Your opinion and please don't flame me to bad!

joebio · 11-13-03, 07:12 PM

I have been lurking on here for a while now. I started looking at replica's about a year ago. I have always love the GT40, exotic,american muscle. After looking at prices of them I got set back and looked at cobras, like em but don't love em. The more I researched the more I kept looking at 40's.

I have 4 kids, so it would be at least 6 to 8 years before I could in my mind afford a roaring or era, (I can't see using my home's equity line for a car, got to pay cash). Now my dilema, I hate to wait.

In my research I came across (pleae don't flame) fiberfab valkyrie. all the pics I have seen it does not appear very far off. Plus one could be had for around $2000. So if I pick up said car, weld my own tubular chassis, add suspension from c4 vette front, rear, and steering(buddy is parting out his 89) audi trans and 302 fairly stock with some mods. what do you think?

I would glass a new dash and bring the cockpit up to as close as possible.

I am all things considered looking to spend about 8 to 10g's without paint. I have the skill to do all above work and look forward to it.

I guess the big question is how cheesy would that be, I mean if I ran across you guys in a cav, era, or rf, I don't want to get laughed at? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Thanks in advance

Howard Jones · 11-13-03, 07:26 PM

Anybody who is willing to do their own work is OK by me! Go for it, I'll be looking forward to seeing your complete work. Put a used V8 and a audi transaxle in it and it will be a fun car and low buget car.

joebio · 11-13-03, 07:38 PM

Thanks Howard, I apreciate it. Me doing whatever work I have to is ok, then it is "all mine"!

LastDeadLast · 11-13-03, 08:21 PM

Joebio,

Hmmm.. interesting question you pose... but might I suggest waiting a while before you jump into a Valkyrie. If I'm not mistaken, the Valkyrie is VW based and "sorta" looks like a GT40.

I feel like I'm in the same boat that you're in... I've got two kids and trying for one more... I could put a 40 on the home equity line, but like you would rather not. But with all that said, when I get a GT40, and I will get one, I want something that I'll be satisfied with when I'm done. I don't think I would ever be satisfied with a Valkyrie. Mostly because of it's looks... and in order to make it look like an original 40, I'd almost have to build my own car.

Which brings me to my second point. If you have the ability to weld your own chassis, then why waste your time with a Valkyrie? Make your own chassis... there are plenty people on this board that would be willing to help with measurments and parts... One thing I've learned about the guys here; its not as much about money as it is the love of the car and the craft. You can buy a body for about 3-4k... the rest goes to engine, and transaxle which it sounds like you've taken care of already. Would it be easy? Nope, but I do think it's a better alternative than trying to re-engineer a chassis that was designed to handle 100 horsepower.

Just my thoughts,

-Shannon

TMR2003 · 11-13-03, 08:37 PM

By the time you are done with your mono or tubular chassis your children are all done with High School or something like that. The beetle isn't a good chassis. I would recommend using the CAV dimensions for everything. It's better than a beetle. All you need are welding tools and jigs. You also can get a good body for it. I would not recommend a valkyrie. I hope this helps.

**patbarry** · 11-13-03, 09:25 PM

What about Meat's project? I don't remember the name of his deal, but this sounds like it is right up his alley.

Mike Dozier · 11-13-03, 10:39 PM

No brainer...
If you can weld your own chassis, buy a real body,
and get buddy buddy with someone with a tube frame replica
you can use for guidance. Not sure you'll be able to finish
it for $ 10k....but you'll have a car you'll be a LOT
prouder of, will perform better, and has good resale.

MikeD

Jools · 11-13-03, 11:04 PM

Viking (Yngve Jakobsen), has a chassis that may suit your requirments. I think it's still on the GTD web site?, or contact Frank Catt in the U.K. It's in South of France, but shipping should not be a problem.

Eric · 11-13-03, 11:12 PM

This is exactly the route i have gone, except fo the motor and tranny, they are 80% of my budjet. The body i have is almost identical to a real gt but some of the lines just arent quite right, the front end being completely something else. I can fix the mid and rear sections easily but am having to buy a new front clip. I want to build the car from scratch, not build someone elses puzzle. (not that it is any easier either way you choose, instead of not knowing what part goes where, I dont know what the part should look like). If i did it over again,l would spare the hasssle and buy a proper body from the many sources that seem to have them now. When i started they were harder to get. Make friends at your local hotrod shop and use their frame table (or make your own) etc. etc.
good luck.
oh, and i hope you have lots of time, I have been on this for 2 painstaking years from cad work to building the frame just right and having to redesign to accomadate certain issues that came up, I have a frame almost done to the point where I can fully weld it up then start panelling, it has no rollcage or rad framework or seat attachments yet...... lots of time, rare enough with 1 kid let alone 4.

joebio · 11-13-03, 11:29 PM

Jools,is there a link for Viking, for the frame? Much easier route and if it is cost effective great!

