2006 GDT Speedster
The GDT Speedster is an exciting, one-of-a-kind, high performance sports car designed and fabricated by a team of automotive professionals. It was designed and built by a team of experienced automotive engineers, stylists and a body-surfacing expert who love cars and who wanted to do a complete vehicle from scratch without the bureaucratic encumbrances of a large corporation.
The engine, transmission, differential, front and rear suspension, steering and brakes are from a C5 Chevrolet Corvette. These are supported by fabricated from rectangular steel tubing with a wall thickness of 3.1 mm.
The team selected the vehicle’s name, GDT Speedster which stands for it founder Gene Dickirson who is a retired Ford Product Engineering Officer. A speedster is the type of vehicle that typically has no top, no side windows and a raked back windshield intended for fun driving in good weather.
The GDT Speedster features a beautiful body designed by stylists Craig Sandvig and Larry Ronzi. The theme is fresh and it is intended to retain its freshness for many years to come. The eye catching windshield angle is only 19 degrees from the horizontal and utilizes a header less steel support structure. The sculptured side panels are dramatic in the way their surfaces converge just behind the upper edges of the doors.
The highlight of the rear view of the vehicle is the fully visible, polished stainless steel/ aluminum exhaust system. Just behind the gleaming tail pipes is the aluminum intensive rear suspension with axel half shafts. The front of the speedster has a polished aluminum grill. The hood is hinged at the front and when opened provides full access to the engine compartment. Similarly, the rear deck is hinged at the rear and when opened provides access to a small storage compartment behind the seats. The rear deck contains a polished aluminum fuel filler door with the team logo laser etched into the surface.
The interior is trimmed in Light Oak leather and the instrument panel is custom styled and fabricated. A unique PRNDL gauge is used to indicate the transmission gear selected and is located in the central portion of the instrument panel next to the clock. Only four switches are needed on the instrument panel to operate the electrical system. Brake and accelerator pedals are trimmed with polished stainless steel bezels. A custom designed gear selector knob has leather covering the tapered portion of the polished aluminum body. Seats are custom built for the GDT Speedster by Cerullo Performance Seating and the steering wheel is custom built by Lecarra and the polished aluminum horn button has the team logo laser etched into the surface.
Performance data is estimated based upon published data for Chevrolet Corvettes equipped with LT 1 engines. The actual performance of the GDT Speedster has not been determined under controlled, normally accepted testing procedures. The GDT Speedster will be auctioned during the second or third quarter of 2006. The minimum bid will be US $350,000
In Detail
| engine | Corvette LT1 V8 |
| displacement | 5735 cc / 350 in³ |
| power | 223.7 kw / 300 bhp @ 5000 rpm |
| specific output | 52.31 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | 203.94 bhp per tonne |
| torque | 461 nm / 340.0 ft lbs @ 3600 rpm |
| wheel type | Custom Fikse Wheels |
| front tires | 285/35×18 |
| rear tires | 335/30×18 |
| f brake size | mm / in |
| r brake size | mm / in |
| front wheels | F 45.7 x 26.7 cm / 18 x 10.5 in |
| rear wheels | R 45.7 x 30.5 cm / 18 x 12 in |
| curb weight | 1471 kg / 3243 lbs |
| front track | 1502 mm / 59.1 in |
| rear track | 1550 mm / 61.0 in |
| length | 4110 mm / 161.8 in |
| width | 1897 mm / 74.7 in |
| height | 1068 mm / 42.0 in |
| transmission | Hydra-Matic 4L-60 E |
| gear ratios | 3.06:1, 2.63:1, 1.00:1, 0.70:1, :1 |
| final drive | 2.59:1 |
| top speed | ~273.6 kph / 170 mph |
| 0 – 60 mph | ~5.7 seconds |
| 0 – 1/4 mile | ~14.5 seconds |
Above Images ©IMAGE CREDITS – GDT
