Water Drains

In my never ending search for finding water issues with my GT40 I found something interesting. On the cowl about 6” back from the gas caps I found a spot of black silicon caulk. Not knowing how to leave well enough alone I started digging at it. Well out popped this piece of caulk and below it was a 1/8” hole right where you might think someone would put a water drain. It turns out that on the original GT40 road cars there was a couple of drain in that area, one just about where I found the one on my car. I’m not sure about the race cars, I really don’t think they cared about water drainage.
Well at any rate I’m going to make it bigger and add some plumbing, I might even add a couple more. You might want to have a look at where the front suspension mounts to the car. In back of a few of them you’ll find some good sized holes into the chassis. Not that I'm looking.

Myseelf I think I'd spend thee energy to seal up anyy areas where the water can leak in raather than creating a drain that just may plugg up on you..

Richard when you find all the leaks please let us all know, I have thought the same as you that this area would be a good place to have a drain. The naca duct in the center of the front clip feeds water by the gallons into that swimming pool area. Also the fresh air naca duct feeds water straight into the blower unit. I bought some of the pipe insulation that they use to keep house pipes from freezing and used it to seal between the fender well and that area as Randy suggested but still have water on my legs. Something (many things) have to be done to drain that area you have a good suggestion.

Jack and Richard,
I have been watching this thread with interest since I plan to buy an SPF car in the future. This is not the first time that I have heard about water leakage in this car. I wonder if anyone else would care to chime in on this problem and if they have a fix. I recall Chuck Smith has gone through this process as well as Ken Peterson (on this Forum). Maybe these guys have some suggestions as to the fix.

By the way, this would make a great thread heading for any future or existing SPF owners to look up for reference.

Garry:idea:

This is only the second drain I’ve had to deal with and only because it was already there. Most of my work has been focused on keeping the water out. In the end we will have to do both.


We always have to remember what it is that we bought, a race car. It’s been talked about on other threads how the drivers at Le Mans would come in while it was raining sitting in an inch or two of water. If it had been me I would have gotten out my hole saw.


I did a thread on the roof vent (the other drain) and how it allowed water to just pour into the interior of the car. My point is these cars are notorious for rusting and it was because they were just a tool to and end, winning the 24hrs. of Le Mans. No one cared to dry the cars out much after a race because they were disposable. Because of the way they are built there are many parts of the car water can get to but are closed off otherwise.


The sponsons are a prime example. If you follow the rubber seal between the bluckhead and the rear clamshell down, it just dumps the water onto the area just in front of the battery box and a similar compartment on the left hand side. There are no seals on either of the covers which allows the water to drain into both sponsons. Also take off one of the rear tires and look forward to where the lower tailing arm goes into the frame. It looks like a triangular shaped tube, in about 18" the tube just stops and opens into one of the boxes that make up the rear of the car. Any water coming off the tire going up the tube ends up in the sponson.
I plan on fixing as many of these problems as I can find and sharing them with the members. Others have also worked on these issues. I sure the folks on the other side of the pond can help us with this as I’m told in occasionally rains over. I’ve heard there is a better door weather strip already out there.


This is not to say I don’t love my car because I do. For me, to be able to use the car the way I want will just take a little extra effort.