My Official GTM Build Thread!

[LCD Gauges]

It's a go!!! :cool:

Just a little setback with the cam sensor harness, but the motor is alive. Alive, but not all well...just yet.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtz1uTuGmbA&feature=youtu.be

By the end of the video there's a tiny backfire, and then the engine dies. Could be lack of fuel again as I
was repairing the AN cross-over connector. I'll check the level, and do it again later.

The HP Tuner scan shows an odd trend for B1/B2 Injector pulse width which jumped from an average of 4.8 msec
to 12 msec quite rapidly. Something leaned out, and the computer tried to compensate.
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My gauges are not working except the tach., so that's my next order of business. Power is there, and signal
lines are connected. Must be my method of connection:
I= 12V switched power
G= Ground
S= Sensor signal
Seems good to me? Power is there on I, and S.

I'd really like to get this go-kart testing done before the snow arrives. This weekend will be dedicated to getting the
engine locked up, and wires trimmed, tucked, and loomed.

[LCD Gauges]

Question....are you still an F-Body guy at heart??

For sure! I've owned four Camaros to date, and still have a love for them.

I'm "starting" to love the GTM now that things are going my way. I don't think I'd ever trade back, but never say never.

[LCD Gauges]

I hope you all had a great holiday break. Today is the big day for family gathering, but I'll be combing through threads looking for seat install
ideas until the family rolls in.

I'm wondering if anyone has modified the floor pans for strength? I'm not using the Corvette rails, but the sheet metal seems flimsy no matter what
sliders are used. My plan is to weld bar stock across the pan area to the rails, then bolt the sliders to the bar stock.

For those already in the driving stage: What are your impressions of seat stability using the FFR locations?

[LCD Gauges]

Back from Oklahoma, and ready to press-on with the build. I've spent the last two days wiring up my MIG welder, and testing it out. All I need is some flux-core wire to start tacking up
the exhaust, and seat brackets.

I've decided not to post the photos of the seat rails until they're painted, and up to par. I get too anxious with my camera, and have been posting a lot of garbage just to get some attention.
You've all set the bar so high, and take such care in your work. I need to take more time, and be more selective of the quality of photos that represent my finished car.

It's nice to be back, and get this car ready for some go-karting!

[LCD Gauges]

Time to show off my spot welds! After a few hours of watching videos, reading, and practicing on scrap metal I tried my first ever spot weld. It looks pretty good, and is holding well.
I have a new respect for those who weld for a living! Maybe after a months of practicing, I'll be able to weld my own bead, but for now I'll let my buddy complete the task.

If all goes well, I'll have the exhaust routed tonight, and the seats/accelerator pedal in tomorrow. There wont be any chance of a test drive until the weather improves however. We
currently have over a foot of snow, and it's still coming down. Maybe next week for a test drive?!

Here are some shots of the test fitting, and spot welds. This is three inch, mandrel tubing.

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[xatudor]

Tino,
Not trying to burst your bubble, I think the correct term for your welds are 'Tack Welds'. A Spot weld is when the pieces of metal are clamped between two electrodes and then the current flows through the metal between the electrodes welding the different layers together. Either way they look good. Another word of advice, make sure to clean the area of the weld really well of all oils, wax's and coatings, this will ensure a good weld everytime. I've overlooked this a few times in my haste and you learn quickly the difference it makes.
I'm very impressed with your work, and agree that the sheet metal does seem a bit flimsy even when compared to a normal cars floor pan which normally has some form of strengthener where the bolts go through the floor pan to spread the load rather than a normal sized washer on a flat sheet of metal.
Just my 5 cents
Mick

[LCD Gauges]

Hi Mick,

My bubble is fine, no ego here. I always thought the two terms were interchangeable, but thank you for explaining the difference.

Welding is certainly a new world for me, but learning new things is what this
GTM is all about. I've been cleaning the weld area with a file to get a nice clean surface. After the welding I use a combination of a file, and wire brush/ire wheel.

Do you suggest more cleaning?.
Thanks,
Tino

[xatudor]

Tino,
No your welds look good, it was just a friendly reminder that something so simple can make a big difference. I have forgotten to turn the gas on a few times for the first weld of the day when I was working on my XY Falcon Ute (Australian Ford 1970). How's the seat rails going?
Mick

[LCD Gauges]

Seat rails are going well, but I'm just finishing up the right bank exhaust before fitting the seats. I should have this ready to test by Wednesday of next week!

[Flamshackle]

Seat rails are going well, but I'm just finishing up the right bank exhaust before fitting the seats. I should have this ready to test by Wednesday of next week!

exciting! love the updates :D

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Flam., although after battling with the car this week, I'm more exhausted than excited!

Here are some pictures from the accelerator pedal, and seat install. They still need paint, but still worthy to show. The rail had to be modified in order to get extra
clearance between the headrest, and the upper roll-bar. Now the bottom of the seat is about 1/2 inch from the floor pan.

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Still have to tie up some loose ends with the throttle cable, and ummm...connected/bleed the clutch line. For some reason, that small
detail slipped my mind after installing the transaxle.

[LCD Gauges]

Finally picked up the throttle cable! It's a 12', Teleflex, and it's a beauty. Nice quality piece, but it will need some slight modification
to mate up with the throttle blade. Just waiting on the warmth for the test drive!

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As I'm waiting, I have been painting some pieces to prevent rust like the reluctor wheel, and axles. Grind, clean, prime, paint, and clear.
Maybe a little buff to shine them up afterward?
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[LCD Gauges]

One camera- happy shot of the axle, and reluctor in place. It looks much better than rust, that's for sure. I'll have to grind down, and treat the hub before bolting it all together.
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Indecisive little me is still trying to figure out what tail lights to install. These are running high up in the ranks, but damn they're not cheap. I'm going to scout out some
more options before pulling the trigger. I just dropped some money on the remote door solenoid system, and 90 degree hinge kit (lambo style). Anyone need a part-time dishwasher, or grounds keeper for the Summer? :eek:

Anzo LED, 321169
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IPCW Onyx 336CX
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[Presto51]

Indecisive little me is still trying to figure out what tail lights to install. These are running high up in the ranks, but damn they're not cheap. I'm going to scout out some
more options before pulling the trigger. I just dropped some money on the remote door solenoid system, and 90 degree hinge kit (lambo style). Anyone need a part-time dishwasher, or grounds keeper for the Summer? :eek:

Anzo LED, 321169
16099
IPCW Onyx 336CX
16100

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Well if you want to be creative, think out side of the box, save money, start with these that Crash sells http://www.myraceshop.com/GTM_LED_Tail_Lights.html if that is not your cup of tea

Then follow Mike DeGuire tail light mod http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?7558-Tail-Light-Mod&highlight=tail+light

Or

With a little imitation, experiment and combine the both and have something that no one else has

[LCD Gauges]

Well if you want to be creative..

Then follow Mike DeGuire tail light mod http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?7558-Tail-Light-Mod&highlight=tail+light

With a little imitation, experiment and combine the both and have something that no one else has

Ummm, that makes my brain hurt. I hate talented people! I think I'll just front the cash for a production LED light when the time comes. Most of this car will
have temp parts until next season when I can save up the funds to get it done right (IE: paint, exhaust, lights, cosmetics).

With exhaust on the upgrade list, I broke down, and decided to try some welds on the 16 gauge pipe. I'll say it's not perfect, but it's not the ugliest I've seen
This was done using flux core, wire fed machine. Having the ability to see the "weld path", and the molten pool flowing made it possible to achieve a fairly consistent
bead width, and straight line. After hours of messing with power settings, wire speed, tip angle, and drag speed this is the result:

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The fillet radius is not so even, and I'd say there's a bit much pooled up in some spots.
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I just need to clean up some of the splatter, and buff the surface for a cleaner look. These pipes might even get
sent out for coating to give them some appeal. We'll see what happens when the body goes back onto the cage.
I still need to figure out the muffler placement, but for now it's going to have straight pipe out the back.

[kabacj]

Way to go Tino. Building an exhaust is a great customization project. I started welding the same way as you. A flux core wire feed. The more we weld the better we get. Lucky for us the GTM build takes a few years especially when you start modifying stuff. With each project I gain more confidence I am sure you will too. By the time we are done with our cars I'm sure you will be laying down dimes like the best if them. Keep up the good work.

John

[LCD Gauges]

As long as I have your blessing John, I must be on the right path! Here are a few more photos of the transaxle, and throttle link.

This is how the G96 hooks up using cable shift. You have to grind off/drill out the ball posts, then retrofit the threaded pins into the levers.
Can't wait to bang through the gears once the clutch pedal is bled (still need to find a banjo bolt that fits the slave).

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The throttle cable is made by a company called Teleflex (used for marine applications). This thing is durable, and looks solid. A modified
accelerator pedal from a Prelude makes it all come together nicely. A little grinding, and paint on the metal tab, then she's good to go!
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[LCD Gauges]

"No go" on the slave cylinder fitting today. I thought a 12 mm x 1.25 was the proper size. It turns out, the thread pitch
is not 1.25. So much for my crude measurements! A thread pitch gauge is tough to read while standing on your head, and
getting around all of the obstacles in the GTM engine bay. Eric wrote to tell me me found an adapter, and it's enroute
via mail. Hopefully it arrives this week.

The door popper kit arrived today. I'm looking forward to having the keyless entry option, along with provisions for trunk release,
and remote lighting. Once the scissor hinge kit arrives (aka Lambo door), I can start putting the doors together.

http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/300/366/366-99000.jpg

I can't wait to get back to the body work phase...:rolleyes:

[crash]

Once the scissor hinge kit arrives (aka Lambo door), I can start putting the doors together.



Oh no. Please tell me you are not doing "Lambo doors"? If you do a search on here you will read that they are a HUGE PITA to get right. Thus making a job that is already difficult into a complete nightmare. But to each his own, maybe you like being chained and whipped for all I know.;)

[RF RIDER]

Tino;
get the door frames, window track and the glass into the door shell, you might be pressed for space to get those door poppers in there. Start with passenger side as that one seems to have less room for some reason. I used the AVS system and placed them inside the two horizontal frame members and works fine, but mine are "flat" type.
I'm on the same side as Crash, you really want to try lambo doors on this car. I hope you install paint savers all over that door area.

[VD2021]

The electromagnetic solenoids will work, but there operation yields a loud "thud". They are also capable of creating a large (relative) pull force.

The AVS actuators are basically two door lock actuators working together to create enough force to move the latch. There operation is almost unnoticeable and I recommend them over the electromagnetic type when the application is appropriate.

[LCD Gauges]

Oh no. Please tell me you are not doing "Lambo doors"? If you do a search on here you will read that they are a HUGE PITA to get right. Thus making a job that is already difficult into a complete nightmare. But to each his own, maybe you like being chained and whipped for all I know.;)Mike, I like a little pain; this car has put me through hell some days as you can relate. On the bright side, I've learned a few new techniques, and skills so trying the scissor door hinge is a welcomed challenge.Thanks for the tips David, and Vidal. I'll do my best to make them fit, but ordering the flat door lock solenoids seems like a better solution. I'll keep you posted on the pain, and suffering.

[Fraser D]

Mike, I like a little pain; this car has put me through hell some days as you can relate. On the bright side, I've learned a few new techniques, and skills so trying the scissor door hinge is a welcomed challenge.Thanks for the tips David, and Vidal. I'll do my best to make them fit, but ordering the flat door lock solenoids seems like a better solution. I'll keep you posted on the pain, and suffering.

Tino,

Start a thread on your door hinge adventure as I am sure that there are lots of fellow builders who are, at the very least mildly curious and at worst masochistic voyeurs. I personally am curious to see how you resolve the challenge. Life inside the box is boring...... very boring.
Get after it!

[LCD Gauges]

Will do Fraser. I welcome, expect, and will overcome the frustration. I'm getting used to the routine by now. ;)



For those using the G96.00 transaxle with slave PN# 997.116.237.04, this is
what I recommend for materials:

12 mm x 1.0 metric to AN adapter (-4 AN). Russell# 670420
10 feet of PowerFlex, Teflon braid hose. Russell#632560
90 degree PowerFlex Endura Hose end, Russell#620441
Straight PowerFlex Endura Hose end, Russell#620141
3/8" NPT to - 4AN Adapter Fitting (Master end, NC24), Russell#640301

This will get you hooked up, first shot with no headaches. -4 AN is more
readily stocked around here, but there are options for -3 AN if you can find
a supplier.

I'm accumulated a bunch of materials during this jig-saw puzzle assembly that
are no longer needed due to revamping the system. I'll list them up for sale
soon. Hopefully someone can benefit from my setbacks.

[LCD Gauges]

Installed the clutch line today! I broke down and bought some temporary fittings as the -4AN to 12mm x 1.0 fitting is backordered. Tomorrow I'll bleed the system, and might be able to roll around a bit (if the weather is warm)! We are still getting 0-5 degree C temps. :S


Also spent time looming wires, and cleaning off a bit of dust (need to get "Kempo-clean!). I'd like to get some video of the startup for sharing. If nothing else, I'll put the car on jack stands to run the motor up to operating temps, and run through the gears. It will be nice to hear it running again since before Christmas.
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[LCD Gauges]

Some finishing touches for today. Seat belts, trimmed some electrical wiring,
connected a couple of gauges, and put the car on jack stands.


Tomorrow's job: bleed the clutch, brakes, and go for a spin. I guess I'll be
rerouting some steel lines too! Thanks Taz for the heads-up.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/524543_10151864009654148_655900863_n.jpg


Don't mind the direction of the exhaust. It's temp to keep the heat/gas away from the intake.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/305995_10151864009629148_633188138_n.jpg

[LCD Gauges]

Did another start-up today. The motor reached operating temps, with no drama. I'll post a short video soon...because I know how much everyone loves watching
a car idle on jackstands! ;)

It sounds, and idle much better with the extended exhaust pipes. It's almost too tame, and I'm wondering if the cam selection was a little on the conservative side
after watching the scanner. Check this out:
(open tri-y manifold)........(tuned 3 inch exhaust via PipeMax)
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Pretty scary stuff. The first column only populated after several minutes of run time. This was before the exhaust
was tuned. Notice the scattered idle. No PCM tuning for either scan. Amazing how a couple feet of pipe can
tame an engine.

I spent some time bleeding the clutch with no success. The pedal remained lifeless even after some troubleshooting.
I'm thinking the slave may be the issue as it was pre-loaded during the install by about 1/4". It didn't seem right at
the time, but Erik says it's fine. I'll trust the driveline expert, and try some other things tomorrow. My plan is to
force the fluid through the slave bleeder, and push the air out of the master bleeder.

[LCD Gauges]

She's done. Brakes, and clutch feeling tight with a little help from my "pressure creator".
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Here's a quick video with the new pipes. Don't mind the left exhaust extension, I didn't have it clamped tight enough...or at all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR9dn0ZVt_Q

I'm ready for a road test, but it has been raining for the past two days, and forecasting more tomorrow. Damn those April showers.

[LCD Gauges]

Door hinges arrived today! These things are HEAVY; I'd estimate 25 lbs. per side. Definitely a quality product, but it's gonna weigh me down.

More rain today, and calling for 5-10 cm of SNOW tomorrow! :eek: Can I have a test drive soon, Miss Nature?!

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[RF RIDER]

Tino;
your a brave man to tackle gull wing doors...keep us posted as to the progress with these hinges.

[LCD Gauges]

No problem Dave, I'll keep a detailed log of the experience. I'll need to fab up some brackets, or some sort of mounting plate as there isn't much frame to work with.

