Bryan's GT-forty build

[David]

The 930 has the advantage that the shafts exit above the centre line of the engine.
The 01E/01X shafts exit below and that limits how low you can fit the engine.

The 01E is a reasonable compromise if you're not running big power (rated for 450Nm) but it comes at the expense of that fitment and the engine will have to be higher or if required tilted "nose down" to fit.

 

[Terry Oxandale]

To add to that, if the inverted 930 is used, I found that a dry sump is required unless you raise the engine up to location that the O1E would be, which allows a shallow wet sump, but puts a lot (my opinion) of angle into the half-shaft. With that said, I did lop off the bottom 1" or so of the adapter plate because it hung lower than the 930 bellhousing, and didn't appear to provide any strength benefit.

 

[David]

To be utterly honest having angle in the half-shafts is not the end of the world. They're designed to do 120k+ at the normal angles, so what if they're reduced to a 10th of that by running them at extreme angles...at the kind of typical usage our cars will see that's 5-6 years use! Plus in the 930 sizes CV joints are cheap (not to mention available in high angle versions).

Don't forget as well that *normally* a SBF in a RWD car would have the engine tilted slightly rearwards, something like 3 degrees in a Mustang *and* in a GT40 the entire chassis is nose down (so a level engine relative to the chassis would end up nose down).

So by all means angle the engine to drop the output shaft level while retaining some oil pan clearance. I wouldn't be overly concerned at 4-5 degrees tail down.

 

[Bryan Koehler]

Been awhile since i posted. I need help deciding on chromoly tubing for all my suspension. I dont know what size tubing everyone is using. But i need to order tubing soon. Im thinking 1 inch with .125 sidewall thickness for all my a arms, trailling arms, rear a arms and links. Some one chime in of what you used??? I also bought a g96 porsche transaxle with factory lsd. This was suggested by the guy at G box. Im going to build up a roller 351 w probably will build to a 408cid. Let me know yalls thoughts thanks guys.

 

[David]

Lets see.

Radius arms were 25.4mm OD with 1.63mm wall. Think rear top arms are the same.

Front arms and rear reversed A-arms 22.22mm OD with 2.64mm wall
Bush sections were cut from 28.58mm OD again with 2.64mm wall.

All obviously CDS.

 

[Terry Oxandale]

The only .125" wall tubing I'm using is the lower control lateral links (front and rear). All other tubes are swaged (swedged, etc) .090", which includes the lower compression (front) tube, and all rear lateral links, and upper arm tubes.

 

[kyler]

hi there im a newby here and I was wondering what you got with the gt-forte kit ?
i.e some to of build plans ?
and do you know where someone can buy the flat pack kit now forte have gone tits up ?
cheers
best regards

 

[Bryan Koehler]

The flat pack was about 90 percent of the tubing for the main chassis. The plans where various pictures. And two dimensional drawings of front pickups for suspension and drawings for all the sheetmetal panels. There was some other various drawings. I now have a big library of data thanks to members on this site. As far as buying it, you would have to find a used kit or maybe ebay auction. I didnt know they finally shut down. You might go the monocoque route. Or just buy tubing and gather some measurements. And start building.

 

[Morten]

A 351W is too high deck height for that Forte chassis. Engine sits very high on the Forte engine mounts, will have issues closing the rear clam. Stick with a 347, still easily 450bhp from that. And just get yourself a Southern GT chassis, with great suspension geometry and it saves you two years of chassis build. The chassis is barely 10% of the buildcost anyways

 

[Kristian Flaem]

Been awhile since i posted. I need help deciding on chromoly tubing for all my suspension. I dont know what size tubing everyone is using. Butt i need to order tubing soon. Im thinking 1 inch with .125 sidewall thickness for all my a arms, trailling arms, rear a arms and links. Some one chime in of what you used??? I also bought a g96 porsche transaxle with factory lsd. This was suggested by the guy at G box. Im going to build up a roller 351 w probably will build to a 408cid. Let me know yalls thoughts thanks guys.

Hi.
do you have drawings for the suspension arms. I have a gtforte chassis that is finished. I need to produce the arms and rear uprights.
kristian

 

[Bryan Koehler]

Hi morten i do have plenty of 302 ho engines so i can definetly go that route.

Kristian i do have drawings for suspension arms and i have a drawing or two of the steel uprights gt forte had. But they are incomplete as far as dimensions go. I will pm you sometime this week.

 

[Kristian Flaem]

Hi morten i do have plenty of 302 ho engines so i can definetly go that route.

Kristian i do have drawings for suspension arms and i have a drawing or two of the steel uprights gt forte had. But they are incomplete as far as dimensions go. I will pm you sometime this week.

Thanks, that would be great.

 

[Bryan Koehler]

Almost been a whole year since ive posted anything. almost finished with home remodeling and i have been drawing a design for the uprights, checking suppliers in my area for steel, and looking for various parts--- steering, suspension, brakes etc... I found some Wilwood 2 inch drop spindles on sale so i decided to give them a go. they are advertised for use on kit cars and use mustang 2 geometry. i figure they are better than the Granada spindles this kit calls for. i wont have to worry about brake pad knock back and wilwood claims three times the strength of an oe spindle of same design theres plenty of rotor and caliper choices available as well. And finding granada pieces was not as easy as ordering these.

 

[Scot40]

Hi Bryan, not sure if your interested but I'll have a complete body shell, in a few months, with dashboard and windscreen that'll go straight onto your chassis at a greatly reduced price.
If you want my advice don't buy one from Darren, they aren't good to say the least.
Message me if you want more information.
Cheers Tony

 

[Nicolas VDW]

Hi Bryan, not sure if your interested but I'll have a complete body shell, in a few months, with dashboard and windscreen that'll go straight onto your chassis at a greatly reduced price.
If you want my advice don't buy one from Darren, they aren't good to say the least.
Message me if you want more information.
Cheers Tony

Hi Scot, sent you a message.

 

[Bryan Koehler]

Clamped some tubing to the frame

to hold the tubing for the side sill structure this weekend. Mocked up the assembly with the tubes reversed. But i dont see any benefits from doing it that way, seems a trade off. Being that the outside corners loose strength. And to be honest the tubing is just to light to resist a hit from anything. So i think im going to build it the way the plans call for. These cars should be driven with the same mentality as motorcycles.... dont hit anything!!!!! I also cleaned up my chassis and put some primer over the bare steel to keep corosion at bay.

 

[Bryan Koehler]

Did some more work on the 40 this weekend. i cleaned and primered the side pods and moved on to attaching the dash frame. picked up some steel on friday . i then cut some pieces to cap off the ends of various tubes around the frame.