Toronado

I am looking for a kit and compairing the different manufactures. Has anyone had any experience with the Toronado GT40 Made in your country. How does it compare with some of the other cars like the Roaring40's or the CAV.
Thank you/David

I run a Tornado that I brought from a chap who built it over a period of four years, some three years ago, although I'm not really qualified to speak on the technical build side I have covered over 6000 miles trouble free motoring, (other than a slight problem with a spigot bearing)I have found the Kit to be extremely well made.
There are a few subtle differences bodywise to the GTD but that will be only noticed by the discerning eye, although I am told that the Tornado chassis is consierebly lighter than the GTD.
Perhaps Brian Magee could comment on this topic as he has done some work on my car and could make a straight comparison between the two types of kit good or bad.
Over to you Brian !

Regards
Ian

I am considering purchasing a Tornado kit, but i am concerned about the proportions of the body. Could you tell me specifically what the differences are between the GTD's body and the Tornado's?

You could always try MDA as well - www.gt40uk.com

Roughly.....
They are basically the same...
Comes from the same origin...
They all do...
Early GTD´s had KVA chassis or Early GTD´s had Kva bodies etc...
They first started to make ad on sections to existing KVA chassis and then further on...
A bit of slight differences due to moulds have to be repaired, and that they all tends to difference due to were in the line they were made...
AN old 'KVA is not the same as a newer one etc...
So not to much differences due to altering etc..
Inner panels a bit different.
But that´s apples and pears..
as they all lack the true internals, with tunneling etxc...
Also that by some reason GTD altered the rear arches a bit, and in my opinion made a negative move of the part were the rear body clips attaches.
So therefore it is very easy to establish GTD´s or their offsprings.

Ian (perrys) suggested I should answer this question so I thought I had better.
I had Ian's Tornado in the same garage as my GTD. they were side by side but facing opposite directions. I could open the Tornado drivers door almost fully but when I opened my door it hit Ian's car. (sorry Ian). When I measured them the Tornado door opening was about 1" narrower. Also if you put a straight edge along the roof of the GTD lengthways between the doors, you can roll it from the windscreen right back to the rear window. If you do the same to the Tornado, when you pass the rear of the door cut outs in the roof, it goes flat to the rear window. there seem to be a lot of differences between the two bodies. Going back to the original question, The GTD is a much more robust car in the design of its chassis and the layup of the body panels. This does not mean the Tornado is inferior, jost that it is built more in the style of Colin Chapman, not Eric Broadley. It comes down to the old saying, "you pays your money, you takes your choice"

Brian.

They all are of the same origin, from the beginning..
They might of course have made unbeliberate mods during the years etc..
And the never ending process...

But those changes and differences are minor, if you compare all of them to original bodywork..

Marco,

Hello again from the USA. I notice you're a full member on the forum...it couldn't happen to a better guy. How's your GT40 coming along?

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the length of the KVA 158" whereas the originals were 165"? I don't know about the Tornado but the KVA always looked short to me, as compared to those that raced.

Have fun!

John

Hello, John !

Thanks,
How is yours coming along ?
I am getting there, but slowly...

And i know that you are one of the good guys..

I am sitting here, at my pc not to sure about the actual figures.
But it is not unlikely.
The whole rear should be raised..etc..
(there´s nothing correct,if you have to compare)
But they all look very good.
If one thing is slightly altered, the rest follows..
That´s is how they were made..
It also depends on how "Sherlock holme eyed "you wanna be !
I do not wish to stirr things up...
I am only speaking facts..
No x vs. y ..

Marco,

Mine is coming along slowly. We're still waiting for the rain to cease so we can get the Pantera frame to the hangar to be shortened (about 5").

Yes, I too like the "overall looks" of ALL the various GT40 builds. I had a brochure a long time ago from Integrity and I seem to remember the KVA as advertised at 158" in length. I also have an article in Road and Track about Phil Hill, John Wyer and #1075 that states #1075 as being 165" in length.

Have fun!

John

Cheers guys,

That helps a lot. I was worried that there might be kits that had some very noticeable differences to the original, like the GTD with the altered rear wheel arches. As far as the Colin Chapman, Eric Broadley comparison goes the amount of cash at my disposal dictates the Colin Chapman approach! But i am very much a fan of his work anyway, if the Tornado is a bit shorter and lighter surely that got to be good for the handling?

Marco,
What kit's your car based on?, Any problems with getting the car approved for the road (SVA or equivalent) over there?

Hello, Space Monkey !
All kits are different...to originals..
All have altered arches, but some like GTD have altered it further etc...
But they all shear about the same dimensions roughly.
Then some mods differs to...
They are all good cars...depends on your taste and what kind of money you want to spend.
Marco,
If you are building over here with good comunication during the build.
It is not thast hard.
Mostly smallthings to get as required, like a overkill MOT.
But then there´s the noice levels, that must be below some certain level i can not remeber by heart.
Pretty low on the Db scale anyway...
And then you pay a few fees to authorities.
Even a exhaust dispense fee, wich is pretty high.
If you don´t want to start working with cathalytic silencers etc,,,that is !
Only alloud a certain amount of HP´s etc...per kilo of car weight.
But if you like more, you can apply for it.another fee.
But you can also say you only got a 134hp 302 van engine...
And as it is registered the first time...
Then you are home free..
Tune and alter...
Roughly...
Pay up and get the noice at level...

Marco,

I'm curious about your build. Do you have the roof for it? My original triplex windscreen has more curvature than the replica screens and I was wondering what yours was, as per our emails.

Have fun!

John