Americas Supercar Ford GT SAE Event April 5, 2017--- FINAL UPDATE

[Sinovac]

Thanks for those pictures.

 

[PeteK]

Pete,

After I shaved my hair off I asked my sister Cindy if I looked like Triple X. She said, "No, I'm thinking more like Elmer Fudd". So I sent a picture to Charley and he said, "Dad, you look like Walter White without the meth lab".

Chip

Yeah, I can relate--I get the "Walter White" comment too.

 

[timcantwell]

Wow. Thanks to everyone present who were kind enough to post pics and descriptions. Almost as good as being there.

 

[dbk]

Random thought brought on by watching IMSA qualifying: GT ride height when the suspension is in track mode is 70 mm. Larry said that the WEC cars were running at 55 mm during the Prologue test at Monza last week. Not a big difference!

 

[Vince H]

Random thought brought on by watching IMSA qualifying: GT ride height when the suspension is in track mode is 70 mm. Larry said that the WEC cars were running at 55 mm during the Prologue test at Monza last week. Not a big difference!

What blew me away is that the GT was built with NO exceptions. Can any other manufacturer in GTLM make that claim?

Vince H

Also listening via the IMSA app.

 

[john gourley]

What a terrific event. Thanks for all the details and pictures. Looks like you had a blast.

 

[ENZO BTR]

Random thought brought on by watching IMSA qualifying: GT ride height when the suspension is in track mode is 70 mm. Larry said that the WEC cars were running at 55 mm during the Prologue test at Monza last week. Not a big difference!

It sort of sucks that the "race car for the street" phrase has been used so many times already, because it sounds like a cliche now. In this case the GT is REALLY a race car capable of being driven on the street.

 

[STORMCAT]

What blew me away is that the GT was built with NO exceptions. Can any other manufacturer in GTLM make that claim?

Vince H

Also listening via the IMSA app.

No, but in all fairness, the others cars in our class are high volume business case cars that earn their keep year after year in the Corporate line of vehicles , Ford is bringing the cliché " a gun to a knife fight " .. in this case it's not a standard powder fired device... more like a Phaser set to kill .. :lol

 

[Apollo]

Wow. Thanks to everyone present who were kind enough to post pics and descriptions. Almost as good as being there.

Very much agree, Thanks!

 

[Gene Cassone]

It is like the 1960s again! Last time cars were truly race/street ready!

 

[dbk]

I've heard Walliser say the RSR didn't require a waiver for the engine placement. I find that super weird. People complain about the no-waiver GT being a homologation special, but it doesn't matter if your engine is even in the same place as your road car? Huh?

 

[Sinovac]

I've heard Walliser say the RSR didn't require a waiver for the engine placement. I find that super weird. People complain about the no-waiver GT being a homologation special, but it doesn't matter if your engine is even in the same place as your road car? Huh?

As I understand it, the engine can be moved within a certain "box" surrounding the engine before a waiver is required. Every time I've seen the Porsche up close, the windows are covered, so I can't tell how far the engine has been moved.

 

[dbk]

Right, but point being if you can go from rear to mid...the box would seem too big. I'm not complaining though, I like the car as it is.

 

[Special K]

This years SAE event at Cobo is as significant as the ones attended by Iacocca, Shelby, and the Duece back in the early '60s. Thanks to all for documenting this historic event. After seeing the pics and reading the stories, I'm telling myself: I should have been there for that. The only regrets I have in life are the things I didn't do. I'm not letting it happen again! I'll say it again: We are living in one of the most interesting and significant periods of American automotive history, experience as much of it as you can!

 

[dbk]

On the plus side - they did have two television studio sized cameras filming the whole thing and hopefully it will be online shortly, so all who missed it live should be able to see it.

 

[Special K]

Please share a link to it when it's available.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AJB]

Also, as stated earlier, I will contact SAE this week. I am not sure if it was SAE studio cameras or Ford Motor Company cameras Dave is referring to.. However, I will find out. What I am really hoping for is the ability for us to actually purchase a DVD or blue ray product of the complete event to add to our personal FordGT libraries.
Andy (ajb)

 

[Cobrar]

I've heard Walliser say the RSR didn't require a waiver for the engine placement. I find that super weird. People complain about the no-waiver GT being a homologation special, but it doesn't matter if your engine is even in the same place as your road car? Huh?

Not certain, but I thought it didn't require a 'waiver' in the traditional sense, as the competing manufacturers approved the entry of the new Porsche ~ the other path....

 

[06fordgt]

Hi Guys just got back from Daytona Intn'l Speedway for the past 4 days.
Wow this was a great event. As i aid earlier on I would have gone if not already booked for Daytona.
Amazing pieces. Andy yes if you can get dvd copies of the entire event that would be great.
I hope they make all the wearable items posted for us to buy. When and where do we order ?!!!
Great reporting guys.

 

[dbk]

Sparco is bringing me all of the gear tomorrow morning to photograph and get an explainer on the details. I didn't quite catch it when I was at the show but they had

• Gloves
• Shoes
• Harnesses
• Helmet
• Race Suit
• CAD rear trunk luggage bag
• Large leather luggage bag

I want to say I heard either $6500 or $7500 depending on which bag you got, but don't quote me on that. All of the stuff can be embroidered with either your name or serial and I think the trunk bag is constructed using the interior materials of your vehicle spec. The stuff can only be ordered by the original owner of the car and is verified through the Concierge. If you're feeling like you need to take a trip, they will laser measure you for the race suit in Torino.