GT-Forte GTs40 build

[David]

Well after years and years of wanting a GT40, lots of talk, consideration and ideas I finally decided to make my dreams a reality and took up GT-Forte on their introductory offer.

Today I took delivery of the kit and once I've finished sitting in it going "Vrooom" (I may have to attach the PS3 steering wheel just so I have a wheel to play with) I'll post some pictures up and the build as it happens.

One final note, I know the done thing is to use real names here so my real name is David, I've been using my nickname on the internet since the early nineties so its more of a habit to use that than my real name...

Right then, off to find somewhere for some fibreglass pieces to live and go vroom a few more times!

 

[Bill Cooke]

Welcome to the party. Tell us of your plans. Bill

 

[Paul Pham]

Congratulations David, very exciting days ahead!

Cheers Paul

 

[Brett James-McCall]

Hey David,
Good to hear. Let us know how you find it building Darren's kit. Another thing - where are you based?

Brett

 

[David]

I'm in South Birmingham. As for plans its nominally to be a road car with occasional trackdays. As such things like A/C, sound deadening and a decent cabin sit alongside good brakes and suspension.

Its not going to be a strict replica, I'm not even sold on a Ford engine although of course it has to be a V8! The chassis is designed for the Ford 289/302 so have to take that into consideration. Actual plans for engine however I'm purposely leaving for now, for a long while it would just be cluttering up the garage and as I'm working on it in a single garage (admittedly with a second 'storage' garage) I can't afford that space. Transaxle is most likely going to be Audi 01E but again for now it would just take up space.

Colours I'm thinking blue with stripe, obviously this is a Ford GT but I'm thinking similar to this:

So far I've 'fitted' (rested may be a better term) the bodywork and sat in it before taking the bodywork off again.

Although I 'knew', it takes having the bodywork sat there to realise just how much fibreglass 'work' I'm going to have to do, time to invest in some paper suits and a new dust mask alongside a powerfile. Nothing 'new' as I've done plenty of fibreglass stuff before but I hate working with it!

The chassis is nice, I was amazed at how light it was, took just the two of us to lift it (and spider) into the garage.

The first issue I've already run into is I know I'll have to cut the dash for the roll-cage, I slid it in (while 'fitting' the bodywork) and went 'Oh' as it only got within a foot of its correct position.

I've got some more pictures but can't upload them at the moment (filesize limit on the proxy), so have to have just this one lo-res one of it arriving.

 

[DARREN]

Hi David,

Andy Green has used a nice solution for the dash going around the front hoop problem.

http://www.gt40s.com/forum/gt40-build-logs/24109-norfolk-tornado-3.html

D.

 

[David]

Yep, I'd seen that one. At the moment however the dash has been relegated to the garage roof space, I'll worry about it later!

I've attached some pictures although it keeps failing so only two for now!

 

[David]

Some more pictures.

I tend to be a bit of a photo junky for projects so I shall be uploading them to flickr and just posting a few here, should anyone want to look the rest through they'll all be at: fastdruids photoset.

So far today I have yet to do anything on the car, all I've done is move bits of bodywork around. Reconsidered my plan to have the front/rear clips in the 'build' garage, just too big and I couldn't get them into the rafter space so I moved them to the storage garage. I was thinking about it though and as I have power (a generator!) I can always do a large amount of the bodywork in there and save some of the mess that would be generated in the 'build' garage.

 

[René]

it takes indeed a lot of free space me thinks...
and there's a lot work to do for you the coming time

 

[Andy Sheldon]

That chassis looks almost the same as another I have seen else where.
Specifically in the following areas
Rear bulkhead, side sills, central tunnel, dash frame, dash and hinge mounts, footwell area, engine bay,suspension mounts etc etc.

Andy

 

[David]

Andy,

With respect, if you have issues with similarities to your chassis please start a new thread or deal with them directly rather than post such comments. Such things are between you and Darren and do not belong in my build log.

 

[Andy Sheldon]

Druid

With respect, if you put pictures of items based on our products on your build log we are entitled to comment.

