Hi fellow GT40 enthusiast,
For about 12 years ago, started to Look to build or restore a Gt40.
But prices at that time were out of reach for me and first started to build a Cobra.
This was a good learning experience and forced myself to go into the details by building my own engines mainly ford strokers.
5 years ago I joined the forum to start collecting info
and last year I came across this GTD...
http://www.gt40s.com/forum/gt40-cars-sale/39919-zero-miles-gtd40-sale-sold.html
Noticed it was not build to my standards and a bit expensive but decided to jump into the deep so dragged it home without test driving it. It looked too dangerous and not safe to drive and I am not referring to its shape.
My plan is to totally rebuild the car.
During Christmas I started to dismantle it and oh boy my feeling was right.
Some issues I found which are actually scary...
Bias balance bar lugs were too small going half way into the tube jamming the brake pedal movement. The long rear suspension bolt was bent due to the shocks were binding the upright so all forces went into the bolt. One fuel hose at the fuel tank was missing it clamp and was rotting. The fuel senders were both rusted. I found an allen key in the fuel tank. The clutch fork is missing its clip so hanging loose. The fuel tank filler cap was missing a seal so water ingress in the tank. The pilot bush is not centered. The engine is full of dirt and sand after 20 miles ? The steering knuckle bolt was not secured in the cut out of the shaft. Steer wheel missing its nut to the shaft. The lower suspension arms were moving but with a lot of friction...the guy bought nylon rods, drilled the out and used it as polybushes..out of line... Chassis reinforcement bar offset where plastic tubes which were cruched while tightening the bolts... so not really stiffening the chassis at the rear...one of the brake discs is damaged with a grinder...low steel grade bolts being used, even stainless steel bolts which sheered off during mismantling the suspension. the question came to my head, what is actually good about the car ?
After some thinking...i know the answer... It is the potential being a good car :happy:
It is actually a confirming of my guts feeling not driving the car. The people who drove it 20 miles after it was build :drunk: may thank their angle. :wings:
Anyway, the car is full of crap so every bolt and nut will be examined and probably replaced.
Lot of these things can not be seen so my advise is when buying one which is on the road, to see if it had enough miles too proof itself first. In this case for gt40's, the more miles, the better the car is !
This is my top tip of the week.
The car is now completely stripped and in the coming years I will restore it.
The goal is to make a good road going car with occasional track days.
The engine which I am planning to build is a 347 stroker. Try to keep the gearbox alive. Airconditioning for sure.
Not sure yet about the paint scheme...it is now lotus green/yellow which in real life looks less worse as on the pictures..start actually to like it. The interior will become black for sure. And for sure all the yellow accents and stickers need to go.
Thinking of opening a builders log on the forum but not sure if I will find the time for it :book:
For about 12 years ago, started to Look to build or restore a Gt40.
But prices at that time were out of reach for me and first started to build a Cobra.
This was a good learning experience and forced myself to go into the details by building my own engines mainly ford strokers.
5 years ago I joined the forum to start collecting info
and last year I came across this GTD...
http://www.gt40s.com/forum/gt40-cars-sale/39919-zero-miles-gtd40-sale-sold.html
Noticed it was not build to my standards and a bit expensive but decided to jump into the deep so dragged it home without test driving it. It looked too dangerous and not safe to drive and I am not referring to its shape.
My plan is to totally rebuild the car.
During Christmas I started to dismantle it and oh boy my feeling was right.
Some issues I found which are actually scary...
Bias balance bar lugs were too small going half way into the tube jamming the brake pedal movement. The long rear suspension bolt was bent due to the shocks were binding the upright so all forces went into the bolt. One fuel hose at the fuel tank was missing it clamp and was rotting. The fuel senders were both rusted. I found an allen key in the fuel tank. The clutch fork is missing its clip so hanging loose. The fuel tank filler cap was missing a seal so water ingress in the tank. The pilot bush is not centered. The engine is full of dirt and sand after 20 miles ? The steering knuckle bolt was not secured in the cut out of the shaft. Steer wheel missing its nut to the shaft. The lower suspension arms were moving but with a lot of friction...the guy bought nylon rods, drilled the out and used it as polybushes..out of line... Chassis reinforcement bar offset where plastic tubes which were cruched while tightening the bolts... so not really stiffening the chassis at the rear...one of the brake discs is damaged with a grinder...low steel grade bolts being used, even stainless steel bolts which sheered off during mismantling the suspension. the question came to my head, what is actually good about the car ?
After some thinking...i know the answer... It is the potential being a good car :happy:
It is actually a confirming of my guts feeling not driving the car. The people who drove it 20 miles after it was build :drunk: may thank their angle. :wings:
Anyway, the car is full of crap so every bolt and nut will be examined and probably replaced.
Lot of these things can not be seen so my advise is when buying one which is on the road, to see if it had enough miles too proof itself first. In this case for gt40's, the more miles, the better the car is !
This is my top tip of the week.
The car is now completely stripped and in the coming years I will restore it.
The goal is to make a good road going car with occasional track days.
The engine which I am planning to build is a 347 stroker. Try to keep the gearbox alive. Airconditioning for sure.
Not sure yet about the paint scheme...it is now lotus green/yellow which in real life looks less worse as on the pictures..start actually to like it. The interior will become black for sure. And for sure all the yellow accents and stickers need to go.
Thinking of opening a builders log on the forum but not sure if I will find the time for it :book:
