A Special Machine

[FENZO]

Man, you're showing your age. Did Betty Davis slip your mind? :lol

- Ricky Bobby, circa 2006.

...But don't quote me boy cause I aint said sh!t.:biggrin

 

[Sinovac]

It's a huge investment in overhead and manufacturing. It's not as easy as just choosing to use carbon instead of aluminum.

I get that, but wouldn't you expect a company like Ferrari to make the investment? They're hawking "premium" products to sophisticates, not Kias to sub-prime customers. Performance-wise, McLaren is beating Ferrari car for car. If and when McLaren starts making cars with more personality than a Maytag, Ferrari might be in trouble.

 

[nautoncall]

Thanks Dave


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ed Sims]

The cool thing about the GT is that as you peel the layers you just discover more jewelry. I've always felt the 05/06 blew away it's contemporaries when you saw it stripped down. 17+ is the same way.

I was an exotic shop a few years ago & they had a Gallardo & an NSX on the rack. The underside of the Acura was beautiful with very cool CNC aluminum & tidy, race car like welds. The Lambo had rough edges with sloppy uneven welds on the underside. Junky!

The NGT looks amazing. Man jewelry for sure!

Ed

 

[Hans Efde]

That's beautiful, thanks for sharing. How wear resistant is that clear bra stuff? I have been using 3M propellor tape for edge protection (will stay in place until Mach2, so good enough for me), but can buy it only in about 2 inch wide.

 

[Sinovac]

That's beautiful, thanks for sharing. How wear resistant is that clear bra stuff? I have been using 3M propellor tape for edge protection (will stay in place until Mach2, so good enough for me), but can buy it only in about 2 inch wide.

The good stuff is tough. Moreover, double layers can be added in high-impact areas.

 

[Sinovac]

This diagram of a generic F1 car shows airflow management via the keel, undertray and side skirts. All these elements are present on the GT and are firsts for a road car. The GT creates downforce everywhere. Note the A-arm attachment points. Same on the GT.


I circled the leading edges of the undertray for clarity.

 

[Sinovac]

I was an exotic shop a few years ago & they had a Gallardo & an NSX on the rack. The underside of the Acura was beautiful with very cool CNC aluminum & tidy, race car like welds. The Lambo had rough edges with sloppy uneven welds on the underside. Junky!

The NGT looks amazing. Man jewelry for sure!

Ed

The underside of the new Miata looks beautiful too. It's easy to identify cars made by passionate engineers, rather than the 9 to 5 people.

 

[roketman]

David,
Thank goodness we have you and this forum! You are the heart beat of all cool things Ford! What other owners of Marques get the information we get before the general motoring public? And in such detail? Its wonderful being part of this and I thank you!
Now on the Tyrannosaurus arms.Thats not even mentioning other parts! LOL!!!
Ford GT rules! All others drool!

 

[roketman]

PS I guess we will be putting clear bra on the entire bottom side of the car! Just like our current GT’s Ford has created an underside masterpiece! Amazing!

 

[BtwoG]

The more layers that get peeled back, the more and more I know this is one of the most amazing vehicles ever made. As mentioned before, the carbon fiber work is flat out incredible, and I'm glad they are showing it off.

 

[stuntman]

This diagram of a generic F1 car shows airflow management via the keel, undertray and side skirts. All these elements are present on the GT and are firsts for a road car. The GT creates downforce everywhere. Note the A-arm attachment points. Same on the GT.
View attachment 45500

I circled the leading edges of the undertray for clarity.
View attachment 45501
View attachment 45502

Current F1 cars (as pictured) pretty much throw mechanical grip and suspension soon geometry out of the window in favor of optimizing aerodynamic downforce.

Not too long ago, F1 cars use to have suspension-mounted keels where the lower control arms mounted to the lower part of the keel itself, like the Ford GT.

The "leading edge of the undertray" acts like a splitter on the front of a car and generates downforce from high pressure acting on top of its large, protruding surface area.

The way the air is evacuated behind the front tires is also extremely impressive. The GT is an aerodynamic masterpiece and so much attention to detail was spent to make the car win LeMans, and pretty much every aspect is retained on the street car.

To me, as advancement continues and supercars get faster and faster, very few of them will have this lemans-winning focus, story, and history, which should cement the GT in history books as a special car.

0.02

 

[KennethClay]

Thanks for posting, Dave. While we can all appreciate the beauty and the racing pedigree of this amazing car, it's great to also get behind the beautiful surface of the car and learn more about what's underneath. Please keep it coming!

 

[Cobrar]

.... Performance-wise, McLaren is beating Ferrari car for car. If and when McLaren starts making cars with more personality than a Maytag, Ferrari might be in trouble.

Prediction: 'Bruce' will haunt you tonight. Recant your statement here in writing, or you are surely doomed. :lol

 

[Sinovac]

Prediction: 'Bruce' will haunt you tonight. Recant your statement here in writing, or you are surely doomed. :lol

I'm sure if he were alive today the cars that bear his name would have much more character.

 

[Spirit]

Dave thanks for the detailed write-up; very well done.
Looking forward to your next addition to this documentary.
Becoming more exited about this extraordinary machine with every passing day.

 

[STORMCAT]

keep -em comin..

 

[Sinovac]

Not too long ago, F1 cars use to have suspension-mounted keels where the lower control arms mounted to the lower part of the keel itself, like the Ford GT.

I'm no expert in F1 aerodynamics or chassis design, but the GT's "zero-keel" design would mean the control arms are attached directly to the chassis, not the keel. "Zero keel" is the current F1 design standard. I think the pictures show that the GT's "keel" is an aerodynamic piece, rather than a structural support for the lower control arms, but I could be mistaken.

 

[Ed Sims]

I think I need to study a little on the design being discussed. Usually IndyGT would come aboard with a lot of engineering stuff nobody understands.

Ed

 

[SYCO GT]

Fantastic photography. Can really experience the engineering. Thanks for the photos and descriptions. Wow.

Art.

Form AND Function.