Stalker Classic R #27

[comley]

I've been plodding away on Classic R #27 since December 2015. Saturday felt like a day of real progress as I dropped the engine back in and as I'm at last getting into final assembly I thought it might be time to share progress here. #27's story (packed with mind-numbingly dull detail and photos of hacksaws and fasteners) is on the Stalker Cars forum at http://stalkercars.forumotion.com/f3-stalker-m-spec-and-classic-r and there's a gallery over at http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=29163 which is basically the same thing without words.

 

#27 is a Stalker Classic R with a naturally aspirated 3800 V6 (L26) motor and a T5 transmission. Shipped as a level 3 kit, the frame and parts arrived in December 2015 and it's taken me since then to get to the point of final assembly, a task which I fully expect will take another year of my life. But what's the hurry?

 

To summarize the story in 4 images:

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=14498&stc=1

 

Frame on the build table ready to get started.

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=14496&stc=1

#27 after initial build and prior to dismantling for final assembly (and moving house)

 

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=14497&stc=1

Isn't that wheel upside down?

 

Ihttp://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=14495&stc=1

The state of play after Saturday's engine reinstallation. And it's outdoors, in daylight too!

 

Reading folks' build and ride stories here has been a great source of motivation and inspiration so thank you all for keeping me motivated during the long dark hours of the build. I see some sort of light at the end of the tunnel!

 

-Dave

[xcarguy]

Dave,

 

Looking good. And glad to see another Stalker owner using the Gallery. If you keep that steering wheel mounted upside down, you’ll never have to purchase a competition wheel with the yellow marker.

[panamericano]

Dave,

 

Looking good. And glad to see another Stalker owner using the Gallery. If you keep that steering wheel mounted upside down, you’ll never have to purchase a competition wheel with the yellow marker.

 

 

And is that a OWOW steering wheel?

[xcarguy]

And I'm curious about the metal hood scoop inthe steering wheel photo. :rofl:

[comley]

And is that a OWOW steering wheel?

 

:rofl: It certainly is - in fact it's a ɐzuoW oɯoW.

 

ǝʌɐp-

[comley]

And I'm curious about the metal hood scoop inthe steering wheel photo. :rofl:

 

Ah yes, the steel hood scoop. Long story short, I wanted a smooth hood on #27 but the L26 won't fit under it. An inch and some change-worth of the UIM sticks up through the line of the hood. I bought this metal hood scoop from Parr Automotive with the intention of using it as a mold to make a fiberglass part that I'll set in the hood to accommodate the bit of L26 that sticks through. It's got a bit of draft to it so the part ought to pop right out with the right persuasion.

 

-Dave

[comley]

Still plodding away on #27 and getting there slowly. Engine's in, starts, stops and cools itself and all four wheels are on the ground.

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15626&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15627&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15628&stc=1

[Anaximander]

Congrats comely on your continuing progress on your Storker. Unfortunately, I did not have the time or talents to do what you have been doing so have had to buy my Stalkers used. Two classic Stalkers, an M-Spec and now an XL later, I find that they are really terrifically fun cars to drive.

 

By the end of your build, you will intimately know every nook and cranny of that car and the pride of having done it yourself I suspect will be enormous. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing the update.

[MightyMike]

Your build is coming along nicely. I really like what you did with the dash panel.

[panamericano]

Love that red dash. Great job!

[Edger]

Looking great man, keep it up!

[preventec47]

Comley- It has been about 4 years since your last update,  Did you finish with the GM V6 in your Stalker ?   What is your opinion of that motor in the

Stalker as I am considering purchase of unfinished Brunton kit with that motor but with a supercharger as well.   If I had a choice I would go with the super charger but I think the donor car had the super charger version so that is what I am looking at. ? ? ?    Would like your opinion.    Would you consider the GM V6 with the super charger option to be "heavy"  for the vehicle thereby  affecting handling by causing car to be be front heavy  .....  or was Brunton able to properly design around  the larger engines  in their kits ?

 

 

[Anaximander]

22 hours ago, preventec47 said:

Comley- It has been about 4 years since your last update,  Did you finish with the GM V6 in your Stalker ?   What is your opinion of that motor in the

Stalker as I am considering purchase of unfinished Brunton kit with that motor but with a supercharger as well.   If I had a choice I would go with the super charger but I think the donor car had the super charger version so that is what I am looking at. ? ? ?    Would like your opinion.    Would you consider the GM V6 with the super charger option to be "heavy"  for the vehicle thereby  affecting handling by causing car to be be front heavy  .....  or was Brunton able to properly design around  the larger engines  in their kits ?

 

 

Comley, I have had the pleasure of owning both the NA and Supercharged versions of the GM V6 in a classic Brunton Stalker. You DEFINITELY want the supercharged version. It is sooooooo much more fun!!! Brunton designed it quite well to handle the supercharged version and it is just a hoot to hear the supercharger whine when you stick your foot in it. IMHO, the NA and Supercharged versions drove like two completely different cars with the nod fully going toward the supercharged engine. I am currently on my 6th Stalker with an L33 engine upgraded with a ghost cam and all new upper end internals and although it is quite fast in my Stalker AXR, I do miss the whine of the supercharged engine. OTOH, with the FiTech FI system and all of the mods made to the L33, when I stick my foot in it, even with 13" slicks on the rear, it is at times a challenge to keep it fully hooked up. Plan for sure on riding around with TW200 tires. I especially like the Avon AO52's which in reality actually act like TW80 tires and won't last a long time but will give you tremendous traction. I had R888R tires on my supercharged Stalker and they were pretty darn good. 

Edited July 5, 2023 by Anaximander

[MV8]

I take credit for turning him on to the 3800. We were talking about if the 4.3l v6 would fit. He didn't know it would bolt up to the v6-60 T5 bell. I guess it was the late 90s-ish?