Tornado TS40

[Bill D]

I was searching the internet and cme across the Tornado TS40, a GT40 kit. The specifications indicate that it is a dead on replica of an original. And the prices seem very reasonable - $12K for a rolling chassis, $35K for a deluxe kit.

Does anyone have any more info on the brand?

Thanks
Bill D

 

[Bill Bayard]

Bill D,

As our Fearless Leader,Ron Earp has recently suggested on the Forum title page, TRY THE SEARCH FEATURE!It's not just for the new guys, but also for the old guys with failing memories, like me!
Tornado TS40's have been discussed quite a few times over the past two years. I believe that there are a couple of them, here in the States. Searching should identify TS40 owners, both here, and in the UK.

Regards,

Bill B

 

[Bill D]

Bill-

I did do a search and only came up with the one from Andy Sheldon (owner of Tornado Sports Car UK). His thread was only to announce that they did away with their US dealer and are selling kits direct.

I was hoping to ellicit some feedback from current or previous owvners.

Bill D

 

I bought a part finished kit last March (02) and am havingfinished by the guy from whom I bought it. There is another here in Atlanta on the north side that is being built by a retired Ford engineer.

Both kits have been a work in progess, modifying some items as we go. Andy Sheldon has been very easy to work with via email. I have purchased fuel tanks, gauges, wiring harness, switches, whole interior incuding seats and carpet from Andy. THE only down side is that it is expensive to have items boxed up and shipped: It is best if you buy everything at once and have it all shipped together. cb

 

[Mike Dozier]

Tornado has sold several hundred cars, but sadly very few have made it to the US.

Chip...isn't yours a Tornado?

MikeD

 

Yes: Mine is a Tornado. Also Tornado on the north side of town (Atlanta). Andy Shelton will give you names of US owners in your area. cb

 

[Jim Downard]

I too was looking very hard at the Tornado, but might I reccomend emailing Robert Logan. He has some very interesting insight to the Tornado. He'll also put you in touch with the president of the GT40 group in England/Europe. I'm about ready to plop some money down on a Roaring Forties now. I'm just checking on outsourcing a few parts and trying to determine whether it's practicle for me to do so, or just keep it in the deluxe kit.

Jim

 

I can' add anything about Tornado, other than I looked at them when I was making my decision, but I did go with an RF and have been very pleased. Spoke with Robert last week, about a year after my car was delivered, and the customer service is still top-notch. I continue to be more than satisfied.

 

Pat,
That is exactly the way I see it too.
I looked ast the others but bought an RF. Site unseen I might add. Robert answered every question and too care of every concern.
It's almost done now and I'm still sure I made the right choice.
John

 

[Howard Jones]

I have an question concerning numbers of cars sold in US all makes, GTD, RF, CAV, ERA, etc. would anybody have any idea? I wonder how many cars all types are completed and on the road in the US? Hummmmmmm...... I would be very surprised if it more than 500. My best guess for west of the rockies is 50-60, and I bet I'm guessing high.

 

[Andy Sheldon]

Jim

I would be very interested for you to expand on Robert Logans insight on the Tornado TS40.

Thanks

Andy

 

[Mike Dozier]

Andy

Use the search feature to find Robert's
April 19, 2002 post regarding Tornado.
His member # is 5.

MikeD

 

[Andy Sheldon]

Mike

Thanks for the info on the search. It enabled me to look back at Roberts comments and I would encourage anybody following this thread to do the same as I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. Quite the reverse in fact.

It is true that we did have a problem in the early days with the upper front shock mount. All customers up to that date were notified in writing and modifications were recomended. The mount was redesigned on all future chassis frames.

Even major motor manufactures sometimes do recalls for rectification work and they have millions of pounds and endles facilities for design and development work.

I think I made a large mistake when on 6th December 1993 I sold a kit to Robert Logan. I still have the order form on file today.
Perhaps I should frame it.

He built the car and returned to Australia and the next thing I know he is producing GT40 replicas and using pictures of his finished Tornado TS40 to promote his version.
I leave you to draw your own conclusions.

Even the layout of his parts list is remarkably similar to ours.

Robert was one of the worst customers we ever had. On one ocassion I had done him a favour to save him some money by modifiying a flywheel he had supplied to us when normally we supplied a complete adaption kit including the flywheel already modified.

He called me to see if it was ready and why he had not yet received it. When I told him it was completed but I needed him to pay the carriage charge to return the flywheel I suffered only what I can describe as a torrant of verbal abuse.

My father was still involved in the business at that time and when I told him what had happened he said that nobody should have to put up with that and I should have hung up.
His exact words were we do not need customers like that and he was right.

I know that in life we all do things that one day we regret and perhaps it was just a case of that but I am not so sure.

We have seen GT40 manufactures come and go then come back again and go etc. etc.
We have been building GT40 replicas continually since 1989. This is longer than any other GT40 manufacturer. We have made more TS40 replicas than any other GT40 manufacturer worldwide and thats a fact.

Our current waiting list is now 40 weeks.

I think our track record speaks for itself. Its the best in the business.

Thanks

Andy

 

[Robert Logan]

To all concerned,

I have just deleted a very long reply to the above threads which I decided not to post as all I wished to say as regards this matter has already been said and I stand by what I have written.

