I think what I'm driving at is, which chassis is the closest to the original in appearance? Performance is relative to the individual. I'm quite sure most bodies are pretty much 90 something % close to the original in appearance or they wouldn't be called GT 40s. Interiors, I'm sure are close enough as with engines (providing you use a Ford 260, 289, 302, 351, 427, etc...). I was hoping to find a chassis that was as close in appearance to the original as I could so that when I do the build, I can model it after a particular GT40. Y'know, when I show it off and then open the engine lid, there's not going to be something that looks totally foreign to a '60s GT 40 in there. Now, if no one makes a chassis similar in appearance to the originals, then it probably doesn't matter which kit I use. From the outside, they all look like GT 40s an performancewise, I'd want the lightest anyway.
Am I rambling here?
Again, the closest chassis are going to be monocoques, and the most accurate are Gelscoe,
Snook, Mirage, CCD (David Brown), Gox, and John Shand. These are all supposedly based
upon accurate drawings.
Then, SPF (same pressed steel mono, but with some deviations), ERA, and CAV. RCR
is a very significant departure from the original - both design of the mono and the
suspension. Again, we're talking appearances.
Then you get to the spaceframe cars in no particular order - Tornado, Roaring Forties,
Southern GT, Active Power/Classic Reproductions, GT40 Australia. These are spaceframes
with riveted panels, and as such will look different just by virtue of the rivets. Also,
while some will look closer to original when finished, others will differ.
So, the choice boils down to how accurate do you want it to look? Are you a stickler
for mono vs. spaceframe? Pressed steel roof vs. composite? If you want lightest, Tornado
is developing a carbon fiber mono - it won't look like the original since it isn't steel or
aluminum, but it will be very light. Tornado's spaceframe is also pretty light, but monos
in general usually have the advantage with respect to weight.
Ian