Ultima chief Ted Marlow believes that a modified Ultima is considerably slower than an Ultima spec car. He told us that the track car is much slower than the standard Ultima spec road car. On the track at Run and Gun, Jack Rosen brought his Ultima Can Am to Second Place finishes on both the road course and autocross and a Second Place overall Top Dog trophy in his class. That's pretty fine results for a customized car that the factory said might be faster under factory supervision-not bad for a "custom" job.
By The Book In The UK
In the UK, since the tender age of 17, Nigel Dean promised himself that he would own a LeMans Group C-style road car. Twenty years later his dream became a reality. Unable to afford a McLaren F1 road car, the alternative came in the form of the awesome Ultima GTR. Dean said, "Produced by Ultima Sports Ltd, there are few component cars to match the quality and staggering performance of this package."
The standard GTR kit is comprehensive to say the least. Every last nut and bolt is supplied to complete the car bar the engine and transaxle. Ultima can supply these too, but most builders source their own units locally, especially in the States.
Dean's car, however, was to have a few extras above the standard package. Twin fuel tanks, racing rollcage, stainless steel exhaust system, leather interior, and of course, Ultima's own gargantuan wheel and tire package. The end result is a civilized, yet awesome, road car, and a formidable track day machine at weekends.
Delivery of the kit was courtesy of Ultima and this applies to anyone living in the States. Once off-loaded, the sheer volume of components was staggering, 3,000 items, give or take a few, all individually packaged and labeled. The accompanying factory promise was that, if Dean needed any additional components to complete the car, they would be supplied free of charge.
The build was straightforward thanks to the comprehensive CD build manual and online technical support. Construction of the rolling chassis could not have been easier. The use of Ultima bespoke components soon leaves you in no doubt that some serious racing miles are behind the design. Nice touches included the custom-made quick rack, beautifully TIG-welded pedals, laser-cut aluminum panels, and even the supply of grease sachets for building up the suspension bushes!
Moving on to the bodywork was momentous. Consisting of seven panels, the customer has a choice of paint or gelcoat. Dean's preference was for the latter in signal red. This was partly due to budget constraints but also the flawless finish of the body. He opted for the body finishing option that equates to the removal of all flash lines, cutting of all apertures, and drilling of all hinge points.
Even with this work done, body fit was without a doubt the most demanding part of the build. To obtain perfect shut lines took a little patience. The end result, however, would put most mainstream car manufacturers to shame.
The bare aluminum interior is equipped with leather-trimmed seats and dash to offer a modicum of comfort. Sabelt full-race harnesses keep the occupants restrained while white-faced gauges update the driver.
Glazing was also a challenge. Bonded in place with sealant there was little room for error. As for the lights and other electrical ancillaries, these simply bolted into pre-drilled holes and connected straight to the supplied loom.
Ultimas are only powered by one engine type, the Chevy 350 and derivations thereof. Customers fit anything, from stock GM units giving 250 hp, up to supercharged beasts delivering 600-plus hp. My route was a sensible 300hp from a stock 350 block, sporting an Edelbrock competition cam, worked heads, and a Holley Street Avenger carburetor on a matching inlet manifold.