| MKIII Conversion to MKI
At last I have had a little time to post some details on the conversion of my MKIII to a MKI. Actually it’s due to not being able to post the photos....but as Paul has now loaded up an 'idiots guide' on the forum on how to do it - here goes!
It all started just before the 2003 Le Mans trip - a friend was going to take our Cobra replica and I was to drive the 40. As he had not yet driven the Cobra, I took him out for a 'lesson'. His family in the mean time decided to wash the 40 as it was in the dive as I was checking the levels prior to the trip. On returning, his son pleaded for a ride in the 40, so I took him round the block. I didn't check the rear deck was correctly fastened and the inevitable happened....it was only closed and not locked down!!!!
Luckily I was only doing about 60mph when it opened. Must say the stopping power was much improved over the then standard granada brakes! The Le Mans trip in the 40 was off - as was the rear deck!
Anyway, that was the catalyst. I had always wanted to convert the MKIII to a MKI and now was the time to do it - be it with some considerable support from the insurance company! I must say that all involved were very supportive. It’s not often that you can praise the insurance market, but from the brokers (Footman James) through to the insurance assessors (Golding & Collie - who were particularly helpful) and finally on to AXA who picked up the tab - well done!
The work itself was all done through Frank Catt at Wealden Engineering. The conversion was not as straight forward as we had hoped as my chassis was not a 'normal GTD' but one of only a very few 'specials' made by them to take the MKIII KVA front end. It was also the ideal opportunity to undertake an extensive refurbishment of the car as a whole. Hence the process took longer than normal. Frank and his team knew what was needed and put in place a number of modifications along the way (as well as providing for more in the future) whilst the conversion was being done.
The transformation was staggering - not just from the aesthetics of the car but from the way it now drives and handles. The conversion was not skin deep - the car was totally transformed! Full details of the conversion will follow in the club magazine in due course.
The maiden trip following the rebuild was down to Le Mans again to the 2004 Classic, closely followed by the GT40 Track Day at Goodwood.
Well if the pictures come out, you can see for yourself how good the transformation was, but you can’t tell how well it now drives! My personal thanks to all involved but in particular to Frank, Greg, Arian, Dick and Andrew at Wealden (plus Barbra who kept me fed on numerous occasions!). Also not forgetting my wife Ann who had to endure the ups and downs throughout this period – not to mention the number of evenings and weekends when she was ‘husbandless’! | 
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