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Next milestone will be getting the door hinges done. Not an easy task. Hard to hinge a door when there is nowhere to mount a hinge. Hard to hang a door on a single hinge and make it stable. Hard to get the arc of swing perfect through trial and error.
So I brought some chassis tubing out from the frame, it will be strong enough to support the door. I cut up the FFR GTM door hinges which worked in theory but is too flexible, have some wobble in the door.
Just ordered a couple of dump door hinges, these things look super robust. Had ordered some bullet hinges but they didn't seem like the answer.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Love the innovation. Very creative way to solve the issue. You an engineer by trade?
Oh, and it looks like you'll be more like 2,000:1 on this project.
FFR 7123 tilt front, Levy 5link/wilwoods/LCA's, webers.
SL-C, LS3 525, Mendeola SDR5,
I wish I had some engineering classes under my belt, my major was Biology! I think this door hinge thing will be one of the most difficult parts of the project, but I'm making gains on it.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Not much free time lately, hope everyone had a happy Easter.
Door hinges are backordered till early May they are saying. I haven't found a design from another source that I like, other options are smaller and are bushing-less designs.
Nice to have LPE guy on speed dial, coolant flow direction verified, leaves engine at water pump above, returns through thermostat below. All sorts of misinformation on the Corvette forums. Didn't guess that, not sure build manual has that right either. After buying an aftermarket Jeep Cherokee aluminum radiator, probably going back to C5 for the surface area. Started mocking it up. Going to run the hard lines outside of the chassis, don't want to build a sauna.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Modified door trailing edge location marked
And cut
Am I the only one thinking this overhang is asking for a McLaren-esque hidden door release button?
Last edited by beeman; 04-19-2017 at 12:38 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Wow, that is a significant difference.
Nothing your sawzall can't handle.
FFR 7123 tilt front, Levy 5link/wilwoods/LCA's, webers.
SL-C, LS3 525, Mendeola SDR5,
great work bee man, keep the updates coming!
Initial door gap set
Ordered a 16" Spal fan... Received a 12" fan in a 16" box
Went with straight blades. Little noisier but more efficient. Figured I'd just be hearing the engine anyways.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Last edited by beeman; 04-23-2017 at 04:17 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
What motor did you decide on?
Just an old man with a great hobby
Progress!
What are you thinking for the door handles? Move the whole opening, or keep it 1/2 on the door and 1/2 on the rear clip?
FFR 7123 tilt front, Levy 5link/wilwoods/LCA's, webers.
SL-C, LS3 525, Mendeola SDR5,
I just had an epiphany. Tell me what you think. I don't like how far the front wheel vents extend onto the door now that it's moved forward. Plus I'm not convinced that it's the most efficient way to get air out of the arch. Plus it probably shoots puddles onto the door? Oh, and simpler bodywork there.
So unless someone can talk me out of it, I'm going to delete the front vents and bring the air out of the arch closer to its source (the tire of course).
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
I can't begin to get my head around the door modifications. I'm having a tough enough time
getting things to line up without adding a foreign structure.
The overall shape is starting to come alive! Lookin' good!
Custom LCD Gauges , Data Loggers, Control Touch Screens
www.LCDdash.com \\ 647-522-9953 \\ Voice & Text
Proud new owner of GTM Gen 1., #105 - 08/27/11
LQ9 Powered, G96.00 6 speed transaxle
Then that's how it shall be!
Actually, I walked around the side of the car many times. It's difficult to capture the changes in pictures. I really like the front vent delete. Every change I make reminds me of a car, this reminds me of a 918 with a flatter wheel arch. Doesn't throw off the front to rear flow at all, I think it actually improves it. Nice transition into the big rear scoop.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Got the door trimmed to eliminate front vent.
Don't care for the unibody construction. Should be able to eliminate most of the sheet metal. Just getting started here.
Power window regulator /motor mounts..
Tacked together
Last edited by beeman; 04-29-2017 at 02:54 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Nice. I love what you are doing, and enjoy following your progress and solutions to issues as they crop up. Keep posting!
