MDA BUILD

HI ALL
I WILL BE POSTING BUILD PICS OF OUR CAR AND SOME OTHER PICS THAT THANKFULLY ARE NOT OURS UNTIL I GET WHAT I WANT.ENJOY
 
FIRST ONE
 

Attachments

  • 52998-11.jpg
    52998-11.jpg
    33.3 KB · Views: 661
Rack gator rubs on chassis member and catches on external panel,this is the original position before the whole cradle was chopped out and done properly,it is now central and below, so no snagging. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
Chassis,you will have to save and zoom in on this one,most of the panels have been replaced with correct fitting ones.In the green circle where the rear top suspension link arm fixes,this upright part of the chassis is 30mm towards the rear than the other side,we had to cut the link rod,re-weld in the insert.Even with the rod end screwed in fully it needed 25mm off the tube,we have also brought out the panel behind it to cover up some of it.The arrow points to an area that was twisted badly,this gave different heights for the gearbox mounts,its not perfect now but it will have to do.
 

Attachments

  • 53002-mdabuildmanual3054.JPG
    53002-mdabuildmanual3054.JPG
    50.1 KB · Views: 741
Here we have a panel straight out of the box it came in along with all the others,obviously this was replaced.These are CNC cut.????
 

Attachments

  • 53005-DSCF0028.JPG
    53005-DSCF0028.JPG
    36.5 KB · Views: 651
Hi
You must understand that the new MDA panels are not like these ones,they fit alot better,this is just me showing you what we had to deal with with are particular kit and to prove that we are not just talking dowm MDA to cause an upset and dont wish to put people off from purchasing what will turn out to be a nice 40.
 
Lee,
What do you mean by "some pics that thankfully aren't yours". If you have some photo's of problems that someone else has had, I believe that those photo's should be posted by them, not you. I think you would most likely be wise in posting photo's of only your build, as this seems to be an issue between you and Mark, not anyone else. I have received some anonymous photo's from someone with some information, and none of it was true in relation to the car that I recieved. Please, just stick to "your" facts and problems, and not someone elses. Let "them" chime in for themselves. I know your upset, but your emotions can get the best of you if not kept in check. Put everything down, and go have a cold one to relax. Trust me, it work. I've never thrown a wrench in my life, well, o.k., once I did, but I broke something when I threw it.
Jim Downard
 
Hello Guys, Hi Jim, You got the little fella in the parcel then (remote GT) Thought you copuld play with that while your building the car, although it may hold you up!

I have posted a reply in the Consumer watch section, have a look when you get five. I have really tried to cover all without losing my rag.

Best regards

Mark
 
Lee,
I took a closer look at the photo of the rear of your car. Your top links from the uprights toward the center of the car are located differently than mine. My links where attatching to the uprights, are mounted inside the hooked bracket that connects the upright to the upper link that runs forward. Also, does your chassis have the cross member that connects between the shock towers. How much of the car did you source from Mark. Things just look different than mine.
Jim
 
Hi
Yes yours does look different,could you take some more photos when you have time,maybe with the rear clip open so i can see alot better.
We purchased the body and chassis package,minus the steering rack and shocks.The steering rack is Ford Cortina as specified by MDA,shocks are AVO.Dont know about a cross member,does this also hold the rear swaybar,not sure if this is part of the chassis package or not.
Thanks
Lee
 
Hope to start getting more pics by early to middle next week. My manly reproductive system had a few modifications last Friday and I'm still on the mend. "No Lifting"
 
