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250 GTO Owners Thread


Duke

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First I would like to say I have been thoroughly impressed by the level of mechanical intelligence in this forum. I have not seen it matched on the numerous car websites I have seen in my years. It's nice to see people who hear "polar moment of inertia" and don't picture a polar bear in a photograph.

 

Secondly I have had a long interest in both 240z's and early model Ferrari's, especially the GTO and GT California. Which brings me to my question(s). Is there a group dedicated to the 250 California like the group here to the 250 GTO? Also, I see a lot of information here about the exterior of the GTO but what about the interior? What has everyone done for this? I have tried to dig up all the pictures I can find but haven't come to far. Thank you everyone and I hope to learn and contribute all I can

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Welcome TensorWorld. People seem to have done their own thing with the interior of their GTO replicas. Some use stock and others changed just the dash. There are two replica dashes available - the original Alpha and the later Simpson dash. To the best of my knowledge, Tom Edwards (Scorpion Z Cars, now OM Sportscar) used the Simpson dash and blue replica seats to make his interiors the closest to the real thing. Keep in mind that the real GTO was a race car and had a very sparse interior.

 

Chelle used the Simpson dash but converted her car to RHD.

 

I used the Alpha dash but kept the rest of the interior pretty much stock Z car.

 

Photo6.jpg

 

As for the 250 California Spyder the original builder, Precision Builders, built them as turn key cars so there was little customization.

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Chelle used the Simpson dash but converted her car to RHD.

 

Welcome!

 

and hiya Speedracer :) We did put a Simpson dash in the white car, does take a lot of work to get it in there. We got it from John Washington. Pretty sure he still sells both.

 

The red car though I made the whole dash outa metal. I'm still tinkering with it but did also tuck a vintage air min a/c unit under both

white car:

WGTO-dash6.jpg

 

Kim-dash82.jpg

 

The red car (shift gate in bottom pic it just a rough pattern):

firewall.jpg

 

GTO-dash0039a.jpg

 

GTO-inter019.jpg

Edited by chelle
Corrected John's name, sorry John!!
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Thanks for the GT California website. I'd already seen it, but it confirmed there isn't anything else. Is there any particular reason why the 250 TR doesn't have a larger replica community? I mean it looks about as easy to fabricate as a 550 Spyder (not a lot of interior, extra wiring, trim, etc. plus they were all different) and I think it is way more beautiful (which is saying a lot because the 550 is gorgeous). If I was looking into a 250 GTO that was mostly finished where would you suggest I look? I have done significant mechanical and body/interior work before but I don't want to have a car in my garage for three years before I can even drive it. Thank again for everyones advice.

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Welcome Tensor. I think the one place to get a GTO would be e-bay. I've seen unfinished kits on there every so often. Kinda rare, once every few months, but unless someone else has ideas I don't really know. I bought mine off E-bay a few years ago and had big plans at first but a job change stopped that. Now I just drive it as is, it's still a lot of fun. I campaigned it last year in our local autocross circuit. Didn't win any trophies (it's mostly stock) but it was a blast to tear around the course. Your post was almost like serendipity. I've been thinking about letting the folks on this board know I was going to sell it, give anyone here first dibs before putting it back on e-bay. My Garage space is very limited now and I've gone back to bikes as my main hobby. If it's something you may be interested in, let me know.

Hmm. I can't get the pic to show up. I'll try later to post one. Or I can email something to you.

Edited by Stagger_Lee
Picture not showing up
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I think Chelle meant "John" Washington of reactionresearch.com

 

John does sell two different styles of fiberglass dashes for S30 based 250 GTO replicas (like his own Vello Rossa).

 

Tom sounds like John, right?

