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250 GTO Owners Thread


Duke

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nah, not busted, just every once in a while the definitions get revised for the base webfiltering software.. so one update will result in this site being accessible a few weeks, then the next will block it..

at home I have a nice wireless setup, but in our military hospital where I work wireless is strictly a no no.. :(

I am one of the Alpha geeks there, but still have to abide by some of the rules, and everyone, even in the IT department I work in has to deal with the filter, and with my home wireless router being 9 miles away, I'm not connecting to that from the office..

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I've modified the front end of the body to include an oval mouth opening, ground air scoops and smaller circular brake cooler vents.

 

Six weeks later and this is where I am.

 

The before and after pictures are included.

 

I am pushing to get this project wrapped up this summer!

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I've modified the front end of the body to include an oval mouth opening, ground air scoops and smaller circular brake cooler vents.

 

Six weeks later and this is where I am.

 

The before and after pictures are included.

 

I am pushing to get this project wrapped up this summer!

 

...if I am understanding this and your previous post correctly, are you saying that you have re-molded/shaped and welded your stock Z sheet metal to form a GTO body??? (convertible that is). If so, you've got a lot of explaining to do.

 

I can't wait to here how you did it.

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Agent ONE, welcome to HybridZ. I purchased an already completed Alpha One. Tore it down and did a complete rebuild. It's been 2 1/2 years since I began. Final stages now, should be completed in a couple of months. So let's just round it up and say 3 years.

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Zerrari,

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my post. I made the fiberglass body from molds that my dad had. The more I look into it - it seems that the body molds were made from the alpha kit. There were a few things I wanted that the alpha kit lacked. So I created an oval mouth, smaller circular air vents, bottom air scoops and centering the fog light locations. It has taken some time, but it coming together.

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Steve,

You are in LA? I live in Torrance and I am building a Ferrari GTO replica right now. I was at the LA Auto show yesterday and I ran into Tom McBurnie from Thunder Ranch, www.thunderranch.com. He is selling his kit with all the body panels and lights for around $3000. He is located in San Diego. I thought that was a pretty good deal!

 

I was talking to him and he said that his kit was an improvement from the Alpha 1 kit and that in the 80's Ferrari sued he and Joe. Joe was sued for the GTO and Tom was sued for a different kit.

 

I guess the laws have since changed and Tom is still able to sell his GTO kit

 

-Eric

 

I am currently working with Tom McBurnie on a Z project; Tom is a great guy to do business with, I would HIGHLY recommend him for your GTO projects. He knows what he is doing when it comes to the GTO kit. Go to his website and drop him an email he or his wife will answer you quickly.

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Zerrari,

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my post. I made the fiberglass body from molds that my dad had. The more I look into it - it seems that the body molds were made from the alpha kit. There were a few things I wanted that the alpha kit lacked. So I created an oval mouth, smaller circular air vents, bottom air scoops and centering the fog light locations. It has taken some time, but it coming together.

 

Thanks for the clarification espeery and welcome. Keep us posted on your progress; I'm sure I'll have some questions for you as my project progresses.

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Hi Guys,

 

been a lurker for years, now finally joined. i have a "work in progress" it's been sitting in the garage for about 3 years waiting for me to have time to work on it (too many other projects)

 

i've started reshaping the nose & vents to be the "right" shape.

 

there has been a lot of discussion on tail lights - the painter i deal with about 2 years ago actually repaired a genuine 250gto - over here for a race meet. (he had no idea what the car was worth until one of his customers told him - then he slept in the factory every night until the car was picked up!!)

 

he said (on this car anyway) that the tailights were either early fiat or alfa (can't remember which - i'll find out) which had been recoloured with dye.

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I used the Alpha dash because I wanted the vents and heater controls but the Simpson dash looks more like the original GTO dash. Of course the GTO was a race car and didn't have a speedometer but I think that is a bit impractical for a street car. Of course the speedometer doesn’t have to be in the dash. Many of the real GTO’s have them mounted to the transmission hump in front of the gearshift.

 

Because it was a race car the gauges were quite large so they were easy to read at a glance. The real ones cost a small fortune so I used Stewart Warner. The tach & speedo are electronic and were designed as replacements for 1955 Chevy gauges and are 5.5" in diameter. The matching gauges are all 2.75" in diameter. All are black with white letters, white needles and chrome bezels. I wish the bezels were not rolled as I thought about dissembling the gauges and adding small white Ferrari prancing horse decals to the faceplates.

 

BTW, the Alpha dash was designed to use all the original Z gauges.

 

 

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Hi guys,

 

I'm ready to install the dash. Am using the Simpson dash. What size gauges are "correct"? Has anyone reused their Datsun gauges?

 

I'd love to see pics of everyone's dashes.

 

We're putting a Simpson dash in Kim's white car. I'll be doing some work on it tonight and will try and post some pics late tonight.

For this one we are using aftermarket gauges with new faces made to look like the original gauges and the speedometer will be mounted on the floor like an original GTO.

It had a homemade dash that looks like Speedracers dash but it was cracking and looking ratty as the original builder made it from foam like 15 years ago.

For this car we are also going to make a trunk from aluminum :)

 

Agentone, we have maybe 2700 hours in the V12 car and more money than I care to think about lol

 

looks like it's coming along nice Espeery!

Chelle

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I recently finished a dash that replicates the original GTO dash. The design allows a removeable Nacelle and faceplate as well as the same gauge layout as the original six gauge layout. I used the datsun dash frame in the design, so you can use the old datsun frame to mount and secure the dash.

 

In the process I created some fiberglass molds so I could make a few extra.

 

If anyone is interesed let me know. I'll post some pics within the next few days.

 

Thanks for the comment Chelle. I just won a small victory! Jan. 2 I waited in line at the DMV early in the morning to get a specialty construction registration pass so I can register this car as a home made car in California and so I will not have to pass the CA smog regulations. CA only issues 500 passes per year to the entire state of CA! I desing Garrett Turbochargers for my day job and I am thinking of turbocharging this LS1!

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You guys wann a good cry, well nothing good about it. This guy took his GTO for a ride and now it's toast. This would be my biggest fear as well, once I am done. He has it for sale on ebay right now.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2007-Custom-Car_W0QQitemZ330201936209QQihZ014QQcategoryZ7251QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Just in case you missed it.

 

DJ

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We had a couple of warm days here in Oswego, NY. Got the itch to start working on the VR again. I am too the point where I am ready to put the latches in the hood, I have Chrome pin latches, but they don't pull the sides of the hood close to car. I see that the old GTO's used straps, anyone got any ideas?? TIA.

 

DJ

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My hood sides don't seem to stick out as far as yours. I suspect yours warped a little after they came out of the mold. Email John Washington and see if he has a solution.

 

You might be able to use side latches like what they use on the Factory Five coupes. Check out factoryfive.com.

 

 

I'm curious how you fastened your rear tub at the doors. I've tried hammering the door openings and it didn't work very well.

 

And I was one of the 500 lucky Californians as well. No smog ever for this brute. It's fuel injricted and set up for Arizona smog, with cat and all. I'll probably keep it that way, but I'm glad I don't have to pass a CARB and sniff test.

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