A long (GT) story, not-so-short:
My GT obsession and eventual acquisition of a 1,000 mile 2005 GT this summer is likely is solely based in the fact that I was offered the rare opportunity to personally observe the final days of assembly line production of Ford GTs back in August of 2006. While I was too young to have witnessed the original assembly of early Mustangs, Shelby's, and Boss Mustangs that I have been a part of restoring in the last few decades, the opportunity to see the 05/06's being built all but changed my (car) life. The entire story, and my photos-- for me--is still a bit surreal in that it resulted from a rare and coincidental opportunity out of a need for NOS/out of stock parts for a 2000 Cobra R Mustang that somehow lead me to the Ford GT.
As the story goes, after being shot down by my local dealer, via eBay, I was able to find and meet one of the SVT engineers that was responsible for the Cobra R. He and I ended up chatting, and eventually meeting months later in the middle of an asphalt parking lot at the Spring Ford Swap Meet in Columbus Ohio in 2006 for the purchase of a NOS Cobra R steering rack. Once we met in person, I inquired as to how he acquired all of the NOS/obsolete Cobra R parts that I was interested in buying for my R. One car-guy-conversation led to the next. Eventually he realized I was truly a Ford guy, and he told me that Ford offered him the opportunity to buy all the residual 2000 Cobra R parts, and this was the reason why he had them for sale. Knowing at this point in the mid 2000s that the SVT program was all but dissolved, I was curious what he was doing these day, and the conversation continued.
After more than an hour or so of conversing, it came out that he was now working for Saleen. I was intrigued, but not shocked being that he was working in metro Detroit since a good car guy would clearly find another home in the area. The conversation continued and I made the comment that obviously he was now working with Saleen to convert Mustangs to Saleen's in Michigan. A pause occurred, and the words that likely changed my car life forever came out of his mouth. "No, we are building the Ford GT for Ford" were the words that he stated. My jaw dropped in the manner that often occurs when today--in 2018--I inform a 2005/06 GT owner that Ford didn't build their GT. Saleen did. I watched Saleen-badged employees hand-push GTs on to car carriers with full interiors, no engine on their way to "assembly" at Wixom, lol. Deny all ya want, I have the photos!
Fast forward many months. He and I emailed back and forth a fair bit leading up to August. Keeping in mind, this was about 12/13 years ago, and we didn't text quite the way we do today. He had offered me four spots for four friends, me included. He said no cameras, no videos, and he'd give us a behind the scenes VIP tour of the GT Plant around the Woodward Dream Cruise in August of 2006. As we got closer to the first part of August, he emails with some subject along the lines of "game changer." I open the email fearing the worst and the "tour" was off. The email basically said "we are in the final days of production of the Ford GT, namely Canadian Exports, and end-run of 2006's. There are no trade secrets, bring your cameras, bring your friends, come one, come all. Your previously awesome VIP tour will be even more amazing."
I truly had no idea what to expect, but between me and the dozen or so friends I ended up bringing along, we shot a few hundred photos, many of which I am guessing have never been seen (maybe they have, and if so, I am unaware), containing pretty much every step at the Ford GT/SSC Plant. My issue today is that I LOVE sharing these with my local GT friends, yet in more than a dozen years, I have not done anything formal with them, in the thoughts that eventually someone may end up documenting the build of our amazing GTs. Soooo, long ass story short, this is where my obsession started; the ultimate question is: what do I do with the photos I have? Should they all go online for everyone to view now, or wait for someone (not me, lol) to put together a formal publication for the whole world to see?
I will share a few photos, and appreciate any thoughts or suggestions any of you may have as to what's best for the other couple hundred photos!
Thanks! Jeremy (blown-v8)
My GT obsession and eventual acquisition of a 1,000 mile 2005 GT this summer is likely is solely based in the fact that I was offered the rare opportunity to personally observe the final days of assembly line production of Ford GTs back in August of 2006. While I was too young to have witnessed the original assembly of early Mustangs, Shelby's, and Boss Mustangs that I have been a part of restoring in the last few decades, the opportunity to see the 05/06's being built all but changed my (car) life. The entire story, and my photos-- for me--is still a bit surreal in that it resulted from a rare and coincidental opportunity out of a need for NOS/out of stock parts for a 2000 Cobra R Mustang that somehow lead me to the Ford GT.
As the story goes, after being shot down by my local dealer, via eBay, I was able to find and meet one of the SVT engineers that was responsible for the Cobra R. He and I ended up chatting, and eventually meeting months later in the middle of an asphalt parking lot at the Spring Ford Swap Meet in Columbus Ohio in 2006 for the purchase of a NOS Cobra R steering rack. Once we met in person, I inquired as to how he acquired all of the NOS/obsolete Cobra R parts that I was interested in buying for my R. One car-guy-conversation led to the next. Eventually he realized I was truly a Ford guy, and he told me that Ford offered him the opportunity to buy all the residual 2000 Cobra R parts, and this was the reason why he had them for sale. Knowing at this point in the mid 2000s that the SVT program was all but dissolved, I was curious what he was doing these day, and the conversation continued.
After more than an hour or so of conversing, it came out that he was now working for Saleen. I was intrigued, but not shocked being that he was working in metro Detroit since a good car guy would clearly find another home in the area. The conversation continued and I made the comment that obviously he was now working with Saleen to convert Mustangs to Saleen's in Michigan. A pause occurred, and the words that likely changed my car life forever came out of his mouth. "No, we are building the Ford GT for Ford" were the words that he stated. My jaw dropped in the manner that often occurs when today--in 2018--I inform a 2005/06 GT owner that Ford didn't build their GT. Saleen did. I watched Saleen-badged employees hand-push GTs on to car carriers with full interiors, no engine on their way to "assembly" at Wixom, lol. Deny all ya want, I have the photos!
Fast forward many months. He and I emailed back and forth a fair bit leading up to August. Keeping in mind, this was about 12/13 years ago, and we didn't text quite the way we do today. He had offered me four spots for four friends, me included. He said no cameras, no videos, and he'd give us a behind the scenes VIP tour of the GT Plant around the Woodward Dream Cruise in August of 2006. As we got closer to the first part of August, he emails with some subject along the lines of "game changer." I open the email fearing the worst and the "tour" was off. The email basically said "we are in the final days of production of the Ford GT, namely Canadian Exports, and end-run of 2006's. There are no trade secrets, bring your cameras, bring your friends, come one, come all. Your previously awesome VIP tour will be even more amazing."
I truly had no idea what to expect, but between me and the dozen or so friends I ended up bringing along, we shot a few hundred photos, many of which I am guessing have never been seen (maybe they have, and if so, I am unaware), containing pretty much every step at the Ford GT/SSC Plant. My issue today is that I LOVE sharing these with my local GT friends, yet in more than a dozen years, I have not done anything formal with them, in the thoughts that eventually someone may end up documenting the build of our amazing GTs. Soooo, long ass story short, this is where my obsession started; the ultimate question is: what do I do with the photos I have? Should they all go online for everyone to view now, or wait for someone (not me, lol) to put together a formal publication for the whole world to see?
I will share a few photos, and appreciate any thoughts or suggestions any of you may have as to what's best for the other couple hundred photos!
Thanks! Jeremy (blown-v8)
