What's the best?
- Thread starter chiba_man
- Start date
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Re: What\'s the best?
Paul
Depends upon what you want.
If a space frame is OK, RF seems to be the
current benchmark. If you prefer a monocoque,
the ERA is the majority choice.
If you want an MK II, ERA is the only
game in town (at the moment).
Good luck!
MikeD
Paul
Depends upon what you want.
If a space frame is OK, RF seems to be the
current benchmark. If you prefer a monocoque,
the ERA is the majority choice.
If you want an MK II, ERA is the only
game in town (at the moment).
Good luck!
MikeD
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Guest
Guest
Re: What\'s the best?
ERA hands down!!
ERA hands down!!
Re: What\'s the best?
RF offers Mark II body work also.
RF offers Mark II body work also.
Re: What\'s the best?
Thanks guys. I guess I would lean towards the ERA just for the quality, origional style frame as opposed to the space frame, but what are the advantages of both? Would the space frame be noisier or heavier or both or neither?
[ April 23, 2002: Message edited by: Paul_Nelson ]
Thanks guys. I guess I would lean towards the ERA just for the quality, origional style frame as opposed to the space frame, but what are the advantages of both? Would the space frame be noisier or heavier or both or neither?
[ April 23, 2002: Message edited by: Paul_Nelson ]
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Re: What\'s the best?
Dave Brown at Classic Car Developments in NZ can build a turnkey faithful copy of an original car, including monocoque, at a reasonable price. The exchange rate is very favourable.
Dave does not have email. His phone/fax number at Classic Car Developments in Invercargill, New Zealand is 64 3 215 6893. His postal address is:
Classic Car Developments
17 Howarth St.,
Waikiwi
Invercargill
New Zealand.
Dave Brown at Classic Car Developments in NZ can build a turnkey faithful copy of an original car, including monocoque, at a reasonable price. The exchange rate is very favourable.
Dave does not have email. His phone/fax number at Classic Car Developments in Invercargill, New Zealand is 64 3 215 6893. His postal address is:
Classic Car Developments
17 Howarth St.,
Waikiwi
Invercargill
New Zealand.
G
Guest
Guest
Re: What\'s the best?
Paul
You might want to look at some of the earlier threads on the Forum that debate
the merits of monocoque (or semi-monocoque)
vs space frame. There are ardent supporters
of both styles.
At the risk of over-simplifying, most will tell you that (for 95% of the owners)
space frames perform equally as well
and are less costly to purchase/build.
Weight differences are not very great.
Most GT40 fans do prefer the monocoque since it's closer to the original construction.
Economics was the downside. Until recently,
you had to spend close to $ 100k to finish
a monocoque (ERA) to a high standard.
Now CAV has entered the market with a lower cost semi-monocoque that can be completed
for far less than $ 100k. Many of us on the
Forum are anxiously awaiting our chance to examine the CAV up close this year.
If you are interested in an ERA, you may be better off buying a used one. We've seen a
couple offered recently for signicantly less
than $ 100k. Of course if you want to build
the car, that's fun too. Good luck.
MikeD
Paul
You might want to look at some of the earlier threads on the Forum that debate
the merits of monocoque (or semi-monocoque)
vs space frame. There are ardent supporters
of both styles.
At the risk of over-simplifying, most will tell you that (for 95% of the owners)
space frames perform equally as well
and are less costly to purchase/build.
Weight differences are not very great.
Most GT40 fans do prefer the monocoque since it's closer to the original construction.
Economics was the downside. Until recently,
you had to spend close to $ 100k to finish
a monocoque (ERA) to a high standard.
Now CAV has entered the market with a lower cost semi-monocoque that can be completed
for far less than $ 100k. Many of us on the
Forum are anxiously awaiting our chance to examine the CAV up close this year.
If you are interested in an ERA, you may be better off buying a used one. We've seen a
couple offered recently for signicantly less
than $ 100k. Of course if you want to build
the car, that's fun too. Good luck.
