IT'S HEEEERRRRE

Bill Musarra · 02-23-03, 05:59 PM

After 8+ months I now have in my possesion a GT-40. This is an unfinished DRB kit ( car no. 5 )that was worked on for 4 years, before putting it up for sale. Here ( I hope ) is the pretty picture:

And here is the composit ( I hope )after it arrived home:

Trying to get the car out of the Savannah Port Authority was an ordeal and a half. After we arrived in Savannah to pay the storage fees ( That's another story ), it took 5 hours, many phone calls made and recieved, before we had the car on the trailer and headed home. I never knew there were so many layers in the shipping industry to get a simple job done. Every one was telling us how it could not be done today, the shipping line had not released the car, even if it were released it couldn't be done, all orders to remove a container from the stacks stoped and hour ago, we don't have a chassis to put the container on, who's your trucking line that you need to get it to the warehouse for unloading. Where is the crew to do the stripping from the container, blah, blah, blah blah, blah.

Thanks to a 4-midnight assistant plant manager who just happened into the office, we were able to get the container out of the stacks, to a warehouse, and unloaded. He just took charge and made things happen. When we figured out how much the overtime would amount to, he took us in HIScar to get the money. Since the bank gives only $20s and $10s, we didn't have $3 for the total. He opened up his wallet and chipped in the $3 bucks. Needless to say he will be recieving dinner for two at the Savannah Chart House Resturant.

I will be doing a Dos and Don'ts for importing a car that will help all those needing that kind of info. For now, all I can tell you is, make sure you have a copy of every pice of paper, from every shipper, including release forms, involved in the process. My case had 5, and I didn't know that until I was on my way to pick the car up. My primary shipper thought all was done and the car was sitting in a warehouse waiting to be put on my trailer.
It's here now and thats what counts. Now I can start the checking process ( 5 days, then I have to release the money in escrow to the seller or go to arbitration ) and the ordering/fabrication of many parts. The process begins......

Bill

jimbo · 02-23-03, 06:13 PM

Congrats Bill!!!!!!!!!!!!the car looks good in the pictures. How much work does it need to be rolling under its' own power?

chip · 02-23-03, 08:13 PM

OK: When is the GA debut? All us wannabees want to see it: P-L-E-A-S-E!!! Will get me through the almost year wait! cb

Bill Bayard · 02-23-03, 08:54 PM

Congrats Bill!

The wait is over, and now the fun begins!

Pretty car! The color looks familiar, but

I just can't place where I've seen it.

[img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Let me know if I can be of any help.

Bill

Hershal Byrd · 02-23-03, 10:36 PM

Way to go Bill, I know you are one
happy guy right now. I sure look
forward to meeting you and seeing your GT soon.

Hersh [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

LtMash1A · 02-23-03, 11:07 PM

Nice wheels.

750hp · 02-24-03, 07:03 AM

Congrats on the purchase. It sounds like you've had quite a deal of dramas getting the car over there!!! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Here are a couple of other photos of the car that you may or may not already have...

750hp · 02-24-03, 07:04 AM

750hp · 02-24-03, 07:06 AM

Bill Musarra · 02-25-03, 12:07 AM

I've got a lot of checking to do with the engine and trans. Basicly its a rebuilt 351 and a G50 trans. Major work will be swapping right to left hand drive, electrical, hydraulics and finishing the engne. there will be surprises, but mainly annoyances. As you can see the paint looks OK but there was little consideration to overspray and there are chips here and there. Otherwise not too much,just alot of work.
Bill

NASA racer · 02-25-03, 01:59 AM

Egads...4 years? That's a tad discouraging.

02-25-03, 09:55 AM

Bill,

Congratulations! Looks like you have a very nice place to start working.

You might want to consider leaving it as a right hand drive car. Swaping the drive side may be more complex than it is worth.

Mark Worthington · 02-25-03, 04:53 PM

Sweet! I would also recommend you think long and hard about the RHD to LHD switch. I did and concluded that it wasn't worth the effort.

Congrats again on the nice car.

M.B · 02-25-03, 08:09 PM

Great, Bill !
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Peter D · 02-25-03, 11:02 PM

Hi Bill,

Congrats on joining the gang - great looking car !

My DRB is now all in primer, & I have the engine/trans out to prep & paint the engine bay. I have been at it for about 18mths, so I can easily believe the 4 years to date.

BTW, the wheels look superb - any idea of what they are ?

Kind Regards,

Peter D. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

gt40ford@juno.com · 02-26-03, 12:32 AM

Bill,

That car was definitely worth the shipping hassle. SWEET!!!

Have fun!

John

Iron Sheik · 02-26-03, 01:27 AM

Congrats Bill

Great looking car. My friend at work will be receiving his DRB in a month. I am sure he will be asking you for info.

Lots of FUN! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

John Lind · 02-26-03, 07:38 AM

Good luck with it Bill.

The wheels look like bolt on Halibrand replicas. I have a set that looks just like them

Regards

John

joseph nuccio · 03-01-03, 08:46 PM

hey bill
great car!! well worth the effort! one question why swap the drivers seat(or should i say vantage point)??? lot of effort and cost that could be better used on other items? we might all need you to assemble and post some sort of guidelines for shipping and receiving! good luck! post some pictures with the progress!! once again congrats!!