GTM Build Post - FFCars.com : Factory Five Racing Discussion Forum

David Borden · 10-10-2005, 12:46 AM

I will be using this thread to post about my GTM build. It will probably be some time before I get the kit and post about the actual build, but will start the thread with my donor purchase. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I drove 720 miles round trip yesterday to pick up my donor car. Its a 2000 C5 with 24K miles with pretty light damage front and rear. Looks like it pin-balled between K-walls or something. The rt frt upper control arm is a bit tweeked The guy I purchased the car from is going to get me another one.

If I had more time and $$, Id consider fixing the car. Its really nice!

I also picked up a G50-20 6 speed transaxle two weekends ago. Outside of tearing the car down, Im ready [img]smile.gif[/img]

More to come [img]smile.gif[/img]

David

Tacdoc · 10-10-2005, 07:43 AM

David, what torque capacity do you think the G50/20 has. A collegue of mine is planning a GTM also but is not wanting to go the route I did with a G50/52.

lostpatrolman · 10-10-2005, 11:56 AM

Out of curiosity, how much did you pay for your donor, and where did you find it? Autotrader? Thanks

Frankenvette · 10-10-2005, 10:39 PM

Nice score on the donor.

David Borden · 10-10-2005, 10:51 PM

I'll tell you someone can expect to pay around 10K for such a donor. I got mine on ebay.

Thanks Frankenvette [img]smile.gif[/img]

David

Frankenvette · 10-10-2005, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David Borden:
I'll tell you someone can expect to pay around 10K for such a donor. I got mine on ebay.

David

I would think you can recover a lot of the cost once you sell off the unused parts. The seats along are worth $600-800. I know because I just purchased identical seats to install in my C3 vette. I lucked out and got an exceptional price.

Now that I think about it, I could really hotrod my C3 with the leftover parts from the C5 while building the GTM...now that would be cool [img]graemlins/drool.gif[/img]

1686 · 10-10-2005, 11:31 PM

David,
that car is almost too nice to be a donor!

Brian

David Borden · 10-11-2005, 02:44 AM

Frank... I agree.

Brian, I agree [img]smile.gif[/img] Kinda kills me to cut it up... but at this point I dont have much of a choice.

David

Aaron Silidker · 10-11-2005, 04:26 AM

Soooooo much of that is sellable after careful dissassembly. Dash, airbags, steering wheel, interior, torque tube and transaxle, doors, trunk glass wheels, etc.

You can recover a ton of stuff from it.

Frankenvette · 10-11-2005, 02:58 PM

David,

As an FYI... another source for selling your leftover C5 parts besides ebay is corvetteforum.com. 85,000+ forum member and it's broken down by generation. You can sell your parts in the C5 parts for sale section. These are good people to deal with, like this forum, and probably much more reliable than your typical ebay buyer.

SeaLawyer · 10-11-2005, 05:58 PM

Not only that -- no eBay fees or any other fees for that matter... Unless you want to become a supporting member, but regular membership is free.

Qwik 1 · 10-11-2005, 06:44 PM

Hey Dave,

You building this for the street or track only?

I just made my reservations for SEMA and hope you and Mary are going again. It would be great to see you guys! [img]smile.gif[/img]

CMcCarthy · 10-14-2005, 08:04 PM

I bet the airbags and seats alone are worth ~$2000

David Borden · 10-15-2005, 01:31 AM

Hey Brian,

Id love to do SEMA this year, but dont think I have the vacation time left to go

Very small chance I can make it work... Have fun, we'll miss seeing you there!

Car will be primarily for street with a few track events mixed in here and there [img]smile.gif[/img]

Charles, yeah, I hope to get a few bucks from those parts [img]smile.gif[/img]

David

ROB J · 10-20-2005, 04:47 AM

WOW, that's a great score David!!! 10k is not bad at all. I would of figured you paid more than that. Does the car start and drive?

Yep, that car is almost worth fixing.

I have my ears and eyes open, and will be following your build. Keep updating this post.

I have plans on doing a GTM in 3-5 years, so I'm ready to start digesting all the info I can get.

David Borden · 10-23-2005, 11:39 PM

We spend the weekend separating the Vette body from the running gear. Started with the car on the lift disconnecting all the critical parts and lines.

While still on the lift in the lowered position, we used the cherry picker to lift the front of the chassis up and checked to make sure we had everything disconnected. We had a few things to disconnect and clearance.

Once we had everything pulled that we thought we needed to and unbolted the body mounts, we pushed the car off the lift. Once off the lift, we backed it up the front of the lift, and hooked the front to cherry picker again.

Lifting from the back with the 4 post lift and the cherry picker, we start to lift the body off the running gear.