 

 

OOppss, yeah, I meant John... I haven't been getting much sleep lol

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Welcome Tensor. I think the one place to get a GTO would be e-bay. I've seen unfinished kits on there every so often. Kinda rare, once every few months, but unless someone else has ideas I don't really know. I bought mine off E-bay a few years ago and had big plans at first but a job change stopped that. Now I just drive it as is, it's still a lot of fun. I campaigned it last year in our local autocross circuit. Didn't win any trophies (it's mostly stock) but it was a blast to tear around the course. Your post was almost like serendipity. I've been thinking about letting the folks on this board know I was going to sell it, give anyone here first dibs before putting it back on e-bay. My Garage space is very limited now and I've gone back to bikes as my main hobby. If it's something you may be interested in, let me know.

Hmm. I can't get the pic to show up. I'll try later to post one. Or I can email something to you.

 

It will probably be 2-3 months before I can afford to consider that. Just out of curiosity, what engine do you have, how much is finished, and what are you looking for price wise.

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Yep, and I know a guy in Canada that's got two in varying states of completion that last I checked he was trying to get rid of.

 

He had an unpainted roller that he was gonna let go for $1500. But it's in Canada and by the time I paid the duties and such on it, The price more than doubled.

 

The few that I've found over the last few months that were reasonably close, were astronomically high and not really "worth it" to me. But I like to think I've got more sense than money. :-P

 

I'll keep an eye out for you though. For me, that one in Winston-Salem, NC would be perfect...I have a good idea of what he wants though, and I just can't do it these days.

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ZOMG!!! Chelle, that craigslist search thingy is freaking heartbreakingly awesome! (heartbreaking because I just sold a couple of Harley Hummers for about $1,000 less than what others are asking for the same thing) Tensor, my Z is 99% stock except for the body kit and simpson dash. I have all the interior pieces but it's gutted, except for the rollbar and seats, I went for the stripped down race look. It runs great, for a 240z, the motor is fresh and the carbs are from Z therapy. The build is about 20 years old and the kit is cracking at the bond points. It needs to be rebonded with these new space age polymers, not just bondo like it was originally done. It's a daily driver for me, in the summer. I'm thinking about asking somewhere around $6,000 for it. Comments anyone? Too high? Too low?Snapshot0.jpg[/img] I swear, I cannot get an image to load. I'll post it on craigslist and then post a link. Sheesh I'm a retard with computers.

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This may be on the trivial side of things, but I've run into a little snag. After pulling out the old lighting and putting in new, my signals don't flash anymore. I think it's because now in the front and back I have only one bulb that flashes, while before I had two front and back.

 

Has anyone else worked through this? I see I can get a resistor like for an LED light conversion. I wondered if I can just get a different flasher unit?

 

Also, my dash was disassembled when I bought my car and the hazard switch is missing. Any recommendations on a replacement?

 

Thanks for helping me handle the trivia. It's one step at a time.

 

BTW - I've got one half of the rear suspension lowered. Progress :)

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"Also, my dash was disassembled when I bought my car and the hazard switch is missing. Any recommendations on a replacement?"

 

Hey Mclark999, I have a hazard switch in a box of extra/un-used parts. You're more than welcome to it. If you're not in a rush though. I'm in Vietnam at the moment and won't be back to Canada for another 2 months.

Edited by Con Brio
Grammical errors *typos*
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Yep, and I know a guy in Canada that's got two in varying states of completion that last I checked he was trying to get rid of.

 

He had an unpainted roller that he was gonna let go for $1500. But it's in Canada and by the time I paid the duties and such on it, The price more than doubled.

 

 

FimJay, do you have any info you can pass along to me about the cars for sale??? I'm in Canada !!! :) Kind Regards

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Hi mclark999,

 

Remember that your working with a fiberglass body now, may seem obvious but you need a ground wire now. I'm building a glass body 32 Ford right now so I've come across the same problem.

 

Staledale

 

 

I grounded everything. The lights all work. They just don't flash. Just stay on.

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"Also, my dash was disassembled when I bought my car and the hazard switch is missing. Any recommendations on a replacement?"

 

Hey Mclark999, I have a hazard switch in a box of extra/un-used parts. You're more than welcome to it. If you're not in a rush though. I'm in Vietnam at the moment and won't be back to Canada for another 2 months.

 

 

 

Thank's Con Brio. When you get back you can email me mclark998 at yahoo . com and we can work something out.

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