MikeD
Re: What\'s the best?
I have been researching this for close to a year. I have only had the opportunity to examine a CAV at this point. I thought the workmanship was top-rate and the car did appear to be of excellent value.
I am not one to build a car and prefer a pre-built GT40 as opposed to a kit. The CAV allows for this, although many other kits can be ordered as a turn key. The kits will likely offer a bit more variablity in terms of personalizing the car to your tastes.
My understanding is the ERA is the best, but the most expensive and the wait is long. I don't think you'll go wrong with any choice you make. It just depends on the individual. There are an assortment of producers of GT40s out there and all seem to be represented on the forum.
I have been researching this for close to a year. I have only had the opportunity to examine a CAV at this point. I thought the workmanship was top-rate and the car did appear to be of excellent value.
I am not one to build a car and prefer a pre-built GT40 as opposed to a kit. The CAV allows for this, although many other kits can be ordered as a turn key. The kits will likely offer a bit more variablity in terms of personalizing the car to your tastes.
My understanding is the ERA is the best, but the most expensive and the wait is long. I don't think you'll go wrong with any choice you make. It just depends on the individual. There are an assortment of producers of GT40s out there and all seem to be represented on the forum.
Re: What\'s the best?
I believe the RF body is only a Mk II rear and not the short Mk II front.
The FE install would have to be custom
I believe the RF body is only a Mk II rear and not the short Mk II front.
The FE install would have to be custom
Re: What\'s the best?
The RF doesn't have the "short" front nose. Most people wouldn't know the difference. I can put a 427SO in the RF if I really wanted to. with the technology of todays small blocks, they are quite capable of running circles around the old FE engines and cost much less.
I have raced both original Mark1 and Mark II cars as well as the RF. The RF is a much finer car vurtually everywhere.
The original Mark 1 is a great car to race. It does everything you ask it to but is very cramped for some one my size. The Mark 2 is a beast to drive. Is also needs a very big track to take advantage of the hp and torque of the FE. On the street I would concider it to be out of it's element.
One day I would like to try a MarkIV to see if it is all that different.
The RF doesn't have the "short" front nose. Most people wouldn't know the difference. I can put a 427SO in the RF if I really wanted to. with the technology of todays small blocks, they are quite capable of running circles around the old FE engines and cost much less.
I have raced both original Mark1 and Mark II cars as well as the RF. The RF is a much finer car vurtually everywhere.
The original Mark 1 is a great car to race. It does everything you ask it to but is very cramped for some one my size. The Mark 2 is a beast to drive. Is also needs a very big track to take advantage of the hp and torque of the FE. On the street I would concider it to be out of it's element.
One day I would like to try a MarkIV to see if it is all that different.
Re: What\'s the best?
A MK-IV is much different than a MKII. On the street it's really quite happy. There is a huge amount of room for the driver. Donohue described it thusly: "I have nothing but good feelings about the cars,too. I saw where some guy had a MK-IV for sale a while back, and I suppose that if I had a million dollars I might have bought it. They were very well built, considering all the production pieces that went into them. They seemed so safe, so throughly tested,that nothing would break or fall off, no matter who put it together. At the time they were by far the highest performance cars on the track-except for the Chaparral,maybe-and yet they'd last twenty- four hours. They were very durable,very powerful,very fast,and about as easy to drive as a big Cadillac."
Best
Jim
A MK-IV is much different than a MKII. On the street it's really quite happy. There is a huge amount of room for the driver. Donohue described it thusly: "I have nothing but good feelings about the cars,too. I saw where some guy had a MK-IV for sale a while back, and I suppose that if I had a million dollars I might have bought it. They were very well built, considering all the production pieces that went into them. They seemed so safe, so throughly tested,that nothing would break or fall off, no matter who put it together. At the time they were by far the highest performance cars on the track-except for the Chaparral,maybe-and yet they'd last twenty- four hours. They were very durable,very powerful,very fast,and about as easy to drive as a big Cadillac."
Best
Jim