2016 GTD Supercars GT40

This GT40 started life in 1987 as a Rover V8-engined kit, but work must have stalled because the seller purchased it from an estate sale in Scotland as an unfinished project in May 2014, trailering it home in boxes. 

He spent the next few years rebuilding it (“there was no hurry, I took my time”), modifying the chassis to accommodate a Ford five-litre/302ci small-block V8 engine just like the original, albeit mated to a period Renault UN1 five-speed transaxle gearbox. 

Both the exhaust system and gearchange – via rods rather than the original wire for a better shift quality – had to be handcrafted and, he tells us, the entire project would have ground to halt without the assistance of the GT40 Enthusiasts Club.

‘XCO 462’ was updated to incorporate such modern essentials as power steering, Kalori air conditioning, and a rear-view camera and was tested by VOSA to ensure it met the requirements of the IVA test in April 2016. 

Registered as a GTD Supercars GT40, it has no previous owners on the V5 registration document, just 5,000 miles on the clock, and tens of thousands of pounds of invoices on file as well as an advisory-free MoT until March 2025.

Finished in vivid red with the classic (painted) white stripes running from the bonnet to the tail, this GTD GT40 draws you in from the very first glance.

Partly, it’s the condition because the bodywork is free of ripples, dents, or dinks, and the paintwork gleams - and once you’ve assured yourself as to its cosmetic condition, you have the mental space to appreciate the details: The neat Perspex windows that are let into the fixed main body of the windows hint at the thought and engineering that’s gone into building this replica, something the excellent shutlines reinforce.

Over-centre latches fore and aft prevent the bonnet and engine cover lifting at speed and Perspex covers protect the headlamps and indicator clusters while simultaneously improving the car’s aerodynamic performance.

Other racing features such as bonnet pins, and Dzus fasteners, cooling scoops, a stick-on numberplate, and a pair of HUGE alloy fuel fillers add to the car’s authenticity.

The rear is every bit as purposeful as the front; twin exhaust pipes are a statement of intent, while the exposed UN1 transaxle leaves watchers in no doubt as to where the engine and ‘box are located. The engine cover is retained with more safety pins, and a plethora of cooling louvres underpin its location.

The quadruple round rear lights adds safety and style in equal measure.

Everything on the exterior is in a very good condition but then given the care with which it was assembled and the limited use it’s had since then, that isn’t a surprise, is it?

Further care and attention to detail is shown with the cills, which are fitted with stainless steel screws, so easy access to the two fuel tanks is easily achieved, rather than just pop riveted on which is the norm. 

What might be a surprise are the black and silver split-rim wheels, which are actually a conventional five-stud design that successfully mimics centre-lock racing wheels. They are in great shape too, with no signs of having been kerbed or otherwise ill-treated but then they’re shod with a matching set of B.F. Goodrich Comp T/A tyres that have period-perfect sidewalls, so getting metal to actually touch a kerb would take real commitment. 

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

As for faults, we can’t see any bar a scratch on the nearside bonnet air intake. 

Like the exterior, the interior is a carefully calibrated combination of racing chic and high-end fixtures and fittings.

Take, for example, the gear lever gate. Ferrari-esque in design, the metal gate has the gear positions marked in Sharpie rather than engraved. This is not something that happened by accident or neglect and is a tiny detail that we think goes to the heart of just how well conceived this cockpit is.

At the other end of the spectrum the array of switches are neatly and professionally labelled, the steering wheel is a fat-rimmed, flat-bottomed, and suede-covered jobbie with a golden-yellow section to help the driver keep track of where the front wheels are pointing when they’re under stress. 

It’s a quick-release wheel too, which makes ingress and egress easier while simultaneously helping thwart the light of finger. (Although access isn’t half as bad as you might think thanks to the design of the doors, which extend well into the roof.)

To continue the attention to detail, the pedal box is adjustable, to accomodate individual needs.

