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My GKD Legend Kit Car Build - May 2009 until ...

Started by Richard, 17, May, 2009, 09:37:15 AM

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Richard

Going to try and post a not quite blow by blow account but at least a few of the stages along the way.

So far I have;
Several Magazines
Several Catalogues
A few spreadsheets
A couple of word documents
Very many bookmarks in Firefox
Tidied the garage a bit even painted the floor.
Ordered a few items.

As you can tell I am truly just beginning.

chanz


'The Gaffer'

#2
Hey Richard,

I'm sure you will get some encouragement here. I'm no build expert, but I would love to have a go.

At least your prep is in place, so go for it mate!!!

PS. Sorry I had to edit your gallery so that all your pics are within the gallery folder. In Gallery you have to ignore 'add image to post' its a coding problem I cant sort - instead find use picture as thumbnail tickbox if you want to use an icon. I have added one for you. You can change your icon whenever you like, but clear your internet history and possibly delete all temp files in from your browser to see the change. To upload more pictures just click add picture and then browse your PC and upload (submit) the picture file direct to my server. Any gallery probs just drop me a message.

Richard

More bits on order, all money going out and nothing back yet.

Plan is mid - end of June start build.

vinny1275

Are you doing a scratch build, or getting a kit?

'The Gaffer'

Quote from: Richard on 21, May, 2009, 07:44:54 AM
More bits on order, all money going out and nothing back yet.

Plan is mid - end of June start build.

It will be worth all the money in the end  ;D

Richard

Quote from: vinny1275 on 21, May, 2009, 08:26:44 AM
Are you doing a scratch build, or getting a kit?

Went the kit route for first build having no skills in this area or many other really.
Thinking was go for kit, get it done, then play tune for a bit, then if still loving it go for a more ambitious project.
Perhaps a bit lazy and a short cut but for me I think it is the right decision, I have a target of being running on road by Exeter show, which may turn out to be a bit ambitious.

Richard

Hot news:  Decided on paint scheme and colours !


I know, getting ahead of myself  ;D


'The Gaffer'


vinny1275

Have you decided on a kit though?

G - if you want a hand coding / help with the site I'm a network admin for a ftse100 software company (ooooohhhhhhhh), one of the things I look after are sites / databases we host for clients - I started as a developer so I can do code too - I'm sure I have a PHP book still knocking about somewhere..... :D

Richard

Kit is decided.

A certain magazine coming out in a few weeks time will have it, was trying to hold off just a little while longer  ;)

Chasing donors at the moment, just soo many options I need a bit of discipline to narrow choice and get stripping.

YellaBelly


'The Gaffer'


'The Gaffer'

Quote from: vinny1275 on 22, May, 2009, 08:37:53 AM
G - if you want a hand coding / help with the site I'm a network admin for a ftse100 software company (ooooohhhhhhhh), one of the things I look after are sites / databases we host for clients - I started as a developer so I can do code too - I'm sure I have a PHP book still knocking about somewhere..... :D

Hey thanks Vinny. I'm certainly no expert and in no way a coder. As you can see this site is built on a SMF platform. Most of the mods have been played around with a bit to get them to work on this custom theme, but thats the limit of my PHP with help.

What I am trying to do is get my head round SEO, in particular Google indexing topics. As Google is so slow at registering changes, its diffucult to know if subtle changes I make are making any difference. I have recently applied a mod that automatically creates meta name="description" content and meta name="keywords" so waiting to see the results of that. You can see it at work in view source.

Any ideas on SEO or geneal advice on the site, please let me know. Cheers mate.

Richard

In the end I went for a pretty new car to Kit market from GKD, the GKD Legend.

Quite a hard decision as not many out there to get support or ideas from yet just an incredible amount of BMW knowledge.

Won the donor car now but not picked it up yet, so things nearly ready for construction time, getting quite exciting !! ;D

'The Gaffer'

Quote from: Richard on 29, May, 2009, 09:43:39 PM
In the end I went for a pretty new car to Kit market from GKD, the GKD Legend.

Quite a hard decision as not many out there to get support or ideas from yet just an incredible amount of BMW knowledge.

Won the donor car now but not picked it up yet, so things nearly ready for construction time, getting quite exciting !! ;D

Great choice I'd say.

The GKD Legend looks very cool, great BMW engine and chassis too. Loads of spare parts as well.

Go for it.

Richard

The BMW engine and running gear do mean a lot of spares / tuning and knowledge around, quite influential.

Went for the donor that had the M42 4 cyl engine, it was the basis of the S42 that BMW used in the Touring car series so in extreme build ended up at 315 in NA form, of course lots of money to get above 250, stock is ~140 but relatively simple to take to 170.

The massive range of parts is really making the mixture of options very extensive.

David H

http://www.gkdsportscars.com/pictures-1.html

Nice. BMW running gear is ace. I've had one. Very interesting project. Looking forward to seeing it and belting it down to the Exeter show!

Richard

A little update.

The prototype gets IVA'd next week, so in theory chassis fine so will be on way to me (via me)  in near future.

Weight distribution looks to be about 51% rear and 49% front, not knowing other kit car distribution of weight I'd imagine they are mostly there or thereabouts.

Bulldog Bri

need to chat with you at the club re registering and IVAing as thats what I'm about to start and ain't got a clue about it  :-\

8)

Richard

Quote from: bulldog bri on 04, June, 2009, 10:48:50 AM
need to chat with you at the club re registering and IVAing as thats what I'm about to start and ain't got a clue about it  :-\

8)

Not sure I know enough about it but I have found the various revisions to the original IVA create a couple of items to watch e.g. head rest/restraint padding in original but not in a later revision. May be a case of several heads make light work on this new test.

