Fubar
Totally ****** Up
Great info, I wish I had the personal experience to confirm the shift feel of an original Mk IV GT40. :cheers
Any FGT obscure trivia, rare facts, oddities?
- Thread starter dtomaso1
- Start date
Great info, I wish I had the personal experience to confirm the shift feel of an original Mk IV GT40. :cheers
centerpunch
ex-GT owner x2
I don't think there's any way the Miura was designed to look like the GT40. The entire mid-engined format was relatively new, but the Porsche 904 (I used to have one of those) and Ferrari 250 LM were around, too. And depending on who you believe, Gandini or Giugiaro did the Miura, and neither of those guys needs to copy from anyone.
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
samthejeepman
Permanent Vacation
i have a cd in my possession that was given to me by a saleen upper office employee.
the contents of the cd seem to be based on the introduction of the gt to ford, after saleen built it(thats what i can gather)
there are many ford big shots as well as saleen big shots in the video.
i have had this cd since 2005.
sam
the contents of the cd seem to be based on the introduction of the gt to ford, after saleen built it(thats what i can gather)
there are many ford big shots as well as saleen big shots in the video.
i have had this cd since 2005.
sam
sr71
GT Owner
I believe the door cutouts were to allow a quicker entry into the car, specifically for the classic LeMans start. In the early 60's, the drivers lined up on one side of the track across from the cars. When the flag dropped the drivers ran across the track, bailed into the cars, fired up and roared off. Difficult with a "normal" doorframe.
an interesting side note. In 1969 Jackie Ickx, feeling that an unsafe situation had arisen from this start, in protest, walked across the track, sat in GT40 # 1075, buckled his safety restraints and got away last. On the first lap John Woolfe died in a crash in one of the 917's, and another driver survived a career ending crash. Neither had restraints fastened. Ickx won the 24 hours and in 1970 the drivers started in the cars.
an interesting side note. In 1969 Jackie Ickx, feeling that an unsafe situation had arisen from this start, in protest, walked across the track, sat in GT40 # 1075, buckled his safety restraints and got away last. On the first lap John Woolfe died in a crash in one of the 917's, and another driver survived a career ending crash. Neither had restraints fastened. Ickx won the 24 hours and in 1970 the drivers started in the cars.
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Superfly
HERITAGE GT OWNER
That Jackie Ickx info is VERY interesting!!! Thanks for sharing.
Hey, Calgary. You wouldn't happen to own this car would you (Blue car, 1st picture) http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=204886&postcount=9
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Fubar
Totally ****** Up
Great story, do you remember where you read that? I would love to read the full account. :thumbsup
centerpunch
ex-GT owner x2
Kayvan
GT Owner
- Jul 13, 2006
- 4,782
The GT40 appeared in the famed 60s movie "A Man and a Women"
The best description of the GT40 I ever read:
"The American equivalent of an Automotive Superpower"
For me its an icon like the 747, B-52 Strataforte, Huey Chopper, or Abrams tank....once you see it you know its a monument to its breed.
The best description of the GT40 I ever read:
"The American equivalent of an Automotive Superpower"
For me its an icon like the 747, B-52 Strataforte, Huey Chopper, or Abrams tank....once you see it you know its a monument to its breed.
Neilda
GT Owner
The original car was based on the Lola, so its origins were certainly British.
The Ford GT we have has many Brit parts, the transmission, brakes, steering - and a few more besides. And that's no bad thing, the Europeans know a thing or two about sports cars.
However there's no question that the Ford GT is American. Ford made the GT40 and GT what it is today - that applies to Aston Martin and Jaguar too as it happens.
BlackICE
GT Owner
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
Ahhhhhhhhhhh! That WOULD explain the rash of gauge pblms, don'tcha think? :rof
(Pockets, go soak your head...:slap)
Fubar
Totally ****** Up
I am okay with the Aston Martin (Brembo) brakes and even the steering column sense Ford owned the company at the time. I consider them simply inventory parts. The transmission was designed outside of the Ford company and credit certainly needs to be given to Recardo for their robust achievement. I suppose that if Ford use Lotus engineers again it wouldn't be surprising (sense Ford owned Lotus then too) but I never heard any talk about the Lotus influence on the new GTs. I suppose I will have a question about that when I see the Ford crew this year in Austin.
Kingman
GT Owner
Lotus WAS owned by GM at one time (never Ford), though by the time the Ford GT was being conceived and built, Lotus was/is owned by Proton, a Malaysian company.
The Ricardo transmission in the GT was also used by Audi for their LeMans cars a few years back.
Fubar
Totally ****** Up
I thought I saw the Lotus emblem on the Ford website a few years back. Thanks for the correction. Also, very interesting tid-bit about audi and the transmission.
H
HHGT
Guest
How many of the GT parts are made in Mexico or China? Alternator, Starter, Thermostat, Bearings etc????
PL510*Jeff
Well-known member
The Riccardo GT transmission is unique to the GT. Fred Goodnow choose the transmission that came from a Jaguar XJ220. However, the case needed to be shortened and with a reduced height to fit in the GT. So Ricardo redesigned it to fit the space requirements of the GT.
As a result of the GT case physical limitations, the Stillen 3.9 crown gear is as tall ("big") as that will fit inside the transaxle. Very few parts, if any, are inter-changeable with similar Riccardo units.
Neilda
GT Owner
British electronics were truly awful at one stage - I had a 1959 Aston as well as a 1982 Aston and both were pretty dreadful. We don't actually have a car industry over here any more, but our hi fi components are decent! Not much to say I suppose in defence... :cheers There was a period, particularly over the 1970's and 1980's, when the UK was riddled with union problems and prehistoric working practices - this will have had a direct bearing on the lacklustre efforts of our electronic design and manufacture.
As to Lotus and the chassis, I'm not totally sure what the involvement was or who told me - don't know if they consulted/advised or if it was ex Lotus personnel on the project.
Is it that important? Probably not.
As a note of modest interest, Goodyear was a direct descendent of mine (who died penniless).... so we Brits could even lay moderate claim to the tires too. :biggrin Actually, that would be really stretching things to claim that!
I was always wondrous as to how Lucas was able to capture and contain all the smoke they put in their products. :frown
Superfly
HERITAGE GT OWNER
I seem to recall Jeremy Clarkson's comments that Lotus designed the suspension also. Of course it's hard to discern where he's being an automotive journalist and where he's being a comic genius. :rofl He also made all sorts of claims as to the sourcing or production of various bits, but he too still acknowledged that the heart of the car was, and is, truly American. :cheers
As for the British heritage, "all" things American and 'stretching things', I seem to remember something about a boat called the Mayflower.......:wink
:lol:lol:lol