P1001 - Page 7

Dave · 25th April 2012, 09:25 AM

I only just discovered this great story. I can't wait for the next update......Any pics of the chassis refurb from NZ???

Andrew Komosa · 6th May 2012, 07:21 AM

Helo, there was a photograph of the tub reconstruction in one of the online magazine articles linked from this forum previously, but here are somee more showing both the Serck radiator and Lucas washer bottle insitu.. Andrew

Andrew Komosa · 14th May 2012, 04:58 AM

Hot off the press- latest news about the tub reconstruction is that the team are getting the steel roof spider on. Also good news is that the mostly new monocoque panels have been stitched into the renovated old steelwork nicely e.g. the original/period gearbox subframe bolted right up to the rear chassis first time. Great work from the guys down in NZ... Andrew

**brianstewart** · 14th May 2012, 05:42 AM

Awesome Andrew.

Andrew Komosa · 14th May 2012, 09:57 AM

Thanks Brian. it's all getting a bit exciting now. and I've just bought an original/period pair of switch panels and some minor axle parts from 1066, which a previous owner sold many years ago and have filtered down the line. I'm not even sure what they do, but I've got em now!!! Andrew

Andrew Komosa · 16th May 2012, 12:32 AM

Some photographs of those latest parts I mentioned.. Andrew

roy snook · 16th May 2012, 08:25 AM

Hi Andrew
those 3 eared plates are bolted to the metalastic doughnuts-if not they would break in two!
looking good
Roy

Jimmy P · 16th May 2012, 08:43 AM

Andrew, without trying to offend.....the first words out of your mouth when this car fires up for the first time has got to be "ITS ALIVE, ITS ALIVE!" This really is a "FRANKENSTEIN" of a car. No question she/he will be a damn site prettier though. Continued success. I can't wait to see the completed car.

Jim Rosenthal · 16th May 2012, 09:01 AM

David is up on his game, that roof looks terrific.

Andrew Komosa · 16th May 2012, 05:28 PM

Thank you all for your comments, which are gratefully received and are of much inspiration, especially when the bank balance is low, but my enthusiasm kept high by the good folk of this site... Andrew

Andrew Komosa · 3rd June 2012, 05:10 PM

More photographs.. this time of the new floor and heat shields. If Chris Bridgeland is reading this thread, it would be exciting to know if his father, Malcolm, has had time to get those period images and race reports together for me, as the history hunt has run into lean times for the moment, but I don't like contacting him directly for fear of making a nuissance of myself? Regards.. Andrew

Jimmy P · 4th June 2012, 11:22 AM

Magnificent!....Andrew, keep the faith. Once you're behind the wheel all the trials and tribulations will be forgotten. I recently spent lots of hours and money getting some electric issues sorted in mine.....but last nights run just before dusk along a Florida country road at triple digit speeds was thrilling. More updates and photos when you can.

Andrew Komosa · 10th June 2012, 09:48 AM

Latest news is the boys down in NZ have trial fitted my bodywork off GT40P/1001 and it's all looking pretty good with only a few "taps" with a big hammer required. Photos attached. I'm also relieved to announce I've found one of the last remaining impossible to get parts i.e. an original fuel cap. It's a new/old stock and has come via one of my proven suppliers. Thanks again Stuart, if you're reading this. Other BIG news coming soon, but "that's all for now folks"... Andrew

Andrew Komosa · 11th June 2012, 06:03 PM

Talk of Frankenstein... I hope you're sitting down for this one "ha, ha".. as I've bought the seats from an original MkII which raced at Le Mans in 1966, the car undergoing a restoration, so I get to buy the old seats. The period original list now includes parts from chassis numbers GT40: 1001, 1002, 1005 (re-encarnation), 1009, 1020, 1026, 1029 (not proven), 1032, 1042, 1045, 1066, 1079 and 1088. Obviously, the seats have seen better days.. but my upholsterer informs me they can be reinstated. I'll have photos of some other minor bits & pieces soon, but for now please have a look at these period original seats and wonder what "action" these old timers have observed???... Andrew

Jim Rosenthal · 11th June 2012, 06:58 PM

Andrew ,you could possibly reuse the ballistic nylon seat covering; it is pretty durable even when worn like that. You'll need to replace both the foam and the webbing, but Pirelli webbing of that kind isn't too hard to find. The hardest part is doing those HUNDREDS of rivets to make the trapeze. Ask me how I know.

Andrew Komosa · 20th June 2012, 04:18 AM

Hi Jim. that's a relief, I thought for a while they might have been too far gone. Incredible that Mark Donohue and Paul Hawkins sat in them while racing at Le Mans. They should complement the Mike Salmon 1967 Le Mans steering wheel nicely. I should take this opportunity to clarify a question people have been asking i.e. "is this GT40P/1001 or GT40P/1042?". It's neither, although the tub has been reconstructed using original blueprints, the rusty remains being welded/bolted to period/original chassis parts (photos of the gearbox crossmember, for instance, coming soon). The VIN is "P/1042", but there is probably only a tenuous link to the Scuderia Filipinetti GT40 crashed recently in the States and, according to Ronnie Spain, now residing with "Anon of Switzerland". I think the link comes via Jean Blaton, the Belgium racing driver of the 1960-80s, who owned 1042 when painted yellow. I'm sure Ronnie could clarify the Blaton point, as I might have got it wrong and there "might" allegedly have been a couple of 1042s back in 2003, when the last edition of his book was published. I hope it's sufficient to say that "for legal reasons" my car is not GT40P/1042, but a mongrel of pedigree parts. Indeed, in order to distinguish the two, I intend to have the car painted white with three dark green stripes and gold wheels, as per the GT40P/1001 (Bernhard White) colour scheme in 1967, not red/white as per the Filipinetti GT40. I have also concentrated on the racing history of the bodywork from GT40P/1001,as that is the major single period/original unit used in this reconstruction. However, a "spooky" coincidence is that according to Mathwall's records, the short motor actually came from GT40P/1042, hence the circle is somewhat closer to being a complete 360 degrees... Andrew

Andrew Komosa · 23rd June 2012, 08:18 AM

Here are photographs of my Smiths GT40 instruments. Although I have period original tacho and CAV ammeter already, I decided to buy this full set in case of problems with the originals. I got them from Andrew Booth, who has all the old Smiths drawings and technical sheets. His email is: booth43@ntlworld.com Other photographs of more parts coming soon... Andrew K

Ian Anderson · 23rd June 2012, 09:36 AM

Andrew

On the temperature gauges they are in degrees Celsius

I would have thought back in the 1960's that the UK and also the Americans were still running Fareignheight

I am notq sure and never checked an original to that detail so unsure.

Ian

GT40GoldParts.com · 23rd June 2012, 11:41 AM

This should settle the point.
Just on a point of note. The Smiths technical log cards list over a couple of hundred instruments for different makes of car. Where applicable, in the top right corner is listed which manufacturer fitted that particular gauge and to what model of car. With the gauges supplied to Ford, every card has the reference FAV Slough GT40 and no other vehicle. From other documentation it appears that FAV comissioned all the gauges to be GT40 specific and Smiths did not supply the particular gauges to any other customer.

Jim Rosenthal · 23rd June 2012, 09:10 PM

I have the CAV ammeter, but we did not wire it up. If you do properly, ALL the current used in the entire car goes through that one gauge. It seems risky to me; I decided not to do it. Mine is in there for show; the only thing on the car that does not work as original. Jus' sayin'....