Something you may not want to think about.

Hershal Byrd · 09-23-01, 09:18 AM

I got to thinking about how well these GT40's hold up in crashes. I went and looked at some of the videos and it seems the monocoque frame does OK for keeping the passenger compartment intact. I have never seen a wrecked tube frame so I have no idea.
From the looks of my frame it sure appears to be very well built with a stong roll bar. Of course in a head on collision I don't think this car would fair well, or the occupants, because of how low it sits.
I wonder if someone will ever come out with a carbonfiber monocoque frame. Man would that be something! Now we're talking formula one type construction, BIG BUCKS! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Hersh [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

John Schneider · 09-23-01, 11:21 AM

Hershal,
A carbonfiber monocoque woul;d be insane. That would be such a crazy car. One that I don't think many would be able to afford, but hey you never know.
As far as crashing goes I don't know how well they hold up but after seeing your car up close I'd imagin they hold up well enough for me to make it home. As far as surviving the wife, well that's a different story. 5'3",115lbs. of pure WOOP-ASS. Let's just pry it never happens to any of us.

Hershal Byrd · 09-23-01, 04:32 PM

Boy !
How right you are Chris. I have thought about this a lot and I want to incorporate a good fire system into my car. To me it's the most important aspect of the build.
That was a good thing to bring up and thanks for reminding us.

Hersh [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

DaveWharran · 09-23-01, 09:57 PM

Dave Friedman's excellent book "Shelby GT40" has photos and text of a crash test that Shelby did on a MkII after Ken Miles accident. It was ran headon into a wall from a speed of 51 mph. The monocoque in the drivers area held up well. What was disturbing was when the front wheel/tire assemblies pushed back against the rocker area (fuel tanks), the increased pressure in the fuel tank(s) popped the filler cap(s) open and fuel (they substituted Stoddard Solvent for gasoline) sprayed over the car like Ole Faithfull. They supposedly changed the design of the fuel bladders. They also talk about an on board fire system but said in those days it was hard to fit one in the car. The article goes on to say that an on board system was fitted in the MkIV's at LeMans in 1967.

A friend recently sent me an url showing a wrecked GT40. Don't know who's GT40 it is, but it's hurt.
http://www.wayupscale.com/galleries/gt40/index.html

Dave

09-23-01, 11:20 PM

Wow that looks like an origianl GT40 (it has a steel roof)

Chris Melia · 09-24-01, 12:05 AM

From these crash photos and the words powered by ford on the sill panel I would say that this was a Safir or Mk V GT 40 made by Safir Enginearing Ltd. From Brooklands Garage 2/4 Oyster Lane, Byfleet, Surrey UK
The chassis was a zink coated sheet steel semi-monocoque with sqare tube stiffening. Production stopped at the beggining of the 90's This model is second only to an original but with advanced suspension geomtery. The company was owned by Peter Thorp and the chasis's were numbered in sequence from GT40 P/1090 this followed on from the end of the original GT 40 production run at GT 40 P/1086 with the agreement of John Willment.

Chris Melia · 09-24-01, 01:50 AM

It's not the crash that kills you, it's the fire! In the UK several members have had hard crashes in replica 40's and walked away. A good fire protection system and explosion proof fuel tanks are a must.