Chasing the Ghosts of LeMans - Thunder - Project 487 Super Snake - Page 10 - Lateral-g Forums

Ripped · #91 03-05-2013, 10:37 PM

Heads are pretty much done as of tonight.

Just going to double check everything and get the parts ready to ship to the engine shop

**FETorino** · #92 03-05-2013, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ripped

Heads are pretty much done as of tonight.

Just going to double check everything and get the parts ready to ship to the engine shop

Time for engine intermission. Let's see some more pictures and details about your car and the building of it.

Ripped · #93 03-06-2013, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FETorino

Time for engine intermission. Let's see some more pictures and details about your car and the building of it.

Okay Rob, I will try. Within a day or so.

The engine itself is being built to meet my overall needs, and road racing hard driving component is a part of it.
That being said, I am looking for a broad torque band and reasonable behaviour, with air conditioning etc.

The heads are done and ready to ship out with a lot of the other engine components. Not an all out porting job, but looking at the before and after pics, should allow a real decent gain in power.

Before;

A close up of some of the port work before the final polish.

After:

Ripped · #94 03-07-2013, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FETorino

Time for engine intermission. Let's see some more pictures and details about your car and the building of it.

Rob, you asked for it, AND Be Careful What You ASK FOR because I am LONG WINDED, but I'll bring everyone up to speed.

BTW I did everything on the car myself, except for the paint, and engine assembly

Original GT500 We owned, could not afford to keep her, sold for $11,500

So after owning a couple mustangs, including the 68 shelby, I knew what I liked and didn't like about the cars.

Since I didn't have to stay original, I could take steps to improve the car, and build it the way that it should have been done. I tried to stay with the theme, that I wanted to look as if all the upgrades and changes, were something that looked like the car came that way from the factory.

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of modifications to the car, and every single one I considered that I wanted to try and make the mods stealthy, unseen, or period correct.
My pet peeve is the wheels I still am searching for something that has more of a "period-correct" look. If I find some, I'll let you guys know. Obiously the big brakes stick out, but the calipers do say "shelby"

Anyway, the first part of the car I'll talk about is the ASS END.

Now this is important, because this is the part you see, when the beast flys by you

The Shelby had a nice overall concept and nice lines, but the fiberglass and metal work were terrible, from the factory.

Some examples;

Notice the spot welds under the rocker;

Notice the fit of the trunk and extensions, and gap between the bumper and extensions, gravel pan where it meets the bottom of the quarters;

So I embarked on a mission to make it the way that it should have been.

Literally, there is about 9 months of body work, metal work and fiberglass work into the trunk, extensions and rear quarters alone.

Changes;
It's hard to see, but there is a body line that is in the lower portion behind the rear wheelhouse. This was made razor sharp, but with the number of coats of clear, it's hard to see in the photos.

There is a spine, that runs from the center of the car, on the hood, cowl, roof, then there is a line down the center of the back glass.

This spine was built up and now runs from the center of the backglass, all the way across the trunk and up the inside of the rear spoiler (not stock, and most people don't notice it - but it should have been there IMO)

There are three body lines that come down the C Pillar. I enhanced/sharpened these lines, and then carried all three on to the trunk, where they all converge in a point.

So see if you can spot some of the differences?

Yes the extensions. I spent a long time making them fit better. First to the body, then gapped the bumper 3/16" and contoured the extensions so that the shape flowed right around the spoiler from one side to the other.

While I was doing that, I thought; I wonder what the spoiler would look like, if it was taller?

Yeah, I thought it did deserve more height. So I added an inch to the rear spoiler, and about a half inch to the extensions.
I spent a long time making sure that everything flowed together nice, including blocking the back of the spoiler all evenly, for a nice fit.

Yeah I definitely wanted this to look good, as it rumbled by.

Part way through, I decided the spoiler needed a little bit of a kick, so I leaned the upper lip of the spoiler back, just a bit more, and gave it a nice sharp edge.

Whew, I get tired just writing all this down.

Yes the rear valance, got the edges welded and ground, welded and ground, until it fit nice against the rear quarters.

Oh yeah, the pinch welds at the bottom of the car.

My car wasn't going to have an "eleanor" style fiberglass rocker/skirt, so with my crappy welder a shrinking disk, and sanding block, I went to work.
Again it's not noticed by many people, just me. But all the ugly pinch welds at the bottom of the car, are gone. Nice and smooth. I even block sanded under the rocker.

This makes it simple to wipe off road debris. The paint is nice and smooth, under there.

Okay, thats enough.

Oh yeah, the metal on the rear quarters was also stretched. Most people can't tell that either, but I think the car looks sexier the way it is now.
Months with the shrinking disk and long block to make it look nice.

I'll never do that again LOL

Ripped · #95 03-10-2013, 04:13 PM

I got to spend some time with my nephew Tanner (who we are going to be building the seat for) yesterday, during my daughter's cerimony.

The first question he asked me, was "Is the mustang fixed yet?"

So I told him, we are about a month or so away. I have some work to do on my mom's place this coming 2 weeks, but I am also going to place some calls out to a few manufacturers.

He is a super bright, and otherwise pretty normal boy for 13 years old. In some ways a lot brighter.

I'll keep the updates coming on the seat and engine progress.

Ripped · #96 03-23-2013, 10:01 AM

I was advise the Holley 770 Avenger was going to cost me some HP, so I am going to A Quick Fuel Carb.

Yes I like the bling but know that the bling on carbs can go away after you do hard driving for a while.

Then I saw this one;

I like the idea of the black finish, for ease of maintenance.