How much involvement does your partner have in the GT40?

Craig White · 11-22-04, 07:09 PM

I've been involving me partner in the decision making process when it comes to deciding on colours, wheels etc and have been listening to her feedback.

Don't know if I did the right thing, but I also encouraged my partner to have a go at driving the GT40 as soon as possible. She was a little reluctant and intimidated by it, but once she got behind the wheel she loved it and can't wait till the next time she can drive it. I did take her to a quiet carpark to practice first.

My partner struggled a little with heavy steering and had to muscle it into reverse as the Porsche G50 has a very stiff reverse detent. Steering is not actually heavy, she is just too used to power steering.

I might even get her to take it out on the track.

Anyone else in this situation or am I the only sucker here? Any GT40s regulary driven/raced by Partners?

**brianstewart** · 11-22-04, 08:36 PM

If it wasn't for my partner I probably wouldn't even be building one. She saw me drooling over a GTD some years back and said "Why don't you build one yourself." ...so here I am - still with her support. Gotta love her!

flatchat(Chris) · 11-22-04, 08:57 PM

Yeah, I'm watching you guys-- soft shoes, white gloves, Fairlanes-cripes what next?. Anyway she's already taken over the cobra so the GT is MINE,MINE,MINE!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Re: "partners" do you have any exclusions in the contract?? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]( you know the story of the tornado and a wife-eh,eh) [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

JOSEPH · 11-22-04, 09:54 PM

Mine hates it. It could have been a new house. She didn't tell me that until after I got it though. I still can't imagine anything else making me smile as much as my CAV. Joseph [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Paul W · 11-22-04, 10:00 PM

Mine is now known as "That bloody car !!!"
Nuff said.

DaveWharran · 11-22-04, 11:42 PM

Craig,
Much the same. My wife worked with me every hour for 10+ months building the car, painting, sanding, touching every bolt. She was as enthused as me to get it, and as proud as me once it was completed.

She too was a little afraid to drive it at first, but once I got her behind the wheel, I couldn't get her out!

I doubt she ever pushes the car as much as I do, but she wasn't timid about reaching well into tripple digits once or twice to "see how stable it is".

She misses very few miles that are put on the car........

Pete. · 11-23-04, 12:50 AM

Craig, my wife is a long term rev head and cannot wait for
it to be finished so she can rock up to the golf club in it.

BenL · 11-23-04, 02:00 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Craig, my wife is a long term rev head and cannot wait for
it to be finished so she can rock up to the golf club in it.

[/ QUOTE ]

As long as you avoid wheel spin, the wide tires will probably be safe on the fairway as you drive from tee to tee.

BenL · 11-23-04, 02:06 AM

I think my wife's major complaint about the car is that I don't take her for rides often enough.

She likes the car and enjoys watching folks react to the car.

Brett James-McCall · 11-23-04, 04:07 AM

I love my missus.. over dinner one night conversation went along these lines:

Wife: 'You know I'm not really fond of a blue or a black car, why do you want to do the car in Blue or black?'
Me: 'Because Gulf and blah, blah, blah'
Wife: 'But I like Red cars, you know I like red cars.'
Me (with lightblub in head): 'OK, how about I build this as a more comfortable road car, in Red, and then you let me do another once that is finished that I can race in black or blue?'
Wife: 'OK'

GAME ON [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Brett

Pete. · 11-23-04, 04:45 AM

Brett, No offense, but is your wife blonde? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Simon · 11-23-04, 05:43 AM

My wife hates my GTD....not that she doesn't like the shape or anything, just that she gets a bit claustrophobic,(wrong car to be in if you're feeling that way) very noisy (can't argue with her there) and difficult to get in to....come to think of it, why do I like it so much? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Craig White · 11-23-04, 05:52 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Craig,
Much the same. My wife worked with me every hour for 10+ months building the car, painting, sanding, touching every bolt. She was as enthused as me to get it, and as proud as me once it was completed.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow Dave. My partner isn't quite that keen to actually work on it. I might have to try and encourage her a bit. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Once she has an honest go, she just might like it.

Brett James-McCall · 11-23-04, 05:53 AM

No Pete, she's Welsh [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Hey you can't complain when you get the green light for a MKI & a MKII.

Brett

Keith Hardy · 11-23-04, 08:37 AM

Wife No. 1 - Shelby GT350 road car - no problem.
Camaro street/strip car - no real problem.
Camaro strip only car - problem.
Chevette strip only car + Sunbeam Tiger circuit only car - BIG problem
(no problem when building at home) = Divorce No.1!

Wife No.2 Chevette Strip only car - Problem!
Sell Chevette - No problem!
IROC Camaro full on GT car + Pontiac Trans-Am circuit car - BIG Problem = Divorce No.2

Wife No. 3 Classic Power Boat - no problem (nice and sociable).
KVA GT40 - no real problem.(whilst building at home)
Change build to race only, 2 races - Big Problem = Divorce No. 3 (sell KVA too late - still big problem)

Now, no wife - no money, no car.

Moral of this expensive £600,000 (actually a lot more - lost a business to wife No. 2) 18 year story is:

Be Inclusive! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

BUT, one day.....ONE day very soon heh heh [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]....

Keith Hardy · 11-23-04, 11:16 AM

I forgot to tell you....

Wife No. 4 coming soon. I don't envisage many problems re: goin' racin' [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Tom_Hughes · 11-23-04, 11:21 AM

Zero, zip, zlich, nada no mas! My wife could care less one way or the other. She actually said go buy it if ya gotta have it. It was the only car I've ever wanted that I hadn't bought...yet. Went & did it. Was kind of dissapointed initially.. Was told it was a turn-key driver. Had several problems to fix/trouble-shoot. Now, it's all behind me. I am pleased. Wife could still care less. Not sure if that is good or bad. I know she's not needing or wanting for anything though. He hobby is just cheaper than mine are. I guess I cook too good for her to walk away...

Lynn · 11-23-04, 12:36 PM

My wife has taken no active role in designing or actual work on the car despite repeated requests for her to get involved with the interior design, color choices, etc. That said, she has been VERY supportive of my efforts often encouraging me to go with the better or best option when trying to decide between good, better, best options with certain components. As an example, when trying to decide between woven stainless covered AN type hose vs non-covered automotive hoses.

She has not always been thrilled with the amount of time I have devoted to my mistress when compared with the amount of time I have devoted to her and the rest of the family. More that once the GT40 has been referred to as "that damned car." But she is pragmatic enough to realize that there are a lot worse things a guy could do with his time :-)

Regards,
Lynn

Dave Bilyk · 11-23-04, 06:20 PM

My partner takes an interest, and she has been with me on every outing except once when she was in hospital. What amazed me was at the last track meeting, she was in the car with me every lap, and we certainly did a lot of laps. She didnt want to get out of the car, it was nice and warm she said. On one session, I noticed she seemed to be asleep, I laughed. She said she wasn't asleep, just relaxing. Wait a minute, I wasnt going that slowly was I?? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]