Great looking care your building!! I have been looking into building either the superlite SLC or GT-R. It looks as though there is a fair amount of customization involved with your build and others that I've looked at on this site. Does the GT-R kit give a guide to follow, or is the build strait forward for the experienced individual only? Are the modifications that I am seeing you and others doing on this car the norm or is it just limited by skill level? Is there any available pictures of a finished superlite GT-R interior vs. a OEM interior?
Hello Jim. Thanks so much for the compliments. I prefer the GT-R because it is a much more practical car for my purposes, which is street use. The SL-C is an eye-popper, though!
Fabrication (I won't say "customization") is a requirement for this type of build: The level of fabrication above and beyond that required by the level of completeness of the kit is entirely up to the builder. For instance, brake lines are provided, as is the switch that is mounted in the brake line for the brake lights. But, there is no way to add the switch without cutting, bending, and flaring existing, or just making new brake lines. More body fit is required. many, many things need to be cut, drilled, tapped, etc. Many things just don't fit without mods, like the steering wheel to the provided hub, or the tank sending unit to the tank. On the other hand, adding electric steering assist, or adding an operating trunk, customizing the fuel system, etc. are not required but added as improvements. Here is where some experience in fabrication is required. Just trying to figure out how to fabricate a bracket to mount a steering assist unit is daunting without a ton of experience (that I don't have!). But it just takes a little longer to figure it out, and there is an awesome forum here to search and ask questions on.
There is no "manual" for the GT-R. There is a manual for the SL-C, and that's what we are supposed to go by, as the kits are similar. I haven't done any other kit like this before, so I cannot comment on the level of completeness compared to other kits from this or another manufacturer, but I was surprised by the amount of work needed just to get it put together. Not too disappointed, as I love the ability to customize and learn new things, but definitely surprised.
Search the forums and you will find many GT-R and SL-C builds that are complete or at least WAY farther along than mine!!! One last thing that I will mention: I have done frame-off restorations of several Corvettes over the years. I felt pretty accomplished and experienced. However, I couldn't fathom the restoring a car is so completely different than fabricating this GT-R. This is no Lego kit, or parts-sourcing/refurbishing/re-attaching activity for sure! I love it!
Good luck!
Michael