RCR GT40 Rear Clip Width

Tim Collins

Supporter
Has anyone had issues with the rear clip width of a RCR40? Mine is about 1 ½” wider than the rockers where they meet. I have the alignment pins in place, but the body is too stiff to force it back into position. I started relieving the inner structure to allow more compliance but so far haven’t cut out enough to make a difference.


rear clip width.JPG
squeezing rear clip.JPG
 
If the rocker panels are set properly to the width of the front clip then your rear clamshell probably widened when the fender extensions were installed. There is also the possibility the part wasn’t constructed properly from the Canadian supplier rcr uses.
 
Additionally, the rocker placement both width and longitudinal position are very important. It’s possible match to the rocker width to the “toes” of the front clip but have one were they are sucked in. So narrow in front and wide in the rear.
 
I have had this problem on at least three cars and they were not all rcr. If the inner clam assembly is not installed correctly [bonded/glassed in ] it will be off. The clam is very flexible with out it in place. I think you know the answer. brake the bond of the inner piece flex the outer clam for best possible fit and then we re-glass the inner back in place. I like to use 2'' strips of aluminum cleco's to hold it in place for alignment and then bond it good luck................m
 
when did you purchase your kit ?
I am looking to buy a kit from them, and would love to know if their bodies are STILL poorly made ?

thanks
 
Adjusting bodywork is all part of building any car isn`t it? There is always a way around it. Sometimes the way panels are stored can affect the overall shape especially in hot weather, its all part of the fun I thought, maybe its just me and I`m too old school? Have fun
 
Adjusting bodywork is all part of building any car isn`t it? There is always a way around it. Sometimes the way panels are stored can affect the overall shape especially in hot weather, its all part of the fun I thought, maybe its just me and I`m too old school? Have fun

I think the complaint comes from the price you pay VS the product you get.
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
when did you purchase your kit ?
I am looking to buy a kit from them, and would love to know if their bodies are STILL poorly made ?

thanks

I don’t think that the RCR Body is poor - per se. I believe it is more of a matter of quality of the original bodies from which the molds were taken. Remember that the original GT40s were not done with computer precision. Rather, the molds were taken from clay and plaster models that were all made by hand manually.
The original cars were not symmetrical from side to side. Mounting a body like this to a perfectly symmetrical CNC Chassis is where the challenge lays.
Yes, there are low and high spots in the body which most choose to work out and make things more esthetic. Does that change the aerodynamics of the body? Maybe slightly. So in other words, the body is that of a race car...
I did a Corvette many years ago with factory GM IMSA flairs. They were terrible and it took me many days to get the glass worked to the degree I wanted. Later on, Ecklers came out with their version of the glass. Much better, but very expensive in comparison.
A4D83874-A2F9-40E8-BB75-8D9F0AD7BFCA.jpeg
 

Dwight

RCR GT 40 Gulf Livery 347 Eight Stack injection
RCR body was popped off of P1008, a race car. The people who build the race car did not care if it would win a trophy in a Concours Car Show for best of body. It's a race car! The body in not perfect!
It's looks great and it's fast and it won lots of races.
 
dunno about you guys...race car or not …. this is not really acceptable.
anyways I hope this is a one off issue, may be the builder didn't store it properly over time ??? who knows
 

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I have had this problem on at least three cars and they were not all rcr. If the inner clam assembly is not installed correctly [bonded/glassed in ] it will be off. The clam is very flexible with out it in place

This. Exactly this. I don't have the rear bulkhead glued in on mine yet and it is easy enough to get the rear clip to lozenge from side to side. As soon as you glue the rear bulkhead in the clip, it sets that lozenge shape/rear clip width in place and then it makes it hard to adjust anything. I am waiting until i have my body all mounted up before i glue the rear bulkhead in the rear clip. Note that this is a construction process issue, and has nothing to do with the accuracy of the molds. You could clamp the bulkhead in one body and get it lined up spot on and then in the very next body clamp it in on an angle and have it all off and need to do lots of adjustment. Even though both bodies came out of the same molds.

Have a look at the thickness of the leading edge of the rear clip. its quite thick. Most of that could be an glue of some sort between the inner bulkhead panel and the outer part of the rear clip. That gives you some indication as to how much free space there is between the inner and outer panels.

Edit to add, doing great @Tcollins

Ryan
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
This. Exactly this. I don't have the rear bulkhead glued in on mine yet and it is easy enough to get the rear clip to lozenge from side to side. As soon as you glue the rear bulkhead in the clip, it sets that lozenge shape/rear clip width in place and then it makes it hard to adjust anything. I am waiting until i have my body all mounted up before i glue the rear bulkhead in the rear clip. Note that this is a construction process issue, and has nothing to do with the accuracy of the molds. You could clamp the bulkhead in one body and get it lined up spot on and then in the very next body clamp it in on an angle and have it all off and need to do lots of adjustment. Even though both bodies came out of the same molds.

Have a look at the thickness of the leading edge of the rear clip. its quite thick. Most of that could be an glue of some sort between the inner bulkhead panel and the outer part of the rear clip. That gives you some indication as to how much free space there is between the inner and outer panels.

Edit to add, doing great @Tcollins

Ryan

Spot on. The rear bulkhead and the Windscreen must be in place and at least temporarily anchored into position before mounting the rear and front clips. on my RCR 40 (#45), I spent weeks on this. Basically, you have to determine where your compromises are going to be and how you can mitigate them in terms of esthetics.
 
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