Great points. I did not consider the humidity and defrost. I live in bone dry conditions in West Texas, so humidity is never an issue. I did not use the traditional defrost vents , I have a single vent that I can open and close and I have never had to open it .
Shane's SLC Build
- Thread starter 51Magnum
- Start date
Is there any reason you couldn't use a couple of these for defrost.
www.carbuilder.com
I know there are some windshields available in the UK for the Lola T70's with electric defrost grid wires in them. I can only imagine they must have them for the GT40's as well.
Regards Brian
Electric Demist Heater 193mm
Now you can have front screen demisting without the hassle of plumbing-in a hot water powered heater. This neat little unit has a moulded ABS case with an electric fan and a 168 watt 12 volt heater element. Simply cut a rectangular hole in your dash top and bond the unit underneath (shown...
www.carbuilder.com
Regards Brian
Shane
Supporter
Great points everyone. I live in Idaho and I think I would use the heat occasionally, at least in the early mornings.
Shane
Supporter
Need help with the coolant and expansion\recovery tank. I have seen a lot of posts on this and I am trying to find a good solution. I found this one that has both in one unit. Of course, I want it all aluminum so I can polish it. I am just worried that this one is not big enough. It is only 1.25 qt. Has anyone found a good aluminum expansion tank?
I just found this 2.5 qt unit. I think it might work.
I just found this 2.5 qt unit. I think it might work.
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Shane,
Here is what I used, it was a tight fit but it fits.
Here is what I used, it was a tight fit but it fits.
Shane,
Yes, I can add fluid to the coolant overflow tank, pour carefully. I recently changed my spark plugs and had to remove the tank to get to the one spark plug but other than that it is not in the way of anything.
Yes, the one gallon air tank is for my Stanceparts front lift cylinders. One gallon is enough for two actuations, my air compressor is very slow and takes about a minute to recover but I rarely use the lift. My valve is in the front to make the actuation time as quick as possible.
Yes, I can add fluid to the coolant overflow tank, pour carefully. I recently changed my spark plugs and had to remove the tank to get to the one spark plug but other than that it is not in the way of anything.
Yes, the one gallon air tank is for my Stanceparts front lift cylinders. One gallon is enough for two actuations, my air compressor is very slow and takes about a minute to recover but I rarely use the lift. My valve is in the front to make the actuation time as quick as possible.
Shane
Supporter
Have some questions on mounting the body. This is how mine is fitting. Red arrow points are sitting flush with the top of the tub. The blue arrows are about 0.25" high. Where the orange arrow is, it is sitting all the way back, so the body is pushed as far as it can go to the rear.
My questions:
1. Do I start by mounting the Red arrows and then mount everything from there?
2. For the blue arrows, I think I will build 0.25" spacers like others have done. If I push down on those points, it seems to deflect the body. Is that correct?
3. If the front lip where the orange arrow is was above the foot well, I might be able to get the dimple to be center on the back cross brace (see second image), but that would take cutting the front lip off completely. Not sure which is better, leave the front lip over hanging the front of the foot well, or centering the bolt recess on the back cross member??
The little recess where it looks like a bolt should go, is not centered on the rear cross brace. The big "cup holder" is up against the rear cross brace.
My questions:
1. Do I start by mounting the Red arrows and then mount everything from there?
2. For the blue arrows, I think I will build 0.25" spacers like others have done. If I push down on those points, it seems to deflect the body. Is that correct?
3. If the front lip where the orange arrow is was above the foot well, I might be able to get the dimple to be center on the back cross brace (see second image), but that would take cutting the front lip off completely. Not sure which is better, leave the front lip over hanging the front of the foot well, or centering the bolt recess on the back cross member??
The little recess where it looks like a bolt should go, is not centered on the rear cross brace. The big "cup holder" is up against the rear cross brace.
Joel K
Supporter
Shane, this is just my experience playing around with fitting the body but a few comments.
