Update by Tim Suddard to the
Finally doing the GT6's proud.
Well done.
A.
Well, the thrash is over, at least for now. We got our Group 44 GT6+ mostly assembled in time for the PRI show, where this now very attractive little car made quite a splash. Special thanks to Jere Dotten, Gary Hunter, Paul Suddard and Tom Prescott for pulling off this miracle.
As you can see from our last update, what was a bare frame and shell at Thanksgiving is nearly together just two weeks later.
Actually, the process of assembly was quite straightforward. We will need to go back into the rear hubs and get the shims correct. We still have a few trim items to put on, as well as a couple of the original decals that we scanned and will get [Hawkeye Signs] (http://www.hawkeyedaytona.com) to make up for us. Speaking of signage, Tim at Hawkeye nailed the decal package. We also owe a special thanks to fellow Group 44 car owner and Amelia Island founder Bill Warner, who supplied us with some of the original decals.
ATL did a fantastic job of rebuilding the original fuel cell using the original can and even the original cap. Naturally, in the interest of safety, the bladder is all new. Our friends at Koni pulled off an amazing rush job of rebuilding the original shocks, which had date codes from 1970. We also owe a special debt of gratitude to Vintage Racing Services, who rebuilt and welded the differential. VRS co-owner Kent Bain checked his gear charts and suggested we try a 4.11:1 final drive ratio, as Road Atlanta is our intended first track.
While we would have loved to install a lightweight, efficient Griffin radiator like we did in our TR3, to preserve the originality of this car we took the original Corvette-based radiator to Robbins Radiator Works and had them re-core it.
Another rush job to make the show was carried out by Wheels America. Bob Stretch and his team did a fantastic job refurbishing our original American Libre magnesium wheels. They even had to re-weld one wheel that had been badly bent somewhere along the way. Last but not least, we need to thank Carbotech, who were able to take the original brake shoes and rebuild them with trick competition material. They also sent their front race pads to fit the original GT6 calipers.
Next, we will move into the wiring, interior and the plumbing of both fuel and brake lines. Look for this car to appear at our display at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, Amelia Island Concours, and of course, the Classic Motorsports Mitty, to be held May 1-3, 2009.
Finally doing the GT6's proud.
Well done.
A.
Hey Tim, will this little buggy be at the Mitty to join the others?
Cheers,
Todd Bermudez
Hi Tim,
Great job, the car looks like it did back in the day, glad you chose to go with the original configuration on the roll bar
Steve (ex-Group 44) Knoll
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