New Member Introduction


Hirschy

Active member
Nov 11, 2021
31
Orono, MN
Just wanted to say hi and introduce myself here. My name is Marc, and I am a new member here. I live in Minnesota. I have a 2006 GT, white with blue stripes, all 4 options. I came to own this car in the most unfortunate of ways and decided to share this here as this car, and therefore this community, will be part of my life hopefully for a long time to come.

My father left me this car when he passed away in April of 2019. He lived in Switzerland, where I am from, but I live in Minnesota. Since his passing, I have had to sell his collection off, as none of the other cars he owned were able to be brought to the US. This car was not often driven by my father, but it was special to him because this was the hero poster car on his and many of his friends walls when they were kids in the Ford Vs. Ferrari days. When he was a kid, this (the original GT40) was his absolute dream car.

Funny story about the history of the car. My father bought it new in 2006, from a Ford dealer in Pennsylvania. We were living in England at the time, so naturally my father had it shipped straight to England from the dealer. It was the first GT in the UK. How do I know this? Well, not long after taking delivery, we took it for a spin on one of the lovely English backroads not far from our house, when a check engine light came on and so my father called the local Ford dealer and wanted to schedule an appointment to have it looked at. They thought he was joking about the car being what it was, as officially there were no GT's in England at the time, and certainly no dealers had any idea about how to service one. In fact, Ford clearly expressed that they were not happy that he had imported this car at that time.

A few years later he moved back to Switzerland and brought the car with him. It has been there since. After his passing, I was tasked with selling his other cars and have waited to transport this one, honestly, because it was too painful, but they are now sold and it was time to either bring it over or sell it, so I recently organized transport to bring the car back to the US, where it started it's life, but also where it has never been driven. It is scheduled to arrive just before Christmas and I am starting to get really excited to receive it.

A few weeks before he died, my father told me he really wanted me to enjoy it to it's fullest and use it. That's why I'm sharing this long winded story with you. I feel the only way I am going to honor his wish is if I put myself out there, get together with other passionate owners and just drive the car. My dad managed to put about 6k miles on it during his ownership, but I'm pretty sure 4k of those were driven by me. I plan never to sell it and hope to join a bunch of the rallys/meetups and want to share the experience with my son.

Anyway, thanks for putting up with my long story and I look forward to being part of this community.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e9ocdeev0ybcini/IMG_0858.JPG?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/j647uxytjapbsb4/IMG_0860.JPG?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7vft0ds52grtgim/IMG_0870.JPG?dl=0
 

fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,475
Belleville, IL
Send DBK or chip a private message to change your status to Owner. Welcome.
 

Hirschy

Active member
Nov 11, 2021
31
Orono, MN
Send DBK or chip a private message to change your status to Owner. Welcome.

Thank you fjpikul. I have just written DBK.
 

GSix

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 27, 2021
52
Chicagoland
Welcome, you will find a wealth of knowledge on these pages
 

2112

Blue/white 06'
Mark II Lifetime
So cool hear your plan is to keep you and your dad’s car.
.
 

extrap

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 16, 2020
1,751
Gainesville FL
Hi Marc! Grüetzi! 🇨🇭 Welcome to the club! We're sorry for your loss of your father, but otherwise my wife loved your story - Why? Because she is 1st generation American born to two Swiss parents! 🍻 ... and her two oldest sisters were born in Switzerland. And she loves, loves, LOVES everything Switzerland! I hear about it night and day! HAHA! She's laughing as I type this, but it's pretty much true!! 😂 Her parents are from the German regions, and after coming to the US in 1956 for what was to be 1 year, they made it permanent but returned to Switzerland every year, usually to Engelberg or Davos. Anyway, welcome, and your pics look great (y)
 
Last edited:

DakotaGT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 9, 2012
1,694
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Wonderful story, Marc. Welcome to the forum. Sorry for the loss of your father, but I’m sure your beautiful GT will help you stay connected with his memory and spirit. If you ever venture slightly westward into South Dakota and want to meet up, let me know. It’s always fun meeting other motoring enthusiasts.
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,081
MA
Welcome to the forum! So I noticed that you did add the headlight washers, did you also add the rear fog light (cant tell from the rear pic)? Were there other requirements that you had to add to meet EU standards? I cant remember all of the mods that were made to the official 101 cars that were sent to Europe.
 

GKW05GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 28, 2011
2,755
Fayetteville, Ga.
Thanks for sharing and welcome to the greatest cat forum in the world!
 

Rick Mustang

GT Owner
Mar 29, 2016
102
Central Texas
Welcome. I own it’s older brother. This is a great place. Plan to meet others and go to rally’s when you can. Careful driving in the US. People go crazy when they see these cars in the wild.
 

KJD

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Dec 21, 2005
1,012
Location, Location
Welcome, thanks for posting your story.

Hard to move forward sometimes after a great loss.

So glad you've decided that your dad's FGT is a keeper.

And glad it has a blue stripe, you'll see it easier in the MN snow!
 

Hirschy

Active member
Nov 11, 2021
31
Orono, MN
Welcome, you will find a wealth of knowledge on these pages
Thank you!
 

Hirschy

Active member
Nov 11, 2021
31
Orono, MN
Hi Marc! Grüetzi! 🇨🇭 Welcome to the club! We're sorry for your loss of your father, but otherwise my wife loved your story - Why? Because she is 1st generation American born to two Swiss parents! 🍻 ... and her two oldest sisters were born in Switzerland. And she loves, loves, LOVES everything Switzerland! I hear about it night and day! HAHA! She's laughing as I type this, but it's pretty much true!! 😂 Her parents are from the German regions, and after coming to the US in 1956 for what was to be 1 year, they made it permanent but returned to Switzerland every year, usually to Engelberg or Davos. Anyway, welcome, and your pics look great (y)

Grüetzi! I am also from the German part of Switzerland, Zürich to be more precise. I understand your wife's sentiments, we Swiss are generally rather proud of our heritage. Thank you for your kind words.
 

Hirschy

Active member
Nov 11, 2021
31
Orono, MN
Wonderful story, Marc. Welcome to the forum. Sorry for the loss of your father, but I’m sure your beautiful GT will help you stay connected with his memory and spirit. If you ever venture slightly westward into South Dakota and want to meet up, let me know. It’s always fun meeting other motoring enthusiasts.

Thank you for your kind words. I may just take you up on your offer to meet up out west sometime. I like the drive through the Badlands and its been a while since I have been out that way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DakotaGT

Hirschy

Active member
Nov 11, 2021
31
Orono, MN
Welcome to the forum! So I noticed that you did add the headlight washers, did you also add the rear fog light (cant tell from the rear pic)? Were there other requirements that you had to add to meet EU standards? I cant remember all of the mods that were made to the official 101 cars that were sent to Europe.

You have a good eye! The only modification which was required was adding the headlight washers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Specracer and Simon

Hirschy

Active member
Nov 11, 2021
31
Orono, MN
Thanks for sharing and welcome to the greatest cat forum in the world!
Thank you!
 

Tomcat

GT Owner
Welcome to the Forum and GREAT Story!
 

Simon

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 19, 2013
1,230
Houston
Welcome!
 

B.M.F.

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jan 29, 2009
1,782
Minnesota
Welcome from a fellow Minnesotan and GT owner!
 

GTinTN

GT Owner
Jan 17, 2019
222
Brentwood, TN
Welcome to the forum and ownership of the Ford GT! Since you have driven the car, you know what a fantastic car it is. Having it passed to you from your father makes it even more special. Hope you get many years and miles of enjoyment from it. Thanks for sharing!