Take auto shop classes (even in Virginia they have those) and read about how to take things apart. Find a garage you can hang around, or get a job in a garage and ask them to show you things. Community colleges are a great place to take courses on how to work on mechanical things.
Finally, the best mechanic I know started by taking and completing a community college degree course in airplane mechanics. He worked 12 years for Eastern and is now the best exotic car wrench I have ever seen, bar none. That is a great way to get into this hobby or line of work.
Don't start with a GT40- take apart and rebuild something else which is less pricey and simpler to learn on, like an older Mustang, and then tackle a GT40.