Major GTX1 Surgery...


Triheart7

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 3, 2007
2,576
Northern California
Thank you for your continuing wonderful insight into your project. It also provides an understanding of why "the top" was always the Achilles Heel of the GTX1. :cheers

Kip,

This is an amazing project to follow. I second Kirby's comments.
 

Shelby#18

GTX1 Owner/Moderator
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Dec 15, 2006
1,623
Nev./So. Cal./Minn.
Thanks for keeping us updated Kip, I'm looking forward to seeing it at the Rally!!!
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
I don't have a GTX1 but I am fascinated by the work you are doing and the quality of the workmanship. Truly impressive.
 

atspeed

LAST BLU
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jun 13, 2007
123
Berkeley, CA
Many thanks for keeping us updated and sharing the process. This is fascinating and I applaud your work. Very nice!

Michael
 

ChipBeck

GT Owner
Staff member
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 13, 2006
5,770
Scottsdale, Arizona
Reminder.

I don't have a GTX1 but I am fascinated by the work you are doing and the quality of the workmanship. Truly impressive.

Gentlemen,

Some of our newer members may not be aware of all the cool carbon fiber parts that Kip has developed for non-GTX-1 Ford GTs. Check out Kip's website and order your GT an early Christmas gift! All of Kip's parts are works of art. He is also a Forum sponsor.

Chip
 

S592R

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Dec 3, 2006
2,800
Gentlemen,

Some of our newer members may not be aware of all the cool carbon fiber parts that Kip has developed for non-GTX-1 Ford GTs. Check out Kip's website and order your GT an early Christmas gift! All of Kip's parts are works of art. He is also a Forum sponsor.

Chip


Agreed and would likely be best as the sole sponsor link of this thread (area)
 

KJRGT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 4, 2006
2,840
SoCal
Kip, you guys blow my mind. Can't wait to see it live next month. :thumbsup
 

SLF360

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Gentlemen,

Some of our newer members may not be aware of all the cool carbon fiber parts that Kip has developed for non-GTX-1 Ford GTs. Check out Kip's website and order your GT an early Christmas gift! All of Kip's parts are works of art. He is also a Forum sponsor.

Chip

I need a carbon fibre replacement for the melted plastic piece around the exhaust outlet, as my entire exhaust train is jetcoated, and hence the end pieces must be smokin hot when I drive her like I stole her (like on the track) and i dont want to end up in smoke....:rofl
 

Kip Ewing

CF Vendor
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 23, 2007
288
Suburban Detroit
my help

Kip,

I am lost for words. What a fantastic job!

The only thing I would like to say is - please tell me you have a number of interns and apprentices?.......the world needs more people like you - we must ensure that your unique skills are passed on to another generation!

Dang - if I wasn't so busy I'd come along myself and offer to work for free just so I could learn how you do what you do!

Well done!

Actually, I've got two employees.

My main guy is just brilliant. An excellent pattern maker and really great at the carbon. I joke that when I die, I am going to leave an endowment to exhibit his patterns and mold at the Detroit Institute of Art.

My other employee is a fine artist we have trained. He really is doing great work. I have had really good luck recruiting people with art and design backgrounds. This stuff is learn-able when you start with someone that understands "craft".

Feel free to fly over.
We'll find something for you to do!
Always happy to train people.
 

DRIVEBY

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Mar 17, 2006
253
Las Vegas
I need a carbon fibre replacement for the melted plastic piece around the exhaust outlet, as my entire exhaust train is jetcoated, and hence the end pieces must be smokin hot when I drive her like I stole her (like on the track) and i dont want to end up in smoke....:rofl


Try this ... it's where I got mine:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...s?hash=item3c9a470c8f&_trksid=p4506.m20.l1116
 

tpraceman

THEE GT OWNER
Mark II Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 20, 2006
2,835
Washington Michigan

A forum member abolfaz in Florida made this a year or two ago.
I got one of the first run and get many comments on them as well as the Derry lug nuts.

I stay away from Kips house just in case he is lurking with a sawsall in his hand.:lol

Nice work Kip but we don't expect anything less from you:thumbsup
 
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Kip Ewing

CF Vendor
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 23, 2007
288
Suburban Detroit
Latches

Well it's all coming together.

One week to go before the car ships, and all the hard work in pattern making, tooling, and processing the bits is coming together.

This is the fun part when everything starts to look pretty and you get to bolt and bond it all together. It's the "showey bit" a the end of the hard work.

