Hey there people!
just become a member so thought i would introduce myself! im 28, a qualified mechanic and i will try anything once! i also love to go fast when its safe to do so! javascript:icon(''
i have been interested in kit cars for years but some thing always comes up! toyed with the idea of caterhams and westfields but never had the funds plus i knew i wanted more! my dream car is a GT40 for obvious reasons but considering i cant stretch to a westie or caterham that was out of the picture to!javascript:icon(''
i toyed with the idea of a haynes roadster. and have been thinking why dont i just build my own GT40? as good as i think i am i wouldnt tackle the body work and would buy that off the shelf. the problem im finding is trying to get any details of the chassis design! especially to match a certain companys body kit. the company arent very forthcoming with details or help and from asking around GT40 kit owners they seem to be the same but im sure ive just met a bad bunch.
this is my last hope in order to try and find some help with regards to my dream car does anyone know anybody who might be able to help? either with letting me draw and measure there kit or with someone who has drawings etc that i could work from? i can always trade beer as an offset! any help would be greatly appreciated!javascript:icon(''
well thanks for reading guys and girls and hope your own projects go smoothly! hopefully ill start mine one day!

Have you seen the GTS40 kit? Very well priced, though unfortunately that particular business doesn't exactly have a great reputation for delivering stuff on time.

If you buy the body then at least you'd have something to work to if you want to make your own chassis.

If you look over on www.gt40s.com you'll find a number of people have scratch built 40's.
You can buy bodies on their own, such as this one:

http://www.ekmpowershop17.com/ekmps/shops/gtforte/index.asp

Buying a body is where I think you need to start as the rest needs to fit under it

The whole GT40 kit thing seems pretty incestuous, over the years who copied what from whom and whats more accurate to the original seems to get a number of people bent out of shape pretty easily.

[Edited on 20/9/11 by Doug68]

You need a chassis with bodywork and I would suggest the front windscreen, once you have this everything else can be sourced or made.

Ben_Copeland on here had some GT40 bodywork.

Ive been told it will cost you 15-20k to get it finished which seems alot more than getting a MK or something like the caterham.....


I love the GT40 but alot of cash to get it looking good....

GT40's are one of my favourite cars but I think that they must look right.
You can change the styling, wheels and interior of a 7 and get away with it but there isn't much scope with a GT40 before it starts to look chavvy or cheap.

.............my opinion of course

Steve

quote:

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Originally posted by jossey
Ive been told it will cost you 15-20k to get it finished which seems alot more than getting a MK or something like the caterham.....


I love the GT40 but alot of cash to get it looking good....

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What's your idea of 'cheap'?

These things take a lot of time and money if you want them to look good and go well!

well gents

thanks for the reply's! you all bring up very important points and handy information but unfortunately i am one of those people who when i get an idea into my head it wont budge for love or money. god knows the missus has tried! i'll also turn my hand to anything and once i start something i always finish! javascript:icon(''
but definitely going do some more research and ive already took some bait by ordering chassis designs by GTS as although i was sceptical at first due to some poor comments about them from other people they seem to be the only people on my wave length!javascript:icon('' i would certainly hope to have the build done start to finish in 2 years and my budget would be £10,000 all in! but like i said need to do more research yet and if i can get it cheaper i will. but like some people say some kits can look quite shoddy. well hopefully my eye for detail and fussyness would maintain a good standard of build even if it wasnt an exact replica!

again thanks for the interest and reply's. probably wont start for a while but when i do i will keep you all informed as i go along with times and budgets etc

quote:

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Originally posted by Doug68
If you look over on www.gt40s.com you'll find a number of people have scratch built 40's.
You can buy bodies on their own, such as this one:

http://www.ekmpowershop17.com/ekmps/shops/gtforte/index.asp

Buying a body is where I think you need to start as the rest needs to fit under it

The whole GT40 kit thing seems pretty incestuous, over the years who copied what from whom and whats more accurate to the original seems to get a number of people bent out of shape pretty easily.

