Group Purchase of GT40 Drawings for Public Use

Hi All,

I would love this to be true, but I don't think 250 drawings is anywhere near enough to detail out the whole car, so this lot would have to be viewed as a start on making this public domain.
For reference I'm at ~200 drawings for my car which is much simpler part wise than would have been produced for the GT40 after all the fab of parts needed to be subcontracted and so on.
The next stupid question would be does whoever has these drawings have the right to sell them and are they under copyright or not? I wouldn't want Ron to be at the pointy end of some IP law suit.

Having said all that if some one knowledgable goes through them and says a chassis could be fab from them, then I'm definately in for $100.

If this is true the next stage would be to turn them all into 3D CAD to make sure it actually went together - fill in the gaps. Thats a project I'd like to be involved with.
 

Ron Earp

Admin
Hey fellows,

I've received a lot of PMs and emails on this subject and I don't have time to respond to them all.

Here is what I know:

  • We have had a few offers from individuals to sell "the group" the CD of 250 drawings.
  • The 250 drawing CD is not complete.
  • We have ample resources to purchase more than just that CD.
The group needs to decide if that CD is what is wanted, or, do they want to shop around and see if they can get the complete set of drawings. They exist somewhere but I think that those that have them enjoy their exclusivity.

Some things that should be looked into or resolved:

  • Can the entire set of drawings be procured? I think it is fairly certain there are people on this forum who have the contacts to obtain the complete sets if they are interested in doing so.
  • Who owns the rights to these drawings, are they in the public domain (an attorney should look into that, we have a few on the board)? Does it matter if they are in the public domain?
Please, let's keep the discussion at the forum level. I just don't have time to work through emails and PMs on the matter. I'll be happy to coordinate handling money for the group and hosting whatever it is the group ends up getting on the site. Access to the material will be decided by the group, however, I hope that it'll be open to all. Like I said, I don't have any interest in the drawings, I would just like to unmask this veil of secrecy that has surrounded them. Plus, it'll cut back on one of the most asked questions at GT40s.com - where can I get a set of plans/drawings for the GT40?:drunk:
 
This all sounds very interesting !
Even if these are not for the totally completed car,
I'd think there would be a lot of questions answered.
Put me down for a $100.

Cheers !
Curtis
 
I'm in for $100. Like all, I'd be more than interested in a full set of drawings, if they could be procured.

Ron R
 
Could you please, copy / paste this list adding your name and contribution?

Ron Earp: 100$
Skeleton: 100$
Woods428: 100$
Jac Mac: 100$
Mark IV: 100$
albanygt40: 100$
nota2266: 100$
jimbo: 100$
Olivier: 100$
Russ Noble: 100$
Bruce Burges: 100$
Doug68 : 100$ (full set only?)
Curtis: 100$
Igofaster: 100$ (full set only?)
 

Ian Clark

Supporter
Ok I'm in for a $100usd too. How about 100.00 becoming a one time fee for interested GT40s Forum members to have access to ALL drawings as they acculmulate in a forum managed archive? Such an archive would be self sustaining as more guys decide to buy in. Just an idea...
 
Ron,

Went a head and sent my $ by U.S. Post this A.M.
If for some reason the drawing thing doesn't happen.......
just consider it well earned support !

Thanks !

Curtis
 

Markus

SPRF40
Lifetime Supporter
Could you please, copy / paste this list adding your name and contribution?

Ron Earp: 100$
Skeleton: 100$
Woods428: 100$
Jac Mac: 100$
Mark IV: 100$
albanygt40: 100$
nota2266: 100$
jimbo: 100$
Olivier: 100$
Russ Noble: 100$
Bruce Burges: 100$
Doug68 : 100$ (full set only?)
Curtis: 100$
Igofaster: 100$ (full set only?)
Weisserheilbronn: 100$
 

Brian Stewart
Supporter
Originally Posted by Olivier
Could you please, copy / paste this list adding your name and contribution?

Ron Earp: 100$
Skeleton: 100$
Woods428: 100$
Jac Mac: 100$
Mark IV: 100$
albanygt40: 100$
nota2266: 100$
jimbo: 100$
Olivier: 100$
Russ Noble: 100$
Bruce Burges: 100$
Doug68 : 100$ (full set only?)
Curtis: 100$
Igofaster: 100$ (full set only?)
Weisserheilbronn: 100$

Brian Stewart - Yes, put me in for $100 too.
 
Ok I'm in for a $100usd too. How about 100.00 becoming a one time fee for interested GT40s Forum members to have access to ALL drawings as they acculmulate in a forum managed archive? Such an archive would be self sustaining as more guys decide to buy in. Just an idea...


I like this idea.
But I'm in no matter what gets decided....short of a paid vacation for Ron :).
 

Ron Earp

Admin
Fellows,

it is clear the group has the funds.

