T70 Spider - GD Cars USA announced

brammo · 02-18-05, 08:05 PM

Well as promised, GD Cars is about to officially launch production and manufacturing in the US. The official home will be at http://www.gdcarsusa.com/. We are collaborating with Fran Hall so if anyone has interest in having a kit built for them, feel free to contact Fran. We will have a car at the Knotts Berry Farm show in April (assuming all the parts show!) and also plan on taking the car to Carlisle in May.

Though the car comes in a very nice gel coat body, we are going to paint a few of them to have the original livery as they raced in the 60s, like the Gurney car posted elsewhere.

Best,

Craig

http://www.gdcarsusa.com/

RobBeddington · 02-19-05, 10:41 AM

Congratulations Craig and Fran. GD UK is just down the road from me and they do some very nice work - the Spider is an extremely well engineered and fast car. It's also a nice looking car already, but some Gurney/Surtees/etc race liveries will make it look even better...

Good luck!

brammo · 02-22-05, 12:55 AM

Thanks Rob. We are very excited about the opportunity. We have been building Ultimas for some years and this car outhandles them and is a bit lighter, with a very modern rocker suspension that is well sorted.

We will have a blow - by - blow build journal up on the www.gdcarsusa.com site.

Thanks again.

Craig

SpyderMike · 02-22-05, 11:09 AM

where in Oregon are you?

Mike

Paul Thompson 'Hooligan' · 02-22-05, 06:44 PM

From GTD40 Club Trackday @ Goodwood - 2003

Paul Thompson 'Hooligan' · 02-22-05, 06:46 PM

Very nice! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

brammo · 02-23-05, 11:25 PM

We are in Ashland Oregon, just 12 miles north of the California border. If anyone wants to come by and see the works car going together, you are more than welcome, just give us a ring. We are going to have an LS2 with a Kinsler IR manifold (first one they are making) to give it that vintage look!

Be sure to check out the build journal on the site for updates on the build if you are interested.

Cheers,

Craig

brammo · 02-23-05, 11:27 PM

Paul,

Excellent pics, thanks for posting them!

Craig

SpyderMike · 02-24-05, 01:08 PM

I have a vacation home outside of Jacksonville - next trip up I will call to see if I can come by. That is one beautiful car.

Regards,
Mike

Simon · 03-10-05, 08:19 AM

Just out of interest, I've been in GD cars T70 demonstrator. It's a hell of a beast. Seems to handle superbly and is an absolute bundle of fun.
Last year I was taken to the Top Gear studio via the M25. At one point the car in front pulled over and there sitting in front of us was a Noble M10 (the first and only time I've ever seen one on the road!) he changed down and tore off into the distance (very) closely followed by us in the T70.
From personal experience, I can tell you that 150mph+, with no screen and just a pair of sunglasses to protect you is NO FUN. Impressive - yes, but the thought of a stone being flicked up and hitting either me or the driver slap bang in the middle of the forehead tends to focus the mind!
A hell of a car, but I wouldn't entertain driving in anything without a screen again without a helmet!
Simon

ps, the noise of the engine behind your head is superb and even louder than in my '40 !

Tom · 03-11-05, 01:56 PM

Craig,

My kit just got through customs two days ago, and arrived on my doorstep yesterday afternoon! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I am definitely the proverbial kid in a candy store, I spent 2 1/2 hours last night taking apart the crate and removing the parts boxes. Still haven't gotten the chassis out of the crate yet, but what I've seen of it is ultra clean and tidy. Even the gas tank is beautiful! Color of the panels (Nocturn Blue) is fabulous, a bit difficult to capture on film, but really slick and out of the ordinary.

Can't wait to get cracking on this thing and get to the rolling chassis stage. Soon as that happens we'll have to have a serious talk about LS2s and transaxles. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Tom <font color="blue"> </font>

brammo · 05-06-05, 02:16 AM

Several people have asked us to post images of the car after we took it to the last show, so we have them up on the website, in the buildjournal under "final prep"

http://www.gdcarsusa.com/plugins/jou....php?20.1.15.9

You will also see it in a couple of the magazines most likely.

Thanks for all the emails.

Craig

Johan · 05-06-05, 01:50 PM

for what it's worth, this is what Bob Sparks car looks like now. I'm getting ready to race it. We're assembling an injection unit and some wheels for it and then it's off to the races !
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/d...ip_294-med.jpg

Johan · 05-06-05, 01:54 PM

Trying to attach picture, sorry fro the re-post

Brian Kissel · 05-24-05, 07:24 PM

Hello Craig !!!

Thank you for taking the time to talk in depth with me, about the spyder. You were very kind, to answer the endless questions I presented you. It is a very nice car indeed, and has excellent craftsmanship. It's great, that their are other choices out there.
Thanks again !!!
Regards Brian

Johan · 05-24-05, 08:56 PM

I sure like that car ! Do you have any parts available yet ? I'm in need of a couple of headlight covers. I hate to say it but I sort of ruined mine with the wrong kind and quantity of beer when I installed them.