Rick,
I hope the GT40 community realizes what we are loosing as you sell your car and and migrate south. You have been the standard bearer for GT40 replica ownership and, even more so, USE, in every sense of the word. Every time there was any kind of component/kit built function that was covered by any automotive magazine, there was the red GT40 of Rick Merz. Along with the caption chronicling his victory or victories, there was a quote from Rick saying, "It's just my daily driver" or "..bye the way, it's also my daily driver." In those few words, he told everyone who read them, that the GT40 replica is a car that you can use for what ever you want to use it for and it will work well in any and all of those roles. Beyond this, Rick has shown himself to be one of the most helpful owner/builder out there. He has always been open to any questions or pleas for guidance and willing to share what he has learned/developed through out the evolution of his GTD.
Everyone who has ever sold anything related to a GT40, from an entire car to a gas cap, in the US, at least, owes Rick a debt of gratitude in my opinion. If there were a Hall of Fame for GT40 replicas, Rick and this car would HAVE to be in it.
Regards and Good Luck Rick!
Lynn
But wait there's more..........For those of you thinking about buying Rick's car, a few years back a well known component car magazine mistakenly reported that Rick had sold his car following that years "Run and Gun." Seems that someone had overheard an offer of ~$100,000 being proposed to Rick. Believing that he certainly wouldn't pass up that kind of money, they published it as fact. Indeed, I reported it here on GT40s.com based upon that article. Some time later, when I asked Rick about it, he told me that his acceptance of the offer had been rumor and that he thought the offer was a joke; it wasn't. Now, I have advanced CRS, so I may have the exact facts a tad twisted, but the jist is accurate and it does make a good story.