CAV GT
The best GT40 replica? Steve Hole made the trip to Thruxton to find out
Few people can fail to be entranced by the GT40, and it’s hard to believe that the original was first wheeled out of its workshop way back in 1964, and it’s really difficult to grasp that the car is 40 years old.
The design, which remember, was hijacked by Ford from Lola, and was based on Eric Broadley’s MK6, and is a thing of sanguine beauty, perfection from every angle.
Mid-sixties schoolboys - me included - had their imaginations well and truly stirred and I like many others had a poster on my wall alongside my footballing heroes of the day. Although a bit hazy I can remember it winning at Le Mans in 1968 driven by Pedro Rodriguez and Lucien Bianchi and I’ve been an admirer ever since.
Want One?
One problem about ownership though is that they only made 131 ‘proper’ originals, which makes the total of its cousin, the Shelby/AC Cobra seem like a mass production run. They are scarce and you have to be a serious millionaire to even contemplate adding one to your collection. The other point to remember is that they were mostly, pure racecars and there weren’t that many on the road.
This was an obvious attraction of course to potential replicators, but where do you find an original to take a splash from? We’ve all seen the efforts that were approximations done by eye, and frankly they don’t work, looking like a mis-matched suit sitting uneasily on the eye.
However, if your name was Ken Atwell and you were a big cheese within Ford’s Motorsport division, you’d be allowed access to a priceless original with a few rolls of chopped strand mat and a gallon or three of resin.
Thus was born in 1982 the KVA GT40 replica and the first true GT40 replica, which in turn spawned all the others. Atwell’s first effort was the less sexy Mk3 version and was based on Cortina mechanicals, which is a bit like giving a sprinter a pair of Doc Martens! Before long he was persuaded to go into kit production and by 1984 had added the even less popular long tail Mk2 to his range, and the KVA kits had also gained a reputation as being very difficult to build.
Mark I
However, in late 1984 Ken did finally produce the version that everybody really wanted - the Le Mans winning Mk1 and before long erstwhile KVA agents GTD, High-Tech and Tornado developed their own kits based on KVA shells and started to rack up steady sales. It was KVA however who’ll go down as the pioneers of the GT40 replica movement (incidentally, the car is still available on the US market under the American GT banner.)
Sadly of those UK originators, only Tornado are still around, and the quality of their kits has improved immeasurably and still sell in steady numbers. The less said about the farcical demise of GTD the better really. It's sad because the announcement of Ford’s modern day take on the GT40 - called simply 'GT' - has rekindled the passion for the original all over again, particularly in the USA. The limited availability of the new car and the hundred grand price tag has scared off all but the most well-heeled.
Thuxton Sportscars
Enter at this stage Rick Chattell, MBE and boss of Thruxton Sportscars who are the newly appointed agents for CAV the well respected South African marque.
For several years Cape Advanced Vehicles have been supplying cars to the American market in large numbers and have along with their fellow South Africans Hitech Automotive, (better known as Superformance) taken that market by storm.
Although CAV had an initial brief foray into the UK during a short liaison with GTD, no cars were supplied. Imagine my delight then when Rick Chattell offered me the exclusive first UK drive.
Rick Chattell was in the British Army for 17 years, and was a Captain in 2 Para, part of the renowned Paratroop Regiment and as a helicopter pilot saw active service in the first Gulf war, and did several tours of duty in Northern Ireland and gained his MBE for bravery during a particularly iffy mission in Cambodia.
Since leaving the army in 1996, Rick has gained a commercial fixed-wing pilot’s licence and also set up a very successful corporate training and development company. Rick is clearly a man of pedigree and substance, and is also a confirmed car nut. He built a Spartan in 1983, so he was aware of the kit car industry. He stumbled across the CAV when on a trip to South Africa with the intention of importing some classic British cars back to the UK. Impressed with what he saw, negotiations were quick and CAV hit the UK.
The Car
One can’t fail to be impressed by the package. The cars are despatched from Cape Town fully built, completely trimmed and painted in one of eight standard colours, although they will paint the cars in whatever shade you specify.
We looked at a car in Le Mans blue that is an example of the other available option, as supplied to the US market, which is complete less engine and gearbox. Going this route allows fitment of your own choice of unit and transmission, although currently the CAV range consists of Ford 302 V8 in either carb or fuel injected guise, 351 Windsor and a forthcoming big block fitment, which will really liven things up.
I can see that the ‘turnkey minus’ package - as the American’s describe a complete car less power train - will be quite popular here in the UK. But as Lee Noble once said, “If someone’s got 35 grand they’ve got 45” and I think that to a certain extent that’s true especially in the CAV instance, but time will ultimately tell which option is the most popular.
The prospect of driving the beautiful CAV GT is one that had been filling me with excitement for days and before I get a chance to think about it, Rick threw me the keys and told me to “Take her for a blast”.
