Educate the new guy

[doug_porsche]

Help educate the new guy.

I am flying out next weekend to look at a GTM that is "Mostly Done".
If I am comfortable that my skills can make the car go from "Mostly Done" to "Look at me!" at cars and coffee, I will bring it home.

I have read that a smart person knows what they dont know. I am trying to be smart here.

Here is what know. Repeating what I have been told, not what I know first hand.

The car starts and moves/stops under its own power.
Painted body is attached
Interior is in progress "guessing from picts about 60% done"
Glass is NOT in (he was commenting "on getting the door window tracks to not rub")
LS1 motor running the stock Corvette ECU.
Porsche 6 speed box.
Tires and wheels on the car.
Vintage AC in place, but HVAC vent hoses need done. (Is it true that VA make "AC only" setups for this car?)
Mirrors need mounted.
??


Here is what I dont know.

Everything else.

Please educate me.

What should I be looking for? If I brought you along to help me review the car, who have built your car, what would you focus on?
I am assuming there is a build manual. Only one volume, or PDF? Does that include part numbers for the FFR bespoke parts?

I obviously need to do a "basic inventory" of things NOT bolted onto the car.
(reminds me of Mark Donohue quote when Porsche "Loaned" him a race car. "That's not a race car, that spare parts that they bolted together so they dont lose any of them")

What do/should I give my full attention to when I am looking at the car?
Build quality is an obvious check box.

But stuff like:
Did they do this prep/modification to the pipes in the trans tunnel?
Does the wiring harness include the X
Do both gas tanks mount with this addition.

Thanks in advance

[VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC]

A few things:

If the car is already painted, but the door windows have never been installed.....that's going to pose problems. There is quite a bit of work that I consider "bodywork" that goes along with getting the windows fitted and working. We see this a lot....people who are in a huge rush to get the car painted....so they paint it and then try to fit the painted parts together.....parts that need to be fitted BEFORE the car is painted....not after.

No, FFR does not sell an AC-only option. If that is what this car has, it is just a generic VA AC system.....not the one that FFR offers.....and therefore not one specifically designed for the GTM. Not that that's a bad thing....just different.

As for the interior.....that is not something you want to do with the body already mounted. Hopefully at least all of the carpet is installed, roll bar covers and headliner. The roll bar covers and headliner can't be installed with the body on. Before we install the painted body on a car, we make sure that the upholstered rear window/firewall panel, upholstered tank covers, waterfall, seat belts, seats, carpet, roll bar covers and headliner are all installed. Can't install the main dash until the body goes on.

Electrical. Crawl under the dash. Look in the tunnel. Look in the engine bay and under the front hood. If it's nothing but a rat's nest of random wires running everywhere, I'd probably run in the opposite direction. You'll have never ending problems.

And I'd say that same sort of logic goes with the rest of the car. If you notice a ton of "little things" that don't look quite right, that probably means that the entire car is filled with a bunch of other little and big things that aren't quite right and you'll have never ending problems.

If it's a Gen I car, make sure it has the update done to the rear lower shock mounts and also a fix of some sort for the suspension cam bolts:

http://vraptorspeedworks.com/cam-bolt-washers-36/

[cob427sc]

Having built an early GTM, I agree with Shane that the wiring would be my first concern. If it doesn't look good you might as well plan on tearing it out and starting over as it is very involved. I'd also look at the shift linkage as the early cars would not shift the 6 speed in any good format. Most (I did one of the first) converted to an after market cable shift. If the rear glass hasn't been installed and the body hatch has been painted, this also may be a problem as I remember considerable work to make the hatch fit properly and the glass to fit the hatch. Door windows - don't get me started. Worst part of the build and huge amount of work to get the windows to work, seal and required altering of the front glass/body interface. Depending on the date of the kit, have the fuel tank connections/hoses/pumps been updated. Otherwise, good luck and have fun!

[doug_porsche]

Thank you gentlemen

Adding this to my notes for when I view the car this weekend.

[icoulabeenav8]

As a second owner currently dealing with ghastly wiring, I would second Shane's comments. Apparently the builder of my car made the wiring nice and tidy ONLY where it was easily visible. I leave you to consider the moral profile of someone who would do that. What started as a minor wiring repair became a total teardown to get at the wiring in toto as each problem revealed new problems which revealed still more problems...

[crash]

Plus one for what Shane said.

Let me just add this...A GTM is considered an "advanced build" and taking on a half way completed "advanced build" will likely make things even a bit more difficult. If you have the skills, then nothing is beyond rebuilding and as long as you get a price point accordingly it doesn't mean that you are looking at something you shouldn't buy. Just know what you may be getting into and price/bid accordingly.

[doug_porsche]

Thank you for the info.

Flying out Saturday to see the car.

I have pages of check boxes/to due list so, I am hoping, I can review the car logically, not "oh look small shiny object! Must have!!"

[icoulabeenav8]

What happened with the car?

[doug_porsche]

I told the (sensible) voices in my head to shut up and then I bought the car.
I am in Denver, the car is in San Diego.
I go and pick it up in the next couple of weeks.

Its the car that was listed about a month ago, on the other forum.

What is done looks good.
Reminds me of the saying
80% of the job takes 80% of the time
the other 20% of the job takes the other 80% of the time.

My goal is to have it street legal by spring.
And the car "Done"* by the end of the summer.
So I will be asking many question, and am very willing to listen and learn from you all who have been there done that.

*But is the car ever done?

[icoulabeenav8]

Congratulations. Wish you success.

[beeman]

Congrats! What's the history on that car? Did you buy from a forum member? Any photos?

[doug_porsche]

The former owner was/is not a member.
Seems he was trying to build the car without a very important resource if you ask me.

[Shoeless]

Congrats, welcome to the madness :cool:

[beeman]

Frame looks powdercoated, but door structure isn't?

[doug_porsche]

Frame looks powdercoated, but door structure isn't?

Well there is something else I had not thought of to add to the To-Do list.

My "I dont have the car in the shop yet" plan

30,000 ft to-do list is
while picking up the car, do a quick inventory of what is and/or needs attached to the car
bring car and parts home
do a more intense inventory of what needs attached to the car (Is there a parts list of what was included with the kit from ffr?)
do an inventory/health check of what is attached to the car (I am not a trusting kind of guy)
build a 10,000 ft to-do list
breath
hide results from wife
knock out low hanging fruit
do an inventory/health check of what is/still needs attached to the car
build a 5,000 ft to-do list
breath
hide results from wife
knock out low hanging fruit

lather, rinse, repeat

[mabbott74]

I told the (sensible) voices in my head to shut up and then I bought the car.

I bought a 'mostly done' roadster a little over a year ago. I'm not sure who laughed louder - me or my wife! Have fun, enjoy the journey and from my experience re-torque every fastener.

[Shoeless]

I bought a 'mostly done' roadster a little over a year ago. I'm not sure who laughed louder - me or my wife! Have fun, enjoy the journey and from my experience re-torque every fastener.

Torque paint is your friend here :cool:

[Presto51]

Congratulations on the purchase?? Or is it too early for that, as it looks like the original owner might have done the hop scotch build route. :)

You asked is the car ever done. Answer is no, it's a hot rod, and there will always be things to do on it, but you can enjoy the process.

PM me about the windows when you get to that point.

Ron

[VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC]

Frame looks powdercoated, but door structure isn't?

The door frames are never coated from FFR......thank goodness.