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Ferrer GT kitcar: trendstarter?
Since I’ve been talking about the Astra and the early Aztec models, I thought I’d toss up a bit more classic kitcar history, starting with what I think may be the first car of this general style.
You could argue that alongside cars like the Devin, the Ferrer GT is the car that started the American [kit] sportscar trend that dominated the late sixties through the mid-eighties with cars like Fiberfab’s Avenger. Frank Ferrer, at the time an aircraft parts salesman, bought a VW-based kit to build with his sons, but the longer he got along in the project, the more he realized it had serious design flaws — and I believe the literal quote that followed was “I know we can build a better one”.
So Terry and his kids (22-year old son Gary was put in charge of the body design itself) went out and bought a big collection of his favorite cars — the GT40, the Porsche 904, the new ‘Vette prototypes, and so on… He picked what he saw as the best features, and with the help of Dick Buckheit, they had a finished car within eight months and showed the car in Miami. The public went wild for it!
The car was well designed, with good visibility, comfort, entrance and exit, and so on, and about three hundred were produced between 1966 and 1967 — and were it not for this car, one has to wonder whether the kit car trend would have gotten quite as big the way it did.
Tyson Ferrer (Terry’s other son) with the car at a show
Here’s some more pictures of my friend Karl’s unfinished Ferrer GT that he sold in the late-nineties after other commitments forced the sale (I think he let it go for just $1,000). He actually thought it was an Avenger when he first bought it — because the Avenger ultimately became one of the best selling kits of all time, I think this is actually quite a common misconception.
Karl was, by his reckoning, the seventh or eighth owner of this car (his brother being the previous one, and before that it hopped around Wisconsin for a while). Even though it was over thirty years old and in rough shape by the time Karl got it, he described the fiberglass thickness and quality as better than we see on most modern kits.
Anyone else got one? There must still be a few on the road! Send in your story and pictures please.
22 Comments so far
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HELLO MY NAME IS RAM. I AM JUST AN AVERAGE PERSON WANTING TO FINISH A PROJECT JUST LIKE THIS. I BUILD CLASSICS. MY LAST PROJECT WAS A 1969 BUICK SKYLARK. I’VE NEVER BUILT A KIT CAR, BUT IT SURE DOES LOOK FUN. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THIS VEHICLE IS LOCATED. THE PRICE IS VERY FAIR. I AM IN SAN ANTONIO, TEAS 78213.
JEDI77@GRANDECOM.NET 210-320-8865
Could you please tell me wether you know who bought the car or if you have located any others? Thank you Alyssa
Date 11/20/2006. I case anyone is interested, there is a Ferrer GT kit car current for sale on ebay (item #200050155712).
Date 11/20/2006. In case anyone is interested, there is a Ferrer GT kit car currently for sale on ebay (item #200050155712). Sorry for the prior miswording.
I have a nice Ferrer GT on eBay right now.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200050155712
Sure looks like copy of the Aztecs which Fiberfab had been building for several years before this, therefore I think the story about it being THE leader is not accurate…but the car looks good with the Jamaican nose
I am Frank Ferrer´s second son and Tyson is his youngest. There is no “Terry” in the family.
Thanks so much for the article. We hope to get in touch with the owner. My email is grantferrer@tutopia.com.
My dad and older brother, Frank and Gary Ferrer bought two of these in 1967. They had them sent to them to Miami. My dad being an airplane restorer of crashed airplanes took a couple looks at the cars and said they could do something better after seeing the flimsy body parts. The result was the Ferrer GT which was never meant to be sold but only for my dad and older brother who at the time was 21. They used the Aztec body as the mold and extended it and added other details and the result was then given the name of my dad, Ferrer GT. they made about 103 of them. They were a well made car and my father has a natural nack for building beautiful designs.
I am the proud purchaser of the Ferrer GT formerly owned by Rick Modery; if anyone has any information, documentation on this good looking car please drop me a note (maintenstew at earthlink.net). Russ Johnson
Dear Mr. Ferrer;
I would like to thank you and your father for building such a great looking
Kit car. As a recent proud owner of an uncompleted Ferrer GT I must say the amount
of craftsmanship and quality that went into the forming of this body is truly appreciated.
