Kiwi farewells Ford GT
26 September 2006
A New Zealander was one of 98 Ford GT owners to attend a US bash that marked the end of GT production.
Neil Hodgson traveled all the way from New Zealand without his GT. He had bought a crashed car back home and is in the process of converting it to a purpose-built road racer, the first full-race GT ever built. Hodgson will compete with the GT in endurance races in New Zealand. The races, run in lengths of four, six or eight hours, are on closed-circuit road courses.
When his GT is done, it won't look much different than stock, though Hodgson will replace the aluminum body panels with sturdier carbon fiber.
"We do have a tendency to rub fenders a bit," Hodgson says. "We raced our Cobra R for quite some time and never had a beaner, though we have had a couple of nudges."
The rules are unlimited, but Hodgson plans to keep the engine close to factory stock, removing all the emissions hardware and tuning it for racing. The car will also wear larger, 15-inch brakes and adjustable Penske race shocks at all four corners. A full, 15-point, chrome-moly roll cage will protect the driver.
Hodgeson's GT will also receive some aerodynamic massaging, starting with lowering the entire car a couple of inches and dropping the side skirts. The front valance will come down 1.75 inches, the rear 1.5 and the side scoops will be widened to deliver more air to the transmission and oil coolers.
One thing the GT won't get is the high wing seen on many road racers, a testament to its aerodynamic prowess. Hodgson plans to replace the fixed gurney flap with an adjustable unit, but the rear end already pulls 1 g of drag.
"If you pull it up another quarter-inch, it doubles the downforce," he says. "It's very efficient just the way it is."
Hodgson expects to have the car ready for testing by the end of the year, in time to prepare for the racing season that will start in February.
The homecoming rally was organized by David Bannister, founder of the Ford GT Owners Forum, and Joseph 'JoeyGT' Limongelli, a longtime Forum member. Guests toured Saleen Special Vehicles and the Wixom, Mich., plant where the GT is assembled. They also got the opportunity to rub elbows with the engineering team and GT designer Camillo Pardo, who threw a party for the group at his studio on the final night of the rally.
This Was in NZ Autocar.
Who's this GT Joey fella? Must be related to one of the Aussie 'roos.
26 September 2006
A New Zealander was one of 98 Ford GT owners to attend a US bash that marked the end of GT production.
Neil Hodgson traveled all the way from New Zealand without his GT. He had bought a crashed car back home and is in the process of converting it to a purpose-built road racer, the first full-race GT ever built. Hodgson will compete with the GT in endurance races in New Zealand. The races, run in lengths of four, six or eight hours, are on closed-circuit road courses.
When his GT is done, it won't look much different than stock, though Hodgson will replace the aluminum body panels with sturdier carbon fiber.
"We do have a tendency to rub fenders a bit," Hodgson says. "We raced our Cobra R for quite some time and never had a beaner, though we have had a couple of nudges."
The rules are unlimited, but Hodgson plans to keep the engine close to factory stock, removing all the emissions hardware and tuning it for racing. The car will also wear larger, 15-inch brakes and adjustable Penske race shocks at all four corners. A full, 15-point, chrome-moly roll cage will protect the driver.
Hodgeson's GT will also receive some aerodynamic massaging, starting with lowering the entire car a couple of inches and dropping the side skirts. The front valance will come down 1.75 inches, the rear 1.5 and the side scoops will be widened to deliver more air to the transmission and oil coolers.
One thing the GT won't get is the high wing seen on many road racers, a testament to its aerodynamic prowess. Hodgson plans to replace the fixed gurney flap with an adjustable unit, but the rear end already pulls 1 g of drag.
"If you pull it up another quarter-inch, it doubles the downforce," he says. "It's very efficient just the way it is."
Hodgson expects to have the car ready for testing by the end of the year, in time to prepare for the racing season that will start in February.
The homecoming rally was organized by David Bannister, founder of the Ford GT Owners Forum, and Joseph 'JoeyGT' Limongelli, a longtime Forum member. Guests toured Saleen Special Vehicles and the Wixom, Mich., plant where the GT is assembled. They also got the opportunity to rub elbows with the engineering team and GT designer Camillo Pardo, who threw a party for the group at his studio on the final night of the rally.
This Was in NZ Autocar.
Who's this GT Joey fella? Must be related to one of the Aussie 'roos.
