Sunday Morning in the new GT

[eshrink]

Forum Help Very Much Needed

Many of you know that my GT was delivered without the rear "venturi" (diffuser) or front spoiler.

We are four days into this situation and everyone from designers to corporate higher ups are now involved.

Many took the initial position that the parts were removed for transportation but had been correctly installed at the factory.

Fortunately, photos exist which indicate that the parts were never attached, and the mounting areas show absolutely no sign of any prior use.

Simply: the assembler screwed up.

Getting the replacement parts shipped to a dealer is no problem (having them shipped to me may be a problem since they want no further liability).

I have two concerns:
a. For what else was this assembler responsible...what else could he have forgotten
b. According to management, there are 11 front and ~12 rear mounting points. They fear that no hardware was attached and a lift would be needed to mount (precluding my doing it at home)

Would they send a transport for the car? Yes. Would this extend the time period for all of this to reach fruition? Yes.

I would appreciate it if one or more of you could take a look at the diffuser and the spoiler and let me know how it is mounted and whether (assuming no mounting hardware from the factory) this will require a lift.

Thanks again,

- doc

 

[AtomicGT]

eshrink

I just had my front splitter replaced because of excessive scratching entering my driveway, which I have now solved. It is mounted with about 10 screws. They put it up on a lift to get underneath the car to do the mountings. Similar situation with the rear diffusers. Held on by a series of multiple screw fixation points. It is a larger unit than the front and would also require a lift to put on. It is all attachable by screw fixation. I would not assume that because these attachable external devices were left off, that there is something lurking deep inside??? I would let them take care of it. No psychoanalysis on this one. These are external parts, can be changed in an hour or so. Trust in the force, Luke. Ford will solve this problem.

orthodoc

 

[Gruntled]

I don't have a lift, but I'd be glad to take pictures lying on my driveway.
Just let me know.
What part of Atlanta are you located? I might be able to meet you, but I'm limited in range - PM me if you'd like.

Complete shock if it was left off at the factory. I would think a zone rep would get involved to verify no mounts were ever made.

 

[eshrink]

Everyone is involved. Regional, national, local (even dealers who have nothing to do with the sale of the vehicle have called)...very interesting.

It is definite, and photos demonstrate, that when it was loaded for delivery to the Georgia dealer, the parts were not on the car. Nationally, they know that it was a factory error.

Since the dealer has no GT mechanic or prior GT sales, it went unnoticed.

E-mailed photos would be appreciated, but what I need just as much is a sense as to whether putting on the pieces can be done from a pavement position. If so, we shall do it (or worst case, they send out a mechanic). If not, then it must go to a dealer which is beyond inconvenient for us right now.

- doc

 

[Gruntled]

E-mailed photos would be appreciated, but what I need just as much is a sense as to whether putting on the pieces can be done from a pavement position. If so, we shall do it (or worst case, they send out a mechanic). If not, then it must go to a dealer which is beyond inconvenient for us right now.

- doc

doc, the car sits very low to the ground, so it would help if it were up in the air a little bit. Perhaps if you drive the car up on several planks of wood, just to get it up 3 inches or so, that might be enough. fwiw - I need to do that just to get my floor jack under the car.

I'll get some pics, front and rear, the best I can - give me an hour or so.

 

[Gruntled]

Rear Diffuser

 

[Gruntled]

one more rear diffuser

 

[Gruntled]

front splitter - those indentations are where the fasteners are located.

btw - any comments about how dirty it is, and I'm gonna make another 500 dumb posts just to make you guys suffer :lol

 

[eshrink]

Petunia:

Very much appreciated.

Was your sense, when looking at your diffuser and front spoiler, that being on a lift was mandatory for attaching either the diffuser and/or the spoiler?

What it will come down to is:
a. Since we did not do it in the first place, we really want to make sure it is done correctly now
b. You cannot possibly install either because it requires a lift to even access the area

- doc

 

[AtomicGT]

eshrink

Lift is mandatory, no way can you get under the rear of the car and put screws in. Have the dealer do it, then you are covered in any future problem, it is their responsibility, there is not a rush to do it, as the car will run fine without them but accept the inconvienence and get it done a the dealer. If the dealer has to find a GT trained guy to do it, imagine what problems you may encounter looking at the screw holes and deciding which one do I fill, etc. To me this is not an issue, take the inconvienence and have them do it. Then you are covered.

