NZ- 73 RSR Clone build
 

After many months of searching these forums and gathering soooooo much information my project has finally arrived!!!
I purchased this car from LA in August, a fellow member had owned for four or so years, invested a lot of time and money into the project and then decided to move it on..... I picked it up.
This picture is of the car before loading into a container in LA.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290214180.jpg

Finally it arrives in Christchurch, New Zealand. This is where it will spend its time while completing the build.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290214293.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290214311.jpg

Looks like fun!

NZ- 73 RSR Clone Build specs
 

The plan!
Currently a 1973 roller that has had the roof replaced at the seams to a non-sunroof model. 11" Steel rear guards added, OEM front flares have been tacked on awaiting completion. This will all remain with further work.
I purchased a 81 SC wreck that was 90% complete, so I have a 204BHP 3.0 SC running gear for the conversion. Its turns out that the engine/gearbox has had $12k NZD of work done to it less than 6000miles ago, what a bonus!!!!!!
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290214785.jpg

Totally stripped the SC and disposed of the chassis, spent some time repainting the engine etc while I located a suitable roller.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290214893.jpg

I have purchased a lot of parts for the project so far and know that I will need a lot more... so far;
255/40 and 315/35R17 Toyo NT05 Tyres
16" Fuchs and 17" Forged outer Hoops to make into 17x9.5 and 17x11 wheels
RSR Ducktail spoiler
RSR Front and Rear F/glass bumpers
Manufactured Alloy mounts for a 996TT brake conversion to the SC running gear, all completed.
RSR Door panels and light weight carpet set
Cobra Classic RS seats with sliders and tilt mechanism.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290215113.jpg

There is a lot of panel work to be done before all the above goes in but I decided to get a lot imported with the car and the USD/NZD rate has been great!

It now seems I need to do a front suspension pan replacement and rear seat bases.... so will look to order these parts next week.

Considering the option of Acid dipping the chassis or sand blasting..... have not decided yet, there is a lot of gunk etc that I would like to remove before painting. Bit worried what else I may find...

Happy to hear peoples comments/advice on anything they can share.
Any fellow members in NZ that have parts to sell be keen to here from you, if you're in Christchurch and want to have a look just email/pm me.

Brent

Cool project. Will you be doing a RHD conversion?

Thanks, will leave it LHD. If it's over 20 years old it can be left as LHD and registered here no problem.

Have read through your project many times.... very NICE!!

Lots of great threads out there that have inspired me so far, won't mention them by name in fear I miss some one, bascially if its WIDE and LOW I have read it :)

Thanks for the compliment. Have you decided on a color scheme? Where did you find the SC wreck? I have been looking on trademe for a 911 for my brother in Auckland but there are not many lower priced 911's that look worth the price of admission. I checked out Oz - more selection but the prices there are even higher.

Yeah, BLACK will be the colour.
Wreck was on trademe, just fluked it to be honest. Trademe is your best option here, depends what you call a low price... I think there are some reasonable buys there. OZ is way too dear for Porsche.

Really looking for something below NZ$25k. RHD. Coupe. Manual. Minimal mods.

Bodywork is a little more than I first expected.... need to involve someone with more skills than myself. Have had a few people look over it and also realize there is a lot of work!!!

My initial plan now is to have the car dipped, neutralized and then coated for rust protection. I need to strip what's left of the car within the week so I can get it to the immersion company and all going to plan I will have it back for Christmas.

Slippery slope here we go !!

Good luck. Black will look pretty tough when it is all done.

Well after a few big nights I got the shell stripped right down, not a bolt left on it.
Everything came out without too much effort which was a great help, all the suspension must have been removed at some stage recently. Doors, fenders and Bonnet are packed in as well.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290978084.jpg

Also added a few other items to get cleaned up for powder coating while its there.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290978180.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290978214.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1290978273.jpg

I should have the car back before christmas so will post some pic's of it then in it's bare metal form!

Picked up the car in the new year after being Acid dipped, came out amazing, what a dream this will be to work on.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1297760952.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1297761036.jpg

Note to self, don't sell things! Decided to buy back the old SC wreck so I could get the seat bases and rear parcel shelf, a quick Saturday mornings work and I had it out of the 73.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1297761215.jpg

Will rely on someone more talented than myself to put the SC one into the car :)

you gonna seam weld the chassis? now would be a great time to do so.

my E21 BMW racecar project was acid dipped and recently seam welded:
E21 racecar build....hopefully a loose Grp5 replica - Page 3 - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum

start with post #60

Tell us more about acid dipping and how it works?

Wow, the tub looks great Brent. Seems a shame to cover up all that nice metal with paint :-)

caustic solution eats away paint, seam sealer, undercoating, and rust. It's an excellent way to clean a chassis off for rebuilding and/or racecar prepping.
cost for me was $1650US without any primer.

Don't know too much about the process but it left nothing on it... as jmitro says, paint, rust and even underseal!
Not seam welding as it will be a street/weekend car, no intentions of racing it.

Pretty keen to move forward with the bodywork so I can get it undercoated and protected from future rust.

Car is now at panel beaters
 

Dropped the car off on Friday to have approx 50hrs work done.
Plan is to install rear seat bases/ parcel shelf and rear inner Left guard plus some other parts if time permits.