Today I was ready for a road test; warm enough, and no rain. My brother-in-law
was here to help out (video, and chase car), but the water temperature started
creeping into the danger zone, so I had to shut it down.


It turns out the valve on the remote thermostat housing is a P.O.S., and the
engine needed about a liter of water to remove the remaining air.


Now that the transaxle is going into reverse (link adjustment), it will be easier
to get out of the garage. The test-run should be a snap for tomorrow, and
I'll be right on schedule for the dare! :001_cool:


Here's another clip of the gear checks, and some rev's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOmJpMmcMko

[LCD Gauges]

Finally, with the co-operation of the weather, I was able to get the GTM out for a test drive!


What an awesome feeling to cross this stage of the build. The car behaved
better than expected with fairly decent handling considering the suspension
has not been aligned yet.


The gear linkage needs adjusting as you'll notice that second gear is tough
to engage.


Other than that, just a small fuel leak at the cross-over (passenger side).
It's difficult to see where it's coming from, but it might be the AN fitting
as opposed to the bore in the tank. Either way, it's a 2 minute job to remove
the tank with nothing in the way.




For all the *****ing, and complaining I've done, this milestone pretty much erases
all the frustration. If you're going through a tough time with your GTM, push
forward and know that it's all worth the trouble. Having said that, I'm not looking
forward to fitting the glass, doors, power windows, or body work!


Enjoy the video. Thanks to my wife for video taping, and Rob (the GM neighbour guy) for helping with the second set of eyes.
Honorable mention goes to Erik who we met this evening on his way home for the second cell phone video. :)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nvg6rFfvv4

[VD2021]

:cool: Congrats Tino. :cool:

I'm sure you're on a "GTM High" right now.:D

I cringed all the time your hand was under the chassis bar. Then I thought, had you severed a few fingers you would have told us LOL.

[fastthings]

Quite a battle, you won. Well done.

[LCD Gauges]

Right on Gene, and it wasn't easy! I'll have to jump into your thread, and check out your motor progress. There will be quite a few GTM's hitting the streets this year!

[LCD Gauges]

It seems as though my fuel cells are fitting properly now. I'm able to get the firewall pieces up against the cage which is awesome. This week will be spent assembling the interior aluminum, and firewall,
as well as cutting the wires to proper length. Hopefully the body will be installed over the weekend so that doors can be fitted, airbox measured, and the remainder of the exhaust figured out.

With that in mind, some time was spent shopping for wheels, and tires. The plan is 18 inch rear diameter, and 17 inch front diameter with the following rim/tire choice. I'll have to check the bolt spacing, etc.,
but I'm thinking this is the style that suits me best! 245/35/17, 305/35/18

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We'll see how many times I'll change my mind.

[crash]

CCWs ROCK! Great rim for the money.

[LCD Gauges]

Moving inward now: firewall is coming together, and working in a "permanent" mode, as opposed to temporary patching of pieces.

Just need to grab some more inserts, and matching bolts to finish this section.
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[LCD Gauges]

Body is back on (for now)! Starting some interior work, and more wiring.

With the centre console placed on the dash, you really get a sense of how low you're sitting.
I'll bet parking this car will have quite a learning curve.

It's nice to see the GTM wearing its skin again, but it's also a reminder of how much work there
is to complete. My hands will be full with fitting the doors this weekend. June 1st for registration?
Not looking so good! :eek:

Views from the driver's seat. Rear shoulder check seems fine considering most vehicles will be much
higher. The dash mounted gauge pod is making it difficult to see the right, front.

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Power distribution panel with cut-off switch, and bus bars. Still need to grab a fuse block
before bolting it all down.
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SO MUCH DUST! I need to run this car through the river once, or twice.

[G_Hodgkins]

Looks great!

[LCD Gauges]

Today was spent messing around with the console, and positioning the switches for best, "feel". Hopefully I'm not forgetting anything! The start buttons will probably get situated to the left of the steering wheel on a panel, or an overhead console. There's not too much space for additional buttons around the gear shifter.

My forearm, and elbow rest on the lower valley of the engine cover, so nothing will be placed in that position. I'd like to install a 12 volt port on the engine cover, but that's
all for that area. Stereo clearance will be tight around the vents, but it should look fine with the trim panel. Sub-woofer is going in the passenger foot well, covered
with a metal grill. They'll get a nice foot massage if nothing else! 7 speakers, and 11 on the volume dial! :cool:

Besides the door popper switches (which will have a guarded cover), what have YOU placed on the console that's unique? I'll be checking the build threads very carefully before I cut
anything.

Side scoops, rims, tires, and a bunch of other stuff will arrive by the weekend. New windshield is next. Doors are getting assembled. Ron, the dare is on! :mad:

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[LCD Gauges]

Guts going into doors! This is going to be easy, right?

These scissor hinges are proving to be a challenge. There is absolutely no place to mount the plating on the GTM frame.
I'll have to add some material, and reinforce it with some gizmo-Macgyver thingie.

For those that have installed their windows already, I'm calling for a little clarification please. The assembly manual says
to chop off the studs at the top end of the window tracks. That's done.

It doesn't mention anything about the studs at the bottom, but I'm assuming they all have to be removed. The only one
that is worth keeping (I believe) is the screw/stud in this photo. This could be used to secure the track to the bottom of
the door:

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This longer one either needs to be cut down to slide between the fiberglass, or removed completely.
The trouble is, there is a pulley fixed by this bolt. What's the deal here, and what have you done in this area?
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Nothing bolted down yet, just sitting for a photo shoot.
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This section of the fender-well will be built up with plates, and bars to secure the door hinge.
Scissor door guys, link me to your build page. I'll be searching for ideas!
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Pssst...Ron, I went to the ministry yesterday. Received some pleasant news, and instructions. Thanks for the continued fueling of the fire under my butt!

[Dalton1990]

Well you projects looks great... I guess you are pretty expert in all this working (http://www.allvehicleaccessories.com.au/) as you doing this project very good. I like your work, do you have any idea of when you are going to complete this project? Actually I wanna see the final photos after completing the job. Anyhow good luck dear for you next work.

[Fraser D]

Guts going into doors! This is going to be easy, right?

For those that have installed their windows already, I'm calling for a little clarification please. The assembly manual says
to chop off the studs at the top end of the window tracks. That's done.

It doesn't mention anything about the studs at the bottom, but I'm assuming they all have to be removed. The only one
that is worth keeping (I believe) is the screw/stud in this photo. This could be used to secure the track to the bottom of
the door:



The studs on the window tracks should just press out.
I tapped mine out using a socket sitting on a vise and a midsized hammer.
Didn't need to get enthusiastic with the hammer at all.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks for the tip; I ended up cutting the studs to eliminate the chance of warping the rails. I've found a few build threads that highlight the
install details for the top of the door which should come in handy. Apparently, there is also a more complete write-up from FFR floating around
this site as well.

Dalton, I'll keep the pictures coming for ya! This weekend will be a good test of patience, and workmanship as the doors, hinges, and windows
get fitted.

[LCD Gauges]

A bunch of stuff arrived today, and more to come next week. I think I shed a tear of joy when I opened these boxes. The rims are beautiful, and this stereo head unit is the bomb!
Can't wait to get it all installed.

7 inch TFT touch screen, bluetooth ready w/mic, backup camera trigger, remote, detach face w/carry case, DVD/CD/Aux Video. Damn!
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XXR 530 series wheels. Flat black finish.
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[LCD Gauges]

Checked some items for clearance this evening. Not much going on until the tires can be mounted, and the exhaust flex pipes arrive.
There will be a good deal of rework required to make things right, except the stereo install perhaps.

Side window air scoop mod. These things need to be cut down, and reshaped to fit the contour of the window. It's a pretty close
match, but not perfect. I'm not sure where I'll route the air flow, but I'm thinking rear brake cooling, or help to circulate warm air
out of the engine bay.

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Stereo is darn near made for this console. I don't think I'll need any magic to make this fit.
Making the bracket will be quite the task I'm betting.
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P.S. What are the ISIS guys doing for stereo location? Will the ISIS control/play music as well?

Exhaust is tight; not sure my accumulator can stay in the current spot. The muffler diameter is a touch on the
excessive side, but I'm hoping I"ll be able to center the tips in the rear molded area next to the license plate.
I'll have the tips protrude outside of the body so that the lower lip is about 1/2" extended. I will have to shield
the fiberglass with some aluminum to prevent warping.

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As much as I'm liking these rims, I'm regretting the offset/backspace dimensions. The wheel sticks out too far
out the side of the body for my liking. At the moment my gut says to roll the front wheel-well a couple of inches,
and use fiberglass to build a smooth transition to an inconspicuous "line" in the body.

This setup also needs a nicer brake caliper as the spokes disclose quite a bit of the rotor, and brake hardware.
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That's it for me. I hope your builds are going well.

[flotowngtm]

"P.S. What are the ISIS guys doing for stereo location? Will the ISIS control/play music as well?"

The ISIS InTOUCH MAX screen does nothing but control the ISIS system. But last week ISIS emailed a upcoming product that's to be out this summer. There is a new Kenwood head unit ( DNN990HD )that's going to be released this summer Edit... its for sale now. Its WIFI compatible. So ISIS is doing what they always do and add another part to the system so now you can have all of your controls for the ISIS and your Navigation, Radio, Camera, etc all in one unit on your dash.

The new component for the ISIS is called InTOUCH NET, its not on there web site as of last week. But should be soon.

I was a little worried about someone stealing the radio out of my car and then its stranded! So I called ISIS and they told me that I should be able to wire in the ISIS screen somewhere else in the car just incase. But well have to see.


Also I think Thomas142 makes custom side window scoops for the GTM. Might cut down on your labor

[VD2021]

As much as I'm liking these rims, I'm regretting the offset/backspace dimensions. The wheel sticks out too far
out the side of the body for my liking. At the moment my gut says to roll the front wheel-well a couple of inches,
and use fiberglass to build a smooth transition to an inconspicuous "line" in the body.


I would opt to replace it with the correct offset.

He's a link to a chart that may be useful.

https://home.comcast.net/~hayabusa02/Tires.htm

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Vidal; I think I have the science of measurement down, but it's too bad my head isn't screwed on straight. I thought my car had spacers at all four corners, but it turns out just the rear
wheels have spacers.

The rims I ordered require adapters to change from 5 x 120.6 mm to 5 x 114 mm, so...thinking the front had spacers as well,...yeah, you got it, I'm a dumbass.

I'm still torn about giving up the rims, and a little stubborn as well. We'll see what my search returns; these rims may have to go. :(

Thanks for the lead Flotown, but I'm into this project neck deep. Gotta try it all alone!

[RumRunner]

Tino,

Just remember, if you do order new F14 rims from Forgestar, you do not need the spacers that FFR sent. The spacers were only required for the stock 'vette wheels.

-Michael

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Micheal, I appreciate the info.

A lesson learned from ordering parts on a custom kit car - never go by memory/assumption.

[crash]

Hate to say this, but the guys at CCW are very familiar with the GTM and would not have sold you something that did not fit properly. Yet another reason THEY ROCK!

(No I have no relationship with them other than me buying rims from them previously)

[LCD Gauges]

I only have myself to blame for the mis-fit, as I ordered these through a supplier. The rear fits fine as there's an adapter to take place of the
FFR space. The front, well, that was my brain dead mistake.

I've looked at the CCW site from your previous recommendation, and my favourite is the C14. Today I called a Forgestar dealer about the F14
wheels (same as Hugo), and they wanted $1660 + tax, and 5 weeks to machine them. I'd image the CCW would cost about the same, and take
as long to fabricate.

I'd much rather find a wheel through my supplier, and receive it within a week...but we'll see. My options are limited.
Worst case, I'll run the C5 rims until something comes through; I'm not going to settle.

[LCD Gauges]

A few more toys for the final stretch. Late last week, the windshield went to a glass shop for replacement options. I may end up using Lexan if we can't
find a suitable shape to fit the contour of the body. Last measurement checked at 1/2" gap on one side.

3rd Brake Light (required in Ontario) w/ stop & turn functions. Some LED turn signals for the front.
Not sure if I'll use them as side markers, or up front...or not at all.
17786177871778817789

Leather wrapped shift knob from Razo, with brushed aluminum accents. Feels good, and has
a nice weight for firm action on the throw.
1779017791

If anyone can confirm the pin assignments for this connector, I'd appreciate it.
Pin A (purple) - Sender ground
Pin B (black) - Pump ground
Pin C (red) - 12 Volt Pump Power
Pin D (blue) - Sender signal

Yes?
17792

[LCD Gauges]

Looking like the windshield alternative isn't going to happen. I'll have to swallow shipping, and customs fees to get the glass from FFR.
Silly me for breaking it the first time!

More progress made today as I worked on the electrical, side air scoops, and body/muffler cutout centers. Tomorrow is, "Scissor Door Hinge Assembly Day".
We should make that a national holiday?

Gonna play with this placement before welding the system. Sleep on it, and then try another extension.
178571785817859

Stereo amplifier getting wired up; it takes up the exact length of the fuel tank fire-wall.
LED sidemarkers will be used in place of those chrome ones linked up above. These things
seem more fitting, and the chrome lights may find a home in the interior for courtesy lights.
178601786417865

Almost done with the LH scoop! I'll need to bolt them tight to the body then fill the gaps;
the back end is sitting a bit high right now as you see in the last photo.
178611786217863

[LCD Gauges]

A bit more work on the tail-end. Nothing is welded, just staged for the photo shoot. The accumulator will have to be
repositioned, but otherwise things fit well. I'm thinking the tips are extended to a nice length; no change of heart after
seeing it next day.

178811788217883

[LCD Gauges]

Important things first: got the sub box pretty much buttoned up.

This is not the correct size for the woofer, but what can you do when you are limited to a foot well?! This thing is removable for those long trips with
passengers, or extra tall people.

The RH door also got mounted; still needs the striker, and latch bolted. Tomorrow the doors get aligned, and then I'll be able to start the scissor hinge!
Appraisal guy is coming next Friday, and Insurance is on stand-by. I have a great deal of interior, and electrical work ahead of me, however getting a
base-line value will get me rolling by mid June. Sorry Ron, I can't /wont rush this to win the dare, but it's getting close to street ready. Once the windshield
arrives, it's going for safety, the registration!

17894u17895l

[LCD Gauges]

Both doors closing; still need to gap them, but that must wait until body is mounted, and scissor hinges are installed.
Cut out the lower, side air inlets. Not sure whether these will be used to cool rear brakes, or simply direct hot air out
of the engine bay.
Exhaust, and electrical. Then button up the interior...should only take a few minutes.

Rear power distribution finally mounted, and secure. Kinda too pretty to be hidden by engine cover. Kinda not.
17960
Rough cuts, and initial door alignment with standard hinge. Sorry about the sideways photo.
17961179621796317964

[LCD Gauges]

Tomorrow is June 1st! My car is supposed to be finished, and on the road! Sorry Ron, I failed...what do I owe you?

Some interesting pictures to share as the big-boy stuff is getting done. Found rims with a similar pattern, but proper offset. Going with a different tire combo;
Toyo Proxes R1R series.

Exhaust - pretty much done; thinking about grinding the welds and polishing the tubes, or maybe wrapping the mid section. Anxious to hear the new tone with the
huge canister glass-packs.

Both lower air inlets rough cut. Upper air inlets have scoops, but need trimming because the window guide on the door is interfering. Didn't see that coming - geometry sucks.

