Fran Hall founded Race Car Replicas in 2003/2004. I am not sure if the GT40 kit was the first issued but it was from that general time. My first experience with it was in 2007 with Dean Lampe’s build. This was not the first build by RCR, it was chassis #33 which he obtained in 2007.
Fran says the original kit was developed from GT40P/1008. Delving into the history of /1008, I’ve learned it has a very interesting past. Seems it was the study model for the new 2005-6 Ford GT. It also was displayed multiple times masquerading as a MKII. This is the write-up from the 4th edition World Registry of Cobras & GT40s
P/1008. Production racing coupe, shipped 8/17/65. Its build sheet indicates a “289” engine (number F.A.V. 112) and “LeMans front body panel.” Built to racing specifications and delivered to Ford of U.K., it was painted Linden Green, being used as press car and featured in various magazines (“John Blundsen’s Track Tests #44” in 11/65 Motor Racing and 4/66 Car among them). Twice in its career, P/1008 masqueraded as the LeMans winner: following ’66 LeMans, it was fitted with a MKII tail (retaining its original “unhumped” MKI front fenders) to convert it into a (believed non-running) replica of the winning car (P/1046) and displayed at shows (the Barl’s Court London Motor Show of 10/19-29/66 being one of them). Then, following ’68 LeMans, it was converted (by J.W.A.) to a replica of the winning Gulf car (P/1075) and displayed at Ford’s Swansea (ENG) plant and the Donnington Museum (Derby, ENG), where it alternated on display with M3/1107. The Gulf racer impersonation was a fairly convincing one, the car being fitted with BRM wheels and a wide “Gulf” rear complete down to the rear fender nighttime identification light; only a very close inspection would reveal the car was engineless. Following 1075’s unprecedented second win at LeMans in ’69, 1008 was altered (racing number changed, “9-hole” vent panel over the exhausts substituted for the ’68’s louvers) and the display continued. The masquerade lasted into the 1970s, as the car was seen at Ringway’s Garage (Ringway Ford, Leeds, ENG) circa 1972. Restoration to original MK I specs was completed by Bryan Wingfield (Chelmsford, Essex, ENG) some years later, the car being painted in the original Linden (pale) Green with white sill stripes but being fitted with Alan Mann 5-spoke alloy wheels instead of the car’s original Borranis. It is still owned by Ford of U.K. but is maintained by Wingfield, along with Ford of England’s other GT40, M3/1107. The two cars, 1008 and 1107 were featured on the cover of the 10/94 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars magazine. When Ford decided to retro the MK I into its new “Ford GT” show car, 1008 was flown to Detroit and used as a pattern, remaining there for about a year (it was one of two original MK Is used for the project, P/1030 the other, which substituted for 1008 when the green car went back to Europe).
Sometime around 2003, Ford painted the car in a pseudo-Gulf color scheme for use as a comparison/contrast to their new Ford GT. It was painted light blue (of a shade brighter than was carried by J.W.A’s cars) with an orange center stripe, wrapped around the nose a-la P/1075, although lacking the black outline to the striping. Too much of the car’s 5- spoke Alan Mann wheels are painted orange, and they lack the bare metal rims of the “real” Gulf racers. It carried white roundels, but no numbers or “Gulf” lettering. In the “Gulf” colors, the car appeared on the cover of the 10/04 MotorSport magazine; LeMans pilot Jackie Oliver provided commentary. Thankfully, in early 2006, the car received a repaint, this one a scheme worn in its original days: for the 40th Anniversary of Ford’s LeMans 1966 victory (and the many occasions where the actual winner would like to have been displayed), Ford repainted 1008 in black with silver stripes. Just as it did in October of 1966 at Earl’s Court, the car was fitted with a MK Il rear but retained the flat-fendered MK I nose (although a fully-vented spare tire cover was fitted-just as was done in 1966). Gold Halibrands, white roundels and race number “2” (done in near- exact style to the actual LeMans winner) make for a very convincing (albeit small-block-powered) replica of GT40 P/1046. It is featured in an article in the 10/06 Classic & Sports Car, exactly 40 years since it last carried those colors. In “1046” guise, the car is featured in, and appears on the cover of, the 7/07 issue of Octane; 1107 fills in the background.
Not really a checkered past but sure not what one would expect. These are a few shots of the car, in all modes of dress.
RCR Build Instructions
In the course of ones investigation, it invariably comes up, is there a builders instruction for the kits? In a short comment, Yes, there is.
However, some caveats:
Accessibility:
The instructions are an ‘online’ experience and in a password-protected area on the RCR website. With your purchase of a kit, you are given access to the area.
Value/Helpfulness:
This becomes a subjective thing. The content is present, it is dated and not maintained. It may not have any details on the parts you purchased. There is also mention of a ‘build file’ on a flash drive. Someone has condensed all of Chuck Schmidt’s build details from the GT40s site and put the information into a digital file.