Here we go
As I’m strapped in to the sumptuous leather and Wilton clad interior, I’m amazed at how much room there is in the cockpit and I am already imagining what it was like to be Dan Gurney at Le Mans! Certainly the dash layout is the same, with the all-important rev counter taking centre stage, while the speedo sits away to the left, but angled conveniently towards the driver. All switches are marked, and my eyes are drawn to a button marked ‘Air-Con’, and Rick flicks the toggle with an accompanying “you’ll need that!”. He goes on to tell me that it comes as standard, along with the leather and Wilton carpets on all cars. He also runs me through the fuel tank procedure, and with twin tanks via a single gauge controlled by a toggle switch it’s important to remember to keep the tanks ‘even’ to help with weight distribution.
The big V8 barks into life with no need for throttle assistance and the offset pedals are quite closely grouped together, with the clutch being very stiff which is quietly reassuring actually, as you wouldn’t want or expect a ‘namby pamby’ pedal in such a machine would you?
'box
The gearchange is currently mounted centrally, but there’s soon to be an option of an original-style right hand shifter, mounted on the wide sill, and I have to say that the Audi, A8-spec Getrag gearbox is superb. Initially I thought that someone had super glued the lever in neutral, but having experienced these transmissions several times before I remembered that they require and reward a positive hand. Thoughtful, precise changes are met with a he-man cog-change. Another option is the ZF 6-speed, which is equally purposeful, but comes at a considerable £8477 inc VAT premium.
On the move I’m serenaded by a lovely growl about a foot behind my left ear, and around the fairly confined, uneven lanes near Thruxton, the car is superbly tractable and happy to just plod along and displays no signs of any supercar histrionics at all.
Mr Hyde
Mind you as I approach the A303 slip road I have to confess I couldn’t resist the temptation, and floored it in third, and suddenly all hell brakes loose and ‘Mr Hyde’ well and truly arrives! We leap forward, with the big 255 profile 15” Goodyear Cobra tyres scrabbling momentarily for grip. Pretty soon I slow down a little, and notice looks of absolute glee on fellow road users' faces!
On the move the CAV GT is actually very nimble with light and accurate steering and astonishing turn-in, whilst the handling balance encourages you to attack tight corners without any danger of losing the tail. The front end communicates its approaching limit with a little bit of gentle understeer. The rear stays firmly planted giving no indication as to where its ragged edge may be, but although a pussycat, it probably would ‘reward’ liberty takers with a substantial smack in the kisser.
Slowing
The brake pedal also requires a good bootful, but when the system warms up proves to be an absolute revelation, and the 354mm ventilated discs all-round do a good job, and there’s a brake bias knob in the cockpit that can be adjusted to suit, while the servo assistance is also a godsend.
The thing that sets the CAV apart is the beautiful stainless steel monocoque with built-in roll over and side impact protection, and I can vouch for the feeling of solidity and creak free interior.
Ride
Ride quality is just how I like it, nice and pliable and I had been suspecting a rock hard set up, that might rattle fillings out, but I’m proved to be wrong, as the car takes pot-holes and expansion joints in its stride, which is just as well given the perilous state of our pock marked road network. For the record the front suspension set up features unequal length wishbones, with billet steel uprights and an anti-roll bar, while the rear is also an IRS arrangement, with double trailing links, a lower inverted A-frame, upper transverse link wishbones, aluminium uprights and an anti-roll bar.
When I eventually return to base I’ve got a stupid ‘perma-grin’ etched across my face and the CAV has totally charmed me, and I don’t really want to get out. Those brass eyelet clad seats just like the real cars had are extremely comfortable.
Bottom Line
As you’d expect quality comes at a price but I’m happy that what we have here offers real value for money. Turnkey minus prices start at £54,050 inc VAT while complete cars are from £68,500 inc VAT. Although you get a good standard package there’s a long options list that will satisfy the purist and if you want you can have such items as NACA ducts, a Gurney bubble, periscope rear vents and an alternative nose section. Even if you want the genuine Mk1 shape, (the CAV is a hybrid) then the factory can supply it for you. Thruxton Sportscars keep two cars in stock at all times, but if your order has to come ex-works you’ll be quoted a reasonable 12-week lead-time.
I was extremely impressed with the Thruxton Sportscars set up and of course the CAV GT itself. I’ve no doubts that Rick Chattell has a winner on his hands, as it really is a sublime machine.
Link
: www.thruxtonsportscars.co.uk
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A big block is quite a bit bigger (surprise, surprise) and I would think get in the way of stuff like air-con. But it would be an absolute blast to drive.
Any ideas on what the CAV GT-40 weighs in at??
Gary
To my mind there is nothing that beats it's beautiful lines combined with the look of muscle.
Oh well, I can continue to dream.....