Cool LED's all around for interior lighting, turn, brake, side marker, dash flood, dome, and engine bay sizzle (I know, borderline ricer!)

Tomorrow dash wiring, and headlamp/brake lamp wiring. Maybe even a quick boot around the block if the rain holds off. Video for sure!

181251812818129

Body needs to move right about one inch to center the intake w/ muffler spacing.
1812718126

Glass, and filler to blend the scoop; still thinking of a method to mount air duct.
Door handle will probably get filled in for the "shaved" look.
181301813118132

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32SK-SnJCVA&feature=youtu.be

[LCD Gauges]

Good progress today:

- Windshield arrived this morning (no drama)
- Appraiser showed up early; docs should be ready by weekend
- Installed most of the console switches/buttons
- Cut-out the dash inlay for the gauges
- Powered up the stereo for the first time

Main power panel getting wired up. Not sure if I'll paint the poly, or leave it clear. Many more wires to come.
Gauges are looking good; I'm liking the aftermarket appearance more than I thought.
181701817118175

Stereo face kicks out four inches - HVAC & pushbuttons needed to be moved closer to shifter.
Had to cut the key bracket away from the console tubing.
1817218173
Door skin hung for some extra appeal during the appraisal. If the receipts get covered, I'll be happy!
For those doing a custom layout outside of the FFR template - REMEMBER TO CHECK CLEARANCE FOR THE SHIFT HARDWARE, AND IGNITION BRACKET! :mad:
New steering wheel required to see the gauges. The entire mid section of the sweep is blocked.
18174181761817718178

Insurance is on stby. Picking up customs docs on Thursday.

Safety next week, and then registration time!!!!!(JUNE 11th)!!!!!!

[Presto51]

Insurance is on stby. Picking up customs docs on Thursday.

Safety next week, and then registration time!!!!!(JUNE 11th)!!!!!!

Hey Tino I'll cut you some slack if you post video of you driving legal like down the highway before the end of this month, or should I Double Dog Dare You Again :confused:

[LCD Gauges]

Bought some tools to help finish the car. This should help button up the underbody aluminum? :D
Also installed a monitored alarm to keep the GTM safer at night, and while I'm away.

1820818209

[sk7500]

You're making great progress. Keep it up. I know you are getting anxious but just remember to have fun along the way. It's really not much fun doing it the second time because you pushed too hard the first time. But then again without a goal, nothing would ever get done. :D

[Kalstar]

So what wheels did you go with?

[LCD Gauges]

Ended up grabbing MSR, Black Pearl with a similar pattern. I thought flat black was my thing until I saw these in the show room. They look better in person;
my crappy cell phone camera doesn't show the highlight of the finish, but whatever...I'm liking them over the previous rims! Wishing I had some paint on this
car about now. UG-A-LEE!

1830818309

Still waiting on my guy to submit the appraisal to insurance, and then I'm off to register. Working on securing the body at the moment, then getting the windshield
stuck for the certification. Fun times.

Also noteworthy, I picked up a wicked cool rearview mirror with integrated GPS and rear view camera. It will compliment the Boss head unit nicely with video inputs
for full time rear view, and reverse triggered back-up camera. The mirror is essentially a computer (Windows operating system, Applications, games...WTF?!) with
Bluetooth, and WIFI for web browsing. Again, WTF?! There are enough accidents on the road without having a gaming system next to your forehead. Anyway,
if you haven't decided on a mirror, this thing is pretty diverse.

18307

[LCD Gauges]

It's done. Finally done. Words cannot describe the sense of, "end" to this madness.

18546

[sk7500]

Let me be the first to congratulate you on obtaining the one accessory made from unobtanium. 😉 It will give you the greatest sense of satisfaction of all the pieces you will ever bolt on your car.

Steve

[LCD Gauges]

Steve, thank you, and you are so right. For a while, I thought I was screwed and may end up with a very expensive paper weight in my garage. If it weren't for the original
owner coming through with the customs documents, my next few weeks would be spent filling out forms to get access to confidential information.

OH MAN, THIS IS A HAPPY DAY! :D

[Fraser D]

This Forum seriously needs a "Like" button. ;-)

[Kalstar]

This Forum seriously needs a "Like" button. ;-)

X2 ditto

[kabacj]

It's done. Finally done. Words cannot describe the sense of, "end" to this madness.

18546

Well done Tino! You have been making great progress lately. Its got to be nice to drive the GTM on the street.
You have joined a very elite club of GTM builders who have a street legal car. Congratulations !
John

[rev2xs]

Yes Tino I concur. Congratulations and enjoy the feeling of that weight being lifted off of your shoulders!

[LCD Gauges]

Can you feel the love in here?! :cool:

Hopefully I'll have a video out within the next week. I'll have to strengthen the
rear body support, and finish up some electrical before road testing begins.


My car will be the ugliest GTM on the road with filler, and primer patches, but
that will change in a short period of time. I swear, I'm doing it all backwards!


Gauges are complete; I used 2 5/8" voltage, and temp dials, along with five
inch
RPM & Tach gauges. The two inch Pro Comp's that came with the kit have been
moved to the on-dash gauge pod (fuel, h20, oil psi). Red backlights match
the stereo, and interior lighting theme.


I may add LED's for trouble, MIL, above the volts/oil temp, and a shift light
between the turn signals. Should be easy enough.


Maybe even an LCD strip below the RPM/Speed for basic info like outside air temp,
OBDII parameters, etc. That will be a project for over the Winter.


https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1014290_606033626087374_1615388441_n.jpg
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1011386_606033592754044_1564608632_n.jpg

[LCD Gauges]

The most important part of the car is nearly complete - the entertainment system!
Just waiting on a rearview camera, and monitor arrive, then the tunnel can be
buttoned up.

After that, the interior will get some attention, and then THE SCISSOR DOOR HINGES. :eek:
If that's not the death of me, nothing will kill me.

Hoping to roll out by end of July!

19362

[LCD Gauges]

Does anyone know what this part is? It doesn't seem to be found in the GTM manual?

I just hope it has a stick shift ... if ya know what I mean?! ;)

19442

[flotowngtm]

Congrats Tino! Now from what I can see, I say you have created yourself a 6 month deadline to finish your GTM! So get on it!!!

[Kempo]

Congratulations Tino!!!!!

[Fraser D]

Congrats Tino!!! But I think that you have around 4 months :-)

[sk7500]

Does anyone know what this part is? It doesn't seem to be found in the GTM manual?

I just hope it has a stick shift ... if ya know what I mean?! ;)

19442

Actually this part is in the build manual. It's in the introduction when Dave says "The process of building a car is a lot like the process of having kids". What he neglects to tell you is this is a possible side effect after all those major milestones are achieved and indeed long after the car is finished. Be warned this part will be MUCH more expensive than the GTM your building. 

Congratulations on the newest part and a great car.

Steve

[crash]

Does anyone know what this part is? It doesn't seem to be found in the GTM manual?

I just hope it has a stick shift ... if ya know what I mean?! ;)

19442

That is the final part of the GTM project, because once you have that, very little work will be done to the GTM going forward.

[claybags]

Congrats Tino. Looks like you've been building more than a GTM!
Cheers to you AND your bride.
Jeff

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Fam! It's exciting to share the news that could possibly be the demise of the GTM project! Rest assured, the car will get finished,
although I may have to wait longer for paint...maybe I'll just grab a paint roller on one Sunday afternoon and get it done. :p

Back to cars:

Picked up the dedicated rearview system today. The screen is the same height, and colour as the rearview mirror which is cool. I'm not sure
how my brain will interpret seeing two different perspectives of the same view however. The monitor may have to get placed elsewhere.

This car is beginning to look like a movie theatre with all of these screens (Nav/Backup, Rearview, and Stereo)! There is a member on the other forum
with four LCD's, and four cameras (don't recall the name). He's got me beat!

1944619447

[LCD Gauges]

Rear light, and front light wires cut to length, and tidy. Tomorrow the fog lamps, and camera systems get plumbed.

I'm thinking to swap the orange lenses for red, and put the reverse lights next to the license plate (rectangular).
I'd also like to parallel the two pairs of tail lights to flash/brake in unison. Not totally set on that idea, but it looks
good in my brain.

1956219563

Dirty enough yet?

[LCD Gauges]

Slugging away at interior wiring. The camera systems are tuned, and centre console is done. Moving onto HVAC, and dash gauges soon.

One of the fog lights turned out to be pooched, so it was a perfect opportunity to replace them with tighter fitting lamps. These don't stick
out of the bore nearly as much, and have a nicer light colour. If you tilt them just right, you can see the blue from the bulb just like the photo.

1997519976

No more deadline 'cuz I can't meet them, but this SOB is going for a ride next week some time! I really haven't checked the engine up to operating temps, or gotten out of
second gear. Then the body comes off for a coat of primer. Not fun.

[LCD Gauges]

For shame, back on page two! Been doing quite a bit of wiring over the last week, and now I'm working on the suede covering. Fuel tank covers are done, and some
of the tunnel aluminum is riveted. Hope to have that, and the sound dampener done this week.

How are you all doing the tunnel suede? Are you tucking it under the carpet, and console? I'd imagine that's the easiest, and most sensible. I'll have to check the manual
for their recommendation before moving on. My plan is to stick some padding behind the suede to kill the sound, and give it a more, "plush" appearance.

Here are some shots of the firewall/tank covers. Crappy cell phone picks. My wife agrees that we need a better camera to snap photos of the...ummm...baby. :D
This kid might come in handy afterall!

3M Spray Glue is really sticky, and fast drying. Painters tape to hold it all down until it's solid. Wrinkle free covering.
206862068720685

Amps mounted. Using a small Alpine amp for the Nav system so it doesn't sidechain my
music!
20684

[LCD Gauges]

Sound dampening/heat shielding started. I'll be putting this under the carpet, and between the suede and tunnel aluminum. Rumour has it, the tunnel gets very warm, but I'm also going for the padded upholstery look. Two birds, one pad. ;)

207182071920720

[LCD Gauges]

The suede is placed for fitting, it's not glued yet, but i can tell it will lay down nice. The heat shielding is adhering to the aluminum very well,
and gives the padded look I wanted, without seeing the rivets, and edges.

As a test, I wrapped my 60 watt utility lamp with the shielding, and it was cool to the touch. Hopefully I'll be able to contain the cooling temps
within the tunnel using a combination of this foiled shield, and insulating wrap on the pipes.

Snake skin loom on the wires, and then I'll need to find some sort of metallic, black button as a grommet for the holes in the suede. Almost ready
for seats and a test drive...almost.

20768

[LCD Gauges]

The HVAC is working. It turns out, I'm a fool for not connecting it properly.

Heavy Gauge white ground to battery = good
Small Gauge white ground to bus bar (*1.5 feet from battery lug) = not good

When the instructions say, both grounds to battery negative, it means dead-nuts to the post. I was shocked when tech support suggested this
over the phone. My ego was betting he'd be wrong, and I'd get to offer a, "haha, I told ya so".

Not even 0..02 volts dropped across the bus bar, however the Vintage Air electronics could detect the difference. It would have made sense if the
second ground connection was made down stream on the frame, and a bunch of resistance was present.

Humbled yet again in life. The good news is that I've started routing the vent hoses. Where is everyone sticking the passenger side footwell vent?
The only place that is easily accessible is just in front of the port (where the floor pan steps down to the foot well).

Back to the GTM manual, and search function. Link your photos if you have them!

[LCD Gauges]

Mostly good news, and a little bad news.

Most of the interior wiring is complete, and the gauges appear to be responding properly. The tach is reading a bit high, so I’ll have to calibrate
the unit, or purchase a converter. If I’m not mistaken, the Autometer requires an additional box to properly read the mutli-coil signal? All of the
electronics are checking out. The head-unit will power the LCD for backup camera view, even if the stereo is off. That’s pretty cool…maybe
that’s typical of all head units with backup cams?

The engine fired up again; it’s pretty quiet with the mufflers. Almost too quiet for a sporty, super-car, kinda sound. My wife was pleasantly
surprised…and I was thinking, MORE VOLUME! :D We’ll see how she sounds through revs with a bit of engine load.

The bad news is that, the engine stalled fairly soon after. When I went to restart, the starter gear got jammed on the flywheel. I’ll have to reshim
since putting on the heat shield which is partially held by the starter bolts. The MAF will likely need some VE table tweaks to keep it idling smoother.
That’s the plan for tonight, and another video.

Check out this McLaren’s paint scheme. I’m thinking the GTM would look great in a similar pattern, minus all the lettering, and less black on the front
end?
21035

EDIT: Starter is shimmed, and a bit of tuning done. Car still dies at idle. It has been doing so since installing the mufflers. Tuning is fun...

[LCD Gauges]

Better late than never (I think I've said that before). Start-up & idle tuning was a bit of a pain; the mufflers really changed the airflow through the motor,
and I'd consider the Magnaflows to flow very well, with little restriction. It sounds, and feels like there's at least one cylinder down. It's most likely a fouled
plug from the failed restarts.

A few things to fix like the rear, right night running light, water gauge backlight, and a couple other minor glitches. If the weather is good tomorrow, and the
motor behaves, I'll have an extended road test ahead of me!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYPs-dA-028&feature=youtu.be

P.S. I told ya it was quiet...and dirty.

[flotowngtm]

Lukn4trbl, hey how about this. Looks very close.

[LCD Gauges]

I remember seeing that photo before owning the GTM! Very cool car, and the paint theme is nice too. I have plenty of time to decide on the artwork before my car sees a paint booth. I've even considered 'wrapping' the car until the funds are available for a show-car, pro-shoot.

There's no doubt that with a baby arriving in December, my wallet is going to be dry for a VERY long time. We might have to start a fund to finish my car! I'll dance nude
on video for anyone that donates. :cool:

[flotowngtm]

Guys we need to start a fund for "Lukn4trbl"
Looks at thou he is about to sell his soul in desperation.

[LCD Gauges]

Yes, a spark plug fund would be nice! Changed out another set for a hotter plug, and ready for more tuning tonight. The initial VE table edit allowed the
engine to idle, but it's way too rich now. I'm not sure if that's the cause of the "misfire" sensation, or something else is amiss. No codes, and all vitals
are responding. Hopefully, it's just a matter of messing with the air flow tables.

Carburetors are so much easier to deal with when it comes to initial settings.

Wrong heat range, timing "so-so", way rich in the idle region, and deep in the core too.
2115821159

[Kempo]

What engine are you running? and what plugs? PM me your tune, a log and the config you are using to log.

[LCD Gauges]

2003 LQ9 originally from a Silverado with a bunch of mods (essentially an LS6 with an iron block is the closest I can describe). PCM is from a
2002 Fbody. MAF is from an 02 Vette. Plugs are Champion (can't recall the pn#; previously tried NKG TR-6 which are too cold for startup settings.

I'll see about getting a tune over your way, but it's not even close to being complete. The stock PCM needs injector flow calibrated for the LQ9, and the VE tables
for the mods that I have. I've only tweaked the VE tables once to get it semi-idling, so there's not much to see right now.

EDIT: I've downloaded a stock config file for an LQ9 which should get me close for the 6.0L displacement, as opposed to the PCM's Fbody tune.

[LCD Gauges]

It's good again. My PCM wasn't liking Hugo's files (something about a VCM mismatch). I had to cut & paste some tables from a stock LQ9 tune, then edit
crank, idle, VE, and fuel.

She sounds good; much different now with editing (I don't mean idle quality, I mean sound). Still a bit of tuning ahead of me; now it's a bit lean. Nothing that
a bit of messing around can't fix. After months of dust covered skin, the GTM received the first rinse. I'll have to degrease the whole body, then give it a nice
layer of gray to make it prettier.

