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Old 02-15-03, 02:29 AM   #5 (permalink)
5 Tenths
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
GT40: Cape Town, South Africa
Posts: 530
Rep Power: 11 Andre40 is on a distinguished road
Re: Lotus, Ron Hickman and nearly no GT40

Neil,

It’s always exciting to go through dusty. old stores and to find old bucks, moulds and prototypes. In July last year I had a similar experience when I scratched through piles of moulds at Franco Sbarro’s factory in Grandson, Switzerland.

Franco has designed and built 167 cars since 1965 and at 60 something he’ been there, done and has the t-shirt. I get the feeling that he’s now keen to enter into under-license deals so that royalties from the deals could provide a useful pension fund. We are looking at four of his projects.

Franco built an unusual GT40 with the tail section hinged at the back of the cockpit and which lifts upwards. He also has a conventional Mk1 in his museum. I’ll post a pic when I get used to this internet business. I’ve only been into windows for only the past few years but it’s thanks to www.GT40s.com that I’ve been launched into the internet big time. Thanks for your comment, Dazzle, about FTP or something. All Greek to me but one day I’ll learn!

With regard to the posting of the pics I met a three foot tall fellow with green complexion and pop out eyes who assured me that Mars had the concession for posting pics on the GT40 website. It’s thanks to him that I finally manage to post the pics of Ron Hickman, etc.

As far as I can remember the only effort by Ron and Colin Chapman to secure the Ford contract was just the one drawing by Ron as shown in the photo.

Best wishes,
Andre 40
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