I got a question for you fellows

Hi I am new to this community and I would like to say i LOVE GT40's. But i do not know a lot about them except for the fact that theyre expansive,old,and the BEST. so my quesiton for you fellows are :
How do you guys is how old are you guys and where did you guys learn to build not only gt's but other cars as well? i ask this because i want to sort of follow you guys foots steps as gt maniacs. (??) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
and how many kinds of GT's are there?

 

Hi
In my experience, most of use were born this way. I am coming up to 50 years old and I built my first car at 16, a dune buggy.

You can teach a person to be a mechanic but the passion, mechanical aptitude and a desire to create things mechanical is in the blood.

The fact that you are interested is a good starting point I have two son's that are not so I guess we all need young people to get into this kind of hobby to take it forward, other wise in twenty years from now its going to be a very sad world with everyone driving mass produced boxes with electric engines.
Good luck welcome to our community and go for it, you just might get there
Chris.

 

[Malcolm]

At age 19 I had to choose between a Dax Cobra replica kit or an Alfa Sud. I swapped the Cobra for a Rolls Royce 6 years later and got my 40 at age 25. Now approaching 39.

Started mechanics with just a set of open ended spanners and a hammer (what more do you need?) and have listened and learnt from those much better than me to get me to where I am today.

Malcolm

 

[Scott]

Well, the short answer is a question. What do you do around the house/garage when something breaks? Most people here would probably take it apart to try and find out why it broke, and then fix it if possible. There is a satisfaction that comes from solving mechanical problems/making things better/faster. You either get the bug and dirty fingers, or not........ Welcome, Scott

 

[ QUOTE ]
Well, the short answer is a question. What do you do around the house/garage when something breaks?

BLAME THE WIFE OR KIDS. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Welcome Scott,I'm approaching 40 (from the wrong direction) and my first memory of trying things mechanical was at about age 15.
I purchased a box of parts which was alleged to be a 650 Triumph motorcycle. About a year later I had it running. My first kit car was a Bollwell. Two years of spending every night in the workshop and spending every penny I could scrape up. As a previous poster said "If you pull it apart to see why it broke", or if you pull it apart to see how it works, you will more than likely enjoy the satisfaction of having a hand in creating a thing of beauty. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

so who taught you guys how to build the cars or mortorcycles?from schoool, friends ?? cause nextyear iwant to take the class auto shop next year;its a class form school where they teach you how to build cars and if yo have enough money you can work on your car as a project. Some car company(guessing FORDs) made a donation for all kinds of equipments. THey also give you discounts for students. IF i were to build a GT40, how much would it cost and where can i get the parts, mainly the chasis.
P.S. I'm 14 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I just finished building my computer too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif and i like to open things up and see how they work or try to fix them if theyre broken

-Tom

 

[Ron Earp]

Hi LethargyTM,

Your best bet is to start hanging out with other motorheads and see where that leads you. Take your stuff apart and learn from that as well. Read books as much as you can too, help out at your local garage. If your local garage sponsors some type of race effort so much the better, there is sure to be other motorheads there. As for building a GT40, well, you can count on somewhere north of $40,000 for a properly built 40 (before you guys get excited I'm assuming he isn't a fabricator, isn't going to make his own chassis or glasswork) and $70,000 is not an unreasonable sum to figure putting into one.

Ron

 

I haven't built a GT40 yet, but I have built a Cobra. Things mechanical always have appealed to me. When I was a kid I would go around the house and take all the clocks apart (I'm 50 so these were NOT electronic pieces) and I would ususally put them back together eventually. BTW, I'm a Mechanical Engineer (of course).

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Hi Lethargy TM. I started learning as a kid pumping gas at a garage where the owner just happened to race a production car.(the oz version of stock car, sort off). If you are willing to work hard for no pay and long hours there are plenty of club racers who are always looking for help. Keep your ears open and your mouth shut and most people are only too willing to give advice and help. Good luck.

 

I dont mean to whine BUT I am a 14 year old freshmen who goes to high school and there are no other "motorheads" around, only mostly people who try to rap.
Just a another question, how old are you guys and where do you guys live??
and so did you guys basically learned from people but not in colleges or universities or school?

 

I got another fabulous questions.
-What is the difference between GT40 MK1,2,3 and so on
-Is this a English(Britain) site?? All these weird money signs confuse me
-From the pictures I've seen,and tell me if im wrong cause im a NEWBIE, are the engines at the back of the car for the GT's? cause it looked like the trunk was in the front and the back had a engine head(i think thats what its called) and the little thing that helps cool the engine. Like little holes that conneccts to the outside of the engine.
tell me if im wrong because i have no clue at all /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Howard Jones]

You mentioned a autoshop class, Thats what got me started. Then on to motorcycles, dirt ones, last years model that someone else has spent a fortune sorting out and wants a new one. English sportcars (old) in the service, you can learn to fix cars(a lot) that way. Then more motorcycles in collage, roadrace,flattrack. Racing at the beginner level with dirtbikes, 125cc's, was a very good start for me. They are fairly simple and require you to learn good work habits. Believe me when a wheel falls off you will learn the value of safety wire and such. For now make your bicycle the fastest one on the block!

 

the PURe joy of producing your babies. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

I started helping my dad work on his semi when i was old enough to talk, got into motocross at 8, then bought a really unreliable car and that was the clincher-- I am now a licensed mechanic going on 12 years in the trade and coming up to 30 years old. As for the diferences between the cars, it took me a few months to actually figure it out but the easiest way for me to tell is the shape of the rear deck, 1 looks "normal" (common is a better word) 2 the glass area looks really high and 3 looks long, 4 just looks completely different, keep looking at the pics and you will figure it out eventually. Many people will point out other differences but i cant see them, maybe different in person.

 

Hey Ron Earp how long would it take you for you to come up to the D.C. area?? Hey if there's a any GT40 carshows or old-car shows take me with you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif it would be great for me to see my first GT40 (except for games and pictures /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


Hey Pete and Ron Earp you guys mean like haning around people who live near my areas?? Oh for example Ron Earp are you a motor head?? or Garry Gibs?? yea i think thats a great idea. ill be your slave over the summer if me parents allow it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Hi Lethargy, I live in Australia, if you ever get over here
we will go hunt crocodiles together

 

I've been to Australia before. I used to live in New Zealand(i aint no kiwi). You ausies and your crocodiles. what about alligators mate?
goodday mate

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Alligators are like Kiwi's mate. Too easy to beat. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

oooooo wise but bad words. Is that why the Aussies lost everygame to the kiwis?