I cut out some templates for front and rear strut supports and had them Laser cut. I then folded them up ready for welding.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301303182.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301303242.jpg

Ordered RD panels that I need to hopefully complete the car, they should arrive end of April

Front brace supports
 

Frontshttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301303412.jpg

Alex has made huge progress on the car this week....
Left rear guard remove to access Inner wheel arch for repair.
Re-fitted rear seat bases/ parcel shelf and tacked into place.
Braced door frames and removed outer Rockers, the plan was to replace inner and outer rockers, however when he go the outers off the inners were fine and the Heater Ducting was still in great shape even after Caustic Acid dip !!!!
Removed Door skins ready for replacement.
Also repaired a small Floor hole and various other small Fire wall holes.

Very happy with progress, I'm away next week but the plan is to get it jigged and 3D measured to ensure accuracy to OE. There are some small issues in the front end that we want to fix before going in deep there.

Sorry no pic's..... will get some when I get back.

cool, post photos of the bodywork and the braces you made being welded into place.

Cool, good luck. I had fun doing mine. If you need graphics I'd be happy to help.

I thought you were having it treated? I see lots of surface rust all over? I would sand blast that off and get it acid etch primed.. or at LEAST a prewash product to stop the rust. Or am I not seeing rust?

Thanks Joe, yes I will need graphics and will be in touch later.

Brent

JP,

Yes the car has had a Electro-coating sprayed over the car.... this is good for approx one year depending on conditions.
If you're referring to the last pic's where is shows some surface rust on Torsion Tube and where the rear seat area has been removed, that is basically where the seams were of the previous seat area panel. The Electro coating is doing a great job for protection. The Torsion Tube area is very hard to get to when panel there so now it is removed is being cleaned and epoxied.
I'm working towards getting all the shell/ Chassis repair work done within the next 3-6 months and then epoxy the shell to protect it for a more relaxed time frame.

Brent

Fuchs prelim fitment
 

Got two of my wheels back this week after getting them placed inside the hoops for trial fitment, here are the spec's.
17x9.5 ET35 (Using a 27mm adaptor) 255/40R17
17x11 ET0 with 315/35R17
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1307225828.jpg

I decided to trial a front and rear as I have so many variables at the moment I want to make it 100% right.
1) Raise spindles 40mm
2) May revise rear ET to negative to move away from spring plate, it is ok at the moment but alignment is way out of wack and ride height not 100%.
3) Rear outer clearance is zero, depending on how much negative camber I run this will determine if I can come out some more.

Front:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1307226045.jpg
Rear:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1307226125.jpg

Hey Brent, cool project! I think you are busy building my project's evil twin. Mine is a 69 tub with RSR bodywork and also powered by an '81 3.0 SC motor from a wreck! I got the same cobra seats too! Will try post some pics when the paint is done (hopefully soon.)

Oh and mine is GP White.

Sounds great, a few RSR reps happening at the moment.

Stripped all the suspension back out of it today and got it ready to go back to panel guy, hopefully end of this month it will be back there.
Also cleaned up some parts and painted those ready for reassembly, Heater ducts and pedal assembly.
Also dismantled the Front Bilstein struts for re-valving, might send them away this week too.

Update pic's
 

Just got the car back from Chassis repair people, they 3d measured the car and then adjusted accordingly, it was in pretty good shape so was fixed quickly.
New Front Suspension pan tacked in.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1320195760.jpg
Another shot from above, also fabbed up some support panels either side as these were a bit rusty.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1320195854.jpg

New rear seat base and parcel shelf
 

Had not posted these pic's either... new rear seat base panel from donor car along with Rear parcel shelf, seemed easier to stitch whole panel in together rather than in pc's.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1320196002.jpg

Also new door skins fitted on both sides along with outer rocker panels.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1320196056.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1320196073.jpg

Car is back with panel shop for some more welding and repairs... will post some pics over the coming weeks. Alex is hopeful of getting his side completed this trip! will see how that goes.

Be great to get the chassis metal cleaned and in a epoxy coating to preserve the raw finish.

:subscribed: :)

Brent,

Your wheel fitment looks great as is. Is there any chance you can post a picture of the inside rear wheel clearance against the spring plates with the 11x17 ET 0 wheels with 315 tires? If your alignment is currently wacked try and set the toe to zero before taking the pic.

Personally if the inside clearance is ok I would leave the rear wheels alone. If you move them out any further (going negative on ET) you'll start running into rubbing issues on the outer fender lips.

Keep up the great work!

I am curious as to how the rear seat section was removed?

Rear seat removal
 

I drilled out the factory spot welds and cut along the base on the edge above the floor panel approx 4". The real messy part is where all the panels meet on the back section where the rear window sits.

Updates with pic's
 

Picked up the car on Monday after some more time spent at the Metal repair shop, progress is going real good with only the Front guards, indicator area to be completed. I'm sure there will be some more areas to resolve but that is the main things which should soak up the last 30-40hrs I suspect.
Rear guards Aligned and welded.
Lower panel below rear window aligned and finalised pending window fitment check.
Outer sills welded.
Panels cut from front inner guard area and panel into shape and re-fitted.
Front Air tunnel cut out and sheet metal bent into shape and re-fitted to house Front mount oil cooler.
Final welding of Fuel Tank support panel with trial fitment of fuel tank done.

Shell is holding up well in Electra-coating after full Dip was done almost two years ago! Hoping to get the rest of the welding completed early 2013 and then get the car epoxied to protect it fully.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1354241986.jpg

Front oil cooler location
 

Rear of oil cooler dam