Bob Putnam ERA ERA body work .

[M.B]

Hello, Bob !

I see that you are on the forum.
I would wish to get things straightened out.
To many rumours...
What is the fact/connection/differences between the KVA, ERA and the original bodywork.
Except from quality, wich we all ready can see our selves...
You did start out with a KVA(or related) body ?
This would be good to get straightened out from the actual guy´s, You !

Friendly questions,

Regards,

 

[David]

The way you worded your question(s)/statement(s) sounds like you already have your mind made up. If he says not related to KVA at all, would you accept it?

Dave Lowell
A know nothing, but a big fan of ERA

 

[M.B]

Dear, Dave !

I was addressing Bob, here !
I wished to hear the facts.
Nothing else.
As i see it, they started with the KVA bodywork.
Correct me if i am wrong !
And those were not correct "copies"
ERA´s seems to have the right shape today.
So was it altered(were, if so), or did they make new moulds from other source !
As the word goes that ERA make´s the most accurate cars(in US at least)
The MkII seems to be made from originals ?
ALL replicas, as far as i know has a connection to KVA.(maybe not one off´s and such..)
They might tell you otherwise...
Even saying they used original moulds.
Like every were else there are lyers in this business too.
I am interested in facts, not fantasies or romantic visions.
I really like all Replicas.
And i know pretty much about their constructions.
I just wished to get more info about the ERA.
Do you consider the KVA to be a lesser car, then ?
If i hit your nerve !
The earliest KVA´s are the closest bodywise, in the same range of cars.
Many of my friends have cars from very different origin, too me they are all lovely.
But they do differ a lot among each other.
Construction wise as well as personal work.
It is in the eye of the beholder.
I just want the fact.

 

[Guest]

Is Kva one the first to make a replica GT40 ?.
If I was going to build anything, I would be looking or talking to someone who had gone down that road before. In all businesses, they look at the competition. I would find it hard to believe other wise, lets face it they have all copied the original. We know the GT40 replicas are not all the same, and this is where you have to do your home work. A lot will depend on taking a close look at these replicas that are on the market. Does anyone know who makes the body that is the closed to the original ?.

 

[M.B]

Except on off´s, yes KVA was first, period.
There has been things called look alikes as early as from the 60s.
But in my mind, they just vagely reminded of some lines of the GT40.
Chassiwise they were not comparable at all.
KVA started the world wide spread of GT40 replicas we can see today.
ERA looks the closest, on photos anyway.
The rest is somewhat clones of the KVA with mods of their own, or changes due to massive copying.
You can see a lot of the differences just by looking on photos.
In real life it´s even easier.
I have´nt seen all replicas with my own eyes.
But most, so i can tell pretty much on and off´s.
Because certain characteristics made first by KVA follow the rest, that´s why you can see the origin !

 

[Bob Putnam]

Yes, we started out with a KVA/GTD body (so long ago, I can't remember exactly). It's my understanding that their original one was splashed directly from a Specialised Mouldings (OEM) body.

Then Phil spent another year straightening the skin out. Much waviness, panel mis-match, etc.

We also adjusted all the sealing lips so that we could use US-made bulb sealing around the doors, and completely redesigned the inner panels so that they sealed against the outside body without print-through. And, of course we added all the fresh-air in-and-out ductwork for driver's compartment, brakes and engine.

[ April 12, 2002: Message edited by: Bob Putnam -ERA- ]

 

[Guest]

Bob, thanks for the comments.

Bob is a first class guy. With all this Shelby BS, he and his company are one of the few that have stood up with FFR to fight the good fight.

I agree the ERA GT40 is gorgeous and one of the best around, as is there roadster (we don't use the C word anymore). I wouldn't know accurate from not that is for someone else to determine. If the GT40 experts are as good as the CSX experts then the "real" thing does not exist in one form. Race cars developed and changed so finding a definative answer is difficult.

Cheers Richard.

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

MY 2c ERA's are very nice. Lee Holman's are superb. As Lee uses tubs made by abby panels
I think his are closest MK-II's. The only thing that matters is to enjoy em, their all way cool!

