in next. I have the driving position so well dialed in now, it's just fantastic! The car is so much fun, such an experience, it is really out-doing my expectations, and I am just starting to get things sorted. It's going to be simply awesome. Hats off to Fran!
The only niggle from the drive was the dash wiring. In the two years it was at the guy that was supposed to be doing my body work, the dash was almost ruined, inside and out. There are misaligned nutserts with cracked fiberglass, the oil temp gauge no longer works, and the switch wiring is all bungled. The dash is even painted gloss black, when we discussed anything BUT gloss. Word of advice: no matter what you think of your own skills, NO ONE is going to be as obsessive about your car than YOU.
So I have yanked it. Next phase is to re-do the dash and finish the interior.
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No door handles on the outside yet. They were supposed to be installed.... At least I can still get in and out. I don't have the flip out side window coverings mounted and I don't think I will. There is virtually no air flow through there, no wind noise, and they don't seal out water.... so what's the point?
I found the wire from the oil temp sender unit. It was attached to the back of the tach...
Got the dash wiring all sorted, now to pull the seats and center console. Should get some good stuff done in the next couple of days.
Been busy getting things sorted. I took out the dash, rewired it completely, back to the way it was all intended. I found a loose connection, and noticed the oil temp sender had been connected to the 12V of the tach light. The oil temp still doesn't work but I am worried the sender got fried.
I refinished the dash and remounted my switch panels. I used t-nuts which are body-fillered in place. It came out really nice!
I finished the carpet and insulation. I painted the shifter mount. I covered the center console with an alcantara like fake-suede that matches the seats. I had holes in the seat covers done by a local upholstery shop, and I have my head rests in. I replaced the cracked rear glass with double pane lexan. I also hooked up the AC vents so I can actually get cold air aimed at my body, not my left thigh.
I refinished the dash and remounted my switch panels. I used t-nuts which are body-fillered in place. It came out really nice!
I finished the carpet and insulation. I painted the shifter mount. I covered the center console with an alcantara like fake-suede that matches the seats. I had holes in the seat covers done by a local upholstery shop, and I have my head rests in. I replaced the cracked rear glass with double pane lexan. I also hooked up the AC vents so I can actually get cold air aimed at my body, not my left thigh.
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The first picture back there is the exhaust hanger I made this morning. I also added a heel stop and dead pedal. I am going to put more miles on it while I decide about the steering wheel placement, but the driving position is really really good. Here is a snap of the transmission brace they made at VIPER for the big 'ol Ricardo. My axle angle is now manageable and I have not had any additional issues with CV boots. Fingers crossed...
I have driven it to work a couple of times now, which is a lot of fun!
I have driven it to work a couple of times now, which is a lot of fun!
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I found on my cv boots, zip ties in the recesses keeps them from billowing and possibly longer life. Also, the small tubes used on aerosol cans to pin point the spray pattern cut to length and placed between the axle and boot and then zip tied allows them to breath, curiously, haven't had any leakage of the lubricant.
Just got a call that Val Burd, who did a fair bit of work on this car, died this morning. Val has run my Lola with me for the last 4 years and really got me started in racing. He was a great race car engineer who was in the business a long time and was still able to show young guys a thing or two about setting up a car. He was a good friend and a lot of fun to work with. RIP Val, and Godspeed.
Jay, sorry to hear about Val,
most wont know he was gt40 guy and one of the early GTD builders in the USA...
most wont know he was gt40 guy and one of the early GTD builders in the USA...
When I put in the steering, I set the wheel fairly low, as that's the way I tend to like it. I also used the Chuck and Ryan threaded rod stabilization method which certainly stiffens the bearing carrier. But this was not still not stiff enough.
So I modified a brace that was originally cut to be a transmission support. It bolts in to the holes I drilled for the threaded rods. And I used a couple of pieces of angle aluminum to further stiffen the steel plate bearing holder.
The bearing itself now is absolutely rock solid. There is still some play in the wheel, but this is completely due to the play between the inner and outer rods in the steering shaft.
On the road, the difference is tremendous. There is still the some play if I look for it. I may go back and tack weld the steering shaft to make it completely rigid, but I think I will give it a few miles.
So I modified a brace that was originally cut to be a transmission support. It bolts in to the holes I drilled for the threaded rods. And I used a couple of pieces of angle aluminum to further stiffen the steel plate bearing holder.
The bearing itself now is absolutely rock solid. There is still some play in the wheel, but this is completely due to the play between the inner and outer rods in the steering shaft.
On the road, the difference is tremendous. There is still the some play if I look for it. I may go back and tack weld the steering shaft to make it completely rigid, but I think I will give it a few miles.
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New steering is great, car is great, and then... my clutch started slipping! Arrgh!
I will at least have to pull the entire rear clip, but I will probably have to pull the entire motor. Which means the spider and roll hoop too. At least I will be able to attch an irritating little squeak from my accessory belt.
The funny thing is, I am not really upset. I think this clearly shows that I enjoy working on the car as much as driving it.
I will at least have to pull the entire rear clip, but I will probably have to pull the entire motor. Which means the spider and roll hoop too. At least I will be able to attch an irritating little squeak from my accessory belt.
The funny thing is, I am not really upset. I think this clearly shows that I enjoy working on the car as much as driving it.
