ENGINE BAY
It’s pretty tough to make a modern engine look as clutter-free as this. Jason managed it by completely disassembling the wiring loom and redirecting the coolant lines. The Innov8 individual throttlebodies are a work of art and were designed to be vertical like the original GT40S, although Jason admits they would be more efficient if they leaned over for a direct shot into the intake port. A fair bit of blood, sweat and tears went into shaping the heat shielding around the engine so that it fit perfectly and protected the cam sensors and other engine electronics
looked; it had to function as well as if it had come off the factory floor.
“When I first built the car there was a problem with the gearbox; it would occasionally baulk on third and fourth shifts, and I was about to send it back to the US. At the last minute I opened up the side of the gearbox and I could see what was wrong and was able to fix it myself for about $15,” Jason says. “It’s a beautiful ’box and absolutely stunning to use. I used an original Ford Racing short-shift inside the car and machined up all the billet parts to mount it in the centre console, so what you end up with is an OE transmission shift quality.”
Another part of the build that impressed me was how well all of the wiring and plumbing has been routed. Modern engines quite often look like a dog’s breakfast with all of the wires and hoses running everywhere – hence the need for plastic covers – but Jason has managed to make the 5.0-litre Coyote look pretty tidy. “I pulled the whole engine harness apart and re-routed it to reduce how much runs around the top of the engine,” he explains. “There was a lot of work making billet parts to change where the coolant ran, and I changed the crossover because of where the alternator is mounted up high. You can’t see any of it but there’s a custom serpentine belt layout to fit the non-standard a/c compressor and alternator position.”
The other thing you may not notice is how the underside of the body has also been finished off nicely. Yeah, it’s painted satin black,
but look how smooth and clean everything is. “I didn’t want to drive around in a canoe, and that’s what I always think of when I see fibreglass that’s got the matting under it,” Jason says.
“There were many hours of high-fill and finishing it – you can’t hide it in a GT40.”
When it came to painting the exterior, it was a no-brainer – Gulf Racing all the way. If you actually told someone you were going to paint your car light blue with a bright orange stripe down the middle, they’d probably think you had lost your mind, but for some reason the Gulf colour scheme just works. As Jason says: “There’s not many chances you get to paint the centre of your wheels orange and not look like a dickhead!”
Speaking of those wheels, while they look just like the ones used back in the 60s, they’re actually in a 17-inch diameter, which allows Jason to run much bigger brakes than a 15-inch rim would allow. To that end he has fitted 343mm AP Racing brakes and six-spot calipers to the front and 328mm with four-spots on the rear. There’s some fairly hefty rubber on board as well, with 225/45 Hoosiers up front and 315/35 out back.
Jason estimates the car is making upwards of 500hp at the motor with the upgraded cams and eight-stack injection, and with only 1100kg to push around, it’s got more than enough poke to keep him happy. With some 8000km on the clock, including a few laps around Phillip Island, it’s no surprise he’s on his second set of tyres already!
Given Jason’s mechanical engineering background and a long career supplying OEM manufacturers, it’s no surprise that this car looks like it’s been built by a team of professionals.
The good news for us is that Jason has recently started his own business, Renner Auto, creating modern replicas of some of the most iconic sports cars from the 50s, 60s and 70s. This means you can get all of the style with a modern chassis, engine and electrical system – guaranteed not to have any Lucas electricals! Check them out at s www.rennerauto.com.au.
THE CAR IS MAKING UPWARDS OF 500HP AT THE MOTOR, AND WITH ONLY 1100KG TO PUSH AROUND, IT’S GOT MORE THAN ENOUGH POKE