Hello to one and all

Can the GTM Coupe be purchased as a kit(New) still
or are they no longer in production

Thank you very much
Mansell

Sadly the last owner of the project passed away so it's in limbo at the mo'

I'm sorry to hear that
do you think it will ever go into production again

Mansell

Difficult to say but personally I doubt it.

The Mini is no longer a viable donor as their numbers are dwindling and those that are left are becoming more valuable as original cars rather than as donors.

The sheet steel chassis is time consuming and therefore expensive to assemble.

The changes needed to conform with the SVA made the styling a little less attractive.

The quality of the kit, though good in its day, no longer compares well with current kit cars.

Thank you very much for that
Mansell

The Mini is no longer a viable donor as their numbers are dwindling and those that are left are becoming more valuable as original cars rather than as donors.

From what I can see the Coupe didn't realy use "a" mini as a donor. The most stuff you could use off a single mini was the front subframe and engine, the wiring loom (Which needs much modification, the front lights and the rack. Everything else is from elsewhere. There would be nothing stopping someone producing rear frames to suit a K series out of a newer metro frame too.

The sheet steel chassis is time consuming and therefore expensive to assemble.

But less so than your GRP one John
It could be redesigned to be made simpler.

The changes needed to conform with the SVA made the styling a little less attractive.

Mostly to do with headlight height. There's nothing stopping a builder putting in front HiLo's in and winding them right up for the SVA, then wind them down again afterwards.

The quality of the kit, though good in its day, no longer compares well with current kit cars.


It would just need some development

I did say that it was just my personal feeling.

It uses 2 complete Mini front subframes with all the steering, suspension and brakes. It uses the Mini engine/transmission and drive train. It uses a modified Mini gear change. The only major mechanical component that's not Mini is the steering column. That sure sounds like a Mini donor to me.


Yes my chassis was time consuming to make but I wasn't planning to try to make money selling copies of it.

I can't help but feel that if the SVA mods were so simple Primo would have done them that way too.

No doubt with development the quality could be improved but it all costs money which you've got to spend initially with no cash return, then you've got to recoup it when you eventually start to sell the kits. I still don't think it's a financially viable proposition.

Whoops! Sorry John, I wasn't having a go there.

More making the point that you actually need more than one mini donor - and you have a hell of a lot left over.

If I was to start from scratch again I wouldn't buy a full mini as a donor - more likely ebay just to collect the bits I needed.

And yes, development to today's standards would cost - probably as much as starting from scratch - and I for one aren't daft enough to put any money in (seen far to many kits quietly disappear over the years).

Whichever way, if redeveloped I could see the Coupe necessitatively growing in overall dimensions - which would negate some of it's appeal. The best idea i've had so far is a closed body option for the 40TR based on the Coupe styling