250 GTO Owners Thread

[Fauxre]

Lookin' good Ken!!

 

How long will you be in Norcal?  If all goes well, I might be able to drive mine over for a visit while you're here. 

 

...Anybody have any suggestions for hatch hinges?  I am thinking of some sort of exposed hinges that would either be chromed or powder coated...

 

I'm partial to the RX7 hatch hinges, myself.  But Sherms Custom Plating in Sacramento quoted me almost $300 just to chrome two.  And I would be responsible for disassembly...  which is not easy.  Haven't looked into powder coating yet.

 

[Kclank]

Good suggestion Wes. I will look hard at those.  I am also trying to think through what I need to do for door latches.  I will most likely have tires on my project when I come back up to Port Angeles later this summer.  After I get tires, I can take it off the rack and be able to work on the door panel and door handle installation.

 

If you want to visit as an excuse to exercise your toy I would encourage that.  I do not have many of my projects in Saratoga but I am always good for a beer and a story.

 

Last month I picked up a 1986 MR2 (Don't ask me why, I am not sure that I know).  I plan on doing a few modest changes, including a front/rear body kit, restore a few pieces of the interior , replace the struts/shocks and possibly do a engine swap.  That should help me keep busy.  The improved MR2 will be a daily driver and possibly a autocross toy, or it might just end up as trading stock.

Edited April 23, 2013 by Kclank

[Fauxre]

...  I am also trying to think through what I need to do for door latches..

 

 

 

 

 

Have you read this thread? http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/31692-250-gto-door-buttons/

[Kclank]

 

 

 

Have you read this thread? http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/31692-250-gto-door-buttons/

 

 

i had, and i have a copy of that mechanism..  i never could find a picture of one actually installed in a car.

[Fauxre]

I'm considering building a removable hardtop for those rainy days.  

 

Using the #8 GTO for inspiration....

 

 

Mine might look something like this.

 

[Boy from Oz]

Or you could do a ragtop.

 

 

 

[Fauxre]

I've considered a soft top, but I'm not crazy about the bulk it creates behind the seat when down...at least the ones I've seen so far. And I'm not sure I can fit one around the rollbar I'm using.

 

And this pic actually looks like a solid top to me.

Edited April 25, 2013 by Fauxre

[Boy from Oz]

...And this pic actually looks like a solid top to me.

 

[Kclank]

i like it. go for it!

[Trevor]

After a long search, I found my copy of the Pucket 250 Spyder Assembly Manual.

Here is a scan of the sections specific to the body mods and and frame stretch.

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/files/file/29-puckett-250-spyder-assembly-manual/

 

I have left out the sections about diss-assembling the front end, suspension, and fuel system.

They were just copies from the Chilton's manual.

[Boy from Oz]

Trevor - Thanks for that. I managed to track down a couple of Puckett owners and I have a copy of the Berlinetta manual - for what it's worth. It appears Mr Puckett had quite an engineering flair but his management skills left something to be desired - pity, it's a great looking kit.

 

[PLATA]

 

 

 

 

THIS IS ZWEET 

[TomoHawk]

Where did you get the outside door handles?

[TomoHawk]

When you cut the body over the rear wheels, so you have to use the 'supplied emplate?'  I didn't get a template.  Instead I got some sketches  showing a cross-section of the metal in the area and a note saying to just cut the body to be even with the top of the wheel well, then cut the slots to bring the metal out to the outer body for welding.  You could easily make a mess of the opening, unless you had a good eye for curves.

 

I'm not even sure what kind of material the wheel well template was made of.  It could be card, paper, or something with adhesive?

 

Can anyone suggest a supplier of the template, or make a copy of the template?

[Boy from Oz]

Where did you get the outside door handles?

 

That's not my car, sorry I can't help

 

 

 

...Can anyone suggest a supplier of the template, or make a copy of the template?

 

There was no template with my second-hand Puckett kit but here's how I went about it. There would be no point in using a Puckett template unless you had a Puckett. The process outlined below could be followed for any kit - I think!

 

I marked out and cut the tub 50mm from the centre join line.

I used a bit of 'L' shaped scrap metal to scribe a line on the inside of the quarter panel, parallel to the arch of the tub.

I cut the quarter panel along the line.

I temporarily located the fibreglass rear section.in position.

I cut a cardboard template to the shape of a new tub.

I made a strip of sheet steel to the shape of the template and drilled welding holes and then curved it by hand - not hard.

I fitted the new tub extension and welded it in position via the pre-drilled holes.

 

I am in the process of attaching vertical sheet metal panels to the tubs which will provide a surface which will glue to the fibreglass section on final installation.

 

I did most of the work whilst the car was on a rotisserie so some of the images may appear upside-down - but that's what we Downunder are used to!

Edited May 2, 2013 by Boy from Oz

[Fauxre]

Very elegant BFO.

 

My method is a lot uglier.

 

Using the directions in my VR manual (no template included), I first cut along the yellow line to separate the outer and inner fenders, then along the red line only through the outer sheet metal.

 

 

The red line in the photo is even with the highest point of the inner fender all the way around like in this diagram.

 

 

The inner fender is then cut into tabs and and each tab is folded up over the outer sheet metal.  I tack welded them, but I've seen sheet metal screws used to secure the tabs as well. 

 

 

Once the rear tub was mounted and the vents complete. I cut sheet metal to extend the inner fenders out to the tub, covering all the tabs.  They're attached  with sheet metal screws so I can access the closed off area if I need to later.

 

It's not pretty, but it still does the job.  Hope this helps.

[Boy from Oz]

Excellent, Wes. Wish I knew that before i started.

  

If there is an overcomplicated way of doing something, fear not, I will find it!

 

 

[Fauxre]

I'm confused.  Does "overcomplicated" mean "quality" Downunder???  Because that's what I see in your build.  Precision and high quality.  No "cheap fixes', like my project...  which is pretty much ALL "cheap fixes."       No doubt your work will stand the test of time.

[Boy from Oz]

Crikey, Wes, that’s just about the dumbest thing I’ve seen written on here. I don’t want to turn this into a self-effacing competition and I bet if you looked at our two cars in the metal (+ fibreglass and filler) there wouldn’t be much difference.

 

You’ve actually sat in yours and driven it; after seven and a half years and a pot of money mine is, today (that’s tomorrow to you!), on a rotisserie. I know which car I would prefer to have right now. Regards.

[Fauxre]

...that’s just about the dumbest thing I’ve seen written on here...

Hahahahahahah... please..... I've written a lot of dumber things... wait....what????

 

Ok, enough of that.

 

Started the title process. I took my first trip to DMV with paperwork in hand.  After paying $146 in fees, I left with my BAR certificate of sequence number and two one day operation permits. 

Two days ago I drove to he closest inspection station for the brake and lamp inspections. Passed the lamp inspection fine, but I was told the brakes were pulling to the right too much, and would need some work. The good news is they didn't charge me for the brake inspection since all the tech did was a test drive.

 

After talking with the tech., it seemed the most likely cause of the pulling brakes was the 40 year old hoses, since the calipers, rotors and pads are all new. After replacing the hoses yesterday, it still pulls to the right, albeit somewhat less. I'll get a front end alignment to see if that eliminates the rest of the problem.