I've now had P/2192 for a few weeks, hardly enough time for a comprehensive report, but nevertheless some things have become manifest. The following are a few initial thoughts on SPF ownership. Bear in mind, these are my experiences and opinions: Yours may be very different.
Dealer Handover
Olthoff Racing in Charlotte, NC was both my dealer and fabricator. After paying my deposit, the car was completed and delivered a little over a year-and-a-half later. That wait could have been halved were it not for the delay associated with the transmission. At first I was on a waiting list for the standard ZF 5DS 25 unit; however demand, coupled with RBT's 'irrational exuberance' over their delivery timetable, meant that the newly developed Quaife ZF-version became available about the same time as my RBT unit did. Based on Olthoff's recommendations I went with the Quaife, and so far it has proven a wise decision. It is a sweet 5-speed transmission: tight, short, and positive. This is clearly an updated, reengineered version of the ubiquitous – and decades old – German ZF.
On taking delivery of my car, I was both surprised and disappointed to discover the economy of documentation provided by Superformance. Rumors had warned that since Lance Stander purchased the company, the company had gone 'on the cheap' regarding support, etc. That certainly is the case when it comes to the handover process. Apart from the title and a receipt for payments made, I didn't receive a thing: no car manual, no warranty document, no listing of authorized dealers, support sites, nothing. Zippo. Bupkis. Nada. When I registered my disappointment, Olthoff appeared embarrassed by the lack of corporate support – but then, what can they do? After all, they're not the manufacturer. As to an owner's manual, I was told a draft version was available on GT40s.com.
Come on, Lance! After spending some $130k+ on one of your cars, don't you suppose you could spring for a packet of documents for the new owner? Are you saving on the cost of paper? Unfortunately, it leaves one with the impression that the Superformance organization is both cheap and poorly managed – certainly when it comes to owner relations. (I'll bet Fran at RCR does a whole lot more for his new customers!)
Car Impressions
One thing any prospective GT40 owner needs to understand is that this is not an everyday driver. Far from it. It is a race car that has been modified for the road, and is therefore hot, noisy, wet, and uncomfortable. Even with the a/c on full blast (comparable to a low-setting in a modern car), in hot weather over 85 degrees it can barely keep up. In such conditions the SPF's a/c manages to blend its cold air with the multiple sources of hot air blasting into the cockpit from a variety of sources (e.g., through the handbrake fitting, permeating the engine bulkhead, venting from the undercarriage).
What all this means is that the occupants are always warm and on the verge of being hot. Turn the engine off even momentarily and the car heats up like a kiln. I very much regret not having insulation placed on the engine-side of the bulkhead before the engine was installed. We'll install what we can as a retrofit, as well as insulating the underside of the seat cushions and plugging what holes and gaps we can find. That insulation exercise will also hopefully help with the cockpit noise, as well. As it is, I can barely hear a conversation on a cell phone unless idling or in fifth gear and easy on the throttle. One essential for trips more than half-hour or so is earplugs. The engine sound is intoxicating and exciting – but trust me, headaches and truncated conversations are unavoidable.
As to driving in the rain, this car should come with a snorkel for the driver and passenger. I must admit to now being flabbergasted that the GT40 was so successful racing in the rain. When delivering my car from NC to Florida, I hit a couple of major deluges that were eye opening. First, the car sucks up water into the passenger compartment like a vacuum cleaner. There was so much water entering the floorboards that I had an inch of standing water under each of the seats. Unfortunately, SPF uses an open-cell foam rubber in the construction of the seats and believe me they work extremely well as sponges. What with all the water collecting under the seats, and soaking into the foam rubber, my ass was soaked for hours. (Ultimately, I had to dry the seats in the sun and manually soak-up the collected water under the seats.) I may either have new seats made with a closed-cell rubber (and replacing the funky gray 'mouse fur' upholstery with something more original), or have someone sew on some waterproof material (along with flexible insulation) on the seat bottoms. Also, water somehow made its way onto the steering column such that when I made a sharp turn right or left, it was as if a faucet was opened and water would pour down on my legs. I have to wonder about the possibility of some future electrical failure given the amount of moisture under the dash.
