2306
- Thread starter Boxerman
- Start date
Jack Houpe
GT40s Supporter
From the factory or you going to do that when you get the car?
1 set from factory with car, will do powedercoating here, all the rest will get here. Dennis says will orgaise, but open to suggestions.
Jack Houpe
GT40s Supporter
HOT DOG! Good for you!
Dave Hood
Lifetime Supporter
Sean:
Where are you located? Just some thoughts for the items you might consider for Dennis as he sets up the car:
- A decent five point harness with cam lock system. Really important if you'll be on the track with your car.
- Replace the Superformance speedo with an electronic one. Dennis has one from Smiths that matches perfectly.
- Upgraded latches for the window hatches installed by Superformance.
- Install the round vents in both windows as well. They let in a ton of air.
- 3M clear bra on front nose, where the filler caps will hit the front clip, and also in the area near the wiper assembly that sometimes gets dinged when you remove the front clip.
- Interior door latches
Dennis also has a number of upgrades for a track car, and it sounds like you've been discussing those with him already. Others will probably have other ideas for you.
Congrats on the upcoming arrival of your car!
Where are you located? Just some thoughts for the items you might consider for Dennis as he sets up the car:
- A decent five point harness with cam lock system. Really important if you'll be on the track with your car.
- Replace the Superformance speedo with an electronic one. Dennis has one from Smiths that matches perfectly.
- Upgraded latches for the window hatches installed by Superformance.
- Install the round vents in both windows as well. They let in a ton of air.
- 3M clear bra on front nose, where the filler caps will hit the front clip, and also in the area near the wiper assembly that sometimes gets dinged when you remove the front clip.
- Interior door latches
Dennis also has a number of upgrades for a track car, and it sounds like you've been discussing those with him already. Others will probably have other ideas for you.
Congrats on the upcoming arrival of your car!
Fantastic Sean! The car is gorgeous. More photos please. Latest I hear is mine is due in Michigan mid April. I certainly understand the "it's starting to feel real" sentiment. Until mine shipped and I started ordering all the related pieces, it seemed to be just a vague commitment and deposit.
Looking forward to more updates and photos!
- Jeffrey
Looking forward to more updates and photos!
- Jeffrey
Magic Merlin unloading another 40!!!!
Congrats!!! After selling numerous SPF 40s, I finally have one to drive! Of course the weather has prevents such but in my dreams........
You will not do better than Dennis, Merlin and company to build out your car.
Jack Houpe
GT40s Supporter
Awesome! To both of you!
That shop looks familiar! Hope everything is going well with the build at Olthoff's. I can't speak highly enough about their qualifications. 3000 miles later, including 4 track days, and my only maintenance has been adjust the valves, more for the fun of it since they were all spot on, and change the oil a few times. Dennis, Paul and Merlin were great to work with. Can't wait to see how your first drive goes, keep us posted.
Mike
Mike
Mike
Lifetime Supporter
From the man at the top Dennis on down to Paul and Merlin... all of them are always willing to answer questions and provide advice. Its only my opinion but if you have an SPF car, GT40 or Cobra headed to the states, these are the guys you want setting it up.
Sean, I love the colors you have chosen. I came close a few times to going with that same livery. I do notice your taillights are either different or the rear clam is molded differently as the tail lights are recessed where mine are not. Interesting.
Sean, I love the colors you have chosen. I came close a few times to going with that same livery. I do notice your taillights are either different or the rear clam is molded differently as the tail lights are recessed where mine are not. Interesting.
Dave Hood
Lifetime Supporter
Sean, I can only echo the other comments. I live in Charlotte, and Dennis, Paul and Merlin have done all my upgrades and maintenance. I've now got 8,500 miles on my car. Your car will be done right, and you'll enjoy it for many years. Your biggest challenge will be watching out for the people who sit in your blind spot with their cell phone cameras. Congratulations.
Car is at Dennis, visited it two weeks ago. The holdup is the transmission, so late in fact that we now have the mtor dynos so maybe can set it up better.
Its a 302 4.25 bore 3,25 crower lightweight nascar crank ultralite rods Diamond pistons afr 195 heads victor Jr intake quick fuel carb solid roller lifters ati damper etc.
485 ftlbs at 4900rpm and 570 hp at 7k with 563 at 7.5K so a big fat powerband to play with.
Its a 302 4.25 bore 3,25 crower lightweight nascar crank ultralite rods Diamond pistons afr 195 heads victor Jr intake quick fuel carb solid roller lifters ati damper etc.
485 ftlbs at 4900rpm and 570 hp at 7k with 563 at 7.5K so a big fat powerband to play with.
Yes T&D shaft rockers, beehive springs titanium retainers, 11:1 compression ratio.
The Cr ratio is the outer edge of what I think you can do with pump gas, I will add probably 1/4 tank of race gas with each fill up to be safe. But for moderate street use 93 pump gas should work fine or maybe with a just a little octane boost.
