GT40 Kit Car Build - Ep 19 - Rear Firewall Panel Install ***Exciting Build Update***

[@errolseager1292]

Remove the upper firewall panel and fit the roof section and bolt it down, create a template for the firewall upper from cardboard or thin ply strips to get the required shape, if you look at some boat building channels you will find videos showing the various methods used

[@biglakehotrods381]

I honestly don’t know how you just calmly build this beautiful car. I couldn’t wait to get in a rip it! It’s really cool to the the progress and your issues that pop up. Going to be a wild ride for sure.

[@BuiltbyDan]

Thanks for the comment. Given the combination of my lack of experience and being a perfectionist, I'm trying to take it slow and complete every step to the best of my ability. I'd love to rush through and just get it on the road, but I'd never be happy with the quality of the finished product!

[@DH-bw2rx]

Just found your build series and watched all your episodes. You’re a lucky guy to be building what looks like a very nice reproduction of the GT40. One comment on this last episode is instead of trimming the aluminum panel by the roll bar down, I’d remove it entirely and make a new panel out of thin Masonite or thick cardboard and then trim the aluminum to fit the template. Much easier to work the template than the aluminum and no chance for a mistake. Good luck on your build and looking forward to your next episode.

[@BuiltbyDan]

Thanks for the support, much appreciated! I've now completed the trimming, but unfortunately did it the hard way! Wish I had of thought to use a thin board or core flute to create a template, would have been soo much easier! Will keep that in mind for next time!

[@matth4638]

Great work Dan, thoroughly enjoying seeing your car come together.

[@billreid11]

Super nice build and attention to detail. Cheers from Arizona...

[@spaceman4782]

Wow, it's really coming together now!!! I'm so happy you're making this series, I actually plan to use it as a guide for when I receive my own replica of the GT-40!

[@BuiltbyDan]

Thanks mate, glad you are enjoying the series and hopefully it will come in useful as you work through your build! That's exactly why I wanted to start this channel, as I couldn't find anything out there that showed exactly what was involved in building one of these kits, plenty of forums/build logs, but no VLOGs. If this series helps one person in some way, it will all be worth it!

[@spaceman4782]

I actually found your channel while searching for build guides, or at least an overview of what it's like to build one of these kits, so your plan for this channel is working! Even before I have the car, your series has helped me figure out what tools I need, as well as other details such as what I may want to, or need to, provide in addition to the kit car's parts. Perhaps I'll Vlog my experience building one of these replica cars once I've received mine! Quick question if you have the time: would you say the view out the back window is satisfactory? I was thinking of replacing the rear-view mirror with a small monitor attached to a wide-angle camera on the back of the car for better visibility.

[@BuiltbyDan]

I can't really answer that at this point, will need to see how it all looks when I get the car assembled but I'm not setting my expectations too high! I actually looked into one of those rear view mirrors with the camera myself, will consider going down this path if I can find a discrete place to mount the camera.

[@Solo6amers]

Exciting times now you have the engine. Looking forward to the next episode on how you managed to get the spider to fit.

[@kululv]

nice job again and as always! I did want to suggest using the 2 spacers for the upper seat belt mount as an extra mounting point for your back panel! It would stabilize that panel and you would not have a protrusion through the panel. I also think that that panel will vibrate a lot without any mounting points at the top. I would weld a couple tabs to the roll bar and stabilize it that way. I also do not like the sharp edge of the back panel riding up against the spider. over time that might cause some damage.

[@BuiltbyDan]

Thanks for the feedback once again. Great idea regarding the seat belt mount - would definitely help support the top of the panel and reduce vibration as you say, can then limit to a bolt hole only. I think I'm going to try and trim the aluminium panel down a bit more - it is quite a tight fit at the moment. When I do the final install I was going to use a polyurethane sealant to help adhere the panel to the spider to seal it from engine bay, as well as try reduce any vibration between the two components.