 

[PL510*Jeff]

Lift is Helpful

It is do-able with a jack, using of course the Lifting pads availiable from analougedesiner. It will really help access if you remove the wheels. You'll need a minimum lift of about 14" so you can get your body underneath the car to do the install and have room to work. Having a second person helping hold the pieces will speed up the process.

Don't forget to thoroughly detail them (on both sides) prior to instllation! :lol :bang

Also instead of doing the driveway crawl, you could go to tire store and borrow one of their drive-ons. I'm pretty sure that it would be a freebie use for a GT.

 

[Gruntled]

Have the dealer do it, then you are covered in any future problem, it is their responsibility... take the inconvienence and have them do it. Then you are covered.

Wise words. A little inconvenience now might save you a bigger headache later.
Let your dealer make the arrangements.

I know a GT mechanic working at a Ford dealership near (not in) Atlanta. If you need his name/location, drop me a PM. I'm going to trust him with any/all of my work on my GT.

 

[eshrink]

Jeff:

Sounds like a done deal. If the car must be at all elevated, they are going to insist upon doing it (at their convenience).

I was hopeful that tiny hands could fit the areas without a lift, without tire removal. No such luck.

So the saga continues.

But thanks for the input.

- doc

 

[eshrink]

I have little option other to accept their doing the work from what you say. However, their convenience may stretch into weeks; it is in its 6th day of even (their) determining that the parts were not installed. Now they are trying to locate all of them. May be looking at quite some time.

No choice. So it goes.

-doc

P.S. Petunia, I'll likely need that GT mechanic if I buy the ADA exhaust.

 

[Gruntled]

I have little option other to accept their doing the work from what you say. However, their convenience may stretch into weeks; it is in its 6th day of even (their) determining that the parts were not installed. Now they are trying to locate all of them. May be looking at quite some time.

No choice. So it goes.

-doc

.

I think you'll be surprised on the timing. Parts are available pretty quickly. 92NSX gets them rather quickly, so I would think the same for you.

I'm sending you a PM about some other stuff.

 

[eshrink]

Petunia:

I was basing my timeframe on how long it has taken them to even determine if they had such parts and are requiring all of today to locate where they may be. It is not an efficient system, and they acknowledge that this is so.

-doc

 

[92NSX]

eshrink,
If need be, PM me and I can fax you some pics of those items and the attaching hardware.

 

[eshrink]

Thank you. You have a PM.

- doc

 

[92NSX]

Thank you. You have a PM.

- doc

Done. :thumbsup

 

[nota4re]

Doc,

I am fortunate enough (as of last year) to have a 4-post lift at my house. Getting the GT on and off a 4-post is a no-brainer. For the GT and similar low-profile cars, I place a 2' piece of 2x12 in front of the ramps that sufficiently prevents the nose piece from scraping. Simple. Once on the rails, I can lift the car up into the air and oil changes & diffuser/spoiler replacement would be a cinch. Further, I have a rolling jack bridge that is rated at 6,000lbs. The jack bridge glides easily between the rails and can be positioned precisely to lift either the front or back of the GT.

OK, so what's the point? It is unfortunate that many dealers have gone almost exclusively to two-post lifts. As has been noted on this forum many times, you must be very careful when lifting a GT with a 2-post and some sort of unique jack pads are almost certainly needed. A vey viable alternative for you is to find a repair shop local to you with a 4-post lift. Talk to the owner and inquire if there'd be a slow time when he would allow you the use of the lift for, at most, 1-hour. I'd be willing to bet that you'd find someone that would do this for a very reasonable fee and would most likely help you to install the parts while you are supervising. Bring the 2 x 12's with you just to be safe.

The other alternative is that if you'd like to take a short drive out to California, I'd be happy to do it for you. Ask your kids, I'm sure they'd see the trip to CA as an adventure!