However, we need champions for these items before we can proceed:



  • Can the entire set of drawings be procured? I think it is fairly certain there are people on this forum who have the contacts to obtain the complete sets if they are interested in doing so.
  • Who owns the rights to these drawings, are they in the public domain (an attorney should look into that, we have a few on the board)? Does it matter if they are in the public domain? If you buy them they are yours, and you decide to share them is it an issue? I could see a clear "can't do that" if we're talking about a current production NY Times best selling book, but these are one-off materials from a company that no longer exists.

I've already had a flurry of emails and PM's over drawings/images/plans. One thing seems to be clear to me - those that have them want to preserve their exclusivity.

I'd suggest no more posting of "I'll pitch in $100", but instead some folks focus energy on the two items above. As I mentioned, I'll coordinate funds and a vehicle for access to them, but the points above I'll not pursue. That'll be up to other interested parties.

Ron
 
I imagine that this thread will go quiet now as people try to acquire these drawings "behind the scenes". The ultimate goal, in my opinion, should be a complete set of drawings for the entire car. However, this can be reached in stages. So should the 250 drawings CD be one of those stages or should the group go all out for a full set of plans from the outset? Im in by the way.
 
Concerning the "rights" about the drawings, Does anybody know who owned them?
As far as I know, Ford had transfered them to JWA, and since JWA is out of business since a looong time, who now owns them?

I've read somewhere (I think in Jimbo's build thread) that Safire had registered the shape ogf the GT40.

Does anybody knows if Mirage Automotive, SPF, Geox, Gelscoe and other "originals" tub-maker are paying royalties or have bought any license for producing cars?

Now, concerning the full set, I may not post it here, but it's obvious, that if one come out the closet with a set and willing to sell it to the "group", all these sets arround the world will become virtually valueless. So the first to shoot would be the only one...
I have no Idea about the actual value of theses drawing, 5k? 10k? 25k?
then this is now "all or nothing" (sorry don't know the right english expression...)
It seems that the GT40's world is a little world, and I guess that this project is already known by most of the people who own the drawings.
Will it precipitates the process, with someone deciding to sell, before the others and then get a chance to make some money before the others, of will there be a "secret agreement" beetween them, trying to preserve their priviledges???

Let's wait and see.

Sorry for this loooong blabla, but I'm so excited by this project that I feeled I had to share my guess and thought about it.

Feel free to delete it if anyone think it's a lot of bullsh*t, or may compromise our chances of success.

Olivier.
 

Ron Earp

Admin
will there be a "secret agreement" beetween them, trying to preserve their priviledges???

Maybe not a conscious agreement, but I think you're correct. One subset of drawings has been publicly withdrawn from sale in the last 24 hours.
 
It seems that there is some kind of "mystical secret" arround the drawings...

Maybe an old malediction stating "The drawings you won't show! The drawings you won't sell! If you do so, Earth will open under your feet, sky will fall on your heads and the entire mankind will be reduced in slavery for the pleasure of Aliens from outer space"

Well... Here in France, we have a proverb which says: "L'argent n'a pas de maitre" (money has no master)

Let's publicly show the biggest figure we manage to, and let's wait for a courageous (and of course anonymous) fellow to come...

Olivier.
 

Rune

Supporter
Just to inform You guys that th total number of drawings to build the complete car is aprox 2600 sheets . But the 250 drawings is a nice start.
 

Jim Rosenthal

Supporter
These drawings were made forty years ago. My guess is that the reason for all the secrecy is that they would be in the public domain at this point; there probably aren't many sets, and those who have them either paid a lot for them OR want to preserve their value. So hence all the cloak-and-dagger stuff. I'm wagering that any copyright- if they were ever copyrighted, and I have no idea whether they were- has probably run out. And owning the drawings doesn't confer the right to renew the copyright, I think, so whoever has them is keeping them under wraps.

FWIW, the process of making these public- which is in the best interest of all- starts here, with these 250 plates. Obviously, those who own them will not be keen on it, and perhaps may try to stop that process. We'll see. But if we are able to get the process begun, maybe at some point all the drawings WILL be generally available. And for those brave souls willing to build an entire monocoque, the knowledge will be out there. Which means potentially more GT40s on the original pattern. To which I say, excellent.
 

Dave Wood

Lifetime Supporter
Rune, your sig line suggests that you are fabricating from the 2500( or was that 2600) drawings. That would seem to indicate that you have them or access to them. Is that the case.
So I ask you, can you get a full set or are you in some blood pledge that prevents you from doing so?
I looked at your post again and see that both numbers are mentioned, are you short 100 pages or was one of those a mistype?
 

Rune

Supporter
I tried to update my signature to 2600 drawings but it do not seems to accept this.

No I'm not in short of drawings. In fact I have none of them, but I have access to all of them, and I'm building my 40 by using these drawings. Lucky me I was at the right place at the right time.
I'm sure of that none of these drawing set never will come public.
I vould say that it is almost impossible to build a complete "gt40 clone" witout all drawings.The monocoque chassis is a very complex build , and all out there that have done this, have my greatest respect.
Regards Rune
 
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