 

[Bill D]

I agree that ERA's cars (C****s and GT40's) are by far the best replicas for the money.

Bill D

[ April 12, 2002: Message edited by: Bill D ]

 

[M.B]

Mr, Putnam !

Thanks for your excellent answer of my questions.
Fact is fact !
No wonder your cars are high quality !
You can also give straight answers!
Good luck in the future !
10 points to you !

Ken Atwell(KVA) moulded of an original car(MKIII) to make moulds.
To be able to get that Ford owned car, as working for them some new body panels.
Somewhere there he started building a replica as well.
Pretty sure it was a "mould off".
Then somehow, he later on started to produce MkI bodies. But remained with the MkIII doors, roof,end of front bodywork and beginning of the rear body work.
How he did get the beginning of the front and end of the rear to transform into MkI i do not know.
Excellent handy work or moulding...???
That´s why you can tell what origin most replicas have.
Great story and history of it´s own.
Details are more that this quick story but..
Some of the very first ones also got more detailed "from the moulds"
Then some tiny small things that only the real hard cases knows or see´s disappeared.
Ken atwell did change bodywork, made replicas, had his replica at Fords display´s etc... with their blessing.
So if you´d like it to be, then you could say that it was produced by Ford under license...

The GT40ies ended up different becuase of what the buyers ordered, and what they ended up with on the car in time on completion.
But they had a ready package.
A ready built car in pretty much one form with options like most cars have.
Speaking of Ford/JWA built MkI´s(and MkIII´s) at least.
I am sure it some what goes with the other versions as well.
All were not sold as race cars....


Excause me MK -IV J6 (i am sure that you just got it wrong here while writing, i do it alot as well...)
, but Lee Holman's Holman GT40ies are being built on Tennant chassis, Abbey panels burned down to the ground pretty much in late 60s..
With most of the press tools.
Tennant were made from original drawings later, but with handcrafted not pressed panels.
I think of Holman cars as genuine Holman GT40 MkII re- produktions.
As they are most accurate and he still holds licence agreements from Ford.
Thanks to all these guy´s, we all have at least a chance to make our dreams come true!


They are all great cars....
Thanks, this post turned up great in the end.
I am in for the facts...
Not too anger people, if so i am sorry...

Regards,

 

[Guest]

MB,
Would you care to stick your neck out, and give me your opinion on the RF40 and
CAV40.
Thanks Malcolm King

 

[Guest]

Richard Oben,
I have always referred to the ac car as a ac427 or ac289, to me this helps to keep things straight.

 

[M.B]

Hello, Malcolm !

Don´t really know what you mean
But the CAV is supposed to be GTD related and the RF looks to be.
Well then they are all KVA relatives for sure.
KVA relatives they are anyway, correct me if i am wrong !
GTD started their GT40 business by selling for KVA, then made modified chassis with KVA bodies etc...etc...
This CAV and the RF do impress me in quality, construction and out fits.
Gearbox, brakes,racks, suspension, interiors, sealings etc...
Very high standard thru and thru...
A lot of options as well, so you can get it like you wish.
I understand the pricing is very fair ?
Just a matter of taste...fine cars both.
In that case, you´d sure get a very fine and able cars that feels and looks like a HP GT40.
But non of them is cloned or so..
Nice cars for anybody, and especially for those who does´nt have the time or "skill?" to do it on their own.
There are a lot of nice replicas out there...
Just depends on how much, what to do your self, do you want to or do you have to?
Or do you not.
What do you want, and how.
Don´t know, ask around owners, builders
Try to be able to visit or test drive somebody´s or some factories car.
Don´t just stare at printed figures and hp out put on the engine...
Thanks to this level of competition for the company´s to get customers, we´ve had an explosion in quality and overall performance.
More competition-better cars..
Hopefully at good prices too !
Ready built car companys have propably spent more time on development.
More development= better cars.-safer as well.
Personally, i fancy anything that goes towards the monoqocue(or what ever it SHOULD be called, i like the word..)
But that is just because i am driving my self nuts with this originality fanatism or what ever it is !!!!

Regards,