Scratch built GT40 finally running
Discussion
As Fastdruid says, there are number of advantages to having an EWP, not least of which for me (at 6'4") is the lack of protrusion into the cabin. Also, being primarily a road car it will need to cope with stop/start traffic quite a bit so cooling in those situations is better handled by an EWP, as is the head soak issue.
Yes, injection would be better if performance and economy were paramount, but the IDAs are more original, look great and add to the soundtrack.
Yes, injection would be better if performance and economy were paramount, but the IDAs are more original, look great and add to the soundtrack.
I cannot take much credit. By my investigations and through talking to a lot of people who have a wealth of knowledge I have been able to track down a lot of period correct parts (such as the ZF transaxle, CAV ammeter, fuel pumps, Lucas 608 rear view mirror, etc., etc.), and also been able to determine what other cars/models other period parts were used on or modified from (e.g. door striker plates from Phase IV Vanguard, demister grille from MKIII Zephyr, handbrake from 105E Anglia, door latches from Rover 90, etc.). However, the vast majority of the research on actual construction was done by Dave Brown at Classic Car Developments. The monocoque, steering, pedal box, suspension components, and a list too long to post here, are all recreations cast or fabricated from Ford drawings.
The body was sourced from a guy in Massachusetts who used to work on the original racers back in the day (in fact the rear clip and my snorkels still had the dimples left by the rivets from the original car they were cast from).
As mentioned earlier, mine is neither a MKI nor a MKII, but an amalgam of both (i.e. MKI nose, MKII tail) simply because I like that look. Thus I was not confined to using a 289 or 302 or 427 with Holleys, but instead have opted for a 351 with Webers, a combination that was used at least once by one of the mirages, and in a couple of other cars that raced in South Africa.
It was never my intention to recreate any particular GT40, but apart from the EWP and aluminium heads, pretty much all the parts on this car are correct for some GT40 or other, at some stage of the production run of the original cars. Some people think I should have pursued a more faithful representation, but when I embarked on this journey 18 years ago, the aim was to build my imagining of my perfect GT40. Hopefully, sometime before the coming Christmas, I will have realised my dream.
The CCD lads have done other GT40s, one of which is an absolutely faithful copy. It is simply superb and has been awarded its Historic Technical Passport in the UK.
However, their bread and butter, so to speak, are Jags (SSKs, C-Types and D-Types).
The body was sourced from a guy in Massachusetts who used to work on the original racers back in the day (in fact the rear clip and my snorkels still had the dimples left by the rivets from the original car they were cast from).
As mentioned earlier, mine is neither a MKI nor a MKII, but an amalgam of both (i.e. MKI nose, MKII tail) simply because I like that look. Thus I was not confined to using a 289 or 302 or 427 with Holleys, but instead have opted for a 351 with Webers, a combination that was used at least once by one of the mirages, and in a couple of other cars that raced in South Africa.
It was never my intention to recreate any particular GT40, but apart from the EWP and aluminium heads, pretty much all the parts on this car are correct for some GT40 or other, at some stage of the production run of the original cars. Some people think I should have pursued a more faithful representation, but when I embarked on this journey 18 years ago, the aim was to build my imagining of my perfect GT40. Hopefully, sometime before the coming Christmas, I will have realised my dream.
The CCD lads have done other GT40s, one of which is an absolutely faithful copy. It is simply superb and has been awarded its Historic Technical Passport in the UK.
However, their bread and butter, so to speak, are Jags (SSKs, C-Types and D-Types).
Bobberoo99 said:
Ok, easily machined and more than suitable for your application, I doubt rust is a problem where you are so pitting will not be an issue, are you making them yourself or subbing out to a machine shop?
Unfortunately I have no machining or metalworking skills, so the lads at Classic Car Developments are doing all that. I built the engine, do tinkering where I can, and sourced many of the parts.Steering column serial numbered and sent away to be crack tested for certification.
When one is 76 inches tall, fitting into a car only 40 inches high was never going to be easy. However, with some trimming here and there and locating it 75 mm further forward and a fraction more to the left than it was designed to be, the pedal box is trial fitted. The good news is that my legs end up at a comfortable angle. Now we just have to figure out how to route the speedo cable, hand-brake cable, and the plumbing for clutch and brake hoses in a cavity that is half the size it originally was...
When one is 76 inches tall, fitting into a car only 40 inches high was never going to be easy. However, with some trimming here and there and locating it 75 mm further forward and a fraction more to the left than it was designed to be, the pedal box is trial fitted. The good news is that my legs end up at a comfortable angle. Now we just have to figure out how to route the speedo cable, hand-brake cable, and the plumbing for clutch and brake hoses in a cavity that is half the size it originally was...
silverfoxcc said:
Whoaaaa
read he first page, jumped to P10 so nowt inbetween.
Then saw the phrase 'front ball joints made' my my my that stopped me in my tracks
And the four billets which turn out a few posts later to be four hubs
Daft question
What havent you built from scratch?????? lol
Sitting down tonight to read pages 2-9 and looking forward to it
And some people build these from plastic
You sir are living the dream and o would guess a lot of other posters on this thread
I tip my hat to you sir
Thank you. I, unfortunately, play only a very minor role in any fabrication. I'm working with a team of very talented craftsmen who are able to perform what appears to me to be black magic. My role is limited to building the engine, choosing colours/configurations (mostly based on old photos), tracking down occasional bits of information, sourcing parts that we cannot or need not fabricate, and paying the bills. When finished the car will be the fulfilment of a dream I have harboured since I was 14 back in 1966 when such cars won Le Mans. read he first page, jumped to P10 so nowt inbetween.
Then saw the phrase 'front ball joints made' my my my that stopped me in my tracks
And the four billets which turn out a few posts later to be four hubs
Daft question
What havent you built from scratch?????? lol
Sitting down tonight to read pages 2-9 and looking forward to it
And some people build these from plastic
You sir are living the dream and o would guess a lot of other posters on this thread
I tip my hat to you sir
Thornaby said:
Are the tyres on par with modern tyres? Do they just look retro etc.
They are AVON CR6ZZS. DOT legal radials, so made with modern materials, but after the style of older tyres. They are used by a lot of the GT40s (and other cars) in present day classic car racing. Not a lot of choice out there in wide modern tyres that offer decent grip if using 15" rims.Edited by CR6ZZ on Monday 19th November 20:57
crofty1984 said:
CR6ZZ said:
Oh my. Which one are you, OP?
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