Obviously, all SPF owners also have to be concerned about rust, what with all the leaks and water collecting in nooks and crannies. Here again, finding and plugging leaks will be a near term imperative. By the way, the Avon 295r/215f tires are as good in the dry as they are scary in the wet. If there is any water collecting on the roadway, the car will hydroplane in a heartbeat. Driving on the freeway in a heavy rain requires very careful driving at speeds of 50mph or less. Despite the impressive old films of GT40s honking down the Mulsanne Strait in driving rain, most drivers will do their utmost to avoid the wet stuff.
Inside there's an economy of comfort. The driver's seat is a testament to careful design by Lola and Ford's engineers. Everything is well positioned and within easy reach, provided your dealer took the time to adjust the pedal assembly to the driver's size. Ford's advertising was right, this is the car "you have to be measured for". Be sure to have your dealer take the time to fit the car for you. Olthoff took the time, and they even have custom seat fillers that add an additional level of driver fit customization. (Remember, the seats in the GT40 don't adjust: they're fixed. The pedal assembly, however, does move fore and aft – though this is not an easy process.)
The passenger seat, on the other hand, has been shrunk to allow a slightly larger driver's seat. Good for the driver, not so good for the passenger. That seat is narrow and, with the door on one side and the tunnel on the other, the effect is somewhat claustrophobic.
[By the way, if you're 6-foot tall or over like I am, figure that even with every adjustment made to lower you in the seat, your head is going to rub the top of the door. And with a helmet on, my head is constantly touching the top of the door, pinned within the confines of the 'Gurney bubble' – probably not the safest situation in the event of a roll-over.]
If you're planning to use the car on a trip, don't plan on bringing any belongings. Seriously. There is no storage whatsoever. Somewhat comically, Superformance claims that storage is available "in both doors". And it's true that these commodious door pockets will easily accommodate both a toothbrush and toothpaste! I even found room for a small screwdriver, the car's documents (folded up), and my sunglasses. After that things get a little tight.
I had Olthoff build a neat little aluminum storage box for the front compartment. Unfortunately, it has been packed full with a small assortment of tools, a lead hammer, and fix-a-flat – no spare tire remember. (My car being a Mk I means that there isn't sufficient room for the two larger storage boxes that can be configured for the Mk II – see Olthoff Racing for more information.) So, if you plan an overnight trip you have two choices: Wear all of your clothes and peel them off each day and mail the castoffs home, or find a very small soft bag that measures about 12"x10"x5" for all of your belongings. Such a bag will fit forward in the passenger footwell (which is actually remarkably deep). If I can find it, I'm thinking my old military aviator's nylon padded helmet bag should do nicely! (You can buy them at army surplus shops.) I also plan to install an elastic cargo net along the right side of the passenger footwell, which could handle a small jacket, maps, etc.
Concluding Thoughts
Okay, I hope this hasn't come off as the grousing of someone with buyer's regret. It isn't. Nor is it intended to reflect unfair criticism: We all understand that these cars are not intended to perform like a Porsche or Ferrari. Those are cars designed for the road with race-car features. The GT40 is a race car with road-car features. No one is going to buy this car as a daily commuter or for long-distance driving (hell, you can't even fit a briefcase in it). If you do, you will surely be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're looking for a spectacular driving experience in an austere and very authentic street-legal vintage race car, this is it! The build quality is there, and I honestly love the car.
There are clearly areas for improvement, and Superformance has yet to mature as a well-rounded company. They've nailed about 90% and now need to work on the margins – and they can't do that sitting on their wallet. In contrast, Olthoff Racing was great; not only are they supremely professional, they appear to be the only outfit that is actively re-engineering many of the flaws found in the in the car as delivered from Superformance. It's no wonder Dennis Olthoff was sought out by Quaife to help in the ZFQ's development and testing! No matter where you live in the US, you owe it to yourself to have Dennis Olthoff & Co. build your car.
As for me, I'm occasionally tracking my car and hitting the open road whenever possible – and tending to the minor improvements that after all are part of the sports car experience for many of us. I'll post an owner's update in the future, and will be happy to help any prospective owners if you have questions on anything I didn't cover.
