New SLC kit is in my garage!

Gregg F

Gregg F
Supporter
My name is Gregg and I am a new SLC kit owner having just purchased #242 with only a few build items completed. It is yellow with a street tail and Selig wing, carbon fiber street and side splitters, fiberglass tub, and some additional nice add-ons. The prior owner was great to work with. He was able to start the project: routed the brake lines, installed the A/C unit in the dash, the rear emergency calipers and installed the front lift pump and lines, and had the stainless cooling pipes welded (very cleanly...)

Just about 800 miles round trip to pick the car up and get it home and many hours figuring out how to best secure everything and trailer it without damaging anything - a sporting event, to be sure! Dozens of thumbs up from passing vehicles and every stop for gas drew a small crowd - a very interesting experience.

I've been lurking here reading (and rereading) every build blog I could find and Allen's videos for a little over a year and I've been interested in kit cars since I was first starting to drive (decades ago!). The attention to detail, creativity, and willingness to share in your journals, videos and blogs is phenomenal and inspiring. I've built 2 Spec Miatas - farming out the cages to a master welder in the family - and both raced and HPDE'd them for years doing all the repairs and maintenance (except painting) but they were nothing compared to this project. I should have most of the tools, though... I am still full time in the workforce doing software development and product support for a fortune 500 company so this will be primarily a weekend and spattered evenings build and I've taken a new position in my company that comes with a move across country... Yippie!

Planning this to be a street car that will be HPDE'd (not raced) around 4-6 times a year. The engine will be an LS3 takeout from a Camaro or Corvette - need to pass smog and I believe this route will be my best option to secure that goal. I have not decided on a dash but will replace the included unit, and I'm still undecided on my ECU - go with the reprogrammed takeout or maybe a Holly (Motec is out of my price range?) My plan includes adding an MK60 ABS system. Might add a Prius electric steering assist - more research needed on this. The car came with a Graziano transaxle and I've been in preliminary talks with Auto Bionic's out of the UK about their LS-to-PDK integration. Not as young as I once was and my hips make heel-toeing a challenge nowadays and the PDK would make it an easy drive for my wile - if I can find an easy way to adjust seating between my 6' 1" to her 5' 6" frames! I'll be adding removable side impact protection similar to what Mr Swartz has done. I've been avidly following Howard's bearing journey. I think I can fit Air Jacks into the design. I have Bill Phillip's build journals, and Del, Pete, Ken, CAM's build blogs are always thought provoking. I don't want to leave anyone out as I've learned about building bucks to hold the body when it is off the car thru to the particulars of under counter water filters for coffee machines over the past year in reading SLC build journals and blogs and I was inspired enough by all of you to convince my wife to support the purchase and dedicate the garage for the project.

I very much look forward to the build and continued inspiration from the community's continued build projects.

Gregg
 

Attachments

  • 20190715_081530-gf.jpg
    20190715_081530-gf.jpg
    524.6 KB · Views: 423

Joel K

Supporter
Awesome... What is the trick to orienting photos?

I have an iphone-ipad so I view the photo and click on edit, then you see a curved arrow when you hit that it rotates the picture counter clockwise.

Lots of times for some reason the picture looks fine on the phone or ipad but when I upload it it then gets rotated. In that case, before upload it, I edit and rotate it once and save it, then edit it again to rotate it until it is back to where it needs to be and save it again. Then when uploading its orientation is correct. Sort of a pain.
 
Congrats! I got my car second hand under similar circumstances. Word of advice from experience . Take it completely apart even undoing the previous owners work to double check it and familiarize yourself with all the aspects of your car. Imagine my surprise when I removed my transaxle to check the clutch and flywheel installation and found the sleeve for the throwout bearing was missing. That would have quickly become an issue on first start up. Enjoy!
 

Gregg F

Gregg F
Supporter
Congrats! I got my car second hand under similar circumstances. Word of advice from experience . Take it completely apart even undoing the previous owners work to double check it and familiarize yourself with all the aspects of your car. Imagine my surprise when I removed my transaxle to check the clutch and flywheel installation and found the sleeve for the throwout bearing was missing. That would have quickly become an issue on first start up. Enjoy!
Great advice ... thank you.
 
Congrats Gregg! We're all looking forward to following along with you and your build! Don't hesitate to ask questions, I still stand by what I originally said on my thread, this is forum by far has the best members!

Also take inventory and organize all the parts you have. Take many, many pics!
 
Congrats Gregg, I miss the opportunity on this purchase from Lance and missed the opportunity to come out to see it off last Saturday (and perhaps help with the loading). Looking forward to seeing your build progress.
 

Gregg F

Gregg F
Supporter
Thanks Nick, sorry we missed the opportunity to meet ... Figuring out how to both secure and protect the car during transport on my open trailer was certainly a sporting event! I'm spending an hour or 2 every other night doing something - currently some disassembly and inventory - nothing terribly noteworthy ... yet.
Reading some of Ken's latest build notes and I'll definitely be measuring my front clip as part of the disassembly.

Best of success finding a car that fits your requirements.
 
Back
Top