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Joining the Libra Family! 
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GTM on order

Joined: Sun Jul 02, 2023 6:50 pm
Posts: 7
Post Joining the Libra Family!
Hi all,

After years of trying to find one and it either not being the right time, the bank saying no, or finding one just a bit too late, i finally bought my first GTM Libra a couple of weeks back! Got a red coupe (BX07 AOK) running the B18-B16 Honda VTEC setup... i thought it would be an absolute handful but is surprisingly well mannered around town and an absolute rocketship when you engage it!

So i'm getting to grips with it - Hopefully not too cheeky as a join-then-immediately-ask-for-help thing, but i'm hoping members might be able to help me:

- I found the enormous build post for the car here (new-project-t3402.html - makes fascinating reading and absolute credit to the builder) - was wondering if anyone has any history or knows the owner from 2017 onward (I bought it from a dealer), so i can learn more about what the car has had done and what it needs?
- I found a few posts about the droopy drivers door issue - looks like about 5mm of play at the top hinge is causing it to drop down slightly, so opening it becomes very difficult (Have to press and lift hard to get it to open) and it catches when closing. I've found posts explaining the hinge setup (mine appears to be the later version) on the forum, but i wondered if there is a simple idiots guide for how to adjust it upward slightly (or replace any parts needed to make it sit right)?
- I'm getting water ingress through both doors in the same place - bottom half front leading edge of the doors (from about half way down to the bottom). Rest of the doors seem watertight. Is this a known issue with a hack to resolve, or is it just a case of replacing the whole door seal?
- Was there ever a front and windscreen surround made for these? My windscreens are bonded on but with no trim.
- The two windows wind down ok but stop about an inch from bottom - is this normal?

Definitely going to be a whole heap of stupid questions as i am nowhere near the engineering genius of my predecessors, but have promised to take care of the car as long as it promises not to kill me (it's tried a couple of times)!

Anyway, thanks for reading and looking forward to chatting!

Matt


Sun Jul 02, 2023 7:26 pm
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Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:06 pm
Posts: 29
GTM: Spyder
Post Re: Joining the Libra Family!
Hi Matt - I owned it from 2017 and did a fair amount of fettling. The top and bottom door posts aren't exactly in line so bind on the tubing. A washer on the bottom one would raise it up enough. 5mm is a lot of play (probably why it's leaking) in the hinging so try and get a sleeve made that fits in the tube to take up some of the slack. Ideally the whole hinge setup needs remaking in a more suitable material or re-designing using modern door hinges. It never leaked when I had it and the handling was pretty good (traction was brilliant). I cured a lot of the squeaks and rattles, did the door top trims,tightened up the engine mounts, fitted bleed points everywhere in the cooling system, new steering wheel, fitted oversize tyres on the back to up the gearing, strengthened nearly all the selt tap points in the fibreglass (tapped acrylic sheet),changed / modified the clutch mechanism so it was less like a switch, adjusted the gear change, fitted LED fog lights / DRL's and lots of other bits and pieces. Didn't really touch the engine as it ran and started so well - just be careful vtec doesn't kick in when half way round a corner......


Sun Jul 02, 2023 11:39 pm
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GTM on order

Joined: Sun Jul 02, 2023 6:50 pm
Posts: 7
Post Re: Joining the Libra Family!
Hi mate, thanks so much for reaching out and good to meet you. Between you and the previous owner, it feels tight as a drum, respect to you. None of the usual kit car squeaks, rattles and general 'it's going to fall apart at any second' thing! The gear change / clutch are certainly precise - the revised ratios make absolute sense - it cruises all day around town in 5th and transforms completely when you drop it down.

Really like the DRL/indicator combo in the fog lights... looks cool and keeps it visible... which i'm learning is really necessary for such a tiny car!

Thanks for the advice on the hinges - did the forum ever invest in or identify a solution for the hinge issue? Like a more modern / stronger setup? Living in Birmingham means finding a fabricator isn't hugely difficult, but it would be helpful to have a tech spec or solution to go off? Will try the washer hack and see if i can get away with that for now!

And i discovered the lower-set (5k) VTEC on a run out to Caffeine n Machine at the weekend... half way round a fast bend the car decided it wanted to be an aircraft... Terrifying but fun at the same time! Thank god for that aero!


Mon Jul 03, 2023 7:50 am
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