Superformance Ford GT MkII

[SpyderMike]

I can't count this high

[SpyderMike]

what comes after 10?

[Tim Kay]

Mike,

You gotta be 'chomp'n at the bit' [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

When is your car due in, soon isn't it?

[SpyderMike]

Tim,

I am very anxious...trying not to think about it....hopefully before the end of the year. They will tell me when it starts production and then about 100 days later...

Regards,
Mike

[Steve Ard]

[ QUOTE ]
what comes after 10?

[/ QUOTE ]


I'll bet a lot of fun. Looking foward to a ride!

[hk4site]

What happened to all the chatter on the spf mark 1 and 2. It has been about a month since the last post. I am interested in purchasing a mark I but there is little talk on the forums. Has someone received their car yet? Build quality? what rear axle did you use? How complete does the car come? ( as far a brackets and fixtures? Wanting minds whould like too know

[Howard Jones]

I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this. The thing is this hobbie is based on buying a "kit" and the emotional swing between sitting in the bare chassis late at night after the kids have gone to bed and making engine noises and stamping your feet and pulling your hair out.

This idea of writing a big check and poof!!!! GT40 ready to go sir is gonna F#&*$ up this hobbie big time. It already has with cobras. The insurance on corbras has doubled the last few years and DMV's across the US are setting their sights on anything that has corbra on paper. Just wait until they get "GT" in their sights. If I was a new builder I would put toyota mirrors on it and register it as a 05 Celica.

Throw in a few big checkbooks and... well.... I wish these guys would just buy corvettes and vipers.

Pretty soon Foose and the American hotrod guy on TV will be building a GT40 in 6 days on the discovery channel. At that point I think this whole thing will be AFUed.

Sorry for the less that upbeat attitude but I liked it better when a guy had 6 months worth of bodywork in front of him. At least we all could say "I did" when somone asked who built it? The "I did" is the hobbie part. The one of a kind parts that some of us have made ourselfs is the hobbie part but ordering a complete car on the internet isn't a hobbie. The finished rollers are the end of this hobbie. Pretty soon you will be buying GT40's with stereos installed at the factory and mister big checkbook will demand quite "I can't hear the radio" Oh and my wife "wants a AUTOMATIC!!!"

Again sorry if I brought somebody down.

[Iron Sheik]

Brother Jones, I am with you 1000%. It's funy, last night, when we were all hanging out, one of the guys kept asking me,,,WHY DO YOU LIKE OPENING the REAR BONET SO MUCH??!!

I wanted to say,,DUMB ASS,
I built it, I want people to ask me about the fuel lines, A/C system,,,etc. For those of us who build these, That's what is all about, not Caroll Shelby, Lemans, Ford, Ferrari or any other Pompus A$$ figure.

And YES, just like the Cobras, 7 years from now, no one will even notice the 40s.

[Lynn]

Howard,

I have said it before and I'll say it again: I DON'T LIKE THE SUPERFORMANCE BUSINESS MODEL OR MINDSET. Their Cobra ads that say "If you want to build it yourself, get a model" just piss me off to the max.

On the other hand there are people like my stepson who just doesn't, won't ever and, seemingly, just cannot get mechanics. The guy produces some extremely great radio spots and shows and is creative as all get out, but if his brakes went out, he'd say, "I checked the oil and it's alright" because that is the only thing he knows how to do. So, if he makes his millions in radio, should he be denied driving a GT40 simply because there is no way, even if his life depended on it, he could build a car?

I do hear what you are saying though and there is a point there, but I am not sure I can back your sentiment 100%. Thankfully, there aren't too many guys, like my son, who would take the leap to a non-production vehicle. But, since I am looking to get in to the unique automobile construction business, I hope there are just enough so that I can quit IBM once and for all!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

As to your comments hk4site, if you want a real answer, try using a real name. We kind of like that here. In the meantime, take a look at this thread from a guy who gave up on a SPF Mk I. Tired Of Waiting

Regards,
Lynn

[Tim Kay]

Howard,

You really piss me off [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

You had to go and bring up, Sunday morning no less, something I personally struggle with within myself. I started responding to Franks thread (same basic subject) then stopped to read other threads, this was my next read so no getting away from it I guess.

Half ashamed, I'm a 'check book' guy [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]. And it really bothers me that I can't get 'down and dirty' with building motors, fabricating and engineering. But realistically, my time is better spent with family and work. The time I could spend building my GT40 is time away from family, work and driving. Second to hands on fabricating and tuning, driving my car is what gives me the most satisfaction.

Sure, I wish I could do a ‘ground up’ build. I envy you guys that take the time and have that satisfaction of saying “I did”. That’s what upsets me, I miss that kind of achievement. I had “I did” projects like this when I was younger but again, ultimately, what gives me the most satisfaction is driving and admiring the finished product (whether I finished it or someone did it for me. Come to think of it, I admire others finished products almost as much as my own – don’t we all). Time just doesn't allow me to dedicate to a personal build project.

