Another Lost Build - realize I like Green cars :-)

[Fullthrottleguy]

In started out having Mosebilt build a Mod of one of his Mid engine cars to my spec - at the time I dis not realize a 1 3/4:" chromo car was overkill for the sand especially trying to keep it to 2500Lbs 



I Paid upfront for a Tin guy to do the full body - he is no longer around ... I understand why - he delivered it maybe half way complete



I had a nice hood and some side panels that were 1/2 done 

Picked up shocks and wheels and tires and about 6 months income in other parts from Kartek ...

I should mention I picked the car up on Halloween and  and made it to Mother G Complete on Xmas  and that was after going for one day  with Tyler Scott  the week before for a shock tune ... this was a fast build  given In was working 50 hours a week at my job



The Boxed arms were Huge - but not completely welded and I needed to do a bit of work to get them fitted up right 



Nothing is easy on a build unless you buy a Turnkey - but no pride in Building  - they are not always what they seem on the outside ... (from some builders that is)

Of course Pre-fitting is an important step  and of course nothing fit



But that is part of the Journey 



I started working on making the missing panels ... and making  brackets and mounting parts to fit  me 



It was important to me that the controls were all in the right spots  - I have gotten used to this arrangement in used it in every car I have built before and after this one

'

everything is tight on a 2 seat Mid engine

I went huge on the radiator and blocked the back - last time I ever did that - I hated this part of the car



the Tim work got a bit more basic so I could get it done - John Mosebilt Helped me out and welded the roof together for me to save time  - he did it Gratis  - I appreciated the help  





I wanted a clean dash  and needed to get it done in a day ,,,



My dad RIP was a master auto body guy, he fit all the panel  and hand filed everything  at 89 he still had it ,,,





Next came the console  - simple again just more .063 Aluminum -  fast simple done on the break 



20 hour weekends ...

 

[Fullthrottleguy]

I use a big whiteboard as my Checklist when I build a car and constantly throw Notes up and Plumbing and wiring get diagramed out on my Mac.  when I wire a car first stop os home depot for two sheets of plywood and draw out  a wiring board and use screws and pull all the arounds around them  - build the harness and and out it isn the car- it eliminates the Oh Sh&t I forgot a wire issue (mostly)

dash was coming along



Seat adjusters were slick but required work - I had a couple friends on the weekend helping - One is certified welder - he fixed everything on the car - saved me a week 





the little stuff took time - like modding the Fuel cell outlets to -8 from -6  to handle 1100HP





After finishing parts and fitting everything up it all went to Powder  - I was able to have them work Sat and Sunday and they git the two stage done by  Monday morning - the Mid engine arms were 50" long











Now the Fun began ... Assembly - it all got done over Thanksgiving weekend  while everyone else was at the dunes ...



Did I mention mid engines are a tight fit  especially with Blown LS



I did all the fuel Lines and Heat exchanger lines in Stainless hard line as well as all the Brakes and most of the power steering

Dual fuel pumps filters and shutoffs were plumbed down low but easily accessible from the bottom





My Buddy Jerry did Hydraulics on aircraft or a living so when he offered to bend my brake lines I said Hell yes

 

[Fullthrottleguy]

By the end of the thanksgiving week most of the big stuff was done  - i had already Dyno'd the engine and broke it in on the Dyno   because pulling an SC engine out of a Mid for leak or noise is a full day job  its tight ...



It was my first car with hanging pedals that i built and last one I built with hanging pedals - not my favorite  although plumbing in cleaner



Dash was coming together but no wiring til after Thanksgiving





I sent the floors out for "spot line-x" I still like the look



when I first put the car together I put the Aircleaner in up over the radiator to give it cool air since I was not going to have a windshield -  in the end it was too loud 



A big mistake I made was NOT angling the filler  - it was a PIA to fill the car



I ran dual Odyssey Batteries something I still do on every car in this car the size of the battery was critical - it needed to be small



the fuel lines came up from the bottom and tee'd into the post filter  - it was easy to clean but made a mess if you did not drain the fuel back fFirst - I only did that once



even the PS was tight in the car



I mounted the master cutoff in the "tunnel of the Fuel cell - I like to keep cutoff switches where either driver or pass can get it and someone looking in the car can easily see it

Suspension came next





Of course I Next fitted the rear wheels and tires - and had the wrong offset - that was an expensive mistake - just went too fast  - New wheel time and I had two sets one with 35.5's and one with 36's





 getting there at 102" wide

No reason to Powder the spring yet - the suspension needed to be tuned first - and all the spring rates ended up changing ...



the front end was on   - let the wiring begin  -  all wired fitted before being loomed - they were in and out 3x and I used 100' of marine shrink tube and a few lbs of solder  -  My gold rule on anything not prone to vibration  or small gauge (like ecu wiring)  Crimp, solder, shrink  ... Rinse and repeat ..







Those seats were placeholders until the custom Podiums were done  By The Way

x

 

[Fullthrottleguy]

It was time to Vinyl all the Side panels and roof





and it was ready for the maiden Voyage to go tuning 



well once Bob from RBP called and the axles were done  .... the night before we rolled out of course









it had a shade over 26" usable travel .. all around,  while tuning Tyler strapped the car to 24" and it actually worked better



I missed my 2500Lb weight ...  Wet it was 2735 ...

I could have used a few hundred more HP 



Loading up for tuning  the next morning 



Tuning session at G - during the week  - it was perfect







One and done Morning to afternoon  and the car rode like Couch 



Mission accomplished 

First day of the Xmas Trip and the wife Approved (not that she knew how much the car cost)



It does not get better than this - all the hard work paid off

 

[Bobalos]

Awesome build & documentation!!

 

[Chingon619]

Epic build!

 

[L.R.S.]

Alex! So awesome that your dad got to work on this with you. Makes it so much more special. Glad to hear Tyler is still around, haven't talked to him since he got married and changed careers. Looking forward to seeing the car in person. And after all these years and all the advice and help you've given me just know I'm a phone call away and would love to turn wrenches in your shop with you. I'm sure I could learn a lot! Hit me up anytime man man! 

P.S. you're wife isn't still mad at me for dropping off that Vega is she? How many dead rats did you pull out of that car...

 

[dbart]

Awesome!

Thank you for sharing.

 

[Fullthrottleguy]

Alex! So awesome that your dad got to work on this with you. Makes it so much more special. Glad to hear Tyler is still around, haven't talked to him since he got married and changed careers. Looking forward to seeing the car in person. And after all these years and all the advice and help you've given me just know I'm a phone call away and would love to turn wrenches in your shop with you. I'm sure I could learn a lot! Hit me up anytime man man! 

P.S. you're wife isn't still mad at me for dropping off that Vega is she? How many dead rats did you pull out of that car...

Jeff - Thanks for the kind words - and the wife could not believe I brought home that parts car, I still owe you for that transport... I always appreciate your help and the tech articles, no one preps like you ...I have not talked to Tyler in while either