McBrain

http://www.cybergate-corp.ch/mako_clip/

Steve is at the moment checking all the new assembled parts on the engine. Also the whole new fuel system and transmission lines with torque converter level.
Then he will pump the oil through the whole engine without firing up, just to make sure all is oiled before starting.
Well and then soon...... roooaaarrrrrr.
He will make a sound video to document how it sounds with the new fabricated sidepipes.
Can hardly wait that moment.

Greetings
Robert

http://www.cybergate-corp.ch/mako_clip/

while Steve waits on a simple seal for the sending unit i took the time to order some cosmetic stuff before the motor gets started.

As some of you mentioned, the applying of the brushed gold faces on the gauges didn't came out so well. So nothing to show, means we decided not to show it.....
But he, nothing without plan B. The faces got reordered and this time will make sure it comes out as wanted.

Greetings
Robert

http://www.cybergate-corp.ch/mako_clip/

Maybe some of you seen the Corvette Report from Scott Teeters and realised that in 2 Reports our build up got featured.
I admit, that was a pretty cool moment seeing our build in the Report.
To read the reports:
1st Corvette Report
http://www.corvettereport.com/motion-maco-shark-silva-maco-shark-gallery/
2nd Corvette Report
http://www.corvettereport.com/1974-maco-shark-corvette-build-project/

The differential received a close inspection, and it's fine to go.
Even when the bearings are still OK they got changed just because we allready had them. The old ones get stored for eventual future use....
Yes, i sayd UFFF....

Finally some parts came in which were essential to go further with the build.
The "main part" which was missing for many weeks was a simple seal which is needed for the new tank sending unit.
Without it, no final assembly of the tank and no startup of the engine.

But now it's here and soon, well i'm extremely spanned on this moment, the engine can breath again since more then 1 year.
Also the chrome valve covers and some of the chrome pulleys, unfortunatelly not all could be used about measurement issues, got assembled. Together with some minor motor chrome parts.

Also the ordered tires and wheels came in.
As sayd in front 235/60/15 and rear 255/60/15, booth Cooper COBRA Radials.

For the wheels i went with aftermarket Corvette wheels 8x15 which came allready with Trim Rings and Hubcaps.
The Trim Rings and Center caps will go on Steves 70 Vette while my Mako will have to run with the 69 Hubcaps.

The rolling chassis is close......
All the time i still had a open eye for 30 spoke western wheels.
But now as seen how cool the wheels look with the original hubcaps i know my decision will remain by the hubcaps.

Greetings
Robert

http://www.cybergate-corp.ch/mako_clip/

I got a set of those hubcaps to put on my mako when I was thinking about more of a "stealth look"........ but found the "daisy" wheels and went with those !!!

once again a major update.
Have had a bad pneumonia and trough it no power to do anything Mako or website related.
But back in the saddle now...

The differential got cleaned agian.
The guy who did the sandblasting didn't cleanded well enough !
Afterwards panted with POR15.

All then torqued together:

Here the installation on the frame:

New 7-leaf Ghymkhana gets under the diff:

Strutrod-bracked with the new strutrods:

New diff shock-mount:

By the trailing arms, old bushings out new polyurethane bushings in:

New Bearings and races installed:

Some issues with the new strutrods.
As they're much stronger/bigger they needed to be cutt down a bit not to collide with the spindle bearing carrier.

Solved:

Parking brakes also get their new stuff:

Front suspension is on it's own wheels.
New 460lb coil springs in:

new caliper assembly:

From inside view with new wheels and tires:

And on its own:

Next will be the rebuild of the power steering.
As a Rack and Pinion wasn't planned it get's rebuilt.

AND FINALLY UP INTO FIBERGLASS.

As the steel frame for the watercooler is rusty it needs somehow a replacement. So we got two options.
Buy a new replacement for a lot of money !
Or fabricate a new one....as anyway in the motor compartment a lot of black glass will take place we decided to go with the 2nd solution.
So Steve began to fabricate a new frame out of fiberglass which then finally will be covered in black glass and look similar to carbon.

