Willit? Update

[namba209]

Another update: I finally got the pieces cut to mount the heat shield around the driver's side exhuast manifold. More trimming was needed to do a "real" custom fit. It looks like I'll have right a 1/4" clearance at the steering shaft, maybe less, but that'll be o.k. because I don't expect any movement in that area when the holes are closed up. As luck would have it, I ran out of cutting wheels after the half tube was welded in and the welder could only do the front part of the shield mount. This will eventually go into Phase III after I get the rear piece welded in and the holes closed up from the engine side after I pull the package for the umpteenth time. One more session with the welder and out it comes again. Now, it's getting fun again. Here's a pic of today's progress.

[namba209]

Here's today's progress so far. The welder finished up yesterday on the heat shield mounts and the "L" shaped shield was trimmed to fit around the welds. Also I put the down tube for the exhaust in just to double check clearances at the timing gear cover and steering shaft, there's no much room but it will work. Of course on this whole project, I'm finding out there's not much room anywhere. Next week, if all goes well the front end comes out for a rebuild, then the engine/tranny so I can layout out the panels to close up the holes. Slowly, ever so slowly it's coming together. As usual critiques and comments are welcome, good or bad, you may see something I missed.

[benncojr]

It looks like you will not have to worry about driver side floor heat!!

Looks good, keep up the posting.

[namba209]

Here's the latest. Nothing done to the car at all, we had construction folks here all week and they're still working on stuff, like sealing the foundation, blending in the new windows, primering and painting the whole house, and taking out a lot of trees and shrubbery. After that the termite folks are going to be doing their thing, so that'll be more time lost. I can forget the car being done for OMC next weekend, but that was already determined to be a lost cause because of my procrastination and I don't have the dash back from "JustDashes" along with some other parts I'll need as I get closer to the installation of everything.

[namba209]

Rats! Just when I was getting ready to pull the front end, my left rear tire was flat, so I pumped it up, been doing this every week, bad tires and worse bead seal. Anyway, as I'm pumping it up, I hear this loud bang and clunk. I look under the car and see a 6 inch long curved piece of metal laying on the ground. The bead flange had broken and part of it flew off the wheel. Apparently, looking at it closely, it had been cracked for quite a while, there was paint inside the cracked area that seeped in when I did the POR-15 treatment on it. Surprisingly, it is still inflated, but scary now that I need to work on the car, again. So, this is a plea for a pair of American Racing slotted mags, 6 inches wide that will fit my GT. I've attched a pic of what they look like, after I polish them. Oh Yeh, this is the one that broke.

[namba209]

I figured I'd let you see what let loose on my American Racing Wheel. BQS4, Gene, told me that OldOpelGuy, AKA Stephen and Benncojr., may have spares. If so, and you guys want to part with a pair of 6" wide ones, I'd like to have one for the spare tire too, kindly get back to me. Just in case they do not wish to part with the wheels, if they have any, I would appreciate any assistance I can in replacing this busted wheel. I assure you they will receive a fair amount of TLC. TIA.

[GTJIM]

Ron, Any halfway decent ali welder can repair that wheel, especially as you have the bit that fell off.
Try the specialist welders that the Dirt Bike Guys in your area use to repair their crank-cases etc. Or you may find there is a specialist "mag" wheel repair shop somewhere close by.
Definately repairable though IMHO - had stuff done like that myself.

[benncojr]

Ron,

I have 4 rims and one with the tire still on it. I thought they were for SCCA racing not for the road. I think they are in great shape. I beleive they are what you are looking for but I would like to double check before we talk about price. Can you give me some sizes, measurements. The tire that is on it does not have any size info on it so I can not tell you what is currently on it.

I would recommend that you try to get yours repaired. I know it can be fixed!! It should be cheeper than buying one of this and having shipped to you on the left coast from the right coast.