1)The body needs to be aligned to the wheels before you lock it down. Both front-to-back and side-to-side. Most do zero toe, zero camber to get a true view on what is going on. Keep in mind, the chassis may not be totally square with the suspension rod ends in the middle of the brackets. And the body is not symmetrical so you have to find the best compromise.
2)Mount the interior tub to the chassis based on where the body needs/wants to go to line up over the wheels and tires.
3)I did the rear b-pillar shoulders first. I oversized the plates because as you see the holes did not center on the rear cross member. I mounted the plates to the chassis and screwed the body into the plates. Figure if I got it wrong I could make new plates.
4)next I did the front making sure the windshield fit well center bottom to center top
5)Last would be the a-pillar shoulders. I mounted the shoulders knowing there will be the typical gap of the lower windshield to the body. Some people stretch this area out then attach the body to the chassis. If I do this, I’ll remake those blocks, but I think I’ll probably do some body work to make the body fit the windshield like Dan Carter did. I’m thinking of cutting around the windshield frame lower corners and widening it vs. body filler. Colin is playing around with air lift bags to stretch the body which may be a good approach. I’ll revisit this in the spring.
Also, based on your pic of the rear body placement. To my eye your body may be too far forward and the right rear wheel may not clear the rear of the body. That was a problem area for my car which has the race tail.
1)The body needs to be aligned to the wheels before you lock it down. Both front-to-back and side-to-side. Most do zero toe, zero camber to get a true view on what is going on. Keep in mind, the chassis may not be totally square with the suspension rod ends in the middle of the brackets. And the body is not symmetrical so you have to find the best compromise.
2)Mount the interior tub to the chassis based on where the body needs/wants to go to line up over the wheels and tires.
3)I did the rear b-pillar shoulders first. I oversized the plates because as you see the holes did not center on the rear cross member. I mounted the plates to the chassis and screwed the body into the plates. Figure if I got it wrong I could make new plates.
4)next I did the front making sure the windshield fit well center bottom to center top
5)Last would be the a-pillar shoulders. I mounted the shoulders knowing there will be the typical gap of the lower windshield to the body. Some people stretch this area out then attach the body to the chassis. If I do this, I’ll remake those blocks, but I think I’ll probably do some body work to make the body fit the windshield like Dan Carter did. I’m thinking of cutting around the windshield frame lower corners and widening it vs. body filler. Colin is playing around with air lift bags to stretch the body which may be a good approach. I’ll revisit this in the spring.
Also, based on your pic of the rear body placement. To my eye your body may be too far forward and the right rear wheel may not clear the rear of the body. That was a problem area for my car which has the race tail.
Shane
Supporter
Thanks for walking me through this. I wouldn't have thought about the windshield fitting.
I got the car sitting on the ground and wow, what a challenge to get everything all aligned. I think I got the back wheels aligned. That was not easy.
I do have a big problem. My front tires are sticking outside the body by 1.5" on either side!! The toe in is almost perfect and the ride height is pretty close all the way around.
My wheel offset is 4" on both the front and back. This is measured from the mounting flange on the inside of the wheel to the outside of the wheel (not tire). Can someone help me by checking theirs???
Joel K
Supporter
Glad you are making progress.
If you haven’t looked through these posts from my build thread it should help.
Body fitment - Post #161, #295, #320, #539, #540
Also. If you haven’t already you need the front and rear clam on the car to better judge where to mount the body. Just aligning the wheels to the spider is misleading.
With regard to your front wheels, if you have the 19” front rims more than likely they may not tuck into the body even with 2 degrees of negative camber. Here is a link discussing the issue…4” offset seems wrong, but the 19” front rims in general don’t fit too good,
If you haven’t looked through these posts from my build thread it should help.
Body fitment - Post #161, #295, #320, #539, #540
Also. If you haven’t already you need the front and rear clam on the car to better judge where to mount the body. Just aligning the wheels to the spider is misleading.
