GT40 Replica or Factory Five GTM

Hi Guys
i'm in the market for a new car and i just wanted something different rather than the average sports car, so i narrowed my search down to the 64-66 mustang fastback the gt40 and more recently the FF GTM, but i narrowed it down to 2 because i like the shape of the GTM and GT40 better.

So what i would like to know is which is the better car on a track, i know there will be bias in these forums but you guys have the experience of driving many GT40's and it seems much harder to find people who can give an idea of how the GTM handles.

so can you guys recommend companies where i can get good quality GT40 replicas, also can the rear end of the replica be modified so it looks more like the new ford GT

I'm thinking of having an engine output between 500bhp and 700bhp (what engine will you recommend?)

hopefully the whole project (including labor) should cost less than $100,000

Another thing is that i live in the U.K (so i will need a right hand drive car with a central gear lever) and i am wondering about the import taxes, does anyone know how much i will have to pay if i were to import a $100,000 car from the US to the UK

finally this might seem like a weird question but can gt40's hold a certain amount of luggage, i know that ford say you can store luggage in the modern gt but it seems like you cant store much if you intend to close the bonnet, so can any of your replica's hold luggage (ie. behind the seats)
also does anyone know if the GTM has any luggage space?
i ask this because i travel a lot around europe and it'll be great if i can get my 2 suitcases in my new car

so just to summarize i want a road legal car which is very good on a track, i love the classic looks of the gt40 but i just want to know your opinions on which car will get me the quicker lap time?

any help and advice will be appreciated

thank you
 
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My personal opinion is I would not go with the GTM over a good GT40. Most manufacturers you will find on here offer a better engineered package than the FFR GTM. By the way, I have a FFR coupe that I built and it is great car.

I live in the US and have a right hand drive RCR40 that I am currently building. The quality is outstanding, but while I have looked at others like ERA and CAV, the RCR is the only one I have personal build experience with. Others will chime in and you are sure to get a variety of opinions. In the end, it will be for you to make up your mind based on the factors that are most important to you.
 
thanks for the quick reply reid
i did forget to mention a couple things in my first post, and that is if it will be possible to have an active differential in the car with anti lock ceramic disc brakes?
and can the car have modern suspension?
also can a cylinder deactivation system be fitted so the car can run on 4 or 6 cylinders during normal road use?

i'd really like the car to look like a classic but handle like a modern supercar
 

Dave Wood

Lifetime Supporter
I've seen 2 completed GTM's, although they may have been the same with a "Shelby shuffle paint job". I thought that they were too much like a "kit car", the panels vibrated when rolling over irregular terrain and seemed less finished. Much like a race car that's to be updated next season. I'm no fan of the Noble for similar reasons, but would take a Noble before a GTM.
 
Well, you need to see them both. I saw a GTM in person recently, and it is a different car with it's ups and downs. Both are fiberglass bodied mid-engine cars with little or no luggage space. Both will be good on the track. Neither would be my pick for a drivable track car unless I was really interested in the car for what it is. That is to say, something like RCR's SLC is a better modern car than either, but very different styling.

The GTM has glass roll up windows, a plus. I do not think there is any provision for right hand drive, so you will be making your own dash. I also have a FF Cobra and love it. The fit and finish of the GTM as supplied is what I would term "rough". It can make a great car, but it is not going to go together like a Lego toy. Be prepared.

Most of the good GT40's are better "kits" than the GTM. They cost more, and the companies doing them have been at it for longer than FFR. The GT40 was designed as a race car, and the modern iterations - though more livable than the 60's counterparts - are a long way from a typical daily driver.

As for carbon ceramic brakes and the such, anything can be done with the right purse strings. But you better plan on blowing through 100k in a hurry if you are going to do things like that. You comments about modifying the rear of the car to look more like a modern GT make me think you like the aesthetics but are not so much interested in the heritage of the car. Again, I think something like an Ultima or an RCR Superlight would be a much easier car to accomplish your goals. It would still look like a race car on the road, just a modern Prototype, not a car from the 60's.

I highly recommend you get some experience in one or both of these before committing six figures to the project.
 
thanks salmon
i have read about the ultima but hav never really liked it
also since i was a teen i have loved the gt40 but in my opinion i think the modern gt has a 'cleaner' rear than the original even though the rear of some kits still look very good

chuck why do you want for me to go with the GTM?

but if i was to buy a gt40 replica which manufacturer would you recommend?
 
it seems as if your wishes for a more modern car could be met with a GTM easier than a GT40. I personally think the GT40 is head and shoulders prettier than the GTM, Noble or Ultima but you need to understand that for the most part it is a 60's car and does not lend itself to too much modern interpretation easily. RCR and Tornado seem to be both great Kits; CAV and Superformance are superb cars, but more turn key minus.
 
Both can be built to a very high level with a $ 100k budget.
But resale value is another thing. The GT40 is a known quantity..the GTM is not
and I suspect you'd recoup far less than you would on the GT40.
I know resale isn't a big deal for some...but it is for others.

