You probably will never have the opportunity to drive a genuine GT40 on the streets, nor would it be a great idea. You know, the car…the one built to beat Ferrari, and the same one that chalked up 4 LeMans wins. That being said, Superformance has created a car so close to the original, that you now do have the opportunity to drive it on the streets, and it’s a pretty darn good idea to do so. ASAP.
How close is it to the original you ask? Well, Superperformance claims that 90% of the parts are interchangeable. It’s also 150 lbs lighter than the original car and comes with creature comforts such as AC. If you haven’t even seen one of these cars in person, they are visually striking to say the least. We’re all used to seeing the modern day Ford GT, which side by side with the GT40 is a much larger car. The styling of the of the GT40 is intense. The car weighs only 2400 lbs with front quarters that aggressively roll under the nose. The tail is chopped threateningly and the radiator pulls air through exits in the top of the hood. The car is only 40 inches tall. That’s about the height of a 4-year-old. It’s so low in fact that you can barely see the top of a Prius drivers head.
The body is constructed from hand laid fiberglass with Vinyl ester resin. From there it is bonded to a jig-welded monocoque chassis. It’s extra stiff in this configuration which is apparent while barrelling through hard turns. The front suspension differs very little from the original design and is fully independent with unequal length A-arms, coil over shocks, and an anti-roll bar. The rear suspension is also fully independent using radius rods, unequal length A-arms, a toe control link, and adjustable coil springs. The brakes are all non-assisted 4 piston Wilwoods which have excellent pedal feel and squeeze on 12.75” rotors.
The engine is a 427 Roush SR that is dyno’d at 510 HP and 515 lb-ft. The motor is a 427 CI iron small block with forged aluminum pistons, aluminum heads, and an aluminum intake. Fuel and air are mixed in a single Holley carb, and the engine exhales through a set of radical 180-degree headers. The whole set up runs nice and cool via the large 2 core radiator with dual electric fans. The ZF 5-speed transaxle is set up with “speedway” gear pattern and has a very engaged feel. With 510 HP in a 2400 lbs body, the car absolutely rockets down the road, yet is forgiving enough to drive in stop and go traffic.
The interior comes complete with the original style seats with buckets made from part of the body. The driving position is aggressive, and an absolute blast. Speedhut gauges have replaced the original Superformance gauges due to reliability issues and look great! Paramount to year-round driving and also the fact that the GT40 has tiny windows, is an ice cold AC system.
Specs:
ZF Transaxle
Halon fire system
GT40 Window hinge kit
Shift linkage upgrade
Gas strut kit
Zenon headlight upgrade
GT40 center caps
17” wheel upgrade
Michelin Pilot Sport 2
Momo Steering wheel
GT40 floor mats
Aluminum storage box(nose)
Inner fender liners
Aluminum shifter box
Aluminum eyebrows
Aluminum cut-outs with rear grill to match the hatch
Bullet mirrors
Gulf decal kit
Air conditioning
Simpson belts
Alcantara dash
Foglights
Engine Specs:
Roush: 427SR
Displacement: 427 cid
Power: 510 hp
Torque: 515 ft-lbs
Cylinder Block: 9.500″ Iron
Crankshaft Type: Steel
Crankshaft Stroke: 4.000 in
Piston Type: Forged Aluminum
Conrod Type: Steel H-Beam
Timing Chain: Double Roller
Lifter: Hydraulic Roller
Cylinder Head: Aluminum
Intake Port: CNC
Intake Manifold Material: Aluminum
Intake Manifold Config: Dual Plane
Fueling: Holley carb
For any enthusiast of racing, Ford heritage, or for that matter anything on four wheels, the Superformance GT40 offers stunning looks, and incredible performance in a wonderful little package…that will bite your head off.
