RSR Conversion - Part 2 - The build

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by bergporsche

Any update!

Wonder how the project is going.

Car goes to the body shop next week. I am tired of driving around the block like that... want to be able to take the car out on the road... so best to take it to an expert to finish it before I am to old to shift...

[juicersr]

Hey 'chuk, any updates or pix from the body shop?

[Kevin Stewart]

I agree any updates, Kevin

[Jammo]

Hi, cracking job there mate....
I have been involved with similar jobs as your doing, but we have always worked with steel, but are thinking of giving the fibre glass alternatives a try.

I have one question if you dont mind helping - the steel transfer is more or less the same as you are doing but what, or more like how, are you going to mate the door outer edge with the fender flare where it abuts to the door - as the fibre glass is on top of the original wing.
It's no problem with the steel as we cut off the outer fender over the door jam so the new fender is level with the original door.
Very interested in understanding how you eventually did this.
That is going to be one awsome looker - well done.
Regards

Jammo.

[Packy]

subscribed

[wachuko]

Well... decided to work it a little bit more before it goes to the shop... a lot of friends are just telling me to take a stab at it....

Finally getting a chance to resume work on this project...

Removed the rear qtr panels and bumper to start working on it again...



Pressured washed the whole area:



Might be a good time to remove the oil tank and detailed it... clean it, paint it, etc... hummm... now the "while you are in there" sub project start to show up...









The previous owner, since he had the car close to stock, covered the second exhaust side. I will remove that cover and weld a small 3" pipe to then install the small radius elbow and get the dual exhaust finished.





A few more baby steps...

Cut bolts and drilled holes on the stock bumper support. Made a metal piece with two bolts welded to it to glue to bumper with epoxy. This will allow me to remove the bumper with ease...



Also finished modifying the muffler with the dual exhaust. Still need to cut just a little bit more to have the tailpipes closer to the middle of the cut outs in the bumper.



With the bumper now centered and held in place by bolts in the shocks, and the braces from the side, I can now work on aligning the quarter panels.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Jammo

Hi, cracking job there mate....
I have been involved with similar jobs as your doing, but we have always worked with steel, but are thinking of giving the fibre glass alternatives a try.

I have one question if you dont mind helping - the steel transfer is more or less the same as you are doing but what, or more like how, are you going to mate the door outer edge with the fender flare where it abuts to the door - as the fibre glass is on top of the original wing.
It's no problem with the steel as we cut off the outer fender over the door jam so the new fender is level with the original door.
Very interested in understanding how you eventually did this.
That is going to be one awsome looker - well done.
Regards

Jammo.

Fully understand your question. The ones that I have seen are just glued to the metal with a special epoxy and then blended in by filler and sanding... So the end result is a panel area that is ticker than original due to this blend...

[SlickV8]

Hi, just picked up on your thread - fantastic. I've just stripped my '84 car and about to begin '73 RS conversion. I was going to order from GT-Racing today....you happy with the panels overall?
Also, i'm sruggling to find rubber seals to go between the rear lights and bumper/qtr and the same for the front...have you sourced any?
Many Thanks,

[SlickV8]

Original car 3 weeks ago - gearbox rebuilt, engine sweetened, Quaife LSD fitted, new Bilstien clubsports, Lowered

[Tim K]

Originally Posted by SlickV8

Hi, just picked up on your thread - fantastic. I've just stripped my '84 car and about to begin '73 RS conversion. I was going to order from GT-Racing today....you happy with the panels overall?
Also, i'm sruggling to find rubber seals to go between the rear lights and bumper/qtr and the same for the front...have you sourced any?
Many Thanks,

Please do a search here on the different fibreglass suppliers. I think the consensus is that GT's parts require a ton of work to get nice fit and finish. Having said that, most fibreglass panels do require some work.

