MKIV J -5 Le Mans winner

Allan Feldman · 17th July 2012, 09:49 AM

I know its been some time since the Goodwood Festival of Speed but J-5 MKIV 1967 Le Mans winner was there. I am hoping it will be at the Goodwood revival for the Dan Gurney tribute?. It unfortunately got damaged by being dropped in the container coming over from the US. Althought the doors were shut I did manage to get a shot of the Green ID light from inside.
Regards Allan

Rick Muck- Mark IV · 17th July 2012, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allanfeldman

I know its been some time since the Goodwood Festival of Speed but J-5 MKIV 1967 Le Mans winner was there. I am hoping it will be at the Goodwood revival for the Dan Gurney tribute?. It unfortunately got damaged by being dropped in the container coming over from the US. Althought the doors were shut I did manage to get a shot of the Green ID light from inside.
Regards Allan

So indeed it was dropped and damaged as I was told?

How bad?

Paulus · 17th July 2012, 12:27 PM

Hi Rick/Alan

I heard from Mike Teske the rear of the car took the worst of the impact as the rear suspension was damaged, but as we know the problem is likely to run deeper than that in terms rear chassis damage. MT was trying to figure out a simple way if skimming off the rear/lower chassis panels to replace that whole section.

But other than this, not much more detail was known. I will let you know if more news appears over here.

In any case this is very sad but especially so as I was told this was the first time that J-5 has been out of the US since the '67 win??

Paul

Jim G · 18th July 2012, 11:10 AM

Sadly that car has been rotting for a long time. It's missing a lot of it's original parts including it's engine which I have.

It's totally non functional today.

Jim Rosenthal · 18th July 2012, 11:54 AM

Jim, why don't they restore it? Or, better yet, why don't they give it to Mike and Kenny to restore? It isn't as if they aren't making money these days. They could afford it.

Jim G · 18th July 2012, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo

Jim, why don't they restore it? Or, better yet, why don't they give it to Mike and Kenny to restore? It isn't as if they aren't making money these days. They could afford it.

It's not owned by Ford it's owned by The Henry Ford Museum which is totally different entity.

I offered to restore it on the condition they would drive it around to keep it from rotting. They had no interest. I think they see it as a "Moment in Time Museum Display Piece".

Sad it got futher damaged.

Andrew Komosa · 18th July 2012, 01:33 PM

Apologies if you have seen these before, but below are links to a five part film about the 1967 Le Mans race, which J5 won. I've listened to these dozens of times, and the film never ceases to thrill-
Part 1:
1967 24 Hrs of Le Mans Part 1 - YouTube
Part 2
1967 24 Hrs of Le Mans Part 2 - YouTube
Part 3:
1967 24 Hrs of Le Mans Part 3 - YouTube
Part 4:
1967 24 Hrs of Le Mans Part 4 - YouTube
Part 5:
1967 24 Hrs of Le Mans Part 5 - YouTube
Enjoy... Andrew

Jim Rosenthal · 18th July 2012, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MK -IV J6

It's not owned by Ford it's owned by The Henry Ford Museum which is totally different entity.

I offered to restore it on the condition they would drive it around to keep it from rotting. They had no interest. I think they see it as a "Moment in Time Museum Display Piece".

Sad it got futher damaged.

Good of you to offer. Idiotic of them to decline. It could be done like yours or Fred's car, where it's restored to functionality but preserves as much period patina as possible. What is the point in letting it fall apart?

Allan Feldman · 19th July 2012, 10:17 AM

It seems a real shame that they will not repair J-5 for actual movement. Does anyone know if it has gone back to the US or is it being kept in the UK for a " Dan Gurney tribute" at the Goodwood Revival as I had been led to believe? I could see only damage to the bodywork and the passengers side tub. Obvoiusly not being able to see inside the damage was more extensive. A great shame.
Regards Allan

Mike Teske · 21st July 2012, 01:57 PM

Mike Teske here, I would like the information I was given second hand that the car was damaged to be confirmed before this goes on too long. Can anyone confirm it from a reliable source (not hear-say infromation as I received)?

Allan Feldman · 23rd July 2012, 12:21 PM

I spoke to the curator of the Henry Ford museum (Mr R.Casey) the car although damaged is staying over for the Revival for the Dan Gurney tribute.
The car bodywork was damaged as there is a crack in the rear passenger side bodywork. and you can see damage to the tube by the passenger side wheel hub.The rear tyre access panel has been pushed up! I cannot comment on the extent of the damage but the curator did tell me it was damaged in transit.
Regards Allan

Rick Muck- Mark IV · 23rd July 2012, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT40Guy

Mike Teske here, I would like the information I was given second hand that the car was damaged to be confirmed before this goes on too long. Can anyone confirm it from a reliable source (not hear-say infromation as I received)?

