The first clay model before panels produced
Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 5:57 pm
This is an image of the first clay model from which the first moulds would eventually be taken.
Ken Attwell explains the images...
Hi Justin,
I was building GT40 kits at the time under the name of KVA. Stuart Turner asked if I could work with Ghia to take GRP body moulds from the clay made by Ghia of Turin [Under Philipo Sapino]. I went to Turin to discuss the shape and it's potential release from the moulds that were to be made here at Swansea. The first visit to Turin was about the 10th Dec 1983. The clay was deliver to our workshop during the 2nd week of January 1984. I think the moulds were made and mouldings [GRP with some Carbon fibre] delivered to John Thompson Racing at Wellingborough within about 6 weeks and the first car was completed and running by the 13th of May. A team of about 8 or 10 of worked [and got in each others way] on the first car. The team included John Wheeler, Tony Southgate, myself, John Thompson and others with regular visits from Stuart Turner. In the weeks before, some of the above had meetings at my home in Swansea, on hands and knees over the working drawing spread out over my lounge floor whilst my wife made the tea. Incidentally to save time, and meet the target date, the doors and mechanisms were from a Sierra with 9" cut from the bottom of each door. I originally had an order for 6 prototype sets, but it would have greatly interfered with the production of my GT40 kits so I only made the one.
That's it briefly in a nut shell.
P.S. Stuart Turner, Tony Southgate and the team were a delight to work with
Best Regards, Ken Attwell.
Hi Justin,
I was building GT40 kits at the time under the name of KVA. Stuart Turner asked if I could work with Ghia to take GRP body moulds from the clay made by Ghia of Turin [Under Philipo Sapino]. I went to Turin to discuss the shape and it's potential release from the moulds that were to be made here at Swansea. The first visit to Turin was about the 10th Dec 1983. The clay was deliver to our workshop during the 2nd week of January 1984. I think the moulds were made and mouldings [GRP with some Carbon fibre] delivered to John Thompson Racing at Wellingborough within about 6 weeks and the first car was completed and running by the 13th of May. A team of about 8 or 10 of worked [and got in each others way] on the first car. The team included John Wheeler, Tony Southgate, myself, John Thompson and others with regular visits from Stuart Turner. In the weeks before, some of the above had meetings at my home in Swansea, on hands and knees over the working drawing spread out over my lounge floor whilst my wife made the tea. Incidentally to save time, and meet the target date, the doors and mechanisms were from a Sierra with 9" cut from the bottom of each door. I originally had an order for 6 prototype sets, but it would have greatly interfered with the production of my GT40 kits so I only made the one.
That's it briefly in a nut shell.
P.S. Stuart Turner, Tony Southgate and the team were a delight to work with
Best Regards, Ken Attwell.