Salt Walther GT40 buried in mud story

I refently read the book RARE FINDS, the second by Texas photojournalist Jerry Heasley who of late specializes in telling the stories of barn finds. And in there he tells a story of the sale of a boat business belonging to the mother of ex-racer Salt Walther. As he tells it, a guy assisting with the sale went around the building and in back found a GT40. he made a separate deal to buy the remains of the car buried in mud and later sold it and it has since re-appeared as a running complete car (I can't find the SN now but I could with some research).

But after I read the Heasley book when doing research I found on some site there was the contention that

1.)the guy who found the remains had tried first to sell parts but didn't say he had a complete chassis
2.)the car was subsequently combined with a Ford GT chassis from Safir

So I was wondering if this car has been discussed here before and what the consensus of opinion is--did the digger in the mud find a real car? What is the car considered to be today?
What did it sell for at the last auction?

I am not trying to disparage a car but I was annoyed when Heasley didn't tell about it being combined with a car made not in the 1960s.

PS Not to be confused by the GT40 owned by retired LA fireman who bought a car from
Salt Walther as he lay on his hospital bed. He is in prison now.
 
I seem to recall there were various details in a thread a few months ago - try a search on walther
 

Ian Anderson

Lifetime Supporter
When you have any topic open.

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page on the bottom left hand side there is a list of similar threads / topics on this site.

I believe you may find the information contained in those threads

Regards
Ian
 

Seymour Snerd

Lifetime Supporter
PS Not to be confused by the GT40 owned by retired LA fireman who bought a car from
Salt Walther as he lay on his hospital bed. He is in prison now.

You mean not to be confused with?

Also, to many "he"s in the last sentence. I think you're saying an LA fireman bought a GT40 from Walther, right?. Regardless, which GT40 are you referring to?
 

Ron Earp

Admin
That is correct. "HistoryBuff" or something similar on ClubCobra and for some reason I think I remember some flare up of his postings there? Anyone know the deal?
 

Rick Muck- Mark IV

GT40s Sponsor
Supporter
The originator of this thread is a journalist, if I am not mistaken.

Jim,

That is charitable desciption. If by "journlist" you mean he has published books, you are correct. If your definition of journalist means "research" other than posting questions on online forums methinks you are incorrect.

A simple look through most any of the Shelby registeries or Ronnie Spain's works would answer many of the questions.

I know I often seem hard on Wally but he obviously does not even use the search function on the forums he posts questions on.......
 

Jim Rosenthal

Supporter
Well, I thought folks could draw their own conclusions. Which, clearly, they have. Mind you, the term "journalist" also includes those folks that "wrote" for The News Of The World....

Walther is, in fact, in prison, according to Wikipedia, for crimes related to drug addiction (this may have something to do with his injuries in one of the Indy races in which he was badly burned and spent quite a long time in the hospital) Addiction to pain meds is not unusual in patients who've been through something of that kind.
 
I recall reading about this car find about 6 -to-8 years ago. I think it was in a monthly Mustang publication. I went through two piles so far, but have not located it. I remember it was found out back of the shop area near the back fence completly covered in dirt. The story said the shop burn't down in 1973. The GT40 was inside and was drug outside after the fire with a few other hulks. It was placed out back near the fence when over the years bryers grew up around it. A new building was put up in the ajacent lot where sluff spilled over the property line covering the remains of the tub and suspension, still with engine mounted, but body burnt away. The finder said he was out back smoking and kicking dirt around with the tip of his shoe and hit something solid. It was said then he noticed it was a rocker arm (of a small block Ford). He continued picking at it to find the edge of the cylinder head and that the rocker was still attached to the head. He noticed it was a HiPo small block head, so interest intenced! He went back into the shop and returned with a shovel and also personal from the bussiness where they kept digging to uncover the mostly complete car less fiberglass body panels. It was said that about 90% of the car was there and about 70% restorable (?? to what degree?) The article also stated the car was Gaurdsman blue originaly and was tested/time trialed for the 1966 LeMans but did not make the grid. The car Gumball number was mentioned but I forget it. I did look it up at the time and did find a color and car race number that did match at the time. The finder and person at the shop were working together on possibly restoring it but stated the cost was beyound there means. A value of about $200k was stated in the article that I remember.
 
Well, I thought folks could draw their own conclusions. Which, clearly, they have. Mind you, the term "journalist" also includes those folks that "wrote" for The News Of The World....

Walther is, in fact, in prison, according to Wikipedia, for crimes related to drug addiction (this may have something to do with his injuries in one of the Indy races in which he was badly burned and spent quite a long time in the hospital) Addiction to pain meds is not unusual in patients who've been through something of that kind.

????????????????????

Search Wiki & get:

The page "Wallace Wyss" does not exist. You can ask for it to be created, but consider checking the search results below to see whether the topic is already covered.:huh::huh:
 
Last time I saw the LA fireman, whose name escapes me, two or three years ago at Monterey he told me he
still has the GT40 Mk. I coupe he bought from Salt Walther, so Salt Walther
must have owned more than one GT40. That retired fireman makes money now renting cars to the movies, mostly Hummers for action flicks.
I read somewhere that the Salt Walther buried in mud car was combined with a Safir chassis but can't find the Safir Owner's Club register than can confirm that. Has the reborn car surfaced anywhere at vintage races or at auctions?
 
Been around the block a time or two this one........the Walther Chassis was 1005...I sold it to him in circa 1974 for around £17,000 after three years of ownership

From above

'....I read somewhere that the Salt Walther buried in mud car was combined with a Safir chassis but can't find the Safir Owner's Club register than can confirm that. Has the reborn car surfaced anywhere at vintage races or at auctions?.....'

I believe this to be the case....this from another FORUM

1974 – Remains bulldozed into a riverbed

2002 – Walther Family property dispersed including remains of #1005 (1 cylinder head, an alternater and not much else)

2003 – Recreation of #1005 built (ownership claimed by purchaser of remains)

2005 – Court case to decide who owns rights to #1005

2011 – (Legal ?) ownership of rights to #1005 claimed and number transferred to #1127 (SAFIR Replica), $500,000 paid for rights to #1005 (to Walther family ??). Of course this doesn’t make #1127 radically become #1005
 
I must then appologise to Michael. I did not know your name until I got told it! I have just had words on another thread with a new member called Jim. His original posts had a list of numbers and letters that made more sense to him; until he was advised to put in his name. I think that by putting your real christain name at the bottom of your post it would make communications easier. I know of course people may want to be private but the first name would be more friendly.
Regards Allan
 
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