Richard

donor car now at home - the strip follows with the odd pic

Bulldog Bri

Thats the fun bit, Pulling the old car apart. Take it slowly and label as much as you can.

8)

'The Gaffer'

Quote from: Richard on 05, June, 2009, 10:56:33 PM
donor car now at home - the strip follows with the odd pic

Great news, dont forget the pics  :)

Richard

Progress being made on donor stripping.
Will post a "strip" in the gallery this coming weekend.

In pulling apart we've been very careful in the labelling, so it adds a little time.

In researching parts I'm finding a few qwirks in these BMW M42 engines, if you have one or are doing this drop me a line if you've not already found them. Quick example the front bolts can come lose inside the bottom oil pan from vibration or impact underneath, this seems more common on the earlier models which may be aligned with a known gasket replacement work at the time.

'The Gaffer'

Look forward to the pics Richard  :)

I guess every engine has its own quirk, but if it were that serious, you would never see any M42 engines on the road.

Research anything enough and you will always find somthing to make you doubt your decision, I know because I do it myself.  ;)


Richard

A short update.

So far this donor car has caused amusement, annoyance and angry abuse.

The full strip is going on, not just a pinch the bits and run.

So mostly for fun the interior is really only left with steering column hot air tunnel and wiring and a lot of wiring it is !!!!

Engine bay is missing a few more parts and access is much improved without the bumper / grill or front strut, i.e. you can walk up to the engine pulleys.

Underneath is now without exhaust and heat shields.

Front uprights are missing 2 of the three bolts on one side.

Violence has been used !   The classic old rusty bolt techniques employed to the full except the trusted swearing (not when finger got in the way of a lump hammer though).

Bolts have had the penetrating spray, the tap with hammer, the tighten then losen, the heating with blow torch (they get very hot), the praying to the god of torque, and the mighty angle grinder.

Tomorrow will undoubtedly see a bit more mess and aggression being used.

'The Gaffer'

No blood in your build pics Richard, it might scare the kids  ;D  ;D

Bulldog Bri

Never bothered my kids when I came in leaking vital fluids, lol.

Richard

A little progress with the "strip" pics going up in next day or so.

Some bolts are truly part of the resistance !

Huge amount of wiring and a little surprise bit of coolant in the dip behind heater in dash.



On new car front a short delay in the chassis being ready as a few minor alterations going on for the first production item.
No changes needed for IVA but a little alteration in case they toughen up and some more beautiful round tubing for nose and to accommodate a slightly bigger radiator.


So angle grinder to the ready for this evenings spark show !

Richard

Been a bit more progress.

Donor car is now ready for last little operation tomorrow and then it will be dragged away, a couple of its last pics to be posted at weekend coming.

Didn't really need to but the car has been just about totally stripped, no doors, nothing inside except the roof lining and a lot of air.

New chassis is whole and powder coated, a few holes with clips for fuel and brake lines in place. Building some 3D autocad models as we go. At some point we could probably show a layered 3D model so you can strip through the built car in layers, lets see how we get along.

'The Gaffer'

Keep up the good work Richard.

How about a time lapse video of the build? That would be a first maybe?

Richard

Good idea !

Working out angles and fixings for a camera over a cuppa and the August Complete Kit Car Magazine.

Had a little quiet smile as it seems the "hole" in the bonnet made it into one of the pictures in the magazine but not one of our pics.

'The Gaffer'

Quote from: Richard on 16, July, 2009, 04:24:05 PM
Good idea !

Working out angles and fixings for a camera over a cuppa and the August Complete Kit Car Magazine.

Had a little quiet smile as it seems the "hole" in the bonnet made it into one of the pictures in the magazine but not one of our pics.

Good news on both counts.

Maybe theres a 'David Bailey' in our club  :)

Richard

Solution to pictures found, construction in next couple of days.  A garage reorganisation needed to set it up as best as possible then we'll be underway.

Donor car stripping pretty much complete, just got to arrange its collection and take last bits off that we've left to facilitate that departure process.

Always learning so think a BMW strip post is due separate from this post. For example I didn't de-pressurise the fuel before getting started on strip, so when it came to removing fuel it became a little more exciting than planned  ;D  hey - it worked anyway  ;)

'The Gaffer'

Look forward to the strip post  ;)

What pic plans do you have then Richard? Make sure you dont blow yourself up first though mate ;D

Richard

As you may have seen "strip" post underway, some catching up to do on the typing front.

Camera installation in place. Think we are home to Mr Heath and Mr Robinson by the way that got put together, those camera mount screw threads are to a specific ISO standard that is different to other bolts. Found you can buy specific bolt mounts etc. but all are £14+ so given what this is for use of a slightly broken Gorilla Pod, wooden frame, trusty old iron coat hanger and voila one secure upside down fixed camera point that picks up most of the garage and specifically where the action will hopefully get going to completion. Battery charging is a challenge so marked guidelines in place in case we need a recharge or two. Could have used a webcam and sensor but wanted a decent resolution on the pictures.

More items should be arriving the end of this week then earnest building can start, must remember to send the prop off as it is a bit long at the moment  ;), GKD would do it for me but seemed more sensible to send it from here all round.

Still not finalised some of the detail so that will probably be made up as and when we get to it.

'The Gaffer'

Actually a live web cam could be fun, we could all watch you smashing your thumbs with a hammer  ;D

Richard

Head needs to be added to thumb list, coming in donor post soon.

A few pics in now, but not yet released. Chassis has moved around a bit a few things marked out and more items have arrived.

We've all been practicing riveting, I suspect I'm not the only one who has done this. Donor car door now being drilled and riveted in curious ethnic patterns.


Bulldog Bri

Stop motion pro is a good program to work with your webcam.. You can set regular time intervals for the pic's to be taken then will stitch then together for you...

8)


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