KVA Project

I collected my KVA GT40 replica this morning, I am the 3rd owner, with the previous owners having given up/lost interest, the last owner stopped working on it 10 years ago and left to sit in the corner of his garage to gather dust and become a storage repository - hence the rather grubby looking car when collected.

3 hours where spent giving a clean once home, overall not too bad with a few small areas of damage to the body, but nothing insurmountable.

Looking at the rear suspension I believe it is one of the original design chassis (A type rather than the later C type) - please correct me if I am wrong here.

Once cleaned the process of the strip down began, as the car has sat un-moved for 10 years it’s going to be a take back to the bare bones and re-build up.

Apparently the Rover 3.5 was re-built before being fitted, this was about 20 year ago by the first owner, so I have my doubts that it will be any good, plan is to see what it’s like on Sunday - if its shot may go the 302.

The transaxle is a Renault unit, again condition unknown, not sure which model of Renault it comes from, will have to see what markings it has.
The pedals are from a 60's Beetle and positioned forward so you loose about 6 inches of leg room, so will need to change for a setup to give maximum leg room.
 

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No doubt you've got a big job there Tony but nothing that can't be overcome with a bit of patience and perseverance. Good luck with the project and keep focused on the finished product and seeing yourself behind the wheel on those great Brit country roads. Good times are ahead and as you already know this group will assist in any way they can. Looking forward to your updates.
 

Ron Poast

Supporter
Hi Tony
I would drive it before badmouthing KVA. Where would we be without KVA for a start in a gt40. My gt40 is going together with a trailing arm rear suspension although not exactly the same. I've worked on, driven and owned Porsche's VW's, TR6"s and many others all my life and they seem to get along just fine. I know many others on the forum put them down but you may be surprised. IMHO.

Ron
 
Tony,
Congrats on the start! The KVA has a very original body, and the suspension is easily modified. You are correct that it is an early chassis, and NOT the c-type. You are lucky in that there're a couple of current manufacturers in the UK, so sorting/upgrading the suspension shouldn't be too hard. Keep posting, and good luck on the build, Scott
 
Hi Tony,
good luck with the build. You state you've got a Renault transmission, however as it's fitted with inboard discs, I suspect that it a Citroen/Maserati box. OK with a low/meduim spec Rover engine, but propably wouldn't last long behind a torquey Ford 302
Catch up next week
Rgds,
Andy
 
Hello Tony,

and welcome to the world of 40s. You will have plenty of support from this forum as well as all us Norfolk - Suffolk owners, and there are loads of parts available to you to build up a good car. Ken Mason in Norwich has a KVA hybrid and I,m sure he would let you have a look at his chassis modifications.

What I would advise you to do though, in order to save you much time and a bundle of money, is really decide what you finally want the car to be and look like. Take your time assessing what you are likely to cut off or throw away, and the costs of replacement, and if it does not have a registration title, do take serious advice from those that have built them up recently to get through the dreaded IVA test.

Are you going to keep it as a Mk3 style??

Bon voyage.

Graham.
 
On close inspection of the chasis it had previously been modified/addapted with some of the upright box section supports having been cut out on the near side to accomadate the SS pipe work from the radiator and 1/2 inch angle welded in to fit around the Rover engine.

Most of the welding had not penertared, probably due to the coating still in place - hence the weld splatter.

The added metal work was removed faily easily and all remnates of the welding ground back, the chasis is in the process of being rubbed down and zinc primed and stone chipped - will give it a final gloss spray at a later stage once further welding/modifications are completed.


Andy Green - You are quite correct it is a Citroen transmision and not Renault.

Tony
 

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March was not a good month for progress with the GT40, as is always the way, just as you want to get immersed into the project other things in life have to take priority (Family and work commitments)

Although being stuck in a hotel every night did give me time to plan the exact direction of how I want the car to be and the final specification, having decided that the car will be 302 powered with a planned 350 BHP and a Renault UN1 transaxle, thoughts then turned to the rear of the chassis.

As the chassis was an early KVA design the plan was to change it to allow for a better suspension setup and be able to mount the engine/gearbox lower - I had planned to design it myself and fabricate but with limited time this was not going to happen for a good while, so after a discussion with Mick at Southern GT about them fitting one of their rear ends to the KVA chassis it was booked in for early April and a 400 mile round trip was made on an early Saturday morning to deliver the chassis to Mick,

Another 400 mile trip this morning to collect the chassis - WOW - it looks absolute fantastic (I could never have achieved such a good quality) - If you read this Mick - thank you very much.

The front sub frame has been shot blasted and modified ready for the fitment of coilovers.

The next tasks are to fabricate a new front end frame that fits flush to the bottom of the chassis and then flip it over to fit a new floor, rather than using the original KVA trays that drop in from above.

Here are some pictures of the chassis with the new rear end and trial fitting of body & front sub frame.
 

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Tony,

I don't know whether you've considered it, but I would strongly recommend that you install a roll cage before mounting the body panels. These cars are so low and only thing protecting you in an accident is a thin layer of fiberglass!

John
 
Hi John

Oh yes, that has been considered and most definitely I will be fitting a roll cage, as you rightly say, the fiberglass will not offer much protection.

Tony

Tony,

I don't know whether you've considered it, but I would strongly recommend that you install a roll cage before mounting the body panels. These cars are so low and only thing protecting you in an accident is a thin layer of fiberglass!

John
 
Started on fabricating a new front end frame today, the objective was 2 fold:
  1. To have the bottom of the frame site flush to the bottom of the chassis so that the floor can run flat all the way front to back.
  2. Fix the frame direct to the chassis (The original was only fixed to the sub frame) and design the frame so that the sub frame can be fitted independently and removable without having to take the whole front end off.
Spent the morning measuring and re-measuring, fitting and taking the front end of to many times to remember before any metal was cut and welded.

The frame has been made from 20mm box section, by the end of the day the main shape and structure has been made and welded to the chassis from the top, still need to fit some additional strengthening in the corners and then turn the chassis over the weld the underside.

Tony
 

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Got the front frame completed at the weekend and made some new hinges for the front, the originals were fixed, the new ones have adjustment up/down, forward/back and sideways.

I have now turned the chassis upside down to lower the seating area 30mm and fit a new floor.

Tony
 

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Two productive weekends have seen the seating frames completed and welded into place. The floor panels have been folded and formed to fit over the frames like a glove and all drilled ready for riveting.

Tony
 

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Dave Bilyk

Dave Bilyk
Supporter
Tony, glad to see you are getting on well, and good luck with the project, I look forward to reading your posts.
Just one other thing, before you do install a roll cage, please read Frank Catt's posts on the subject, and his article in a recent Fortyfication regarding the dangers, it may influence how you go about it.

DaveB
 
Got the floor all sprayed, bonded and riveted in place over the weekend.

Never moved and worked so fast, with 300 rivets to fit and the bonding adhesive only giving 10 minutes before it starts to set.

Tony
 

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