FFR 7123 tilt front, Levy 5link/wilwoods/LCA's, webers.
SL-C, LS3 525, Mendeola SDR5,
Thanks Dallas. Really wanted a decent side impact bar that I could tie into the hinge and latch. Just about done, need to trim and finish welds. Then remove the donor steel. I don't have a bender for square stock, so I used a notch-bend-weld technique.
Last edited by beeman; 04-29-2017 at 04:08 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
99 parts function, 1 part abstract art
Last edited by beeman; 05-01-2017 at 12:54 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Driver's door done.
16.4 pounds. Not bad, may add a 2nd impact bar...
Last edited by beeman; 04-30-2017 at 08:56 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Window mechanicals work (with a little metal trimming)!
Unfortunately, like about everything else on this car, I have to build 2!
Last edited by beeman; 04-30-2017 at 03:53 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
The del sol is a decent looking little car, but I think the vertical height of the door windows is too tall. Bringing my roof down and the bodywork up about 3 inches, my windows will have more of a chopped appearance which looks a lot sportier. Here's the door panel moved up about 3 inches to the new position to match the external bodywork.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Sorry, digital scale, 16.4 pounds before window/mechanism.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
as always, great updates and always enjoy seeing the progress and watching it slowly come together.
Lots of time off for baseball /softball /vacation.
I realized that custom butterfly doors are not conducive to getting this car built any time soon. Not that I didn't have it basically done, I had bad thoughts about making both sides symmetric so it didn't look 'off' with both doors open, etc. May take it on in the future. So C5 donor hinge, C5 latch mechanism. Went up to 1.5" round tube door bar.
Approximate location of coolant pipes
Last edited by beeman; 06-08-2017 at 06:05 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Cleco supply running dangerously low!
I ordered 1" (front) and 2" (rear) fiberglass fender flares, should be here next week. Should eliminate the wheel well asymmetry issues and I think they will look good...
Last edited by beeman; 06-08-2017 at 08:52 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Fiberglass dust... Yum!
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
You're a smart man! My doors are not gapped and the windows are not installed yet. At this pace, I figure another decade before the
doors are complete. :/
Moving the coolant pipes to the side skirts is going to be a major benefit for interior cooling. If I could redo my build, this would be
very high on my things to do.
Custom LCD Gauges , Data Loggers, Control Touch Screens
www.LCDdash.com \\ 647-522-9953 \\ Voice & Text
Proud new owner of GTM Gen 1., #105 - 08/27/11
LQ9 Powered, G96.00 6 speed transaxle
Thanks for understanding, Tino... Wasn't an easy decision to make, but oh well... Not a do or die feature for me, just thought it would be fun.
Got a couple/few layers of cloth/resin on to tie the new door together, will see how it turns out in the morning
Dave
Last edited by beeman; 06-09-2017 at 11:07 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Building up the backside
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
New door with front wheel vent delete. Door skin weighs 6.6lbs.
Last edited by beeman; 06-11-2017 at 02:09 PM.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Door back on the frame, will bond aluminum angle to the skin to bolt to the door frame. Here's the rough idea for the front fender vent.
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
To attach the door skin to the frame, I am planning on using about 10 pieces of bent aluminum sheet, bond to the skin and bolt to the frame. Anyone see any issues with that plan?
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car
Unless you have a reason to believe you will need to separate the frame from the door skin, just glass over the frame and make them one. That's what we did and it avoids any points of heightened stress. These can cause wrinkles in the door skin and also lead to cracks and failure. The glassed in frame has worked extremely well now for us for YEARS.
Thanks for the reply Mike.
Maybe I'll go that route instead. I was a little concerned about rigidity... I shouldn't have to remove the skin, worst case I can just cut it off.
What would you do in the areas where the frame is up to 4" away from the skin?
Maybe I'll rivet the angled alum sheet to the frame (in the pic above), then glass it all together for a little more strength?
MK3.1 2004 Mach 1 donor. ABS, PS, TC.
GTM #304 LPE 525hp LS3
2000 C5 Lingenfelter LS1@489hp
1999 Corvette FRC/Z06 track car