J.,
Just wait til you have to do it 4 times in 2 months!!!!
Bill
Just wait til you have to do it 4 times in 2 months!!!!
Bill
J., I'm with Bill. I love "tinkering" with mine but I've had to replace the water-pump at least five times and more recently the thermostat housing at least that many. I go to bed smelling like anti-freeze, I have nightmares about anti-freeze & I've bought enough anti-feeze to keep the north pole from freezing. Tinkering is one thing but having to repeat things over and over....well that ain't fun IMHO. But, I do like your attitude toward the job. Yours is no small task either. Good Luck with it. BTW, how many miles on the clutch? I too had a slipping clutch after about 1000 miles. BIG job indeed.
I think I have about 600 miles on the car. The odometer says 1000 but I was running a two for one special on mileage for some time (calibration was off).
I need to remove the rear clip anyway as I want to add fans to the coolers, plumb the transaxle cooler, and do some other house keeping. It's a good excuse. If I can get the transaxle out with the motor intact, I don't think it will be that bad. If I have to pull the motor, things are going to get more interesting...
J,
I finally got to where I could jack the back of the trans up enough to get just the trans out and leave the motor in place. Still not fun because of the way I had the trans mounted, along with working on an incline. My one advantage was I was running disributorless(coil on plug) at the time, so I had the space for the engine to be canted forward. Now that I have a distributor, I would have to pull the engine. Even raising it the one inch to clear the motor mounts is tricky.
Bill
I finally got to where I could jack the back of the trans up enough to get just the trans out and leave the motor in place. Still not fun because of the way I had the trans mounted, along with working on an incline. My one advantage was I was running disributorless(coil on plug) at the time, so I had the space for the engine to be canted forward. Now that I have a distributor, I would have to pull the engine. Even raising it the one inch to clear the motor mounts is tricky.
Bill
Well, we got the transaxle out, and I admit I am scratching my head a little. The flywheel has some dark spots on it where it has been slipping. The opposing clutch plate also shows signs of slipping. The other pressure plate surfaces look similar but are not as bad. Everything was tight and dry.
I would think the stock clutch would be fine with the power I am running, a little less than most Ford GTs. Tried to measure exactly but the slave looks to be spaced about right (can't tell to the mm). The starter does engage nicely, and the clutch did not slip when until recently, so I don't think it is an alignment issue.
I will need a new flywheel I think. Not sure whether to re-use this clutch or get the Stillen race clutch. I admit I like the feel of the stock one, and I hate to mess with that.
Suggestions?
I would think the stock clutch would be fine with the power I am running, a little less than most Ford GTs. Tried to measure exactly but the slave looks to be spaced about right (can't tell to the mm). The starter does engage nicely, and the clutch did not slip when until recently, so I don't think it is an alignment issue.
I will need a new flywheel I think. Not sure whether to re-use this clutch or get the Stillen race clutch. I admit I like the feel of the stock one, and I hate to mess with that.
Suggestions?
Personally, I really like the stock clutch, and it can handle more power than I think your engine is making.
I know that even one or two starts in third instead of first can fry the clutch, but I don't know if that is what has happened in your case.
The clutch life you are seeing is low, so I am guessing there is something else happening that just a new clutch, normal or upgraded, is unlikely to fix.
Good luck!
I know that even one or two starts in third instead of first can fry the clutch, but I don't know if that is what has happened in your case.
The clutch life you are seeing is low, so I am guessing there is something else happening that just a new clutch, normal or upgraded, is unlikely to fix.
Good luck!
Been busy!
Got the clutch replaced with a new flywheel and AP racing clutch. Sorry no pictures, but then it looks the same as the old one. I had no trouble pulling the transaxle without moving the motor.
Took the time to replace a buggered oil temp sending unit (the dash painter connected the 12V light lead to the sender pin...) and now have oil temp again.
I plumbed the transaxle cooler and mounted fans on both (the driver's side is oil, the passenger side is tranny). They are operated by a manual switch on the dash. On a test drive yesterday the oil temp came down from 230 to 215 with the fans kicked on.
The coolers had originally been mounted to three holes in the fiberglass. I thought that was crap, so I reinstalled the metal grills and that reinforces the entire assembly.
Believe it or not, that completes the driveline of the car. I still have to do the main door latches, a prop/retaining strap setup for the rear clip, and the little tabs for the tops of the doors. When I get that done, I am going to go back to a painter and have some things touched up.
It really drives nice!
Got the clutch replaced with a new flywheel and AP racing clutch. Sorry no pictures, but then it looks the same as the old one. I had no trouble pulling the transaxle without moving the motor.
Took the time to replace a buggered oil temp sending unit (the dash painter connected the 12V light lead to the sender pin...) and now have oil temp again.
I plumbed the transaxle cooler and mounted fans on both (the driver's side is oil, the passenger side is tranny). They are operated by a manual switch on the dash. On a test drive yesterday the oil temp came down from 230 to 215 with the fans kicked on.
The coolers had originally been mounted to three holes in the fiberglass. I thought that was crap, so I reinstalled the metal grills and that reinforces the entire assembly.
Believe it or not, that completes the driveline of the car. I still have to do the main door latches, a prop/retaining strap setup for the rear clip, and the little tabs for the tops of the doors. When I get that done, I am going to go back to a painter and have some things touched up.
It really drives nice!