[@mopedmarathon]

As other people have said you could template the rear panel to find your cut lines. Another way is to place the spider over the panel and get it to the correct fore / aft and left right position. Then measure the gap between the foot of the spider and chassis. Set a compass to that distance then run the pointy end of the compass around the inside of the spider with the pencil running on the panel. You have to keep the compass vertical at all times though as that’s the plain in which it doesn’t fit. It’s known as scribing in. Have a look at videos as my explanation probably isn’t great. Good luck dude. Loving the build.

[@alberthall7047]

Starting to look like a car❤️

[@edendevon8454]

hi dan wow the gt40 is really coming together look forward to seeing the spider clamp being fitted,also the engine,cheers eden devon.

[@Bigboy4018]

Starting to look like a real car!

[@jamesbensley7914]

looking great mate, glad to see things going a lot smoother for you. made this comment before watching the last 5 minutes. I would advise lots of templates, check 5 times cut once and lots of patience. Good luck

[@JonLupen]

Very brave of you to take on body panel trimming and fitting entirely on your own. Personally, I'd be looking at paying a body work professional for an hour or two of their time to have a look and advise me on the situation.

[@alvinnelson4439]

Nice video, want to see that engine!

[@BuiltbyDan]

Coming soon!

[@JoelKSLC]

Thanks for another enjoyable video. Nice progress. One suggestion is to figure out exactly where the body will sit on the car(forward to back, and side to side). Take the rear roll-bar and panel off, put the wheels on and set to ride height with zero toe and zero camber. Once you center the wheels in the wheel wells you now know pretty much where the body will go, then you can mock up the rear panel and trim it up perfectly.

[@BuiltbyDan]

Thanks for the suggestion Joel. I was just going to work off the factory alignment. The body was aligned and temporarily fixed in place in the factory before shipping.

[@peterburdett8131]

Nice progress Dan. I would have thought that rear panel would already be trimmed but maybe the roof is not accurate enough

[@dgadver]

Exactly what i was thinking!!!

[@BuiltbyDan]

Thanks Peter, was a bit surprised myself that its not cut anywhere near the profile it needs to be...

[@shirleyboy8859]

Just a little point.... I have used a "Snap On" Ratchet and socket for Tapping in small spaces... It is easy to reverse to clear the thread... But it looks like you have it covered... :-)))

[@BuiltbyDan]

That's a great idea!

[@dazman6316]

Suggest making a pattern out of ply first. The window needs to come down. I’d trim 3/4” off it’s bottom edge. Loving this build. You are doing well😉

[@DemopVWgarage]

Yeh dude, more progress 👌🏼🤜🏾

[@petebrand6661]

Dan, great series so far, but just remember that Alloy will corode easily with dissimilar metals, IE Stainless and Metal, past experience with alloy airframes is to use race tape as a insulator between all the metal plates and alloy chassis, also why not se a satin blackpant on the alloy chassis with as you said regarding the wheels Orange??

[@BuiltbyDan]

Thanks Pete, still deciding on treatment I'm going to use. Keen to leave chassis unpainted (but maybe with a clear sealer) as its quite a feature of the vehicle. So then it will come down to treating the underside of any zinc coated or stainless steel brackets etc. where they contact the aluminium chassis or components. The race tape idea sounds like a fairly simple solution!

[@AverageJoeLui]

All these modifications you're having to do are worrying, and kind of leading me to believe that this kit shouldn't be that expensive. You're doing awsome though!

[@anthonyhoffmann8679]

love the video's, keep it up :)

[@jamessawyer4625]

It looks like you need to lift the top over the roll bar then see what you have to trim. to the first before you remove the window panel.

[@andersjansson6705]

The roof must come back at least 15 cm, look at the front of the roof. It can stick out that much in the front panel. Remove the upper firewall, and lay the roof on top of the back frame.

[@BuiltbyDan]

Yes, that's correct, I just sat it forward of its final position as the spider wouldn't fit over the roll bar and panel.

[@JohnDoe-yj5ng]

Have you considered using a transfer punch? There more accurate at punching centers in holes

[@BuiltbyDan]

G'day John, they have been suggested a couple times in the comments, I just haven't got around to purchasing a set yet. Definitely on my list of things to buy, but often forgotten about when I finally get to the tool shop.

[@gangleri_0181]

Being an access panel you may want to consider a quick latch system.

