GTG clamshell release hooks

[thegtguy]

Well since selling on the forum is the topic of the day I wanted to give an update on the new item that we introduced at Carlisle a few weeks ago. This is something that we think that every GT needs as we all know how much of a PITA opening the clamshell can be. CJ428 posted a nice pic in the Carlisle thread of the one on my car. I have also attached a link so you can see exactly how it works. We have been powdercoating them in ebony black (the same color as the other screens/grilles on the car) or matte clear. These are make of 6061 T6 AL with stainless steel pins and springs. The black ones will have the black T27 belly pan fasteners and the matte clear ones will have the silver T27 belly pan fasteners. Anyone can install it and it only takes a few minutes.

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

We are building our next batch that comes with GTG or 3 circles in each hook. We were going to retail these for $565 and sell them to forum members for $495 plus shipping. If you are interested please send me an email [email protected].

 

[jaxgt]

Nice job.

 

[dbk]

This is a must have at a very reasonable price for the R&D involved. :thumbsup

 

[Triheart7]

I like this idea. However, it defeats what I tell people. The reason it is hard to open is a "safety feature" .

 

[Pete S.]

Having seen this product first hand, as well as the item mounted onto CJ's nice FGT, I can say it operates flawlessly. As with all FGT related items from the GTG's Rich & Denis, the quality is super. As I age and bones begin to compress losing my height and ability to reach both from the drivers side, there may be one in my future as well. For now I await the final touches and radiator blackened out brake duct replacements they also had on display at Carlisle. The GTG's went convex with the pieces where I had envisioned concave but I think they went in the better direction there as well for overall aero and cooling.

Pete S.

 

[Shadowman]

A nice piece guys

All the best

Shadowman

 

[roketman]

The safety issue was not having 2 hooks

 

[Empty Pockets]

If I still had #1079 - I'd be on the phone right now.

THAT'S a nice piece!

 

[Mullet]

carbon clamshell?

 

[kumar]

i need one

 

[spyder625]

CF

Agreed, where did you get that CF Clamshell???

 

[CJ428]

here's a a pic of the black one. The carbon covered clamshell is one of the most beautiful mods I have seen on a GT.

 

[CJ428]

Just watched the video.I have to loge a protest.I vote that Rich and Denis do another one with a Victoria secret model or something!:frown

 

[shelbyelite]

I am pretty sure it just a carbon fiber wrap on top of the original inner structure. Does look very good!

 

[spyder625]

where can you get the cf wrap?

 

[roketman]

Rich and Dennis are such bad influences!!

 

[Howard]

I have installed the GTG clamshell release hooks on my GT. Works great. I now open and close my clamshell for recreation.

Howard

 

[thegtguy]

Clamshell hooks

Thank you all for the kind words.

I like this idea. However, it defeats what I tell people. The reason it is hard to open is a "safety feature" .

The reason that the clamshells are hard to open is because now that the cars are getting older the clamshell struts are losing their strength. By design the clamshell is supposed to pop open when you pull the handle from the passenger compartment, then the struts are supposed to open the clamshell and hold it on the safety hooks. The springs (replacements of the overslam bumpers) were a running change that are supposed to help give the struts a little extra help. If the struts are working properly the clamshell should hold itself open on the safety hooks. The operator can then push the drivers side hook back to where the struts should hold the clamshell against the passenger side hook to where the operator can then walk around the car or reach across the roof to push the passenger side hook back allowing the clamshell to open all the way. If you look at any car you will see that the hooks are the same side to side, it is the "soapdish bracket" (that is what we called it in developement) that has the offset heights in the hook catch bar.
To back the story even more the prototypes (which Joey can verify with CP1) only have one hook on the drivers side. This was production intent until one wind tunnel test proved that 2 hooks are needed. In this test (which wasn't for the hooks) someone didn't close the clamshell properly and at a tunnel speed over 100mph the clamshell opened, the one hook caught it, twisted the clamshell, and off went went the clamshell into a million pieces through the tunnel. Thus the reason for the second hook. After this had happened and the second hook was added, we did do some testing at about 120mph (on a closed track) to try to open the clamshell from inside to make sure it would stay on and it did. Alex (from T & A) and Denis (my partner) actually did the test on this one. We did put tethers on the clamshell just in case it didn't catch. I guess they figured they would rather wreck one clamshell instead of disrupting another wind tunnel test as they can be quite more costly than a clamshell.
Also we did try a different kind of single point release system later in the program as is was going to be another running change for the 2006 cars but it was cost cut out, just like the trans cooler was cost cut out.



As far as the carbon fiber it is just a wrap over the exiting inner.

We wanted to get the Carlisle girls to model it for us but that didn't work out. I didn't want to be in the video but it works in order to get the point across.

 

[spyder625]

How much to get that wrap for mine?

 

[Specracer]

It is an insert, not a CP car clamshell?

As far as the carbon fiber it is just a wrap over the exiting inner.

.