[namba209]

Rick, and Jim, Gene, (BQS4) gave the the Wheel Wizard site to check out, and yes they may be able to do a repair, I couldn't get hold of them by phone, but their price for a single crack, which I have, although a long one, and on the inside of the wheel, which it is, has a repair price of $165, not including shipping. Granted there may be a repair facility here in SoCal, but, if you consider the engine/tranny I'm putting in the car and the possible capabilities of that setup, I would rather have a set of wheels that have not needed to be repaired.

Rick, I measured the wheel I'm currently getting ready for polishing and it is 6.125" from inside bead flange to inside bead flange, and from the inside center flange to a straight edge laid across the inside flange of the wheel, it is approximatley 3 1/2". The tire size I have on the wheels is 185 X 70 X 13. Pics of the measurements I took are below.

[benncojr]

I will take some photos and measure the wheel tomorrow. I have a meeting in the morning so it may be a little late, yes I have meeting on the weekend but not for work. It is for a Tres Deas (spanish for three days).

[BQS4]

Ron;
There's www.stocktonwheel.com in Stockton, CA. How far is that from you?
Gene

[namba209]

Rick, I appreciate that, to make it easy on you, if they measure up, and your agreeable on price, I'll take to two worst looking ones you have, mainly because I plan on spending a lot of time and losing fingerprints to make them look purty.

[namba209]

I had some folks ask what was on the wheels, so I figured I'd let everyone know. I paint the wheels before I start the polishing process with POR-15, to protect the alloy while I do the month or so of wet sanding. I wasn't happy with the paint job, so I was stripping it when I took the measurement pics. What you see is the POR-15 being attacked with POR-STRIP. After about 30 minutes you spray the item with water and almost everything comes off the surface. What's left is easy for a wire wheel to remove.

[benncojr]

Ron,

Sorry no photos. (Involves a pine cone, a football, and a twisted ankle).

But I did get some measurements. Granted not the ones you gave me. The total highth of the rim is 14 1/4 inchs and the with is 6 7/16 inchs. Both measurements are to the outside edge. I will get same measurements you gave tonight. Sorry about that.

[namba209]

Rick, that's not a problem, what you gave is a ballpark, kinda close, maybe they'll work measurements, but they are close to what I have now, as I took new measurements based on where you measured earlier. The measurements I took are the ones I really need. They will give the exact width of the wheel and the offset. Somewhere inside the wheel there should be the diameter of the wheel ie., 4 X 100 X 13, or something like that. Anyway, I do appreciate the assist on this. Waiting with bated breath for the other measurements. TIA.

[namba209]

Whatcha get nowadays for $617 and some change? Well I got a box today over 4 feet tall 3/4 full of styrofoam peanuts, and a 3' X 6' sheet of bubble wrap protecting my newly restored GT Dash by "Just Dashes". It is outstanding work!!! I had sent the dash to them with the little Opel GT emblem below the glove box and they put it back on in the correct place. I had to remove the VIN Plate and there are two dimples in the dash to show me where to pop rivet the plate where it belongs. Was it worth the $617? You be the judge of the dash, not the garage.

[saxybiker]

Looks great Ron!


It will be a bit harder to install than stock, due to extra material around the sides. I suggest longer top dash screws and put it in before the front glass.

Vickie

[namba209]

Thanx Vickie, it's no problem putting it in before the windshield goes in. All the glass has been removed. I noticed when I took out the dash there were fairly short screws at the windshield base, so I guess longer ones wouldn't hurt. BTW what did, or how did you put the VIN tag back on? I plan to use pop rivets and put a piece of paper under the tag so I can use a very small modeler's brush and use POR-15 gloss black on the tag and rivets, then when the paint is dry, pull the paper out from under the tag. I'll probably use Glisten PC as a top coat over the black so it isn't susceptible to the UV rays and get dull. Am I pleased? Oh yes, thanx for turning me on to those folks. They definately do some outstanding work.

[saxybiker]

On the car that is 98% stock we put the vin tag back on. All we did was polish up the tag and rivet it back in place. It looks great. On the street rod I had them leave the holes out and am not putting the vin tag back in--so it is all smooth across the top.

Vickie