Kim
Dealer Handover
Olthoff Racing in Charlotte, NC was both my dealer and fabricator. After paying my deposit, the car was completed and delivered a little over a year-and-a-half later. That wait could have been halved were it not for the delay associated with the transmission. At first I was on a waiting list for the standard ZF 5DS 25 unit; however demand, coupled with RBT's 'irrational exuberance' over their delivery timetable, meant that the newly developed Quaife ZF-version became available about the same time as my RBT unit did. Based on Olthoff's recommendations I went with the Quaife, and so far it has proven a wise decision. It is a sweet 5-speed transmission: tight, short, and positive. This is clearly an updated, reengineered version of the ubiquitous – and decades old – German ZF.
On taking delivery of my car, I was both surprised and disappointed to discover the economy of documentation provided by Superformance. Rumors had warned that since Lance Stander purchased the company, the company had gone 'on the cheap' regarding support, etc. That certainly is the case when it comes to the handover process. Apart from the title and a receipt for payments made, I didn't receive a thing: no car manual, no warranty document, no listing of authorized dealers, support sites, nothing. Zippo. Bupkis. Nada. When I registered my disappointment, Olthoff appeared embarrassed by the lack of corporate support – but then, what can they do? After all, they're not the manufacturer. As to an owner's manual, I was told a draft version was available on GT40s.com.
Come on, Lance! After spending some $130k+ on one of your cars, don't you suppose you could spring for a packet of documents for the new owner? Are you saving on the cost of paper? Unfortunately, it leaves one with the impression that the Superformance organization is both cheap and poorly managed – certainly when it comes to owner relations. (I'll bet Fran at RCR does a whole lot more for his new customers!)
Car Impressions
One thing any prospective GT40 owner needs to understand is that this is not an everyday driver. Far from it. It is a race car that has been modified for the road, and is therefore hot, noisy, wet, and uncomfortable. Even with the a/c on full blast (comparable to a low-setting in a modern car), in hot weather over 85 degrees it can barely keep up. In such conditions the SPF's a/c manages to blend its cold air with the multiple sources of hot air blasting into the cockpit from a variety of sources (e.g., through the handbrake fitting, permeating the engine bulkhead, venting from the undercarriage).
What all this means is that the occupants are always warm and on the verge of being hot. Turn the engine off even momentarily and the car heats up like a kiln. I very much regret not having insulation placed on the engine-side of the bulkhead before the engine was installed. We'll install what we can as a retrofit, as well as insulating the underside of the seat cushions and plugging what holes and gaps we can find. That insulation exercise will also hopefully help with the cockpit noise, as well. As it is, I can barely hear a conversation on a cell phone unless idling or in fifth gear and easy on the throttle. One essential for trips more than half-hour or so is earplugs. The engine sound is intoxicating and exciting – but trust me, headaches and truncated conversations are unavoidable.
As to driving in the rain, this car should come with a snorkel for the driver and passenger. I must admit to now being flabbergasted that the GT40 was so successful racing in the rain. When delivering my car from NC to Florida, I hit a couple of major deluges that were eye opening. First, the car sucks up water into the passenger compartment like a vacuum cleaner. There was so much water entering the floorboards that I had an inch of standing water under each of the seats. Unfortunately, SPF uses an open-cell foam rubber in the construction of the seats and believe me they work extremely well as sponges. What with all the water collecting under the seats, and soaking into the foam rubber, my ass was soaked for hours. (Ultimately, I had to dry the seats in the sun and manually soak-up the collected water under the seats.) I may either have new seats made with a closed-cell rubber (and replacing the funky gray 'mouse fur' upholstery with something more original), or have someone sew on some waterproof material (along with flexible insulation) on the seat bottoms. Also, water somehow made its way onto the steering column such that when I made a sharp turn right or left, it was as if a faucet was opened and water would pour down on my legs. I have to wonder about the possibility of some future electrical failure given the amount of moisture under the dash.
