Most of us have loved GT40's for years, decades. This was probably because we saw an original one or more in our youth, and realised what a unique and exciting vehicle they are. Today's generation, such as my adult son, also appreciates them, but to a lesser extent, and hasn't been exposed to their history. Does the Forum believe that as our generation dies out, so the GT40 will become history? Fascinating, but just not as exciting to the later generations who've grown up with rice-burners, rotaries, turbos, etc. and totally different (non-streetable) racing cars? Just a thought.
GT40's and Future Generations
- Thread starter Dalton
- Start date
I think that the GT40 was one of those defining moments in history that will remain timeless. However, as those of us that saw and fell in love with the originals age and eventually pass away - the legacy left behind will be different. Perhaps not as strong.
I think it's incumbent upon us to help strengthen the legacy through exposure of the younger ones to our cars and the history behind the originals.. Perhaps even a better reason to try to remain faithful to the originals in the creation of our tributes / replicas..
I think it's incumbent upon us to help strengthen the legacy through exposure of the younger ones to our cars and the history behind the originals.. Perhaps even a better reason to try to remain faithful to the originals in the creation of our tributes / replicas..
No. I'm 33, Trevor Summers is I think only 29. I don't know how old some of the other builders are as age isn't listed.
Part of the trouble is affording a GT40 at a young age, I've wanted one for at *least* 15 years (I can't remember when I started to want one) but its only now that its been a possibility.
The other issue is practicality of ownership, lets be honest its not a car that you can just park on the road, you need a garage. You can only take one passenger. You really need it to be a second car (or normally commute via train/bus/bike/pushbike). You can't carry anything significant in it. You can't park it in a car park space smaller than a car and a half wide (without the fear of someone parking next to you and not being able to get back in again). You need to be able to handle a rwd car without tcs or any driver aids. None of these things (with maybe the exception of being able to handle it) comes with youth unless you are very lucky.
Part of the trouble is affording a GT40 at a young age, I've wanted one for at *least* 15 years (I can't remember when I started to want one) but its only now that its been a possibility.
The other issue is practicality of ownership, lets be honest its not a car that you can just park on the road, you need a garage. You can only take one passenger. You really need it to be a second car (or normally commute via train/bus/bike/pushbike). You can't carry anything significant in it. You can't park it in a car park space smaller than a car and a half wide (without the fear of someone parking next to you and not being able to get back in again). You need to be able to handle a rwd car without tcs or any driver aids. None of these things (with maybe the exception of being able to handle it) comes with youth unless you are very lucky.
Ian Anderson
Lifetime Supporter
Yes and no
I was not around when the Blower Bentleys and the like were doing their thing in the "early years" of the Le Mans and yet to me they are a fantastic form and part of an era.
that said I also like the Porsche 956 etc that raced in 1980's - but you''ll never get one of those on the road.
So yes I believe the "youth" will continue to appreciate the cars of yesteryear and perhaps the GT40 is the changeover where they went from production / road to pure race vehicles
Ian
I was not around when the Blower Bentleys and the like were doing their thing in the "early years" of the Le Mans and yet to me they are a fantastic form and part of an era.
that said I also like the Porsche 956 etc that raced in 1980's - but you''ll never get one of those on the road.
So yes I believe the "youth" will continue to appreciate the cars of yesteryear and perhaps the GT40 is the changeover where they went from production / road to pure race vehicles
Ian
I was born after the glory days of the GT40.
My first encounter was in a book about cars, probably even a replica and fell in love with the lines. It must have been years later I found out about the power the car has and even a lot later before the racing history became clear.
The current generation of car freaks is bound to play racing games; NFS, Forza and Gran Turismo all have GT40 MkI in them. If the youngsters get beyond their love for the Bugatti Veyron, they are bound to love this car at one stage.
My first encounter was in a book about cars, probably even a replica and fell in love with the lines. It must have been years later I found out about the power the car has and even a lot later before the racing history became clear.
The current generation of car freaks is bound to play racing games; NFS, Forza and Gran Turismo all have GT40 MkI in them. If the youngsters get beyond their love for the Bugatti Veyron, they are bound to love this car at one stage.
OK, sounds fairly positive so far. I'm encouraged that many of you, my friends, are quite young (ie. didn't see 40's in their original racing days) but still have caught the passion.
Pat
Supporter
I'm pretty optimistic about the future of GT40 enthusiasm. I take my car out and about quite a bit and show it occasionally with a local car club of which I'm a member. I've been impressed with the number of young teens, male and female, that want to talk about the car and know quite a bit about GT40 history (often far more than their parents). In the spring, I was asked to show the ‘40 at the first car show Disney sponsored at Walt Disney World as part of the Cars2 movie release. The crowd reaction was amazing. At another Disney event, I had the car at a HOT WHEELS convention and met Phil Riehlman. Interestingly he’s the fellow that designed the GT40 Hot Wheels car. It was the first time he’d ever seen a full scale GT40. The crowd response was also incredible. Our club had a dozen cars there but the crowd favorite was the ’40. I’ve had more than one pre-teen tell me the ’40 is their weapon of choice for X-Box, Grand Tourismo, or other video game racing.
