GTM Build log.
 

I'll start by saying I am building this very different than most. I did follow some of the basics but the body mods and engine choice were uncharted. I am about 75% there and hope to be driving it this summer.

For those that do not know the GTM. It is a Kit car built by Factory Five Racing in Wareham Ma. It is a clean sheet design that uses C5 Corvette as a donor car. The body, interior, frame and misc other parts come from the factory. The C5 supplys the rest of the needed parts other than the transacle which comes from a Porcshe 911.. The car is very light and with a stock LS1 is able to outrun a Ferrari Enzo. Build time is approx 1000 hours but many have over 2000. Most guys figure the base cost at around 50K with many in excess of 100K. My goal is for a budget GTM sub 30K. This has been a 3 year project so far. I purchased the Kit and transaxcle second hand, I am on track to hit my goal.

Here is what it looked like when I picked up the kit......

Next was to find a donor. I purchased a totaled 2003 with the right options (some parts are worth more. Best to find a stick, with good bads and headlights with black interior) from copart.com. Here is the donor I purchased.

Next was to dismantle the Vette, sell what I did not need recondition the parts I did. I made over 10K parting out the Vette. Here is a pic of the beginning of putting on the tin panels (light and strong) drilled and rivited onto the frame rails. Drilled 5112 holes with 16 drill bits. Finally just went and purchased an easier rivit tool. We also modified and installed the Corvette telecoptic steering shaft/column. A few of these pics are at a buddy's place before I got my lift installed.

Next few months was collecting parts. The largest departure from the norm was the engine. Turbo 5.3..........

I am using a 2005 aluminum 5.3 L33 that I purchased locally with everything needed for $750.00. I sold the LS1 donor engine to recoupe some of my costs. This 5.3 comes stock with the 243 heads. I have purchased a 216/220 exh .525/.532 cam w/918 springs for $257.00 nearly new. So all said and done I have a 2005 29K motor with 243 heads, small cam (about 50whp increase), 2005 (newer) electronics and around 370-380 na hp for just over $1000.00. I will also be running a MP70 turbo with a dual switch 6/12psi boosting output to 500@6psi or 650@12psi. I swapped all of the drive accs and the oil pan over before selling the LS1, the buyer was fine with it since he was putting the motor in a gen3 Camaro (the clearances are tight in the engine bay of the GTM, so the Vette stuff needs to be used) the truck acc will not work. The L33 was a baby LS2 used in short bed 4x4 trucks for only 3 years, as a test bed for some LS3 ideas they wanted to test. Here is how it looked when I got it.

After some clean up, triming unneeded wires and painting with some VHT wrinkle paint (same that is used on Maserati and Ferrari engines) it looked like this........

As you can see from the last pics the engine goes in pretty early in the build in that pic the clutch was installed (a wrong pick that cost me $800.00).

The next step is getting the trans prepared to go in. The trans is flipped upside down, the top vent caped and the lower plug vented (now on the top). I ran the trans stock without changing gears so 1st gear will be tight (about 34mph but second is 79 mph) top speed is gear limited to 191.

The Koni's, custom sway bars and the masters are in. Brake and clutch lines are in and bleed.

Went with Drillend/vented rotors and kept with the stock C5 brakes..... figuring the car is about 1400lbs lighter than the Vette so stopping power should be plenty. Wiring......... the biggest bitch. I had someone else do it. A/C installed and fuctional too.

Not sure yet the color of the caliper I am going with, I shaved the "Corvette" letters off. What do you think, red or body color?

Move along........the fun stuff, getting the gas tanks in, transaxle mounted, exhaust fabed up and getting her moving under her own power. These pics were taken a few hours before start up.

On to the body..... I made no less than 14 body mods. The largest is making it a wide body to get more air into the engine bay. Added a functioning roof scoop, added direct air intakes via napa ducts to feed the cold air for the turbo. Added additional vents in rear and vented defusser to allow air to excape below. Also added a fully custom carbon fiber wing and front spliter. The paint color will be Viper Copperhead with a crystal black pearl roof (to match with the carbon fiber).

Speaking of the turbo, here is the fab and the turbo I am using. Most of this will be hidden under custom tin work. This is what I'm gunning for.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfVOlr7_d6w

He runs mid 8's which I know I will not.... but I will get around town quite nice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAIce...eature=related

Paint should be done in the next 6 weeks, then on to the interior. Pics below of builder completed interiors that I might steal ideas from. My buddy Mike has been a great help to get me thus far, so I want to give him credit and a thank you.

So far I am under budget. Here is my spreadsheet. There are 2 spreed sheets because, since I am concerned with heat from the turbo, I might hide a 5lbs bottle and run a 150 NX wet shot. We will see. 2250lbs 380hp na will be a beast, add another 150-275 hp and hold on.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...VS1FfUEE#gid=0

That's an awesome build.

I'm definitely jealous!!! that's my kinda GTM build right there!

The link you posted is of skinnies car, But the 8.6 pass he made was with a big shot of nitrous, on TOP of the boost. just for the sake of getting the record.

Only advice i have for you is....."budget" turbo builds, are hardly just that when its all said and Done , trust me!