[@graham6229]

The Porsche Boxster has an access panel behind the seats and its very easy to undo a few fasteners and far better than quick release anything.

[@lindalorenz3676]

You should go with the gold

[@TheSkidrowyachtclub]

The transfer drilling you are doing would be a bunch easier if you used cleco fasteners.

[@joshpittman2939]

Slowly coming together

[@NESegal]

FYI the roll bar and accessory items are Cadmium plated, not Zinc plated.

[@martinmicheal4595]

You need the things you thread in then they have a point and you wack it and it leaves a dimple

[@tonychamberlain8057]

Orange I think make a feature of it mate

[@ronbeckhaus7326]

it's coming along nicely, Dan. are the firewall panels going to have any covering on the cockpit side? Cheers mate.

[@BuiltbyDan]

G'day Ron, the firewall and panels will be lined with acoustic insulation and carpet on the inside of cockpit, and it will have self adhesive aluminised thermal insulation in the engine bay.

[@HalswellPacers]

Hi Dan. Thinking undertaking the same project. What made you go with the Absolute Pace kit over say the Roaring Forties or CAV kit?

[@BuiltbyDan]

G'day, I liked the aluminium semi monocoque chassis and the billet suspension components, gives it a feel of modern drivetrain but with the classic body and interior styling. RF had gone very quite at the time I was looking to proceed with an order, turns out they were changing hands, in hind sight I might have waited had that been known at the time. I did look at the CAV as well, but they were still awaiting the first kit to arrive in AUS, and I didn't want to take the risk of ordering one before they managed to get it through engineering etc.

[@kylemassay970]

I'm really pulling for you bud. I'm sure you've been asked this before, but who did you order the kit from?

[@BuiltbyDan]

Thanks Kyle! The kit is from Absolute Pace in Queensland, Australia. There's a link to their website in the video description.

[@dylancousins1728]

is the upper firewall not supposed to lean back?

[@BuiltbyDan]

G'day Dylan, yes there is a fold in the panel that makes it lean back to the rear of the vehicle.

[@graham6229]

Did I hear you correctly Dan, is your GT40 going to be raw aluminium inside or are you going to paint it please ? I guess if you are going racing it will be as light as possible and so ....no paint.

[@BuiltbyDan]

G'day Graham, I intend on leaving the natural aluminium look, whether that be raw or with a clear coating such as Nyalic or something similar. The aluminium chassis is a big feature of the car, so I don't really want to cover it all up with paint.

[@jamesbensley7914]

@@BuiltbyDan yer mate dont paint it, clear coat is a good idea as could spend half your time polishing if not.

[@brianseager6388]

@@BuiltbyDan in my experience i would not leave it raw it looks good now but not for long on my lotus 7 build i started to powder coat as much as i could in satin black in a year or two of oxidizing you may be disappointed with the raw look having built a car i see similar problems that will come up on the journey good luck you are doing good ps go look at a new ali boat and then look at a second hand one and compare the difference thats what you will get

[@lippenserver5583]

@@BuiltbyDan You could prep some pieces of aluminium and clearcoat them with the product of your choice now, and leave them in an environment they are likely to encounter (one in garage, carport, sun and rain, in your car's engine compartment, etc. each). That way you get an idea how well they are going to age/weather. I just saw someone mention KZbinr "Ratchet" in your comments and watched some of his videos. He uses Nyalic, so if you follow him then you probably knew about the product before my last comment already.

[@tonybutcher4762]

RATCHET was fitting the back window on his GT40 a few episodes back.

[@BuiltbyDan]

Yes I speak to Andrew and watch his episodes. It's a good point of reference even though he started with a complete vehicle. 👍

[@GerardBendotti]

it almost looks like the spider sits on the running boards of the fiberglass body. not on the chassis as it looks generally too low like that

[@BuiltbyDan]

Yes it does. In this video I just placed a 10mm spacer under the rear pillars to simulate it sitting on top of the fibreglass sill panel. I'll install the sills to get the fitment right when I trim the roof spider.

[@robertlaird6746]

This is a really good series and makes me want to order the same kit to build mine. Dan, would you recommend this kit? If so, how do I contact the manufacture? If not, which kit do you recommend?