Pietro
www.carclassic.com/html/CP46.htm
looks even nicer than the GT40, imho.
www.carclassic.com/html/CP46.htm
t1grm said:
Gorgeous looking car if a little pricey for what is essentially still a kit car.
Why is it essentially a kit car? It is sold as a fully built turnkey car using new components so is surely no more of a kit car than a Noble, TVR, Lotus Elise or Caterham.
Why is it even in the Kit Car PH section?
Its rather better than the original Lola which looked good at the 1963 Racing Car Show (I was there at Olympia) but never went quite as well as it looked.
gnomesmith said:
Gorgeous looking car if a little pricey for what is essentially still a kit car.
Why is it even in the Kit Car PH section?
Because it shares the same production techniques, limitations and aspirations of all its cousins. The fact that this, and other kit cars are not actually sold in separate pieces doesn’t in my view change what it is.
I believe it a shame that when certain products reach a certain level of maturity they seek to deny and dis-associate themselves from their roots.
Better, in my view, to make clear that kit cars come at various levels just like football teams. There’s everything from premier league down to those who kick their balls for fun, but it’s all still footie.
In the same way, I believe that if this industry recognized its layers, instead of creating factions, we’d all be better off from the least to the greatest.
To me a kit car is a vehicle sold in pieces and utilising the major components from other vehicles, it is designed and sold with the intention of home assembly.
In the days of the Lotus Elite and Lotus Seven the complete vehicle was sold in pieces for home assembly in order to avoid Purchase Tax, you couldn't even give an assembly manual hence the famous backwards Lotus Handbook. Such vehicles were known as Kit Cars then. The true Kit Kars of the day the Ashleys, Rochdales, Watlings, Hamblings, etc were known as Specials.
TVRs, Gilberns, Fairthorpes etc appeared on the scene originally in Kit form but those manufactures together with Lotus and Marcos ceased producing D.I.Y kits and moved into the manufacture of fully assembled vehicles no doubt influenced by the abolition of purchase tax and the ability to effect substantial savings by its avoidance.
I think we now accept that machines such as the Caterham and the Birkin are legitimately known as component cars as would the Lotus's be if they were still made, the description in itself does not make them any better or worse than those cars identified as Kit cars today, the current Tornados (different Firm), Tigers, Fisher Fury etc, just different. It raises questions about how we classify Westfield etc but that is not a life threatening issue.
Forgive me if I'm wrong but the CAV does not appear to be available as a Kit only an assembled vehicle. The ethos and aspirations, if such terms can be applied to a motor car, would appear to be more akin to that of Morgan, Bristol or TVR than those of its kit and kin (sorry about that pun) from our worthy and varied Kit Car industry.
I think perhaps you are, understandably, being a little sensitive about the move away from being Kit Car manufacturers, things change and only the ignorant now equate Kit Cars with shoddy goods so we have top accept that companies move on and assume new roles.
Respected manufactures such as Lee Noble are in no doubt about when they were kit car manufacturers and were they have moved to and DVLA, bless them, seem to have worked out what constitutes a Kit Car in legal terms.
I'm happy for us to disagree but the comparison between Noble and CAV (or Birkin) is irresistable given their common manfacturing origin so I have to come down on the side of non kit status but don't let that stop you testing one in KC!
Sorry if I've meandered down memory lane a bit much but my interest in the Kit and Special scene goes back even further than 'your mate' Filby's Alternative Car column in Autocar, right back to the Car Mechanics article on how to build a Hambling Cadet in fact! Putting Filbeys old Unipower into a kit or component category would be an interesting exercise, one to give a miss for now I think.
PS I want a CAV but I'm afraid it will have to stay in the what if category.
PPS I do buy your magazine each month and WKC, there are bits in each that I don't read anymore and whilst I appreciate both your stance and that of Peter Filby Will Shakespear probably had it right when he said, "The lady doth protest too much methinks". I know it is difficult, even painful but be carefull not to become that lady. In the same way that most of the poor kits have died quality and honesty will eventually win the day.
>> Edited by gnomesmith on Wednesday 17th September 15:47
gnomesmith said:
To me a kit car is a vehicle sold in pieces and utilising the major components from other vehicles, it is designed and sold with the intention of home assembly.
Isn’t it the case that this car is made using the engine and other parts from other cars? Isn’t it the case that it’s available in a not quite finished state such that it has to be finished at home? Is it not therefore a kit car by your own definition?
gnomesmith said:
TVRs, Gilberns, Fairthorpes etc appeared on the scene originally in Kit form but those manufactures together with Lotus and Marcos ceased producing D.I.Y kits and moved into the manufacture of fully assembled vehicles….