O.K. O.K, enough already, the car in question belongs to me, I'm Lee's father and if anybody has a right to chuck stones at MDA's windows it's me but before I do that let me tell something about Lee. He is a time served qualified engineer with excellent knowledge regarding auto-electrics and hydraulics, he also has the ability to see solutions rather than problems and considers the glass to be always half full, qualities that I envy and admire in anybody. I'm telling you these things just to advise you of the fact that he knows what he's taking about. When I considered the possibility of a GT40 I made sure Lee would be on board regarding the project. We chased a few part builds but always seemed to get pipped at the post, the thought of a new kit started to firm up, the problem was how do I get it passed 'she who must be obeyed'. I can only assume that all that planets were in complete alignment and the moon was a very agreeable shade blue because I got the o.k. to spend a chunk of our savings [so really, all this is her fault!]. Anyway, we did our home work and it came down to Tornado or MDA, mainly due to budget, delivery for a Tornado was at that time was almost a year, Mark[MDA] quoted sixteen weeks. The MDA package was also very flexible which allowed us to add or remove parts and we finally agreed on what I thought was an excellent compromise, the deposit was then duly despatched to Exeter. It was now late summer, which meant that even with a few delays I should have it before Xmas. Unexpectedly some extra cash became available so we added items to the package, mainly things that would speed up the build, we had envisaged sourcing a lot of the parts ourselves so buying off the shelf would cut down on some of the leg work, I was also assured that delivery would not be affected, great! nothing can possibly go wrong.
Waiting time was agony, afterall I had dreamed of owning a GT40 since my late teens [read my first post], ever since that soggy morning in Slough I've banged on about the GT to anybody that will listen. Pre-build hysteria was utilised by cleaning out the garage, buying and polishing tools and generally getting ready. Contact with MDA was kept to minimum during this time but whenever we did phone Mark always had time for a chat and everything appeared to be hunky-dory. When delivery was due I made contact with Mark to make arrangements and to let him know that I had secured the services of a driver, 4x4 and trailer but then it became apparent that there were problems, it would not be ready, in the far distance I could just about hear the faintest sound of alarm bells ringing. Weeks turned into months, I was given such a vast selection of excuses, only Mark and MDA know what exactly happened to cause such delays and I had to accept what I was being told. I finally took delivery just before Easter. Lee was waiting to help off load when we arrived back from Exeter, he remarked that it looked a little odd as we pushed it into the garage, I wasn't going to argue, after a round trip of nearly thirteen hours [including a breakdown]I was just a little frazzled. From here on things just got worse!
The first big issue concerns the ally panels, these were added to speed up the build, we had ordered a complete set inners and outters. Some fitted o.k. others were iffy and there were some that were beyond belief. Over the next few weeks Mark gently made us aware that the suspension attached to our chassis did actually belong to a Lola and could he have it back please!, that's why Lee said it looked a little odd, those alarm bells are now getting quite loud now. Emails and phone calls were exchanged over the ensuing weeks, some were really quite acid in their content. It became clear that we had indeed reached impasse. I locked the garage doors and didn't go near the car for weeks, this was quite a depressing time for me and I did consider that perhaps I was expecting to much from a kit car. Could all those stories be true about the early GTD/KVA kits when after buying your body and chassis you are also given the address of your nearest scrap-yard where you will find all the parts required, but that was thirty years ago, things must have improved since then! All this was not helping, my relationship with Mark and MDA remained cold. Something had to be done, so I asked for a complete refund which I really didn't want because it meant that I had given up, Mark was understandably reluctant to do this and in a strange way I was o.k. with that because it would mean something would have to give. The relationship began to thaw after Mark offered to deliver, in person, an exchange set of panels and swop the Lola suspension for the GT. The garage doors were flung open to receive this new air of hope and expectancy, oh, by the way Mark this floor pan you sold me, can't quite get it to fit, [MARK]....er...er.. that's because it belongs to a Lola as well! Will somebody please turn those bloody alarms off!!
Mark, true to his word did indeed turn up a few weeks later along with panels, suspension and apologies. We had a heart to heart over acup of tea and a chocolate hob-knob, he's a very likable fellow and passionate when it comes to GT40's. The exchange was made and after a few hours he went on his merry way, but I still wasn't convinced about some of the panels.
The next big problem was the steering rack, Lee has already posted a photo of that, the whole lot had to be chopped out and rehung. the pedal box was designed to fit over or under the two rails it did neither, this also had to be chopped and re-welded in it's correct position. there's other stuff which I can't be bothered with right now.
It gives me no pleasure writing this post, criticism in whatever form is hard to take and can sting a bit, we all like to be told we're doing a good job. I remember asking Mark why am I having so much trouble, I don't think I got an answer.
Somebody suggested that I must have had one of the very first chassis made, that's o.k. somebody has got to have the first one but it also implies that it's possibly inferior to the second, third and so on. We have all heard of the widget made on Monday morning, it does not conform therefore it won't fit, is that what I have sitting on axle stands in my garage? so come on MDA tell all, spill the beans.
My car will be built, eventually but it seems to be despite MDA and I don't know why? and I find that so frustrating. To all the guys who have taken delivery of their MDA's and are satisfied, great I'm pleased for you and power to your elbows good sirs[I've got no idea what the hell that's supposed to mean]. I'm now in my mid fifties and its getting late so I must get a jolly on and get this thing built and on the road. It's my wish to drive my GT along the road where I first saw them all those years ago and I'll take a detour onto Banbury avenue where the FAV factory was, maybe still is!
In a way I'm glad the cat's out of the bag so to speak, I've kept a lid on it for some time which in a way created a bit of a dilemma. I dreaded having a phone from anybody who was thinking about buying an MDA and wanted my advice, and despite everything I did feel some allegiance towards Mark and MDA but if I didn't speak the truth as I saw it, would I then be a liar? luckily that call never came. In time I'm sure Mark will iron out all the problems, maybe he's already done it. I still think the MDA has got good potential and I suppose I must believe it because I recently purchased full s/s exhaust system from MDA.
Well I've had my moan and no I don't feel any better for it, but perhaps some positives can be taken from my experiences, I would like to think so.
Regards
LorryT
 
