Ease of Use?

[Nick]

God bless you Mike.

In the early 80’s I wanted to learn about cars so decided the best way to do it was to build a kit car. On of the best on the market at the time was an NG TF mgb based 1930’s style tourer.

Had a lot of fun building it learnt a bit and had a fantastic holiday driving it down to Italy and back up through France to Paris.

Move on to 2006 and I got the urge to build another car, my attention came to GT 40’s and again looking at the best went for a Southern GT with the thought that once complete I could relive my youth and drive it down to Italy.

So I got a bit worried with some of the posts, even though I intend my car to be mainly a road car. So it’s great to hear from the likes of Mike who think it can be done. I already have a couple of ideas for extra luggage capacity my wife doesn’t do travelling light. Just got to work on the fact she don’t like going over 50, might require convincing her the Tacho is the speedometer to 2 decimal places.

 

[Doug S.]

I already have a couple of ideas for extra luggage capacity my wife doesn’t do travelling light. Just got to work on the fact she don’t like going over 50, might require convincing her the Tacho is the speedometer to 2 decimal places.

Guys, you are forgetting here the basic difference between us and women--we are interested in the trip, the wives are interested in the destination.

My best suggestion......fly the wife down there and home, drive the GT by yourself.

You'll both be happier in the end :thumbsup:.

Doug

 

[Seymour Snerd]

The rear luggage boxes are a nice addition. I fabricated my own (SPF with RBT).

Dave --

Any chance you could post some pictures?

Thanks,

Alan Watkins

 

[Michael]

My first post here...
Not wanting to hijack Graham's post, I've been wondering about the same "ease of use" issues but in regards to T-70 Lola coupe. I have a rather crackly Gp4 style Pantera and like to drive it whenever I can. The girlfriend is even happy after several hours and several hundreds of miles. Here is what I find curious about the little info I've recieved. Like the info given here, I've been told the GT40 can be an acceptable road car but don't even think about it with a Lola. ??? I've had my eye (heart) on an RCR70 and doing the research. We're not talking about real cars but replicas. Why would someone think an RCR40 would work while the RCR70 coupe would not?
Hope I didn't pull this thread too far off base. Thanks for any ideas!!

 

[DaveM]

Dave --

Any chance you could post some pictures?

Thanks,

Alan Watkins

I copied what Lynn Miner did:
http://www.gt40s.com/forum/how-interior-exterior-ac-trim/24607-gt40-luggage-boxes.html

Only did the right side as I have an accusump on the left.

 

[Randy V]

My first post here...
Not wanting to hijack Graham's post, I've been wondering about the same "ease of use" issues but in regards to T-70 Lola coupe. I have a rather crackly Gp4 style Pantera and like to drive it whenever I can. The girlfriend is even happy after several hours and several hundreds of miles. Here is what I find curious about the little info I've recieved. Like the info given here, I've been told the GT40 can be an acceptable road car but don't even think about it with a Lola. ??? I've had my eye (heart) on an RCR70 and doing the research. We're not talking about real cars but replicas. Why would someone think an RCR40 would work while the RCR70 coupe would not?
Hope I didn't pull this thread too far off base. Thanks for any ideas!!

Hi Michael,

I've not been inside an RCR70 - but in looking at them with luggage boxes in mind - the only major difference I can discern is that the exhaust from the RCR70 is not fully central to the car, but splayed out on either side more.

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

Here's my 2c.

MK-IV. Great driver. Windshield wipers work well. Leaks in the rain as no weather sealing. Nice cockpit airflow. Very confortable for driver but not really suited for passenger as fuse/switch panel cuts off knee room. Fine on the highway but you have to watch temp in traffic. Luggage boxes.

412P Coupe. Very nice. Carbs make her fine in traffic. No overheating. Passenger seat tight but usable. Cockpit warm. Air flow good. Wipers work as does demister. Luggage boxes.

P 3/4 Spyder. The Spyder configuration is the best for the street. You can see and remain cool. Driving in the rain is fine as long as you keep moving. Mechanical FI is happier at speed. Traffic takes some skill to drive. No overheating problems. Luggage boxes.

Dino Competizione. Very tight cockpit. Wear your narrowest driving shoes. With vents hot but doable. No luggage boxes. Carbs are fine in traffic. Visability is good. Meg stayed aboard for the 800 miles of the Historic Targa Florio but she got a bit hot.

Lola T 70. Great GT car. AC works, wipers work, no overheating. Large luggage boxes. No problem in traffic. I'll have her at Quail next summer. Meg will ride in her without protest.