I’m not arguing with your facts, but I take issue concerning the clarity of division. Marcos for example hovered for years between kit maker and full-fledged manufacturer. Resorting periodically to kit sales, when times got tough.
gnomesmith said:
I think we now accept that machines such as the Caterham and the Birkin are legitimately known as component cars …..the description in itself does not make them any better … just different. It raises questions about how we classify Westfield, etc ….
Seriously gnomesmith, I need help with this statement. In fact it was just such a statement as this that my original posting was designed to oppose. What you appear to be saying is that there are kit cars (which used to be called specials), then there are good kit cars like Westfield which don’t yet have a clear classification, then there are very good kit cars which are so good that they aren’t even called kit cars, but rather component cars.
gnomesmith said:
I think perhaps you are, understandably, being a little sensitive about the move away from being Kit Car manufacturers …….
You quoted Bart. Here’s my quote ‘A rose is still a rose by any other name’ (incidentally said by Juliette of Romeo). Well so too is a kit car!
gnomesmith said:
I'm happy for us to disagree …. but don't let that stop you testing one in KC!
Which surely proves my point!
gnomesmith said:
In the same way that most of the poor kits have died quality and honesty will eventually win the day.
As I said in my original post, there are different qualities and different levels, but one and the same basic product. If all the various producers accepted this principle and worked together, rather than trying to be what they’re not, then ALL would benefit.
Well that’s IMHO for what it’s worth.
I belive most of the Elises on the road in the States were relieved of their Rover motors before export then fitted with Honda engines for the same reason.
My definition of a Kit Car used the term pieces not piece, a rolling chassis requiring only the instalation of a power train supplied by a major manufacturer(s) and not coming from a donor vehicle does not in my book fit the bill.
Suggesting that you road test a CAV in your magazine hardly confirms that it is a kit car, I rather hoped it would convey to the uninitiated that the mag is a good read for all enthusiasts not just Kit Car buffs.
Good to see the Bard being quoted, the quote you were seeking to remember was, 'Whats in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet'. (R&J 11.2)Of course that was before catalytic converters became mandatory, now even the Lotus fails to smell as sweet.
I suppose at the end of the day it all becomes irrelevent, there are cars I like, cars I dont like some of them are kits, some aren't. I suppose, like any regular PH contributor we all need to get out a little more!
. Of course I realize what you’re saying and recognize that you have both perceptions and, of course, a point of view. I hope that you realize that so do I. In my case, I shape the commercial direction of my magazine. My view therefore needs to be coherent and rational.
gnomesmith said:
… I choose Westfield as an exception … they produce a range of turnkey models … and are quoted in Autocar’s price lists.
My definition of a Kit Car used the term pieces not piece …
Suggesting that you road test a CAV in your magazine hardly confirms that it is a kit car ...
With the greatest respect gnomesmith, I cannot reconcile the inconsistencies in your words above. I also note the absence of reiteration of the purported existence of ‘component cars’. In respect to Westfield, their being listed in Autocar has to do with the numbers made and not because they’ve transcended some magic barrier in terms of how they’re defined. They’re not unique in being offered as both turn-key and pure kit either. So that wouldn’t accredit them with a new classification either. They’re simply good, highly successful kit cars. Why is that so hard to stomach?
Caterham provide cars without engines, into which customers plant either new or used power units. Are you saying that these fall into the same classification as the CAV? Namely component cars. Interestingly, Caterham’s are one of very few kits that qualify to be defined as ‘kit cars’ under the SVA regulations. This then begs the question as to what, if anything, is a ‘component car’? Are they not kit cars at their best? What’s the problem with thus describing them?
Finally, I’d love to run an article on CAV, especially having run their advertisements, but how could I do so IF I accepted your proposition that they’re not a kit? They are, of course a very good kit, which not many Kit Car readers could or would want to afford, but would provide excellent inspirational reading and be the cause of a number of automotive wet dreams. By association, they’d assist sales of lesser, more affordable models whilst earning respect for themselves.
As I said before. In standing together, I believe that all prosper. Am I misguided?
TVR Tuscans are UK approved but the only one I have seen in the U.S was been driven by that gangster in Swordfish!.
That's why I used the Elise example - some were shipped to the States sans K-series, not a kit car but the only way to get around strict federal/EPA regs. If Lotus could have federalised the car easily with the K they would have sold them officially there years ago, instead of spending $$$ on fitting the (US approved) Toyota engine.
kitcarman said:
Sold minus engine
They sound remarkably like kit cars to me.
But they’re not – are they?
The problem with such a faithful reproduction is that it, not surprisingly, drives like a car from the 1960's. Heavy steering with only modest feel, heavy gearbox, balky carb'd engine and so on. I was close to buying one but I decided that the car was best appreciated as a museum piece, or watching others drive or race it. That test drive convinced me to buy the car I wanted all along. An Ultima GTR, which has worked out rather nicely.
V
V
You should have tried a Southern GT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1xsKgI8LKc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cczJq8x5qcY
Regards
Nick
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