I've decided to postpone the scissor hinges until the Winter. I really want to get this car on the road, and looking somewhat respectable. Only about two months
remain before the weather goes South! Thanks again Hugo for sending those files in any case.

Lots of heat coming into the cabin from the fans (the aluminum isn't populated in the foot wells yet); who needs a heater when you have a rad dumping heat
downstream? :cool:

21183

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFfLZn4mzsQ&feature=youtu.be

[Kempo]

Very nice Tino. Glad to see you have your GTM running.

[fastthings]

Lukngud man.

[LCD Gauges]

Thank you both! Can't wait to get this thing onto a windy road, or highway!

[Fraser D]

Tino, You will have a blast!
knock off the rough edges and go harrass a few "off the lot" musscle cars :-)

[LCD Gauges]

For sure Dave, I'm already getting my kicks blasting around the block. It's so nice that I can finally hop in, and start'er up! I've been a bit tentative with the accelerator
because i have low octane fuel in the tanks, and still a bit lean...BUT, today I gave it a nice snap, and it bolted forward pretty good. Sounds mean! I'm finally starting to
enjoy the project, and working harder to get the essentials complete so it can be driven to work, etc.

Today the mirrors were installed. Measured about ten times before drilling, and the same for the opposite side. My speedometer isn't working at the moment; HP Tuners
isn't even getting a signal so it must be the sensor, or harness. I'm going to try using the wheel sensors because the one that's bolted to the transaxle might not be compatible?

Also having trouble with the temp gauge; the sender is reading 2.2K ohms at ambient I may need a resistor in parallel to cut the reading so the gauge needle will swing.

Silver mirror, and black mirror.
2133721338

Some motivational pics for the desktop!
2133921340

Still too lean, but getting in range. I'll need to start logging some miles to get it right.
The short trips around the block are not enough.
21341

[LCD Gauges]

Fixin' stuff. Found another Autometer temp sender, and connected it in parallel. I'm not sure why the probe that came with the gauge is nearly twice the resistance
than what their documentation states?

Moved the VSS to the right, rear wheel sensor as opposed to the transaxle reluctor wheel. Also found a field in HP Tuners that might help with the tach calibration.
Has anyone lucked out with changing this value from six pulses, to four pulses?

21382

[LCD Gauges]

Had the car out again today for a fairly lengthy drive. Not the nicest day, but productive nonetheless.

The speedometer is now working, along with all of the other gauges. After fighting with several ghosts, I've discovered that
my setup does not require a resistor on the speedometer signal wire, and my VSS sensor was functional all along.

To update my previous post, changing the tach signal from 6 to 4 pulses in HP Tuners throws off the calibration to about 2000 RPM
too high. The correct setting for the LS series, multi-coil engine is 12 pulses for my car (and I'm assuming for all LS engines using the Autometer?).

21475

I'm fairly happy with the GTM's performance out-of-the-box. Even without power steering, I don't find the action
too difficult in parking lots, or rolling out of the driveway. At speed, it's not even an issue. Same with the brakes;
it feels as though it will stop on a dime. Very little pedal pressure required, and I'm using the base C5 calipers.

What are your thoughts (for those without pwr steering, or pwr brakes)?

The acceleration is incredible for such a light frame, and I'm not really pushing it too hard right now. Definitely going
to be bad-*** when it's all dialed-in, and properly aligned.

Next on the list is door assembly (windows, poppers, speakers, etc.). I'm not holding my breath on this phase; it's going
to take a great deal of patience to get the door spacing proper, and sealed properly. All to be removed over the Winter
for the scissor door hinge. With only a couple of months left, I wonder if it's even worth the trouble?

My goal is to drive the car to work at least once! Maybe use it for all of October, and then strip it down in November.
I don't think I can put off driving this thing any longer.

Focus Tino...doors, and primer.

[Kalstar]

Had the car out again today for a fairly lengthy drive. Not the nicest day, but productive nonetheless.

The speedometer is now working, along with all of the other gauges. After fighting with several ghosts, I've discovered that
my setup does not require a resistor on the speedometer signal wire, and my VSS sensor was functional all along.

To update my previous post, changing the tach signal from 6 to 4 pulses in HP Tuners throws off the calibration to about 2000 RPM
too high. The correct setting for the LS series, multi-coil engine is 12 pulses for my car (and I'm assuming for all LS engines using the Autometer?).

21475

I'm fairly happy with the GTM's performance out-of-the-box. Even without power steering, I don't find the action
too difficult in parking lots, or rolling out of the driveway. At speed, it's not even an issue. Same with the brakes;
it feels as though it will stop on a dime. Very little pedal pressure required, and I'm using the base C5 calipers.

What are your thoughts (for those without pwr steering, or pwr brakes)?

The acceleration is incredible for such a light frame, and I'm not really pushing it too hard right now. Definitely going
to be bad-*** when it's all dialed-in, and properly aligned.

Next on the list is door assembly (windows, poppers, speakers, etc.). I'm not holding my breath on this phase; it's going
to take a great deal of patience to get the door spacing proper, and sealed properly. All to be removed over the Winter
for the scissor door hinge. With only a couple of months left, I wonder if it's even worth the trouble?

My goal is to drive the car to work at least once! Maybe use it for all of October, and then strip it down in November.
I don't think I can put off driving this thing any longer.

Focus Tino...doors, and primer.

This thread has been incredibly enjoyable to read. I look almost daily for an update. From one Silverado engined GTM owner to another, keep up the good work.

[LCD Gauges]

Nice, I didn't know you had a Q stuffed in there as well, I thought I was the only one. Did you end up using a F.A.S.T. intake on yours?

[LCD Gauges]

If you need an overflow can, Mr. Gasket makes a fairly nice one for about $15. My only complaint is that the mounting hardware is lacking in comparison to the polished can, and anodized caps.
They included a worm gear clamp, and a cheap looking flat piece of drilled aluminum - no thanks. I think I'll use a stainless band clamp, or chrome bracket for an MSD coil instead.

21565

NOw that I've had my fix kickin' around the streets, I'm going to shift focus to the doors, and getting the body primed. The last couple of days have been spent trimming the excess
from the contour of the doors. From there, I'll be sanding everything again with proper stroke patterns, and grit. I've been reading quite a bit about fiberglass prep, as well as taking
the pro advice from Steve, and Michael. Soon enough, I'll have it all looking decent with a solid primer application.

Here's where I'm at with the driver door. It shuts smoothly, but there are some waves along the seam. I'll have to be conservative with how much material is removed because the
scissor door hinge installation will probably change the gap spacing. The final trim, and fit will have to be done over the Winter.

As you can see from the swirl marks, the sanding strokes are incorrect. Why must we use a criss-cross motion? I figured small circles
would promote a smoother, and flatter finish? Does the criss-cross allow for better adhesion of the primer (like a cross-hatch will for
oil on the cylinder bore)? I can't find an answer to that question through my reading thus far.
2156621567

[LCD Gauges]

I like profile, and style of this wing! Also looking for options on the rear diffuser.
2158721588

21586

I think I"ll call Ferrari, and Lambo dealers for pricing. Do you think I'll have to refinance my mortgage to afford either? Maybe I'll just stick to my Integra wing...;)

[LCD Gauges]

It's go time! Wheels are off, body is gettin' a wash, and the rear support is getting mounted. Found a bunch of good stuff tonight on the rear suspension: LR tie-rod was
1/4" extended compared to RR, and the cam bolts were not aligned very well. The alignment is a bit closer now I'm sure after grabbing the measuring tape, and a level.

The driver's door is positioned as close as possible, yet there is a crazy warp at the top of the window guide. If the bottom edge is flush with the body, and the
contour near the handle lines up, the top is angled outward as shown. Lucky for me I'll be adding scoops, and should be able to blend in the panel. I'm also hoping
the door seal will help put things into perspective.

216182161921620

Fun with lasers. $29 + tax at Home Depot. Leveling platform, tri-pod, and a few attachments. I'll be using this to help line up the body,
and check for waves in the sanding. As you can see, the trunk lid has a couple of dips, and the laser flares in these areas. I guess using
my eyes, and a flashlight could do the same thing, but i needed to justify this purchase!

It appears that I have to tweak the exhaust holes, and the license plate.
21624216212162321622

Last but not least, a little support for the rear of the car. This aluminum bar will be bolted to the tx mount after cutting to length.
Long strand fiberglass, and bolted behind the license plate for a firm hold.
21625

[Kalstar]

I have an L33 out of a 05 Silverado. I used an LS6 intake. With a baby cam, the power to the wheels is 358whp/339 Tq. Roughly equal to a stock LS2 or LS6. What mufflers are you using?

[VD2021]

The LH side aft door post will need to be worked to move the top of it in. If you leave it you'll likely never get a decent seal.

You should also be prepared to rework the entire window surrounding, primarily the A pillar and then the aft post, iot make it match the shape of the window.

[LCD Gauges]

I have an L33 out of a 05 Silverado. I used an LS6 intake. With a baby cam, the power to the wheels is 358whp/339 Tq. Roughly equal to a stock LS2 or LS6. What mufflers are you using?

Not bad for a 5.3! With a 6.0L, extra compression, and moderate cam I'm hoping to get 400ish at the wheel.
The mufflers are Magnaflow pn#14806
21631

The LH side aft door post will need to be worked to move the top of it in. If you leave it you'll likely never get a decent seal.

You should also be prepared to rework the entire window surrounding, primarily the A pillar and then the aft post, iot make it match the shape of the window.

So, another three years of my life you figure? I was thinking to slice into the back side of the pillar in multiple locations
to mold it into shape, then use a hardener with fibeglass to make it solid again.

Speaking of body work, how many of you have a major offset at the rear tires? One side is almost one inch offset
from the fender. I'm thinking a thicker spacer on the driver's side is the most effective way to correct this issue?
While I'm there, I might as well deal with the radius of the wheel wells too.
21633
On a sad note, the driver's side tank is leaking. I'm already draining the fuel, and ripping out the driver's seat.
Just as well, I needed more work to do...
21632
I'm so tempted to order a set of aluminum tanks, but that's $$$dreaming$$$ right about now. I'm selling nude photos of myself
for $5 a shot. Who wants one?

[VD2021]

Not bad for a 5.3! With a 6.0L, extra compression, and moderate cam I'm hoping to get 400ish at the wheel.
The mufflers are Magnaflow pn#14806
21631


So, another three years of my life you figure? I was thinking to slice into the back side of the pillar in multiple locations
to mold it into shape, then use a hardener with fibeglass to make it solid again.

Speaking of body work, how many of you have a major offset at the rear tires? One side is almost one inch offset
from the fender. I'm thinking a thicker spacer on the driver's side is the most effective way to correct this issue?
While I'm there, I might as well deal with the radius of the wheel wells too.
21633
On a sad note, the driver's side tank is leaking. I'm already draining the fuel, and ripping out the driver's seat.
Just as well, I needed more work to do...
21632
I'm so tempted to order a set of aluminum tanks, but that's $$$dreaming$$$ right about now. I'm selling nude photos of myself
for $5 a shot. Who wants one?

It sucks that you've developed a leak. What technique and materials did you use on the crossover fittings?

Door Post-I used a similar technique on the aft post. I sanded the area down to the fg, cut out a section that allowed me to move it into the correct position. I clamped it and filled the inside with long-strand reinforced fg filler. Then fg'd the exterior and finished with rage.

Rear Wheels-You just need to move the body until you get equal measurements on both sides. Michael did a great right up. http://www.ffcars.com/forums/42-factory-five-gtm-forum/289128-hood-body-alignment-problem.html#post2642342

HTHs

[LCD Gauges]

It sucks that you've developed a leak. What technique and materials did you use on the crossover fittings?

I actually read your instructions before doing the cross-over connections. The epoxy was a different kind however; maybe I'll need something
a little better, and perhaps prep the tank more thoroughly for stronger adhesion.


Rear Wheels-You just need to move the body until you get equal measurements on both sides. Michael did a great right up. http://www.ffcars.com/forums/42-factory-five-gtm-forum/289128-hood-body-alignment-problem.html#post2642342

Geez, cutting the roll cage to fit the body?! Kill me now. I've already tried a smaller scale procedure to what Michael had posted; it almost feels like the body
will snap with the stress of pushing the back end to the right side. The hatch will line up with the edge of the body when pushed to the right, but the rear wheels
don't center laterally. Maybe a video is easier to explain. Thanks for the link, that's a great help!

[LCD Gauges]

Oh yeah baby, we're almost bang on. After measuring, and leveling everything in sight, the rear bracket was installed. Now the tires, and trunk lid are sitting in their
rightful place.

The wheel alignment has not been completed yet, but it's pretty close (as is the ride height). I'm not going to set anything in stone until the wheels have been setup, however
my procedure was to align the body to the frame/cage, and not the wheels. If anything, i'll rework the wheel wells to conform to the roll cage, and wheel alignment.
It just seems like the right thing knowing the body is not true. Anybody disagree with that logic?

Pretty much dead center. Just a tweak perhaps after the wheels get aligned.
21662

Leveled the entire car. Used the frame as the reference. The cross bar, and the transmission mount are centered,
and also serves as the visual reference. The levels sat on the body, and trunk lid while the laser indicates the centerline
of the frame.
2166621663
Three bolts used to hold the rear in place. I'm also going to use an industrial glue between the
back side, and bracket before 'glassing the bracket to the body. The license plate covers up
the bolts very well.
2166421665

The only major clean-up will be the lip of the trunk to the body. It's nearly square,
but there are several high, and low spots that require attention. I think shaving the
edge of the trunk should allow the lid to sit more flush with body lines at either side.

The rest will require fiberglass, and bondo to true-up I'd imagine.
2166721668

[Edgeman]

Tino,

Are you going to make the holes for the mufflers over size? I think you would have a problem with the paint in that area, with the heat that they will be giving off.

[LCD Gauges]

Hey Doug, I'm not totally sure what I'm doing with the back end right now, but it's not going to stay as seen.

I've been thinking about putting a finishing plate in that section that will be some sort of metal alloy. The lights are not staying,
and the diffuser still needs to be addressed. I'm just too poor, and overworked to get it all done this season. My eyes have been
checking out the Scion FR-S rear diffuser, and *cough* Ferrari F430 diffuser.

I'd like to add reverse lights in the muffler cut-outs, and go with dual turn/brake LED rear lights (similar to the Vette setup).

21682

The F430 seems like it would slide right into the GTM with very little effort. I would what the price tag might be?
I'll let you know on Monday when I call the dealership. They may want some of my body parts for a deposit though...:rolleyes:
21683

[flotowngtm]

Hey Lukin4trbl there is someone on here that already used a F430 diffuser. Here is the only pic that I have

[LCD Gauges]

That's pretty cool looking. This is the image I have in mind (aside from the spoiler which I cannot recreate easily).

Something like this with a black roof, and side window scoops.
216932169521694

[carbon fiber]

you're gonna want those sections around the exhaust to be open to let some of the hot air out of the engine compartment. don't use the screen provided by ffr, it doesn't flow air well.

[LCD Gauges]

That was one of the reasons for not cutting out around the exhaust for the moment; I'm not too crazy about the look of the FFR supplied screen mesh.

Keeping a solid panel would also help reduce flex in that area as that is where the bracket is mounted. I'm not sure how much heat the bay will need to
dissipate as the trunk lid hasn't been mounted yet. I'm hoping that the trunk lid openings, the diffuser gap, and general flow under the car will be enough.
If not I'll have to revisit the setup, and possibly make venting at the outer edges of the bumper area, and/or add screening around the exhaust tips.