MikeD
 

Steve Briscoe

Lifetime Supporter
IMO, you should go with the GT40 because it comes with an incredible history and tons of time spent in perfecting the design. If you want one more newer car to compare with before you buy, consider taking a look at the RCR Superlite Coupe. Have fun in your search!

Steve
 

Dimi Terleckyj

Lifetime Supporter
Hi Joe

As far as packing two suitcases into one of these cars that is not a problem as long as you fit a tow bar and take a trailer.

I have tried to improve the drivability in my GT40 build but the choices are limited as the 40 is still primarily a race car and most alterations are compromises.

Dimi
 

Chris Duncan

Supporter
GTM and GT40.... better.. which is the better car on a track,

very similar cars, depends which one you spend more money/time setting up. The GTM might have more torsional rigidity than a tube frame GT40 because of the tubing above the doors. The GTM also has the gas tanks in a safer location behind the seats. The GT40 can't be matched for aesthetic appeal.

also can the rear end of the replica be modified so it looks more like the new ford GT
Why? All you need to do to the GT40 is to fill the Euro plate recess. With that mod it's way cleaner than the (bumpered) GT.

I'm thinking of having an engine output between 500bhp and 700bhp (what engine will you recommend?)
You'll barely get 500hp to the ground, these cars are light.. A transaxle that will hold 700hp will cost you 15K.

can gt40's...GTM... hold a certain amount of luggage?
a soft bag in each door. You can add boxes in the back on either side of the transaxle.
 
In a previous discussion on luggage, as I remember it distilled down to the fact that in a 40 you can carry a blonde, with a spare G-string and a credit card. Thats about it, but hey! Go enjoy!.
 
wow
thanks for all the replies

i've decided that i'm going to get a gt40

as i said i live in the UK and will want a right hand drive car so can the gear lever be in the middle of the car instead of on the right side?

chuck has already suggested a couple manufacturers like RCR, tornado and CAV, are there any others that i should consider
theres a company calles xtreme classics but they are very expensive, so why will anyone pay a premium for their car instead of normal replicas?

also like i said can an active differential be put into the car for better handling

finally how is the car at high speed i read in a couple places that the car has a tendency to lift?
will any extra aerodynamic modifications be necessary?

can people who own GT40's here post some pics or send a link where the pictures of the cars are?
 

David Morton

Lifetime Supporter
Joe,
Its difficult to know if you are serious or taking the piss.
Some of your questions are a bit daft. If you're serious and you live in the London area, go to one of the monthly meetings and you might see some cars that various guys have made. Some of them are really works of art. These same guys will give you loads of valuable information, as will the people who make the various kits and who are all represented on this web site.
ps - if I travelled a lot around Europe I'd buy one suitable for it - ie not Right Hand Drive. But I wouldn't drive a GT40 around Europe a lot anyway.
 

David Morton

Lifetime Supporter
Actually, I've read it all through again and now I know.

and p.s.
If you want more pictures and information then try the search function.
It's generally what the rest of us do first.
 

Pat Buckley

GT40s Supporter
Joe -

You said you are interested in a "quicker lap time".....quicker then what?

Do you have a lot of racing experience?
 

Chris Duncan

Supporter
as i said i live in the UK and will want a right hand drive car so can the gear lever be in the middle of the car instead of on the right side?

shifter can be on either side

chuck has already suggested a couple manufacturers like RCR, tornado and CAV, are there any others that i should consider
Yes


theres a company calles xtreme classics but they are very expensive,
believe they are a builder, not a manufacture. They will build a kit that you purchase.

so why will anyone pay a premium for their car instead of normal replicas?
cuz they want more/better stuff

also like i said can an active differential be put into the car for better handling
you mean electronic traction control? Some consider that a "bell and whistle" not enough return for the money and a good driver doesn't need. Sounds very expensive and it's going to have to tie in to the programmable ECU, maybe Motec is capable. Anything can be done for the right price, but pretty sure this would put you over 100K.

finally how is the car at high speed i read in a couple places that the car has a tendency to lift?
will any extra aerodynamic modifications be necessary?
Yes it does lift. Look at the GT, it has a splitter in the front and diffusers in the rear to address this very issue. Just so happens the "Extreme Classics" you refer to has addressed this issue with a front splitter. The other single biggest problem on many of the GT40 kits is that the front spare cover is not an exact copy of the original. They don't seal completely around the radiator. All the air that enters the nose inlet does not go out the nostril. This pressurizes the front clip and causes lift. If you see electric fans on the inside of the radiator you can usually assume this is a spare cover that doesn't fit tight to the radiator. This aerodynamic problem only comes into effect at about 150mph plus.

can people who own GT40's here post some pics or send a link where the pictures of the cars are?
click on "gallery" in upper link bar
 
at the moment i have narrowed the manufacturers down to tornado and roaring forties

can people with tornado and roaring forties builds please post their pictures here?
(i'm not sure how to get pictures of the different kits through the gallery)

and pat i have done a couple track days already but just as a benchmark i would like my gt40 to have a laptime of around 7:35 around the nurburgring
(of course with a professional at the wheel)
 
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