Jim Dunham Brings Ford GTs Back to Life


dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
http://performance.ford.com/enthusi...ife-.html?cks=21366998150&emailid=FP_FASTNEWS

Forum member Jim!

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NorthwoodGT

GT Owner
Jun 12, 2009
1,215
Michigan
Very nice article. I wasn't aware we had such a celeb in our midst! Nice job Jim on everything you do.
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,081
MA
And also for those that don't know, the grabber blue one is now Spartan's, and the orange one has a N/A Boss 302 engine in it!
 

Vince H

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 23, 2012
2,417
Southern California
Cool article. I had a chance to meet Jim at Rally 10. Great guy.

Vince H
 

DakotaGT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 9, 2012
1,694
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Very impressive, Jim! Congratulations on the recognition for your excellent work.
 

spartan

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 11, 2017
1,216
Bloomfield Hills MI
Jim is a legend! His shop is amazing.

Nice article Jim.

The orange GT will eventually have a stock GT drivetrain. Jim will move the orange engine and trans into his new toy/track car.
 
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THamonGT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Congratulations Jim very nice article and beautiful collection!
 

Jim

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 17, 2006
203
Michigan
Thank you very much for the kind words guys! Always such a great bunch of folks on the forum that helped me with so many aspects of the GT lifestyle. I miss the Grabber Blue GT - Spartan is the new owner and he has done me proud keeping it actively involved in events/Rally/C&C events, etc. If you guys are ever in the Plymouth Michigan area - stop by the shop for a coffee or beer and a visit.

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djs

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Jun 7, 2007
2,082
So how is the orange car 650 lbs lighter other than the supercharger removal? I always thought the new Boss engine would be a great fit in a GT.
 

Jim

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 17, 2006
203
Michigan
It's alot of lightweight actions but really it's the sum of the parts that gets the weight out. The engine itself is certainly a big chunk but other things contribute such as no LTR, no SC pump, no coolant lines front to rear for the SC, No HVAC, no wipers, no air bags, no RCM, no stereo or speakers, no amp, no subwoofer, , no NVH materials, minimal heat shielding, no mastic, no catalysts in the exhaust, lightweight flowmaster mufflers, polycarbonate rear clamshell and bulkhead windows, no AC compressor, no condenser or lines, no accelerator cable or metal pedal, no parking brake system or PB calipers, no carbon cannister, etc etc.
 

KennethClay

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Oct 15, 2012
860
New York
Fantastic garage! Tell us about the other two cars in the back!

Kenneth
 

cobrajeff

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 5, 2006
688
Daytona Beach
Jim and Mose firing up the heart of P1032:

https://youtu.be/_oEuHu7op28
 

Cobrar

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 24, 2006
4,017
Metro Detroit
Jim and Mose firing up the heart of P1032:

https://youtu.be/_oEuHu7op28

Mose on his 1st day with a 427 :wink
 

Jim

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 17, 2006
203
Michigan
There are quite a few cars in the shop; the 2 you see in the background is a Porsche Outlaw 550 Spyder project that we built a RS60 frame / IRS suspension and 6 cylinder 911 engine with Weber Carbs - That's Dad's project car - we work on it as time permits. Sort of hill climb type car for fun. The Yellow 911 is a 1972 RSR tribute car built to RSR specs with coilovers, 3.0L, chrome moly cage, historic racer with log book. Strange but I am into Porsche's and Ford GT's. Also featured in chapter 19 of "Motor City Dream Garages" if you happen to have a copy. We have shop nite on Tuesday's and shop time all day Sunday's. Mose Nowland is a regular. Hardest working man I ever met.
 

GTMD

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jan 4, 2011
957
NorCal
It's alot of lightweight actions but really it's the sum of the parts that gets the weight out. The engine itself is certainly a big chunk but other things contribute such as no LTR, no SC pump, no coolant lines front to rear for the SC, No HVAC, no wipers, no air bags, no RCM, no stereo or speakers, no amp, no subwoofer, , no NVH materials, minimal heat shielding, no mastic, no catalysts in the exhaust, lightweight flowmaster mufflers, polycarbonate rear clamshell and bulkhead windows, no AC compressor, no condenser or lines, no accelerator cable or metal pedal, no parking brake system or PB calipers, no carbon cannister, etc etc.

Thanks for the explanation Jim. I had the same question. Beautiful work!
 

KennethClay

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Oct 15, 2012
860
New York
TStrange but I am into Porsche's and Ford GT's.

Me, too! I thought that was a 550 spyder.

I built one myself (great father/sons project). Fun cars. Tiny, too--when you see it next to the SUV you get a sense of just how small they are! I've also got a '71 long hood hot rod coming together slowly on the west coast.

Kenneth
 

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Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,850
NorCal
Very nice work Jim! It was nice meeting you at the GT Rally in Detroit.

Ed