VGT 40 or MCR 40?

I don't expect any response to this but here goes.

It was back in 1985 that I first started looking in earnest at GT40 replicas. Later the same year I met my wife-to-be, so the speedboat had to go, the BMW had to go, and the GT40 went on the backburner - for nearly 20 years.

However, before all that, I had a test drive in a red VGT40 (MK1), that had been built and developed by a firm in the Watford area. I'm pretty sure the car was based on a KVA body and chassis, and that VGT had developed this into a turnkey car to sell. It had a Rover V8, the radiator was in the back, the fuel tank was under the nose panel (it had dummy filler caps in the usual places), it had sliding side windows and lots of other mods that looked OK at the time but would now be considered wierd. From memory, it was close to £20,000 for a turnkey.

I also had a look at a MK1 replica developed by a firm called Midland Car Restorations (MCR) somewhere in Worcestershire. Again, I think this was developed from a KVA, but it had a Ford V6 engine. Fully built, it cost about £2,000 less than the VGT.

The Safir/MKV was still being made back then, but I could not afford anywhere near the £55,000 required. Comparing prices of the VGT/MCR against the Safir then and now, there's no contest as to which was the best investment back then.

Anyway, back to my question. It may be that these cars are now just considered to be KVAs. However, for nostalgia's sake, does anyone know if any KVA-based cars built as VGT40s or MCR40s have survived?

Cheers

Rob

 

[Lynn Larsen]

Rob, I dont think this is either of the ones you mentioned but is actually not to bad to look at in this picture anyway. It is an AEC International Bonito that I found on the UK eBay Kit Car listing.

Click Here to see the eBay post

Here is the photo of a finished car:

Here is a photo of what is for sale:

 

Hi Lynn

The Bonito was neither of the cars I saw, though it was around at the same time. I seem to remember the Bonito having a VW motor. There's no doubt which car inspired its front end though.

Both the MCR and the VGT were a very close match to the MK1, but the rear arches didn't appear quite right. Because of the date, both cars must both have been based on the KVA. I've been digging through some old papers (I keep everything) and found that the MCR replica was called the Phoenix. Again, I'm not hopeful of any replies, but is anyone any the wiser?

Cheers

Rob