Matt's 1970 'Trans-Am' Cuda

[Derek]

This gets better every time I look at it, you must be well pleased Matt.

[andyrob]

again

[MrNorm]

Just wow!

[Matt]

Thanks for the kind comments Chaps.

Hope to get it sat on the ground tomorrow and do the wheel alignment, also finish the exhaust . Wings and doors being primed today and hopefully painted Thursday. Doing lots more little jobs at the moment - fuel plumbing, finishing wiring, etc.

[Matt]

Hi MattH

Yes the Minilite people don't seem to be the best communicators initially.

I've placed an order with them earlier today though, and they've been a bit more attentive since then.

I'll get the wheels in time for the Nats if I'm lucky . There are two styles of Minilite available apparently:

1) The MA (Minilite Alloy)

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and
2) The TA (TransAm), with pointier spokes.

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The TransAm (unsurprisingly somehow...) Is one I want, and there's currently a 4-week wait for the 5-stud blanks to arrive with Minilite.

[RobTwin]

4 weeks?! Wow that is a bit tight for the Nats!
Fingers crossed for you

[autofetish]

Your going to be at the nats with this ?!?

[Matt]

Bit more progress.

Rear end finished. Apart from custom Panhard Rod / Watts linkage , which will have to come later

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Aligned the front end before fitting the wings - much easier to get to all the bolts etc


2.5 degrees negative camber, 6 degrees positive caster. Thank you Hotchkis !

Sorry for some reason this pic won't rotate properly.

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Toe in about 1/4 degree

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Got the outer panels fitted and broadly aligned. Not perfect , but then it is a race car.

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Radiator back in after re-welding of brackets due to pinholes.

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The car's going back to the painters now for touching in, re-clearcoating, and polishing.

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First minor issue - the exhaust is way too loud. It's around 105 db at 4,500 rpm and will need to come down by 5db or so, which is a lot. I've got some slim resonators which I'll plumb into the H-pipe next to the prop, where I think they will just fit . If that won't work, I may have to go conventional rear-exit exhaust, with a second pair of silencer boxes where the fuel tank used to be.

[Matt74]

Looking great!
Good thinking to do the alignment before fitting the wings.

[ScottyDave]

Yes it's looking sweet

[cadboy]

Love it

colour is very nice

[Dom66]

That last pic looks great, you can really see the effect of the work you did on the rear arches

[Pete]

That sticky-outy Exhaust looks good and authentic but will make the noise level worse.

You may need to run a system under the car and just have those stubs for show....

[DaveB]

Awesome Matt ,I wasnt aware there is 2 styles of minilites,you learn something everyday

[sublimemike]

That hood has turned out really good.. are you going to fit some hood pins?