A Few Progress Photos...

[Builder]

[Builder]

bluesatin said:

Looks great and I still miss the build of mine

Are you building it outside under floodlights?

Well, if you want to stop by... Thanks! Getting there. Need more time in the day!

I put up a (nice big) shop last year, however I haven't done much of the electrical yet. So I am just using three of those double floods. I kinda'like them because they are so easy to move around, set the height, and point directly at the work...but I can't wait to have some nice overhead fixtures, too.

[Builder]

Davrianman said:

Looking very nice! Like the artistic lighting! :-)

You look like you are at the same stage as me... I am just waiting for my side pods and centre section to be painted.

BTW, how did you post your pictures?

Cheers
Mart

Thanks, Mart. That would be the confused state, no? I am still spending a lot of time just looking at it. You know how it goes...fit something, look at it...refit and look a little more.

You have to have a website where you can put your pictures. Then, when making post to this forum (and any others), you put a link in your text pointing at the photo. The forum software substitues the actual photo for the text. Or, you can just put something like this:

http://www.mywebsite.com/mypicture.jpg and everyone will click on and find it.

[Builder]

Davrianman said:

Yes, definately the confusing state! The manual says prefit, but not 3-4 times!! Not far to go now. Just got to fit the alarm system this weekend and try to switch it all on! Should be on the road summer 08, funds permitting (read wife permitting!)... Why does spending 5K on building an engine qualify for a new kitchen??? I said that you can't drive at 200mph in a kitchen before beating a hasty retreat to the garage!!! :-)
Cold dinners for me then for a week....

Ha! So true. The center section has been on and off 5-6 times now. Side pods more. I plan on riveting the pods after fitting most of the engine electronics because I want access under there and don't want to scratch them up.

Well, it sounds like you are a little ahead of me. I am working hard to get on the road in '07. After, I will fit some of the extra electronic stuff. The fire system, mobile PC, and alarm go in now though. The radar/laser detector, GPS, possibly stereo will be later..."funds permitting".

I got lucky in the wife department. Well, I should say I took care of the new household stuff before starting the shop. The wife actually gives me a hand in the shop sometimes. Still lots of HONEY-DOs, though.

Sorry about the cold dinners, Mart. Well, maybe not all bad. Best cold dinner is served in pints.

[Builder]

Karlo said:

Scott I was wonder how to use my future "Race Car" as business expense, Thanks for the pointer.

Ha-ha... That's it! My site is still in draft format, but that's going to be part of the plan. A professional revision is planned.

If we open an office in ID, can we be your preferred lender? We'll put the GTR at your open house events. The car will show up at many "special events"; college sports, the Reno Air Races, Street Vibrations, Rib Cook-off, Hot August Nights, etc., and hang out at Home Depot on weekday evenings. A brochure, with answers to all of the standard question about the car, will be handed out to interested folks. On the opposite side will be a brochure about Victory Nevada.

[builder]

Karlo, I visited your site. Good stuff. I will send you an email.

I am instructing at Viper Days out at the race course and won't have too much time in the shop 'til Monday. Here's what I did yesterday.

The dash connection (seam) to the center section had a rather large and uneven gap that I know would fill with dead bugs, dirt, fries, and other goodies. So, I got some "kitty hair" and filled it. I will sand it, put a finish coat on, sand and paint.

[Builder]

steve_d said:

Did you leave any gap after the fill?
The gap is there so you can poke the edge of the dash covering down then you can't see the cut edge of the covering.

I forgot to mention that part... Not going to cover it; just paint flat black. No instrument pod (at first). Maybe later. All instrumentation will be in the front of the dash. It probably sounds odd, but I don't use the tach or speedo when on the road course. To me, only engine condition instruments are of concern. So, they will get primary positions in dash organization. I will post my layout this evening.

[Builder]

[Builder]

crafty said:

Mate - you've got the steering wheel on the wrong side

As Homer would say...

[Builder]

crafty said:

I'd suggest making a removable panel with all the gauges and switches in it like I did - it will make your life a WHOLE lot easier.... esp if (when?) something goes wrong. I made mine out of black perspex, and built the front of the dash out to make a recess... you can see below how the leather tucks in behind the perspex.