Andy

 

[Andy Green]

What Mr Sheldon means, is that it's very similar to a GTD chassis, which in turn, is very similar to a Tornado chassis :laugh:

Good luck with the build, and we're all here (well most of us!) to help out where possible

Regards,
Andy

 

[Brett James-McCall]

So I have been mulling this over this morning and bounced this off Ron.

Quite simply:

1/ Fastdruid/Druid/Davis - Please update you name to your name. You signed up the forum rules and have acknowledged that we use real names here. You undoubtably will post in more than this thread once your build really starts.

2/ Andy Sheldon - If you have any issues with the product that is being offered by GT Forte, please take it up with the relevant parties and deal with it outside of the forum.

Thanks
Brett

 

[Jon Briggs]

Hi David and welcome to the forums. The pictures look great, but a lot of hard work ahead. Looking forward to seeing how it all turns out, keep posting.

 

[David]

Yep, lots of work, as with all the spaceframe GT40 replicas panelling is a big job, even if you were to have a set of pre-cut panels its a lot of drilling, de-burring and riveting.

I looked at making a start last night but decided that using a singular cornflake box for templates just wasn't going to cut it. So today I went and purchased some 300gsm A0 card to make some templates along with some nice new markers (my previous one had drifted in accuracy to about +/- 2mm ).

With a bit of luck and a following wind I should have at least a few panels cut tonight but fitting the panels themselves is unfortunately out until the rivets, clecos and a set of new drills[1] arrive.

D

[1] In my experience decent cutting tools are worth every penny, the nasty £10 drill 'sets' you can get just don't cut anything and the difference between them and a Dormer/Cleveland etc drill bit is night and day.

 

[KarlB]

Hi David,

Welcome to the world of GT40s !

Nice looking chassis with some good updates from some of the older designs.

Look forward to seeing it finished in a couple of weeks [only joking] ...I think i'm in year 3 of my build.....

Keep the pictures coming

Karl

 

Hi David.
Cutting and bending ally sheet can only really be done with proper equipment.
Years ago I used cheaper formers and the result was terrible.
I managed to get a 4ft wide pro folder and a similar size guillotine and I can make just about anything on a 40 with it, although I purchased mine already made.
Of course during the build you will have to alter some panels , in fact you may need to alter most of them.
You need a tight sharp bend to look good or it will look tatty and disapointment will set in. If you have templates get the panels formed by a local fabrication shop and be prepared to go back and forth to get some right.
I used on my 40 and on both of my Ultimas ally grade NS4 16 Gauge.
These are purely my opinions, others may have other ideas.
Keep things posted, it will be of interest

 

[David]

A 1m or larger guillotine would certainly be nice! Not that I have room any more, I even had to remove my workbench from the garage to fit the GT40 in.

I did the first panel last night (apart from the fuel sender access hole) and while its turned out OK I'm going to get some easier/better tools and may end up re-doing it at a later date.

I started with the air shears which made fast work of chomping through the sheet but are too loud (and the compressor is even louder) to be used at 11pm! Hand shears are of course next to useless let alone on a panel this size so ended up taking the air motor off the shears and driving the blades manually which worked but was slow and awkward.

Next is the other side which should just be a reversed copy but then its the panels on the rear of the sills (behind the bulkhead) and quite frankly I'm not sure how I'm going to do them thanks to the roll-cage. I can't even get a piece of card in place without folding it almost in half.

 

[Mick Ridley]

Hi David,

Some people use a jigsaw to cut panels, but I prefer to use a 4 1/2" angle grinder with a 1mm slitting disc,,but you need to use Gold stick ( a soap to stop the disc pinning glogging up with alloy)

If you dont have a steady hand, then it would be a good idea to clamp a straight edge, on the alloy to get a really straight cut, the main advantage with a jigsaw, and the angle grinder is that you dont bend the sheet

here is my email addy [email protected] if you send me your address ill post some 1mm slitting discs , f.o.c. for you to try..ill post them today for you, if you can get your details to me by 3.00, this afternoon

good luck with your build

mick