Tornado Sports Cars

[Andy Sheldon]

Lee

The waiting list is not 2 years. Its 57 weeks but we can deliver a chassis in approx 17 weeks with the bodywork to follow when required.
What you must remember is that we have been building these cars far, far longer than anybody else. Since 1989 which is 17 years now. We have produced 100's of cars and have a proven track record. During that time there have been times when we had no waiting list at all and you could take one away the same day. Its good to be busy again. Come and see me at Stoneleigh and we can have a chat. I will be interested to see how many of the current crop of new manufacturers survive when the market returns to normal levels in 12 months time.

Thanks

Andy

 

''I will be interested to see how many of the current crop of new manufacturers survive when the market returns to normal levels in 12 months time.''

You have no idea yet how prophetic that statement is - but you will do soon.....

 

Hi Andy

I look forward to speaking to you at Stoneleigh kit car show.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[Peter Delaney]

[ QUOTE ]
''I will be interested to see how many of the current crop of new manufacturers survive when the market returns to normal levels in 12 months time.''

You have no idea yet how prophetic that statement is - but you will do soon.....

[/ QUOTE ]


So what's afoot ????

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

12 inches!

 

[Peter Delaney]

Nice One, but I'd seldom use it as a rule !!

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

 

I thought it was something attached to my ankle.

 

[Mike Dozier]

Andy's comment is interesting....he obviously expects his backlog is going to shrink in 12 months.

I would have guessed that GTD's demise
and the original CAV's demise bolstered Andy's backlog.
But with MDA, RF, and others increasing their presence
in the UK, it's logical to see Tornado's backlog fall.

GT40 replica interest in the US is still in it's infancy,
and I suspect US order rate will grow for several more years, barring some economic or legal disaster.

MikeD

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

I think if you read Ron's post that was what was afoot.
Sad. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Mike Dozier]

Pete

No idea if Andy knew of RF's troubles...but no matter.
This situation hurts all in the biz since it heightens
customer concerns that the same could happen to them,
so they buy a Corvette, Viper, or Porsche instead.
Sad day indeed.

MikeD

 

What did Rons post say?

 

[Charlie M]

I agree with Mike's statement that this will hurt the industry as a whole. Having been personally affected by the RF situation, I can say that if this works out like I fear it will, this will end any hope of mine to own a GT40 replica. At least a couple of others shared the same sentiment on the other thread.

I't's not just the financial piece of it, one can always make more money, it's the loss of trust and confidence in the industry that will take a long time to recover from.

It will probably take months for this thing to play out but if I end up with no car out of this, my next project will most likely be a restoration.

Charlie

 

[Andy Sheldon]

JPC

I had no idea about the RF situation but after 17 years producing 40's I can read the market like a book.

When I heard about RF I felt very sorry for Robert Logan, right up until the time I remembered it was our car he took to Australia to ripp off and use pictures of in his sales brochures.

Take it from me RF is not the first and they will not be the last.

Andy

 

[Chris Martino]

I promised myself I wouldn't step into this affair so I'll just throw out an observation and nothing more.

With Superformance and CAV running at full speed, their operations long established before RF arrived, I honestly don't know how they got by this long without supplier issues? As we all know - no parts, no car.

Chris

 

[Ian K]

Chris,

Best to clarify - that is respect to South Africa. RF was up
and running in Australia well before CAV was up and running
in SA. But yes, with CAV and SPF running full bore in SA, RF's
SA operations would definitely struggle to find suppliers.

Ian

 

[Chris Martino]

Hey Ian,

Yes, SA is what I meant. I also wonder what it's like to run a business in SA, this is a stretch but - that country is far from stable in terms of corruption and such, so I hope being the "new kid on the block" didn't have any ill effects - if you know what I mean...

I just realised I was talking in past tense with respect to RF so my apologies if I offended anyone, my wish is for only the best for all involved and that will conclude my comments on this topic until more is known.

Chris

 

[Ian K]

Yeah, I imagine things in SA can get pretty hairy. Just the
CAV/AutoFutura/? saga a few years ago showed us that.

Ian

 

I agree with Charlie Murphy! I been involved in the Kit Plane, Race Car & Kit Car industry since the sixties, and it has taken a long time to get the level of confidence of the Kit Car Builder up to the level that it has reached in recent years. ERA and Factory Five have brought that level of professionalism up to a high level in recent years. These two are the ones that I thought of first. I don't mean to slight any other Replica or Kit Car manufacturer here. We have come a long way since the VW based Kit Car and I feel we have been knocked back to the seventies. What's really going to hurt the industry, is what's not being said on this forum, but "word of mouth" advertising! I hope it doesn't take another twenty or thirty years to get buyer confidence up.
I don't think it's supplier issues cause the failure of a business, but poor management and being under financed is what I've seen. Not being properly funded is the big one that usually kills a business.
I'm optimistic about the future of the Replica & Kit Car business. I must say, that for the past five years, at least one per month, I've been getting calls from people wanting to be a GT40 Kit Car Manufacturer. Not many have a business plan or the money!! They all have a low price in mind to sell a million of them, and then try to build to it.
From this point on, it might be a different game for everyone to play!

 

[Chris Martino]

Suppliers are the life and death of these specialty builders, it doesn't matter what grand ideals you may have, how cheap you can make them - if you can't get the 120 individual suppliers in line and delivering on time and for the price you want to pay - don't even think about geting into this business. The majority parts are not made anymore and to find a company that is happy to supply you with such a small monthly quantity of parts to feed their business and employees is seldom heard of. That my friends, is why we need to give those who survive the benefit of the doubt when there are delays because more often than not - that small washer you need for a vintage wiper motor may be all that delays your order...

I have respect for these guys - they know how to run it - despite all WE think we know, we don't.

Chris

 

[Mike Dozier]

Chris

Trying to supply a "complete" nut and bolt kit definitely stretches a small company, since it takes as many man hours to order/expedite/inventory that washer as it does all the other pieces/parts that make up a "complete" car.

But proper management include contingencies such as having a second supplier identified of critical components, in case a delay or stoppage by your primary supplier threatens your business. Few customers have a problem with small back ordered parts, so long as they are supplied in a reasonable time.

Lengthy delays on critical parts is poor management,
and missing multiple promise dates is even poorer
management. Customer's do not lose faith in companies
with long leadtimes...they lose faith in companies that
don't make the leadtimes they've promised.

So hat's off to Tornado, ERA, FFR, Unique, etc etc who have managed to stay the course in a cyclical business over many years. You're right that it's not easy...otherwise we'd have dozens of wanna be's selling GT40s (using Bill's bodies).

MikeD