Last year at this time I got caught in a sudden rainstorm while driving home in my GT40 and was pleasantly surprised by how little water made it's way into the cabin. At the recent Road America event I drove through showers one evening, again with no significant infiltration. Tonight the weather dude assured us that there was only a 10% chance of an isolated shower, so I fired up the GT40 and headed to our village's weekly cruise night. I had just positioned the car when the only black cloud in sight parked itself overhead and proceded to dump a 10 minute deluge. "No problem", I thought. "I'll just hop in the car and wait it out. It will only last a few minutes." I climbed into the car, pulled the door closed and spent the next 10 minutes watching water pour through every conceivable crack, crevice and orifice. There were steady pee streams coming from the entire window perimeter on both doors, the overhead door seals and what felt like a garden hose trained on my pants leg coming from the central naca duct location on the cowl. Thoroughly soaked, I sloshed the car back home and pulled it apart to dry out. Soooo....it seems P2123 is no more water-tight than the rest of the bunch.
P2123 in the wet
- Thread starter daryl adams
- Start date
that is a bummer...I had a similar experience outside of Seibkins (sp?) at RA. Not fun.
Jack Houpe
GT40s Supporter
Mike, Daryl, if you ever figure out how to fix this let us know. I almost lost my Canon EOS rebel because I left it in the floor while driving in a sudden down pour. My lap top for programing the car had water pouring out of it from the same scenario. I don't know how but it survived.
I was told when I brought it up, "it's a race car". I don't remember reading that during the races in the wet, where the drivers mention being wet in the cars.
Look at the post P2125 (SteveC) has listed some of his improvements. I did the roof vent fix and that really helps when you wash the car, or what happened to you at a static setting. I was thinking this morning again about door seals used in some small GA aircraft. The door seal inflates to seal the door opening. However, the correct extrusion profile is the answer for most of us. I finally got my MKIII sealed up when I found where the entry points were (no seal around the windshield post throught the body and the lack of seal around the gas filler cap). Steve C started with a drop light outside the car and then looked inside. They can be sealed....but is should be done during the chassis build at the factory! I would be personally be embarassed if I were to turn out a product (not that cheap either) that cause so many a problem. I guess if you live in a desert area or California they seem to cope with low water tables ....and fires.
I see this involves car #s 2123, 2124, and 2125 funny
Look at the post P2125 (SteveC) has listed some of his improvements. I did the roof vent fix and that really helps when you wash the car, or what happened to you at a static setting. I was thinking this morning again about door seals used in some small GA aircraft. The door seal inflates to seal the door opening. However, the correct extrusion profile is the answer for most of us. I finally got my MKIII sealed up when I found where the entry points were (no seal around the windshield post throught the body and the lack of seal around the gas filler cap). Steve C started with a drop light outside the car and then looked inside. They can be sealed....but is should be done during the chassis build at the factory! I would be personally be embarassed if I were to turn out a product (not that cheap either) that cause so many a problem. I guess if you live in a desert area or California they seem to cope with low water tables ....and fires.
I see this involves car #s 2123, 2124, and 2125 funny
I have a CAV car and while most of these threads speak of the SPF's water intrusion isuues I will admit the first two times I drove my car I ran into rain. The first drive was a lite sprinkle but the second was a pretty good Florida drenching. While I did notice very small minor leaks I'm happy to report there was nothing like those reported above. One thing I have noticed is the cockpit of my car warms up considerably when the car is throttled. At first I thought its was engine heat but finally determined it was the gaps in the body and doors. These gaps allow plenty of hot Florida air to come rushing in which means I might suffer the same fate in the rain if I really push my car. Being my first drives in the car I did not attempt to test its limits in the rain and so I slowed to a respectable speed. What does all this mean.....the cars are literally hand built and it appears, to me anyway, it might be something I have to live with.
My car is P2133 and I made posts back in 2006 detailing the water ingestion problems and the rust that ensues. Take the time to lift the carpet and seats out and you will likely see rust pockets in the corners.
Here was the reply I received from Barry Block at SPF when this problem surfaced.
/We have told our customers that in fact the doors will leak water as well as the roof, it was the design of the car in 1965. We did not modify the original race car only made it up to more modern standards. Customers who we sold cars too were told this in advance. Some customers have complained about water in the cockpit, but the factory cant change the design under the contract with Safir who allows the rights to the vehicle.
Barry Bloch
General Manager - Superformance, LLC.
dba Shelby Distribution USA/
Bottom line ...don't let it get wet !!! :cry::shout::veryangry:
I have a "How To" in the works that covers how to do "some" waterproofing and techniques to deal with the rust that was there. I've just been a little busy. I've got some photos of what it looks like under the carpet but haven't been able to load them to the forum. I'll try later.
