might be of interest to some of you!

car is a mid engine rwd Gardner Douglas T70, a replica of a Lola T70 can-am car from the mid sixties. Chassis is fully triangulated etc, and designed around the LS series of engines. Gearbox is an inverted porsche G50 5 speed mated to a custom bellhousing adaptor to join up with a custom flywheel and 7.5" triple plate race clutch pack. Clutch will be hydraulic converison for operation.

engine- fairly basic spec tbh, its a stock ls1 (2000 SS engine) with;
220/220 mild cam
4-1 race headers
3" race type exhaust with one large oval 3" backbox per bank.
uprated valvetrain- comp cams springs, retainers, pushrods.
ARP rod bolts
ATI super damper
ported oil pump
ARE dry sump system
Edelbrock carb conversion inlet manifold
BG Demon 750 carb

chassis- inboard dampers, double wishbone suspension, fully adjustable alignment etc. will be set up for track work not road use.

brakes- AP racing 4 pot calipers all round with 335mm discs

wheels/tyres- 3 piece split rims - rear 12" with 335-30-zr18
fronts- 9" with 255-40-zr17
tyres- Toyo 888s semi slicks

all up the car should weigh in at around 930kg or so. hopefully i should see maybe 400bhp out of the engine setup, so it should make an interesting trackday car. First time attempt at a kit car build also!

Gardner Douglas website-
http://www.gdcars.com
T70
http://www.gdcars.com/gdt70/gdt70_index.htm

there are some recent pictures on their site from a current customer turnkey car which is a bit higher spec than mine, its got the latest LS7 inside with Kinsler throttle bodies, Omex ecu etc. that car should break 600bhp and will still be around 930kg!
the pics i uploaded are a couple from my build plus a picture of a finished car from GD site

 

these are very nice cars mate!

also worth a look is the Ultima GTR ( www.ultimasportscars.co.uk )

thanks Chris

 

always liked the Ultimas. be interesting to see how quick the two cars go round the same track. :-)

 

oh wow that looks like a fun car.

 

ohhhhh now you said that i remeber an mag report about kit cars and both the ultima and the T70 where in it. dont think either where thrashed and they said both where similar.

there are a few ultima owners over there. maybe you could hook up with a few of them at a trrack day and do a proper test?!?!?!

here is a very cool forum twhere alot of the guys are. http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&f=20

thanks Chris.

 

i sometimes read pistonheads as its usually quite good.

there is a UK gathering of T70 kit cars at Bruntingthorpe airfield on 4th August i think, unfortunately mine wont be built by then unless a miracle happens :-)

i'm just in the process of building up the engine as most of the accessory brackets have to be machined down to let the ls fit upto the rear bulkhead, it runs very close to that area. i've got to machine 22mm out of the alternator mountings and the idler/tensioner brackets for the belt.

next job will then be install engine/box. I've also been waiting for 3 months for the edlebrock carb manifold i ordered earlier this year, been assured it will be made in july!

bodywork should be pre-fitted within the next 2 weeks, so it will finally start looking more like a proper car and less like a huge go-kart. :-)

 

Figured I'd throw my kitcar info here, too
It's an Austin Healey replica with a 04 GTO LS1/ T56 with a DTS 9 inch rearend.
Just buttoning up some odds and ends.

 

that austin healey is going to be a handful to drive.....i love it!!!

 

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i have lusted after a GDT70 since a GD open day. you are a very lucky bugger!

 

I love the GDT... If I was going open top I'd get a GDT before an Ultima Canam.

Why are you going for carbs if you are using the LS??

Here's my Ultima GTR + Magnacharged LS2 https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...ghlight=ultima

 

man that thing is sweet

 

i got a cheapish ls1 which was missing the entire plenum/wiring/throttle body etc so it seemed to make sense to do something simple and in keeping with the retro feel of the car. i have also always lusted after a v8 on carbs, and i reckon it should be fairly reliable and simple to maintain.
the manifold/carb and coil packs i bought have come in cheaper than buying an omex ecu/mapping would have cost also in addition to sourcing a plenum and throttle body plus loom.
the car isnt going to be road registered anyway, so emmissions and sva compliance arent a worry. :-)

 

that Ultima looks great btw, same size tyres as i'll be running also. rears look HUGE dont they ! ;-)

 

that thing will be lethal

what weight will the kit come in at and what power are you running when complete? will be very quick!!!

 

this is the latest GD T70 customer car which has the 7 litre LS7 and kinsler throttle bodies which is an absolutely beautiful car. Runs an Omex mappable ecu, hoped for 600bhp (fly) maybe more when mapping finished.

 

sick as hell...

 

I'm figuring 2300-2400 lbs. Not sure of the power exactly but without powersteering, air, no cats and headers it's gotta be good for a few ponies.

 

what sort of power would you estimate my ls1 setup might make?
its only a mild cam, 220deg in/ex and .56 lift. headers , 3" exhausts, no cats, plus of course the edelbrock manifold/carb setup.
and what would be safe rpm limit on this, using the arp rod bolts, comp cams pushrods and springs/retainers? i was thinking it would be ok to maybe 6,400-6500rpm repeatedly on track?
anyone advise on this?
thanks

 

and also what sort of torque levels would the above make roughly @ flywheel?

 

anyone advise?