the making of an RCR GT40

[Grant S]

Hello Everyone,
After doing much research, I have chosen to buy an RCR GT40 MK1
I am writing to find out from the owners / builders of the RCR GT40s
for your opinions and wisdom. I have experience with scratch building cars and motorcycles and am fully aware of the trials and tribulations, And as Fran has found out I am full of questions and I feel sorry for him, as it has been near a full time job for him just to keep up with reply's. So I thought I would give him a break for now (wink), and find out from some of you about what you have learned the hard way, so I might not make the same mistakes or if you have discovered something that makes life easier. As I have found out when building my SC Cobra, I should have asked more questions and it would have been much easier, as my friends SC went together much, much easier with my hard learned knowledge. To my knowledge there is not another RCR GT40 in my City. So I am not able to look at one in person. My car is still 14 weeks away, I have decided on having it made 2" wider on 17" rims, it will be 600hp 351w stroker 427 8 stack fuel injected. So any Tips and tricks you have learned would be much appreciated. :idea2:
Cheers,

 

[Grant S]

One other thing I was looking at coating the Aluminum Chassis with
"Shark Hide" has anyone used this product ? what is your opinon? looks like good stuff !
Cheers,

 

[Randy V]

Rather than calling you DEAD (Short for Dead Shot) it would be nice to call you by name... You can fix that you know...

Anyway - Congratulations on your decision and purchase...

One thing I would do right away is to make a 2x4 Support to go between the spine and the center of the Spider to support it. When subjected to heat or just long periods of time before the windshield is bonded into place - the spider will sag. This is not just an RCR thing, but quite literally any of the GT40 Replicas I'm aware of have this problem.

A few pics;

You might want to consider paying RCR to hang the doors and mount the door handles for you in addition to having the +2 Flairs molded into the rear clip also..

I'm doing all my own work but have access to a full shop full of fabrication and bodywork equipment and no time-line so I'm picking away at all of it..

Let me know if I can be of any assistance..

 

[Grant S]

Thank you, Randy, Note taken : ) lol. My name is Grant. Thanks for the including the pic's I noticed your roll cage does not cross through the door opening as I have seen in other cars is this something offered by RCR or is it your own design? I did not know the doors were not hung ? I will have to look in to this? I was under the impression it would be placed together for transporting but just not properly fitted ?? Oh Oh I may have more questions for Fran, lol. but you may have helped sell me on a roll cage if this is how they come. I just did not want to have to duck under a bar to get in.
Cheers,
Grant

 

[Randy V]

Hi Grant,

The FAQ - Item #2 tells you how to make the adjustment to your name. We just like to be on a real first name basis around here..
GT40s.com - FAQ


I don't know how RCR is shipping cars these days, but a few years back when I picked mine up it was totally wrapped in plastic wrap with the doors put in place (not mounted) as well as the hood and windshield..

Here's Fran and the guys pushing mine into the trailer.. It's a roller at this stage - but just barely.. None of the suspension is final mounted, nuts and bolts are hand tight not torqued.

The Roll cage in my car was built by me in my shop. It's basically the same design that RCR uses. I took great pains to get the A-Pillar bar as close to the windshield's A-Pillar as possible. There are no door bars in these cars and very few people have implemented them as it makes it exceptionally difficult to get in/out of the car.

RE: Shark Hyde - I don't know of anyone that's used it on an RCR Chassis, but I'd be interested in hearing about it too.. I plan on having my chassis powder coated for the most part and the bottom will be done in a LineX type of Pickup Bed Liner material...

 

[Will Campbell]

Hi Grant,


RE: Shark Hyde - I don't know of anyone that's used it on an RCR Chassis, but I'd be interested in hearing about it too.. I plan on having my chassis powder coated for the most part and the bottom will be done in a LineX type of Pickup Bed Liner material...

Didn't Alex use and recommend Shark Hide for his SLC?

I think I will probably end up using it on my car.

 

[Graham]

Grant,

I would agree with Randy - get the doors pre-mounted by Fran if you can. This will save you a LOT of heartache and time as they are an absolute bitch to get right. This will allow you to crack on with bodywork stuff (filling, sanding etc) knowing that your doors are in the right place and aligned to the spider. If they are true to the spider, then the spider should be true to the front / rear clip. You won't believe what a PITA it is to get these three components spot on....

Randy is also spot on regarding the brace for the spider. I didn't have one, and it did cause the spider to drop slightly.