As you might already know, my Tornado is down to the frame right now. I have a great guy doing the fabrication for me. What’s great is his shop is open to me when ever time allows. Why I bring this up is my car was running great and by most standards was ‘sorted’ but the desire to do something different, better, faster…..took over (everyone here knows that frame of mind) and what started out as an engine upgrade turned into a frame up re-build. Should have bought Rick Merz’ car [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

At this point I’ve come to accept, out of necessity, that 85% of a build must be ‘commissioned’ (as Frank says). So don’t get down on us guys that wish we could be there with you shoulder to shoulder and know your admired by us for having that ability.


Howard, I’m not really piss at you. Your one of ‘those’ to be admired [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Tim

[Andy Besic]

Tim

I'm jumping in as an observer of this thread so take it for what it is worth. In Howards defense I believe he is upset with the "turnkey" concept as opposed to the sub-contracted concept. From what I have followed in your upgrades you are researching upgrades and combining components in a "non-standard" way to achieve YOUR goals. That you are having someone talented with a torch or wrench do the work is not the issue. Your car will be a one-off Tornado40 to your specs.

You are a contributer to the hobbie by making personal changes to your car to improve it and documenting it so others can benefit from it.

My .02
Andy

[Tim Kay]

Thanks Andy. And Howard, I hope you truly take my comments as a compliment. This is all fun for me and I am very happy with my situation. This forum has been such a delight to be apart of that without my daily fix of reads I would have to fill a big void. I would probably have time to build a GT40 [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Cheers all.

[Howard Jones]

Tim, I think we are on the same page. I have had some things made for me. My roll cage for example. To bend 2 inch thick wall crome molly requires an investment in a huge steel bench and thousands of dollars worth of hyd. bending jigs and tools. Of course I don't think that somehow it's cheating to have that "commissioned". I did however spend dozens of hours at the shop that did it pointing my finger and designing the layout. This required getting my hands on a SCCA rulebook, looking at a lot of racecars, taking pictures, talking to people who I respect, and generally mothering the whole thing thru. Pretty much learning how to build a rollcage before I went over to the raceshop. There are some things I would recomend having done by a professional like welding up A arms and other high stress "itwill killya" parts.

I also understand about family time. I did my car in my garage and so I spent my last 5 years at home. Not at the bar, the golf course, or too much work, for that matter. My wife is starting to enjoy going to car shows and such and I hope to start doing track days soon. I can't wait to give her a ride. Family's cool.

I really hope I haven't pissed anyone off about this SPGT40 thing and spending their own hard earned money and such. Believe me I understand about hard earned money. My wife even calls me the cheep Italian. It's just that maybe I'm a little worried about a hobbie that required, not too many years ago, a guy to build it if he wanted it whereas it seems that fairly soon he will just have to want it.

Maybe change is something that can't be avoided. I am just a little worried about this one. I wish Ford never built the new GT. Sorry again it's just me.

[Steve Ard]

This last page explains alot. Some have been so helpfull and others won't even reply to a pm about my desire to buy a turn key GT40.

IMHO it would be good to keep in mind that not everyone who logs onto this site posts pictures of bikes, boats, planes or cars that he may have built, restored, or rigged himself.

In my case with regards to a GT40, I would love to have the best turn key road car I can buy. After many do it myself projects and the satisfaction derived from there completion, I now find using what little free time I have these days is better spent playing with the toy than researching and building the toy.

This is not to say that the momories, pride, experience and joy I got from "do it your self" projects won't be cherished forever.


Thanks, Steve

[Iron Sheik]

Brother Steve,

As I see you are from "RepubliK of Cali". I would respond to any question you might have, If I know anything about it. You should join us at Howard's house on October 1st. Lots of GTs,and lots of guinness!

Now if you were from another state,,,,,Hmmmm, may be not [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

If you knew Howard, you would know he is not talking about people like yourself. I think he is refering to guys, who would not know where the dipstick is on the car (Kind of like my causin, hopefully he is not reading this tread) [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Steve Ard]

Yes, there is nothing quite like politics in California. Did you know that our mean nasty Gov. hates teachers and nurses? But that is for another post at another time!

Thanks for you reply and invite. I will not have a GT40 by then but maybe a GT. I know they are completely different cars but for what I want they both will do some things great and others not so well.

[SpyderMike]

I, for one, am thankful I that there are companies providing options for me/us to decide to build or checkbook it. I want a GT40, but after building a business, another car and being 5 year into a plane kit, I don't want another multi-year project. I enjoy project(s), they can be very frustrating and very rewarding, but right now I don't have the time and time is too short.

I for one am looking forward to the SPF Mk II I have on order.

My update from SPF says that the dealers will have the cars soon - so you can go touch and feel and decide if it is an option for you.


Regards,
Mike

[Tim Kay]

Mike,

Do you know how soon? Is your delivery on schedule? Was it November '05? Keep us updated on your order [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

I'm close to you, so I'd really like to see yours when it comes in [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]