With regard to your front wheels, if you have the 19” front rims more than likely they may not tuck into the body even with 2 degrees of negative camber. Here is a link discussing the issue…4” offset seems wrong, but the 19” front rims in general don’t fit too good,
That definitely looks like a wheel offset problem (i.e. your wheels are offset too far outward). Do you have the full specs from your wheels? For reference, the stock Corvette C6 Z06 front wheels, which fit the SLC perfectly, have a width of 9.5" and an offset of 40mm (distance from wheel centerline to the mounting surface).
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Ken Roberts
Supporter
The front OEM Z06 wheels are 9.5" wide Mark.
the front wheels that came with my kit did not have the right offset and they needed spacers to clear the calipers, and had the same problem you have, even with narrower tires. I belive Joel encountered the same problem, I ordered custome wheels that now fit without spacers and that fit the hub without the plastic spacers. You just have to figure out the look and fitment you want and order wheels with custom offsets. Of course the ride height and camber also affect fitment. I also trimmed the edges of the wheel wells at the very top to give me more room. Hope this is helpful .
Shane
Supporter
So here are the exact measurements for what I have right now.
F14; Race inspired mesh design
19x9.5 front and 20x12 rear
The wheels are F14 from Forgestar
Tires are the Michelin Pilot Super Sport 285/30-19
After watching countless hours of Joel's videos (seriously, thanks Joel!!!!), and read through this thread Front tire poke I have come to the same conclusion I got the wrong tires. I have reached out to Forgestar to see if I can get a custom offset of +20mm, this would tuck the wheel in almost .5". I have the exact same setup as you Joel. Did you ever land on a final conclusion? Are you just sticking with the 255's?
Also, just a side note, because I never read up enough on this forum before I got my tires. When I had my rims powder coated, they couldn't get the 285's mounted on the front. I thought that was really odd. I had to take it to two different tire shops. The last one, did a great job and didn't mess up the powder coat at all. Dang, I wish I would have seen the Tire Poke thread before this morning. RCR needs to update the information.
F14; Race inspired mesh design
19x9.5 front and 20x12 rear
The wheels are F14 from Forgestar
Tires are the Michelin Pilot Super Sport 285/30-19
After watching countless hours of Joel's videos (seriously, thanks Joel!!!!), and read through this thread Front tire poke I have come to the same conclusion I got the wrong tires. I have reached out to Forgestar to see if I can get a custom offset of +20mm, this would tuck the wheel in almost .5". I have the exact same setup as you Joel. Did you ever land on a final conclusion? Are you just sticking with the 255's?
Also, just a side note, because I never read up enough on this forum before I got my tires. When I had my rims powder coated, they couldn't get the 285's mounted on the front. I thought that was really odd. I had to take it to two different tire shops. The last one, did a great job and didn't mess up the powder coat at all. Dang, I wish I would have seen the Tire Poke thread before this morning. RCR needs to update the information.
Joel K
Supporter
Net-net, Forgestar offered me a discount to order new rims because of the amount of time that has passed. I’ll decide what to do in the spring.
If I go the Forgestar direction I’ll get 9” wide rims which have a flatter spoke profile(semi concave style)than the 9.5 or 10” wide 19” rims. The 255’s will work with the 9” rims. I would not recommend 255s, they look a little too small but not looking to buy new tires.
IMO, no matter what offset you order with the 10 or 9.5” 19” rims they won’t fit properly due to the deep concave style. Enough backspace to tuck them in, then the spokes will hit the calipers like Hector.
Ken Roberts
Supporter
This was a RCR supplier problem. They received incorrect offset rims. RCR should be the ones to provide a solution. What a shame that so many builders have front rims that are basically useless due to the poke out looking ridiculous.
Shane
Supporter
Yeah, I wish they had a solution. I was really shocked to see so many people with the F14 wheels had the exact same problem and RCR went ahead and let me order the wrong tires. I don't feel like I have much leverage, I'm still waiting for a transaxle!!! Who knows when I'll get that.
sorry, typo corrected!
