Startup advice needed

After lurking for nearly a year I decided it's time to register...so here I am. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif I have been researching the idea of a GT40 starter kit and have found the following information (please correct me if anything is out of order):

DRB: Body/Chassis - $17,000 + 10% GST (Is this in U.S.$ or AUS$)? If AUS, the U.S. price would be $13,051 at the current exchange.

MDA: Body/Chassis - $15,686 (current U.S.$); w/ aluminum panels - $17,070; w/ alum. & brake lines - $17,532.

Tornado: Basic component Pkg. (LH drive) - $7870; Rolling chassis Pkg. (LH drive) - $12,370.

RF: Basic Pkg. - $10,500 (does it still exist)?; Rolling chassis - $21,500.

Am I missing anyone?

I do not want a turnkey, nor a turnkey minus. I want to build the darn thing and I don't mind the time involved (a 2-5 year project sounds fun to me) nor the cost associated with paying for parts over time. I'd like to get into a GT40 for less than $25-50K upfront and have some fun with it.

Any advice on the mfg.'s above? Pluses and minuses are appreciated.

BTW, I am located in the U.S.

Thanks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Ian K]

No, not missing anyone yet. All of the manufacturers
you mention are decent. RF no longer has the basic
kit last I heard. RF has a great build manual and is
very responsiv. Not sure about Tornado's manual, but
I hear Andy Sheldon is pretty responsive to his
customers. I heard DRB's manual isn't that good, but
again, the company is responsive (I forget, is it Peter
Darby?) Also not sure about MDA's manual, but
they are also responsive.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.

Ian

 

[dave harris]

If you've copied the price for the DRB from the web that will be in Aus $$ and you don't pay GST (but wait till you see the shipping costs!!).

If you want, I can send you a copy of the MS Excel spread sheet that Peter sent me to pick the items I wanted for my order - -

really a-la-carte ordering - just check what you want type of thing.

you would need to contact DRB for updated prices (my list in 14 months old now).

dave harris

 

Dave, thanks. I did pluck that figure from their website so $13,051 it is (much better than $17,000 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) but yes, I've been looking at shipping charges and my oh my.

An e-mail is on its way...

 

[Howard Jones]

First of all, You will be using this forum for the next few years and it will work better for all if you use your name as the poster, Also fill in the state and city, this will help other people know if they are closeby and if they can lend you a hand in person.

Find out about the body fit issue. This has been the hardest part of the built for me and will take several months by the time I'm done.

Transaxle, This part will turn out to be the most central for you. Study final drive ratios and how they relate to the driveablity of the completed car. Many people are looking for a way to improve the rather low final drive ratio of many of these tranaxles after they get them running. My opinion is somthing on the order of 3.5 to 1 for the diff is good 4.0 or in that range is bad on the freeway at 70mph.
Along with a FD of 3.5 or so a 5th gear in the .8 range is also about right. This transaxle issue is a big one and if you spend some time on it you will come out in the end with a car you will enjoy taking on long trips. Finally if you can, select a option that will allow you to use a Ford flywheel and clutch from a V8.

Oh and you will need AC if you want to put the windows on the car and drive it in the spring,summer or fall.

 

Howard, thanks for the response. I probably did make my name too vague, but it is my name (just backward). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I will research body-fit (are some fabricated "better" than others?) and trans. I was, at first, thinking of trying to put in a 4.6L mod V8 but now I think I'd like to stay more original and utilize a 289. Thanks again.

 

[Mike Dozier]

Matt

You should chat with Fran Hall (GT40Fran)...he's in your area and has a ton of GT40 experience.

As you can see...all these kits are imported...so you're
paying large transportation costs either way.
Would really be nice if someone in the US started
making space frame kits...one of these days...

MikeD

 

[Chris Kouba]

Also a newbie chiming in here, but I feel compelled to inquire about handling and road-worthiness in a couple of categories.

stiffness
waterproof
rollover
luggage

First off, having personally bent cars in competition, I look at the fiberglass roofs and shudder to think of these cars sliding or impacting anything on their topsides. I can imagine the horsepower being pushed through these cars and it astounds me that a roll cage isn't standard issue- both from a rollover and chassis integrity standpoint. Are there problems with any manufacturer's chassis being overpowered or flexy? I couldn't think of getting one without the overhead protection. But maybe that's just me...

Next question: how practical are they as a possible daily driver. Maybe driving to work or touring around. I am assuming there is next to no luggage space and whatever space there is under the rear shell would be smokin' hot. Is this a vehicle that you and the wife could "tour" out of?

And speaking of touring, does anyone use their rose-jointed car to do that? How realistic is it to expect a rose-jointed car to do street duty?