GL with the build, Ill be watching close!!!!

Looking good! Good luck with the build!

Oh lord.... even civics wont have shit on you lolol

Thx much guys.

Being the mizzer I am, I am working a deal (parts & cash) with with a fellow GTM owner that already had the turbo set up (in the pic above) that he ran in his GTM for about a year. He is changing it out to a Procharger set up. If all works out with his new set up I will inherit a proven system that will support over a bar, although he was using a better brand and slightly larger (76mm) turbo. The piping, scavanger pump, BOV, wastegate, and intercooler would be all the same. Basically it will be plug and play less the turbo. If his procharger set-up fails to wow, then he offered to help me put another together for my car.

Any reason your not going with a s/c?

Few reasons. The main reason is space. Roots type will not work as the intake manifold is installed in reverse orientation. With this, the shaft would face the wrong direction. The Centrifugal will not work unless I use a jack shaft and quite a bit of fab work to mount it on the back of the engine. Turbos are not perfect either with the heat it creates. The GTM builder that is going with the procharger is making a mount that allows it to work off the output shaft of the trans.

I am not beyond hiding a small bottle with a heathy shot of nitrous, what do you think?

I think you have a way better understanding at what your trying to do them me my friend lol

But, why even hide spray? I highly doubt anyone one will think its slow lol


~edit~ Meth injection?

I'll post some pics tonight of the intake set up. Supercharger would be my first choice but logistics would be a bitch. As for hiding the nitrous, not sure the car looks right for nitrous (if that makes any sence) the Camaro or Vette yes, the GTM, not so sure.

Btw, if anyone wants to volunteer on the home stretch and have some hands on, beer and pizza on me.

I'm happy to assist on your projects too, If it's fast, i have probably had one apart at some point.

Very nice job. Definitely saved yourself 40-60k in labor.

As for the rest. I'd say go with the turbo, not hard to fit in there. Throw away the 918 springs since they are very well known to fail.

+1 on the turbo, if you can make it happen , it'll be Nasty!

http://image.kitcarmag.com/f/9193909...gtm+engine.jpg

Zfreie....Here is a better pic of th intake set up, I'm thinking the turbo will be the "easiest" power adder.

TrickRtreat..... I an wide open to suggestions as to how to set this up, since you have "been there, done that" would very much welcome your help/suggestions.

Slowhawk...... thanks for chiming in, I am looking forward to seeing what this little 5.3 will do. I am the Bastered child for using a "truck" motor on the other forum. If your interested, you will be the one tuning this car, would you tune na then add boost or do the dial in all at once?

I work at Slowhawk and my cars turboed. I've had quite few Turbo setups. I've seen a gtm as dons tuned a few. Plenty of room for the Turbo but yes the heat would be of concern so you'll definitely need to do some shielding

Kalstar....Were you at the Factory Five Open House today..??
There was a red GTM from Florida for sale for a bit under $70K.
He brings it up here every Summer.

He used all new parts....no donor parts.
Nice...!!

Best of luck with your project.

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Yes I was there, to bad we didn't meet up. I have been in Vipers (Bob's) car, fast as hell with that LS7. He has north of 100k in that car. Which of the GTMs did you like best?

I am thinking the GTM life's cycle is about to be over. Hard to build, expensive, sourcing the trans is getting difficult. Yesterday at the open house everything was geared toward the 818 and the in house GTM was hidden behind closed doors. Mixed feelings if that is the truth.

Bob's never fails to impress. The burgundy colored GTM was nice, too.
Those 2 rollers should be finished by next year's Open House so we'll see how they turn out along with yours.

The beauty of the Factory Five products is that no two are alike. Plus, the pride of saying that you built it yourself is something that not everyone can experience.

From the moment they drop off that pile of boxes until the finished product, it's all YOU...!!

Keep posting updates to your build log and I'll be looking for your GTM next year...!!

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I'll keep you updated, slow right now waiting for the body man to finish up.

I was also at the open house. I would love to do a GTM in the future so if you need a hand I would love the experience.

You can count on it, the more hands the better.

I'm no expert, but I'm good at holding things and fetching "that thing"

The beauty of the GTM is that it is all about trail and error..... Several way to build the same car. I would appreciate all the help I can get. The interior is next and a few extra hands are a must.*

pizza, we need a gtm building meet lol

I'll go one better. When I start the 818, lets do a crowd sourced/assisted build. I'll even allow everyone that helped build the car to sign their name to it. I know its not an F-Body but it will be fun just the same.

Hatch is done.....cut in and lines look great. The adjustable (carbon fiber) wing is attached and finalized. Right now it is locked stationary but it will use sensors off the Cayman to adjust the pitch when at speed. No rush on that, I want the car in paint. Here are some updated pix.

wow great build looks like an SSC Ultimate aero make sure when its done i get to take it for a ride!!! lol

Its getting close, full primer by this time next week and paint the following week. In a straight line it should give the Aero a run for it's money up to about 120mph, after that the GTM will act as if it was towing a boat.

Yup I'm definitely going to come by and check this out sometime.

Would be happy to show you the project..... come on by.