Each time I complete a different area of the build something new comes to my attention.
My only problem, and I must admit it is a selfish one, is the trouble I am having
finding any information on various aspects of completing this build and putting
this beauty on the road were it belongs. I know that you are probably very busy
and I will perfectly understand should you be unable to find the time to assist.
No matter what, though, I do thank you in place of thanking your father. He must
have been an incredible individual.
Sincerely, Russ Johnson
Ferrer GT was made in Brasil too, with the name “Lorena GT”. I´m live in Brasil, and in 70´s I have a “Lorena GT”. I read in any local, that it comes to Brasil by Mr. Leon Lorena (born in Chile), that work´s at Ferrer Industries, and obtain license to made the car in Brasil. Anybody knows this story, or how really the car comes to Brasil??
I try to know more informations about Ferrer GT too, like pics, articles, sites, etc. Any help are welcome.
I try to contact Mr. Grant Ferrer but I have no return. My e-mail is marioestivalet@hotmail.com.
Mr. Grant Ferrer made contact with me (ýour e-mail was changed). I´m mading a site about “Lorena GT” and the site are a page about the “Ferrer GT”. When it was ok, I put here the address.
I´m mading a site about Lorena GT, the brasilian copy of Ferrer GT. The site are still in working, but some pages are ok. The address is http://www.lorena_gt.pop.com.br
I don´t have many pics from Ferrer GT, and if anybody have some, they are welcome. I don´t know what variations are made in Ferrer GT when it was produced, and some informations are not completed. To help me, please contact at lorena_gt@pop.com.br
The site are in portuguese, and if necessary use the google translator to see it.
Thanks for any help.
Hi! The site about Lorena GT (brazilian version of Ferrer GT) was changed to http://site.pop.com.br/lorenagt (or http://www.lorenagt.cjb.net).
Any help, please send to e-mail lorenagt@pop.com.br
Thanks
Mario Estivalet
Mr. Grant Ferre, please made a contact.
Anyone needing to reach me should use my new email address.
Grant Ferrer
Dear Mario, Just a note from your web site. First of all congratualtions on the beautiful job you did on researching the history of the Ferrer GT in Brazil. That´s quite an amazing story which our family didnt even know about! Just wanted to point out that Leon Lorena never worked for my father nor did he help design the body. I recently spoke with my father and he said that Mr. Lorena never received the rights to producing the car in Brazil. Just for history sake. You did a fantastic job!!!
Hello, If anyone knows if there is a Ferrer GT out there for sale, i am interested!! Please email me.. Jcox60@comcast.net Thank you so much.
Mr. Russ Johnson
Happen to see your Re FerrerGT. So many year have gone by but if any information I may be able to give you I will enjoy talking to you.
Frank Ferrer
To Mr. Russ Johnson inquired about the Ferrer GT. on Jan.1-2007 . Sorry for the delay but my brother Grant Ferrer just mentioned this web site to . Since he lives in central america we do not talk that often . If you have any questions about the Ferrer GT you can call me at 239-789-7333. My name is Gary Ferrer the son of Frank Ferrer , who by the way is still alive , he is now 87 years old . I see some the comments about the Ferrer GT and many are very missleading and not true at all . It was and still is the ONLY kit car with a double hull construction.
To Mr. Gary Ferrer.
Please made a contact with me at lorenagt@pop.com.br .
I need more informations, pics, history, etc from Ferrer GT to put in the site http://www.webng.com/lorenagt
Really I don´t find more informations about the Ferrer GT at internet, and I believe that you have interest too.
Thanks to Mr. Grant Ferrer for your comments about the site and informations about Mr. Leon Lorena.
Mr. Estivalet Let me say thank you for your interest .My brother Grant who is 11 yrs. younger truly does not know the whole story . But you can be assured that no one by the name Lorena ever bought the rights for the Ferrer GT for South America . He is just one of those people with no talent to copy some elses product . I would love to talk to him in person but this is the truth If anyone wants the truth ( including you Mr. Lorena call me at 230-789-7333. or e-mail me at garykris@gmail.com If any one related to Mr Lorena so they can show me any contract . Bless to you all please have them contact
I am looking to buy one of these Ferrer GT kit cars. Please let me know if you know of any for sale? Tim