Didn't see it so I might as well build it

[Arnage]

I purchased this tub here on Pelican Classifieds back in 2009 with the idea of building a 2.8 RSR back date for street use. Several race restoration projects and a ChumpCar build got in the way so I decided to sell the tub late last year along with all the parts I have accumulated. The sales attempt failed (it's a tough market for "project" sales), so now I have decided to complete the project as first intended. The tub goes to the media blaster on Monday and then to a qualified body shop to install a new front pan as well as both front and rear latch panels. The front pan had structural rust damage and the rear latch panel was damaged, so I decided to replace both latch panels with correct '73 type. The tub will then be primed with epoxy primer and come back to me for completion. I will keep posting progress photos as the build progresses. The current thought is that it will be finished in white with correct semi-gloss black underside and compartments (all). Some liberties will be taken with the build for personal preferences and to set it apart from other back dates.

[wayner]

I've always wondered if there was a market for "bodies in white" (restorations taken to just a clean solid shell stage).

Subscribed

[Justin@Athens]

sub'd. Good luck, and thanks for keeping us inspired.

[wildcat077]

Very good of you to save another hopeless part out from the scrap heap !
I'm a big fan of complete restoration projects and on top of that your car will be as
good as new !!!

Good luck with the project

Cheers !
Phil

[onboost]

Originally Posted by Arnage

Several race restoration projects and a ChumpCar build got in the way

Yes! Its great to know that not only I suffer from this type of A.A.D.H.D..

And yes, Pelican serves as my control group.. as I begin to become a project slacker, someone posts another motivational thread such as this!

Thank you man

[Arnage]

wayner:

There seems to be little appreciation for the amount of labor and money goes into taking a car down to the tub and preparing the "body in white". I had offered it for a very reasonable price but I realize the market a project such as this appeals to is extremely small.

Thanks to all for the encouragement and appreciation of the effort.

Art

P.S. As a good friend of mine often says, you have the Betty Ford Clinic for drug and alcohol addition but unfortunately, Henry did not envision the need for a clinic to serve those of us addicted to cars.

[wayner]

A nice freshly painted white tub, a ratty SC donor, a weekend, friends and a few beers and voila! Instant RSR replica

[will hung]

Very much look forward to following your progress. Good luck.

[RWebb]

Anyone doing a project from a bare tub should contact Dave at TRE to copy, or have him do, some of the chassis strengthening that he did on a build he did for a customer. Not sure but may have been the Framboise car -- apparently the results were outstanding, and the wt. penalty small.

[Arnage]

I already purchased from TRE some period correct RSR chassis stiffening parts. I also intend to purchase from them a correct RSR roll hoop. I am not going to go too over the top because this is a "for the street" build.

[RWebb]

talk to Dave - he'll give you good advise about what to weld in

we also need pics of the period correct RSR chassis stiffening parts...

[Arnage]

Picked up the tub from media blaster last week and delivered to body shop the same, dry weather day where it was immediately cleaned and sprayed with epoxy primer. Front pan and both latch panel installations should start this coming week.

[ShakinJoe]

Nice

[t951]

Lots of pictures! And lessons learned along the way are always good to read....

[Prairie Lizard]

Subscribed. I've got a 73.5T I'm working on (hopefully a street driven RSR also) and need all the insight available.

[911Freak]

Originally Posted by justin@athens

sub'd. Good luck, and thanks for keeping us inspired.

+1!

[kodioneill]

Is that a TR-3 in the photo background?

[naparsei]

Originally Posted by RWebb

Anyone doing a project from a bare tub should contact Dave at TRE to copy, or have him do, some of the chassis strengthening that he did on a build he did for a customer. Not sure but may have been the Framboise car -- apparently the results were outstanding, and the wt. penalty small.

This is all true. Seat of the pants tells me the Fraise ST hotrod is a stiffer car than my GT3/997. It's probably not true, but it feels true. Also, keeping the chassis as stiff as possible allowed for softer torsions, which is helpful if you drive on less forgiving roads (in terms of paving quality).

Stitch welding on the seams, standard RSR bracing in the front and rear compartments, jack-pads reinforced, and the passenger compartment "boxed" all keep the car extremely tight.

[CaptainCalf]

Arnage, I'm really glad I never saw your project for sale on Pelican and even happier that now I can watch you do it, so I can learn how to do it right one day

[euro911sc]

Man.... I so wanted to buy this project... *sigh*