SUPERFORMANCE GT40 Owners Manual

[Blas]

Hello everyone,
I would like to tell you your wishes for a Superformance GT40 Owners Manual will be realized. I am 5 Sections into a GT40 Manual project already. With your help, along with the Hi-Tech factory staff, I hope to make this an indispensable manual for all owners.
I would like to invite anyone who wishes to share maintenance, repair, or any other SPF GT40 information with me to add to the knowledge base, to contact me directly by email and not thru this forum.
I’m seeing questions on foot pedal adjustments,
fueling procedure, backup lights, lifting points, etc. that I hope to address in the manual along with any other suggestions you might have.
Please contact me directly rather than using this forum for sharing information and photos,

Your name and car number just might show up in appendix as a contributor.

Blas
[email protected]

 

[Lee Patterson]

As a prospective owner in the future, is there a "build" manual or instructions that has already been created by the factory? As well as a suggested list of required parts with part numbers? thanks

 

[Blas]

Please contact me directly.
Blas

 

[Markus]

As a prospective owner in the future, is there a "build" manual or instructions that has already been created by the factory? As well as a suggested list of required parts with part numbers? thanks

Lee,
There is one "official" manual which needs exactly what Blas is suggesting.....
Markus

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiQ9aKMqo2FAxXqXfEDHcicB8wQFnoECBAQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.secondstrike.com%2FTechnical%2FGT40_OwnersManual.pdf&usg=AOvVaw26U9A8UWOneFLm5gDdKZ5-&opi=89978449

 

[Blas]

Thank you. I have had that original manual in my files for a long time. I really like the cover. Please keep the suggestions and other misc stuff coming. Markus sent a great list. A couple other people too. I’m concentrating on interior now, instruments, controls, pedals, steering wheel, electrical access, door controls ( original and newer layout) etc.
Looking for a really nice photo of dash with steering wheel removed. Chassis and tub section also started, along with intro, index, capacities, cover, yada yada yada…..
Collecting info….
Blas

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Lee,
There is one "official" manual which needs exactly what Blas is suggesting.....
Markus

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiQ9aKMqo2FAxXqXfEDHcicB8wQFnoECBAQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.secondstrike.com%2FTechnical%2FGT40_OwnersManual.pdf&usg=AOvVaw26U9A8UWOneFLm5gDdKZ5-&opi=89978449

A manual that only touches on a small part of the car and hasn't been updated in over 15 years. The "SPF GT40 wiki" that was online and has sadly disappeared, had really useful information. We are contributing to the work that Blas is doing. He has been a valuable asset to the SPF community for some time.

 

[Blas]

If any other Superformance owners want to make suggestions or share information for the manual. this would be the time to do it. Looking for info on lighting (bulbs, etc) and fueling.

 

[Rob Klein]

this is a huge undertaking, as not all cars are built the same. Honestly I would talk to Olthoff and see if you can get some updated build pictures.

 

[David Garton]

If any other Superformance owners want to make suggestions or share information for the manual. this would be the time to do it. Looking for info on lighting (bulbs, etc) and fueling.

I am a new owner and doing the build myself. I have many years with Ford and with the many brackets and un-assembled pulley slash tensioner it would make the beginner go crazy ! Not to mention the motor mount brackets with three hole mount plates that no Ford mount would bolt to. Without an insider from a build company sharing his valuable knowledge I would have thrown out the motor mount brackets and installed the taller Mustang mounts causing miss aligned angles from top to bottom. I list of part numbers from short water pump, Pulley's, with or without AC. Motor mounts are three bolt Chevy mounts . Color codes and description of the wire harnesses under the rear clamshell. All the things that should be provided with the car at delivery time. Thanks for what your doing.
David

 

[Blas]

Thank you for your input David, I have sent you a message.
So how about we add a “BUILDS ADDENDUM” section addendum to the end of Owners Manual?
I say “we” because you the owners must be willing to share what you have learned in the course of your drivetrain installation. Lots of different combinations of parts. More than I could hope to research alone.
We could first develop a list of needed parts first. Then get into details when the list is made. That’s on way to be immortalized in the GT40 world by getting your name added as a contributor in the GT40 manual..
Goes beyond the Owners Manual scope. It really falls into the Shop Manual category hence the addendum idea.
Blas

