My name is Andre Loubser (South African Identity Number 4002185063080). I reside with my wife Gillian (Gill) at 51 Forest Glade, Tokai 7945, Cape Town, South Africa. My postal address is PO Box 31, Constantia 7848. My telephone numbers are, work, +27 (0)21 706 5272 and home 712 0030. Fax number is 671 1140, cell/mobile 082 723 5632 and E-mail - andreloubser@telkomsa.net. I'm also now a new member of GT40s.com. I'm available to communicate with anyone at any time on the subject of GT40s as I believe that I'm fairly well informed about the car and its history.
There are some confusing and contradictory reports and questions circulating about Cape Advanced Vehicles (CAV) in Cape Town, South Africa. As the one who motivated the formation of the company and a former director I wish to set the record straight. 40bud in particular wants to know about CAV's backgropund
I'll go right back to the beginning. In 1990/91 my former partner, Norman Lewis, and I built a KVA-type GT40 from a locally manufactured kit. I got the order from an English client and was responsible for all admin and parts sourcing. Norman, an experienced car builder and former RAF jet aircraft electrician, physically built the car. The car was eventually sold on behalf of the English owner to a Mr Hansjorg Winkler, a VW dealer in Feldmeilen, Switzerland. When David Piper and Jochen Mass were in Cape Town at different times I showed them the magnificent car resplendent in Gulf colours. They were suitably impressed but when I lifted the nose and tail sections to reveal modified Ford Granada suspension at the rear and a complete Ford Cortina 'K-frame' with suspension at the front, they visibly paled! Remember that was how Ken Attwell built the very first GT40 replica.
In November, 1991 I visted GT Developments in Poole and took with me my complete costing schedule, build details and photos of the GT40. The then MD, Simon Osborne, couldn't believe how cheaply we could build cars in South Africa. Not cheap by our standards, I explained, but competitive in pound sterling terms as the SA rand then traded at 4,8 to the pound sterling. GTD founder, Ray Christopher, was off the scene at the time of my visit due to ill health. I suggested to Simon, as he was so impressed with our pricing that he should think in terms of our building his cars in Cape Town.
During the following six and half years I visited GTD again and kept in touch by phone and fax. Then one day, out of the blue, in May, 1998 I received a fax from Ray Christopher, who had in the meantime returned to GTD. He referred to all the past communication with Simon and suggested that as the SA rand had weakened to 8,5 to the pound sterling 'we must now talk'. I replied that I would do my best to set up a local manufacturing facility.
In March, 1999 I met up with James Fisher who together with friend Oliver Mcleod-Smith had made a great deal of money though their Snakeboard invention. Snakeboard was a variation on the basic skateboard theme but with wheels and axles attached to swivelling platforms at either end of an aluminium backbone. By the movement of both feet on the swivelling platforms Snakeboard can be propelled in a horizontal plane at quite some speed. Both James and Oliver were looking for a new investment in Cape Town and when I mentioned the GT40 opportunity they decided 'to go for it'.
In May, we invited Ray and partner, Graham Kelsey, to visit us in Cape Town and to finalise the under-licence manufacturing. A deal was struck in the clubhouse of the Steenberg Golf Estate, Tokai. During the meeting it was suggested that Ray and Graham would send out their production moulds and chassis jig, but when Ray posed the question what would happen if the ship sinks, it was agreed that they would send a body/chassis kit for us to copy
A new company was formed and James and Oliver were to be joint CEOs with a shareholding of 40% each and I was to be MD with a shareholding of 20%. Trading name was to be CAPE ADVANCED VEHICLES, which I named after FORD ADVANCED VEHICLES. I designed the corporate identity consisting of a horizontal blue band and a white circle with green vine leaf inside a yellow triangle. The vine leaf was symbolic of the Western Cape which is a major wine producing area. I brought a competent, hand picked team, including Norman Lewis on board and we got the show on the road. We were then joined by a fourth partner and director, Bruce Stirk.
