SL-C vs FFR GTM Supercar

Just while we're on the topic of the SL-C monocoque, does any of the roof add to the structural strength. I'm asking because I wonder if you could take the roof and upper doors off and have it more like a LMP Le mans open design?
 
David,

Fran has/had a Le mans version in planning. I believe there was one prototype started. Perhaps you should contact him for information about structural integrity of a Le Mans version.
 

Randy V

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David,

Fran has/had a Le mans version in planning. I believe there was one prototype started. Perhaps you should contact him for information about structural integrity of a Le Mans version.

I still drool over the SL-Lemans

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The SL-C has come a long ways from this original teaser pic;
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Thanks for that. I was thinking more of removing all the glass and just having two small screens LMP style, with the nose bodywork continuing up to just in front of the instruments. And then behind the seats, two roll hoops and engine intake.
 
Don't know how to edit my last message, the two small screens would be about where the Dashboard changes colour/texture in the first photo.
 
David,

If you had the remainder of the roll cage present I wouldn't think that there would be much of a structural compromise.


You would want a little more side protection around your shoulders/helmet. Maybe a removable hard cover over the passenger side?
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Unless the roof is bonded/bolted to the chassis and roll cage and constructed of stout materials, it won't contribute anything to chassis stiffness. Doc is right, the only contribution would come from the roll cage itself.
 
Unless the roof is bonded/bolted to the chassis and roll cage and constructed of stout materials, it won't contribute anything to chassis stiffness. Doc is right, the only contribution would come from the roll cage itself.

But ... but ... but, when a civic can basically drive right ontop of you, does it really matter in the end? :laugh:
 
I was thinking there was enough room behind the seats and around the engine to put a rollbar in. I could take the line that the top of the door follows around and up to fit in with an engine cover and roll protection. Not sure about the shape the bodywork would take now that the windscreen has gone, I suppose it would be easiest to take the screen out and have a look.
 

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I went with a crate LS376 and a new Ricardo and i shoudl bring it in under $75k. I bet if you went with a remanufactured tranny you could bring it in under $70k. Fabbing up my exhaust and a few ebay Z06 parts help hold that cost down to peanuts. It did rack up alot of time though. I'm on the wiring now and chose to solder. Tedious, those butt connectors are calling my name!
 
I hate to resurrect and old post, but I saw this and have to sound off....
In the late 90s, I bought and built an early Cobra from FFR. I wound up with a decent car, but there were quite a few bumps along the way. The quality of the body was terrible. I had to spend countless hours filling hundreds of pinholes in it. Since this was the era before free long distance, I spent about $1000 on phone calls for technical support (also because the promised free 800 number never materialized). The passenger door fit so badly that you might as well say that I constructed a new one.
As a design school grad, I believe I'm qualified to say that the GTM is an absolute disaster. It's a mess. It looks as if three different designers got together, each taking the front, mid and rear sections of the car. Then they pasted their drawings together and called it a day. Look how poorly the area around the side windows is done. I've seen 70s kit cars that are better.
The theme "a mess" is carried on to the interior. It looks cheap and poorly thought out. Exposed screw heads are everywhere. Ask yourself if this looks at home on a car costing $80-100k. Absolutely not.
At any given time, there are 3-4 GTMs for sale on eBay. I think I've seen an SLC- once.
In contrast, the SLC looks amazing. The suspension looks like a Mclaren engineer designed it. The exterior out-Enzo's the Enzo (as well as a lot of other exotics). The quality of everything appears first rate.
I've been researching both for some time. I'm ordering my SLC this year. No contest.
 

Randy V

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I hate to resurrect and old post, but I saw this and have to sound off....
In the late 90s, I bought and built an early Cobra from FFR. I wound up with a decent car, but there were quite a few bumps along the way. The quality of the body was terrible. I had to spend countless hours filling hundreds of pinholes in it. Since this was the era before free long distance, I spent about $1000 on phone calls for technical support (also because the promised free 800 number never materialized). The passenger door fit so badly that you might as well say that I constructed a new one.
As a design school grad, I believe I'm qualified to say that the GTM is an absolute disaster. It's a mess. It looks as if three different designers got together, each taking the front, mid and rear sections of the car. Then they pasted their drawings together and called it a day. Look how poorly the area around the side windows is done. I've seen 70s kit cars that are better.
The theme "a mess" is carried on to the interior. It looks cheap and poorly thought out. Exposed screw heads are everywhere. Ask yourself if this looks at home on a car costing $80-100k. Absolutely not.
At any given time, there are 3-4 GTMs for sale on eBay. I think I've seen an SLC- once.
In contrast, the SLC looks amazing. The suspension looks like a Mclaren engineer designed it. The exterior out-Enzo's the Enzo (as well as a lot of other exotics). The quality of everything appears first rate.
I've been researching both for some time. I'm ordering my SLC this year. No contest.

When you get your car, please start a build log... Or Come back in a couple years and tell us all about your build experiences...
 
Thank you, I plan to document the build. It will be a quick one, I promise, because I plan to take six months off and dedicate 8-10 hour days to the project. I did the same with my Cobra and had it completed in nine weeks.
 
When I did comparisons between these two kits, my decision was based on total price tag, ease of acquisition, features, looks, etc.

Both of these kits have their pros and cons, and you'll never truly understand the tiny
nuances without helping to build each one, or spending months reading forums.

The GTM is very difficult to finish with respect to body work (at least the Gen.1). I've
spent a great deal of the build trying to get panels aligned and glass to fit. From what
is available online about fit & finish with the SL-C, it appears to have higher quality
(base) finish and better alignment of panels.

If you can take time off to build, you'll be a step ahead. Trying to build a car while
working full-time, raising two kids, and keeping up household maintenance is a tough
task.
 
It's been quite a while since I last posted and thought adding a bit to such an old Post would be befitting. In 2012, I was doing research on the SL-C, as many others had (and still are) done. What a great group of guys you find here. Any questions will yield top notch answers very quickly. For me, life happened and time became a luxury I did not find often enough to pursue my initial interest here. With few more kids and a relatively new marketing job, my project dream needed to be put on hold and I had to go the easy way with an LP 560. At the time, it cost was comparable to what the SL-C would have cost, less the build time and costom touches. As the occasional daily driver and weekend rally car, it was ok. But it was just one of hundreds of identical cars.
...and I did not build it. My main draw to the SL-C was the idea that no two are exactly the same and you get out of it, exactly what you put in. I did get some great ideas as to what I did want in a car and knew there was only one way to get it. So here I am, once again, making notes for my immanent build. Just as an added thought; I have talked with hundreds of "kit" builders and was part of the "super car" world, even though mine was the poor man's version and can honestly say that I would rather build my own, in my own way, than ever go production again. SL-C's top the list with the many options, features, proven reliability and performance, technical investment, quality and just about anything else I could think of.
No matter your budget, available time to be involved, skill level or whatever, you can't go wrong building what you want how you want it. This forum is a gold mine of actual hands on knowledge. Use it up, that's what it's here for. Do your homework, get your research done and we'll see you back here soon enough.
That's my two-bits for now.
PS. AllanSLC, I would like to pick your brain in the near future.
 
Great info.

I'm researching as well but the mild steel frame and poor fit and finish of the GTM is not appealing to me.

Do love the idea of having some windows however!
 
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