BEST REPLICA FOR THE BUCK?

Brian

Your answer was excellent. Reminds me of
a Kit Car article a few years back when they
compared (3) different GT40 replicas with
varying price ranges.

At the end of the article, the author posed the question "which is the best GT40?"...
and his answer was "whichever one you can
afford!"

MikeD

I realize this might be a subjective topic opening up a flood of personal preference responses but overall what company delivers the best GT-40 replica for the money spent? I'm talking about real GT's not these fiero wantabes. Any response would be great thanks.

It may be best to narrow the bandwidth a little on your request. For instance:
- do you want to build the car or have a turn key model delivered to your door? These are a serious project to undertake.
- Do you want to race on a track or just polish it on Sundays?
- Does it have to be authentic inside and out? (You may be hard pressed to build a mirror image of a particular serial numbered car).
- Do you want comfort or speed?
- Are you interested in air conditioning and leather seats?
- What about financing?
- Will it have to be modified for you to fit in it? What are the charges?
For those interested in a GT replica, it has been advised that they draw up a specification of what they want the car to be, and then evaluate what the manufactureres have to offer against those requirements. I think that generally in the end, you are going to get what you pay for. The competitive forces in the market are seeing to that. Brian

[ March 14, 2002: Message edited by: Brian ]

To be honest, and to base this upon your location and penchant for accuracy.....the CAV is the biggest bang for the buck.

How accurate is the CAV and GTD vs a real GT40? What's mechanically different (I know the monocoque is completely different)? What about cosmetically?

Can anyone comment on the CAV? Build quality? Paint quality? Do most folks run the 302? What about Webers vs the Holley?

I have owned both space frame, and monoque CAVs, and I can honestly say the fit and finish is excellent.I have the opertunity to see most CAVs coming into USA. They seem to really be comitted to producing the highest quality product on the market.They now offer the B-1 flair option with or with out the snorkels, they have a race model and have just introduced the gt40 spider.
You won't be disapointed picking CAV.

Jeff. Vic is right on! The CAV has got to be the best fit & finish I've seen on a replica. I've seen three CAV's, two at the Carlisle show & one owned locally. It looks to be the fastest way to get on the road and drive insted of building one for a long time.
I compare GT40 replicas to ERA. I see ERA as the top, but the delivery time, build time, price of the kit, & the price to finish the car is something only you can decide if it's more bang for the buck.
Also, Have you seen the GT40 MK II in the museum ot Indy? Take a look at the fit & finish on that car for comparison, interesting!

So far, the only GT40 I've spent any time around is a friends "Mk V" Safir car...and the fit and finish and "quality" of that car is what you would expect for a short-use race car. The fiberglass is very lightly laid-up with pretty much complete weave showing and the body is incredibly ripply, the chassis is simple and rather crude and there aren't any "amenities"...in other words...it's not a daily (or even weekly) driver.

My desire is for a useable...fairly durable but reasonably accurate (monocoque) car that I can DRIVE and will replicate the thrills of a "real" GT40 without many of the downsides.

So far, CAV is at the top of my list but with two years before I can do this (for several reasons) I can see that there will be two or three other replicar options and maybe even the Ford GT option (though IMHO they're stupid if they don't produce it as a direct Viper/Corvette competitor and price it accordingly).

Bill
Hey...my brother and I drove 5 hours to carlyle last year with the white CAV/gt40. I must have spoken to you and you probably were even sitting in my car. Small world we live in. Since then, I sold that car and now have another.
Are you planing on going this year show?

Vic, You bet I'm going! If you are in this business, you have to go! I'll most likely be with Dragon Motor Cars & FFR. I"m hoping to drive my Daytona Coupe down, should be done by then. Man! I hope the weather is better this year.

For those who have been in new CAVs:

How do they run? Is reliability good so far?

Is the ride pretty decent or is it really just for 10 mile or less trips? Would it realy pass as a daily driver? I know this is subjective--my starting point is a Pantera, so I am already used to a still ride--no Lexus here.

Do they have any trunk at all? Do other replicas?

How is the sound deadening, if any?


Are the double round headlights an option in place of the square light?

What is the B-1 flare option? I thought all rear ends are alike.

Mucho thanks.

SDP
Yes gt40s are comfortable and dependable, however, dependability also depends on your choice of motor and tranny and who services your car. Most of us do the normal wrenching and day to day tweeking. You must keep in mind, these are replicars of a car built 35 years ago, there not very high tech which lend itself to being user friendly.
CAV does offer a wider hip rear,looks good. Some guys use 17" wheels with the B1 flairs. I prefer 15" wheels for more the original look.

SDP,
You can see pictures of the wide body with 17" wheels on my site.

Looks like you CAV owners are real happy. I am pleased for you all.

I would like to offer my RF40 for comparrison to any of the other cars manufactured. We are soon to release a FULL monocoque as per the original that has the full steel roof etc. This carI hope will compare well with the ERA and the new car from S Africa and that car will be endorsed and signed by Carroll Smith.

I have spent the last few days doing comparrisons with the GT40NZ car basically on PRICE which understandibly tends to occupy so much time for those on this forum. I can and will match the prices for these kits and will include REAL sized brakes and a rear GLASS screen at the same price.

Unfortunately there is a great difficulty in liking on manufacturers product to others. Only with a long time and therefore experience in this industry can a true judgement be made. I am obviously biased towards my own product but our quality is well known and the offer above does not change any of our products used, all I have done is remove and add to match the parts included in the NZ 'basis unfinished car'. I think that I can even slightly beat their prices for that kit but this will depend on exchange rates.

This kit will be use all of standard kit parts and therefore all other parts that are available from Roaring Forties will fit into place.

As a final part I do not charge extra for left hand drive cars and now include our dropped floor as standard.

PLEASE CONSIDER.

Robert Logan