Brand new to the GT40 world

[Randy Voss]

I recently purchased a KVA GT40 body and chassis. Original condition made around 1985. This was a barn find and little has been done to it.
It came with a ZF transaxle and what appears to be the stock suspension from KVA or? I also have a 70' 351W engine to go with it.
The ZF is apparently a 70's Pantera ZF 5 speed. Looks to be in excellent condition, but i haven't opened up.
I'm excited to get started on this project, but I need to finish my Fiberfab Banshee ( Shelby Daytona style) car first. Chassis is done and I'm about to prime the body and try to get it painted. Huge difference in the KVA GT40 and the fiberfab banshee body. Chopper gun VS hand laid fiberglass. The GT body looks fantastic ! I'm starting to figure out what I want to do with the suspension and the source parts. Considering C5 suspension, that's what I used on my FF car.
Enough for now, look forward to the journey and any help will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Markus]

Hi Randy,
Welcome to the forum - nice find.
About the suspension, here are some great KVA experts on the forum with tons of knowledge (not me).
Post more detailed pics of the chassis - there are different KVA chassis variants out with different options for improvement.
Also use the search function - this topic was discussed several times.
Have fun with your project.

 

[Lee Patterson]

Welcome. The ZF serial no. appears in the range of what was used on the Panteras and is the right -2 variant. But someone has gone ahead and flipped it and mounted a new top cover. It looks to me like they drilled the vent tube using the front-most casting boss, not the normal one used behind the mounting ears. That may present a problem when mounting the ZF into the chassis. I don't know how the KVA chassis is set up for a ZF (or not?). Same with the bellhousing lower mounts to chassis which are missing here. Finally, the output flanges are still those for U-joint half shafts, not CVs. Not sure what you plan to use as drive axles. Most of us have converted to CVs. That is not a Pantera bell housing obviously. good luck.

 

[Randy V]

Welcome to the GT40s community, Randy!
Please start a build log in the Build Logs forum, so that we can follow you along with this project…

 

[Randy Voss]

Welcome. The ZF serial no. appears in the range of what was used on the Panteras and is the right -2 variant. But someone has gone ahead and flipped it and mounted a new top cover. It looks to me like they drilled the vent tube using the front-most casting boss, not the normal one used behind the mounting ears. That may present a problem when mounting the ZF into the chassis. I don't know how the KVA chassis is set up for a ZF (or not?). Same with the bellhousing lower mounts to chassis which are missing here. Finally, the output flanges are still those for U-joint half shafts, not CVs. Not sure what you plan to use as drive axles. Most of us have converted to CVs. That is not a Pantera bell housing obviously. good luck.

Do you know if the hub on the ZF can be swapped for a CV type hub, if so where would I find one?

 

[Lee Patterson]

Randy - yes, you can buy new output flanges for the ZF that are designed for the Porsche 930 CV. But your upright stub axle will also have to match of course. I would reach out to Ron McCall who is a master ZF rebuilder located in Maryland. He is on this site. Also, Steve Wilkinson (Panteras by Wilkinson in LA) sells ZF parts and new transaxles. Both are go to resources for this box.

 

[Randy Voss]

Randy - yes, you can buy new output flanges for the ZF that are designed for the Porsche 930 CV. But your upright stub axle will also have to match of course. I would reach out to Ron McCall who is a master ZF rebuilder located in Maryland. He is on this site. Also, Steve Wilkinson (Panteras by Wilkinson in LA) sells ZF parts and new transaxles. Both are go to resources for this box.

I'll reach out to Ron and see about getting some info. Thank you very much!

 

[Randy Voss]

Where can I find a KVA dash or something that fits? Or should I just build my own? What's the consensus on the dash style, stock or modified? My car is a Mk I and I saw a Mk2 B that had a completely different dash that was more driver friendly. Rare car, original, gold in color.
Will I get banned for even suggesting a modified dash in Mk I ????????

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Where can I find a KVA dash or something that fits? Or should I just build my own? What's the consensus on the dash style, stock or modified? My car is a Mk I and I saw a Mk2 B that had a completely different dash that was more driver friendly. Rare car, original, gold in color.
Will I get banned for even suggesting a modified dash in Mk I ????????

Your car, your choice! Don't build to please others, do it to please yourself. Worrying about how your changes will affect resale is a dead end. Ideally your estate will have the task of selling the car.

 

[Mike Pass]

In UK for dash panel

Lee Dawson - made bodies for GTD, SGT etc.
[email protected]

Tornado Sports Cars

Tornado Sports Cars

Tornado Sports Cars are the Worlds leading manufacturer of Ford GT40 replica cars, kits and parts.

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If you post chassis pics the KVA you have can be identified. I have info and pics etc. for KVA. KVA bodies are good.

Cheers
Mike

 

[Randy Voss]

Here are some chassis pics, not the best view but its all i have at the moment.

 

[Howard Jones]

Ya when you have the time set the body asside and take some good pictures of the chassis, especially the suspension attachment points. If you have uprights then lets see them. You can't take too many pictures from several angles. You will want them down the line anyway.

 

[Randy Voss]

Well here are some better frame pics. Ignore the silver frame under the black one, it's a dolly.

 

[Randy Voss]

I plan on using C5 corvette suspension and corvette CV axles. Need to find an adapter plate to go from the ZF transaxle 4 bolt to a 6 bolt
cv style pattern. There seems to be a lot of this type of adaptation out there, but so far I can't find the one for this application.
4 bolt rectangular pattern 2 3/8 (60mm) x 2 7/8 (73mm) to a 6 bolt. I'd like to use the Nissan 350Z axle end, it's about the same size as the C5.

 

[Devin]

I plan on using C5 corvette suspension and corvette CV axles. Need to find an adapter plate to go from the ZF transaxle 4 bolt to a 6 bolt
cv style pattern. There seems to be a lot of this type of adaptation out there, but so far I can't find the one for this application.
4 bolt rectangular pattern 2 3/8 (60mm) x 2 7/8 (73mm) to a 6 bolt. I'd like to use the Nissan 350Z axle end, it's about the same size as the C5.

Randy, I found that my Boxster S inner CV was also a tight fit and installed them on my C5 axles. The only issue during my rear suspension fabrication was that I didn’t have my axles fully figured out and complete before welding my control arm mounting points. As it turned out, I could have narrowed each side approximately 1/2 inch but since the drive splines were so long that I added a 1/2” spacer on the back side of the wheel bearings and have plenty of spline & axle nut engagement. If I were to do it over, I would have done what I recommend above and would have 1/2” deeper wheel offset in the rear.

 

[Bart Dirkx]

Well here are some better frame pics. Ignore the silver frame under the black one, it's a dolly.

Hi Randy,

This looks like a KVA type A chassis that has been upgraded with GTD subframes. Looks very similar to my chassis. See also:
https://www.gt40s.com/threads/need-help-on-identifying-chassis-manufacturer-and-version.59103/

Regards, Bart

 

[Lee Patterson]

You will have to significantly modify the back of the chassis for a ZF to work.