If you are going the racecar look with no dash covering, you could make the removable panel in alloy and get it powdercoated matt black.

You did a beautiful job, Grant. Mine will be much more simple. Perhaps in the future I will make some mods to the dash. For now, the instruments go right into the existing fiberglass with no other panels or covering.

I really like the removable panel idea. That will be my first dash mod down the road.

Test fitting the fuel filters and pumps...

Edited by Builder on Friday 5th October 05:51

[Builder]

I hear'ya... If I "F" it up with my first design, I will end up making the removable panel. Looks like it's going to be okay. Still, it's tempting.

How did you anchor the removable part?

[Builder]

Okay, yes. I see how you've built it out. Future ass pains noted...no doubt.

I am going to print (plot) my dash 1:1 scale and use that as my template, then see what challenges are presented to make a removable panel. If it's not a big deal, I will make it.

Since I am not covering the dash, I don't want an unfinished edge around the panel. Perhaps the edges would look okay if routed (fillet or chamfer) and flamed. Maybe I can find an affordable carbon sheet. Man, that stuff is $$$$.

[Builder]

When the instruments get here, I will make a cardboard dash panel and see how everything fits. That will tell me if I can make the panel removable.

With a little "kitty hair" and Bondo, the dash crack is now as smooth as (fill in the blank)...



This battery cutoff is from Watson's Street Works and is designed to work with a remote control.


The in-line fuel pumps are Walbro 255 lph. The lower filters are 100 micron Peterson AN-6. These will feed into a Y-block and a 45 micron filter into a regulator. The LS7 has a "returnless" fuel rail, so the fuel will go out of the regulator pressure guage port to the rail. The return line comes out of the bottom of the regulator and will be split to both tanks using the upper -6 port by the filler. The bottom edge of the pump is just above the bottom edge of the chassis.

[Builder]

Engine bay getting closer...


Screens going in. Must be almost ready to drive!!!

Edited by Builder on Thursday 18th October 16:41

[Builder]

Had to do it. I wanted to check the engine bay for obstructions and get some pictures as reference to locate peripherals moving forward...

[Builder]

Steve_D said:

Put down your tools and go install some lights in that fabulous workshop then you, and we, will be able to see what the hells going on in there.

Steve

Ha! This weekend is my last intructing weekend at the track for the season. I am not going anywhere, or doing anything else, until it is running.

I will try to illuminate the photos a little more. My low-light vision is getting really good! Pretty soon, I will be able to work with no light at all.

[Builder]

Crazy of Cookham said:

Interesting to dry fit engine so early on im build. Did you really go to the trouble of putting on the gearbox as well? cannot see how it would have gone in otherwise. Just put mine back in over weekend and not a job I would choose to do too often!

Yes, the trans is bolted to the engine, but no clutch or starter with the test fit. It doesn't take long with the engine hoist...maybe half an hour. The adapter plate is bolted to the trans. I guess this won't be possible with the actual install. For the test fit, it's really only two pieces...engine and trans.

There are a few items I wanted to test for; trans mounts, dry-sump oil lines, fuel balance pipe, shift cable lengths, throttle cable length, trans fluid pump and cooler location...

[Builder]

Is there any reason not to panel this part of the chassis (red area)? I want to use these spots to mount some stuff.

Thanks!

-- Scott

[Builder]

Thanks, Ken. The trans has fluid spray bars pointed at the gears which use an external pump and cooler. This area will be used to mount them.

[Builder]

ezakimak said:

I trust that CMS have this installed correctly for you.

I hope so, Ryan. The initial research I did to find a trans supplier leads me to believe they know the correct way to install spray bars. To recount:

I found CMS through contacting Porsche race teams in the Koni/Rolex and American LeMans Series. Three out of the five that I spoke with said Bobby Heart was the man. For this reason, and the discovery that CMS was a supplier to other "trans rebuilders" like PH-II and Renegade, I chose CMS as the supplier for the G50/52.