Best in real life

ChrisL · 01-30-03, 08:32 AM

I'm one of those people that fell in love with the GT40 after seeing one in a magazine many years ago. Those gracefull lines were just irresistable. I would buy all the magazines and then later look up all the internet sites, just to get another look at one.

Then the day came when I finally saw one in real life. I was just blown away by its true beauty. It was totally unexpected that the car would look even better in real life than it did in the pictures.

A few months ago, my own GT40 finally touched the ground on its own four wheels and, needless to say, it was a memorable moment. But most of all, it finally looked like that GT40 that I'd always dreamt of owning. Like all proud parents, I took lots of pictures of that day from all angles and all lighting. But even with all the pics that I took, I foundd that I couldn't quite capture the true essence of the car as it is in real life.

Has anyone managed to find that perfect angle that shows the car to its full beauty? Do you have a favorite picture that you think just shows that special real-life magic... or for that matter, is it just that my eyes see it differently?

Mark Clapp · 01-30-03, 03:37 PM

I've always noticed that very few pictures capture the whole car. To see the open-snout nose, you usually miss the rear spoiler and so on. The pics of Giacomo's car are terrific though. See them HERE

01-30-03, 04:10 PM

The double spread on pages 124-125 in John Allen's "GT40, The Legend Lives On" does it for me. Admittedly it's a MKV, but that's what I want my car to look like when it's finished. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Bill Hara · 01-30-03, 07:27 PM

My first recollection of a GT40 was in 1980 as a 10 year old, when I saw one on TV. We had a black and white set then and I remember bugging my mother to take me to the toy shop so that I could find that car. She did take me but I never did find one. I still have the Muira that I bought that day, but I knew in my heart that it wasn't the car that I had seen on TV.
Fast forward about 14 years later and I was at an event called the Albert Park Classic (the site of the current Australian F1 Grand Prix). Hundreds (or so it seemed) of classic cars were on display, drag racing and taking passengers (who made hefty donations) for rides around the circuit. My brother booked a ride in a D-type and an FIA Cobra and then I saw my childhood vision of motoring perfection in the flesh.... It was a moment I saved on film (both video and still) where I actually got to take a ride in one, with the webbers screaming in my ears and the classic comment from the driver at about 90 mph "i better change up to 3rd now". [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . I was sold. I must have walked around that car a dozen times, I just couldn't get enough. On that day I vowed to myself that I would one day own one. I still watch the video from time to time, then I go out to the garage and work on my car some more.....

Bill.

gt40ford@juno.com · 01-30-03, 09:30 PM

I think the Fran Kress Poster of #1054 is the best overall photo I've seen.

Have fun!

John

NASA racer · 01-31-03, 01:24 AM

These are some pictures I took of my Porsche...I would guess that something along these lines would be awesome with a GT40. I cant wait (well actually I'm going to have to) to get one to shoot. If any of the manufacturers are reading...I own a graphic design company and we do Nissan and Taco Bell high-end work...might make ya a deal if you make me a deal on a car [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

ChrisL · 01-31-03, 09:11 AM

Bill,

I'd love to see that video one day. I was there on that day as well, but somehow missed seeing the GT40 [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img] I've since been told about it MANY times though (rubbing salt into the wound). I guess I must've been there while it was out back being fed or something [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Bill Musarra · 01-31-03, 04:17 PM

IMHO. Some of the best shots I have ever seen are the action fotos of a gt-40 comming out of a slight uphill right or left hand curve under power. The slight squat and pitch seem to capture the essence of what the GT40 is all about. Now if I could just add some audio to that. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]
Bill

Mark Worthington · 01-31-03, 06:41 PM

Well, this isn't a photo but it's a very well done poster that I recently bought off of Ebay. I really like the reflections, the perspective, and the Essex Wire livery. I think it's one of the nicer "poses" I've ever seen of a MK I.

Mark Worthington · 01-31-03, 06:42 PM

Oh, yeah...that and the Motorcraft logo. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

jimbo · 02-01-03, 12:29 AM

There was a poster that Graham Endeacott was kind enough to email me a jpeg of...it is the LeMans Museum lithograph of the GT40 that is owned by the museum, sort of bursting out of a gold frame. I like that best of all the GT40 artwork I've seen.
They are actually not hard cars to photograph (from my limited selection of about four I've gotten pictures of) it's just that no matter how good the photo is, it doesn't quite do justice to the extraordinary presence these cars have. John Allen's work may be the best- after shooting hundred of frames of GT40s, he seems to know how to make them look the best. Some of Dave Friedman's old photos are pretty good, too.

Chris Melia · 02-01-03, 02:23 AM

Hi all

I like this Ford publicity photo of the new GT40 heading down the road into the sunset, reminds me of the return journey from Le Mans a few years ago.
Regards,

Chris

David Morton · 02-01-03, 03:29 AM

Jim, I agree about John Allen and his photos. Some superb images. Chris, I would wager you were not talking about returning home from Le Mans in 2001 ! I have never seen so much rain though it did abate late on Sunday evening. But what a race!! and from my point of view ( forecasting the rain)
it could not have been better.
Dave M

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