hi all.
here's a new project (mind u, when do the "old" projects ever finish....) we're going to get to soon.

yes, it's a Gemini.


story goes a bit like this:
i was offered this TF Gemini for ridiculously cheap price. read: a slab. i knew it had a blown engine, but i thought it's worth grabbing for a few bits and pieces, and there's some Gemini stuff needed that we use when making a Bellett a bit more 21st century friendly, and what with young Mitch's sedan needing those bits and dump the rest, i grabbed it.
anyway, when i saw just how good shape it was in (NO rust, very straight, almost perfect interior, complete and unmolested), we thought we'll pull the bits we need and a "mate" was to use the body to build himself a really nice race car with.
well.... i write "mate" with comma's for a reason, hence he won't get a bloody thing from me let alone the Gemini, so we were a bit undecided with what to do with it.... until July 16 when we Bellett Racers went to Sandown and some of the kids came along for a look....
we got talking and they all (and there's a few in the troop!) would like to be involved, so the plan was hatched!
let's keep the Gemini, put a good standard engine in it, clean it up, and the kids can all get some driving experience in motorkhanas, sprints and the like before they hit road-legal driving age!

in my opinion, too many people in the world are never taught how to drive, they are only taught how to pass a driving test.... and i'll be damned if any of "our" kids will be part of the shocking stats that surround young drivers of today.
also, as i've mentioned in the thread about "Mitch McD's monster", we have to get "our" kids involved in these old bangers we love and enjoy, as when we all fall off the perch, someone has to look after our cars and carry on the Bellett world, so what better way than giving them the passion by getting their hands dirty, learning something new, and then enjoying the hard work with a drive??

so i'll keep u all info'd as we go along, what little mods we make to it (there won't be many as i don't want it being an animal for the kids, and reliability is paramount), and the fun the kids have!

cheers!
Brett (PR91)

Great concept mate.
'Round here it's a paddock basher (remember the bent Magna?), though that's just a name - if they trash it, they don't have it. It's about steering, not thrashing.
But you're going further building a beginner competition vehicle. Good work.
Cheers, Matt.

letting the cat outta the bag a bit here but anyway... I'll have to re-name this thread as 'Project Naomi' soon... yep, it's been claimed by the lurvly lady as hers and we'll both (u bet Nome will be getting her hands dirty and skining a few knuckles. is the only way to learn the finer points of all things Isuzu!) getting some work done on it soon when time permits around the other projects... and life itself! as for the kids... well there's still a few years to worry about that, but with the Group Nc car now a goer, it seems my lil girl has decided that a certain yellow Bellett will be her race car! my god... what have i created??! Nome's got some good ideas for the long term but for now it'll be the easy stuff first, get it running nicely and a good tidy up to get it on the road. should be fun!

Brett if there's any gem parts you need (no Naomi cant have the black coupe that resides in my garage)let me know

many thanks Paul. will be in touch coz no doubt I'll need something!

ok... i'll make this as simple to follow as possible...
never got around to changing the thread title but didn't need to in the end.
gemini idea was changed again as i scored a VERY clean, 1 owner KE55 Corolla for nothing, so that was an easier project that'd give a better result. was to be basically standard underneath but look like a racey hotrod Jap spec sort of thing with a Bellett GTR inspired paint scheme.
relationship with Naomi ended earlier this year so that idea was shelved too.
had ideas about building a new race car with the gemini and fit a 302 ford V8 but thought 'there's 3 bloody race cars here that don't get used enuf so why build another...?'
both cars have sat for a while...
now the corolla goes to a good mate who had one years ago and wanted another. will re live as a really quick street car with a supercharged 4age twin cam Toyota engine and all the other good stuff.
gemini has gone to another forum and club member who's gained another one that's got ALOT of nice gear in it and is a well known race car, but is riddled with rust... so this good shell with get all the stuff out of the other rusty one.
so now i'm 100% Bellett again! well... apart from my XR8 Falcon but that's a different story.

Arghhh....... life is simple again

simple...
since when did it become that?
bellett's are still about mate!

then throw Belinda and Kim in the mix and it's never gunna even get close to simple...
life is awesome on in all corners tho!