When I was a kid, a factory Ferrari team stopped off at a local motel on their way to Sebring. My Mom heard about it and took me over to see it. I remember it like it was yesterday. The mechanics were from California and the pulled the cover off the cars so we could see them and it was the most stunning thing I had ever seen. It was sooo red and the fenders were so curved, it was amazing. They even let me sit in one of the cars. It was a Ferrari 250TR.
I try to do the same thing with my GT40. I bet over the years 500 kids have had a seat in my car and gotten a photo in it. To give you an idea of the appeal, at the local charity show, a very pretty and very pregnant young mom was talking to me about the car and she told me the GT40 was her favorite “exotic” as a little girl. She couldn’t have been more than 25. She saw that I was letting kids sit in the car and asked if she could. She said she knew she was having a son and wanted a picture of his mom sitting in a GT40 with him “in the oven” so he knew he had a cool mom. Getting her in was not too bad, getting her out could have been a National Geographic TV special.
As I said, I'm pretty optimistic.
When I was a kid, a factory Ferrari team stopped off at a local motel on their way to Sebring. My Mom heard about it and took me over to see it. I remember it like it was yesterday. The mechanics were from California and the pulled the cover off the cars so we could see them and it was the most stunning thing I had ever seen. It was sooo red and the fenders were so curved, it was amazing. They even let me sit in one of the cars. It was a Ferrari 250TR.
I try to do the same thing with my GT40. I bet over the years 500 kids have had a seat in my car and gotten a photo in it. To give you an idea of the appeal, at the local charity show, a very pretty and very pregnant young mom was talking to me about the car and she told me the GT40 was her favorite “exotic” as a little girl. She couldn’t have been more than 25. She saw that I was letting kids sit in the car and asked if she could. She said she knew she was having a son and wanted a picture of his mom sitting in a GT40 with him “in the oven” so he knew he had a cool mom. Getting her in was not too bad, getting her out could have been a National Geographic TV special.
As I said, I'm pretty optimistic.
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I do see where you're going. I see some of the trends these days, and think WTF? But there is hope. I'm only 25, and already contemplating my GT-40 purchase. I'll admit, I don't know the finer points of the history, but I do plan on reading up on it (they book store didn't have "The Car that Bear Ferrari" on their shelves the other day). The car just seems simply perfect to me. I first saw the Ford GT, then found out it was a modern recreation, and finally found the GT-40 and fell in love. Don't chock it completely up to Fords overpriced recreation for me loving this car. When I was in 7th grade I bought my first car, 64 1/2' Mustang coupe. It needed a lot of work, but I bought it anyway. Since that day, I've loved the classics, and it was my biggest bonding point with my father at the time, we would talk every day about different cars and what I should do to mine. It eventually started me on my first career of Auto Body. But I ended up doing the military thing shortly thereafter and I eventually sold that Mustang since it was being stored 18 hours away and I don't have a garage.
Our youth is pretty messed up, but not all of us. So there is a little faith. haha
Our youth is pretty messed up, but not all of us. So there is a little faith. haha
The one troubling question I run into more than I would prefer is "What is it?", or "Is this a Corvette?". "Oh you see the letters 'FORD' right here?" Of course, I am troubled over the lack of general knowledge, and knowledge that should be gained from attending public school, but living where race cars only turn 'left' encourages mediocrity. And I won't mention the 'so called' parents without any passion. How can you raise an American male and not know anything about automobiles?
I think we all experience the extra time it takes to refuel the cars spent answering questions. I think a card would help when you go to a car show with some history. However with the current economy and lack of leadership, most people are just trying to get along and don't have time for their dreams. It may take 2 generations to undo what has been done to the US over the past 6 1/2 years. And that is a long time to keep a dream alive. So I think we need to display the cars and educated those young people who have that spark of curiosity and interest in the '40 or other points in the history of racing.
Grady in North Carolina
I think we all experience the extra time it takes to refuel the cars spent answering questions. I think a card would help when you go to a car show with some history. However with the current economy and lack of leadership, most people are just trying to get along and don't have time for their dreams. It may take 2 generations to undo what has been done to the US over the past 6 1/2 years. And that is a long time to keep a dream alive. So I think we need to display the cars and educated those young people who have that spark of curiosity and interest in the '40 or other points in the history of racing.
Grady in North Carolina
The interest will always be there, just as people respond to a P-51, spitfire or F-86 at an airshow while Raptors and B-2s go whizzing by. The question is just how big that segment of interested people might be...probably, as a percentage of the population, the segment will slowly decrease over time...or not?