Spent a lot of time thinking about it and wanted to take a 302 as far as you could go and still have a streetable motor. Torque is great from 2k on. Started with a Dart 4 bolt block and big bore. Lots of $$$ went into the internals to make then light and strong, all internaly balanced and weight matched for a smooth rever. Crank and conrods really light.
The money spent on internals negated the extra 7K for efi stacks, consensus seems to be that a great 4 barrel is the way to go all a round except maybe looks.
Basicaly power comes from the heads, which in this acse were purchased as raw castings and then worked, response, durability and smoothness from lightweigt strong internals.
From my resaerch I saw it was possible to build a sbf as well as any ferrari or proche motor if not better in terms of reciprocating parts and combustion chambers, its just componats time and askilled builder. The downsides are the valvetrain with single cam and pushrods. Displacement can cover the cam limitation and to a certain extent shaft rockers and lighweight valvetrain lets you do the revs at the cost of having to set valve lash on occasion.
A euro quad cam motor may have a broader torque spread, all be it with lower peak, and the same Hp, and no need any valve adjustments, it would also weigh more and up top too. Comming from a Lotus weight is a factor for me, it helps tires and brakes and the 302 weighs a lot less than a 351 when all is said and done, plus the exra weight of a 351 is up top. A 351 based motor though can put out more power for less $$$ more reliably. But then a 302 is sort of what these cars ran back in the day, and the power here is more than plenty. The other alternative is a n aluminum 351 block with hydraulics, comes out at less expense, but you cant historic race that, and there is the temptation to overkill on the Hp..
As the vette guys like to say, the pushrod V8 is a extremly dense power pakage for its size and weight, there are certain limtations but in context of avery light trackable car they are well worth it.
Possibly I could have gone with hydraulics and called it quits at 550 hp and 6800rpm, but the car will see 80% track use, and sometimes you just dont want to shift as there is a bend comming up, and from what I have read hydraulics can take revs on occasion just not a whole lot.
Looks like at 7krpm 118 mph in 3rd 155ish in 4th and close on 200 in 5th. Then there are always the extra 300-500rpms to play with on top of that if need be, and a whole lot of torque to run down into. I figure most tracks are going to be 3rd and 4th gear, so not too many shifts which take time in a GT40 and can be a distraction.
The internals are good for 8K rpm. cam naturaly not, so even if shifts are at 7300 its a safe motor. Or at least that is the plan.
Now I juts need the gearbox done so Dennis can finish it off.
The Cr ratio is the outer edge of what I think you can do with pump gas, I will add probably 1/4 tank of race gas with each fill up to be safe. But for moderate street use 93 pump gas should work fine or maybe with a just a little octane boost.
Spent a lot of time thinking about it and wanted to take a 302 as far as you could go and still have a streetable motor. Torque is great from 2k on. Started with a Dart 4 bolt block and big bore. Lots of $$$ went into the internals to make then light and strong, all internaly balanced and weight matched for a smooth rever. Crank and conrods really light.
The money spent on internals negated the extra 7K for efi stacks, consensus seems to be that a great 4 barrel is the way to go all a round except maybe looks.
Basicaly power comes from the heads, which in this acse were purchased as raw castings and then worked, response, durability and smoothness from lightweigt strong internals.
From my resaerch I saw it was possible to build a sbf as well as any ferrari or proche motor if not better in terms of reciprocating parts and combustion chambers, its just componats time and askilled builder. The downsides are the valvetrain with single cam and pushrods. Displacement can cover the cam limitation and to a certain extent shaft rockers and lighweight valvetrain lets you do the revs at the cost of having to set valve lash on occasion.
A euro quad cam motor may have a broader torque spread, all be it with lower peak, and the same Hp, and no need any valve adjustments, it would also weigh more and up top too. Comming from a Lotus weight is a factor for me, it helps tires and brakes and the 302 weighs a lot less than a 351 when all is said and done, plus the exra weight of a 351 is up top. A 351 based motor though can put out more power for less $$$ more reliably. But then a 302 is sort of what these cars ran back in the day, and the power here is more than plenty. The other alternative is a n aluminum 351 block with hydraulics, comes out at less expense, but you cant historic race that, and there is the temptation to overkill on the Hp..
As the vette guys like to say, the pushrod V8 is a extremly dense power pakage for its size and weight, there are certain limtations but in context of avery light trackable car they are well worth it.
Possibly I could have gone with hydraulics and called it quits at 550 hp and 6800rpm, but the car will see 80% track use, and sometimes you just dont want to shift as there is a bend comming up, and from what I have read hydraulics can take revs on occasion just not a whole lot.
Looks like at 7krpm 118 mph in 3rd 155ish in 4th and close on 200 in 5th. Then there are always the extra 300-500rpms to play with on top of that if need be, and a whole lot of torque to run down into. I figure most tracks are going to be 3rd and 4th gear, so not too many shifts which take time in a GT40 and can be a distraction.
The internals are good for 8K rpm. cam naturaly not, so even if shifts are at 7300 its a safe motor. Or at least that is the plan.
Now I juts need the gearbox done so Dennis can finish it off.
