Restarting my SLC project in West Texas
- Thread starter felizguy
- Start date
since I did the hoop bending modification to fit closer to the spider and decrease the thickness of the A Pilars , the A pilar covers had to be heavily modified, I also did not like the overlap with the roof, so I created a nice fit . very happy with the end result
I absolutely hate the super thick A Pilars. could not live with that . the hoop mod was very hard but worth it .
I absolutely hate the super thick A Pilars. could not live with that . the hoop mod was very hard but worth it .
Attachments
I believe the bell crank mod is a must to prevent the bolt form shearing off . I came up with my own design a bit different than everyone else, I could not live with my welds cosmetically speaking , so a little bondo and paint, and much happier with the end product
Attachments
After trying 100 different adjustments I figured out the the parking brake that came with the kit DOES NOT WORK, it will not hold the car on the slightest slope. So that was $1295 for the kit, $600 for the E-stopp and all my time down the drain. Cam warned me and I did not listen, I thought I could make it work, I was wrong. future builders, don't male the same mistake , cut your losses early .
I used the Pantera Tesla Brembo electric parking brake controller. The only thing useful from the previous kit were the thread inserts. SAD
But I on a positive note I was able to use the previous threads to attach the new bracket.
A new bracket was made, thank you Cam for the blueprint.
Press fitting the thread inserts was difficult without a hydraulic press, I bent the crap out of my bench vise handle, close to 90 degrees!!! so I cutup a large socket and used a cheater bar, beautiful solution , thank you .
then it was a matter of fine tuning the bracket , connect everything to the electronic controller that came with the kit and connect it to a push button on the dashboard.
It is super strong, works well. Since both were used units, I replaced the electric motors, since Cam told me one of his failed, super easy 5 minute thing to do and not very expensive.
I used the Pantera Tesla Brembo electric parking brake controller. The only thing useful from the previous kit were the thread inserts. SAD
But I on a positive note I was able to use the previous threads to attach the new bracket.
A new bracket was made, thank you Cam for the blueprint.
Press fitting the thread inserts was difficult without a hydraulic press, I bent the crap out of my bench vise handle, close to 90 degrees!!! so I cutup a large socket and used a cheater bar, beautiful solution , thank you .
then it was a matter of fine tuning the bracket , connect everything to the electronic controller that came with the kit and connect it to a push button on the dashboard.
It is super strong, works well. Since both were used units, I replaced the electric motors, since Cam told me one of his failed, super easy 5 minute thing to do and not very expensive.
Attachments
I added the ducts on the front splitter using peanut butter since there were huge gaps between the duct flanges and the splitter surface. I also used peanut butter to close the honeycomb voids on the splitter and create a smooth transition surface between the duct and the splitter , sorry I did not take pictures from below.
Attachments
While trying to install the front wheel covers I realized that the pigtails for the headlights were sticking quite far and preventing the wheel covers form going in further which resulted a rubbing problem when the springs are compressed and with turning.
So as Joel called it, I had to perform a circumcision on the pigtails so that they could be be pushed into the headlight frame , I also had to create some deep indentation on the covers to prevent rubbing , which meant adding extra layers of fiberglass to the inside . what is was supposed to be an easy process turned into a long fine tuning exercise.
I also decided to have the front portion of the front wheel covers fully removable in order to access the massive jaguar headlight assemblies, they are held with 4 bolts.
Finally, completed the rear portion of the front wheel covers, but first had to grind out the black liner in order to attach the rear sections, Sometimes I get ahead of myself, one night I just decided to apply a couple of coats of the spectrum second skin noise and vibration coating to the rear and front clams, just because I felt like it. though I realized I had not installed the wheel covers yet .
Well, that took a while , same old song . But keep moving forward .
So as Joel called it, I had to perform a circumcision on the pigtails so that they could be be pushed into the headlight frame , I also had to create some deep indentation on the covers to prevent rubbing , which meant adding extra layers of fiberglass to the inside . what is was supposed to be an easy process turned into a long fine tuning exercise.
I also decided to have the front portion of the front wheel covers fully removable in order to access the massive jaguar headlight assemblies, they are held with 4 bolts.
Finally, completed the rear portion of the front wheel covers, but first had to grind out the black liner in order to attach the rear sections, Sometimes I get ahead of myself, one night I just decided to apply a couple of coats of the spectrum second skin noise and vibration coating to the rear and front clams, just because I felt like it. though I realized I had not installed the wheel covers yet .
