How much of a GT40 body is interchangeable?

After studying the PDF on the SPF website of the MKI compared to the MKII, I got to thinking... Once I'm done with my mechanical engineering degree, I'd like to build my own GT40 replica, but I've always fancied the gulf-flared round MKI body, but the MKII front fenders and hood (single nostril, pointier nose).

Since I'd like to treat my build as more of an "engineering" project, I'll be doing pretty much everything except for the body from scratch (including the chassis and body mounting points). I'm not looking for a "perfect replica" or even a track car, but rather a GT40 that I can take out on nice days and have fun in.

Anyone know if this is possible?
 
hi,
im no expert, on gt 40s, but, here in england, im building a GT 40 , and ive just got my body.... and its a MKI, with a MKII rear clip, and it all fits together, very well.
In england there are several GT 40 manufactures, but they all originated from Ken Atwells, first GT 40.... the KVA... so it seems the body parts are interchangable, so I would imagine if you got the body parts from the same manufacturer, then they would fit, but i guess the easyest way would be to ask them
 

Jim Rosenthal

Supporter
In theory they are more or less interchangeable. We'd all like to live in theory; everything works there. In actual fact, I suspect that you'd have a fair amount of modification to do in order to get parts from one car to fit on another. FWIW, I think that (for example) parts from a SPF Mark I would probably fit reasonably well on a SPF Mark II, but it's just a guess. For all I know they use two different tubs. You'd think that parts that came out of the same molds WOULD be identical, but from what I've read even back in the day it wasn't altogether like that.
 
I agree with Jim. Basically you have to know, that the parts coming out of the moulds needs always a individual alignement on every chassis (if you think in production line steps). I owned before a Lancia Stratos Group 4 and there it was the same. All the glassfiber parts you have to make fit on your car (of course the shape and every other thing is correct. But you have to cut away (may be) some material to your own chassis. It's not like on todays normal cars, where you can take out a door or a panel out of the stock and put it on the car.

Regards Marcel.
 
Thanks guys. You've answered my question. I understand that every body is different, and I'll do my best to get everything from the same manufacturer.

I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't a big dimension change from the Mk I parts to the Mk II parts. If "in theory" they should mate up, then that's good enough for me. I can work the rest out during assembly.
 
Hi Echo,
I am also a Mechanical Engineer and went down the same path for many of the same reasons. I can tell you first of all that it is a wonderful project full of puzzles you will have to solve that will bring you GREAT joy and satisfaction with each success! My car is a KVA except for the rear clip which is CAV and though close I got to learn a lot about fiberglass and body work making them fit. Great fun! There are also so many things to learn with suspension, steering, systems not to mention welding aluminum learning about body work and painting. I am so envious of you right now that you can start something so big and new and exciting. As a scratch builder I have lot's of notes sources etc that might be of some help, if you need anything during this process please feel free to get in touch with me and I'll help in any way I can. Also, as I'm sure you are aware, there is a great wealth of knowledge here on the forum and many people that will help just because they love the hobby. Welcome to the hobby and never give up on the dream.:thumbsup:

Steve
 

Mike Pass

Supporter
The front and rear clips should be reasonable in terms of interchabeability. The doors/spider however are more problematic. I know that KVA and GTD are quite different and are not easily interchangeable ( I have a spare GTD spider to prove it!). Same story with windscreens. However they are all fibreglass and all can be made to fit by cutting and shutting. I have seen some Mk2 bodywork that needed cutting into several pieces and then rejoining to make it fit. Even complete (from a sole supplier) excellent bodies don't drop straight on and are time consuming and frustrating to fit. A week to fit a body properly is not uncommon. A methodical approach with two people and a good array of bolts and clamps does the trick to get a good initial body placemant and then cutting, adding, bending and reglassing will get the gaps you want. Remember also that these were race cars and the original cars fitted where they touched with gaps you could stick your thumb through sideways and leaked like sieves. Good luck with your plans - there is a lot of knowledge and experience around to help you.
Cheers
Mike
 