TMR2003, the Valkyrie is desinged for a v8 transaxle, you are thing of the avenger which is a bodyover of a vw chassis. Looking at these cars is what got my wheels turning.

Eric what is the body that you are using?

Pat I have been watching his site for more info, great idea, however he at this time anyway does not seem to have the $$$ he needs to put it together, that makes me nervous.

Jools · 11-13-03, 11:50 PM

Sorry, don't have details direct for Viking, but you can contact Frank at http://www.wealdenengineer.co.uk

Eric · 11-14-03, 12:16 AM

I dont have a clue on who made the body, it is old, the person doing it was an idiot, it had chain link fence post glassed in as a roll cage, the rear wheel arch is cut in the wrong spot, the original tail light holes were glassed over then cut out part way to look like a maverick tail light and the rear bulkhead was a couple sheets of 3/4 plywood. The doors are all there but in many peices. They tried to attach hinges to the fibreglass. If you want more pics, just ask.
As a side note, I have stolen a pic from Hershals website of his car and compare the 2 side views, it looks so close.

John Schneider · 11-14-03, 12:21 AM

Do what I did, sell the kids. I was fotunate to have a few bucks in the bank so I only had to dump 1. You can get good money for a health white girl these days. She won't even remeber being that she was only 1 at the time. Since the 2 year project I am proud to say that I am back up to 2 kids again!!!
This new one seems alot better then the old one anyway. Then again a nice Cobra beats a nice kid any day of the week. Any takers? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
John

joebio · 11-14-03, 07:10 AM

John I never thought of that, and hey I have TWINS, you can't split up a pair. I figure for a good set of potty trained twin girls I may be able to get a turnkey cobra and GT40!

Now what section of Ebay would I put them,figure a "buy it now" of $110,000.00! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

PS, if my wife ever reads this I am joking, you can go as part of the deal!

Ian K · 11-14-03, 01:07 PM

Eric - from your photo it looks like an old T3 body.
The dimensions are a little off, but the general shape
is there. The giveaway is the length of the nose.

Joebio - I remember seeing that car. There was a long
discussion about the Valkyrie on this forum (if you
search for it, you should find it). I don't remember,
but I think there was one for sale on eBay some time ago -
Chevy 350, ZF trans, etc. I think it got up to $8K, which
isn't bad since the ZF alone is worth that. The one you
have the photos of, I read up on it. The owner has put a
lot of work into it - fixing up the body (made it wider),
and a lot of frame/chassis mods. To me, it still isn't
close enough. He put in a lot of work, and the car screams,
and he seems very happy with it. Just not my cup of tea.

There is a Tornado kit for sale on this board - check for
a user named Fronzy. He wants $6500. It's not a complete kit,
but it sounds like with the amount of work you're planning
on doing, it might be a good buy. Otherwise - go for the
Valkyrie. If that's what gets your motor going, who cares how
the rest of us feel [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] You'll be a lot closer to owing a
GT40 than others will ever be.

Ian

cscott67 · 11-14-03, 02:02 PM

Joebio, go for it! Sure, some people will smirk, but they won't get the pleasure of driving your toy either. I would concur that you are probably better off buying a good gt40 body, and then building your own frame/suspension. Bodys are 3-4k, and there are enough pics on this site for you to get a good idea. If you need measurements, I can give you what I have on my KVA. Best of luck, Scott

TMR2003 · 11-14-03, 03:07 PM

You dont have to build a chassis thats mono you could just build a tubular chassis and I recommend powder coat it.

Steve B · 11-14-03, 04:36 PM

Erics pic is most likely an older kellison body. Originally made for a vw pan. T3 did try to update this with a new chassis. MikeD has one of these. There have been sitings of the 2 original T3 cars 1red/1white on ebay, more than once. I would think it would be wise to have the body you are planning to use before investing in frame construction. This design changed hands and was last seen at MelsonMotorsports in Colorado. Also check out Kellison Cars.com There are photos on this site. I'm working on similar but updated. Let me know what you decide. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

cobra1 · 11-14-03, 09:36 PM

I have a Kellison (1970) and it is different than the Picture that is posted here.
Nathan [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Eric · 11-14-03, 11:57 PM

The worst of the body is where the "B" pillar is, I am going to cut that whole area out of the spyder and the rear clip and rebuild it to look proper. . I measured it out from an original and the spyder and front clip are very accurate, within 1/2" in every way except at that "B" pillar. I am having a someone make me a new front clip off of an original which I have already measure and accounted for to build the frame, I wont finish the rad area untill I get it though. I cant believe the same person made the front and rear clip, it looks like and old datson 280 hood.