Mepstein GT build Options

[mepstein]

This is going to look sweet, Mark! I'll have to truck out east to see your debut at an Octeenerfest...

Well getting it into paint will be a milestone. I’m not sure on timing after that. My 67 is also going to paint as soon as the roads clear out from salt. And my business partner and I bought a building for our shop so moving into the new space should happen in march.

This is great to see Mark. Where's the shop located?

100 south Walnut street. Kennett Square.

We have two cellette benches, a metal guy who knows how to use them and hopefully will have a set of 914 fixtures in the near future.

[Steve]

Wow! That is going to be an awesome build. I’m looking forward to the build thread!

[mepstein]

Peter Dawe built 915 that I snagged off a 914 race car.

[9146GUY]

Congrats on getting the project going again. It's a long time to have it sitting around but now getting back to it is special.

I know what you are going through as I started a project 914-6 42 years ago and it is now in paint and going together. Long story which will get told later this year.

In fact, I had the car with FG flairs on it in the late 70's and it was painted in a blue metallic very similar to what you are doing. Ask me how hard it is to remove Emron paint.

Anyway, not to steal your thread but good luck with the project.

Steve

[mepstein]

Prepping the front trunk before we cut the hole in the nose.

[mepstein]

Congrats on getting the project going again. It's a long time to have it sitting around but now getting back to it is special.

I know what you are going through as I started a project 914-6 42 years ago and it is now in paint and going together. Long story which will get told later this year.

In fact, I had the car with FG flairs on it in the late 70's and it was painted in a blue metallic very similar to what you are doing. Ask me how hard it is to remove Emron paint.

Anyway, not to steal your thread but good luck with the project.

Steve

I’m glad to hear your car is going back together. I’ve read every build thread on this site 2x and GT builds even more. I’ll be excited to see yours come together.

[mepstein]

Wow! That is going to be an awesome build. I’m looking forward to the build thread!

Stealing my a/c layout from you. Center condenser in front of the oil cooler and an evaporator with fan control in the cabin. The rest is a classic retrofit a/c kit that I got really cheap.

[Montreal914]

Nice shop and project! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Will be following!

Center condenser in front of the oil cooler...

Please share pictures of that setup when you get there. Also, which condenser are you planning on using?

[mepstein]

Nice shop and project! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Will be following!

Center condenser in front of the oil cooler...

Please share pictures of that setup when you get there. Also, which condenser are you planning on using?

We install quite a few electric a/c units in 911's so this really isn't much different. The unit that classic retrofit sells is made to replace the air handler under the cowl in a 911. It won't fit in a 914 but there are plenty of aftermarket evaporator and fan units that will fit under the lower dash and not take up much room. Not a "GT" look but I'll take it to have a/c in the humid east coast summers. The condenser is stock sized replacement for a Carrera condenser that fits under the front pan. Unlike the Carrera placement that is sort of terrible for air flow and very prone to damage, it will be front and center, ahead of the oil cooler. There will be fans behind the condenser and oil cooler. I already have the uprated alternator with a Clewett pulley and belt. Jared is making a big metal box to hold it all together and direct air flow. Again, thank you Steve for the a/c testing. I'm no good with wiring but we have a guy who does that for us. Custom harnesses for EFI, etc. He'll make it look factory installed.

GRIFFITHS Sold As: 91157305603PF
Note:This brand is the KUEHL condenser, serpentine design. It has a larger surface area providing increased efficiency.

Except for the alternator, everything will be up front.

[mepstein]

I’m lucky to have found John Bell/JBell. He’s now done dozens of gauges for me but I think these are my favorite. Custom triple gauge to match the real green gauge tach. Tach is from a 67S and John just cleaned it up. Engine will redline at 7200. Speedo is a later electronic gauge converted to a green gauge. I hope I can put 100k on the car but it will never roll over like an earlier gauge since it has the extra digit. It was more than just changing the face to green. John made some custom pieces to fit the extra digit around the chrome ring and moved the odometer reset knob off the face of the gauge and placed it underneath like an early gauge. I believe it was the first one that John did like this and he nailed it. I don’t think the trans is set up with the correct sensor so if not, I’ll follow Clay’s lead and plug in a gps receiver. @JBell

[mepstein]

Rory let me borrow these templates to tuck the edge of the flair up under the car. It’s probably good for an extra inch of tire clearance. I’m about 50/50 on the look but I knew I wouldn’t have the chance after I painted the car. If I didn’t do this, I would have probably trimmed the metal. It is a bit wide on the reproduction flares.

[rgalla9146]

Hey Mark ... As you well know, these are favorite threads for many of us.
All take their own time and are personal expressions.
Enjoy the process.
Doing the thing you love is the best job in the world.
Congratulations and best of luck in all that you are doing.
Rory

PS AC install ... mmmm

[mepstein]

Hey Mark ... As you well know, these are favorite threads for many of us.
All take their own time and are personal expressions.
Enjoy the process.
Doing the thing you love is the best job in the world.
Congratulations and best of luck in all that you are doing.
Rory

Thank you Rory. Your car is one of the many that inspired me. There are some very cool details on your build that are easy to overlook because they were so carefully done. Luckily, Ben was able to reproduce some of your oil hard lines for me.

Besides Jeff Hail, I can’t remember who is using an ebrake on the center tunnel. I’m hoping it will just sort of all fit. I might get Jared to mock it up. I don’t know if it was a GT thing but I like a right side ebrake when you are temporarily stopped at a light or sign.

[morehills]

Those John Bell gauges are to die for.

[mepstein]

Currently, the most frustrating part of the "build" is finding stuff I bought years ago and can't find on the shelf. An ignition bezel from JimmyT. The really cool milled out GT hinges that Oscar makes. Even some refurbished seat bases that Bruce Stone sent out to me last month. It's like socks in the dryer. Where does that stuff disappear to?

Good thing is I came across a box with four hockey puck horn buttons that I forgot I had....

[Literati914]

This should be good (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[76-914]

A great big WOW Mark! I missed most of last year and unfortunately I missed this thread. What an accomplishment. That takes dedication. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[mepstein]

A great big WOW Mark! I missed most of last year and unfortunately I missed this thread. What an accomplishment. That takes dedication. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Glad you are back!
I think dedication is a nice word for stubborn, which according to my wife, describes me.

I found the seat rails, along with some other Bdstone refinished parts.
The rebuilders dilemma, how nice do the replacement parts have to be when you have fresh paint.