| Author |
Message |
James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Member
Username: Napolis
Post Number: 863
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 7:28 pm: | |
William
Your adding the door test is a good one as well. (I've seen chassis flex that was so bad that the car jumped out of gear when hitting a straight section of raised pavement such as the edge of a metal bridge or pavement plate)
Best
Jim |
William Badurski (Billb)
Junior Member
Username: Billb
Post Number: 161
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 4:25 pm: | |
Jim,
Thanks for this insight. I consider myself fortunate to not see this situation, but will add it to my list of things to advise potential buyers to be aware of. Very useful information, and I thank you. |
James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Member
Username: Napolis
Post Number: 859
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 8:33 am: | |
William
If the chassis is properly braced either by Ferrari or someone else the chassis will not sag.
If the top is simply cut off and poorly braced it will sag. At the end my TR, (coupe) after 115,000 miles and 14 years of snow and salt, began to sag simply due to the ravages of time. Older comp tubs such as the one in my Lola began to sag very quickly as their tubs are a witchy concoction of dissimlar metals and water trapping foam. Unless you rebuild it using better techniques that Lola used it won't last more than a few years at most.
(The tub on my MK-IV which was made by Brunswick aerospace in alum composit honeycomb is as strong as they day it ran at LeMans.) Before buying any 30+ year old car I would do this test.
Best
Jim |
William Badurski (Billb)
Junior Member
Username: Billb
Post Number: 160
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 9:11 pm: | |
James,
Interesting to hear this. Just tried it with mine on the hoist. No change noted, and the doors open and shut fine either suspended or on wheels. Mine has all the braces added, as did the last one I worked on, although I had no cause to check this. In the example you cite, was this the case? Perhaps that's where the difference lies. |
James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Member
Username: Napolis
Post Number: 855
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 8:49 am: | |
William
If you measure it with a straight edge you will. |
William Badurski (Billb)
Junior Member
Username: Billb
Post Number: 159
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 9:02 pm: | |
Many of the things to check have been mentioned here, as well as in recent threads so I won't elaborate except to say that some were done with minimal changes, making detection simple, while a few were done with virtually everything found on the original. I have not seen any that would exhibit chassis "sag" when put on a lift. |
Jordan Witherspoon (Jordan747_400)
Member
Username: Jordan747_400
Post Number: 551
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 1:30 pm: | |
Thanks guys! |
Brian Keegan (4redude)
Junior Member
Username: 4redude
Post Number: 68
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 1:00 pm: | |
One quick way to check, but it is not always reliable, is to look at the shape of the top of the rear fenders and trunk lid. Unless a factory spyder rear clip was used, they tend to be flatter than an original. The original ones had more of a bow (higher in the center) than the "cut" cars. Some other clues are the chrome door mouldings near the door handles, and the windshield frame trim. |
James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Member
Username: Napolis
Post Number: 851
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 10:02 am: | |
Put them on a lift suporting them near the cornors.
Look for chassis sag in the middle. |
wm hart (Whart)
Member
Username: Whart
Post Number: 813
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 9:52 am: | |
Get Bill Bad. to weigh in here. From what i know, there are a number of tell-tale signs, but i don't know how easy it will be for you to check some of them "on the street" (as opposed to merely looking at the mfr. plate, which i assume would indicate GTB, rather than GTS): metal reinforced inner fenders at the front; curved driver and passenger windows; the number of switches in the center console (no need for a dome lite switch on a real spyder); shape of the door and window trim; roller blinds, instead of conventional visors; but i believe a good conversion could have all of these things "done." Anybody else? |
Ron Thomas (Ronsupercar)
Member
Username: Ronsupercar
Post Number: 527
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 8:15 am: | |
I can assume that when the conversion is done, the chassis has to be reinforced.
Look under the car, this may be a good way to tell... |
Jordan Witherspoon (Jordan747_400)
Member
Username: Jordan747_400
Post Number: 550
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 11:33 pm: | |
Is there a way to tell a conversion from an original Spyder on the street without looking up the VIN? |