The seats are covered in black leather and each is ventilated with 76 hand-fitted brass eyelets. The red safety harnesses are by Schroth, and the side bolsters and harnesses work in conjunction to keep the driver and their passenger firmly in place during the sort of high-speed shenanigans the GT40 is capable of. 

A small blindspot mirror is affixed to the top of the driver’s door card, seven dials provide the car’s vital statistics (of which the speedometer is considered the least important, of course), a USB charger enables you to keep your phone and sat-nav powered, an LED rooflight gives brilliant illumination, and the rear-view camera takes care of the GT40’s one serious flaw, which is poor rear visibility. 

An electrical cut-off switch and fire extinguisher are also fitted, as is a Thatcham 2 engine immobiliser.

The engine, which is a 1991 Ford 302 CU small block, is clearly visible through the rear window and all the better for being so, is as clean as you’d expect it to be given its prominence. 

It’s also beautifully engineered with a massive Holley carburettor and an Edelbrock inlet manifold on the top, a comprehensive and easy-to-access fuel pump and filtration system on the offside bulkhead, and alloy coolant tank on the opposite side.

There are rose joints too, as well as braided lines, and Spax coilover suspension, and a Motamec oil tank, and anodised fittings, and redundancy in the ignition system, and much, much more including an oil dipstick that’s retained with a spring.

And not forgetting tubular headers that demonstrate that great engineering and art are indistinguishable. 

The Renault UN1 five-speed transaxle is the classic choice for the model and is so well-respected and strong that Lotus used it for their Esprit, including the high-powered V8 and GT3 variants. Oh, and the gear linkage was hand-fabricated as the seller didn’t want to use the usual cable system with its associated imprecision.

Of course, the bodywork covering the whole rear end lifts away to give unparalleled access to the engine and gearbox, which makes admiring and fettling it – both of which you’ll spend many happy hours doing – a doddle.

The frunk is just as impressive. Home to twin electric cooling fans and a Pro Alloy radiator, towing straps, the battery, and more, it’s as clean and neatly presented as everything else. 

The underside is ridiculously clean and confirms how little use the GT40 has had since it’s been completed – and how fastidious the owner is.

A member of the GT40 Enthusiasts’ Club, he’s taken it as far afield as Thruxton and Silverstone over the years to display it.

As you can see and hear, the five-litre V8 cracks into life with alacrity, howls like a wolf yet idles like a lamb with great oil pressure.

The noise is amazing, and the photographer, when asked what it drove like, just sat there smiling to himself and was only roused back into action when we sked him if smartphones are now capable of rivalling his (extraordinarily expensive) DSLR.

He's still frothing and jabbering, something we’re attributing to the car’s performance and the exhaust note rather than our impertinence. 

The GT40’s MoT certificate is valid until March 2025 and, as you’d expect of a hand-crafted and fastidiously maintained recreation of the of racing best-known cars, it wouldn’t know what you were talking about if you whispered the word “advisory” in its ear.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear and, as you can see in the photos, the history file comprises no fewer than five folders and these contain far too much paperwork to list, much less photograph and display.

Remember what they say when you’re buying a supercar? “Buy paper.”

And if that’s not reassurance enough, the car will come with a memory stick with some pictures of the build as well as the finished car, also there are several folders brim full of invoices detailing the huge spend on this amazing car.

Best make an appointment to pop along and see it in person, eh? We’ll pop the kettle on while you leaf through them – but set aside a few hours to do ‘em justice, eh?

Given that it is almost indistinguishable from an original in looks, sound, and dynamics, the GTD’s guide price of £45,000 and £55,000 is an absolute bargain in our eyes.

In fact, we’re not sure you can make more of an impression for the same money and every single journey would be an adventure in that Le Mans-inspired cabin.

You’ll never be short of new friends either. 

As for residuals, we’re not fortune tellers, but good GT40 recreations have always done well – and the ones that have done the best tend to be ones like this, cars that have been carefully thought through and then meticulously assembled using the very best components. 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.