Stratos rep. V GT40 rep.

[Chris J]

I raised the question with Terry Bunn at the recent Stoneleigh Kit Car show as to why GT40 replicas seem to valued more than Stratos replicas?

Good finished examples of GT40s are priced at least £10,000+ more than a Stratos replica of similar quality. Do they really cost that much more to put together?

Terry reckons that GT40 owners tend to spend quite a bit on the V8 engines and transmissions? That's true, but Stratos reps. are not exactly at the cheap end of the kit market?

Anyhow, here are a couple of GTDs that have recently sold quickly on PistonHeads, confirming their popularity:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/172251.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/172788.htm

[Fran Hall]

Popularity.....
I manufacture GT40's for a living and have an unfinished Corse.....I offered the Corse for sale...dirt cheap in the USA and no takers.....I sell a much more expensive GT40 weekly.....
A fun V8 350-400 hp engine can be had here(USA) for 3-4k quid...but many of my customers psend significantly more....
I am keeping my Stratos and going to find time to finish it.....as its such a classy looking car.

[CorseChris]

Not really surprised it didn't sell in the US myself. The Strat is largely unknown over there isn't it?, yet I'd bet almost every petrolhead over there knows a GT40. Not really far from the situation here either really??

Anyway, it's a much bigger car, so surely it's worth more ;)

Wouldn't mind a big V8 powered car myself really. Keep catching myself looking at Ultimas......

And Chris, don't let certain people catch you talking about resale values......

Fran, maybe if you finished the Corse it might sell?? I don't know much about the US kit market, but from what little I've seen, they are more like snap-together toys than the 'challenge' provided by many of our kits over here! That's not a criticism of either US or UK manufacturers or builders, just an aknowledgement that the market is so much bigger over there that manufacturers can put the development in and still make a good living. Expectations are bound to differ, and it's fair to say that quite a lot of the Strat reps around have not been completed by the person that bought the kit originally.

[Fran Hall]

Quite a few people know what a Stratos is but they dont seem to want to take the plunge....

I did an 037 replica for myself a few years ago and even fewer knew what that was...

The Gt40 is only a 95 inch wheelbase car ...so its certainly not big by modern standards.

I know that I have spent a small fortune developing the RCR cars but I hope to be able to be ahead of the curve and let the quality stand the test of time.

Expectations are very high nowdays as many peole have the financial ability to purchase but not the time or skill to build..not always a bad thing as it spawns the need for more pro builders....another issue is that many people want originality but want a "show" car finish that the originals certainly did not have...
I am looking forward to building my Stratos now and really love some of the cars built by members of this forum.

CorseChris just an FYI..I have just launched a new model that might peak your interest of you have looked at Ultima style cars....the yellow car.Th eother cars are also models we manufacture and sell
http://www.ffcobra.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/ubb/get_topic/f/36/t/014126.html

[CorseChris]

That looks very nice Fran. I should say I keep looking... but I'll not be able to afford one unless I win the lottery over here!

[Bernard]

Very nice Fran................. One of each please !!

The Dreamer

[mudhut]

I'd really love a GT40 or Ultima. There's no way I'd enjoy getting into and especially out of them though - at least the Stratos is relatively easy. The great big box section sills would mar my experience of such obviously fine cars.

[Fran Hall]

Thats why when I designed the new chassis I made the door opening as large as possible and the sill panel as narrow as was feasible whilst retaining torsional reliabilty....

[mogul_x]

Fran,

I take it from the pictures that you're once again involved with the XJ13 replica? Are you partnered with Sports Car Factory, or have you bought them out?

[Fran Hall]

Hi Scott,

I have always been involved with the XJ13 but behind the scenes...now I am manufacturing them completely and Rich from the SCF is handling the marketing.

[Chris J]

And Chris, don't let certain people catch you talking about resale values......

That's a good point. I can't resist it though, it's my favourite subject!

I'll have the T70, by the way, but they all look good.

[Chris J]

I'm not a great fan of this type/shape of GT40, but it's interesting to compare the prices of unfinished Stratos, GT40 and similar kits?:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/175732.htm

and it looks like the red GTD has had to be relisted:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/176234.htm

[mogul_x]

I didn't realize anyone made a replica of the GT40 Mk.III. I've always liked that one, because of the quad headlights and extended tail. Modest trunk space makes it almost useful as a road car.

[Chris J]

I didn't realize anyone made a replica of the GT40 Mk.III. I've always liked that one, because of the quad headlights and extended tail. Modest trunk space makes it almost useful as a road car.

There are more of them than you'd think Scott. John Hinchliffe and I watched Chris and Jane Smith's green Stratos follow a black one into the National Kit Car Show at Stoneleigh recently. I'm guessing that was a KVA too?

I don't really like the extended shape myself. It's the stubbyness of the first GT40 racer shape that I like best. Maybe it's 'stubbyness' that I like the Stratos for too? In the same way, the short tail McLaren F1 looks better than the long tail type. I realise they need long tails for less drag.

[GaryFitz]

My GT40 is at least twice the price of my Grp4 Stratos. They made approx 85 GT40's and as best I can tell there are only 30 odd original factory Grp 4s, so exclusivity is not the determining factor in driving market prices but the desirability of the car. Different cars appeal to different people, and my guess is that the GT40 is way more coverted because of the halo effect of the Gulf Spec cars that won Le Mans against the Ferrari's.

I think this halo effect also applies to the replica market although it sounds like the price differences are not as wide.

For anybody interested my GT40 has it's first public outing in several years next weekend. It is running in the "Ford Versus Ferrari" race as a pre-curser to this years Le Mans. For anybody that may be going, you are welcome to visit us. Our car number is 56, and mine is the white GT40 with Blue Stripes that run around the car not over the car.

Cheers Gary

[Bernard]

Gary
Good luck with the GT40 next weekend at LeMans....Fantastic !
I am Sprinting at Abingdon this weekend in my replica Strato's............this somehow doesn't have the same "ring" to it as your forthcoming drive.....

Cheers
Phil

[Chris J]

My GT40 is at least twice the price of my Grp4 Stratos. They made approx 85 GT40's and as best I can tell there are only 30 odd original factory Grp 4s, so exclusivity is not the determining factor in driving market prices but the desirability of the car.

Gary,

The key word in the thread title was 'rep.' Real ones are not what I was thinking about. I was thinking about the cost of a well finished Hawk compared to a well finished KVA or GTD etc.

I think even the most die hard Stratos fan would admit that money tied up in a genuine GT40 is a better bet than money tied up in a factory Stratos?

I see there's a genuine GT40 tub been discovered when they were making way for the Olympic development in London?