I am not afraid of a little research to make sure your project stays true to form. I saw this throughout my two Cobra builds. The process and end result is pretty well documented on the inner-webs. I did come to learn
- Dig deep and long enough, you will find an answer.
- There are a lot of experts out there, at least they think they are. And their answers are a little less than perfect.
- I can’t begin to fathom the job of building the originals without use of the internet.
So putting together a GT40 is only slightly different than building a Cobra? Not so fast Ke-mo-sabe You’re in for a rude awakening.
In the beginning,
The GT40 builds are a minor subset of the Cobra replica community. That community has a number of recognized websites and forums to help with your build. Those websites have some passing comments on the ’40 but few if any details. Being such a smaller market, the available data on the GT40 is limited.
GT40s.com This has become the go-to source for the building and restoration community. But the data is kind of limited and the site is filled with display issues. (I say this kindly even though I am a moderator on the site). Over the years, much of the data has become garbled as supporting forums or pages have gone missing. Many of the pictures are blank due to the PhotoBucket problems. You’re reading an article and the main reference is missing, replaced with a graphic that says “Sorry, image is currently unavailable. Photobucket” Well, so much for that information.
gt40enthusiatsclub.com This is the Great Britian version of the GT40 website, however it has pretty much turned into a social club. Little to no information on the vehicles.
Since I was building a Race Car Replicas GT40, I knew there was a builders page buried in their system. But access is limited to owners only. Once I had placed my deposit, access was granted and I found a web-based version of how to build their car. Good deal, I studied the hell out of it. But when I got the build and started the process, I learned the instructions are dated at best and often incorrect. A number of times I heard from them, “oh, yea. Don’t pay attention to that, it’s wrong”
OK, now where?
As I was waiting for my kit, I had been reading (and cataloging) the different build threads on the GT40s site. As it turns out, this has become the de-facto source on how to get the job done. There are a number of different threads with a lot of details. The problem is it isn’t categorized or cataloged anywhere. You kind of have to read each one and keep in your memory, all the details.
I had decided my build was going down the same Period-Correct path, or at least, as much as it could. I wanted to modify the RCR components to include:
- Period Correct steel front and rear frames
- Adjustable pedals and steering wheel
- Tilt nose (the original didn’t, it slid off for maintenance)
- Split doors (removable top for summer cruising)
- Rollbar removed from the passenger compartment and incorporated into a dual wall bulkhead
- Fuel Injection and other electronics incorporated into the dual-wall bulkhead
I found these threads provided a lot of the details I needed.
- Chuck and Ryans Build. Probably the most referred to build in existence-even to the point that RCR used to include a thumbdrive of the thread as part of their instruction package. Chuck Schmidt is a prolific builder (Cobras, GT40s, Airplanes) and located about 90 miles form me. Very helpful and quick to answer questions.
- Tom’s Trackracer: This is a thread from 2008 of a build done by Tom in Germany. Very detailed and documented. Fran has commented this is probably the best build of one of his kits. Unfortunately, the builder was killed in an automobile accident a few years later. The thread is closed but you’ll see a lot of references back to what he did.
- The rest of them:
- Rick Merz: Good information on the dual-wall bulkhead
- Paul Thon: Even more detailed info on relocating the rollbar and steel nose frame
- Chris Kouba: a lot of details on the nitty-gritty of making one of these things driveable
- The current bunch: At the 2024 GT40 renunion, a number of met and have formed a common bond, we are all in the same area but at different points in our build;
- Randy Folsom
- Chris Klotzbach
- Tom Toledo
- Don Pirre
- Steve Klafeta
