Anyone know about these GT40 replicars?

fran,

where can we find any owners of complete cars? are there any automotive write ups? driving impressions? track impressions?

how many chassis' have been sold and completed?
have there been updates and revisions along the series?
i noticed on the other build thread, there was extensive aluminum work being carried on to shroud the radiator...will this become a factory process to ensure build consistancy?

are you aware of the j-car recreation being built in denver, north carolina?

 

Useless info first.....they are built about 4 km's from where I live...actually know one of the partners in the firm(CAV) pretty well.

Cars are incredibly accurate and faithful to the orginal GT40, CAV built one as the pace car for this years Le Mans...in Gulf colours its next to impossible to tell the differance and beleive me they sound the part....

The Superformance car is also made here in South Africa, at the same plant that makes the Noble M400 and the Superformance Cobra Daytona..

 

Pete...

if you look at the RCR website you will see we have attached the aluminum front and rear subframes....the builder on the website you speak of wanted add his own personal touches to his car......we help him continuosly with his ideas..in fact I just widened his wheels to Gulf spec for him.....they look awesome...steamrollers...

If you check out the GT40 forum there are many endorsements for all makes of GT40 replica including RCR.

We have sold thirty cars in the last twelve months...GT's, T70's and P4's..

Kenny Thompson and co are building the Mk4 reps .....they will do a great job as their craftsmanship is second to none...approx $300-325K per car....

CAV body is based on the GTD from the UK one of the original replicas but far from correct...but then I am biased towards true originality.

 

Pete and all,


Thanks for the positive comments! As Pete mentioned,the shape of the body and the stance is VERY correct on the RCR car.This was very important to me.I didn't want a dead nuts "correct" GT40 but it had to look the part.With most of the replicas on the market ,it is imposible to make them sit right without totally redesigning the rear suspension.Some of them require "Gulf" flares to even fit a 295/50/15 tire.With the RCR and "Gulf" flares you can fit a 15" wide tire!!!! Just like the original car.I have spent many ,many hours studying every replica I could find and am 100% sure I made the right decision. The chassis is an absolute work of art! It is completely aluminum and the welds are spectactular.The uprights and control arms are all billet aluminum and VERY strong and light.The only regret I have at all is that I didn't wait until now to order it.Fran has made huge improvements in the car since the end of August when I ordered my car.Some of the improvements Fran has been kind enough to offer to me free of charge and others I can retrofit at a later time.I was lucky enough to get one of the bodys from the current supplier and it is awesome!
He also offers a more complete kit now that he didn't offer then.This is great for me because this is stuff (air conditioning,carpet,brake lines,etc.....)that I can get from him and not have to source on my own.
As far as build skills go, I am a complete beginner.This is the first car I have built from the ground up .The body on the car is amazing! I picked my car up at Fran's shop at the beginning of January and had all of the body and paint work done as well as the drivetrain mock up ,dissasembly of the entire car for powdercoating ,reassembly and had it ready to display at Carlisle in the middle of May!! That includes all of the door latches,hindges,windshield,lights,radiator,seats,and windows.
I did all of the work myself with the exception of actually spraying the paint. A friend of mine came to my house and sprayed the paint in my garage.I had some help from another friend who fabricated some small parts ( door latch striker blocks,deck pin brackets,etc.....) for me as well.Everything else I did myself.
The wiring is next followed by the plumbing and drivetrain.
I plan to track the car aas often as I can.

If you have any other questions,feel free to ask.
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Another shot.....
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Your body guy may have had issues with glass bodied cars...are you looking to build a Riddler award winner or a trackable go fast car???

Your body guy needs to come and see the quality of the glass work we have ...

Do you drive your cars on the racetrack worrying about rock chips?....

I cant really answer your question as it not a problem we have had or seen...sorry.

 

Cant agree with this, based on the fact that many replica builders were contacted with regards to the Le Mans pace car and it was felt that CAV had the most authentic looking car, am not saying the dimensions are as they were in the 60's but the look of the car was deemed to be the closest.

Am also not saying the CAV car is the best replica either but they def arent the worst....but hey I am a bit biased.....

 

360...

CAV purchased rights from Ray Christopher in the UK ,originator of the GTD replica...to manufacture cars in SA....this started as tube frame cars and then progressed to the ss chassis...the body did not change however....still GTD.....there are 29 body differences between the GTD/CAV body and on original.....no panels form a GTD/CAV will fit an original car....period.

CAV actually had to pay to use their car as the "pace" car...
The now defunct RF replica company from Oz. did the same thing a few years ago with a black Mk2 replica......

I dont want to disagree about these issue just stating facts...

 

No sure I cant argue against facts, just merely stating that to most people that havent seen an orginal the CAV car is reasonably close....by RF I presume you are referring to Roaring Fourties, again the pictures I have seen suggest to the human eye these were pretty close to the orginal...

Bottom line is they are all replica's but to call some of these cars replicas is perhaps a bit unfair as in some cases the workmanship is truly exquisite....

Any thoughts on the Superformance SP40 being made by Hi Tech Automotive?

 

360..
the SPF is a great car..no question about it......I know the SPF guys and we have mutual respect for each others products......

Its guys like Jim Price , owner of Hitech, that drive guys like me to produce a better product...not necessarily to compete but to give our industry a better repuation.....if you guys have not looked at the quality/workmanship that SPF and RCR (and others)put into their products then you are missing some great engineering.....

 

J.P.

contact me directly for answers to your questions.......

Fran

 

What engines do people put in the 917 replicas? I'd reckon a perfect engine for those would be a nice 993TT engine with a little more power than stock

 

Ice...

Bullseye....we obviously can accomodate an original..if someone happened to have a couple laying around...but we have added an extra set of mounts for a standard flat six.....not too hard to make more power than an orignal 12 cylinder these days with a six.....

 

How about a BMW V12??? That way it would still be German.

 

bump to do research for later gt40 purchase.....

 

michael,

i nam also looking into these cars. i am actually waiting on a deal to close so that i could pull the trigger responsibly. we should talk about these cars ...you, terry springer and i. i bet we could get some economies of scale consideration.

let me know how serious you are michael.

best,

peter

 

will do,

i am in my learning curve. the Pantera is very similar in some aspects to the GT40. i have always wanted one, and its on my short list of cars to get.

it would be the only "replica" car i would consider getting.

anybody know how hard it is to get insurance on one of these?

also i wont get a 427 anything, a 302 or 351 is plenty for me.


i may ask Hagerty about it.... surely given the value of the quality car replicas, they can be insured?

i do know Woodside Credit will not finance a "replica" of any kind, as i got prequalified for a Countach / Diablo loan. they made sure i was looking at real cars and not kits ! the horror!

 

my 71 push button pantera is supposed to arrive today.

pic.



i have room for 2 more cars.....
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What happened with the esprit se deal? You're supposed to buy one and sell it to me the end of this summer, well...the pantera will do.

The pantera looks awesome...congrats.

 

car arrived today with a metric freaking ton of new parts still in the wrap and in boxes. going to start sorting it out.

as far as other cars / Lotus goes ....

i am not done yet.
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Sheesh Mike, you go through cars like I go through women!

 

cars are cheaper! but women are more fun for the moment!

 

Some of those GT-40 replicars are just nasty in performance.

Have you seen the GT-40 done by Superformance? I saw one of those in person and its awsome!.