I have sinned - I need advise please!

It has been 2+ years since I started and drove my Superformance GT40 MKII (standard Roush 427 single carb/RBT setup). Life had me focused in other areas.

I have been storing it in a heated garage up on a lift. I think I put Stabil in the fuel system back then...not sure. I have had the battery on a tender. Nothing else has been done during that time.

I have had the car about 12 years now and I am thinking I need to flush/replace some fluids. Coolant and brake fluid are original from new.

I need to put together a plan to get this car back running and I need some help doing so. Please provide your insight!

Thanks,
Mike
S/N 2120
 
Congrats on getting back to your car Mike.

Yep, she will need some attention. I would drain that fuel from the system as completely as possible and refill with fresh.....for sure.

After 12 years your other fluids need to be changed - brake, clutch, coolant.

Your battery may not be in good health without having had any cycling in the past two years. The trickle charger is helpful but doesn't guarantee sustained battery health.

Your tires are probably going to be pretty heavily flat spotted too unfortunately. Some driving and heating may bring then back to an acceptable state, but possibly not.

Be gentle on the brakes to start with....if a piston is seized in a bore then the car will pull to one side. You'll feel it pretty quick.

Enjoy!
 

Rick Muck- Mark IV

GT40s Sponsor
Supporter
Mike,

Cliff has most of the points covered. If the tires are the originals we saw at Road America in 2009 then they should go as well regardless of tread depth. While it's hard to toss "perfectly good" tires, they have aged out and cannot be considered safe for spirited work.
 

Rick Muck- Mark IV

GT40s Sponsor
Supporter
Mike,

Cliff has most of the points covered. If the tires are the originals we saw at Road America in 2009 then they should go as well regardless of tread depth. While it's hard to toss "perfectly good" tires, they have aged out and cannot be considered safe for spirited work.

The MK II I just got has fresh Avons and holy crap, what a difference from the Yokohamas of the last GT! These stick, ride better and give a real feel of confidence. It's like a whole different chassis!
 

Dwight

RCR GT 40 Gulf Livery 347 Eight Stack injection
I use the OTC evacuation bleeding system to remove fluids from the rear end, radiator, power steering, brakes.
I can bleed the brake system by myself in 30 -35 minutes on any car. I work on a lot of Cobras and old car for my hobby. Did my wives 05 Escape, 79 Ford truck, 64 Plymouth, etc.

Last week I removed the lube from a nine inch in a Cobra. The radiator did not have a bleed valve so I removed the lower hose and then suck what was left out with the evac bleeder.
It uses air from your air compressor to pull a vacuum on the system.

It's a must have tool for anyone that maintains their own cars.

OTC Fluid Evacuation Brake Bleeding Tools 8101 - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing
 

Bill Kearley

Supporter
Hope you got to the coolant first, that's a long time. flush and refill with long life. Hope your head gaskets are good. BINDR DUN DAT
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
One last thing. Keep an eye (ear) on the valve train. Valve springs have been known to break after the engine is restarted after many years sitting idle. They just take a set in the compressed state and are weakened by that only to fail when put back to work. Usually the double (inter) spring saves the day if there is one.

I know of a couple of examples of this, one being a SBC and the other a Triumph TR4. However two years isn't really that long and the springs in my examples were decades old. The SBC was sitting for 10 years and the TR was even longer. In both cases springs broke in the first couple of hours.

Something else to think about. Valve springs are pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things. This is why its a good idea to start her up every couple of months.
 
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