P 4/5. Super, Super car. The only one Meg has ever fallen asleep in. Driving the Historic Targa Florio listening to Opera. It doesn't get better than that.

 

[Michael]

Hi Michael,

I've not been inside an RCR70 - but in looking at them with luggage boxes in mind - the only major difference I can discern is that the exhaust from the RCR70 is not fully central to the car, but splayed out on either side more.

I thought of that but the naysayers implied that the entire vehicle would be unsuitable. I can see that the roof area is narrower but the seating seems to be the same. I've heard that the Lolas are actually roomier. I
suppose the MkIIIb nose could be lower than a 40 also. My biggest concern was the ability to get a reasonable level of weather and wind sealing. Mind you, I'm used to Panteras that seal up much like a screen door. I've looked at all the photos I can find trying to determine if the Lola coupes have any provision for door weatherstriping without much success. Any other thoughts? Thanks again!

 

[Howard Jones]

Send a nice big box via UPS to the hotel you will be staying at. Pick up box from front desk apon arrival. Repack box send home via UPS. Pick up off front porch apon arrival home. How much easier can it be.

The idea is to DRIVE the car. Just like people who cross the country on a motorcycle. It's the whole point of having a hotrod hobbie in the first place. It the wife (stuck with her) or girlfriend (there's still time) doesn't like your hobbie then have her find one of her own. She can go to Macys and you can go to the track. Tell her the new dress looks wonderful and it was hot at the track. How much easier can it be.

If she doesn't like hotrods then it won't matter how loud the car is. Kind of like shopping, it really doesn't matter how good the sale is, I don't like shopping.

Men and women are different. Men like hot, loud, scarry and guns, women like cool, nice, pleasant and flowers, Go figure.

As far as the question goes, They can be made to work well as a road car. Quite, cool, soft. It's just the way you deside to build it. The other option would be to buy a Ford GT used. Quite, cool, and soft.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Frankly I'd rather have the real thing, or as close as I am going to get to the real thing with 1149. I like the Ford GT but it doesn't have the purity of the real thing and besides anyone can buy a car, it takes a lot more to create one, even if I didn't do the work myself.

With all that, I think a GT40 can be made to be a fairly civilized car considering its antecedents- ironically, in the sixties they were considered very civilized race cars and very comfortable compared to some of the other cars around. Cobras, for example, which were fast and won races, but weren't considered exactly plush. With some attention to ventilation and weather sealing, a GT40 can be an acceptable street car, but not in all weather conditions...

I hope to do at least one vintage rally in mine in 2010...I hope....about two hundred miles a day and a comfortable hotel bed, and a van to fetch the luggage for both of us sounds just perfect to me. Don't even have to pack the box for the UPS return trip...

 

[Chris Simpson]

I thought of that but the naysayers implied that the entire vehicle would be unsuitable. I can see that the roof area is narrower but the seating seems to be the same. I've heard that the Lolas are actually roomier. I
suppose the MkIIIb nose could be lower than a 40 also. My biggest concern was the ability to get a reasonable level of weather and wind sealing. Mind you, I'm used to Panteras that seal up much like a screen door. I've looked at all the photos I can find trying to determine if the Lola coupes have any provision for door weatherstriping without much success. Any other thoughts? Thanks again!

I understand that a genuine T70 coupe has a smaller cockpit than a GT40 - it would be narrower because the upper body is narrower than the body of a GT40 in that area.

Lola did think of producing a road going version of the T70 coupe and the factory prepared a version for Eric Broadly to try. When he returned from his trip on the public highway to try it out he apparently said "I don't think we will bother with that any more"...and they didn't. Ford, however, did produce the Mark 3 as their road going version of the GT40.

Chris

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

In my opinion any car of this genre has compromises.
The T70 has a longer front overhang but that can easily be overcome with a flick of a switch the car can be raised and lowered to overcome driveways or obstacles.
The original 3b is only 32in between the sponsons, but I know the RCR is 40in.
There was also a huge fuel crossover in the original that sat under the knee bolster...not in the replicas that I know of either.
Jim G uses his T70 on the street alot and John Coombs uses his RCR70 on the street also...with no ill effect.
Live the dream and build yourself whatever you desire...you are a long time underground.

 

[Kelly]

In my opinion any car of this genre has compromises. The T70 has a longer front overhang but that can easily be overcome with a flick of a switch the car can be raised and lowered to overcome driveways or obstacles.

Hey Fran, would you please PM me about that? Interested in what you have for front end raising.

Best Regards,
Kelly