Well, that took a while , same old song . But keep moving forward .
Attachments
I thought I caught a break on the rear wheel liners, I did not need to do a close out panel to access the rear tail lights , there is enough room underneath to access the mounting screws, and they fit perfectly upside down. however fine tuning and cutting the middle section took a while.
there was also a significant gap that needed to be closed with an aluminum extension . Nothing is straight forward with this project.
there was also a significant gap that needed to be closed with an aluminum extension . Nothing is straight forward with this project.
Attachments
while installing the front portion of the rear wheel covers, I realized that it rubbed against the fuel pressure gauge, luckily moving the gauge forward was super easy, just a couple of holes and a new mount location.
I also attached the liner to the frame , which adds additional support to the "floating " portion of the spider, which is not supported anywhere.
I used aluminum angle iron to make the mounting brackets epoxied to the spider.
I also attached the liner to the frame , which adds additional support to the "floating " portion of the spider, which is not supported anywhere.
I used aluminum angle iron to make the mounting brackets epoxied to the spider.
Attachments
the filling fuel hose was no easy task either , needed two 90 degree bends , I used a plastic that is fuel safe, I attempted to use what was supposed to be flexible fuel hose but it was way too stiff for this use , I only used a little piece to connect to the tank.
I also did not know that you need a reducer form 2 1/4 at the inlet to the rest of the 2 inch hose, quite a few clamps.
on a funny note, I used the level to make sure lettering was straight
I also did not know that you need a reducer form 2 1/4 at the inlet to the rest of the 2 inch hose, quite a few clamps.
on a funny note, I used the level to make sure lettering was straight
Attachments
Installing the seats and set belts required a lot of extra work, in order to meet the Schroth seat belt installation requirements I needed to grind a gap between the adjusting mechanism and the seat, then had to take the entire seat to the vise to bend the seat belt mounting bracket, because once is bent it cannot slide through the opening .
the top of the seat belts will be attached to the rear roll cage tube.
The seats were mounted with 4 bolts directly to the floor.
the top of the seat belts will be attached to the rear roll cage tube.
The seats were mounted with 4 bolts directly to the floor.
Attachments
finally the II much fuel vent can was attached using a cool bracket that I found, then the vent hose after the can goes to the outside on the floor in a protected area , I will take more detailed picture of the plumbing later .
AAND is ready to hit the road, I will post tomorrow about my first experience out of the garage and into a car show , super cool, and I made it before my May 19th 3rd year anniversary of restarting the project and this thread. Very happy about that !!!! and I finally caught up with my posts as well.
AAND is ready to hit the road, I will post tomorrow about my first experience out of the garage and into a car show , super cool, and I made it before my May 19th 3rd year anniversary of restarting the project and this thread. Very happy about that !!!! and I finally caught up with my posts as well.
Attachments
Thanks Joel
Thanks, and thanks for your help. I will stop by this summer
So a couple of weeks ago I signed up for a local car show, I sent a message to the organizer, a couple of hours later he contacted me and said he looked online to see what an SLC looked like and asked me if I was serious and I had one. And whether he could advertise about it
So I made the commitment, it was a way to push myself over the finish line , had a couple of crazy weeks and the last two nights I got about 4 hours of sleep , always a few last minute details that you did not think about such as the black spectrum liner getting into the threads of the rear window and vent bolt threads , so I had to use a tap and clean up every single hole , installation of rear view side mirrors, trimming the windows, fine tuning the doors , I broke one latch bolt off, had to re do fiberglass and install an aluminum plate for extra support, I was doing that until 3am Thursday night.
So I got up early to make sure everything was OK, but still took me a couple of hours to finish everything, install the dashboard and to clean up the car a bit , I made a quick disposable windshield with a thin piece of plexiglass glass form Lowe's.
I drove to the gas station first , since I do not trust my gauge yet. Totally scared and excited at the same time, first time the car was out of the neighborhood with the body and windows on. My rear camera was too high and the side mirrors were not tight enough and quickly vibrated out of position. So now I can't see behind me at all.
The rock noises are crazy, the lack of power steering and power brakes takes a bit to get used to. I did a great job with the insulation, I could feel the heat a little when the fans turned on but the cabin temperature changed very little and remained comfortable without turning the a/c on.