Good luck with your project!!!

Graham.

 

[Bill Musarra]

Randy,
You may want to research the LineX a little further. I had that done to mine and was really happy with it. Til I had a master cylinder leak.It pooled around a cross bar that was coated and it literally dissolved the coating, or made it so soft it peeled off. It is repairable, but I thought it would stand up to most chemicals. It may have been because it got under the coating and worked on the bonding agent??? This area was riveted to the stainless under pan. Check with the lineX people and see what they say.Since mine is nearly complete, I plan going bback to them and see of there is a repair possible.

Bill

 

[Grant S]

When I did my SC cobra I used Rhino guard with Kevlar and it has been great, tough as nails and in seven years so far it has been impervious to all fluids that have been sitting in it.
Grant

 

[Randy V]

I'll have to check that out Bill... What I was planning on using was a coating made by a company called SEM. It makes a LineX like tuff coating and the plan is to have it only on the road-side of the bottom. But - I will find out how resistant it is to chemicals...

 

[Chuck]

Grant:

Welcome aboard. The RCR is a superb, solid, well engineered kit. You chose wisely.

Bracing the spider to preserve its postion is a good idea. And be sure to brace it when the glass is glued in place. But keep in mind that once the glass is glued in place it adds a considerable degree of rigidity. A couple of rubber spacers between the outer ends of the roll cage and the spider will be all the support you will need. it will be plenty solid.

My chassis is powder coated. If I were doing it again, I would build the chassis, drill all the holes, get everything where it should be, then dismantale and paint / powder coat it. Frankly I would consider undercoating overkill, unless you plan to put snow tires on the car and drive it on salt covered roads. Realistically this is a fair weather car.

This forum is a tremendous source of information. Post your progress on a build blog - sometimes someone sees something that can save you a lot of headaches.

Chuck

 

[Grant S]

Hello Chuck,
Thanks for the heads up on your build, I had spent an hour briefly going over your build. I must say you are anal and I am impressed as I too have very high standards and have only met a few people who are true craftsmen ! I wish I could see your GT up close and personal, as I am sure the pic's do not do it Justice. I will be using your build as my bible. Very well done, my hat is off to you.
Cheers,
Grant

 

[Grant S]

Hello,
Can any one tell me who makes tires that will fit on 17" x 8" and 17" x 12" rim and still fit on the GT40 without rubbing?
Thanks
Grant

 

[Ron Scarboro]

I put Michelin PS2s on mine. 245-45/17 front and 335-35/17 rear on 8" front and 12" rears on a CAV with no rubbing.

 

[Grant S]

Thanks Ron,
I had a look at them they do look like pretty decent tires. I had to make up my mind today and went with 15" rims I am thinking I may get a bit softer ride and I wasn't finding much for choices with either but less with the 17" 's.
Thanks for your reply.
Grant

 

[Chuck]

Thanks Ron,
I had a look at them they do look like pretty decent tires. I had to make up my mind today and went with 15" rims I am thinking I may get a bit softer ride and I wasn't finding much for choices with either but less with the 17" 's.
Thanks for your reply.
Grant

You won't regret your choice.

 

[Ron Scarboro]

Grant,
Did you go with 15X12 on the rear?

 

[Robert B]

Shark hide is nothing more then a treatment that supposedly prevents corrosion, like car wax.

My buddy used it on his boat and after 1 year needed to re-apply it. On north river boats such as we have it is supposed to keep em nice and new looking, like factory new etc.

Seemed kind of a joke to me. If you read the shark hide site they make it sound like some kind of miracle liquid. It's no more effective then waxing your car.

You have to keep doing it and keep doing it over and over every 3 to 6 months etc. Just sandblast it to rough it up and have it powder coated.

Or accept that the aluminum will get the usual aluminum looking dullness and then stay that way maintenance free from then on.

That is the look I chose for my new (now old) north river boat. The regular aluminum finish after it ages normally rather then show room shiny with lots of regular work to keep it that way.

Bob
###

 

[Grant S]

Hello Ron,
Yes, I went with 15" x 12"'s
Grant

 

[Bill Musarra]

Robert,
Have you used or had experience with Zoops Seal? I was planning of putting it on the exposed areas of my wheels(rims), valve covers, catch cans,and any other exposed aluminum pieces. They say it will last at least one season of racing. I assume they are referring to heat cycling. Their adverts are about shinny racecars.

Bill