sub £10,000 GT40 replica - is it possible?

[Ally]

Hi all,

I've done a bit of trawling through the various replica building companies websites and I read somewhere that it should be possible to build youreslf a replica GT40 for under £10,000.
This led me to Tornado sports cars as they seemed to be the cheapest but the whole kit costs in the region of £20,000 even without the engine, gearbox, wheels etc

I was wondering if it would be possible for me or if anyone else has heard of anyone building a replica for under £10,000?
I'm not concered about building a 'true' replica (yet)...as long as it has the bodystyling of a GT and goes like one I don't really mind too much, that said I wouldn't want to end up with a 400bhp Escort with a Ford GT bodyshell...but you know what i mean just keep it as basic as possible without ending up with a total fake.

Thanks

Ally

 

[David Morton]

Others may chip in here but I think you are day dreaming.
<10k not a reality, <20k still difficult, <30k A possibility.

 

[Graham T]

Ally,

Most definitely, but you must be of a mechanical/practical nature and accept that your 40 will not have all the "glitsy whistles and bells" that most think are necessary to go out and win at LeMans !!!!

I,ve said this many times over the years and proved it more than once. Email me with your land line telephone number and i can show you the right directions to take to make your dream a reality. If you are going to the Pageant of Power next weekend come and see us there and have a "one to one" conversation.

Regards,

Graham @ GTA/Gulf Oil UK Racing

 

[simon]

pm sent

 

[Mike Drew]

Sure, here's one way to do it:

GT40 1/24 Fujimi Revell 1966 Ford GT-40 Mark II # 2 FS - eBay (item 120281863437 end time Aug-08-08 14:16:05 PDT)

Headroom may be limited however.

 

[Jono]

How about this?
Gallery of pictures ACM - Bonito
to be honest I t would make me want to vomit each time I opened the garage door but each to their own...

 

[Jac Mac]

Only if you place a very low or nil value on what your time is worth ( yet have a very good understanding & excellent skills in all the required trades that will be involved ,ie- welding, fiberglas, mechanical work, electrics, paint &panel---- and then you have to ask , if you have all these and are gainfully employed, why do you have to set a limit of 10k )and have the ability & patience to wait until all the major mechanical bits have been gathered up ( preferably without resorting to criminal means ).

 

[Graham T]

Ally,

and of course any other "hardworking but not having a larger budget than ten thousand pounds to play with".

Please do not be put off by the previous remarks and dissenters.

You will, as i said in the first instance,have to be of a practical/mechanical nature but you will not have to do any welding, fibreglassing or electrics unless you want to.

It will not all land on your plate in one go but it CAN be and HAS been done.

Graham.

 

[Steve26]

Jac Mac you are right on the money!!! I built mine for under $20,000.00 but it took eight years to do it and don't forget the four years obtaining a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and the many years building or rebuilding or restoring cars and bikes. Having said all that you need to ask yourself what kind of person you are? Do you like to build or drive/play? There are actually those of us that are screwed up enough to enjoy the building/learning part of this process and if you are one of "those" yes you can do it. If you want to pay someone else to do it for you it would be much less expensive to buy one already finished. There is not a right or wrong here it's just a question of what's the most important part of the hobby to you. I wouldn't give up what I've learned or the friends I've made or the time spent solving problems for anything but that's just one man's experience. If the goal is only to save money then don't build one. I hope this rambling is of some use to you and whatever way you decide to go good luck and have fun. I sure love driving mine!:thumbsup:

 

[Russ Noble]

Steve makes a valid point.

Which is more important to you, the construction or the driving? If you just want to drive but want to go the build it route to save money, forget it. That exercise will take too long and if you really have insufficient interest in the build process you will become depressed and be tempted to give up. If you don't have the ability, the same thing will happen. There have been instances here on this forum of guys who have been assembling fairly complete kits who have struggled. I am sure there are a lot of unfinished GT40's lying in sheds around the world. There certainly are here in NZ!

The length of time it takes to build one of these cars also means that it is possible that in the intervening years your circumstances could change, for better or worse. That will also affect your progress...and possibly whether you even finish the car.....

It can be done and the cost is inversely proportional to the time you have available, your ability to do the jobs Jac Mac mentioned, and your determination to stick to your originally budgeted specification. It is very easy over a long build to change your initial ideas and do upgrades here there and everywhere. Not needed for a road going car, a budget specification properly executed will give you an awesome machine.

The more you can do yourself the less it will cost. And the longer it will take!

 

[Chris Martino]

LS40 Kit Car Information


Chris

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

10.000 gbp, then an old bmw and a good machine gun, and lets visit some banks.. .

suspect the answer is no ..for a decent car.

btw, have a look here:
Grand designs: India's first supercar - Cars, Extras - The Independent

Anyway If I am not wrong, there was a guy selling his Kva 3.5 in le mans classic 2006 for 16000 gbp.
The car was really nice for the price...and it was finished and road plated in uk.(maybe Chris car?..from enthusiast club?not so sure)

 

[kiwi ka]

Ally For my two cents worth, my car took over twice as long and cost 3 times my unrealistic budget which I considered a piece of piss in the begining. Bear in mind that I did every thing except the fly wheel, gearbox adaptor,clutch, front hubs and short block, even making the inlet manifold. I have a good workshop with gas, mig, lathe, many special hand tools and was / needed large quantities of commitment which also included numerous social sacrifices, sound like fun...you bet... but after 4 years 7 months I am looking forward to not chasing all over town for all sorts of little bits and pieces and having something else to focus on like driving my creation. Would I build again...to right, the ideas are already buzzing around.
Cheers

 

[Graham T]

Ally,

Please contact me privately and i,ll tell you and show you how you can do it.

It,s all out there and you are in GB.

Graham.

 

[Steve26]

I hope I haven't led you to think it can't be done or shouldn't be done? It can and a few of us have. If you want to do it and it looks like fun to you I will give you all the information and knowledge I have to help you out. I love to see people create these beautiful cars and fully enjoy the relationships with fellow sickos like myself. As I said, if I can be of any help let me know and I will freely give you what I have.:thumbsup:

Steve

 

[Ally]

Hi all,

Thank you so much for all your replies, I'm sorry I havn't been able to get back to any of you yet but I had to go away at very short notice.
Anway I'll read all your advice in detail and reply ASAP, I just thought I'd post now I'm back to let you know I'm still interested!

Ally