Total sensory overload, the noise , they way you feel every single bump, the responsiveness of the steering , you feel truly connected to the road in a way I have never experienced before, the list goes on and on. Race car for sure. Scary for sure. Adrenaline rush for sure.
I was 2 hours late so I was parked far from the "cool" cars. Such as a red pantera and a couple of cobras. Of note is that I have NEVER entered a car show, never felt I had a car worthy, or a car that I had done enough work on myself to justify it.
My location did not matter at all, as soon as I got there the crowd built up immediately around the car and the questions kept coming , a guy kept asking over and over what the car was based on . The coolest part for me was how much the teens and kids love the car.
I got third place on the "other brands" category and the car is not even painted yet. I also had a local news guy do an interview and he started his segment this morning stating that the coolest thing he saw at the car show was the "supercar that a guy built in his garage".
So there it was , my first experience out with the car , if I had to use one word to describe it would be exhilarating (to the max). And I am just getting started !!!! I got to wear my driving shoes for the first time as well.
Thank you all for your support , this site is amazing, full of experienced smart builders, thank you for posting, for always quickly answering questions and helping fellow builders and to help me stay motivated and grinding to the finish . And a super special thank you to Cam and his build website , that I referred to hundreds of times.
I look forward to driving my SLC to meet other SLC owners and trade lots of stories , good and bad , about this crazy build.
Cheers !!!!
So I made the commitment, it was a way to push myself over the finish line , had a couple of crazy weeks and the last two nights I got about 4 hours of sleep , always a few last minute details that you did not think about such as the black spectrum liner getting into the threads of the rear window and vent bolt threads , so I had to use a tap and clean up every single hole , installation of rear view side mirrors, trimming the windows, fine tuning the doors , I broke one latch bolt off, had to re do fiberglass and install an aluminum plate for extra support, I was doing that until 3am Thursday night.
So I got up early to make sure everything was OK, but still took me a couple of hours to finish everything, install the dashboard and to clean up the car a bit , I made a quick disposable windshield with a thin piece of plexiglass glass form Lowe's.
I drove to the gas station first , since I do not trust my gauge yet. Totally scared and excited at the same time, first time the car was out of the neighborhood with the body and windows on. My rear camera was too high and the side mirrors were not tight enough and quickly vibrated out of position. So now I can't see behind me at all.
The rock noises are crazy, the lack of power steering and power brakes takes a bit to get used to. I did a great job with the insulation, I could feel the heat a little when the fans turned on but the cabin temperature changed very little and remained comfortable without turning the a/c on.
Total sensory overload, the noise , they way you feel every single bump, the responsiveness of the steering , you feel truly connected to the road in a way I have never experienced before, the list goes on and on. Race car for sure. Scary for sure. Adrenaline rush for sure.
I was 2 hours late so I was parked far from the "cool" cars. Such as a red pantera and a couple of cobras. Of note is that I have NEVER entered a car show, never felt I had a car worthy, or a car that I had done enough work on myself to justify it.
My location did not matter at all, as soon as I got there the crowd built up immediately around the car and the questions kept coming , a guy kept asking over and over what the car was based on . The coolest part for me was how much the teens and kids love the car.
I got third place on the "other brands" category and the car is not even painted yet. I also had a local news guy do an interview and he started his segment this morning stating that the coolest thing he saw at the car show was the "supercar that a guy built in his garage".
So there it was , my first experience out with the car , if I had to use one word to describe it would be exhilarating (to the max). And I am just getting started !!!! I got to wear my driving shoes for the first time as well.
Thank you all for your support , this site is amazing, full of experienced smart builders, thank you for posting, for always quickly answering questions and helping fellow builders and to help me stay motivated and grinding to the finish . And a super special thank you to Cam and his build website , that I referred to hundreds of times.
I look forward to driving my SLC to meet other SLC owners and trade lots of stories , good and bad , about this crazy build.
Cheers !!!!
Attachments
Howard Jones
Supporter
Good on you!!!!! You deserve to be proud. You've come a long way grasshopper!
Yes sensei , thanks for all your help !!! Hope to see you soon .
Howard Jones
Supporter
We will get together as soon as we can. This year for sure. If you drive it here then well put it in the garage no problem. It might be a little soon to take her that far so I'll more than likely drive over to see ya again. More on that as timing reveals itself. Where did you put your award? Center of the fireplace in the living room I hope.
The best part of this hobby is the people you meet. You have been no exception, my friend.
The best part of this hobby is the people you meet. You have been no exception, my friend.