 

[Dave Hood]

Blas, I appreciate your effort here. I've put 22,000 miles on my SPF MK1 and I can honestly say that the Owners Manual from Superformance is a complete waste of space. One of the challenges here is that each SPF build is different. In my opinion, the two best resources for information are Dennis Olthoff and Paul Whitlock (Holman Moody). But I don't know how forthcoming either of them would be with detailed information to include in an updated manual.

 

[Blas]

Thank you for your thoughts. My intention is to make an Owners Manual, not a Shop Manual. I will include as much technical info as I collect, but going into the specifics of let’s say an MSD ignition module installation is outside the scope of what my manual will cover. BUT…. If owners want to share specific information regarding something like this, I’ll include it in an addendum. I’ve got a few responses so far offline regarding what to cover in the manual. So I have a good outline. Nothing overly technical has been shared to date by anyone. So the whole addendum idea might just be a mute issue. That’s up to you the owners to decide. I’m sure Dennis O. would help me with specific general questions, he always has in the past, but I would not try to replicate his installations in the manual. That’s his livelihood, not a hobby, and I respect that. Would be nice to know what the loose wires are under the rear clamshell for a new owner right?
So keep ideas coming. I’m at about 90 pages now.
Blas

 

[Blas]

Looking to hear from SPF owners that have their car but have done minimal assembly. I need a few photos. Contact me directly please. Specifically, exhaust tubes and a few from the box of parts.
Thanks.
Blas

 

[Bill Kearley]

Lets understand the difference between a owners manual and a build manual

 

[Markus]

Hello Blas,
thanks for your effort.
I have to think about - but a few things come into my mind:
- Spinner maintenance and safety wiring (regular topic here)
- Wheel bearings and proper way to adjust them (also was a topic here)
- Wheel bearing upgrade - different animal though
I will reply when things come to my mind...

Regards,
Markus

 

[Blas]

Thank you again Markus. Wheel maintenance and safety wiring will both be covered.
Regarding the Wheel bearing adjustment and replacement info I’ll need to get info from owners here on those topics.

 

[Ian Anderson]

Things I remember reading about

Parking brake the mechanisms came loose and needed rework….not sure if recent cars had this corrected
The rear horseshoe where the lower gearbox mount need to be fitted or the top horseshoe can buckle Jim Craik had this mod listed on this site
Sealing the chassis to stop hot air ingress Rick used to do kits
Stopping the master cylinders leaking and stripping the paint

Ian

 

[Dave Hood]

Maintenance of wheel bearings and recommendations for installing crush sleeves. Where to find and how to replace the turn signal flasher. Many of these things are complete mysteries in the SPF manual. Rick Muck's modifications for sealing the cabin against hot air intrusion would also be great to include, as would his upgraded AC relay for early SPF cars.

 

[Chris Kennedy]

This is a great idea, and if you are working with H-Tech can they give us a shop manual? This would concentrate on how the cars are assembled when they leave the factory, thus avoiding the different installations problem.

/s/ Chris Kennedy

 

[Blas]

No shop manual is available from factory. You can imagine the proprietary information, they must obligated to hold close. This is Owners Manual - but as I said earlier, it will contain a lot of technical info. But to date, only Rick Muck has shared any technical info on upgrading things. Lot of suggestions as to what to include from owners on site. Someone other than Rick could surely inform me or point me to info about the wheel bearing maintenance and replacement info. (Crush sleeve?)
What’s the issue with the parking brake? One car or all? The factory fixes known build issues if they are common I’m sure.
Add Markus and P.Fisher to the big help list too.
There were papers put out on early chassis number problems… got those included.
I’m at 131 pages already….
Anyone with my GT40 Wiring Diagram has my phone number, give me a shout with your thoughts.
Thanks everyone for your input.
BLAS