The front and rear clips should be reasonable in terms of interchabeability. The doors/spider however are more problematic. I know that KVA and GTD are quite different and are not easily interchangeable ( I have a spare GTD spider to prove it!). Same story with windscreens. However they are all fibreglass and all can be made to fit by cutting and shutting. I have seen some Mk2 bodywork that needed cutting into several pieces and then rejoining to make it fit. Even complete (from a sole supplier) excellent bodies don't drop straight on and are time consuming and frustrating to fit. A week to fit a body properly is not uncommon. A methodical approach with two people and a good array of bolts and clamps does the trick to get a good initial body placemant and then cutting, adding, bending and reglassing will get the gaps you want. Remember also that these were race cars and the original cars fitted where they touched with gaps you could stick your thumb through sideways and leaked like sieves. Good luck with your plans - there is a lot of knowledge and experience around to help you.
Cheers
Mike

What I'm looking for is basically a Mark I body, with Mark II front fenders (the curvy, taller, pointier ones) and Mark II hood. The doors, spider (is that just the roof?), rear clip, tail, etc will all be Mark I. Does that make sense?
 
Hi Echo,
I am also a Mechanical Engineer and went down the same path for many of the same reasons. I can tell you first of all that it is a wonderful project full of puzzles you will have to solve that will bring you GREAT joy and satisfaction with each success! My car is a KVA except for the rear clip which is CAV and though close I got to learn a lot about fiberglass and body work making them fit. Great fun! There are also so many things to learn with suspension, steering, systems not to mention welding aluminum learning about body work and painting. I am so envious of you right now that you can start something so big and new and exciting. As a scratch builder I have lot's of notes sources etc that might be of some help, if you need anything during this process please feel free to get in touch with me and I'll help in any way I can. Also, as I'm sure you are aware, there is a great wealth of knowledge here on the forum and many people that will help just because they love the hobby. Welcome to the hobby and never give up on the dream.:thumbsup:

Steve

Wow, thank you so much! After glancing through your build thread, I'm probably going to take you up on that offer. I've got it all pretty much laid out in my head, it's just getting it onto paper with hard dimensions that's the hard part :).

Thanks again!
 
SPF uses the same chassis for their MKI and MKII cars. They just change the front and rear clips and add different oil coolers. I have a SPF MKI with the single nostril. I've put less than 200 miles on the car so far but I'm glad I don't have to look over and around the taller MKII front fenders, it's bad enough with the MKI. When I ordered my car no one knew if the parts interchanged as I wanted to order a MKI and MKII rear clips but my dealer was dumb as a box of rocks so it didn't happed.

There is some difference with the rear structure that hold the body, but it's just a bolt on piece, the MKII is much squarer and the quick jacks are closer together but nothing that couldn't be dealt with. Also the MKI has an extra scoop in the front clip in the center near the windshield. That's it good luck.

I think a MKIIA would be really cool as most people go for the MKIIB. IMHO. I think a rear clip from SPF is around $5k so save your money.
 
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I have a SPF MKI with the single nostril. I've put less than 200 miles on the car so far but I'm glad I don't have to look over and around the taller MKII front fenders, it's bad enough with the MKI.

Hmm. Do the Mark II fenders offer any aerodynamic advantage over the Mark I fenders, or is it just tire clearance and looks?

I think a MKIIA would be really cool as most people go for the MKIIB. IMHO. I think a rear clip from SPF is around $5k so save your money.

Do you have any photos comparing the two? From the photos I've been looking at, I can't really seem to see any difference between the two.
 
When they ran the heaver MKII (they didn't know there would be a B version) on the high banks of Daytona the tires came up through the tops of the fenders. A friend has a MKIIB so I'll see if we can takes some pictures from the drivers seat or maybe some of our other members can chime in with some pictures.

I'm vertically challenged (5'9") so it may not make any difference to a taller person. Being short is a big advantage when you're into GT40's. I'm also not a heavy person and there still isn't any room for my legs. It does limit your choose of dates as the passenger side is even smaller, oh darn. :idea: :thumbsup:
 
When they ran the heaver MKII (they didn't know there would be a B version) on the high banks of Daytona the tires came up through the tops of the fenders. A friend has a MKIIB so I'll see if we can takes some pictures from the drivers seat or maybe some of our other members can chime in with some pictures.

Oh, wow. So do the Mark IIA's have the Mark I fenders and the Mark IIB's have the taller, curvier "Mark IIB" fenders?

I'm vertically challenged (5'9") so it may not make any difference to a taller person. Being short is a big advantage when you're into GT40's. I'm also not a heavy person and there still isn't any room for my legs.