Start a new thread introducing yourself and your car. You will find people here are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Tim K

[911-32]

Originally Posted by SlickV8

Hi, just picked up on your thread - fantastic. I've just stripped my '84 car and about to begin '73 RS conversion. I was going to order from GT-Racing today....you happy with the panels overall?
Also, i'm sruggling to find rubber seals to go between the rear lights and bumper/qtr and the same for the front...have you sourced any?
Many Thanks,

You can get panels/bumpers in the UK - try Pro-9 - and there are a number of euro suppliers as well. Shipping, VAT and Duty plus the FX rate will kill you importing from the US at the moment IMHO.

[SlickV8]

Thanks, got a thread started on rennlist
'73 2.8 RS Backdate Project - Month 1 - Rennlist Discussion Forums
Rgds,

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by SlickV8

Thanks, got a thread started on rennlist
'73 2.8 RS Backdate Project - Month 1 - Rennlist Discussion Forums
Rgds,

Cool Subscribing to that thread!

I should be starting again on this car in about two months... I have been side tracked by this one:

[chris 964]

Originally Posted by wachuko

Cool Subscribing to that thread!

I should be starting again on this car in about two months... I have been side tracked by this one:

Might be interested in my brothers 124 Andy & Lindsay’s Fiat 124 Spider

[Glenntpr]

Dude you are making all of us look pretty bad. Whats up with your dream garage? Great job!

[esotoracing]

Originally Posted by wachuko

i had that 959 poster on my wall since i was 15 or so. . .i still have it rolled up somewhere. It will go up sometime soon (as soon as i move)

[jmitro]

the widebody look is really nice.

is this for a streetcar or racecar project? I'm guessing a streetcar with no cage, street tires, and a reclining seat?

this car would be cool to race, assuming the mechanicals were on par with the cosmetics.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by jmitro

the widebody look is really nice.

is this for a streetcar or racecar project? I'm guessing a streetcar with no cage, street tires, and a reclining seat?

this car would be cool to race, assuming the mechanicals were on par with the cosmetics.

Road... but now we are thinking of tinkering with the engine... will see...

Finally some progress... Thanks to a friend that took on finishing the project... now is a joint effort and moving a heck of a lot faster.

Inner duct (sorry for the small photos...)



Building a lip and reinforced mounting points



Let's glue this puppy!





Passenger Qtr Panel now in place. Bumper also attached (not sure if you can see the screws on the bumper. Those are to hold the inside bracket while it dries. Bumper can be removed easily and it is resting on the stock bumper shocks.



Rear wing blasted, glued, and ready to be primed...



Moving to the front... that mount looks sooooo much better than my first attempt...



Mirror holes welded shut... look at the perfect gap of the fender and the body!



Door dings fixed...



That is all for now

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Tim K

Please do a search here on the different fibreglass suppliers. I think the consensus is that GT's parts require a ton of work to get nice fit and finish. Having said that, most fibreglass panels do require some work.

Start a new thread introducing yourself and your car. You will find people here are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Tim K

Tim,

That is an understatement... the amount of work to make these parts work is overwhelming...

In my case, Joel sent me two different Qtr panels... one that was made with hand layed fiberglass cloth and one that was made with shooting it (similar to the method used in the boating industry)... So the thickness was not the same, the weight was not the same, the holes (openings) are not the same... So to make it look even on both sides is a major pita... and I ordered the parts soooo long ago that I will not even try to get a new qtr panel to match.

With these parts it is best to see them before you buy. Not something everyone can do as they might not be close to the vendor's location.

Anyhow, I ended up joining forces with a friend. I basically told him that I will give him the car if he paid to finish it... he gracefully accepted but only if we share ownership of the car . He found a guy that works wonders in the bodyshop and it is finally moving in the right direction and looking like it will be finished with a quality of work that I could only have dreamed of accomplishing.

[ted]

Originally Posted by wachuko

the amount of work to make these parts work is overwhelming...

So true, this is not a kit for a backyard body man.
Hang in there and once you get it out of the body shop it gets a lot better!