Some old post thoughts of mine on this subject.
What's that car worth? A pretty common question and it's normally answered in terms of replacement value for the same car. If I could buy another car just like mine for $165,000 then my car's worth $165,000. But what if, like a business, you had to sell your car with a 'noncompete' clause. You could not buy another GT for at least 20 years. You could buy a Ferrari or a Lambo or some other competing make, or do something else with the money. You just couldn't buy or own a Ford GT for at least 20 years. What would it take to get you to sell your GT and to give up the GT Forum? This, I believe, is the best measure of value to a GT owner. I know some members might say priceless but that's not really true. Every one of us would sell for 10 million, most for a whole lot less, as we all have our price. My yellow GT has become an important part of my social life, my friends, my family, and even, I'm embarrassed to say, my identity. To sell my car and give up being a GT owner for at least 20 years which is probably the rest of my life, my price would be $750,000. As close as I can figure in this purely academic exercise, the Ford GT is worth that much to me. What say you?
I consider my Ford GT to be an American-made copy of the original British built GT40. Ever since our California Rally II, just before going to sleep at night, my mind often wanders back to those deserted mountain roads in central California. With my veins pumping a 50-50 mix of blood and adrenaline, diving into corners marked with yellow '25 mph' caution signs-- at 125 mph! The constantly shifting G forces fore, aft, and laterally with brake discs glowing red hot, Goodyear Eagles near the limits of adhesion, and the rush of acceleration produced by 550 plus horsepower Ford V-8's as they consume a gallon of premium fuel every 5 miles. GTs ahead of me and GTs behind me providing the most surreal Le Mans visuals set to the soundtrack of my screaming un-baffled Accufab exhaust singing in harmony with those of other Forum members. My then young son Charley both thrilled and horrified by the entire scene as he stood on the imaginary passenger-side break pedal, but said not a word until breaking his silence with, "Oh my gosh dad, these old guys can drive!". And at the end of the day, still on a high, a newfound respect for the ability's of both the cars and their owners. (I've been on road rallies with a few different car owner groups. None of them even came close to displaying the level of skill and balls that I saw that day. GT owners can indeed DRIVE!) For those few hours, every GT40 fan’s childhood fantasy was reality. It is hard to put a price on all of that.
If I were to sell it, I know what a gut wrenching emotional reaction I’d have watching the new owner drive away in my yellow GT. Many months ago I wrote the following post in response to some members debating the investment value of the Ford GT. The thread got around to the subject of how many members sold their Ford GT and then regretted that decision so much that they bought their old car back, or immediately bought another one just like it. Confirming what I have said on more than one occasion about the investment value of this car. There is one nasty little detail that makes the Ford GT absolutely worthless as an investment. The Ford GT is not worth a dime as there is only one way to get somebody to give you a check for it. You have to give them the car!! You have to stand by your open garage door and watch somebody else drive it away, FOR GOOD! But that's not even the end of it. Every morning, when you open the door of your daily driver, you have to look over at the space in your garage where your GT formerly resided. On those rare occasions when you see one on the street, all you can say to whomever you are with is, "I used to have one of those." And then, the final crushing blow…..your departure from the brotherhood. The fortunate 3000 some odd custodians of the greatest car the Ford Motor Company has ever built. The history, the race victories, the build team, and the notation next to your screen name on the best automobile Forum that exists, "GT Owner". My yellow GT is priceless and my yellow GT is worthless. That's my take on it.
Chip