CAV #180 Factory Roller

[Sam Watson]

Sam:

I live here in Charlotte, and I'll have to get up and see your car while it's in Dennis' shop. You've made a good choice using Dennis, and we all look forward to seeing your progress.

Dave

Please do, Dave! If you would like to post some photos, I would appreciate it I won't know when or if I will be there till Dennis gets back to me with his assessment. This looks like it is going to get into Thanksgiving week, absolutely the worst time for air travel in the U.S.

Ordered a pair of real Talbot mirrors from Aardvark. Wooo! They are spun from virgin Unobtainium by elves and equipped with magical mirrors that always show you who the best looking GT40 driver in the world is ...

Sam

 

[Sam Watson]

Finishing up at Olthoff's

I'm back from a short trip to North Carolina to survey the progress. We are in the final stages of personalizing the car. Specific things included installing hard points for shoulder harnesses that were not there in the factory body. Also we fitted the seat and pedal box to my dimensions. Made a number of decisions: where to mount mirrors, license plate, fabricate straight pipe exhaust trumpets, modify muffler turndowns to clear body more, change plug wires to underneath headers, recoat headers to silver, how to install sill stripes, install paint protective film.

Dennis thinks he can have it wrapped up next week and possibly the car can get to me before Christmas. Wouldn't that be festive

A short clip of the engine running:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeLkJ5j9Hss

 

[Sam Watson]

More Finishing up at Olthoff's

Some still photos from the trip. In the second image, note the newly welded nuts in the firewall on the left, and see the harnesses mounted on the right:

 

[Dr. Bob Woods]

Sam,

That is really looking good. I'm pleased for you. You will be driving before I will. Congratulations.

-Bob Woods

 

[Sam Watson]

Still more ...

Apologies for doing this in multiple posts, still learning how big a gulp this forum will allow:

 

[Jimmy P]

Looking good Sam.....interesting to look at the car and seeing differences 'tween yours and mine nearly 100 cars later.

 

[Sam Watson]

And Lastly ...

Last two:

 

[John]

Looking good Sam. Can't wait to see it in person.

 

[Sam Watson]

Looking good Sam. Can't wait to see it in person.

Won't be long now. I'm also looking forward to seeing the finished model. Think Victoria's Secret Underwear Model ...

Bob, I know you are savoring the journey, and it is not a race

Sam

 

[Gary Sharapata]

Ok..........let's get that baby on it's way to Texas as I want a ride! Soon to be a GT40 owner again! Cobra sold and heading to France next week.....

 

[Pat]

Great looking car Sam and thanks for sharing. One suggestion, mount a stainless plate on the left side of the pedal box over the carpet. It will prevent an annoying drag on the carpet by the side of your clutch foot.

 

[Sam Watson]

Great looking car Sam and thanks for sharing. One suggestion, mount a stainless plate on the left side of the pedal box over the carpet. It will prevent an annoying drag on the carpet by the side of your clutch foot.

Thanks, Pat. I will look at that.

One issue we are working is clutch pedal stiffness. This car has the RBT/ZF mechanical throw out arm and Pantera style throw out bearing. That is what CAV called for. The clutch is a McLeod 10.5" Mustang style diaphragm, single plate version. As I tried it, it was very stiff and difficult to modulate. Dennis is having them experiment with different slave cylinders. Anyone been down this road?

Sam

 

[jamie furman]

Beautiful car, what's the ballpark price to build a turn key car exactly like yours, I couldn't really find anything on line.

 

[Sam Watson]

Beautiful car, what's the ballpark price to build a turn key car exactly like yours, I couldn't really find anything on line.

Thank you Jamie. Keep in mind that my car has a robust motor, built for abuse (my specialty!) and the RBT/ZF transaxle. So about $12.5K for the motor and $12.5K for the RBT, throw in another $15K worst case for all the bits (clutch, tires, engine accessories, safety harnesses) and build labor. You're at $40K plus the cost of the finished rolling chassis. On a budget build with a 302 crate motor and the Audi 016, you could get by with maybe $20K plus the roller. You should choose a chassis supplier and ask for a quote and add to that figure. I am not comfortable discussing chassis prices here as that is not my province

This gets you a nice car, but not all the bells and whistles. The Gulf car paint scheme, wide rear body, wide rear rims and tires, historic graphics, Weber carbs, 8 Stack injection, dry sump, roll cage, etc. are outside the bounds of what I have done.

Sam

 

[John]

Re: Finishing up at Olthoff's

Dennis thinks he can have it wrapped up next week and possibly the car can get to me before Christmas. Wouldn't that be festive

Well???

 

[Sam Watson]

Re: Finishing up at Olthoff's

Well???

Ho, ho, ho ... Santa played a big joke on Sammy The haulers have been scarce over the holidays ... So Dennis took the extra time to be thorough. This is good.

It still needs a road shakedown, but there has been a lot of rain. So Friday, given some dry weather, he will road test it and put a few miles on it. Then they will have a couple days to plug all the leaks.

As of this am, the transporter is scheduled to pick my car up next Tues on the way west to AZ with a load of auction cars. I will be the first delivery, I guess, since I am 10 mi closer to NC than Gary.

Sam

 

[Gary Sharapata]

Yes it has been frustrating waiting for carriers to schedule these pick-ups. They are picking mine up tomorrow (Friday) late afternoon/evening so it will be deep in the truck and Sammy's last to go on next Tuesday, so being closer to NC and his at the door, Sammy will see his first. This time next week or by next weekend we should finally see them. A transporter picked up my Cobra last night heading to Houston to have it loaded on a ship to France, so at least I have an open space now for the GT40.........

 

[Sam Watson]

Home in Texas!

CAV 180 has arrived! Just 14 months after the first contact with CAV in Nov 2013 It's been a looooong wait. It was late afternoon, but I shot some quick photos just to prove I ain't lyin'

Drove around the block one time just to get a feel for the clutch and shifter before attempting the steep driveway. Dennis set the supension a little high at my request, but it will still drag if I don't bridge the junction of the driveway and street with a couple 2"x12" 10ft long planks. I'll come up with something later.

Clutch is very stiff and shifter is also. Hopefully, that will improve over time. I can modulate the clutch ok, so I'll just wear stiff shoes. Got some Piloti that will do nicely.

Sam

 

[John]

Fantastic!

You up for a drive this Saturday?

 

[Dr. Bob Woods]

Yea Sam! It looks great.

-Bob Woods