And if you're touring and it starts raining, how weather-tight are they? I know this will obviously depend substantially on builder patience and quality, but I guess this question should really be is it truly feasible to have a dry ride if it's raining with these kits?

To all out here, I have been lurking for a while and finally sucked it up to post... So all my questions have come blurting out. I appreciate your patience and look forward to learning a bit about these incredible machines.

 

[Ian K]

[ QUOTE ]

First off, having personally bent cars in competition, I look at the fiberglass roofs and shudder to think of these cars sliding or impacting anything on their topsides. I can imagine the horsepower being pushed through these cars and it astounds me that a roll cage isn't standard issue- both from a rollover and chassis integrity standpoint. Are there problems with any manufacturer's chassis being overpowered or flexy? I couldn't think of getting one without the overhead protection. But maybe that's just me...

[/ QUOTE ]

If you do a search for chassis flex, you should find some
discussion about it. Bottom line, some kits/replicas are
better than others. RF has some good numbers as far as
torsional rigidity goes, and ERA says theirs is stronger
than originals. But, if you plan on serious racing, get
a full cage and you should be fine in just about any.

[ QUOTE ]

Next question: how practical are they as a possible daily driver. Maybe driving to work or touring around. I am assuming there is next to no luggage space and whatever space there is under the rear shell would be smokin' hot. Is this a vehicle that you and the wife could "tour" out of?


[/ QUOTE ]
Rick Merz uses his GTD almost daily to commute to work (or
at least used to). Again, search the forum for this topic,
it's been discussed a lot. You caneasily fit a large duffel
bag under the passenger's knees wihtout any discomfort, and
smaller bags in the sills and even under the driver's knees
if necessary. There are some guys in the UK that make boxes
for the engine compartment. How light can you travel beomes
the question.
[ QUOTE ]

And speaking of touring, does anyone use their rose-jointed car to do that? How realistic is it to expect a rose-jointed car to do street duty?

[/ QUOTE ]
I haven't heard anyone say the ride is too harsh.
[ QUOTE ]

And if you're touring and it starts raining, how weather-tight are they? I know this will obviously depend substantially on builder patience and quality, but I guess this question should really be is it truly feasible to have a dry ride if it's raining with these kits?

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, I think even the best made GT40s are not all that
water tight. PATGT40's CAV had water sloshing in the door
when I saw it. I think he was going to find a way to put some
drains in it. I don't think you have to worry about water
dripping into your lap or head while driving if the body
fit it high level, but others have said they do get wet.
[ QUOTE ]

To all out here, I have been lurking for a while and finally sucked it up to post... So all my questions have come blurting out. I appreciate your patience and look forward to learning a bit about these incredible machines.

[/ QUOTE ]
I hope I have helped. And others will chime in, and correct me
as they see fit. I'm just reporting second hand info, not an
owner yet.

Ian

 

Ian, beginner here. I have built a shelby cobra in the past so I have some experience. Great info you have posted-- thanks much.

What can you add since your last post about trunk space possibilities. I want to tour with this thing and the little lady will have a stroke if she has to travel with a bag under her legs. It appears to me from photos one might find some room under the fromt hood. What about the side windows. Does anyone make a quick remove kit or-- may god strike me with lightning---roll down windows?

 

[Ian K]

Welcome to the forum for27.

FIrst off, I am still not an owner, but a dreamer. However,
I have been on this board since day 1 (including the original
iteration), and have been researching this stuff for quite
some time. As a result, I like to think I can provide some
unbiased answers based on my research, and try not to ruffle
feathers too much /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As far as places to put luggae for touring goes, here are some
options:

Don't know if I mentioned it before, but small bags can be
fit in the door sills if you don't put anything else in
there (like Rick Merz's wonderful speaker set up).

If you search the forum for "luggage boxes", you'll should
find some pix of boxes made by Frank Catt. Here's the link
That thread actually should answer some of your questions.
Roaring Forties was designing some GRP molded luggage cases,
but I'm not sure what the final result was.

I'm not sure about fitting stuff up front. I guess it depends
on the layout. You could probably stuff some small soft
bags in there as well.

No one has officially made roll down windows, and if they
did, it would most likely be a half window similar to
the Countach and Subaru SVX. DRB makes a hinged pop-out
window where the front half is fixed and the back half
swings out, hinged to the front. Again, a little engineering
and it could work. Peter Delaney has some posts about the
DRB idea. Or there's the possiblility of making a sliding
window, again using half of the window. Superformance
is supposedly making BTO replicas with power windows, I'm
sure they're half windows, but no definite info yet.

Hope that helps, and as usual - my word is not law, and I
always welcome corrections and clarifications.

Ian