Here was the reply I received from Barry Block at SPF when this problem surfaced.
/We have told our customers that in fact the doors will leak water as well as the roof, it was the design of the car in 1965. We did not modify the original race car only made it up to more modern standards. Customers who we sold cars too were told this in advance. Some customers have complained about water in the cockpit, but the factory cant change the design under the contract with Safir who allows the rights to the vehicle.
Barry Bloch
General Manager - Superformance, LLC.
dba Shelby Distribution USA/
Bottom line ...don't let it get wet !!! :cry::shout::veryangry:
I have a "How To" in the works that covers how to do "some" waterproofing and techniques to deal with the rust that was there. I've just been a little busy. I've got some photos of what it looks like under the carpet but haven't been able to load them to the forum. I'll try later.
I think I have a fix. It involves some 4 mil plastic sheet, four grommets and four small bungie cords. ;-)
ive been caught in 4 rain storms with the car. 3 of them at road america.
the car leaked a little water, id say abt 10 drops onto my lower shins and that was it. not sure where that water was coming from, but my windows held just good enough. i never had anything actually leak onto me. (except the shins/upper ankles)
while the car was parked in the rain the seats and everything readily visible remained dry.
i think its a BS excuse to say "its a racecar, so the build quality is shitty and dont mind the leaks."
sealing seams has nothing to do with cabin design. these are expensive chassis and to be honest, though i find them fairly well made, i would expect the QC to be a little better.
the noble i had, from the same factory in SA, had very good build quality.
and didnt leak.
the car leaked a little water, id say abt 10 drops onto my lower shins and that was it. not sure where that water was coming from, but my windows held just good enough. i never had anything actually leak onto me. (except the shins/upper ankles)
while the car was parked in the rain the seats and everything readily visible remained dry.
i think its a BS excuse to say "its a racecar, so the build quality is shitty and dont mind the leaks."
sealing seams has nothing to do with cabin design. these are expensive chassis and to be honest, though i find them fairly well made, i would expect the QC to be a little better.
the noble i had, from the same factory in SA, had very good build quality.
and didnt leak.
That's exactly right, plus I think there's some negative pressure involved. I was moving fast enough that the airflow pulled the water over the car before it had a chance for gravity to cause it to "fall" into the cabin. One time I was out in my Dino and got caught in a shower with the top off. As long as I was travelling more than 75 MPH not a single drop of water came in. As I slowed down you could gradually watch the water begin to curl around the windscreen and feel rain start to hit the back of my neck. Speed up again and, presto, no water! (Thankfully I drove out of the rain before I had to stop.)
Well, and remember that I was stationary at the time, the rain came in all along the roof seam between doors and roof spider and all along the perimeter of the door windows. The other big culprit is the central naca duct, as it simply collects rainfall and acts as a funnel. The beauty of it all was that the two pee streams from the naca duct were perfectly located to fall on my insteps, so I just let them fill up my shoes. That saved me from having to mopup that portion of the water!
Don't forget that the Noble was designed from the outset to be a "real", quasi practical car. It's a fact that the original GT40s leaked like mad. I have a friend who had one of the original cars back in the day and used it for everyday transportation. When he heard I was getting the Superformance his comment was, "If it's a truly accurate reproduction, and it starts to rain...seek shelter!"
i brought the noble up as a reference to overall build quality. the gt40 doesnt have that same build quality.
if you accept the fact that since the original leaked, then this one will too, then thats that.
if however in 2009 if you feel that build quality isnt quite up to snuff on an 80k dollar roller chassis, like not sealing seams, cheap switches that break off in ppls hands, etc, then thats ok too.
im just sayin....
to use an excuse like "well its a racecar, they leak..." thats code for well we dont put a lot of emphasis on QC and sealing seams.
that said, i love my car. its my fav in the world. i just think they cut a few too many corners.
This is my experience as well. I have no central NACA duct (MKII), so no leaks there.
I also have no seals between the side plexi windows and the body. The other location is the overhead vent.
I think I might just tackle these - side plexi first, then door seals and then overhead vent.
Mike
Jack Houpe
GT40s Supporter
Imho: Could it be that the seals that clip on the spider are not sealing on the spider well enough that the water is running under the clip portion? If they are sealing against the door the water would run into the door seams and on to the flat area puddling and then run under the seal. A well placed bead of black rtv along the egde of the clip on portion of the seal may act as a dam keeping the water from running under the clip on portion of the seal.
On the naca duct portion of the leak if you cannot stop the leak can you channel the water with a well placed drain tube? Granted it is just a band aid fix. If I had bought my car I would not be happy either.
On the naca duct portion of the leak if you cannot stop the leak can you channel the water with a well placed drain tube? Granted it is just a band aid fix. If I had bought my car I would not be happy either.
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