RE: Phantom gets Ford Power

RE: Phantom gets Ford Power

Wednesday 23rd April 2003

Phantom gets Ford Power

Honda engined ditched for more modern V6


The fabulous Phantom Vortex GTR kit car is taking a step closer to production car status. Originally designed to take the obsolete Honda V6 from the Rover 827, Phantom is now developing an updated version, which among other changes includes the fitting of Ford’s Duratec V6.

Currently still under construction, the development car uses the latest 3-litre Duratec fitted with high flow inlet and exhaust systems and mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, which should produce a marked improvement in performance as well as enabling Phantom to offer all-new turnkey cars. There’s also a possibility that Phantom might develop a supercharged version, which with 300bhp+ likely would provide real supercar performance.

Unfortunately the downside to fitting these new parts is a sizeable increase in cost, though prices haven’t been finalised yet. Also uncertain at this time is whether Phantom will continue to offer the car in kit form for people to build using the mechanics from scrap Mondeos.

We'll bring you more information about the Ford powered Phantom as soon as it becomes available.

Link: Road Test

Author
Discussion

Podie

Original Poster:

46,630 posts

276 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all
IIRC wasn't a PHer building one of these..?

... and is it me, or are those side windows Ford Puma...?

Mark B

1,621 posts

266 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all
Can't remember who, but there is definately someone building these.

Spotted one on the M40 2 weeks ago. Looked really nice.

definately a hint of Puma in the windows side profile.

guysh

2,250 posts

284 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all
3 Litre Durtec engine - same as a noble then...

jaydee

1,107 posts

270 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all
One of dad's colleagues was trying to build one but ran into major problems (which I probably shouldn't expand on) with the manufacturer. He posted on here briefly. AFAIK there is another guy on the site building one, I'll ask Jonathan and get back to you. Windows are Celica, three quarter lights are custom AFAIK. That red car appears to be the only one in existence (it used to be blue) at the mo.

jaydee

1,107 posts

270 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all
The guys name was Nick Hatton apparently, I'm not sure what he posts under.

Aprisa

1,803 posts

259 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all
That'll be me then.
No the windows are bespoke as far as I know (it was designed before the Puma).
Jaydee, believe your dads coleague was JDH who posted he was going to build one, spoke to the factory who said that he had never got around to properly ordering one and when I mailed him to ask on progress he did not respond.
My car is looking good but not going very far as there have been horrendous supply problems with the looms and mine will not arrive until July.

I looked at the Duratec at the factory and the installation looks easy apart from the gear linkage which is on top instead of underneath.

HTH Nick

edited to say :- the door glass is Toyota Celica if thats the bit you were referring to?

>> Edited by Aprisa on Wednesday 23 April 16:22

jaydee

1,107 posts

270 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all

Aprisa said:
Jaydee, believe your dads coleague was JDH who posted he was going to build one, spoke to the factory who said that he had never got around to properly ordering one and when I mailed him to ask on progress he did not respond.

That's Jonathan but it's really not like him not to respond so I'll let him know you mentioned this, although he has been having a pretty torrid time of things lately so that might relate
He had what he considered major probs. with the factory (involving money and ultimately solicitors letters ) and got pi55ed off with them not responding to his enquiries so he's sadly given up on the idea. He's a top financial wizzkid and tends to struggle with anything other than well ordered systems (possibly happier with numbers than people...)


Aprisa

1,803 posts

259 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all

jaydee said:[/iHe's a top financial wizzkid and tends to struggle with anything other than well ordered systems (possibly happier with numbers than people...)





Well ordered systems.... Kit car Companies.....Hmmmm

jaydee

1,107 posts

270 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all
You have a good point Aprisa I think there was a clash of personalities (resolutely rational JDH v. entrepreneurial ( < sp?) spirit and alledged slight scattiness Phantom) but it's water under the bridge now. I've passed on that there's a new discussion about the Phantom (actually I've passed it on to several people 'coz I can't use the computer properly and I know two people with the same name. D'oh )

JohnL

1,763 posts

266 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all
Looks nice. Is it just me or does it have shades of a Miura about it?

Aprisa

1,803 posts

259 months

Wednesday 23rd April 2003
quotequote all
Jaydee
Your probably right, the guys at Phantom are great people and passionate about the car, its design is superb and hopefully I can do it justice. Just wish this could be mated with the organisational skills to get the product out there in the marketplace more quickly. Trouble is if this was the situation it would probably cost as much as an Ultima to build and hence be out of my range.

You can't have it all!

Back to the Garage to sort the 205, got my ARDS tomorrow.
Cheers Nick

jpf

1,312 posts

277 months

Friday 12th March 2004
quotequote all
Graham Bell, I was poking around the Phantom website and see that Phantom is buidling turnkey cars with Ford Duratec power.

Where is the road test?

Is the Phantom relatively underpowered?

Car looks good though.

grahambell

2,718 posts

276 months

Saturday 13th March 2004
quotequote all
Waiting to do the road test at the moment but they have a few small problems on the first car to sort out first.

As for whether it's underpowered, the Honda engined version should match a Boxster performance wise because the Phantom is lighter. Of course the extra 40 or so horses the 3 litre Duratec puts out should see a marked improvement.

fizz

251 posts

271 months

Sunday 14th March 2004
quotequote all
50,000GBP is a lot of money--it needs more power.

It looks great, though. If it looks right, it is right!

Good luck to them and I look forward to the GB review!