I'm about 5'11" or so, at most, so I'm not too worried about the height. Especially since it'll be a scratch build, I'll make myself fit. I'm not heavy either.

It does limit your choose of dates as the passenger side is even smaller, oh darn. :idea: :thumbsup:

;)
 
Oh, wow. So do the Mark IIA's have the Mark I fenders and the Mark IIB's have the taller, curvier "Mark IIB" fenders?

;)

At the front ,yes, but at the rear the MKIIA rear clip still suffered from tyre contact @ Daytona etc, so the slightly revised MKIIB rear clip has a more pronounced flare or bulge over the tires.
 

Brian Stewart
Supporter
So does anybody still produce a MKIIA rear clip? The picture below is of a MKIIA (I believe) at Le Mans in 2006. The less flared rear is quite obvious, as are the MKI style front fenders.
 

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Hmm. Do the Mark II fenders offer any aerodynamic advantage over the Mark I fenders, or is it just tire clearance and looks?



Do you have any photos comparing the two? From the photos I've been looking at, I can't really seem to see any difference between the two.
The front of the MKII had humps incorporated over the wheel arches because of bottoming at Daytona.
I have a picture of the Ford France MKIIB at the 1967 race and although I cannot post it is like comparing the 289 and 427 Cobras with each other, The 289 being the MKIIA and the 427 the MKIIB. All I can say is that the MKIIB is the MKIIA on testorone.
the rear clip is much wider the spare wheel sits upright next the luggage box in the tail. The MKIIA had the spare wheel under the front panel. with two upright luggage boxes in the rear tail.
The other thing externally about the MKIIB from the MKIIA the passengers door had the roof cut out removed. the door being "normal" Also a word of caution do not rely on what the cars look like now. The Holman and Moody P1016 is still in IIB configuration. And that MKII at the Le Mans Classic might have a pre Le Mans front Clip? Also I seen pictures of the original car with MKII and even MKIII tails.
Regards Allan
 
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You're asking the wrong guy about which front clip is better looking. Why else would Ford copy the MKI (the one that didn't win the first Le Mans race for Ford) when they came out with their 11/10 scale remake, I rest my case. I just hope my health insurance is paid up because the MKII guys may send Mr. Guido Cementashoes around to see me.

No as far as I know there wasn't an aerodynamic advantage because they went back to the “better looking” MKI nose to win in later years. Maybe they gave up on Daytona.

As you can see in the picture Brian so kindly provided the MKIIA has the shorter MKI style wheel wells but not a center NACA scoop.

When I build my second GT40 (lol) it will be a MKIIA, I even like the paint schema. I wanted to do my MKI in that two tone (white/?) but I wasn't sure what would be the correct “?” color. On the very early cars it looked from the pictures like a semi gloss or flat dark blue but it looks like the later cars used gloss black as the top color but that's only a guess on my part.

Maybe someone that really know what they are talking about can fill us in.
 
You're asking the wrong guy about which front clip is better looking. Why else would Ford copy the MKI (the one that didn't win the first Le Mans race for Ford) when they came out with their 11/10 scale remake, I rest my case.

Indeed. I wasn't trying to say that the Mark I's look bad, because the most certainly do not. I just prefer curves on a vehicle, which the Mark II front fenders have more of.

I suppose it'll be easier (both in build, and visibility), cheaper, and more proper just to simply go with Mark I front fenders, and then go for the single nostril (Mark II) hood.

I just hope my health insurance is paid up because the MKII guys may send Mr. Guido Cementashoes around to see me.

:)

No as far as I know there wasn't an aerodynamic advantage because they went back to the “better looking” MKI nose to win in later years. Maybe they gave up on Daytona.

If there's no aerodynamic advantage, then my major reason for going to Mark II fenders is gone.

As you can see in the picture Brian so kindly provided the MKIIA has the shorter MKI style wheel wells but not a center NACA scoop.

What do you mean by the center NACA scoop? It has the single nostril..

At the front ,yes, but at the rear the MKIIA rear clip still suffered from tyre contact @ Daytona etc, so the slightly revised MKIIB rear clip has a more pronounced flare or bulge over the tires.

Does anyone know what caused the bottoming out and tire contact at Daytona?
 
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