Obviously, all SPF owners also have to be concerned about rust, what with all the leaks and water collecting in nooks and crannies. Here again, finding and plugging leaks will be a near term imperative. By the way, the Avon 295r/215f tires are as good in the dry as they are scary in the wet. If there is any water collecting on the roadway, the car will hydroplane in a heartbeat. Driving on the freeway in a heavy rain requires very careful driving at speeds of 50mph or less. Despite the impressive old films of GT40s honking down the Mulsanne Strait in driving rain, most drivers will do their utmost to avoid the wet stuff.
Inside there's an economy of comfort. The driver's seat is a testament to careful design by Lola and Ford's engineers. Everything is well positioned and within easy reach, provided your dealer took the time to adjust the pedal assembly to the driver's size. Ford's advertising was right, this is the car "you have to be measured for". Be sure to have your dealer take the time to fit the car for you. Olthoff took the time, and they even have custom seat fillers that add an additional level of driver fit customization. (Remember, the seats in the GT40 don't adjust: they're fixed. The pedal assembly, however, does move fore and aft – though this is not an easy process.)
The passenger seat, on the other hand, has been shrunk to allow a slightly larger driver's seat. Good for the driver, not so good for the passenger. That seat is narrow and, with the door on one side and the tunnel on the other, the effect is somewhat claustrophobic.
[By the way, if you're 6-foot tall or over like I am, figure that even with every adjustment made to lower you in the seat, your head is going to rub the top of the door. And with a helmet on, my head is constantly touching the top of the door, pinned within the confines of the 'Gurney bubble' – probably not the safest situation in the event of a roll-over.]
If you're planning to use the car on a trip, don't plan on bringing any belongings. Seriously. There is no storage whatsoever. Somewhat comically, Superformance claims that storage is available "in both doors". And it's true that these commodious door pockets will easily accommodate both a toothbrush and toothpaste! I even found room for a small screwdriver, the car's documents (folded up), and my sunglasses. After that things get a little tight.
I had Olthoff build a neat little aluminum storage box for the front compartment. Unfortunately, it has been packed full with a small assortment of tools, a lead hammer, and fix-a-flat – no spare tire remember. (My car being a Mk I means that there isn't sufficient room for the two larger storage boxes that can be configured for the Mk II – see Olthoff Racing for more information.) So, if you plan an overnight trip you have two choices: Wear all of your clothes and peel them off each day and mail the castoffs home, or find a very small soft bag that measures about 12"x10"x5" for all of your belongings. Such a bag will fit forward in the passenger footwell (which is actually remarkably deep). If I can find it, I'm thinking my old military aviator's nylon padded helmet bag should do nicely! (You can buy them at army surplus shops.) I also plan to install an elastic cargo net along the right side of the passenger footwell, which could handle a small jacket, maps, etc.
Concluding Thoughts
Okay, I hope this hasn't come off as the grousing of someone with buyer's regret. It isn't. Nor is it intended to reflect unfair criticism: We all understand that these cars are not intended to perform like a Porsche or Ferrari. Those are cars designed for the road with race-car features. The GT40 is a race car with road-car features. No one is going to buy this car as a daily commuter or for long-distance driving (hell, you can't even fit a briefcase in it). If you do, you will surely be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're looking for a spectacular driving experience in an austere and very authentic street-legal vintage race car, this is it! The build quality is there, and I honestly love the car.
There are clearly areas for improvement, and Superformance has yet to mature as a well-rounded company. They've nailed about 90% and now need to work on the margins – and they can't do that sitting on their wallet. In contrast, Olthoff Racing was great; not only are they supremely professional, they appear to be the only outfit that is actively re-engineering many of the flaws found in the in the car as delivered from Superformance. It's no wonder Dennis Olthoff was sought out by Quaife to help in the ZFQ's development and testing! No matter where you live in the US, you owe it to yourself to have Dennis Olthoff & Co. build your car.
As for me, I'm occasionally tracking my car and hitting the open road whenever possible – and tending to the minor improvements that after all are part of the sports car experience for many of us. I'll post an owner's update in the future, and will be happy to help any prospective owners if you have questions on anything I didn't cover.
Kim