Driving your GT40 on public streets?

John B · 12th January 2006, 10:05 AM

I will be getting my car next month. And I'm curious if current owners are afraid of driving there car on the street. Being the car is so low, Are you constantly worried you are going to hit a pot hole or botttom out your car and damage the front clip..or afraid of somone not seeing you becasue you are so low. Does this take the fun out of driving the car on the street? What is your biggest
concern?

regards Oliver

The Baron · 12th January 2006, 10:15 AM

Hey Oliver! I'm sure you won't have that problem, no-one would dare mess with you on the streets man. Anyway, they wouldn't need to see you they'd hear you coming from miles away.... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif[/img]

Mark Clapp · 12th January 2006, 11:29 AM

The car being low is a concern especially for large, wide speed bumps (for trucks). On the road its "driving buddies" that want to ride along side and gawk and eventually swerve into you. I try to stay on the open highway out of traffic and keep a nice space all around. Other than that, I've driven it on the street as much as I can over the last 5 years.

Tony Hunt · 12th January 2006, 11:51 AM

Hi Oliver,
Your question is very relevant. Problems when driving can come from a number of sources:
1. Gawpers, who rush up from behind on the motorway, then slow down suddenly in your three-quarter blind spot while someone uses a mobile phone to take a picture. Makes lane changing very hazardous. Solution? Drop back from the vehicle in front, drop down into third and floor it. Nothing keeps up with that!
2. Speed bumps with inadequate warning can be a horrendous source of damage to the underneath of the front clip. Also, French provincial streets, with a big dip between the crown of the road and a side turning. The only answer is to be very, very careful. A big obstruction will break out the whole undertray below the air intake. Ferries and the Eurotunnel are usually very considerate and allow us to use the lorry deck, which is somewhere near road level on land.
3. Truck drivers, because we are below the line-of-sight of their mirrors, particularly the nearside ones (and off-side ones of Continental trucks). Also SUVs, 4wd Chelsea Tractors and most cars driven by women.[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flamer.gif[/img] I fitted a set of very loud airhorns, and have often had cause to use them to warn people who haven't seen me. I always blast people who sit indicating in an inner lane while they decide to pull out, and watch their front wheels vey carefully for signs of their moving across.
4. An interesting problem often happens at roundabouts, when we may be below the top of the Armco, making it difficult to see on the approach whether it's clear to enter. Similarly, T-junctions and turnings which are not at right angles. Because we have very limited vision aft of abeam, entering a road at an acute angle can be a matter of hoping!
People have fitted rear-view TV and supplementary rear view mirrors, but they are no substitute for driving defensively and expecting fellow road-users to act idiotically.
The stupidest road hazard is the owner of a mildly souped-up Golf GTi or small BMW, who carve you up to try to provoke a race. They aren't worth even bothering with.
All this doesn't mean that GT40s aren't great fun to drive on the street. Most people's reactions are very positive - little boys jump up and down, other drivers give a thumbs up, girls swoon and the best bit is a reflection in a shop window.
Vain - moi?

John B · 12th January 2006, 01:20 PM

Wow! Great Responses!

I expect the lookers and the cars cathing up to you and slowing down. This i'm used to with my Shebly. Here in the states, I think my biggest concern is pot holes. These are holes in the street that will dip your car. And for sure with 4 inces of clearance I will have to choose my driving route carfully and with the knowlege of the roads. Another obsticle is that I have a right hand drive and I'm used to the left hand drive in my car. I will have to use my outside mirror exstensivly. I can see were ths SUV"S will be a big problem and the goof ball people that don't pay attension while talking on the cell phone. I look foward to all the thumbs up and gaukers because it's a good feeling that you have somthing everybody appreciates.

Regards oliver

Andy Besic · 12th January 2006, 01:47 PM

Oliver,

I have offered my car for you to drive on the street and you only live minutes away.....are you afraid of me?

Alex Hirsbrunner · 12th January 2006, 01:56 PM

One of my concerns was having to pass on a two lane road (my US car will be RHD also). You have to poke out most of the car into the oncoming lane to see if it is clear. I may install a forward looking camera in the LH mirror if this turns out to be a real problem. Or just don't pass :-(

Al

kent holst · 12th January 2006, 02:13 PM

the gt isnt as low as u think i have 127 mm ride hight wile my lowered 69 mustang is 100 and i never hit anything . but u have to think before u climb up the side walks

Howard Jones · 12th January 2006, 03:40 PM

Gettin gas is the real fun. The best one yet was a 30s something wife jump out of the passenger side of a SUV and RUN over to me grab her breasts and declare "THAT IS PURE SEX"

About that time her husban walked over and said "is it real?" I get that one a lot.

So she says " Are you fuckin kidding? You're an idiot! pump the gas we gotta go.

As he walked back to their SUV she says to me "God I wish I could have a ride."

Should have. Didn't

Some time I go out just to get gas.

My advice about driving on the street is pretend you are on a chopper. You'll be fine.

Tim Kay · 12th January 2006, 04:29 PM

Howard,
Not sure if I understood, Was it you who said "are those real"........ [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banana.gif[/img]

Driving in slow freeway traffic, I once had a girl bare her breast against her passenger side window all along displaying her excitement with a pierced tongue, that was fun [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

John B · 12th January 2006, 05:01 PM

I guess another big concern is the P@%@Sy facter. When i drive my Shelby I mostly get looks from men..BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THE CAR IS. Women really don't care. The GT40 looks as agood as any major sports car so the women like it. Plus it also shows your wealth..Only if they know. I guess my wife wont be riding in my car because if it attracks to many looks by women, she won't like it.Ahhh who care!

Regards oliver

Mark Clapp · 12th January 2006, 05:30 PM

My car is RHD and I've always meant to take my dog for a ride. At first glance here in the US, it would look like he is driving! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Tim Kay · 12th January 2006, 06:56 PM

[ QUOTE ]
......because if it attracks to many looks by women...

[/ QUOTE ]

Boy Oliver, there you go and burst my bubble. All this time I thought it was me not the car [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif[/img]

Jim Cowden · 13th January 2006, 05:23 AM

I have a workshop in a factory complex in Sydney Australia.
I had a costomer car (a GT40) at my shop for about 2 months getting work done.

There is a High school down the road & the kids are always taking a short cut through the complex.
Normally those girls dont give you a look but for those 2 months the just couldnt stop looking.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh when my gt40 is finished I will have all that to look forward to.
[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banana.gif[/img]