We'll see; I know there's not much flow in the places I've listed.

[LCD Gauges]

Looking forward to seeing this car all one shade/colour! The last two days have been spent cleaning, degreasing, and taping.

Tonight I'll be applying filler to all the uneven areas, and sanding down the rough spots that I never finished. With all the new
info that I've gathered about body prep, I'll be set.

21722

[LCD Gauges]

Received the quote from the Ferrari dealership. The diffuser includes the fins, but it's made of plastic? I never thought I'd see that material used
on an exotic trim piece! Needless to say, it's out of my budget, and knowing it's not carbon fiber doesn't make it desirable at all. If anyone else
wants the details, I have a bill of materials, and a PDF exploded view of the assembly.

2173721738
Some dirty rendering of the Scion FR-S diffuser. I like the idea of having mesh
screen covering the muffler outlets, and center reflectors/lights.
2173921741

My quest for the perfect design continues!

[crash]

Dude, Ferrari uses ALL KINDS of plastic for trim pieces. My BILs 360 not only has plastic trim pieces, but they turn your hands, or anything else that touches them BLACK. Apparently it is a common and well known problem.

I went over the 360 pretty good while I was waiting for him to run an errand and I'm telling you, there are PLENTY of cheesy things on a modern Ferrari. They just cost about 100 times more to fix than on our GTMs! LOL! I think they refer to most of these issues as "Italian flair". ;)

[LCD Gauges]

That's not the Italian Flair I'm used to! Talk about over-priced; the dealership wrote back after I told them I wasn't interested in a plastic diffuser.
He said the Scuderia 430 has a carbon fiber option, and he could get a price. The Scuderia's base, plastic diffuser is worth $6,900...should I ask
about the price for carbon just for kicks? ;)

Here are the differences between the two.
2177221773

Two extra fins for twice the price! I think I'll pass, and give Scion a call, and check out pricing on custom made carbon pieces.

[Taz Rules]

Thats crazy money, to be sure. Why not see how much Carbon Fiber or Thomas 142 would charge to whip one up for you?

On another note, got my 1/10th scale GTM a couple of days ago with no customs hassles. It just arrived in the mail like any other parcel. Go ahead and order one...it looks great!

[The Stig]

On another note, got my 1/10th scale GTM a couple of days ago with no customs hassles. It just arrived in the mail like any other parcel. Go ahead and order one...it looks great!

Is it COOL or What!?!

[LCD Gauges]

It's super cool! I've seen photos a million times already, but you just can't appreciate the detail, and size until it's in your hands. Thank you Steve!

I'll be grabbing the wheels, and tires soon. Also thinking about mirrors, and a wing to finish it off. Maybe they sell rear tail lights, and mesh for these things?!
Now the real GTM will never get done.

2181821819

[LCD Gauges]

It has been a great weekend away with the fam. Not much work getting done on the GTM, but I kept it close by my side.

Is this the coolest cake ever? A little shot of me with the niece, and nephew. They think the car looks like a spaceship; hopefully
that's a good thing.
2194621947
P.S. Don't mind the numbers on the cake, I'm sure it has something to do with the sidewall ratio of the tires.

[LCD Gauges]

Back to biz on this crazy body work.

This is the rear quarter after filling in pin holes, and sanding 220.
There is a slight hump in the second photo that is noticeable with light.
I'll have to knock that down a touch more!
2221022215
High spots, and low spots. Second photo is what's left after 220 blocking.
I'm going to spray some guide coat on tomorrow, and block with 400 to check for more uneven areas.
2221122217

Driver's side air duct. Wow, I hate this part the most. The panels were far from even, and
all the tight corners, and curves makes it very difficult to sand. After four hours, I'm still left
with some holes, and apparent uneven surface.
2221322214
This is the driver's door brace after two coats of spray-can yellow. A bit of orange peel
effect going on, but I'm not going to bother sanding this down as it will be hidden from view.
It looks pretty smooth, and well adhered for a hand-job (< ;))
22216
This is the gun I picked up last year. It's a high volume, low pressure, gravity feed. The installed tip is a 1.4.
I'm hoping this will be good enough for the priming stage; maybe a different tip will be required.
22212

If nothing else, most of the swirl marks are disappearing from the initial rough-up of the body (when I completely had
no clue how to sand). The criss-cross hatch pattern at about 30 degrees intersect is the motion I'm using now.

[LCD Gauges]

After a good wash, and tack, I gave a few spots a healthy dose of guide prime. A bit more than required...yes, but
it helps me to see the imperfections.

To my surprise, the side air duct turned out much better than expected considering all the parting lines, and steps
before the body work began. More filler, sanding, repeat.

22226

Easier to see the wave along the bottom where the three pieces join.
It wasn't as pronounced without the guide layer.
22227
Lots of work remains in the corners, and more pin holes after the last cleaning.
Spot putty should fix those I'd imagine.
2222822229

I used several light sources, with different angles, and intensities to find errors.
After this stuff cures, and shrinks, I'll add a thin layer of filler (or putty) to the low
areas, and block it again.
22230222312223222233

Body guys really do earn their money. It's easy to see that I'm out of my league, but it's
going to have to suffice until I can afford the real thing.

It's going to be a long Winter spent in the garage.

[LCD Gauges]

Here are some exciting pictures for you all! Doing a second round of filling, and blocking to correct the low spots.
These are the before, and after areas that are shown in the previous post. It will be FUN to see how it all progresses...
like watching paint dry?

I used the widest applicator to ensure the block would conform to the curve of the body.
The filler is spread about two inches on either side of the low spot, so it should sand out nicely.
2228222279

This may not be a low spot, but the filler shows through the guide coat and gives the
impression there may be the slightest dip. Maybe I'm over cautious, but I'd rather be
safe than sorry!
2228322280
Filler to fix the bigger air pockets in the gel coat, and spot putty for the tiny air bubbles.
I knew this area needed more work before spraying the guide layer, but having all the different
shades, and transitions made it difficult to see where all the problems were.
2228422281

I'm also getting leads on 2K primer that will work with the 3M products that I've used. I'm not sure when I'll
be ready to prime; at this rate, I'm taking nearly a week to prep one rear quarter! On the bright side, they say
the filler should sit for at least a few days to allow shrinking, then block to the final grit prior to priming.

[Aman]

Nice work man! Kudos to you for taking on the most daunting part of the build! It's looking great so far!

Aman

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Aman, I'm doing my best, and I'll take as long as required to get the perfect base before moving on.

A few points of interest for those following along:
- The Scion FR-S diffuser (aka lower bumper assembly) is $318.22 + tax from the dealer. That's about 10x less than Ferarri's plastic part.
With a little work, I think it will look really nice. I'm going to check one out up-close, and make a decision before the primer stage happens.

- I've picked up a thermal adhesive from Thermo-Tec for the inner tunnel, and fender aluminum. The idea is to keep the pinging from rocks
to a minimum, and isolate the heat in the tunnel, and engine cover/firewall. This stuff is about 1/8" thick, and appears to have great damping
on top of thermal properties. The outer tunnel is covered with a fiber-foil material on my car, so having this stuck inside should really help
knock down the heat. It's thin enough to fit under the console, and engine cover without interfering with anything behind it.
22366

My father (whom is my partner in crime) also contact a friend of his about paint & primer. He mentioned a paint MFG, or brand called, "Diamond".
The only reference I can find to automotive paint bearing any similarity is Diamond-Kote which seems to be a clear coat protective finish.
Has anyone heard of Diamond paint? If so, can you link me? Google defies me.

P.S. Got a new camera for the big 4-0. No more crappy cell phone photos. Check out the difference under similar light conditions.
Samsung Gio Cell vs. Nikon D3100 DSLR
22368

[LCD Gauges]

Starting the door internals now. This is my phobia of the build; if I don't sell the car during the window alignment, or scissor hinge install I'll have a car for life.

I've seen photos where a few of you have relocated the motor bracket to the middle of the horizontal bars. I'd hate to mess up my sexy paint, but if it makes
life easier, I'm all for it.
22418
This section is ready for another guide coat, and then 400 grit attack. I'm pretty sure all the pin holes, and
prior issues are fixed. I'm just hoping those two high spots (black) will not show waves after the next pass
of sanding. If not, you know what that means? I can start working on the other side!!! :D
22417

[LCD Gauges]

Take two! It's looking MUCH better, and most of the issues are gone except for pin holes, and a couple of hard spots in the corners of the air-inlet thingie...

It's only a guide coat, but it's so refreshing to see one solid shade! Too bad it's all getting blocked down again.
22469

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but the pin holes just keep re-appearing. Maybe the spot putty isn't the best
thing to use? I'm going to try a thin layer of filler, mixed with less viscosity this time around. There are also some
low spots in the corner as you see.

The underside of the cut-out looks like crap. It's wavy, and not blended well at all. This was after fixing the edge
which had a bunch of air-bubble cracks; I'll have to try one more application of filler, and block with more attention
on the edge.
22470

The low spot is gone! It's probably not a big deal for the pro's, but it's nice to see something
go well. The edges of the filler have a 'fuzzy', or 'dotted' texture through the guide coat.
Is this normal? Why not the entire patch, but just the edges? It was blocked down 220, and
very well blended (no feeling, or visual step) before the primer was sprayed on. Maybe I just need
to block it with 400+, and/or add more guide coat? Just making certain before I move on.
22471

I'm also creating a personal build site for the car if anyone is into web design. Right now, it's just a Flash movie flipping
through the pages, but I'll make individual pages soon. Don't mind some of the vehicle data, it's just a placeholder in some cases!

http://www.streetlegalracecar.ca

[carbon fiber]

don't use the cheap body products. make sure the area with the pinholes is blown out with air. spot puty dries up quickly, so once it gets to that point where it starts to get dry, it's not going in the holes/ or bonding. also wait long enough after for it to set up so you don't pull the putty out of the holes when sanding.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks for the tip, and checking my process. I'm using 3M products exclusively except for Duplicolor spray-can primer for the guide coats.

3M Bondo Filler, 3M Spot & Glaze Putty, 3M Long/Short strand Fiberglass, 3M Sandpaper (80, 120, 220, 400 wet/dry). I'm not sure how these
rate in the automotive field, but I've read great things about this manufacturer, and also inquired on this site, and others. It's also readily available
at most auto stores around me.

After washing & degreasing the local area, I'll let it dry. The panel is sanded to 220 (scuff), and washed again.

I'll add the filler with a flexible applicator as thin as possible and let it dry over night at a minimum. It's blocked
down using 80-120-220 grit, then I'll blow off the dust with 100 PSI compressed air. After the dust settles, I'll
grab the garden hose using a clean sponge to wash the car. It dries thoroughly, and I'll use a lint free cloth to
wipe the spots that are getting filled.

Repeat as necessary. That's my procedure.

2248222483224842248522486

[VD2021]

3M has some solid products (8115 comes to mind), but their base body filler (bondo) may not be one of them. It works but it's tough to sand and may shrink. The hose and sponge may be causing issues also. The rattle can primer is a Lacquer Based product and may need additional time to cure prior to sanding. Also if you cover the entire car with it you will need to seal it unless you plan on using a lacquer to paint your GTM.

Try this technique.

-Wipe down the panel with wax/grease remover.
-Gel Coated Panels. Block with 80 grit. Also sand any low/untouched spots with 80 grit.
-Primed Panels. Scuff with a green scouring pad or block/scuff with 220 grit.
-Blow off or Shop Vac (with a brush attachment) the panel. (Skip the hose and sponge)
-Apply your body filler.
-Start blocking with 80 grit as soon as it has a nonstick feel to it.
-Apply a contrasting color guide coat to the panel. There are rattle can and powder based versions, flat black cheap rattle can paint works too)
-Block with 80 grit.
-Now you can see and feel the low spots.
-Scuff the low spots and then blow or vac them.
-Apply body filler to the low spots.
-Repeat the 80 grit blocking, contrasting guide coat and filler until the panel is flat.
-The above has worked well for me.

-I have only primed around my marker additions with polyester primer/surfacer so I've not used a spray can primer on the car. But this is what i would do;
-Apply the primer. (You may need to block to 100 or 120 grit if the primer does not cover the 80 grit scratches)
-Once the primer cures block it to 180 or 220 grit.

[LCD Gauges]

Looks good Vidal, I'll give it a try.


Also if you cover the entire car with it you will need to seal it unless you plan on using a lacquer to paint your GTM.

I will have to read more about the lacquer based spray paints before moving forward, but...I thought it wasn't a issue as I'll be using
a 2K primer after blocking the entire car one last time?

[LCD Gauges]

I believe I have this beat! After using a few tips from our members, and getting better at the technique I can say the driver's side inlet is
pretty much straight, and seamless. It took three passes of filler, and guide coat application to get it right, but I'm happy with the results.
If nothing else, I'll apply a very thin layer of spot/glaze putty over some of the excessive scratches that are showing, and a couple tiny blemishes.

This is sanded down 220, and a light fog of filler primer as a guide.

2264522650
Pin holes fixed, and edges blended fairly well. The second photo
is blocked to 400 just around the curve of the inlet to practice removing
the, "orange peel" finish. There isn't much of a guide layer to sand off,
so the final pass shouldn't take much elbow grease.

2264722646

Moving onto the rear, and passenger side. I'll get the main body setup with
220 grit blocking, and a guide coat before moving to the hood, doors, and hatch.

The rear hatch needs quite a bit of rework on my car, and that's before the glass
comes into the equation. I know Mike (TheStig) had a heck of a time getting it true,
and is now redesigning his hatch to correct the issue.
2264822649
Waveless, and shadowless using different light intensities, angles, and
my untrained eyes.
2265122650

Tough to see, but there's a step (shadow) across the seam. This will need a wide
applicator, and a bit more filler to straighten.
22644

After seeing my car in this improved condition, I wonder how I let myself post such crappy images
all of this time.

[LCD Gauges]

Searched for a Gen 1 with glass fitting issues, and found "TheStig's" thread. From what I can tell, the glass is resting on the lip of each pillar.
Mike, can you elaborate on your photo with respect to the spacing?

My door doesn't have any seal at the moment, however the glass doesn't touch either ledge on the front, or rear post.

Has anyone experience this much slack on their Gen 1 kit? I don't see a fix for this, other than having new glass made!
2278322784

[VD2021]

Searched for a Gen 1 with glass fitting issues, and found "TheStig's" thread. From what I can tell, the glass is resting on the lip of each pillar.
Mike, can you elaborate on your photo with respect to the spacing?

My door doesn't have any seal at the moment, however the glass doesn't touch either ledge on the front, or rear post.

Has anyone experience this much slack on their Gen 1 kit? I don't see a fix for this, other than having new glass made!
2278322784

Tino,

Take a deep breath to begin preparing yourself mentally, for the work ahead. I think I've spent 85% or more, of the time doing body work, on the doors.

Gen1 or Gen2, there is almost no difference in the work required to get them to an acceptable state and even more if you want a road worthy seal with no issues opening or closing the door with the glass up.

[LCD Gauges]

Vidal, I think I'm out of breath for this snag. Aside from having custom glass made, I'm thinking about splitting the rear post, and moving the inner
half toward the glass, then filling the gap. I'll do the same thing for the forward triangular section.

If anyone has a better solution, I'm all 'eyes'!

22810

[VD2021]

Maybe something in here will help. http://gtmbuild.weebly.com/doors.html

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Big V., that gives me some perspective on the amount of work ahead of me... x2.

