ehansen007
08-09-2013, 02:57 PM
first thing..put DOWN the screws and drill....pick up at LEAST 6-8 long jaw vise grip pliers from HF.
The whole fitment starts in two places..
1. The 5/8" placement back on the frame behind the front wheel..don't trust the transport screw spots
2. The radiator support needs to be bolted such that it is as far forward as possible given the hardware placed in the appropriate spots..some wiggle room here...
After which, you clamp the areas around the door sill... you need to make sure the sides "sails" don't move...
If your rear bumper is pre-drilled, use smaller bolts... if not just clamp the rear bumper to start...and it needs to be clamped tight!
THe change to chassis was done after mine and Wayne's kit to the rear strut towers..I just welded tabs on mine.
The rear bumper rubs on the lower transmission mount bolts (thanks Wayne for the assist)...so you have to grind out 2 "C" cuts - this was the bulk of my issue in the rear.
once I clearanced for the tranny mount the bumper was able to move around a lot better.
I supported the rear bumper with a jack during the process of clamping.
Next you have to adjust the sails even on both sides AND THEN, grab each of the wheel wells and PULL UP and roll the fenders up on to the ledge of the shock tower and CLAMP the crap out of it cause there will be tension in the body.
Remeasure to ensure you are still centered - from the top mount of the rear shock (rear ear) you should be ABOUT 13 to 13 1/8" each side.
Next, back to rear bumper..this is where both Tony and Wayne helped again... you have to ensure that the side body line continues to line up all the way to the bumper...I had installed mine off ... this required me to unclamp the bumper from the sail, push down on the sail and pull up on the bumper corner then re-clamp..had to redo both sides, then go back to the wheel wells and ensure you are still square...
The mid trunk (with the two humps)..need to open the roll bar holes a little to get it to move as far forward to meet up with the door.
The trunk lid does not naturally lay in the opening on my car...not sure why exactly..with the slightest pressure it fits in the hole though...I will say, that after the drive back from FFR when I opened the trailer you could smell the resin still cooking off the panels...I stored all the panels vertically so they wouldn't change shape, but I recall that early in the build some of the panels were laying flat in the sun...so I have it all clamped up right now and it scheduled to be sunny this weekend and will probably just leave out there again.... not a big deal to fix in any case...if I fix it at all.
In my head..after seeing how nice the open house car looked, I took for granted that it still is a kit car and it does take "work" ... the panels will line up, but they only line up ONE way and if you are off anywhere it just make it worse at the end...oz make pounds!
Did I mention you should clamp first !!
just keep at it and go slow.... in my case I got frustrated with the back, moved to the front (spoke with Tony and Wayne) and came back to the back and BAM! in like flynn! Spent almost a whole day on the back...the front 2 hours and that includes bolting in the head light buckets and head lights... really happy with the way the front came together...I need to put the winshield in and the doos to make sure it is for sure all good...but I think I am there... will now refine the rear after I get it out in the sun...
long post, I know, sorry.
Erik
The whole fitment starts in two places..
1. The 5/8" placement back on the frame behind the front wheel..don't trust the transport screw spots
2. The radiator support needs to be bolted such that it is as far forward as possible given the hardware placed in the appropriate spots..some wiggle room here...
After which, you clamp the areas around the door sill... you need to make sure the sides "sails" don't move...
If your rear bumper is pre-drilled, use smaller bolts... if not just clamp the rear bumper to start...and it needs to be clamped tight!
THe change to chassis was done after mine and Wayne's kit to the rear strut towers..I just welded tabs on mine.
The rear bumper rubs on the lower transmission mount bolts (thanks Wayne for the assist)...so you have to grind out 2 "C" cuts - this was the bulk of my issue in the rear.
once I clearanced for the tranny mount the bumper was able to move around a lot better.
I supported the rear bumper with a jack during the process of clamping.
Next you have to adjust the sails even on both sides AND THEN, grab each of the wheel wells and PULL UP and roll the fenders up on to the ledge of the shock tower and CLAMP the crap out of it cause there will be tension in the body.
Remeasure to ensure you are still centered - from the top mount of the rear shock (rear ear) you should be ABOUT 13 to 13 1/8" each side.
Next, back to rear bumper..this is where both Tony and Wayne helped again... you have to ensure that the side body line continues to line up all the way to the bumper...I had installed mine off ... this required me to unclamp the bumper from the sail, push down on the sail and pull up on the bumper corner then re-clamp..had to redo both sides, then go back to the wheel wells and ensure you are still square...
The mid trunk (with the two humps)..need to open the roll bar holes a little to get it to move as far forward to meet up with the door.
The trunk lid does not naturally lay in the opening on my car...not sure why exactly..with the slightest pressure it fits in the hole though...I will say, that after the drive back from FFR when I opened the trailer you could smell the resin still cooking off the panels...I stored all the panels vertically so they wouldn't change shape, but I recall that early in the build some of the panels were laying flat in the sun...so I have it all clamped up right now and it scheduled to be sunny this weekend and will probably just leave out there again.... not a big deal to fix in any case...if I fix it at all.
In my head..after seeing how nice the open house car looked, I took for granted that it still is a kit car and it does take "work" ... the panels will line up, but they only line up ONE way and if you are off anywhere it just make it worse at the end...oz make pounds!
Did I mention you should clamp first !!
just keep at it and go slow.... in my case I got frustrated with the back, moved to the front (spoke with Tony and Wayne) and came back to the back and BAM! in like flynn! Spent almost a whole day on the back...the front 2 hours and that includes bolting in the head light buckets and head lights... really happy with the way the front came together...I need to put the winshield in and the doos to make sure it is for sure all good...but I think I am there... will now refine the rear after I get it out in the sun...
long post, I know, sorry.
Erik