[Edited on 20/9/11 by Doug68]

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quote:

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Originally posted by ZEN

quote:

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Originally posted by Doug68
If you look over on www.gt40s.com you'll find a number of people have scratch built 40's.
You can buy bodies on their own, such as this one:

http://www.ekmpowershop17.com/ekmps/shops/gtforte/index.asp

Buying a body is where I think you need to start as the rest needs to fit under it

The whole GT40 kit thing seems pretty incestuous, over the years who copied what from whom and whats more accurate to the original seems to get a number of people bent out of shape pretty easily.

[Edited on 20/9/11 by Doug68]

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Think twice before doing business with Darren form GTS. He is a crook! Owes thousands of pounds in locost parts to blokes around the globe, me including

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What fascinates me about GT40 replicas is why they come in at ~1000kg regularly. On the surface it doesn't look like there's 400+kg of hardware extra going into them, or certainly not any need for it. I know various parts need beefing a bit to deal with V8 torque but not THAT much surely. Well, ok obviously they do as they're all fat but I don't see where

quote:

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Originally posted by ZEN

quote:

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Originally posted by Doug68
If you look over on www.gt40s.com you'll find a number of people have scratch built 40's.
You can buy bodies on their own, such as this one:

http://www.ekmpowershop17.com/ekmps/shops/gtforte/index.asp

Buying a body is where I think you need to start as the rest needs to fit under it

The whole GT40 kit thing seems pretty incestuous, over the years who copied what from whom and whats more accurate to the original seems to get a number of people bent out of shape pretty easily.

[Edited on 20/9/11 by Doug68]

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Think twice before doing business with Darren form GTS. He is a crook! Owes thousands of pounds in locost parts to blokes around the globe, me including

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quote:

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Originally posted by hondarider
well gents

thanks for the reply's! you all bring up very important points and handy information but unfortunately i am one of those people who when i get an idea into my head it wont budge for love or money. god knows the missus has tried! i'll also turn my hand to anything and once i start something i always finish! javascript:icon(''
but definitely going do some more research and ive already took some bait by ordering chassis designs by GTS as although i was sceptical at first due to some poor comments about them from other people they seem to be the only people on my wave length!javascript:icon('' i would certainly hope to have the build done start to finish in 2 years and my budget would be £10,000 all in! but like i said need to do more research yet and if i can get it cheaper i will. but like some people say some kits can look quite shoddy. well hopefully my eye for detail and fussyness would maintain a good standard of build even if it wasnt an exact replica!

again thanks for the interest and reply's. probably wont start for a while but when i do i will keep you all informed as i go along with times and budgets etc

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quote:

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Originally posted by coyoteboy
What fascinates me about GT40 replicas is why they come in at ~1000kg regularly. On the surface it doesn't look like there's 400+kg of hardware extra going into them, or certainly not any need for it. I know various parts need beefing a bit to deal with V8 torque but not THAT much surely. Well, ok obviously they do as they're all fat but I don't see where

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You can get a nice light alu V8 in at about 170kg, and the gearbox in around 70-80, over a "normal" powertrain that's not much? Yeah the body and I guess monsterous tyres make a fairly big difference. but 400kg?!

My car (not a GT40) is going to come in at about a 900kg to 1000kg, depending upon who I'm talking to that's either really fat or really light.
But for the size - type of car this just seems to be where they come to.
If I went mental on reducing weight I could probably get down to 700kg at the lightest but there'd be a lot of $ in that.

Tornado do a carbon tub for GT40's which weighs 55.45Kg they still expect a final car weight at about 875kg though, I expect you could go lower though with the right engine - wheel choices etc.



By the way Tornado appear to be deeply pissed at GTS at the moment, with possible legal action being taken, the accusation is that the chassis - plans GTS is selling are a copy of the (steel) Tornado. Make of that what you will, I've never seen either in any detail so have no comment of the veracity of the claim.

[Edited on 22/9/11 by Doug68]

[Edited on 22/9/11 by Doug68]

Mk2 Mondeo's about 1400kg, so considering you got a massive V8, big wheels and a lot of rollcage and structure I don't think 1000kg is bad (especially considering it's not supposed to be a lightweight)