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Soon to pick up my VortX
GeoffMM - 18/8/09 at 02:49 PM

Well after looking over at their workshop back in June and many other builders cars i placed my order at the Newark show.

Picking up the car in little over a week and really excited. Had the van booked and paid early as possible to get it cheapest and had to book my day off work many moon's ago due to the nature of my job.

Any advice / tips as i appreciate there is going to be a lot of stuff that i need to fit in the back of the van?

Still very new to this so all advice is greatly appreciated!! How many hours have most of you got a VortX Inboard built in?


Pdlewis - 18/8/09 at 02:52 PM

Good choice theres nothing like getting a garage full of body work (just becarful with it as I ended up with scratch pannels due to my clumsynuss )

it took me a year form arrival to attaching the number plates but that wasnt working on it every weekend and alot of time was spent waiting for parts because I got the base kit from MNR then bought everything else seperatly so i got all the bits i wanted on it


RickRick - 18/8/09 at 03:01 PM

i took plenty of old towels to wrap around and shove into things. If its BEC i'd get a sprocket locking washer for whatever flavor engine you've got, and ask mnr to fit the sprocket adapter and locking washer whilst there
i had some metal tressel type things that i put the car on once home which left me plenty of space underneath to get the bodywork in, as i built mine in a single garage, and had knackered knees from a motorbike accident, so couldn't really kneel down much to start with.
Take plenty of pictures.


designer - 18/8/09 at 03:08 PM

Be careful how you store any fibreglass parts. It takes up to six months for fibreglass to nature and if stored wrong it can get a 'set' on it and not fit when you come to fit it.


spdpug98 - 18/8/09 at 03:09 PM

As above take lots and lots of blankets / towels to wrap things up and to stop things moving around, make sure you take your order list with you and ensure everything on it is put in the van.

I built my car in 12 weekends, I produced a spreadsheet prior to starting the build (sad I know) and split all of the tasks into 8 weekends, it would have got it built in the 8 weeks if it wasn't for problems with parts etc


GeoffMM - 18/8/09 at 03:14 PM

Some great advice there. What trestle things? Like some Draper metal ones?

Like yourself space will also be an issue for me. Hoping i can buy a lot of the parts early on so when i get the time i can just crack on and make some progress.

I will ask about the sprocket adaptor next week when over. I got the engine through MNR so that they could make the cradle and headers etc round this as it seemed the most logical way. Hopefully being a reputable builder they will of picked up on this and be on the ball for guidance.

They seem like a great bunch of people who had lots of knowledge so i have faith


RickRick - 18/8/09 at 03:20 PM

i think they came from aldi or somewere, basicaly anything like that that can take a decent weight, made it really easy to get all the fuel and brake lines in, trial fit the suspension ect. you won't be able to build too much whist it's up there, as it'll get heavy to lift down! I did the main bits of cutting the internal panels and wiring whist it was up too
reason i mentioned the sprocket adapter mnr offered to fit mine, which i've since had to get off to put a lock washer on, and had trouble getting a socket with thin enough walls to do the job.


focijohn - 18/8/09 at 05:52 PM

Checklist... and use it unlike me


GeoffMM - 18/8/09 at 07:37 PM

Which checklist is this?

Are they known for missing things out??


focijohn - 23/8/09 at 12:00 PM

not at all.... just means you have everything.


GeoffMM - 30/8/09 at 06:18 PM

Got the kit and made a start, had to do a little cutting with the bulkhead panels to make it fit and will fit the top panel tomorrow.

All sems to be going well. Despite measuring twice and cutting once there still seems to be the odd mistake which i can only assume is lack of ever having done this before? Is this normal or do you others find that the cars just slots together with no modding etc?

Then its the brakes, i appear to have little mounts on the chassis for the braided hoses where as the old medls terminated on the tub with washers. Does anyone have a new style pic with the hose terinated to the tab on the chassis??


markyb - 30/8/09 at 08:22 PM

yup - I had to do some modifying as i went along as well but nothing major.

If you are talking about fitting the scuttle panel it might be worthwhile leaving it off for a while as you will probably need to drill in the top of the tunnel for rivet fixing for your loom/ fuel pipes/brake pipes (depending on your layout down the tunnel and assuming that the chassis design hasnt changed much since i got my kit)


GeoffMM - 30/8/09 at 08:50 PM

Sounds like a good idea. I will leave fixing the scuttle panel till i have fitted the woring loom and brake pipes etc.


GeorgeM - 30/8/09 at 09:42 PM

brackets on chassis are because Mr sva/iva man doesn't like the hose mounted on the body.

GeorgeM