Mike,

I was told you had looked at the car! That is why I asked for confirmation that it had indeed been damaged and that this was not an urban legend.

Jim G · 23rd July 2012, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allanfeldman

I spoke to the curator of the Henry Ford museum (Mr R.Casey) the car although damaged is staying over for the Revival for the Dan Gurney tribute.
The car bodywork was damaged as there is a crack in the rear passenger side bodywork. and you can see damage to the tube by the passenger side wheel hub.The rear tyre access panel has been pushed up! I cannot comment on the extent of the damage but the curator did tell me it was damaged in transit.
Regards Allan

I spoke to Bob Casey as well and the while the complete extent of the damage is not yet known it's by no means massive and he will be issuing a report on it. The car will be at the Goodwood revival as Allan said. The rumors of it's destruction are silly. I urge all of you over in Europe to take a look at it at The Revival. It's very special.

Mike Teske · 24th July 2012, 06:12 AM

Sorry if there was anything I said that implied I had anything more than hearsay informaion Rick. Great to hear more accurate infromation and especially that the damage was not extensive. If these cars are damaged during transit, less will be released for exposition.

Rick Muck- Mark IV · 24th July 2012, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT40Guy

Sorry if there was anything I said that implied I had anything more than hearsay informaion Rick. Great to hear more accurate infromation and especially that the damage was not extensive. If these cars are damaged during transit, less will be released for exposition.

No Mike, your statement was not "hearsay" but some of what I have been told likely is. As I
said, someone told me you had inspected the car already and offered a repair solution!

Guess we will need to do a CarFax on J5!

Mike Teske · 25th July 2012, 01:12 PM

Rick,
Surprised to see your response.

You may want to question your sources. I have not inspected the car. I simply passed on some discouraging information to some other enthusiests about a valuable car that I was verbally given during a chat at the Classic with no verification of the valdity of the facts. Based on the definition in the dictionary, I would call that hearsay information.

hear·say
[heer-sey]

noun
1.
unverified, unofficial information gained or acquired from another and not part of one's direct knowledge.

Randy V · 25th July 2012, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT40Guy

Mike Teske here, I would like the information I was given second hand that the car was damaged to be confirmed before this goes on too long. Can anyone confirm it from a reliable source (not hear-say infromation as I received)?

Hi Mike,

Please check out our FAQ and make an adjustment to your user ID re: rule 2
Thanks!
GT40s.com - FAQ

Joey · 8th August 2012, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MK -IV J6

Sadly that car has been rotting for a long time. It's missing a lot of it's original parts including it's engine which I have.

It's totally non functional today.

Jim, can you email me Bob's phone number when you get some time...The 2005 FORD GT has arrived back from Europe......trying to do a reunion at Detroit before it goes to the museum
Thanks GTJOEY1314

Mark · 20th August 2012, 12:09 AM

Speaking of J-5, thought this might be interesting. Some Leroy Neiman original art on a Lemans, France, daily newspaper from 11 Jun 67.

Enjoy!

Mark

Allan Feldman · 17th September 2012, 11:09 AM

I saw J-5 at the Goodwood Revival and had a very good time talking to Matt Anderson and his colleagues from the Henry Ford museum. I note that the damage in transit extended to a crack in the windscreen in addition to what I said previously. From what I can gather the car will not be made driveable and the windscreen will not be replaced. The reason would seem to keep every part of the car as original!! I know as an example David Piper cars are virtually rebuilt since they were raced but there provendence is such that they are his original cars. Obviously the people at Henry Ford museum do not want to go along this route. It might just be the patriotic idea of preserving the first all American car (and crew) to win Le Mans without compromisimg any of its original parts even it it mean letting it detoriate in time???
I also got Dan Gurneys autograph. But as an added bonus Terry Jahansan who was the man who replaced all the broken windscreens on the MKIV's before the start of the 1967 Le Mans. He said (in my simple interpretation) that the screens broke because of inflexability of the bodywork; the roof and the pillars were rigid (I hope I got this right?). He was called away before I could take in the whole of his story.
Well at least events like the Festival of Speed and the Revival allow us to see cars that are geophically to far away to be seen without being rich!?
Regards Allan