250 GTO - the enemy within!

[C5GTO]

I saw the car in person yesterday. It looks nice but is obviously not original Ferrari in any way. Their advertising is very misleading and I think the are detracting from a nice car, potentially scaring people away. When they say, "original", think original 280 Z not Ferrari.

It's for sale at a consignment place and the sales guy told me the owner has $200K invested. If that's the case, the owner farmed out all the work. So maybe the asking price is more of a dream at re-couping loses than anything. In any case, I agree with Peter that he's delusional in even asking that much.

[jcraigau]

I think the $39,990 version might get a few more views...
Specialty Sales Classics

[guye]

I don't understand what the fuss is about. The ad clearly states you "will not find another one like this anywhere on the open market even close to this asking price."

It isn't lying!

[PeterAllen]

I bought a pair of bonnet straps off the English eBay some time back and decided to leave them out in the weather to develop some patina. After a couple of months the so-called 'stainless steel' buckles were the only components to alter appearance?




Today I attended a great little leather workshop ($45 for 4 hours) in Botany (Sydney) and had a go at making some straps. Having the old straps as templates assisted. I'm kinda pleased with the outcome and found the workshop interesting, particularly seeing and using the hand-tool involved in leathercraft.





Compare

[Aussie Mike]

Great stuff Peter.

I used to do leather work for a hobby when I was at high school. Punk was pretty popular then and everyone wanted studded leather arm bands, belts and guitar straps etc. Pretty funny now but we thought we were cool back then. It was satisfying working with leather.

Cheers

[750hp]

I really like the stitching on the new and improved version.

[PeterAllen]

The bonnet straps 'light duties' was a slight distraction from the heavy lifting which has been occurring.

The PWR radiator has been one of my pride and joy 'bling' items. I carefully thoughtout all the issues of ports and mountings, etc, in the design and I have been working around it for some time.



In putting the whole car together I've found some areas just get too crowded and the radiator areas was going the same way. Trying to have a decent intake scoop and bonnet hinges and the radiator just became too much so I relocated the radiator forward of the engine bay.



It all looked good until I refitted the nose section and found interference issues. Not to worry I just brought the radiator back 50mm towards the engine bay. Apart from the bracket itself, the adjustment required reconstruction of the lower outlet port, however, in the end, a perfect fit.



A little while later I started to install the 'Vintage Air' air conditioner system and found when I mounted the condenser in front of the radiator that, sure enough, interference issues AGAIN.

Don't you just love car projects!

[spookypt]

Pete, my wife likes your leatherwork so much she is sending you an order for some very "specific" personal items. You know, just the usual stuff. Black with studs but she'll be more specific on the order.

Keep the build pics coming.

[PeterAllen]

And what if I refuse her request? Will she spank me and trample on my chest in her high heels?

[jcraigau]

Is that the tool on the ground you made the "adjustments" with? :-) (kidding)

The progress is looking good and coming along nicely!

[leroy17]

I find all updates on this a great read. From metal fab, fiberglass work, templates, plastic forming and leatherwork. Completely enjoyable and awesome results.

I would draw the line at leather goods which have a red ball as part of the construction, no good can come from that.

[750hp]

Originally Posted by leroy17

I find all updates on this a great read. From metal fab, fiberglass work, templates, plastic forming and leatherwork. Completely enjoyable and awesome results.

I would draw the line at leather goods which have a red ball as part of the construction, no good can come from that.

Vehicle fabrication work and leather goods with a red ball have two things in common...
"A pair of pliers and a blow torch..."

[leroy17]

double up.

[PeterAllen]

Thanks 'leroy'.

It hard to know what to post that might be different from other builds but still be of interest. I'm working away at it steadily, it's mainly fiddly stuff but very time consuming.

I've got a old mate who has been battling the Big C for the the last 12 months coming to Sydney on the weekend so I'm trying desperately to get it going so he can drive it up and down the street.

[C5GTO]

Peter,
Not to make you question your radiator install, but if you're having clearance issues, have you thought about installing at an angle? I put mine in at somewhere around 60 degrees and managed to get the cap under the radiator fill opening in the nose







I'm also running AC so that's the radiator on top. The smaller, vertical mounted one is the inter-cooler for supercharger. Yep, it was quite the chore finding space for all them.

I like the way you've run fresh air ducting to intake over the top of the radiator. I'm planning to do something similar but haven't tackled that project yet.

By the way, I do like your homemade straps. They look much better than the purchased ones. That buckle looks like brass so hopefully that resolves the rust issue.

[PeterAllen]

Joel. I probable could, with a bit more engineering, position the radiator at an angle but I would then have clearance issue with the underside fibreglass. I'm a least confident it's better placed now than when it was in the engine bay. I'm learning that I have to live with compromises if I ever want to get it finished.

I think by their very nature these one-off projects are created by 'muddling through' rather than any real detailed drawing board design.

With the radiator re-installed I had to cut the spout off the thermostat housing and weld it at a new angle.



I triple checked all the hose clamps and felt confident as I started pouring the coolant into the system. Suddenly the floor started to turn green.. Bugger!

I soon realised I had only tacked the spout to the housing so I could perform a trial fit. I must have become diverted on some other aspect and forgot to remove and finish weld the housing... D'oh!



PS. Spare us all the Lorena Bobbitt jokes

[PeterAllen]

Oh dear... I've taken it up and down the street a couple of time on very tentative trials - mainly to see how many lost tools, etc, drop out! I have a section of grass between the shed and a narrow concrete driveway with a step up to the concrete. Yesterday was the first time I tried to reverse up but the rear wheels spun as I powered up the step and the car drifted sideways into the fence. Lucky it's not the final coat.

[C5GTO]

duplicate - deleting

[Gav]

Do you still make 'gimp' masks Mike?

[Aussie Mike]

Originally Posted by Gav

Do you still make 'gimp' masks Mike?

Not any more. Every one want this machine washable PU synthetic leather these days. What kind of master slave worship is that? Honestly "machine washable"? The mask traditional leather mask should be hand scrubbed by the dutiful slave and then buffed to a high shine with leather polish. "Machine washable" just shows no commitment. Bloody weekend S&M I won't have a bar of it.