Initially a small factory in the suburb of Diep River was leased and in October the container arrived with the body/chassis kit and a host of parts. CAV chief engineer, Robbie Senekal, immediately commenced with the manufacture of the chassis jig which turned out to be a masterpiece. The body panels were given to fibreglass artist and specialist, Keith Bright of Brightglass, from which to make a new set of production moulds.
At the same time, ie about November, we were informed by Ray that GTD had sold the GT40 marketing rights to a Roger Marsh who would be trading as GTD Supercars in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmigham. We were then effectively in three cornered arrangement.
Subsequently we were visited on more than one occasion by Ray, Graham and Roger.
Production began in May, 2000. Initially CAV was to be a small operation supplying two body/chassis kits per month to GTD.Then we received a fax from Ray asking us if we would be interested in a bigger picture by supplying an American dealer with many more near fully-built cars. We considered the request and replied in the affirmative.
In the early part of 2000, Owen Ashley, a local race car builder was brought on board, by James and Oliver, as a consultant. Later that year James and Oliver decided to appoint Owen as MD, assuming no doubt that he would do a better job than me. If big boys want to play big names they know full well that they will sometimes lose out or will be voted out. Politicians also know that. Ask Bill Clinton. Also as cowboys don't cry I accepted the situation but decided to sell my shares in March, 2001 to pursue my own interests. My last job at CAV was to write a 65 page build manual and a 45 page owners manual.
I'm now planning to set up a new factory to build cars for four British manufacturers. This is with the full support of the British Department of Trade and Industry who invited me as their guest to attend the Racing Car Show at Birmigham a year ago. British DTI has targeted South Africa and four other countries as joint venture manufacturing bases for the British Automotive industry. South Africa, formerly largely ostracized by the rest of the world because of its race policies, is rapidly gaining a good reputation as a major builder of specialised motor vehicles. Jimmy Price, owner of Hi-Tech Automotive in Port Elizabeth is the largest replica manufacturer in the world and exports about 35 Cobra replicas per month to his eight US dealers. He also builds the Noble M12 for export back to the UK. Manufacturing cars here has become more lucrative in recent years, for both builders here and overseas agents, as the rand has weakened to about 14 to the pound sterling. Remember 4,8 when I visited GTD in November, 1991!
CAV produced 17 space frame GT40s and then went on to produce a stainless steel monocoque version. The original GT40 agency in the New York area was short lived and subsequently, as is now common knowledge, Bob Lacey was appointed CAV's US dealer.
As I left CAV at the end of March, 2001 I've lost count of the politics involving Ray, Graham, Roger, GTD Unichassis, GTD Supercars, etc, etc. It would therefore be unfair for me to comment any further. Grant Nelson of CAV says 'please feel free to contact us directly with any issues involving CAV.'
However, I would agree with 40bud's comment 'that CAV would not be in business building the wonderful cars they do if it were not for Ray and Graham's efforts'. I know the British kit car industry better than it knows itself and since 1986 I've been well informed about who's who in the zoo in that country. In view of the quality of the GTD cars, and in view of many complimentary magazine reports, including one involving Jonathan Palmer, I was more than happy to recommend a deal with GTD. If after the event and after my departure from CAV there were disagreements or personality clashes, all I can say in conclusion is that that's just part of being in business. Business these days!
I entered the workplace in 1958 in Cape Town. I worked for Porsche in Germany from 1962 to 1964, where I was closely involved with the 904 project. From 1964 to 1967 I worked for the Stirling Moss Paint-a-Car System in London, followed by
a year on the Enfield electric car project in Wimbledon. I then returned to Johannesburg, South Africa to start the Mike Hailwood Autospray group, which was the world pioneer of automotive polyurethane paints. On a philosophical note those were happy years when life seemed easier, friendlier, more honest and less complicated than our current, fast computer driven world! The mere fact that classic replicas, in particular the GT40, are so popular today and the fact that there has been a world-wide explosion in recent times in historic motor racing might prove my point! It seems that many people just want to wind the clock back! It also seems that today business partnerships and associations are more difficult and complex than in the good old swinging sixties.