I do wish to add an appology if I have "let fire" at Andy but this would have been due to frustration that I was suffering with your company.

As regards to following the parts list, I believe that comparing like to like is the best way for all our potential customers. A lot of what Tornado did was and is VERY GOOD in my opinion and as a new company on the block you would be stupid not to examine the opposition as others do me.

As regards to copying, I have also posted earlier about this, but it is sufice to say that I owned a KVA, a GTD and a Tornado and had friends with an ERA and with the first car built in NZ by CCD here in Australia. I definately looked at all of them and designed my OWN chassis and suspension and with the great help of a proffesional race engineer. The body is basically from the KVA (as most replica are ) but my staff spent over 600 hours to correct it ( the original car was involved in a major hit and was repaired rather than straightened). Again the above has been detailed in previous posts.

Our cars have developed and developed into what they are today.

I would like to thank Tornado for giving me an insite into the industry , I believ my company offer something very different.

Best wishes,

Robert

 

[Andy Sheldon]

Robert

I was prepared to let things go as they were but now I have heard that you are telling potential buyers of GT40 replica cars that our cars are badly designed, have poor welds which fail and in one case a chassis frame has brokeen in half.

These are complete and total lies.

I am afraid you have over stepped the mark and I will be talking with my legal advisors tomorrow morning as regards to taking legal action against you for liable.

Furthermore I understand that Ken Saunders is also spreading these lies and I will be taking simlar action against him.

Are you really so desparate to sell cars that you will say and do anything to get a sale?

Are these the actions of a reputable company?

Also I understand that certain members of the Forum have received kits and parts from you at favourable prices in return for good press on the forum.

You are digging yourself one hell of a hole.

Your alternative is to post a complete and full apology and put the record straight. Its your decision.


Andy

 

[Robert Logan]

Firstly, I do not and have not given discounted prices for reviews.

I have given my opinion of the problems I and others have suffered as regards to kits supplied by Tornado on open forum and I stand by what I have said. They are nothing other than a statement of fact.

I am not desperate to sell kits but I am very keen to clean up this industry and this is the reason I was instrumental in starting this forum. I believe that all suppliers of kits and parts should be held accountable for their products to their customers. I am glad to report that almost all are.

I suggest that you come clean as regards to problems that existed with your kits and explain what has been done to rectify the problems.

I was thinking over the last weekend of what I would have done if I had found such problems as I know exiseted with your chassis and suspension. I would have offered to have all chassis repaired at MY COST either through an employee traveling the country doing the repairs or leting the customer have the repair done. I would have sent out all parts required to make the repair or just replaced the offending item.

At Roaring Forties we have had some QC isues where incorrect parts have been sent out and replacements have been sent as soon as the error was brought to our attention. This is called customer service and is the life blood of this industry or should be.

Best wishes to ALL,

Robert

 

[Mark Worthington]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Andy Sheldon:
I am afraid you have over stepped the mark and I will be talking with my legal advisors tomorrow morning as regards to taking legal action against you for liable.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It strikes me as funny that us Yanks are usually considered to have the most screwed up and bloated legal system on Earth, yet this is the third time I've read a tort-happy post from a forum member in the UK.

Andy, castigating enthusiasts such as Ken Saunders and Robert Logan will earn you little love in the GT40 community. I find it telling that you are just now getting worked up about something that Robert posted 13 months ago. It would be nice if you would move on and try to work through some of that backlog that you have, rather than threatening others with legal action.

 

[Andy Sheldon]

Robert

I am not talking about your postings but private emails and conversations you have had with 3rd parties. You seem to have collected rather a lot of people who were only to keen to send me private emails about your activities and conversations.

As for what has been done look at my previous postings on this thread.

Please give me the names and addresses of all those customers whose cars have broken in half that you keep talking about.

Mark - I am not posting to make friends. I am posting to uphold the reputation of a company in which I have invested 19 years of my life. If that upsets people well thats jus tough.

If you consider people like Robert and Ken to be Enthusiasts its something I would rather not be involved in.

Andy

 

[Robert Logan]

Andy,

I believe Ken to be the quint essential enthusiast of GT40's and I have informed him of your intentions.

I have one of your friends visiting me next Monday and I spoke with him this morning. I am sure he will explain how I do things and how desperate I am to get more orders; Gordon has sold a staggering TEN cars in the US this month and we have sold a further 2 in Australia (maybe 3).I actually recommend your friend to buy a Tornado but he wants a full race car and is checking out the NZ and Australian cars. Good on him.

If you wish to continue your chosen path, I would only be to happy to continue but I will not do it on this forum as it only drags the integrity of our forum down and I will not continue the "BB / SB" style of arguement.

Over and OUT !

Robert

 

[Mike Dozier]

Obviously both Andrew and Robert feel strongly about their respective products/
companies and that's a good thing.

It's been well discussed that no two
companies offer identical products,
and that the best choice for one customer
may not be the best choice for another.
I assume Robert/Andrew agree on that.

Robert's concerns seems to be:

1. Company repsonsiveness...by all counts
both companies today are very customer
sensitive and responsive.

2. Earlier Tornado's had a chassis problem
which Andrew admitted, and advised has
been corrected.

So unless I'm missing something, I see no reason why a customer shouldn't contact both, evaluate their needs, make a decision,
and feel pretty confident with either choice.

MikeD