Tomorrow I'm going to measure, and mock up how thick the rear post would end up using my plan.
Since that post needs to be re-worked to form the proper curve to the body, I'd rather keep the
dirty work on the door itself, as opposed to glassing the body and the door.

[LCD Gauges]

More work on the doors today, and some close-ups of the window gap. The initial modifications seem as they will work well
with glass clearance; I can't say for sure until the door goes back on the car for final fitting. I'm pretty sure the glass will roll
all the way down without much trouble.

The sad moment of the day was wrecking my sexy, yellow painted door braces to install the motor relocation bracket. Have
no fear though, I'll have that sexy colour fixed in no time! There's ample room for the "slider clamp" to clear the motor housing.
Hopefully I've jumped through all the hoops necessary to get the glass to roll unimpeded. One thing that needs to change is
the upper cable routing which will follow the red line. Maybe tomorrow I'll have this contraption powered up, and moving?
2298922991
With the motor in this position, the handle will not clear, but it's all good as I'm planning to use
the popper solenoid to open the doors via a guarded button. Not sure if the button will be placed
on the door, or console at the moment. To cover the hole, I'd like to have a placard of sorts made
with Factory Five GTM #105 in black/dark gray so it doesn't stand out much against the panel.

22993
Here's the gap spacing with one edge of the glass up against the rear post. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to split
the difference (Ron), or stretch the post without making it look fat. Once I get the glass, and rails secure, the
clearance can be checked on the car to determine the best solution.
2299022992


Lastly, I did more work on the web site. There's still a bunch to add on most pages for additional
colour, and photos of the car once I get the mess cleaned up. The Performance page was edited
from the Road & Track theme layout; that will need to be resized to make the text clearer.

www.streetlegalracecar.ca (http://www.streetlegalracecar.ca)

[LCD Gauges]

As recommended by RFRider, I should have a mechanical connection to the door latch in case of emergency, or solenoid failure.
That prompted a tear down of the door bracket again, and a few different layouts until everything clicked.

I've added a bracket for the inner door handle to bolt onto. I'm not sure if the manual recommends securing the handle to the
door brace, but I highly recommend doing that if you haven't already.

2300923010

Now there's even more clearance between the window motor, and slider clamp for the window.
No issues for space, and the door skin lays flat without any interference.
23011
The solenoid will be mounted to the rear of the door brace, with a good amount of clearance
between the glass, and door skin. I'm going to insulate the bolts to reduce the "thud" of the
solenoid when engaged.
2301223013

[LCD Gauges]

I think this door “thing” is figured out. The rails are mostly aligned with temporary bolts.
Cutting the original motor mount, and moving it over makes a nice, firm bolting point for
the left side rail.

The motor was powered up to test the movement; the sliders/clamps reach the bottom
without issue. Next is slipping the glass into place, and checking the travel with everything
setup.

It wasn’t too bad getting to this point afterall. I had envisioned more stress, and cursing
from what I’ve seen & read. The passenger door will be ¼ of the time now that I’ve got
a working model.

Having said that, I’m not out of the woods until the door is aligned, and the glass seals to
the body. That should take me until Summer to finish?

Took me two tries to get the right placement. Time to grind all the paint, and welds, then
give it some prime/paint. I'm not sure if anyone has tried this, but it seems like a great solution
for the bottom mounting point. Someone send me a nylon jam nut please!
23102

[VD2021]

Here are a few items, that being aware of, may save some headache.-

-The tracks need to be parallel.
-You also want to check that the glass does not end up to far forward in it's full down position (watch out for it contacting the door frame).

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks Vidal, I'm pretty much done with the door until it goes back on the car, but I'll keep those points in mind for the final adjustments.

The photo shows the ever famous glass protrusion which is easily corrected by grinding the lower portion of the glass. It's only 2 cm, but
enough to warrant the modification.

Back to body work now, and then aligning the hood, and hatch. I'd really like to chop the rear hatch to act more like the Gen II; that is,
separating the glass from the air inlets on the rear hatch. I'm not really sure how I'll go about this, but I'm thinking Zues/Dzus fasteners
on the back, and having the latch lock down the remaining lid just behind the window area.
23239

It would be nice to keep it as one piece, but I've read that the weight, and stability of the spoiler is difficult to manage at highway speeds.
I'll be looking to get Shane's spoiler mounts to correct that issue, and check out options to seal the lid as the Gen II models.
23238

[carbon fiber]

there are several people that have done the hatch mod. fraser d cut his hatch into two pieces. I can't remember if he glassed it to the body or not, but you could make some sort of support brace from underneath, and glass some mounting tabs on the underside of the hatch. he glassed a lip on the bottom front of the rear part to attach a seal to make it waterproof. if you look through his build thread (might be on the other forum) you will see the pics of his setup. also, if you build a support frame for the rear part of the hatch it could support the rear wing also. I just saw the post you had on the other forum with the airbox idea, and the support structure could be built around the airbox and hold it in place also. just heat insulate the crap out of that thing, it's right on top of the exhaust.

[Roger Reid]

...The photo shows the ever famous glass protrusion which is easily corrected by grinding the lower portion of the glass. It's only 2 cm, but
enough to warrant the modification...

Many have tried to grind the hatch glass with disastrous results. Would the side window glass also be subject to shattering?

[carbon fiber]

grinding the glass seems like the easy way out, until you try it and end up ordering new glass. all the glass that comes with the kit is tempered, so grinding any of it is not a good idea. i'm working on a hatch glass solution that includes a vent system for venting hot engine bay air. it's modeled after the novitec rossi f12 Ferrari. there is a thread titled (Does anyone have a Gen-I hatch they aren't planning to use?) it was started by mike (the stig). i'm making a mold and i'm planning on selling them on this forum. it'll solve the fitment issue and vent the hot air from the engine compartment. (sorry for the highjack tino, i'm just excited about this project, and i'm going to go ahead and sell it as soon as I get mikes finished.)23241

[sk7500]

The hatch window on a GTM is tempered. I don't know about the rear 1/4 windows because all of mine have been Polycarbonate. But I'm willing to bet they are tempered as well. The roll up windows are tempered. If you try to grind on tempered glass you stand a 99% chance of it shattering while you are grinding it. If you are lucky enough to not shatter it while grinding it will only be a matter of time before road shock will finish the job.

The only window you can shape with a silicone carbide sanding disk is the windshield. That's because its not tempered. It has a thin sheet of plastic laminated between two sheets of glass. It's called safety glass. The reason for this is that if you had a tempered windshield and a rock hit the glass, it would explode and your vision and ability to control the vehicle would be compromised. Windshield will chip and crack but will hold it's shape.

So the bottom line here is DON'T GRIND ON YOUR GLASS!!! If your glass doesn't fit your car you're not alone, but I'm afraid the correct fix is to make the body fit the glass or make your windows from Polycarbonate. Don't ask how I know this. Your windshield has to be made from safety glass but all other windows are fair game.

Steve


Many have tried to grind the hatch glass with disastrous results. Would the side window glass also be subject to shattering?

[LCD Gauges]

Ahh, so I'm mistaken about the fix? I thought people were grinding the glass, but if I risk shattering everything - it's not worth the trouble.

How is the road noise with poly side glass? I may end up leaving the glass as-is based on the recent comments.

[Fraser D]

The rear section will be secured with similar fasteners to what you have posted. The engine has just gone back in and the hatch is next on the list.
I cut a radius about 2" back from the glass the made a mold to give it a weather lip.
One thing to remind yourself of is that there is no point trying to get a water proof seal as the hatch vents and the wing uprights make that a hopeless endeavor.
To secure the hatch I am using one of the electric C5 hatch releases.
Look through my photo bucket link to see more photos.
Let me know if you have any questions on how I approached mine.

[LCD Gauges]

i'm working on a hatch glass solution that includes a vent system for venting hot engine bay air. it's modeled after the novitec rossi f12 Ferrari. there is a thread titled (Does anyone have a Gen-I hatch they aren't planning to use?) sorry for the highjack tino, i'm just excited about this project, and i'm going to go ahead and sell it as soon as I get mikes finished.

No problem Jason (?), I've been viewing that thread in anticipation for the final result. I'm concerned about all the talk of heat in the engine bay, even though there
are side vents, rear vents, underbody air flow options, and internal shielding that I plan to install. Has anyone measured the ambient temperature under normal conditions
vs. spirited driving (or race environments)?

Thanks for the input thus far, and saving me from grinding the glass! I'm going to measure up the door to check whether there's space to drop the rails down a touch.

[carbon fiber]

this solution should work great. there's no better place for a vent than at the top where the hot air rises to, and the smooth look should blend in with the gtm nicely. i've been following your build. it's good to see people attacking the bodywork themselves, you'll save a ton of $ and gain valuable experience too.

[LCD Gauges]

I'm going to measure up the door to check whether there's space to drop the rails down a touch.

Blonde moment. Please forget I had ever posted this idea. :o

(thank you for not laughing)

[Fraser D]

Blonde moment. Please forget I had ever posted this idea. :o

(thank you for not laughing)

Hey we have all chased rabbits down holes and got lost in the warren. So as long as you can laugh with us its all good. :-)

[LCD Gauges]

More planning, and dreamin'! I'd love to see these molded onto the GTM, but I have a feeling most of the rear would require major surgery.

We'll see what KIA has to say for pricing, and whether they are flat enough to work.
2349523496

Not much else happening with the car aside from body work on the passenger side. I'll spare the photos until I get some decent progress!

[LCD Gauges]

Current status, and challenge accepted! Also looking for tips on the back hatch alignment.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9tzUEUA6lM

[LCD Gauges]

With a -16 degree temperature in Ontario these days, it appears mixing the 3M filler is not happening. The body work will have to wait
until early Spring to ensure everything cures properly.

The next order of business is to install the scissor door hinges. This should keep me busy for a while!

As a result of the PDG team fuel fire, I have decided to purchase fuel rails and scrap the quick-connect idea. With the flexibility of the
AN fittings, I am going to build a fuel loop to ensure all injectors receive equal pressure.

24296

[LCD Gauges]

Fuel rails are here, and I must give props to Pro. Products on their kit!

Aside from the rails, cross-over line, and mounting hardware, the box included
all of the blue AN fittings you see screwed into the rails, and an additional
braided line to plumb from the regulator (which I don't need).

There is even a reducer for connecting a pressure gauge if desired. The
fittings with a green dot beside them are not part of the kit, but will be used
to build the fuel loop.

A quality kit for sure! PN# PRR 10612

Also spoke to Aman which is a stone's throw away from me. It's so cool to
have another GTM so close! We talked about getting some of the local FFR
gang together in the Spring. I know there are a few Cobra guys around,
as well as Dave [RF Rider], and Ed Konda. ROAAAAAAAAAD TRIPPPPPP!

2431224313

[Motohead]

Just got done reading your build thread. I also bought a kit that was about 1/3 built. It's fun to read and see how everyone deals with all the problems. I'm also trying to do most of the bodywork myself to save money and just for the experience. Hope it warms up soon for you. I posted some stuff on the other forum, but just started useing this forum too. I'll try to post a couple of pictures of my progress.
KEEP ON TRUCKIN!24325

[LCD Gauges]

Hey Moto, thanks for stopping by. Nice looking cage, and wheels. I'm guessing the rear style is what you're going to upgrade with?

I'm onto the door hinge project now. Hoping to get the roughed in scissor hinges functional by the weekend. It's not going to be fun aligning this setup,
and constantly lifting the body to adjust the position. Oh well, that's what it's all about.

2432924330
Checking tire clearance, and wheel well spacing. Lookin' good.

[LCD Gauges]

Finished the driver`s side hinge bracket. This thing is rock solid!

24385
A good 30 minutes spent blending the welds. Paint soon. Maybe a mounted door by Sunday night, just in time for Santa!
24386

[fastthings]

Looks prety good, that should do it. That mount looks like a good start.

On your hatch, do you really want to showcar the whole thing, or do you just want to get it done and have it last 5 to 10 years. Get a good product and fill it in, don't cut that apart and redo it unless your going to do the same everywhere else. If your worried about shrinkage of your product being that deep, use a harder filler. Fill up the low deep spots with a fiberglass filler, it will have fibers in it and will cure rock hard, you can't sand it. Use a grinder to take it down to shape and then use normal bondo to finnish it off.

Shane's website is a good place to see how the rear looks well, at the back, and what to do with those body lines.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks for the tips Gene. After the doors are finished, I'll be looking at the hatch in more detail.

While our power was out for three days, I did some editing in Photoshop to hold me over. I'm set on these lights, but I'll need
to copy a template to make sure before ordering them.

Found a decent wing too!

24680

Merry Christmas everyone!

[LCD Gauges]

Door hinges are mounted! The project is going well, and I'm hoping to get the door bolted to the hinge this week.
2487524876

[tcarlson]

That picture is really neat... I hadn't seen those tail lights or rear fiberglass part below the license plate.

And happy new year!

T




Thanks for the tips Gene. After the doors are finished, I'll be looking at the hatch in more detail.

While our power was out for three days, I did some editing in Photoshop to hold me over. I'm set on these lights, but I'll need
to copy a template to make sure before ordering them.

Found a decent wing too!

24680

Merry Christmas everyone!

[LCD Gauges]

Happy New Year to you as well!

That image is something i created using Kia Forte LED lights, and a diffuser from a Ferrari F430. The diffuser is actually plastic, and is priced way too high
from a local Ferrari dealer at $3000+ (there is an invoice on a previous page). That's too much for my taste, and I'm sure I can have a carbon fiber piece
made for equal or less!

These are the things I do when getting to the garage is difficult. :D

[LCD Gauges]

Back to the doors after a mild hiatus. We're sitting at -27'C, and with the wind it's feeling closer to -40'C! Check your coolant
if you live in these parts; it's moving like syrup right now, but not slushing up. I've also put a dish outside, and one in the garage
to make sure the mixture will handle the climate. I'd hate to drain the motor right now because it's going to make a mess of the
floor. Something to think about next Winter if the trend continues!

Cut away some material to get the hinge to line-up. Still need some bracket mods to make it work.

25015
top view showing the scissor hinge inside the cut-away.
2501625017

[LCD Gauges]

Today I was able to mount the driver door to the hinge. After a quick test, it was easy to see that more alignment is necessary because the inside of
the door will rub against the a-pillar where the windshield meets the body.

2530025301

[LCD Gauges]

Building up some circuits to indicate low pressure, and high temperature for oil, coolant, and fuel. I may even wire in some sort of warning tone generator.

P.S. Pardon the dust around the gauges!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwdIMfAsl6A

[LCD Gauges]

Setting up an RC circuit to "slow drain" the LED lighting. This technique
will be used in the interior courtesy and dome lighting to allow a gradual
decay once the door is shut, and/or switch is turned off.

I'll likely change the values to make it even slower, but won't know the
exact combination until all of the lighting is connected in the car.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk5yHSP3yIQ

Also made the braided line to complete the fuel loop. I'll be adding the pressure
sender to monitor the fuel rails in the event that a leak were to occur,
or the car ended up in a serious accident where I'm not able to shut off
the fuel pump.

The circuit I'm building will sense a 10 PSI in pressure, and illuminate a
caution LED on the gauge cluster. At 20 PSI or more of a drop, the fuel
pump relay will automatically shut off unless I manually over-ride the
circuit.
I'll be moving this bulky looking pressure sender to the regulator, and placing
the fuel pressure gauge there instead.
2539025400

A question for those using the Vette electronics, or anyone with favourite
features of production cars:

What do you like about your daily driver that you would want to add to
the GTM?