First step was to clean the frame:

2nd was to fill the gaps of rusted away material:

A good waxing is the major task for later demolding:

Fiberglass gets layed:

The precutting of the black glass:

This process is getting done for each side of the frame.
Then they new halfs out of fiberglass get inforced with metal parts on the inner side.
And finally booth halfs get bonded together as a new lightweight watercooler frame out of black fiberglass. Carbon-like liek the inner fenders and some other stuff.

As allways much much more information and in total 165 new photos for just this update on the website.
It's simply too much to put all here.

Any comments are appreciated.

Greetings
Robert

http://www.cybergate-corp.ch/mako_clip/

Finally managed to put again some updates. They're from end of june till today.
Was such a bunch of photos and information took me quite a while.
Have again to update more regularly that the backlog is not so big.
It's way to many photos and description, so really only a short "teaser" here.

One of the rear spindles looked pretty bad.
That was one of the reasosn they got trashed and replaced with new ones.

Da wir den Zustand schon gewusst haben wurden beide hintere Spindeln durch neue ersetzt.

The whole trailing arm with all it's components assembled on the car. Now the Vette really stands on it's own "feet".

On the website is the complete description how to rebuild the trailing arm and how to mount it on the frame.

As the steering sytsem leeked badly a complete overhaul was mandatory.
Some parts were ordered new and for the control valve a rebuild kit got ordered.
As the slave cylinder was allready at some point welded we decided to trash it.
I don't like to know there's a welding on one of my steering parts.

Here the welding can be seen, anyway not a really professional welding job.

The new slave cylinder and rebuild kit for the control valve.

The hoses was the main cause of leeking. Obviously they got trashed too and all 4 hoses were replaced with new ones.

The control valve before it's rebuild.

Completely disassembled control valve.

The new parts which will go into the control valve.
On the website you can find the whole control valve in all it's detail with photos and description how to do it yourself.

Just a few pictures of the rebuild.

Allmost done.

The rebuild Steering System in all it's glory.
Simply cool such nice looking mechanic parts.

This tim the updates include more then 100 photos and a ton of description to them.

Have fun with watching and reading.

Greets
Robert

http://www.cybergate-corp.ch/mako_clip/

slowly we move to the interior work..

Ordered today some parts at Corvette America.

Part Year Description Pieces
custom| | Door Panel substrates with metal upper channel support LH | 1|
custom| | Door Panel substrates with metal upper channel support RH | 1|
X2609 |1968-1977|Door Lock Knobs. Inside - Import Repro pair| 1|
X2017 |1968-1977| Door Latch Handles. Without Emblems pair| 1|
2626 |1968-1977|Door Latch Handle Emblems pair. | 1|
K1115 |1968-1977|Door Latch Handle Screws. 4 Piece Set | 2|
8986 |1968-1977|Door Panel Lock Knob Insert Plate. LH | 1|
8987 |1968-1977|Door Panel Lock Knob Insert Plate. RH | 1|
43227 |1968-1977|Door Panel Mounting Kit. | 2|
X2032 |1969-1982|Door Handle Assembly. LH - Import | 1|
X2033 |1969-1982| Door Handle Assembly. RH - Import | 1|

Well, probably some of you ask, what means "Door panel substrate" ?
Before i will answer that i have to adress a BIG thank you to Corvette America, specially Jim W., for their great customer support.

As maybe some of you know, i want to have my interior pretty custom made out of black fibreglass.
Means also the door panels.
Now as my original door panels do not look anymore so fresh it was clear to do something.
Either way to tear down the skin and apply the black glass over the original.
But my door design shouldn't look exactly like the original, so i thought to ask Corvette America if it's possible just to buy the inner structure without any skin and inner polyurethane foam.
And yes, cool, it is. At least Jim made it possible for our project.

Now the new door design can be carved directly on the substrates and then covered in black glass (carbon-like).

As the substrates was really much cheaper then the complete original door panels and even cheaper then i expected, i decided to spend some of the money in new door hardware.

Greets
Robert

http://www.cybergate-corp.ch/mako_clip/

http://www.cybergate-corp.ch/mako_clip/