CAV or RCR GT40 WHY?

hi all, I am new to all this so I have a few questions before ordering the kit
I have completed a FFR Cobra project before so I understand the whole build process.
I live in Vancouver Canada and I believe I have only two options as far as importing it as a kit car and being able to get help easily from North American sellers and manufactures.
this comes down to two kits CAV or RCR.
my questions is, what are the difference between the two kits ?
1) CAV uses a stainless chassis where as RCR is alum. but what are the advantages to this ?
2) Price, which one is cheaper to build and cheaper to start?
3) accuracy of the body to the original?
4) cockpit size, which is bigger?
5) suspension design, there's a shop local to me (Kremyr racing) makes aftermarket components for CAV gt40, are the OEM CAV parts not good enough?
6) build quality, which one is better. I see that RCR raves about their welding, how about CAV, are they on par?
7) FRP body molds, who has a better quality mold?

thanks in advance for helping me with this.
if you are in the Vancouver area, please leave a comment, I would love to see one of these in person and talk more about building it.
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
I would think that if you asked the CAV owners most if not all would be happy with their choice, and if you asked the RCR owners the same thing you would get a equal response. Both choices will produce a fine car and if done correctly, you will have many happy years of ownership.

Both designs have been in production for years and have undergone enough refinement to be mature as a product. This is a important point when considering "kit" cars. These are small cars. If you have not sat in one you should. The cockpits are very similar but only a side by side comparison would reveal any small differences. To a average sized person, 5'4" - 5' 8" and less than 200 pounds, they would appear the same I would think. If you are over 6' 3" and 250 I would make sure to try one on.

Both cars are as close as you car get to the original body shape with considerable refinements to symmetry. The suspension geometry's are very close and I would not expect any necessary changes to either car.

Build quality? At this point I believe both manufactures sell a mature product, however there are individual very minor molding process deviations in ANY fiberglass car body. As far as the chassis. I believe both are built on jigs and should be identical from car to car in a production run to individual professional welding standards.

Does CAV still sell a "kit" or do they ship as a simi complete roller that needs the power train installed like super performance. Where does CAV build their cars now, and do they have a USA dealer within the CAV company? Can you buy a CAV from a USA dealer and have it shipped from a USA address, and if so can you bring a trailer and pick it up yourself? Theses things are not a deal breaker in and of themselves but it is good to know.

RCR's are made in the US and I believe you can still pick them up directly from the factory if you want to.

As far as costs. You will need to do your own homework on that. The differences between individual cars such as engines, wheels and tires, paint transaxles etc vary wildly. Cost do also.

So........ Think about want you want to do with the car and make some decisions on options, then find a CAV to visit and go to the RCR factory and do a tour.

Good luck.
 

Bill Kearley

Supporter
Yes, Canada will allow the import of parts. Put Summit on speed dial and raise your CC limit. Make some parts in Canada and or ship some to your US mail box in Blaine or Point Roberts then bring into Canada yourself legally, Just pay PST and GST.
You are NOT building a kit, You are building a car of your own, on your own, as you see fit.
This site will be invaluable to you.
Active Power could work Walt, but Canada has a different definitions for a kit car and a car kit? Yup ! You can build a kit but not all the parts can come from the same supplier at the same time and brought into Canada in the form of a kit.
 
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CAV is being built in Cape Town in SA still, and yes they also still sell kits.
Not in the same fashion as RCR I believe, as they sell you a 'roller'.
My guess is the CAV is a bit cheaper to purchase, maybe a bit cheaper to finish but that'll depend more on what you are building and how much you are doing yourself.

As far as I can see, you cant go wrong with either. Myself I have a CAV and love it.. but as said before, an RCR owner will probably say the same.
On welding: I know CAV brings in a specialist certified welder for their stainless welding whenever a chassis is assembled in the jig, so they will have tops quality as well. (I saw the guy at work when I visited Jordi at CAV in January this year)
 
RCR told me that the kit will be shipped from London Ontario Canada, I wonder if any of the components are made in Canada.
that will for sure add more pride as a Canadian to build a RCR knowing that it is Canadian made or at least some bits of it made in Canada
 

Bill Kearley

Supporter
There are a lot of PARTS that CAV will ship to Canada, but in order to comply with import rules it's far from a complete car. You will have to make or source a fair bit.
 

Chris Kouba

Supporter
It is very accurate that these are not "kit" cars. It will be a very different experience than building a F5 car. It will not be a "insert tab A into slot B" experience. The "kit" will not come with everything you need to build your car (at least on the RCR end).

You might want to check through the forum and see who's in your neighborhood. There are RCR40's near Bellingham, Arlington, Tacoma, Bainbridge Island, and 2 in the Portland vicinity and I am sure any one would be happy to share their experiences.

Chris
 
If you want information directly from CAV in South Africa contact Jordi Reddy ([email protected]). I bought a front windscreen from him a couple years ago and have communicated with him several times since. He is either the owner or General Mgr or both.......

I have CAV #169 and love the car. Some of the differences I noticed from RCR was the interior finish like the dash leather etc seemed much nicer on the CAV.
 

Ian Clark

Supporter
You may want to look into buying a car already here and done car or a partially built or abandoned kit. Also it's worth mentioning that in order of magnitude the difficulty to build a GT40 is at least four times more work than a Factory Five Cobra and it will cost a lot more than you planned. However when its' all said and done nothing compares to a well built GT40 in home builder cars. Ok, I may be bit biased... but its' worth the effort.

Cheers
Ian
 

Bill Kearley

Supporter
What ever you decide Felix, don't have your expectations to high and don't hold your breath, it's a long process. I did sent you my number, not sure you got it!
 
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Joel K

Supporter
RCR told me that the kit will be shipped from London Ontario Canada, I wonder if any of the components are made in Canada.
that will for sure add more pride as a Canadian to build a RCR knowing that it is Canadian made or at least some bits of it made in Canada

Felix, I know the RCR SLC fiberglass bodies are made in Canada, I assume they also make the bodies for the other RCR models as well.
 
hi all, I am new to all this so I have a few questions before ordering the kit
I have completed a FFR Cobra project before so I understand the whole build process.
I live in Vancouver Canada and I believe I have only two options as far as importing it as a kit car and being able to get help easily from North American sellers and manufactures.
this comes down to two kits CAV or RCR.
my questions is, what are the difference between the two kits ?
1) CAV uses a stainless chassis where as RCR is alum. but what are the advantages to this ?
2) Price, which one is cheaper to build and cheaper to start?
3) accuracy of the body to the original?
4) cockpit size, which is bigger?
5) suspension design, there's a shop local to me (Kremyr racing) makes aftermarket components for CAV gt40, are the OEM CAV parts not good enough?
6) build quality, which one is better. I see that RCR raves about their welding, how about CAV, are they on par?
7) FRP body molds, who has a better quality mold?

thanks in advance for helping me with this.
if you are in the Vancouver area, please leave a comment, I would love to see one of these in person and talk more about building it.
Hi Felix,
I am new here too and I also live in Vancouver. I just saw your message from August of this year and every question you have is the same one I have!
I am also contemplating either a CAV or RCR. Did you end up buying a project?
It would be great to talk to you since it sounds like we are on the same page.
Thanks,
Bruce
 

Dwight

RCR GT 40 Gulf Livery 347 Eight Stack injection
It has been my experience that the finale cost of a kit Cobra is the same. It does not matter if you paid $13,000 or $19,000 for the base kit. In the end the builder will spend the same to finish his kit.
 
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