There's another exciting GT40 development in Cape Town. More later!
There are some confusing and contradictory reports and questions circulating about Cape Advanced Vehicles (CAV) in Cape Town, South Africa. As the one who motivated the formation of the company and a former director I wish to set the record straight. 40bud in particular wants to know about CAV's backgropund
I'll go right back to the beginning. In 1990/91 my former partner, Norman Lewis, and I built a KVA-type GT40 from a locally manufactured kit. I got the order from an English client and was responsible for all admin and parts sourcing. Norman, an experienced car builder and former RAF jet aircraft electrician, physically built the car. The car was eventually sold on behalf of the English owner to a Mr Hansjorg Winkler, a VW dealer in Feldmeilen, Switzerland. When David Piper and Jochen Mass were in Cape Town at different times I showed them the magnificent car resplendent in Gulf colours. They were suitably impressed but when I lifted the nose and tail sections to reveal modified Ford Granada suspension at the rear and a complete Ford Cortina 'K-frame' with suspension at the front, they visibly paled! Remember that was how Ken Attwell built the very first GT40 replica.
In November, 1991 I visted GT Developments in Poole and took with me my complete costing schedule, build details and photos of the GT40. The then MD, Simon Osborne, couldn't believe how cheaply we could build cars in South Africa. Not cheap by our standards, I explained, but competitive in pound sterling terms as the SA rand then traded at 4,8 to the pound sterling. GTD founder, Ray Christopher, was off the scene at the time of my visit due to ill health. I suggested to Simon, as he was so impressed with our pricing that he should think in terms of our building his cars in Cape Town.
During the following six and half years I visited GTD again and kept in touch by phone and fax. Then one day, out of the blue, in May, 1998 I received a fax from Ray Christopher, who had in the meantime returned to GTD. He referred to all the past communication with Simon and suggested that as the SA rand had weakened to 8,5 to the pound sterling 'we must now talk'. I replied that I would do my best to set up a local manufacturing facility.
In March, 1999 I met up with James Fisher who together with friend Oliver Mcleod-Smith had made a great deal of money though their Snakeboard invention. Snakeboard was a variation on the basic skateboard theme but with wheels and axles attached to swivelling platforms at either end of an aluminium backbone. By the movement of both feet on the swivelling platforms Snakeboard can be propelled in a horizontal plane at quite some speed. Both James and Oliver were looking for a new investment in Cape Town and when I mentioned the GT40 opportunity they decided 'to go for it'.
In May, we invited Ray and partner, Graham Kelsey, to visit us in Cape Town and to finalise the under-licence manufacturing. A deal was struck in the clubhouse of the Steenberg Golf Estate, Tokai. During the meeting it was suggested that Ray and Graham would send out their production moulds and chassis jig, but when Ray posed the question what would happen if the ship sinks, it was agreed that they would send a body/chassis kit for us to copy
A new company was formed and James and Oliver were to be joint CEOs with a shareholding of 40% each and I was to be MD with a shareholding of 20%. Trading name was to be CAPE ADVANCED VEHICLES, which I named after FORD ADVANCED VEHICLES. I designed the corporate identity consisting of a horizontal blue band and a white circle with green vine leaf inside a yellow triangle. The vine leaf was symbolic of the Western Cape which is a major wine producing area. I brought a competent, hand picked team, including Norman Lewis on board and we got the show on the road. We were then joined by a fourth partner and director, Bruce Stirk.
Initially a small factory in the suburb of Diep River was leased and in October the container arrived with the body/chassis kit and a host of parts. CAV chief engineer, Robbie Senekal, immediately commenced with the manufacture of the chassis jig which turned out to be a masterpiece. The body panels were given to fibreglass artist and specialist, Keith Bright of Brightglass, from which to make a new set of production moulds.
