1981 Safir GT40 Mark V
In the 1980s Safir Engineering Ltd began replicating GT40s and got permission from JWA to call the new project GT40 Mark V.
Distinguished from the original cars, the Mark V used a new chassis design that was fabricated and didn’t make use of complicated pressings. The result is a car that the remarkably different from the original design.
Peter Thorp began with chassis GT40P/1090 in 1981 and continued to produce GT40s in series up until the late 1980s. The first four were completed with Safir tags while the remaining production were made under the J.W.Automotive Engineering Limited name.
1981 Safir GT40 Mark V
In Detail
| type | Racing Car |
| built at | Surry, England |
| engine | Ford V8 |
| position | Mid, Longitudinal |
| aspiration | Natural |
| displacement | 4736 cc / 289 in³ |
| bore | 101.6 mm / 4.00 in |
| stroke | 72.9 mm / 2.87 in |
| compression | 9.0:1 |
| power | 261.0 kw / 350 bhp @ 6500 rpm |
| specific output | 73.9 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | 335.25 bhp per tonne |
| torque | 447.4 nm / 330 ft lbs @ 5500 rpm |
| body / frame | Fiberglass Panels over Sheel-Steel Semi Monocoque |
| driven wheels | RWD |
| front tires | 215/60VR15 |
| rear tires | 255/60VR15 |
| front brakes | AP Ventilated Discs w/4-Piston Calipers |
| rear brakes | AP Ventilated Discs w/4-Piston Calipers |
| front wheels | F 38.1 x 20.3 cm / 15 x 8 in |
| rear wheels | R 38.1 x 25.4 cm / 15 x 10 in |
| steering | Rack & Pinion |
| f suspension | Double Wishbones w/Coil Springs, |
| r suspension | Trailing Arms w/Coil Springs |
| curb weight | 1044 kg / 2300 lbs |
| wheelbase | 2413 mm / 95 in |
| front track | 1372 mm / 54 in |
| rear track | 1372 mm / 54 in |
| length | 4026 mm / 158.5 in |
| width | 1778 mm / 70 in |
| height | 1029 mm / 40.5 in |
| transmission | ZF 5DS25/2 5-Speed Manual |
| tran clutch | AP Twin-Plate |
| gear ratios | 2.72:1, 1.61:1, 1.14:1, 0.846:1, 0.704:1 |
| fuel capacity | 90.84 litres or 24 gal. |
