[DaveC]

Work on the car this week has focused on the front clip. RCR prides itself in "using the most authentic GT40 replica bodies in the world" and this is certainly the case with the front clip on this MK11A.

I understand from Fran that it was taken from an origional unrestored MK11A and as such includes all those little wrinkles that you get with a bit of racing history and probable accident repair.

My dilema was either to leave it as was and have a bit of "patina" in the finished article and put up with the fact that this is a race car that is not going to be perfect, or to bite the bullet and have Nick correct the replicated 1960's repair.

Well I decided that it would bug me too much everytime I looked at the car and could hear all those comments about the front end not being totally straight, so asked Nick to do his best.

Essentially the nearside of the clip was pushed up at an angle so that the top of the wheel arch was higher than the offside with the wheel arch lip turned out almost as though it was twisted up along the gulley where the NACA duct sits. Also the oppertunity was taken to adjust the back edge to give a better fit along the windscreen scuttle.

Nick told me it took about 3 hours to work out where to cut and then have sufficient confidence to get the hacksaw out!

The following pics show current state of work in progress after the major aspects of surgary have been completed.

Fran advises that he now uses a different front for MK11A so others should not need to have this dilema in the future. I am sure he can provide details to anyone interested.

Once this is done and the front spare wheel cover is made to fit that should be the bulk of the bodywork fit items completed.

Dave