It has begun - G-Pete's 289FIA Scratch Build

[jolsen42]

Pete, please don't let this die. Sometimes it's impossible to comment on genius. You just sit back and admire. I too look forward to your posts and incredible skills.
Regards,
John O

[stengun]

Howdy G-Pete,

Keep posting updates! I love reading your build thread.

I never really had a reason to post anything up until now except the your workmanship and skills are incredible.

Keep up the great work and keep posting!

I'm going to "borrow" a few ideas from you for my Spyder build.

Paul

[KarlCSX2498]

Hello, Yes, I agree with Paul. Many of us follow your build and watch for new fotos but do not have anything constructive to add. The only thing I can add it that your build is excellent and the workmanship top quality. I wish some of those tools & machines were in my workshop when I did my scratch build.

One more vote to keep the thread alive,
regards, Karl

[Fullchat289]

Another one, Pete...Please don't think people aren't enjoying this thread. If you have the time, please continue! I,for one, am all over this stuff like buzzards on a gut wagon.

- Allen.

[Ozgur_Tan]

don't worry, keep us updated
i've also feel the same at my thread on scratch builders sub-section
hell, i'm still posting about my #4 and #5
regards
ozgur
Ozgur TAN

[G-Pete]

Alright guys, lets continue...

[James Stern]

Good on you Pete

[G-Pete]

The doors need locks and mounting plates



Striker Plates welded on the rear door frame



Door lock boxes fab

[G-Pete]

Hood hinges adjustment.




Hood stay.
That is all before the fiberglass of the doors, hood and trunk lid. I will show a little later the progress there.

[dallas_]

Originally Posted by G-Pete

Hood stay.
That is all before the fiberglass of the doors, hood and trunk lid. I will show a little later the progress there.

Pete,
Good, because I am curious to see how the fiberglass bonds to carbon fiber, and if it bonds the same way it does to other fiberglass. Cool stuff. I've never worked with cf before.

[RACER X #99]

Great job Pete,

Lots of guys can buy the nicest Cobra replica but few can build their own.

[stengun]

Howdy G-Pete,

Thanks for keeping your thread alive!

Keep up the great work and keep posting pics!

You have as a guy posted on a different forum "Wicked skills, Dude!"

Paul

[G-Pete]

Originally Posted by dallas_

Pete,
Good, because I am curious to see how the fiberglass bonds to carbon fiber, and if it bonds the same way it does to other fiberglass. Cool stuff. I've never worked with cf before.

Pretty soon you will see how that works. The resin is pretty much the in same chemical family. If you go back a few pages...
http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/scra...h-build-9.html...post 132- there you see my body mounts fiber glassed to the CF body.

[dallas_]

ok, I see it now, thanks.

That's pretty handy.

[krausewich]

Hey Pete, I've been curious from the get-go as to how you look
to deal with the body edge returns. Will you be riveting to aluminum
flangework, then knocking it over the birdcage?? I've rarely seen
a flangeless body, and have never seen how any were mounted.

Encouraging solicitation can be frustrating.. see Fasterpatrick's
for example. Thanks for keeping it going! The build diary is the best part.

Mike.

[G-Pete]

After a long back and forth I finally went with the Trigo FIA wheels and Avon tires.
The thought around that subject was, to have the car looking sharp and appear as most original as possible.

That meant to shorten the original upper and lower A-Arms of the SVT IRS. I try to do the front by next weekend.

Here the lower old and new - 4 inches difference.



Lower and upper pair.



Shortened tie rod.

[G-Pete]

Driver side mounted without shock. You see also the altered basket bracket.



Setup for the shock bracket.




Top view of the driver side upper A-Arm without the spacers. Perfect camber and caster setup.



Lower A-Arm with shock bracket.



Yeah, these Trigo FIA wheels just looking great.



At 5 inches ride height the half shafts are perpendicular to the pumpkin and spindles -- squeeze in another horse or two

[stengun]

Howdy G-Pete,

Just out of idle curiosity, how much time have you spent on your build so far and how many hours a day do you spent working on it?

If I get to spent 8 hours a week on my Spyder I feel lucky.

Didn't get to touch it yesterday because of yard work. Had to pick up and unload a cubic yard of mulch for our flower beds around the house.

Maybe I'll get to work on it today.

Thumbs up on your control arms. Looks similar to the original parts.

Neat blend of the SVT IRS and the original look.

The rims and tires look great too.

Paul

[G-Pete]

Paul, I do not have a log on hours - just a spreadsheet how much money I spent so far

Last year summer I made a break of 13 weeks because of the heat. I did not like the idea to fabricate after work in 110 degrees(welding too). May I have 120 to 140 hours now, something like that.

One of the reasons for not to have the full consistency is my job, pretty demanding - on top I had to fire in December my welding shop foreman and took over his job too.
The second on is the financial part, I pay as I go and nothing is put on credit.

So, the weather is fine and taxes are done...watch for big steps this spring.

[G-Pete]

John, I think it would take away from the 289 charm...




...even this one has the wrong size tires and rims hehe