Anyone with a GT40 in the CT area?

[Dylan]

Hi guys,

I recently purchased an older Tornado Kit Car and have started work on it. I am doing hours of homework on this site here, but it is tough to wrap my head around some things, considering I've only seen a GT40 in person once, at a car show several years ago. I've never even sat in one.

If there is anyone around CT/Mass/Rhode Island that has a car and wouldn't mind showing it off and having me take a million pictures of little things on it, I would greatly appreciate it! Perhaps a six pack of your choice?

Thanks!

-Dylan

 

[Mike Telow]

Hi Dylan, I have an ERA GT40 that you can check out. I keep it at the Chester, CT. airport. I'm away for the weekend, and I have it apart changing the Ebrake cable, but it should be together by next Tuesday. Mike

 

[Dylan]

Thank you for the offer, Mike! I'd love to see it!

 

[Chris Kouba]

Dylan,

Scott Calabro is the Tornado rep and lives in CT (last I knew). He has a very good presence on here and I'm sure would welcome you to stop by.

Chris

 

[Dylan]

Hi Chris,

I have been in contact with Scott. Unfortunately, he sold his car. So, I have to seek out some local cars from the forums!

 

[Al Jones]

Dylan - Scott may have sold his car but being the Tornado rep for quite some time, he should be able, if willing, to answer some of your questions much better than those of us who own different 'brands' of GT40. That said, Mike's ERA would be an excellent example as this is a high quality replica. There's another excellent GT40 builder in Chester,CT who could help but I can't volunteer his help - he'll have to contact you himself. You are also welcome to check out my RCR 40 if you'd like. PM me. A.J.

 

[Dylan]

Hi AJ-

Scott has been great, and he has patiently answered many of my very basic questions already. Ideally I would like to see another Tornado in-person, but I'd be happy just to see a complete GT40 of ANY make. There was a blue one with white stripes that came to the UCONN car show a few years in a row. I was working the show the first year and couldn't get away long enough to check the car out. This year, the guy actually busted his oil pan on the railroad tracks coming into campus, and they took him away on a flatbed. Staring at the car from 20 feet away as it was being driven out is as close as I've ever come to examining a car in person, so I would be extremely grateful for any time spent nearer a car than that. Northeast CT isn't exactly a hotbed of high-dollar automotive shows.

 

[Lloyd]

Dylan

I have an ERA. I've been to the last 3 uconn shows. The last show i was the one who ended up leaving on a flat bed after taking out the oil pan on rte 44. My car is black with Black ghost stripes.

I would be more than happy to show you a completed car
Glastonbury, Ct
Lloyd

 

[Dylan]

Lloyd! Your car has been a highlight of our shows the past few years! My apologies, I thought it was blue and white. Shows how much time I was able to tear away to look at it. I hope bad luck will not dissuade you from returning again this spring.

 

[Lloyd]

No I'll be back in fact i went to the show in Putnam had to drive over the same set of railroad tracks this time at an angle and very slow. Last time i hit it about 40. A little welding and skid plate now i was good to go. The problem with driving such a low car.
I guess i made a mess of the parking lot with about a hundred bucks worth of synthetic oil. Good luck with your tornado

 

[Dylan]

Haha yes, we did get a bit of flak for the oil, but it was all cleaned up. Worse were the marks from the donuts after the show, anyway...

Glad to hear it didn't take you off the road for long. I've got a friend who apparently sees you at a local car show on the weekends over the summer, too. If I had known that, I would have been spending my weekends quite differently.

PS, I sent you a PM.

 

[Al Jones]

Dylan - Sorry to delay the viewing offer but due to unforseen circumstances, we'll have to push it back a bit. I was hit head-on on the evening before Thanksgiving by a car that crossed over into my lane. I was in my tow vehicle, a Ford Expedition ( 3 tons) which saved my a**. Other driver went to the trauma center. Anyway, you have two excellent 40's to check out in the meantime. Thought I would be OK initially but things are not improving as I had hoped. As soon as I'm up and around - that means relatively agile - I'll contact you. A.J.

 

[Dylan]

Yeesh! Glad to hear you came out relatively OK from it. I do appreciate the offer, and when you are better I'd still love to have a look, if you have the time. Seeing another GT40 won't hurt me too much.

Good luck, and get well soon.

 

[Jimmy P]

Mr. Jones, sorry to read of the accident but glad to read your were in your tank!! and are safe. Sad the other bloke ain't but he shouldn't have been in your lane.

 

[Dylan]

This is a bit late, but I thought I'd post and say that Mike was kind enough to let me crawl all around the car and take some pictures and also sit in the car, which was incredible. I've spent years staring at calendar photos and posters of these cars, so to finally see the view from behind the wheel was very exciting. So, thank you for the opportunity to sit in my dream car Mike! I hope to be properly sitting in my Tornado as well in the near future!

 

[Mike Telow]

Any time Dylan. It was wonderful meeting you. I'm looking forward to reading the updates on the other thread and following the progress on your GT40. We'll go for a ride in mine next Spring if your up for it.

 

[Lloyd]

Dylan
have you decided on power plant yet. I have a nice 4bb setup for a 351w i can let you have for a decent price.

LLoyd