[@Ianduncanqld1]

just a 5 cent opinion but while this is a really well manufactured kit the manufacturers themselves can perhaps be a bit optimistic with timelines and are not the world's best communicators. I was given an indication of 6-8 weeks for a kit in October.. still have nothing..!

[@robertlaird6746]

@@Ianduncanqld1 I still don't know what this manufactures company name is. Built by Dan didn't share that information but he did share that the company didn't communicate well and I think that's why he didn't share that information. I'm thinking of going with a different manufacture because of it and the fact that he has had several issues with fitment. Who should I go with?

[@marcoh6618]

@@robertlaird6746 Its Absolute Pace. There may have been few niggling issues, but in my opinion the kit look very well made, and certainly fewer issues than a mate of mine with a cobra kit made by another manufacturer

[@BuiltbyDan]

G'day Robert, the kit I am building is from Absolute Pace in Qld. I don't go around dropping their name every episode, but the information is in the video descriptions and in Ep 07. As for which kit, I understand there are 3 kit manufacturers that offer a 'complete' kit in AU with local support/distributors. Absolute Pace (QLD), Roaring Forties (VIC), CAV/GT40 Australaisia (WA) (there may be others). They all offer a slightly different product and are located in different states. Pace have an aluminium, semi-monocoque chassis, RF has a steel tube chassis and CAV has a stainless steel tube chassis. If you are happy to go with a manufacturer that is not supported in AU, the options grow significantly. Suggest maybe having a look on GT40s.com which is a good forum with lots of information on the different kits available. Once you chose a manufacturer, then you have the fun of choosing an engine and transaxle combo! I'm no expert on all the kits out there, I can only share the knowledge that I have. Best to speak to a few manufacturers and make the trip out to see them, have a look at a completed example to see quality of finish, review their support documentation/build manual (if you think you would be reliant on this to complete the build) and decide which kit you like the best and which manufacturer you can trust (important given the significant financial transaction).

[@robertlaird6746]

@@BuiltbyDan Thank you very much! I must have missed episode 7 or had a brain fade and didn't hear those details. I live in the USA. Is there an aluminum full kit like yours that is manufactured in America? It sounds like all three of these kits are made in Australia but it might be more cost friendly for me to find one in America due to the shipping cost. Your videos are awesome and go through each step which is what I need because like you, this will be my first build. I'll take a look at the these three kits but really like the aluminum and see what it cost and all of that. Thanks again!

[@Blanchy10]

What engine?

[@BuiltbyDan]

G'day, as mentioned in my earlier episodes, I'm going with a coyote engine. I'll run through all the details in a future episode when I do the unboxing and assembly.

[@petercan1020]

How much was kit

[@BuiltbyDan]

Approx $100k (AUD). I cover all the components and cost in Ep 07 Detailed Parts Overview.

[@chriswaldron2617]

Get rid of that plastic guard on your drill press. It is nothing more than a pain in the backside and there’s nothing to protect you from anyway. All it does is impede your view.

[@BuiltbyDan]

It has since been removed, so annoying, and as you say, the curved plastic distorts your view.

[@chriswaldron2617]

@@BuiltbyDan For safety, what can often happen, especially when drilling metal of any sort is that as you try and withdraw the drill bit from the stock that you’re drilling is that the bit might catch and start spinning what you’re drilling around. For that reason and to keep it secured so you can drill accurately, then use clamps to hold what you’re drilling down to the table.

[@iansyme3535]

Dan, you need a new lens or camera system. Videos are always unsharp. Move up to 4k resolution!

[@BuiltbyDan]

Thanks for the feedback. I invested in a new camera less than 12 months ago. I have a Sony A7II. I have found that the SD version on KZbin is really compressed but found the HD version much better. Looking to purchase a GoPro soon, that might be better in terms of stabilisation and even quality...

[@iansyme3535]

@@BuiltbyDan I was being a bit cheeky Dan but to see just how shap and focused KZbin uploads can be watch some footage from "Pauls Hardware". Computing is yet another hobby of mine you see ... Greetings from a 68yr old in Scotland by the way.