That for me certainly is part of the appeal, for a ~45 year old car it still looks good and (silly aero of modern cars excepted) still looks modern. It is in all senses a 'classic' design. That's before you get to the heritage etc.
Although that said I doubt we'd get many on this forum would disagree with how good they look[1]!
[1] Minor arguments about which version look better excepted (obviously its the MK1)!
Although that said I doubt we'd get many on this forum would disagree with how good they look[1]!
[1] Minor arguments about which version look better excepted (obviously its the MK1)!
Dalton, my first hand experience has been that the younger generation is actually MORE informed about GT40s than their parents! Why? Because I believe the GT40 is a favorite in certain car video games which are very popular with the rice burner crowd. So, while they may not have seen an original at the track in the flesh, they've definitely seen one on the computer screen along with all the other headline makes and models.
I find there are lots of guys (it's always guys....) in their teens and 20's who are very curious about the '40, and many actually know what it is. The dialog usually ends with them getting to sit in it after popping the rear clam shell and having a good look under the hood. Pics of them sitting in the driver's seat (which they "text" to all their buddies) are a keen favorite. I try to be really engaging and encouraging with the younger generation when out and about in the '40. It's one of the few things that Old Farts and the younger generation can connect over!
I find there are lots of guys (it's always guys....) in their teens and 20's who are very curious about the '40, and many actually know what it is. The dialog usually ends with them getting to sit in it after popping the rear clam shell and having a good look under the hood. Pics of them sitting in the driver's seat (which they "text" to all their buddies) are a keen favorite. I try to be really engaging and encouraging with the younger generation when out and about in the '40. It's one of the few things that Old Farts and the younger generation can connect over!
Being born in'66, I haveno first-hand memory of cars of this era, yet I hanker after anything from that period. No Parental input either.
For me, I like this period of automotive history, because the drivers actually drove the car and the engineers made things up as they went along. Have a read of 'The Unfair advantage'. It's amazing what little people knew. (I mean they knew little, not they were little with amazing knowledge BTW).
In theory, I should love 70's race cars best, perhaps even early eighties, but for some reason I don't. To me there is just something very special about race cars of the sixties. Perhaps I am not alone and these cars will continue to draw appeal long after the older generations have passed on?
For me, I like this period of automotive history, because the drivers actually drove the car and the engineers made things up as they went along. Have a read of 'The Unfair advantage'. It's amazing what little people knew. (I mean they knew little, not they were little with amazing knowledge BTW).
In theory, I should love 70's race cars best, perhaps even early eighties, but for some reason I don't. To me there is just something very special about race cars of the sixties. Perhaps I am not alone and these cars will continue to draw appeal long after the older generations have passed on?
Practical experience this weekend: I meet up with someone met on an internet forum to go watch some races (24h Zolder). The person is born somewhere just before 1990.
When I ask if he saw something of the classic race that was going on just before we met, the only reaction was:
Yeh, I did not realise these GT40s were so beautiful.
The GT40 will sell itself, for generations to come.
When I ask if he saw something of the classic race that was going on just before we met, the only reaction was:
Yeh, I did not realise these GT40s were so beautiful.
The GT40 will sell itself, for generations to come.
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I don't think support will die out. Some of the younger generation are aware and they are a car that cuts across many different interests.
I am 28, always owned turbocharged cars and between the girlfriend and myself have an R34 GT-T skyline and Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart.
My brother and his wife who part owns the project GT40 has a mini cooper S JCW and nissan stagea RS260 (GTR powered, rb26dett, nissan wagon).
Dad who is also in on the gt40 was into early English cars in the past, had a number of aussie holdens and now drives a focus XR5 turbo (Focus ST?).
Just shows the broad appeal of the gt40 to people from all car interest groups.
I am 28, always owned turbocharged cars and between the girlfriend and myself have an R34 GT-T skyline and Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart.
My brother and his wife who part owns the project GT40 has a mini cooper S JCW and nissan stagea RS260 (GTR powered, rb26dett, nissan wagon).
Dad who is also in on the gt40 was into early English cars in the past, had a number of aussie holdens and now drives a focus XR5 turbo (Focus ST?).
Just shows the broad appeal of the gt40 to people from all car interest groups.
I was 25 when I bought my GTD (am approaching 47 now) and bought it to replace a Dax Cobra replica. To me I was buying a better product for a self built car but only got to know more of the 40 history with time after getting the GTD. That sort of conversion will always happen but the wider knowledge base will diminish as generations come and go. CF Victorian and Edwardian cars. For me the car that has grabbed my attention like no other is the McLaren F1 as I saw that race many times and it is my dream car as a result.
Ron Earp
Admin
Whoa!! Really??? Keep up the good aging!