CAV #180 Factory Roller

[Sam Watson]

I see it has been a long time since a CAV thread appeared here. Ron Scarboro's #170 might be the last one. Well, CAV #180 has started production at the factory in South Africa. This will be a fully complete rolling chassis, what some call a "turn key minus," that Johann will finish for me at CAV-America in NC.

My role is to acquire the engine, transaxle, and associated bits and get them to Johann when the boat is approaching the USA. My current thinking is that this will be a street car, standard rear clip, short deck engine, 15" wheels, solid color with wide hood/roof stripes. I will track it a few times, but I have lost my inclination for tearing my cars up at the track. I have thus far selected the RBT transaxle and placed that on order. I had no success finding a used ZF -2. The ones that are occasionally for sale are so expensive it is not much of a decision to just buy a new one.

So CAV has pleasantly surprised me how quickly they put this job into production. I gave them the first deposit in late November, and they have been on summer holiday for most of December. First photos below.

Sam

 

[Cliff Beer]

Congrats Sam. You're going to love your CAV - absolutely wonderful cars.

At least with CAV, RCR, Superformance, etc. you know your deposit is not going to vaporize....and you WILL get what you bargained for on a reasonable time frame.

Be careful with all that power. Be sure you have a limited slip!

Cheers.

 

[Mort]

Johann will do it right and with style. He is great and you could not have chosen better.
Mort

 

[Dean Lampe]

Sam, are you getting the standard rear width or are you getting a gulf flare or something in between?

 

[Sam Watson]

Sam, are you getting the standard rear width or are you getting a gulf flare or something in between?

Dean, practicality rules ... the Gulf rear, wide wheels, and tires would add several $K. Thus I am going with the standard configuration. I think it will suit me fine .. just need something to drive to the bank, the post office, and lunch A Keith Craft motor and the RBT trans because I tend to break things ...

Sam

 

[Jimmy P]

Sam, You Lucky Bugger! As Cliff said, you're going to love this car. Owning # 82 has been a pleasure and this is without the many improvements made to the 100+ cars. Johann knows his stuff and his engineering is top rate (check out some of his motorcycles creations @ HOME). Do you know when CAV plan on having the car completed and shipped? The reason I ask is I'm planning a trip to Cape Town later this year. I'd love to see the car as its being built.

 

[Dean Lampe]

Practicality rules? And you chose a GT40? :drunk:

 

[Sam Watson]

Thanks, Jimmy! According to Johann, the lead time is 4 months plus 5 weeks shipping. So maybe it's at the docks by early May? I 'd be delighted if you got some pics while you were there. I'd be even more delighted if another US customer stepped up and bought one real quick and could share my container cost with me

Practicality rules? And you chose a GT40? :drunk:

Dean, Dean ... you indirectly make my point The baseline CAV GT40 is such an awesome car to me, that I do not feel compelled to make it even more extreme. Being practical is not paying for features one does not have any use for. Now, if I was a big time race car driver/test pilot like you ...

Sam

 

[Mike Rohach]

Best of luck with the build Sam. If you need any input or advice on the final assembly just give me a shout.

 

[Sam Watson]

Best of luck with the build Sam. If you need any input or advice on the final assembly just give me a shout.

Thanks, Mike! I'm sure there will be a question or two. Which bell housing did you use? Lloyd Butfoy at RBT told me the Kennedy or the Quicktime, so I ordered a Kennedy. Turns out this is a new version for the 157 tooth flywheel, not the 164 tooth. Dennis Oltoff is making a block plate for me. Should have got the Quicktime, I guess. It comes with a plate.

Sam

 

[Mike Rohach]

Sam, I was able to purchase a use GT40 bell from Dennis Quella (Pantera Performance). I did have to modify it slightly to get adequate clearance. At the time, the parts to run a Windsor with a ZF in the CAV chassis weren't readily available. So, I fabbed all the trans mounts, modified the motor mounts and built the complete exhaust system. I used the Superformance shift linkage at the ZF stock shift housing, and purchase two longer shift cables to make it all work. I think that CAV now offers a ZF adapter package that ties all the loose ends up. Give ma a call if you have any questions about the set up. I'll do my best to help.:thumbsup:

 

[Sam Watson]

Thanks, Mike. Yes, CAV says they will support my choice of the ZF style trans. And, based your earlier comments to me, I elected to use the short 8.2" deck motor so I could use their stock exhaust system. It will be in the 450-500 hp range, adequate for my use. I need to verify what header flange size they use, though. I just saw another local build where the factory made an assumption on port size that may not suit the builder's choice of heads. As in the Cobra world, aftermarket heads have varying sizes of exhaust port.

The pilot bearing or bushing that has to be used with the RBT is an odd one. That is because the stock GT40 RBT uses the BMW M1 input shaft, not the Ford shaft used by the Pantera. So you have to have the SBF outside diameter, and the BMW 12 mm inside diameter. Dennis Oltoff makes these to order by pressing a 12 mm bearing into an aluminum bushing. Otherwise, you have to fab a custom Oilite bushing. Although the BMW M1 input spline is a 10 tooth, it is not a Ford 1-1/16" diameter, it is 29 mm (1-9/64"). Tech support at McLeod can help with a custom clutch disc for any diameter pressure plate. Dennis recommends the McLeod 272180R (R is the reverse hub version) in a 10.5" application. I'll post the complete list of clutch and flywheel parts that I plan to use later.

Sam

 

[Randy]

Sam I have a CAV bellhousing I will sell?
Randy

 

[Sam Watson]

Sam I have a CAV bellhousing I will sell?
Randy

Sent you a pm.

Sam

 

[Gary Sharapata]

Hey Sammy and Dean. Let's start a raffle and see who get's their GT40 done first between you two! Dean ordered first but I see much more progress on Sam's...

 

[Dean Lampe]

I don't know, I think mine is going to be a little bigger project with a lot less professional help. It would, however, be my honor to chase him for a few laps around Hallet!

 

[Sam Watson]

I don't know, I think mine is going to be a little bigger project with a lot less professional help. It would, however, be my honor to chase him for a few laps around Hallet!

Oooo ... as it turns out, I may have a line on an aluminum 482FE motor that can be wedged in Well, I am looking forward to seeing another work of art from Lampe Garages. I hope Fran saves the tooling!

Sam

 

[Dean Lampe]

Is that the FE in Jay's shop?

 

[Sam Watson]

Is that the FE in Jay's shop?

Not really serious, but the FE in my Cobra was brand new at the 2012 Run N Gun. And it is too nice a motor to sell to just anyone when I sell the car ... hmmmm

Jay's motor is the sister to the monster in Gary's carbon Cobra. He is anxious to sell it, so if you have interest give him a call.

Sam

 

[Gary Sharapata]

Alright a little trash talk to get this started.....So do we have beginning chassis pics of the Lampe Ford GT yet? Interesting thought on the FE in a GT40. I wonder what my motor would be like in one. Hmmm...sell Cobra as roller minus engine.