Here's the progress on the latch receivers;

You'll note from the early photos of the receiver development that they looked a bit like 1st year high school shop class. Well, these rough parts were only critical in terms of their geometry. We use these fabricated bits as an armature to sculpt body filler over and make a casting pattern.
Here you can see the finished patterns and the parting boards for the foundry.
FordGTcastings001.jpg

With the sand casting process, you have to establish a parting line for both halves of sand mold. The pattern drops into the parting board and you pack sand over it. You then flip that plug of sand over, remove the parting board and pack the sand to the opposite side of the pattern. Once you remove the pattern, you now have cavity to cast into.

Here's a photo of a raw cast latch receiver and a pattern.
FordGTcastings002.jpg

Once we have the raw casting, we machine the holes for mounting and the guide pin bushing. We also clean up the surface and get it ready for powder coat.
We sand blast the part, prior to powder coating. We use the Craftsman powdercoating gun. These are not sold anymore. I have no idea why. They are fantastic for the small quantities of parts we coat in-house.
FordGTcastings013.jpg


Once the part is sprayed, we put it into the lab oven at 420 degrees F for about 20 minutes. The coating melts, flows out and (in this case) takes a wrinkle finish.
FordGTcastings015.jpg


So, here's the finished product.
FordGTcastings021.jpg

These things really turned out cool.
Everyone that comes into the shop really digs these things.
You hardly see any of this part, most of it is hidden behind the header trim, but I think it is one of the cooler little details we've done.

OK, so this weekend we finish the headliner, form the rear window, paint the door caps and start to wrap this little monster up!
This thing has been a ton more work than I was expecting.....

4 GTX1s coming in on the heels of this one.
Good thing the new building is about ready.
I drove around the block to look at it today.
New glass block windows, the offices getting renovated....
3000 more square feet is going to be great!
 

Shelby#18

GTX1 Owner/Moderator
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Dec 15, 2006
1,623
Nev./So. Cal./Minn.
Looks good Kip, unfortunately that 3,000 more square feet will fill up faster than you can say Carbon Fiber. :cheers
 

Kip Ewing

CF Vendor
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 23, 2007
288
Suburban Detroit
3000 square feet

Looks good Kip, unfortunately that 3,000 more square feet will fill up faster than you can say Carbon Fiber. :cheers

Yah, that's what I am afraid of......
It's a great problem to have!

I do have my eye on the building next door, already......
It would make for a nice little complex.
 

STUNTS

FORD GT OWNER & LITTLE TIMMYS DAD!
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 5, 2006
2,438
SoCal
Yah, that's what I am afraid of......
It's a great problem to have!

I do have my eye on the building next door, already......
It would make for a nice little complex.

When are you getting your GT brotha!!!! :cheers
 

Piana

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Jul 12, 2006
330
Northern California
Kip,
Do you have a price yet? Can the top be installed on the West Coast, or do we have to transport to you?
Tom
 

Kip Ewing

CF Vendor
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 23, 2007
288
Suburban Detroit
When am I getting my GT?

When are you getting your GT brotha!!!! :cheers

Not soon enough..................
 

Kip Ewing

CF Vendor
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 23, 2007
288
Suburban Detroit
Roof

Kip,
Do you have a price yet? Can the top be installed on the West Coast, or do we have to transport to you?
Tom

Price depends on if it is painted or if we do clear carbon, custom headliner etc. Please ring me to discuss.

There is only one other guy I'd trust to install this, Shadowman....
We'd have to work out the details, but I'd trust him.

All the GTX1s are a little different, so it's not a direct snap-on like a Miata or such. The door caps need a bit of fitment and centering the rear window module takes a bit of care.
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
There is only one other guy I'd trust to install this, Shadowman....
We'd have to work out the details, but I'd trust him...

...The door caps need a bit of fitment and centering the rear window module takes a bit of care...

+100%

Shadowman's middle name is CARE! :thumbsup
 

Kip Ewing

CF Vendor
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 23, 2007
288
Suburban Detroit
His last name

+100%

Shadowman's middle name is CARE! :thumbsup

Not to mention his last name is one of those hyphenated British surnames.
It's actually Bill Care Skilled-Knobloch.

I understand that the Skilled is silent and not actually pronounced.

Actually, the 'skilled' is pronounced, but you know what I mean....
Sorry. It's late and I have been handling a lot of solvents today............