The Phoenix - The GP Roadster Project

Discussion in 'Car Builds, Projects, Idea's Experiments' started by BlimeyCabrio, Jun 24, 2014.

  1. UKCoopeR

    UKCoopeR Active Member

    May 21, 2009
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    Wow talk about getting back on the horse! That is some quality productivity... he says while at work :-X

    Also
    [​IMG]
     
  2. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    No doubt he'll get it done, and much faster than anyone would ever have guessed...
     
  3. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

    May 15, 2012
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    As long as he beats my timeline for the build.
     
  4. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Price agreed upon and deposit placed on R52 shell and some other needed parts. Probably picking it up in SC on 8/22 and dragging it home. So there can be three broken MINIs parked in my garage and driveway.
     
  5. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

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    Congrats!
     
  6. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Decoded the VIN... the shell is just about perfect
    11/2005 build, had DSC, Xenons, HK, cold weather package, multi-function wheel, just like my car. So the body / audio harness will be correct for the swap.
    Manual, so I'll now have a manual body harness and the goodness that goes with that.
    Fixes an "unfixable" issue with my old car.
     
  7. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    Won't be a problem; Paul's timeline is measured in hours, days and weeks, yours by eons, epochs and eras....

    Speaking of which, what is going on with the ratrod? Haven't seen anything lately.
     
  8. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    First look at the donor shell - these plus many other pics, plus lots of Q&A with the owner sealed the deal. HUGE shout out to Markus Richard and Doug Lavigne for helping me find this. Social media works.

    BTW, if you need any cabrio parts (or interchangeable parts), this guy currently has THREE parts cars. PM me and I can point you his direction.

    D7585CE8-92B1-4C60-8C2B-46C661CF6B10_zpsvhylavsn.jpg 63553012-DF48-4636-8F78-C9C080AC21C2_zpsksyjg4vk.jpg 25164B38-4A3F-47B5-813A-3BBA74656087_zpshyc1ctzm.jpg

    This was an Ohio salvage vehicle, now in South Carolina. Very little rust for a snow belt car. I'll remove rust and repaint, use better parts from my wreck, or buy new parts and hardware as needed to make the rebuild as close to "like new" as practical.

    14318E59-DE36-42E5-ACE0-B185B8B7A697_zpsxtsttnka.jpg

    The car took a direct hit to the left front wheel, broke the strut, damaged hood, headlight, radiator surround, bumper, fog light, wheel... otherwise, everything looks OK. Strut tower and frame rail look fine. It doesn't take a lot to total one of these cars... that short list of parts, plus labor and paint, is all it took for this one. The rest of the body looks very clean. Will be mostly stripped when I get it, but will include the taillight and rear left side window that I need. I have most everything else.

    I'll go down on 8/22 with my engine crane and a set of wheels, and help the owner pull the engine and strip anything else he wants to keep. Pop my wheels on it, drag it onto a Uhaul dolly, and drag it home.

    First order of business will be to complete stripping the engine bay and trim, for a full Thunder Blue repaint, OEM quality or better, including a new bonnet, GP front bumper, and my GP side skirts. I'll probably shoot the mirror caps and small GP trim parts myself later.

    Already started ordering needed aftermarket suspension stuff last night. This gives me an opportunity to refresh my suspension and take it up a notch. While I loved the Bilstein + Swift + Vorshlag combo, it had become a little too low when on 15" wheels. Greene Performance coilovers will remedy that. I was still running the original 19mm H-sport swaybar I installed as one of my first mods in probably 2007. Time to upgrade to the H-sport Comp bar. Broke at least one of my several-year-old Powergrid end links, time for a new set of Whitelines from Greene Performance. And some fresh Powerflex Race LCA bushings and steering rack bushing from Detroit Tuned. Already have a set of the new Greene Performance camber/caster plates on order, hopefully they will materialize before I need them.
     
  9. Goldsmithy

    Goldsmithy MINI Alliance Ambassador
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    Jan 30, 2015
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    Hey Paul...your excitement is showing :) As fast as you're moving, I'm surprised that your new car is not done already. :) :). Good for you...
     
  10. CHKMINI

    CHKMINI Club Coordinator
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    Locutus - The GP Roadster Project

    You have a likeness for Ohio salvage MINIS. First the GP and now this shell. great find Paul....the stars are aligning!
     
  11. myles2go

    myles2go Active Member

    May 7, 2012
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    Don't blink people or you'll miss something. This project is moving at the same pace Paul drives, balls to the wall!
     
  12. Savvy

    Savvy Well-Known Member
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    Apr 16, 2010
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    You are a lunatic. Can't wait to see the GPness Redo.
     
  13. mattc85

    mattc85 Active Member

    Sep 24, 2013
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    This is gonna be cool.
     
  14. old81

    old81 Club Coordinator
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    Should we do a pool to see what the build complete date will be?

    :)
     
  15. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    At this rate I would say 2 days!:D
     
  16. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    Too late. He finished it seventeen minutes ago.
     
  17. TheModFather

    TheModFather Well-Known Member

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    So the G3ness lives?
     
  18. cct1

    cct1 Well-Known Member
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    It's actually a PT Cruiser.
     
  19. abuzavi

    abuzavi New Member

    May 6, 2013
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    Just install damn webcams in your garage already.
     
  20. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    Sorry, going to Cedar Point today, visiting Wellzy tomorrow. Not much activity for the next couple of days...

    It's gonna take a little while... But will be faster than Dick and Jan's projects :devil:
     

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