Luke's MK3 KVA build

[Luke]

Hi everyone after i introduced myself previously I thought it would be wise to start a build thread. My name is Luke and i bought some ropey old bits of fibre glass , and engine in many pieces and questionable gearbox and a assortment of other crap

so .... I bought a couple of years ago a MK3 KVA from a hedge in Barry island in south Wales. The car has a known history and was bought by a fellow GT40 club member stripped and this body was sold/discarded in the process whilst he retained the chassis running gear. Luckily for me I have access and secured a 1984 KVA chassis that is brand new so looking to build a new car from it retaining the MK3 body. Initially I would of loved a mk2 ideally but the MK3 is different and I've grown to really like it as i have researched more and the fact you rarely see them. there are some amazing builds on here and are incredibly inspiring.

Im a bodywork guy and a reasonable fabricator so looking to do most of the work myself and learn as much as i can. i never thought i would ever have the opportunity to own a gt40 rep so i am currently selling other cars and assets to fund the build.

initial plan is

302 motor that I already have all be it in bits

Audi transaxle again I have acquired

Retain the KVA suspension on the front the rear end. The new chassis will need to be lengthened for the MK3 body so going to have modify it.

I still go loads to learn and figure out but assembling parts over time. my best mate has a MK1 gt40 so its cool we are building both cars in tandem all be it in different directions.

I look forward to researching and speaking to you guys. the body is in really rough shape so I have plenty of work ahead of me.

I am a Motorsport engineering college lecturer by trade so student labour is always helpful and will be exploited no doubt during the build .

Cheers

Luke

 

[Randy V]

Personally, I really like the KVAs and will be following your progress here! Thanks for sharing your build!

 

[Luke]

so here are some pictures from the for sale advert off Facebook. i was incredibly lucky to get it and was all thanks to my mate Pete. i found his GT40 in Cambridge just before COVID so he very kindly returned the favour and found me this body and gave me his spare chassis that is surplus to his requirements . I have been slowly accumulating parts for it since. Between Christmas and new year i even took a 7 hour trip to Edinburgh (I'm from Weston super mare Somerset) to buy a dash board on Facebook market place and some gearbox brackets and drawings !

 

[Mike Pass]

Do you have the first type of chassis with the complete Cortina Mk3 front axle and trailing arm rear suspension or the later C type chassis with double wishbone front suspension and original style trailing link and reversed lower wishbone? KVA bodywork is OK.
I have some KVA information that I have collected over 20 years. Also pics of both chassis types. Drop me a PM if of interest to you.
Cheers
Mike

 

[Luke]

Do you have the first type of chassis with the complete Cortina Mk3 front axle and trailing arm rear suspension or the later C type chassis with double wishbone front suspension and original style trailing link and reversed lower wishbone? KVA bodywork is OK.
I have some KVA information that I have collected over 20 years. Also pics of both chassis types. Drop me a PM if of interest to you.
Cheers
Mike

Hi Mike I believe i have the first type of chassis , that would be really helpful thanks

 

[Mike Pass]

Yes. That is the early type with the complete Cortina Mk3 front axle and fabricated trailing arms at the rear.
I don't know if you can send a PM until you have 20 posts - to prevent spammers.
Cheers
Mike

 

[Luke]

Yes. That is the early type with the complete Cortina Mk3 front axle and fabricated trailing arms at the rear.
I don't know if you can send a PM until you have 20 posts - to prevent spammers.

I have just checked ad you have sent me across the files already , thanks again for that

 

[Luke]

My students got stuck into stripping down the front subframe last week (bloody heavy) so got to look at getting the bushes removed and sourcing new ideally poly bushes once the subframe, arms etc have been blasted and powder coated. We have some blast cabinets at work (vapour and crushed glass) so that should keep my level 2s entertained for a while any up grades for these? weight loss would be nice

 

[frank beuker]

It dependance on how far do you want to change (upgrade ) the chassis?

 

[Luke]

It dependance on how far do you want to change (upgrade ) the chassis?

I can't afford that unfortunately, plan is to try and keep it simple as possible to get it working and usable for what I can afford to do. Never going to sell it so just have to upgrade slowly over time

 

[Mike Pass]

Cortina Mk3 parts can be obtained from Burton Power here

https://www.burtonpower.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Cortina+Mk3

Cheers
Mike

 

[Steve Dean]

Hi Luke,
Only just seen your thread as I've been away with my GT40 at a show all weekend. Looking at the photo's do I assume that this KVA has never been completed, submitted to what was previously the SVA test and then registered. If not and you intend to get the car registered it will now need to comply with the current IVA test requirements. The 'game' has moved on substantially and the current IVA is hugely more complex. Building a car from an old kit has many challenges as many parts will not be compliant.
As you may (or not) know there can now only be ONE reconditioned part in the build to get a current registration number. In the case of your KVA it will be issued with a Q registration.
I'm pleased Mike Pass has seen your build as he's a good source of input on KVA's.
I'm sure you may have heaps of questions ....... so fire away. The people on this forum have huge amounts of knowledge and experience and we are here to help.
Best regards
Steve.

 

[Luke]

Hi Steve ,

Cheers for the message, hope you had a good weekend

This kit was built at a time but the identity and original chassis was taken and is in use with another member. I have a new KVA chassis that I'm planning to build on

so I used to work for GTO engineering and building the SWB recreations so have some decent understanding of the IVA rules there's are certain grey area when it comes to "re bodying cars " and that's how GTO and other companies get away with having old identities in essentially rebuilt cars, above or below board ether way I still can't get my head round it. when I left GTO there were at least 28 New SWB Ferrari's with original Ferrari logbooks for un related models of which the original bodies were burnt , derelict or essentially scrap around the back.

So This so it is at the back of my mind. End of the day I can't afford to buy all new stuff or buy a kit so it will be what it will be if it's a Q plate so be it I just want to build my dream car.

 

[Luke]

 

[Luke]

These were before I owned the car. Originally fitted with a BMW V8 the chap I got it off was going to re body a lotus Elise with it

 

[Steve Dean]

Hi again Luke ....... you've caused me do some checking and I can see that Q923UHB is currently taxed and MOT'd and is currently Black and correctly registered as a KVA.
So now I understand ....... you are using some of the bits you acquired plus some other parts (new or second-hand) and fitting them to the previously unused KVA chassis you have acquired. This will absolutely result in a Q plate.
If you haven't already, you need to download or purchase the current IVA documents. It is now a large and complex document and you need to study every single word of it. It is difficult enough with a current kit (and parts) that are fundamentally designed to meet IVA but a whole different ball game with an old kit. I can see elements that will be a 'Fail' in the photo's you attached.
Yes, it can be done and you sound like you have the experience and background to achieve a positive outcome. However you need to fully grasp the current IVA requirements and at every stage if in doubt seek guidance on this forum. There's a lot of 'potholes' to easily fall into particularly when the inspector crawls all over the car with his large set of radius gauges ....... switches and gauges that you didn't give a second thought to can easily get you caught out. Make sure the windscreen and rear clam glass screen have markings which meet the current requirements. Perspex side windows are a 'Fail' ..... so don't fit them and make sure there is no indication that you intend to fit them after the test.
I'm sure we'll be talking some more as the months roll by.
Steve.