Lorry,
You may have read in an earlier post of mine that I had built a Cobra some 10 years ago. I went the route of buying the chassis and body, with things like gauges, lights and such from them also. I dedcided, in an attempt of what I thought would surely save me some money, to purchase the suspension parts, axles, spindle, brakes, etc. on my own and from donor cars. I have since learned my lesson. The amount of time I spent finding, cleaning, preping, rebuilding, finding out that "Oh, there's a difference in the two axles, didn't know that $$$$$$", all the donor parts, I would have been much further ahead if I had purchased ALL of the parts from the manufacturer, even then, they don't always work. Man, if I had you on the phone, I could tell you some stories, I just have the life expectancy to type that much, and I'm only 38. I know it's a big pill to swallow to lay out the cash to aquire the deluxe kit, I saved for a very long time, but in my honest opinion, if you can afford it, it's definitly the best way to go. I think it prevents a lot of problems. I'm sure that things will eventually work out. I have no clue why you've had some of the problems you've had, and most others haven't. I tend to be a pessemist "sp", that way if something wrong ever happens, and for me they usually do" I will at least have been expecting it. If they go right, then I jump for joy and celebrate. Lee has already asked if I could post more photos of the rear of the car without the body on it. I told him I'd be more than happy to help, and if there is anythings else I can help you with, just give a shout. That's one of the things I like about the folks on this website, they're all willing to help however they can.
 

Chris Duncan

Supporter
Lorry,

Take heart my friend.

The journey is more than half the fun as the end goal. I'm in my late 40's and have been building my GT40 for 6 years, and it still looks like another 1 + year to completion. It was unfortunate that you got stuck as a guinea pig with an early production car, just make the most of it, you'll learn more in the process anyway. The car will be more "yours" when you've done more stuff yourself than you would with a more complete kit.

Don't "lock the garage doors" just find another part of the project to work on. These cars are so complex there's always several things you can be doing at once. Source parts, build the engine, do even little things. Make two "to do" lists, one of all the major long term things to do and another of weekly more specific "to do" items. The best part is marking them off with the highlighter.

It all takes time and with time it sounds like MDA might get their crap together, just wait them out. It sounds like they owe you a little bit more than you got, just give them time and use the forum to keep politely reminding them. They'll treat you right if they want to stay in business, but it will take time. Typically it seems when these kit businesses are starting it's all they can do just to keep their head above water. Consider yourself lucky if the guy is still even in business.

With your panels you can use them as a pattern to make new ones, just change where they need changing, developing the pattern is more than half the work when cutting a panel.

On your steering rack keep in mind that moving the rack in relation to the suspension changes bump steer and/or ackerman. Moving the rack vertically changes bumpsteer and longitudinally changes ackerman.

Nice color scheme BTW.

When I first started my project I bought a bare fiberglass body sight unseen from a company that was unadmittedly going out of business at the time (Integrity, ha ha). At the time I considered myself lucky. I drove 1,000 miles to meet the guy halfway on shipping. I paid $6,500 for what sells for $3,000 nowadays and some of the pieces are mismatched/warped and will have to reworked. The top of the dash waves like the ocean. I'm going to learn more about fiberglass because of that. I don't care though because of what I'll have in the end and what I will have learned in the process.

Cheers
 
Hi Jim D
In my opinion the short upper links should be mounted on the other side of the upright,to me it makes sense as you then have the upright secured from both sides.
Does anyone else agree or disagree with me?,does it make alot of difference.?
 
Lee,
You made me curious, so I started looking at other cars in the builders forum. I looks like Tornado and the NZ cars have that link centrally located in the top of the upright. The RF appears to be the same (in principal) as the MDA. Look at Simon Hameka's RF #081 build pages. The last page has a nice photo that show both the lateral and horizontal links attaching on the same side of the upright. Actually, I think that by keeping the intersection of the link ends as close together as possible on the x and y axis, there would be less chance of binding as the rear suspension moves through it's arc of travel. I would be guessing on this, but this may be the reason for placing them as closely as possible together.
 
Hi Kalun And Jim, Thanx for your input, your advice and suggestions are duly noted. Regarding the issue of bump steer etc., when the decision was made to chop and re-weld the hangers which support the steering rack Lee made some calculations before-hand and early tests would indicate that it's very close to being spot on, we will keep you posted on that one.
Regards,
Lorry.
 
Back
Top