Mark's replicar project

[Marcus in the Darkus]

Since this is off-topic, I'm going to post a couple pictures of the car I'm building. I think I posted some pics a few months ago, but I've recently made a little progress on the build. In fact, I'm going to try to get the engine and transaxle installed and fired up in spring, which will leave me the warmer months to complete the body work and get it ready for paint.

The car is an Australian kit of a Ford GT40, the racecar that won LeMans four consecutive years from 1966-1969. The design is timeless...it is still a gorgeous car.

I recently finished up the steering rack, radiator, and coolant pipes.

I also fitted the front nostril panel to the front clip using Dzus quarter-turn panel fasteners.

Here's the car as she sits right now. Starting to look like a car. I've since removed the sill panels to allow fitment of the fuel tanks, pumps and fuel system plumbing. After that I can start putting the engine in and route the wiring harness.

I averaged one gun per month since I got my Class A license in May 2005. I'm going to throttle way back on the gun purchases this year and direct those funds into completing the GT40.

 

[Lynne]

That's gonna be sweet Mark. Post the finished pics when you're done.

 

[Weerd Beard]

yeah keep going! I wanna see her grow!

What you gonna drop in for a power-plant?

Arrr

-Weer'd Beard

 

[C-pher]

Man, that's going to be one sweet car. Have you decided the color yet?

 

[tele_mark]

The GT40 is a true classic. It sill looks as modern today as it did 40 years ago. I still remember seeing several genuine ones at Lime Rock in the 80's. Classics!

 

[Wildweasel]

is it based off and existing frame? (wondering about reg/title all that)
Engine? more details man!

 

[SiameseRat]

that's kinda sexy... I'll take one in black.

 

[Admin]

That thing is sick!

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Nice. Definately more details.

 

[K-DUB]

That is bad (_X_) . A friend of my dad's has a 65. It's a truly awesome car....once you sqeeze yourself into the seat.

 

[JonJ]

Sweet! Can't wait to see it finished.

 

[Marcus in the Darkus]

Thanks for the compliments.

The finished color scheme will be bright white with metallic blue stripes. That's why I powder coated the aluminum panels Candy Blue - to pick up the blue racing stripes. You can't see them in the pictures I posted, but the wheels are 17" BRM replicas, and I had the centers painted Daytona Blue - it's a really neat looking color you find on new Nissan 350Zs. That's the same color the stripes will be. I'm also going to put small US flag decals on each fender, above and behind the front wheels. I chose white with blue stripes for several reasons. First, that was the official US racing color scheme (hence the planned flag decals). But more importantly, my love affair with the GT40 started with a Matchbox collector's case that I got for Christmas when I was a little kid, back when the REAL GT40s were in the hunt at LeMans in the '60s. Here's a pic of the case:

The engine is a Ford small block V8 out of a 5.0 liter Mustang. It has been worked over pretty well. The cylinders have been bored 0.030" over, and the stroke increased to bump the displacement from 302 to 347 cubic inches. The crank and rods are forged steel, and the pistons are forged aluminum. Custom cam was designed specifically for the induction system by Ted Iskandarian. It has a stud girdle, aluminum road race oil pan, FMS 1.6 roller rockers, and ported Holley heads. Induction is via a really neat 8-stack electronic fuel injection setup that is designed with stack trumpets to look like the weber carbs on the original GT40s. Engine management is computerized via a fully programmable MoTec 4800 system. Exhaust is a custom-fabricated bundle-of-snakes setup, as per the original. The exhaust is a work of art, and even replicates the original cross-over design which timed exhaust pulses in each collector to fire in a sequential order, increasing exhaust scavenging and power. This exhaust, along with the open intake stacks, will really give a unique sound. Definitely a race car. Expected power output is approx 420-440 hp at the flywheel. This should be more than adequate in a car with a curb weight of ~2,300 pounds. Here's a pic of the engine:

Chassis is a TIG-welded mild steel space frame to which aluminum panels are affixed. This car is right-hand-drive, as the originals were. Fuel system consists of two aluminum tanks in the side sills, two low-pressure pumps, and a high-pressure pump and swirl pot for the EFI system. Dash is per original with Smiths instruments, coated in leather, and to be outfitted with an engine start button from a Honda S2000. Seats are black leather race buckets with stainless steel grommets, similar to the original cars. Brakes are 4-wheel vented disks with calipers from a C4 Corvette. Suspension is 4-wheel independant as per the original car, with custom-fabricated wishbones, trailing arms and rear uprights. Transaxle is a 5-speed from an old FWD Audi 5000. It has been gone through and fitted with a Quaife limited slip differential. I also have an Audi 6-speed transaxle that I bought off the German Ebay site, but since that will take more time, money and fabrication to install, I'll leave that as a "winter" project. I already have several "winter" projects in mind for the car, including upgraded brakes, engine and transaxle oil coolers, rear anti-roll bar, chrome moly suspension bits, in-car video (for recording laps and to improve rearward visibility), etc.

God only knows how I'll get it registered in this commie state. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

 

[tele_mark]

Thanks for the compliments.

<SNIP>

God only knows how I'll get it registered in this commie state. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rush/redbarchetta.html

 

[Chris]

There is an 'inspection' program with the state that is used to make custom vehicles road legal. I'm going to have to use that method to get my Willys legal as I'm going to be slightly over height when I'm done. However, since the lift regulations only allow an inch for such a short wheelbase, another inch in inspection wil probably not be an issue. I gues we'll see when the time comes. But from what i hear from the cruiser crowd, getting passed in the inspection isn't very tough so long as the vehicle is sound. They want to see good seatbelts, brakes, and drivetrain mounts mostly.

I have it a little easier as I have a VIN and a clean title for the vehicle that I'm building, but that just makes the paperwork a little easier.

I wouldn't sweat it now. Build the car you want and then deal with the inspection. So long as you build it strong and safe, you'll likely have no issues.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Chris, ask Glenn what it was like getting some of his 4 wheel drive vehicles inspected. Not as easy as you think. You pretty much need to know someone in order to get lifted vehicles to pass. If we had kept his built up tracker, it was going to have to be a trailer queen.

 

[Moderator]

That is so sweet