At the same time, ie about November, we were informed by Ray that GTD had sold the GT40 marketing rights to a Roger Marsh who would be trading as GTD Supercars in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmigham. We were then effectively in three cornered arrangement.
Subsequently we were visited on more than one occasion by Ray, Graham and Roger.
Production began in May, 2000. Initially CAV was to be a small operation supplying two body/chassis kits per month to GTD.Then we received a fax from Ray asking us if we would be interested in a bigger picture by supplying an American dealer with many more near fully-built cars. We considered the request and replied in the affirmative.
In the early part of 2000, Owen Ashley, a local race car builder was brought on board, by James and Oliver, as a consultant. Later that year James and Oliver decided to appoint Owen as MD, assuming no doubt that he would do a better job than me. If big boys want to play big names they know full well that they will sometimes lose out or will be voted out. Politicians also know that. Ask Bill Clinton. Also as cowboys don't cry I accepted the situation but decided to sell my shares in March, 2001 to pursue my own interests. My last job at CAV was to write a 65 page build manual and a 45 page owners manual.
I'm now planning to set up a new factory to build cars for four British manufacturers. This is with the full support of the British Department of Trade and Industry who invited me as their guest to attend the Racing Car Show at Birmigham a year ago. British DTI has targeted South Africa and four other countries as joint venture manufacturing bases for the British Automotive industry. South Africa, formerly largely ostracized by the rest of the world because of its race policies, is rapidly gaining a good reputation as a major builder of specialised motor vehicles. Jimmy Price, owner of Hi-Tech Automotive in Port Elizabeth is the largest replica manufacturer in the world and exports about 35 Cobra replicas per month to his eight US dealers. He also builds the Noble M12 for export back to the UK. Manufacturing cars here has become more lucrative in recent years, for both builders here and overseas agents, as the rand has weakened to about 14 to the pound sterling. Remember 4,8 when I visited GTD in November, 1991!
CAV produced 17 space frame GT40s and then went on to produce a stainless steel monocoque version. The original GT40 agency in the New York area was short lived and subsequently, as is now common knowledge, Bob Lacey was appointed CAV's US dealer.
As I left CAV at the end of March, 2001 I've lost count of the politics involving Ray, Graham, Roger, GTD Unichassis, GTD Supercars, etc, etc. It would therefore be unfair for me to comment any further. Grant Nelson of CAV says 'please feel free to contact us directly with any issues involving CAV.'
However, I would agree with 40bud's comment 'that CAV would not be in business building the wonderful cars they do if it were not for Ray and Graham's efforts'. I know the British kit car industry better than it knows itself and since 1986 I've been well informed about who's who in the zoo in that country. In view of the quality of the GTD cars, and in view of many complimentary magazine reports, including one involving Jonathan Palmer, I was more than happy to recommend a deal with GTD. If after the event and after my departure from CAV there were disagreements or personality clashes, all I can say in conclusion is that that's just part of being in business. Business these days!
I entered the workplace in 1958 in Cape Town. I worked for Porsche in Germany from 1962 to 1964, where I was closely involved with the 904 project. From 1964 to 1967 I worked for the Stirling Moss Paint-a-Car System in London, followed by
a year on the Enfield electric car project in Wimbledon. I then returned to Johannesburg, South Africa to start the Mike Hailwood Autospray group, which was the world pioneer of automotive polyurethane paints. On a philosophical note those were happy years when life seemed easier, friendlier, more honest and less complicated than our current, fast computer driven world! The mere fact that classic replicas, in particular the GT40, are so popular today and the fact that there has been a world-wide explosion in recent times in historic motor racing might prove my point! It seems that many people just want to wind the clock back! It also seems that today business partnerships and associations are more difficult and complex than in the good old swinging sixties.
There's another exciting GT40 development in Cape Town. More later!