David Borden · 10-23-2005, 11:39 PM

We start to roll the running gear from under the body.

It was necessary to reposition the hoist for clearance. Here Russ lifts the tire/suspension over the hoist.

If you haven’t seen a C5 running gear separated from the body... Here you go.

Butchered C5 floating about 3.5 feet in the air. Cutting up this car was kind of weird... but I got over it

Huge thanks to Larry Davi, Russ Thompson, Jeff Fick, and his son Taylor for all your help Saturday! It took about 9 hours to complete the liberation of the running gear...

David

dukegrad98 · 10-24-2005, 12:49 AM

WOW. Great work, guys. Fun to see the pics.

There isn't much to a C5 once you strip the tub off, huh? [img]smile.gif[/img] That's really pretty cool, even if I have seen it before. Before long you can start selling off parts of that clean donor that you don't need.

Keep up the progress, and keep us posted! [img]graemlins/beer.gif[/img]

Cheers, John

Karlo · 10-24-2005, 01:24 AM

Thanks for the Pictures!!!

ROB J · 10-24-2005, 03:32 AM

Pretty Cool David. I've never seen photos of a C5 like that. Neat.

Way different than the C3 that I did a frame off on.

1686 · 10-24-2005, 10:53 PM

I never knew that they located the trans to the rear of the car. Very cool!

maxxxxxxxxx · 10-29-2005, 12:57 AM

if i get a gtm i hope i have friends like yours

Rich Birkhan · 10-29-2005, 04:49 PM

slap a steering wheel/seat and a gas tank/ battery and take the whole thing for a ride sort of like riding on a broom stick with wheels. Too bad that you cant use the stock tranny for these cars. I guess it all ends up being too long. Does the drive shaft rotate at engine speed or is there a reduction before that? weird setup but I guess it distributes the weight better. Looks like the roadster is now a tool bench.

Sergio · 10-30-2005, 03:20 AM

hey!
I know those guys!

It's fun taking apart a Brand New vehicle... isn't it Dave?

bw · 10-30-2005, 07:12 PM

the roller reminds me of a Lotus Esprit frame
have a look...

[ October 30, 2005, 09:13 PM: Message edited by: bw ]

David Borden · 11-01-2005, 04:38 PM

Today is the day I am allowed to let the cat out of the bag! I’ve got a GTM sitting in my garage! As a Beta builder, I had an agreement with FFR not to post about having the car until the first day of SEMA.

It was actually delivered a bit early while I was on vacation. Don DePontee and Friends were kind enough to meet Paul and the Stewart truck up at the house and my father was there to help them out and let them in.

Great shot of the shape of the car as it is hoisted off the truck.

Car being towed up the driveway.

… and being wheeled into the shop.

Thanks guys for the help with the delivery!!

Sweet!!

David Borden · 11-01-2005, 04:40 PM

GTM with the crew just after we pulled the C5 running gear out of the chassis.

Wilwood Masters and pedal setup installed. Very high quality parts..

Rear suspension completely installed after C5 donor parts were pressure washed and the control arms were painted. Im thrilled FFR is including adjustable monotube Konis with the kit. They had Koni come out and help develop and test the shock package.

Shot of the rear of the chassis.

Looks like the front anti-roll bar from the C5 may work as a perfect rear sway bar.(if there aren’t any transaxle clearance issues) A simple re-design of the FFR lower shock mount could easily accommodate this.

Starting the aluminum work.. I plan to fit all the aluminum with clekos first, then take the exposed pieces under the front hood and the engine bay and have them powder coated silver.

Overall, I am very impressed with this car. The frame is a work of art… and the components supplied with the kit are all very high quality. The combination of this frame and the C5 running gear is going to be something…

The new goal is to get this car ready for Knots Berry Farm in April. The very minimum of a painted body all alum complete and engine transaxle and suspension installed.

Im going to need lots of help to make it happen, but am hopeful we will get it done.

David

Frankenvette · 11-01-2005, 04:43 PM

Awsome pics. The car looks fast just sitting on the truck and in your shop. Looking foward to following your build.

Platinum · 11-01-2005, 04:51 PM

Congratulations David!!!
I look forard to watching your build progress.

Did you receive any interior components with your kit? If so, I can't wait to see them.

Good luck with your build !!

Lukas · 11-01-2005, 04:51 PM

Holy crap, that thing looks NICE! Congrats David, I am jealous! The shop, the kit etc.... You got it all!

Do you know if all the parts that wont work from the C5 like the pedal box, MC etc are going to be included with the kit? How about the transaxle adaptor plate, does it use the original Corvette starter, clutch, flywheel etc or Porsche parts?

Lukas