For example, I like that the dome light illuminates in the Malibu when the
key is removed from the ignition. I also like that the light drains slowly.

I'm attempting to build in some of the following features:
- a low fuel indicator (LED)
- an adjustable shift light
- an LED in the door handle release (for night locating)
- automatic low light dash illumination (adjustable twilight sentinel)
- courtesy lights stay on when doors are popped, and go off when engine starts (only if light sensor senses low light)

The circuit should fit nicely in a small sized project box like this one:
25391
What are your favourite car features?

[LCD Gauges]

I'm doing it, C7 lights! As much as I didn't want this to look like a Vette in
the beginning, I think these lights are flat enough to install with minimal
body work, and they look killer in my opinion.

There are some cool mods to add venting which will come in hand to purge
some of the trapped air, and heat of course.

The Parts Guy got my hopes up over the phone when he quoted me 2013
tail lights after asking for C7 tail lights. I guess my seven's sound like a six?!

Anyway, here's the print out for those that want to look into this. The trim
piece (bezel) is a separate order from the light unit so be sure to order both

[LCD Gauges]

The latest render with C7 tail lights. After many failed attempts, this is the one!

2580325804

[LCD Gauges]

Today I put the body back on the car to test the scissor hinges. As I suspected, there is interference
with the body almost instantly upon lifting the door.

I'll have to make a slight adjustment on the pivot position to allow for more clearance.
The blue outline is the preferred arc travel with the hinge (pivot point) raised four inches.
2586825869
Nobody said it was easy! :cool:

[LCD Gauges]

I would have posted sooner, but I had to finish making love to this BEAUTIFUL C7!
You know that cliche, "pictures don't do it justice"? It's all true; my first time
up close & personal with the new Vette, and it's sex * infinity! Black on Black,
and evil as ever. It makes me want to change the colour of my GTM. http://www.ffcars.com/forums/images/smilies/001_tt1.gif
Those sick sales people kept the door locked, or I would have never left
the show room.

I took some measurements, and will be checking the real-estate on the GTM.
Should be good to order the lights this week! I`m also considering the
vent strips to add above the bumper edge. It might look alright?

Enjoy the photos; sorry that my zoom range wouldn't allow for a
complete end-to-end shot of this car.
25909259102591125912

[LCD Gauges]

Found this site for custom buttons, and a bunch of other things (not sure if it has been posted before):

http://www.autoloc.com/products/buttonbuilder/

[LCD Gauges]

My initial scaling of the C7 tail lights proved to be incorrect. I used internet photos to find the length and height of the lights based on license plate size.
It turns out, the height was almost perfect but the length should be 23 inches, not 19. As you can see from the left photo, the bezel will almost touch
the exhaust tip. If I modify the bezel to remove the mesh, it may still work out. I'm not giving up on these beauties yet!

Back to door hinges tomorrow; hoping to get the driver door modified, and tested over the next couple of days.
2598725988

[LCD Gauges]

Seems like I’m spinning my wheels with the build lately. No-go with the initial C7 lights, and now I’m stumped on the door
Hinge install.

Raising the assembly higher helped, but it’s still not enough. Right now the bracket is almost touching the fiberglass where
the hood latches would live; there’s no more room to move.
26173

The radius of the hinge arm is too small to allow the door to clear the body, and the swing angle is tight because the fulcrum
Is about eight inches from the door jamb instead of two inches like the FFR hinges.
26174

I’ve been messing with some geometry with a paper model, and it seems I’ll have to modify the curved part to straighten out
In order to increase the arc length at the end of the arm. The door moves out first, then up when using the model,
So this seems like the solution.
26172
I know there are at least two members that used this kit so if this idea doesn’t work I’ll have to check my ego and
get some ideas from them.

[Fugly_Old_Cowboy]

Tino....
Ideas & advise do not require an ego check.... it's only required if you don't take the advise & then have to get someone to showyou what you are doing wrong...

[LCD Gauges]

Right on JT,

As much as I pride myself for doing as much as possible on my own, I shouldn't be so hesitant to ask for help when needed. I certainly don't hold back
when it comes to asking questions about body work; this is no different. I've contacted a couple of people via PM so hopefully they'll reply soon.

Until then, I'm going with this plan:

Drilling a new pivot point higher and to the right (indicated by the red circle) which produces the red arc path. If this works, it will be a clean modification
and the hinge arms will remain untouched.

26213

[LCD Gauges]

Close, but no cigar.

The modification certainly helped, but it's still not enough to clear the A-pillar. Since last week, I contact Ron (Ron565) for some ideas and he was able
to send pictures of his setup. Unfortunately he didn't install the hinges, but the photos gave me an idea of other possibilities.

After modifying the hinge to pivot higher, and to the right the door was able to rotate more before contacting the body.
2644026445

This is the highest angle achieved to date. Definitely not a project to under-estimate.
2644326444

The swing angle is limited by the fender which is causing part of the problem.

26442
Inside of the door contacts the A-pillar. With the hood down there is about a 1/2" of clearance.
26441

I have a couple more tricks up my sleeve, and then I'll put this on the back-burner to move on with other aspects of the build.

[LCD Gauges]

I was hoping to contribute something positive with the installation of the scissor door hinges, however it's apparent the kit that
I've ordered will not work with the GTM. Vertical Doors Inc #VDCUN90 is designed for the C5, but this is the incorrect geometry
for our GTM's. It's not the manufacturer's fault; I simply chose this from the kit listing thinking it would work.

The product quality is actually quite nice - very durable, and smooth operating. If you're looking to convert your Corvette doors,
this might be the kit for you.

At this point I've given up on making these hinges work. There is nothing more that "I" can do with these parts to make it work.
The only method of getting the door to clear the A-pillar, and fender is to redesign the swing-arm, and bracket. As you see in
the attached image, the center of rotation needs to occur outside of the bracket area (indicated by the green dot/line).

In my previous post, you can see the major improvement from moving the rotation point by one inch above, and to the right.
If my CAD drawings are correct, doubling that distance gets me out of trouble.

I'll make the measurements available for anyone wanting the fix, and update the "Install Thread" once everything is figured out.
Perhaps someone knows of a kit that works out of the box, and can make everyone's life easier! According to Ron (Ron565),
his installer had to modify his hinge as well.

26618

[LCD Gauges]

Seems like the battle is over! I was able to offset the hinge to be positioned closer to the inner side of the door, and allow for more than
90 degree rotation, and cleared the A-pillar!

Before
26670

After!
26671

With the hood down, the door contacts the edge contour. The hood is set back about one inch on the driver's side which needs some massaging
to fit properly. Thanks to Ron (Presto) for sending me his hood alignment procedure. It's going to come in very handy over the next couple of weeks.
26672

[LCD Gauges]

Been a while...

Doors are kickin' my butt badly. I'm not happy with how they are opening; there's just not enough clearance to make it work. Furthermore,
trying to fine tune the gap spacing, and alignment is just a nightmare. For those that own the GTM, you will be able to relate during your
alignment challenges with the stock FFR hinges.

I've decided to hire a body man to come here and help with the C7 tail light mod (lens only), door alignment, and overall prep for priming.
After seeing Gene's video and some of the difficulties associated with creating a prefect base for paint, it is obvious that a professional is
required. I'm just not experienced enough to take on a project of this nature and expect a show-car, glass finish! I'm confident that the
person I chose will be able to sort out the known panel issues, and help me get this body ready for paint.

With that said, it's "game time decision" for the doors - now, or never to get the scissor hinges to work. I'm going to modify the hinges to
move the swing arm center to the right, and as high as possible which will be accomplished by adding material as shown by the red outline.
There is no other way (I can figure out) to get the door out, and over the pocket that is created by the fender and hood with the product
that I'm currently using.
26978
On a brighter note, I'm working away on the electronics end. I've found a great processor that uses C programming code to develop a control
system to build some of the circuits featured in the OEM Corvette, as well as a few of my own. For instance, at the press of a button the
door could unlatch, turn on the parking & interior lights. Then turn off the parking lights when the door closes, and dim the interior lights
slowly after the engine is started.

Right now I've figured out the LED dimming (slow drain), and adjustable shift light. My next task will be using the processor to display outside
temp, IAT, Fuel pressure, and a custom message (such as showing, "GTM #105" during start-up) on an LCD screen. This processor also has
Bluetooth & WIFI capabilities to work with smart phone apps.
26977

Future project - "Twlight Sentinel" using a photo-diode array (mini solar panel) to trigger the dash lights when the ambient light level dips to
certain point. This sensor will be flush mounted to my gauge pod on the dash.
26976

Warmer temps rolling in now! I Hope all you northerners are getting some work done in the garage these days!

[LCD Gauges]

Updates on the engine as the EVAC system gets plumbed. The valve-
cover bulkheads, and fuel rails still need to be installed. That will pretty
much round out the motor mods for this year! It will be interesting to
see how much vacuum this setup will generate with straight-through mufflers.

To the Welding Guys:
I'm not too happy with the flux core method of welding. Either my technique
is bad, or flux core generally splatters all over the place. It's so bad that I
have to grind the splatter off! The pipes look terrible, so I'll have to wrap them.

Is there a way to reduce the amount of splatter? I've tried two different
heat settings (applicable to the steel gauge), a few wire speed settings,
and drag speed.

I have used a "spiral" back-and-forth motion to drag the 'puddle', and a zig-zag
across the joint in slow forward drag path. The bead looks best when pulling the
molten pool, rather than pushing it.

Perhaps MIG is the answer?

Weather continues to improve, so body work is on deck! That back end is starting
to look decent!
27856278572785827859

[Edgeman]

I went with mig mix, the splatter got to me also. Then I purchased a tig, plasma cutter really like it.

[Fraser D]

Go with a gas shield on your wire feeder as it is the best bang for your buck.
You can also get some sprays etc that reduce splatter sticking to your work piece with varying results.
TIG is a very expensive option for a couple of welds but what you can do is tack the piece together then get someone to TIG it for you.
your options really depend on how much welding you intend to do during and post GTM build.

[LCD Gauges]

Thanks guys.


your options really depend on how much welding you intend to do during and post GTM build.

That is my dilemma.

Aside from the exhaust which is a show piece, I'm not certain that the expense is justified for any other welds on the car?
Everything else I've welded can be painted, or blended so the splatter never really bothered me.

I think I'll just wrap it for this year, and then redo the pipes at a later date - either with a TIG, or have someone weld
it as you suggested.

The gas shield with the Flux core wire seems like an interesting alternative. I'll look into that for future projects; it seems
pretty painless and inexpensive!

[VD2021]

You can try sacrificing some header wrap by wrapping the pipes prior to welding them.

Let the wrap take the splatter vise the nice pipes.....

[KeithBoden]

Get a gas conversion kit for the welder, and switch to small wire (.025 solid - no flux in the wire, as you are getting the shielding from the gas.) I used to be good with the flux core wire using a Lincoln 155 (220V) but when I started using shielding gas (25% Argon / 75% CO2 "steel mix") and the big spools of .025 solid wire, I was amazed at how nice the small machines weld! I still use the little machine on gas for lots of work even with a big TIG welder on hand. You just can't weld as fast with TIG; the little MIG machines will put a 1/4" weld in on max wire speed and top power range faster than you can keep your hands moving!

[LCD Gauges]

Vidal,

I tried using tape, and cardboard...but uhhh, I don't recommend that ( unless you like putting out small fires) :o

For the next attempt, I though about using tin from heater duct to cover the immediate area.

Keith,

I was under the impression that adding shielding gas required a higher voltage source, or current source. I'll have to check the
manual to be sure. If it's still able to run on 220V/30AMP then I'll be set!

Thank you all for the tips, and insight. The pipes are too far gone to save for this round, but I'll get it right next time. Live & Learn!

[KeithBoden]

I know the gas conversion for the Lincoln welders includes a few fittings, hoses, a solenoid, and a new torch shield. The solenoid doesn't take much power, and plugs into existing plugs inside the unit. I ran mine off 220v before and after, but to tell you the truth, I don't remember what breakers I have in the box for the welder extension cord. (I'm running a Lincoln Tig 225 off the same breakers.) I know my conversion job didn't mess with any other electronics or the 5-step power switch on the unit, so I believe the power output/input is unchanged. Of course the wire speed to match the power setting may change, but that may be more of a factor of the solid wire 'metal volume per speed' vs larger diameter cored wire. I switched to a smaller cable liner at the same time to go to .025 wire, which I like better than the larger wire sizes. On the top power setting, I use 9 out of 10 for the wire speed, which is roughly 8-10 inches of wire per second! That is another reason to rig a 10lb spool inside the unit instead of the 2lb ones - I'm on my 3rd of those.

[LCD Gauges]

Good info Keith. I wasn't able to locate the manual, but here's a photo of what I'm using. It's Chicago Electric #94164, Dual MIG welder.

27950
According to the graph in this PDF, this unit will draw up to 110 AMPS of current in voltage setting MAX2 which is required for some
mild steel when using solid core wire.

That seems a bit high?
http://www.manualslib.com/manual/65530/Harbor-Freight-Tools-94164.html?page=17#manual
http://www.manualslib.com/manual/65530/Harbor-Freight-Tools-94164.html?page=20#manual

Since I've already posted photos of my dirty motor in another thread, I'll pin them here as well. Excuse the mess,
but I'm trying to help someone figure out a problem with their fuel rails.

279622796327964

[LCD Gauges]

The fuel rails are locked down, and sealed up. EVAC is roughed-in as the grommet,
and baffle still needs to be added on the left bank.
2806028061

A tiny tip to cover around 02 bungs: place one full wrap with a cut-out for
the bung, then start your spiral overlapping as you move along the pipe.
That gets rid of the exposed metal that you sometimes see!

28059

I'm not a fan of the wrap, but you can see why I decided to cover the pipe.
The scratches, and buff marks from removing the splatter just ruined the finish.
These pipes will be replaced one day...maybe a sexy Kooks system if the
Tooth Fairy is nice.

[LCD Gauges]

I can't do it...

The wrap is not sitting well with me. I'm tempted to redo (have someone TIG) the welds around the
flex couplers, and replace the section between the mufflers.

Before I go that route, I'd like to try polishing out the grind marks. Does anyone have
a recommendation for a polishing kit?

Thank you.

[Fugly_Old_Cowboy]

good old Dupont polishing compound worked for years but never tried it on stainless... when I was building boat props, after sanding smooth with progressively finer grits, I had a dual head grinder with cloth wheels & used black then red then green jewelers rouge to polish them up....

[KeithBoden]

I clean up welds with a 36 grit grinding wheel on an angle grinder because it is fast. When I am working on something that needs to look nice, I usually forget NOT to use the grinder for cleanup. It takes metal off fast, but also leaves really deep scratches. I have better results taking my time and using a die grinder with the 2" sanding discs. They aren't cheap, and you go through them fast, but it is easier not to put deep scratches into the work. You probably already know this, but if you already have deep scratches from grinding or using a coarse paper, you need to work your way up through the grits just like body work. I usually use 80 then 180, then 320 if necessary. I find that the worn out 180's leave a smooth enough surface to get a good spray paint finish.

If you want the welds to look nicer, one cheap option is to take them to someone with a TIG as they are now. Ask them to go over the weld and remelt it. When I do it, I make the same torch motions, and look for the same puddle characteristics as when TIG welding, but without adding filler, since the weld is already there. Using the pulse settings, you can even just move along at a constant speed, and let the high pulses make each successive puddle. I can make some pretty bad looking welds (in aluminum or steel) look like nice wide beads, and yours aren't anywhere in the ballpark of bad. If you want to go that route, don't grind all your welds flush, as they may burn through areas that ended up thinner.

