KTKelly

Were they "gull wing doors" instead of "Lambo doors" they might look better. But, man, what a HUGE amount of work that would be...




Nonetheless, it's one fantastic custom.


I like!!!

CrusinZ06

Hey KT you are correct they are called the Lambo door's, and not gull wing
and usually i don't make a call like that.

But it is the festive season and sometime's thing's just happen

77custom

Ross.... I did graduate from Georgia Tech about 25 years ago! But my degrees are in Computer Science and Industrial management. Just got REAL lucky having a father who could literally build/race ANYTHING with wheels and a motor! And thank God a bit of that rubbed off on me!

KT... Funny you should say that. I thought about true "gull wing doors" (like a 55 Mercedes) for over a year! The real problem exists in having very little (if no) roof support for hinging, the fact that vette doors weigh a ton, and they have no upper frames! I Thought seriously about making steel frames (around the window glass) ... fabbing up steel t-tops, welding them together... and creating "Gull Wings"... that was really the easy part... but the amount of work involved in re-enforcing the center of the car (center t top frame) , and making hinges that could support that much (off balance) weight was too much thought for me at the time!

The "Lambo" hinges I have are from Street Car Customs. The guy does great work! BUT... I wanted to be able to open the doors in the original manner, as well as tilt them up, so I redesigned his hinges. Nothing that a grinder and some thought won;t fix eh?!?

The doors on Full Tilt open both ways now... standard, or Lambo.

Sorry to ramble on about this... but like I said, I spent ALOT of time trying to figure the Gull Wing thing out!

Happy New Year

Robert

shamby

77Custom, did you completely remove your wiper assembly?

KTKelly

Too much Moosehead perhaps?....





Gull wing doors. That would be some awesome undertaking wouldn't it?

77custom

Shamby... yes I did. Full TIlt will never see the rain anyway, and they were just damn ugly on the new firewall I built! So away they went.

I also dumped the Ac and the heater completely. Hell... who needs heat anyway?

I wanted a VERY clean look when the clip was open.

jesse10886

What caused the fire that started this hole thing?

That car is amazing wish I had the time to build anything half as wild as that your car is just cool!!!

77custom

Thanks for the kind words Jesse.

The short version of the Saga of Full Tilt is:

I built a mildly custom 77 back in 2004-5.... showed it, raced it, drove 4 Power Tours, blew up 3 motors..... well, you get the idea.

In March of 2009, the perfect storm occurred... i had a full tank of 110 race gas in the tank, and when starting the motor, the carb (Barry Grant Mighty Demon) backfired.... at the exact same time the electric fuel pump decided to short in the ON position. This started a fire on top of the motor.... which was being fed by high octane gas at 140 gpm.

I emptied TWO fire extinquishers on it as it laughed at me. LUCKILY... I was across the street from a fire dept... they were onsite in minutes, and managed to put it out before the tank blew up ! THANK GOD for steel braided lines and AN Fittings! And damn, fire burns QUICK !

When I tore it apart.. I decided to do something totally crazy... and 3 years later, after hand fabricating damn near every single part of the car from the windshield forward, Full Tilt lives.

Here is what I started with:


And FULL TILT now:

TERRY CLARK

You sir.........are a craftsman !

dmeesq

Those wheels look awesome on your car, nicest on a custom C3 I think ive seen. Forgive me if I steal your idea and get the same ones.

brent319

Robert: I have followed your build for a long time and I missed the part about you figuring out how to make you doors open both ways. That is very impressive.

LAddams

You do amazing work! that car is a dream!

77custom

dmee... Thank You. I designed them... Billet Specialties custom ground them for me... waited one year (per agreement in 2005) and are now selling them. I don;t know what they call them however.

Brent... I have followed your build as well... WOW. You are as determined as I am to make things perfect! KUDOS MATE !! Can't wait to meet you at a show, on the road, or for a beer .... and the later is on me!

Best,

Robert

71VETTEWI

I have been on a similar path for 6 years on my 71. I have been inspired by your incredible build. Very very high bar
I love it.
One question: The firewall is smooth but you shaved off the vertical panel that but seals the high pressure area in front of the windshield from stalling air under the hood causing overheating. Have you had any issues there or is that overblown?

Mexican Bob

I've got a '77 C3 and will trade you straight across, no questions asked and I'll even deliver anywhere in the world...



...just in case you're dying for a new project Not sure if a buff-job would bring the paint out any, but if you squint just right in front of a light blub, it doesn't look as bad...if you just wanted to paint my car, I'd be a happy camper!


MxB

thegavel

Hey Robert,
What were the mods to the hinges ???
Mine only open about 18 inches.
My wife complains "it aint enuff",
I tell her "you should be happy with 18inches"...!!!
Is it an easy mod ???
I saw a guy trying sell "gull wing" door hinges for c3 vettes on feebay !!!
When I enquired,
he said the hinges attached to the top of the door frame (WTF ????) .
Must really know his vettes huh ??
Again... AMAZING car,
Congrats,
Gav.

77custom

Bob... I bet you would trade! I would probably need you to toss an airplane or something into the deal on your side though !!!

THANKS LAddams !!!

71VETTE... I don;t have a problem at all with overheating. But I am running 3 electric fans !! Twin pullers and a huge pusher on a four core rad.

Brent and Gavel... really wasn;t that hard to modify the Street Car Custom hinges... just took some thought! BAsically take them apart, and grind down the "stops" about 1/2 an inch. That will double the distance the doors will open regularly.

And GAV... that guy IS a moron !!

Best,

Robert

thegavel

Gooday again Robert,
I'm not quite sure where to grind down the stops.
Here's a pic of my hinge can you explain please.
Sorry for being a pain, just can't picture it in my head.
Thanks,
Gav

bucky katt

the style isnt really my cup of tea but the engineering and work that went into it are absolutely freakin' amazing! i have 25+ years experience in building custom cars and motorcycles (i owned a bike shop until getting my neck and back broken in 2007) but i have never even come close to doing what you have on your car. i would LOVE to see it in person some day if you ever get to the Columbia SC area. my wife who doesnt know where the oil goes in a car even said how nicely done the job is.

77custom

GAV... it's not that side of the hinge that contains the "stops"... its the smaller part that actually bolts to the door itself. It has a strange little tab kind of thing on it.. cut that off, grind smooth, and the door will open much farther. Sorry... but this is REAL tough to explain in writing !

Bucky... THANKS MAN !!! My wife calls me nuts.. but she loves the results. I appreciate the compliments from a builder. It means the world!