Got a GTreproductions Chassis today......

[Chip Smith]

While waiting for the Axels to come I have made the shift linkage. Some very nice milspec control cables and 7075 aluminum parts that I made up seem to work great. Get the axels in next week and I think it time for a test drive.
I have interviewed two guys here in socal that are capable of doing the body in aluminum. Both are very talented, but not sure what to do right now. Just need to get it road worthy fist I think.

 

[Randy V]

Nice work on the linkage!!!!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[EGLITOM]

Hi CHip

nicely done and it will work great when everything is mounted not elastic. The lever for the side movement is fixed to the frame not to the gearbox. so if the engine turns within its mounts (with elastic or semi elastic mounts) there will be some movement implicated to the shift mechanism as well and possibly cause a missshift between 1st 3rd and 5th or 2nd and 4th.

TOM

 

[Chip Smith]

Tom, Yes the motor and trans is solid mounted. There are some who say not to solid mount the motor but I see many who do. There is someone who makes a linkage mount that is attached to the trans itself and the rotation cable comes in and connects directly to the tail shaft at 90 degrees. I would have done this had it not been solid mounted but didnt really care for the way the cable routed.

 

[Dom]

Great looking linkage!

I assume a body in Aluminium won't be cheap, but I am sure it will look great!

Some photos from the test drive would be much appreciated!!

I like this project a lot!

 

[Chip Smith]

Recieved the 300M axle's from B&J eng. They are real nice. This is the end for the C5 corvette spindles. It uses a Hog ring rather than a snap ring. The hog ring expands in the spider and holds the axle in place, I had them put on the factory boot grooves so the stock boots will work. They are different than the 930 boots. The other end is a standard 930 for the snap ring and boot.

 

[Dom]

Any updates with this project, Chip?

 

[Gus Gutopherson]

Chip, any updates? What did you decide on the body? I'd like to swing by and take a look sometime.

 

[mx5]

looking good already you can stand and be counted as true man good luck with the build

 

[Chip Smith]

Its been a long time since posting and just noticed someone brought the thread back to the top. A lot of work has been done. It is now a driveable chassis and finally got the right guy to make the body. I guess the cost of the christmas season left him wanting to take on another side job. We are starting to make templates and he will do the body in aluminum and it will be Mercedes Sauber C9 style. I will be posting some as we start forming it.

 

[Mesa]

Sauber C9....nice.
Looks like you may need to reshape the roll cage a bit as the roofline on a C9 is quite squat. Will be way cool though, really look forward to see the body taking shape. I'd love to make an aluminum body of my own design some day, for now I have to be content modding my SLC.

 

[Howard Jones]

Chip, A couple of ideas for your shifter. First here is my solution for the gate cable. You can see that it is mounted to the gearbox. This ought to be pretty easy for you to make. I also have the original mount that came with the shifter. Here are pictures of both.

If you are interested in the black tubing type then let me know, I'm here in California and we can talk on the phone and work some thing out.

 

[Jack]

Nice Chip! Sauber C9, my favorite Group C car..
Very narrow cockpit, hope it all comes together for you. Keep the pic's coming.

 

[Chip Smith]

It is set up as a center seat mono posto and I will have to work with incorperating the porsche 911 roof line and windsheild into the C9 bodystyle. The shift linkage came out great and am very happy with it. With the solid mounted engine and trans it goes through the pattern as good as any factory 911 g50/52.

 

[Jack]

Chip, the roofline should pose no insurmountable problem but the windscreen will.
The shape is totally different, the 911 is almost 1/3 wider.
Try The Blueprints, reference image database, with more than 37000 blueprints, templates, 3/4/5-views and drawings for some scale drawings of the C9 and 911. You will wind up with something more resembling a DP car than the C9.

 

[Dom]

Sauber C9 - Gorgeous!

Keep the updates coming please Chip!

 

[Dom]

No news?

 

[Chip Smith]

Man things sure do take a long time when you can only spend time here and there. But I did get it far enough to take it out for a test drive today with no body on it yet. The body guy I was planning on useing ran into some tax trouble and moved away in the dark of night. But atleast I have the mechanical up and running. The brakes feel good, the clutch is great and shifting is like clicking a big toggle switch. A car like this is not for the timid, its brutal and raw. I was going for the feel of the CanAm era and I got it. No way will it ever be a daily driver but on the days I drive it will be a rush for sure.