[LCD Gauges]

...take them to someone with a TIG as they are now. Ask them to go over the weld and remelt it.

Very cool info, thanks! I'll see how things look after polishing tomorrow. After watching a few YouTube videos, I'm anticipating some shiny pipes & welds!

[LCD Gauges]

The polishing kit is going to make it all better. Right now I've done the first pass with an 80 grit polishing disc, and then used a rough cut
polishing wheel (right photo). I think I'll need to take it down one more step before polishing as you can still see lines.

2822028221

Found the perfect side marker from a newer Pontiac Grand Am. I'm going to try for the same bevel in the body as well.
28222

[LCD Gauges]

These polishing kits are fun! I've spent a good part of the night testing the compounds
on different parts of the engine: Cylinder heads, valve covers, roll cage, and aluminum
panels. I highly recommend getting a polishing kit, but be forewarned: Once you start,
you can't stop!

You can see the hack-job I did initially, followed by some restoration.

2823728236



I fixed the grind marks, but now there are dark spots in the pits of the weld beads
that I'm not able to clean. That will get fixed once the welds get TIG'd up.
28238

[LCD Gauges]

Played with the polishing kit some more today. This small bracket took about 30 minutes
to clean up, and there's even more shine to pull if you had all the time in the world!

Tomorrow I'm getting the exhaust TIG'd by a local welding shop. I'm anxious to see what
they can do for me.
283412834228340

[carbon fiber]

Found the perfect side marker from a newer Pontiac Grand Am. I'm going to try for the same bevel in the body as well.
28222 You can make a mold off the Pontiac panel where the side marker is (a little larger than the final cut size) and make a fg part out of the mold. Then, graft the fg part into the gtm body. The marker light and vent will fit it perfectly because it copies the factory opening. If you need any tips/info on the process, just pm me for contact info.

[LCD Gauges]

You can make a mold off the Pontiac panel where the side marker is (a little larger than the final cut size) and make a fg part out of the mold.

That may be difficult as I took that photo from a car in the parking lot at work. I'm going to assume that I'll have to remove the marker from the car to make
the mold?

Is there a method to make the mold using the vent, and marker light? Maybe prefab something in styrofoam, then 'glass over the contour?

[LCD Gauges]

A lot better than what I had done previously; $60 to reflow all the welds.
According to the man, it was difficult to reflow due to the flux-core wire
that was used. Something about too much flux present?

I’m not really sure what he meant, but he certainly put more heat into the
joints than my rig could achieve. We’ll see what a little grinding & polishing
can do for better presentation.

2842028421

[carbon fiber]

That may be difficult as I took that photo from a car in the parking lot at work. I'm going to assume that I'll have to remove the marker from the car to make
the mold?

Is there a method to make the mold using the vent, and marker light? Maybe prefab something in styrofoam, then 'glass over the contour?
Your best bet is to find salvage panels (L&R) to use to make the molds, then sell 'em after you're done. this may sound like a hassle, but it's not compared to re-creating the shape from scratch. you'll save hours of sanding, fitting, sanding, fitting, sanding, fitting, sanding, etc. They are a perfect fit to begin with. The marker light and vent would have to be removed and the panel would need to be prepped to make a mold from. (Waxing and PVA) Then gelcoat and fg. Like I said before, make the mold a little larger than the part you plan to make.

[LCD Gauges]

I'm sad, and happy to annouce that I sold the GTM to buy this 68SS. It was a tough decision, but...

I'm kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This beauty is parked in my garage right now getting ready for a head/cam swap. Too nice not to share!
For those looking for an off-the-shelf cam that works well with stock LS1 short block, and cylinder heads,
check out the Thumpr series camshafts from Comp. The first stage Thumpr will work without any major
mods if you're using the factory 243 castings/springs, and rockers. Lots of duration, and a good deal of
overlap if you like the old school lumpy idle. The cam is great for street/strip, with a low to mid range
sweet spot. I'll get some before, and after video of the idle sound.

28745


I've finally mounted the overflow canister, and found a new spot for the remote thermostat. I'll need to
fab a bracket to hold it nicely against the hatch mount.

Hey there's even some rust for me to clean, and maybe some aluminum to polish! :D
28744

I also had the pleasure of talking to Jason aka Carbon Fiber this week. I'm hoping to get something made for the centre console to jazz up the
focal point, and trim the stereo.

[LCD Gauges]

Some teaser pics of the bracket I made to secure the thermostat housing, and the rear tail lights/heat vents!

28927

After many failed attempts, I've finally found a light that fits and looks very appealing. It's the FRS aftermarket LED lights from Spyder.
This is the look I'm going for. Time to order them up, and put that long winded chapter behind me.
289282892928926

[Shawn K]

Those look decent. What would you do for the reverse light? Mold in the same reverse light off of the FRS?

[LCD Gauges]

I was thinking in the diffuser area, or inside (behind) the heat vents.

[LCD Gauges]

Here's a template of Jason's (CarbonFiber's) console cover which will serve nicely to trim the stereo unit.
Contact him for details; I'll post updates as I get them!
28956

[LCD Gauges]

Happy May 24 weekend everyone! How do you like the 9 degree weather, and rain?

Just as well, I'll be swapping a swivel fitting on the x-over hose as it's leaking through the locking pin.
Luckily the tank can remain in place, but draining fuel is a messy task. There has to be a better way?

On a good note, I've been messing around with the micro-controller and programming. I was able to makeT
up some cables, and solder them down. There's still a bit of code to be written, and then I'll have to calibrate
the sensors to read the proper values on the LCD. This controller can handle about 50 inputs (analog, and digital),
so there's lots of room to play. Setting up security for engine start will be so much better now!
29218292192922029221

[LCD Gauges]

It's June 1st in just a couple of days, and my plan was to have the car fully blocked, rear hatch bolted up, doors installed, and ready for a
test drive. No. The answer is No. It has been a slow process with a 5 month old in the mix, but I'm getting there!

Today the LED lights showed up, and they couldn't be sexier! The smoked lens is really going to set off the final look; it's just a matter
of fitting them into the lines of the back end. Hoping my "body guy" *cough* can work small miracles! :D

As you see in the photo, they are fairly big in comparison to the original tail lights. I'll have to modify the case of the lights, and re-work
the fiberglass more than expected. The C7 lights would have blended easier, but I wasn't willing to relocate the exhaust.

I'll see if I can get some pics/video of these things lit up!


2958729593

[Shawn K]

This is just a thought, but have you tried turning them upside down and putting them on the opposite side?

[LCD Gauges]

Hey Shawn, someone on the other forum PM'd me with the same thought. I'm not sure that will work because the outside of the lens has a reflector and lamp.

I'd like that to wrap around the side to act as a side marker if possible. The assembly is not flat, although it appears that way in the photo. It will take some
creative cuts to make them sit properly, and make them feel at home on the GTM.

[VD2021]

Can you post a side view pic of the housing?

[Fraser D]

My first though was to turn them upside down as well.
Just because the back of the GTM is basically flat there is no reason why you can’t section the top and side seam to match the lens profile. I agree, a side and top view will be helpful.
They look like very nice lights.

[LCD Gauges]

Here are some quick shots, and measurements. I didn't realize there was an additional lamp on the lower contour
that resembles a "neon tube". Very pleased with that; these LED's are slightly different than the photos I posted above.


red brake, amber turn, red DRL/night running
296112961629613


13 inches long (lens only) , 5 inches on side , 18 inches overall length (including flared plastic)

2961529612
5 inches deep x 7 tall (at thickest point)
29614

7 inches x 13 inches lens area (at widest & longest points)
29610

Some of the plastic trim can definitely be removed if necessary.

[VD2021]

I remember now. The tail lamp on the scion frs is somewhat surface mounted and bubbled.

[LCD Gauges]

I'm liking the flip more, and more! I see how the round part of the lens compliments the shape of the body contour on the left side image.

29622

[RumRunner]

+1 for the flip. Definitely flows better IMHO.

-Michael

[Fraser D]

I liked the flipped orientation better as well.
Question is, how does the unit profile blend into either the existing body profile or a modified one.

[VD2021]

I like the look with them flipped and swapped. Looks like they belong, working with the body visual rear profile.

I'd start by making a fg pocket for them (like I did with my side makers).

Put that(w/ the lamp) where you want it and start working the rear from there.

If it turns out like the photoshop image, it will be a great tail lamp mod.

[Shawn K]

They look much better flipped!

[Shawn K]

They look much better flipped! Will they contour with the sides of the car?

[LCD Gauges]

The unanimous decision made it easy; I'm sold on the flip!


Question is, how does the unit profile blend into either the existing body profile or a modified one.

That is the question of the day my friend. Sometimes I feel that my brain, and my eyes are more talented than my hands. I have some
options in my mind that should work. I'll see if I can sketch them out to get some opinions, and guidance.

Shawn, they don't contour with the sides as-is. Some body work will be necessary to make the lines flow properly.

[Presto51]

The unanimous decision made it easy; I'm sold on the flip!

That is the question of the day my friend. Sometimes I feel that my brain, and my eyes are more talented than my hands. I have some
options in my mind that should work. I'll see if I can sketch them out to get some opinions, and guidance.

Shawn, they don't contour with the sides as-is. Some body work will be necessary to make the lines flow properly.

Hey Tino,

Flipping those wonderful tail lights is a great idea, wish I had thought of that first :rolleyes:

Some body work will be necessary = Understatement of the week, but hey go big or go home, right :confused:

Keep up the great work

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Hey Shawn, someone on the other forum PM'd me with the same thought.

The mystery is solved! Ron is the "someone" that has been helping me from a distance with these lights so he gets the cookie.

Psst...Ron, there's a message for you at the OTHER place.

[LCD Gauges]

Here are few renders of possible installations of the lights. I have a few more concepts that I want to try after measuring some angles
on the lamps, and rear of the GTM.

I'm no artist, but it's more defined than the photoshop images.

2981129812

It will take some "enhancing" [Ron] to get the GTM to accept his new friends.

29813

[Presto51]

Here are few renders of possible installations of the lights. I have a few more concepts that I want to try after measuring some angles
on the lamps, and rear of the GTM.

I'm no artist, but it's more defined than the photoshop images.

2981129812

It will take some "enhancing" [Ron] to get the GTM to accept his new friends.

29813

Okay Tino,

Take a deep breath, put your pencil down, and slowly back away from the drawing, and tell your boss that you really like working for him\her :rolleyes:

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Pencil? What pencil? I love my day job!

[Shawn K]

If you haven't cut the body yet, I have another possible tail light. Have you looked at a new BMW z4? The tail lights are similar and they appear to be flat to the body. They also don't wrap around the quarter panel. Just a thought.

[LCD Gauges]

Nothing is chopped up yet, but I'm set on these LED's if the body guy can work with them.

I had the Z4 lights on my list, along with a bunch of others (Audi A7, Lexus GS, Acura RSX, etc.) but they either wanted too much
for the set, or my eyes caught something else.

Once I saw the LED version of the FR-S tail lights, I was hooked. Thanks for the thought, but please don't make me change my mind AGAIN! :o

[Shawn K]

How are the lights coming along?

[LCD Gauges]

I haven't done much with the lights unfortunately; focusing on cleaning up the engine bay wiring, and getting the motor fired up for the first time this season.

That has been my project for last few weeks. I'm a slow mover lately.

The next step with the lights isto make a template to figure out best placement.

[LCD Gauges]

Carbon Fiber, GT Style airfoil in da house.
It's a low laying profile, so I'll need to extend the links, or replace the winglets which I'm leaning toward right now. Finally starting to get back at this car after such
a long lay-off. Need to get it ready for a special someone!

305623056330564

[RF RIDER]

Hey Tino;
nice wing. I like the low profile as I find the FFR one sits to high. How do you plan on mounting it, on deck or thru to frame? Where did you pick that one up? Is it cheaper then the FFR one. I am still stuck on whether to get one simular to what Shane sells or go with one like yours.

[carbon fiber]

GO TINO GO! It looks good low, but the clean air is up high. Are you going to run a splitter on the front?

[LCD Gauges]

Dave,

I would like to mount to the frame, but the legs are sitting directly over my mufflers. My thought is to stuff a 1/4" plate of aluminum under the trunk lid
to fortify the structure. PM me for details on "the source" of the wing; I don't think I should post here if you know what I mean...

Jason,

Eventually I'd like to run a splitter, but for this season I'll be going bare up front. As for the wing, it's more for looks and perhaps a bit of drag reduction.
Maybe I can test some different angles, and height on the drag strip (or twisties); this setup can tilt about 15 degrees (once I change the winglets).

Speaking of winglets, is it easy to cut them with a dremel disc? If I layer some tape on either side to prevent splinters, then buff the edge do you
think it will be possible to cut (in your pro opinion)?
30585
It will give me about an inch of clearance with a "zero degree" tilt.

[carbon fiber]

Yeah the stuff cuts clean (it won't splinter) just make sure and wear a mask and safety glasses (CF in the eye is a bad look - even the dust being thrown). I use a die-grinder and cut-off wheel, it's stronger and easier than a dremel. Less chance of breaking the wheel too, the dremel stuff is fragile. If you don't have one they sell 'em cheap at harbor freight, and is a great tool to have in the toolbox. You can crank the air pressure down a little to keep the rpms down if you're not used to one. Make a cardboard template of the shape of the bottom of the winglet and just move it up where you need to cut. Then use it to do the other side also. I use a silver sharpie to mark cuts on CF. It's hard to see black. (IMPORTANT - store the silver sharpies TIP DOWN) After you trace the outside of the template with the sharpie, cut to the OUTSIDE of the sharpie mark, then sand to the inside edge of the sharpie mark (where the outer edge of the template is) with a sanding block by hand. Lay winglet flat hanging over the edge of a table, and block sand at 90 degrees to keep a clean edge. Call me if you have any problems.

[LCD Gauges]

Amazing detail; thanks for taking the time to explain the process!

[Presto51]

Carbon Fiber, GT Style airfoil in da house.
It's a low laying profile, so I'll need to extend the links, or replace the winglets which I'm leaning toward right now. Finally starting to get back at this car after such
a long lay-off. Need to get it ready for a special someone!

I would like to mount to the frame, but the legs are sitting directly over my mufflers. My thought is to stuff a 1/4" plate of aluminum under the trunk lid
to fortify the structure.

WOW Tino you do know how to find cool stuff. Do you plan to accquire any more interesting items in the near future ?

I think just stuffing a 1/4" aluminum plate under the trunk lid may not be enough support. Bet you thought it would be just a simple stick and scoot bolt on.

BTW: How are those Lambo doors coming along :p

Ron

[LCD Gauges]

Here are some photos for Dave who is interested in this airfoil. I'm liking the height with the winglets off!

The mounts sit right above the mufflers in the vent mesh area. It would be easy to cut a slot in the mesh,
then add a nice metal trim ring. The only setback is quick release/access to remove the spoiler for servicing
the trans-axle area.

30632306333063430635\

My first draft of a spoiler mount at 1:00 AM (now 1:30 AM) Time for bed, and maybe dream
up a better mount?
30631

[LCD Gauges]

Another start-up idle video. Nothing too exciting, so don't get mad!

First start for this season; just a bit of trouble with battery charging, and
needing more fuel.

So close, yet so far.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF0tY1xYocU