My late uncle, GT40 #1027

[Dean Toensing]

Hi there,
As we reflect on the passing of my uncle, James Toensing, I find myself reminiscing about my times as a youngster going over to his shop while he was restoring #1027. So much fun watching and learning, not really knowing how special that car was. Not long after the car was done Jim, the GT40 and his machine tools moved to Newport Beach where he could immerse himself in the restoration of cars at the Briggs Cunningham museum. He had a wonderful life doing exactly what he wanted to do. I really want to find the current owner of #1027 to see if I can get a printable photo file of the car. If any of you folks have any suggestions or leads I really would enjoy a framed photo in my den.
Regards,
Dean Toensing

 

[JimmyMac]

Hi Dean
Have you had a look at this.
https://www.classicdriver.com/en/car/ford/gt-40/1965/558575

 

[Dean Toensing]

Thanks, very nice photos! Need to get a high res file for a large print though.

 

[Otis Ostertag]

Hi there,
As we reflect on the passing of my uncle, James Toensing, I find myself reminiscing about my times as a youngster going over to his shop while he was restoring #1027. So much fun watching and learning, not really knowing how special that car was. Not long after the car was done Jim, the GT40 and his machine tools moved to Newport Beach where he could immerse himself in the restoration of cars at the Briggs Cunningham museum. He had a wonderful life doing exactly what he wanted to do. I really want to find the current owner of #1027 to see if I can get a printable photo file of the car. If any of you folks have any suggestions or leads I really would enjoy a framed photo in my den.
Regards,
Dean Toensing

 

[Otis Ostertag]

I can get you a high res picture.

 

[Stanley Bercovitz]

I probably have some photos around. I grew up next door to Jim and he trained me in the use of quite a few of his machining tools. He also put me to work at the Briggs Cunningham museum a bit, although only strictly menial work associated with the GT40. But most of my time was spent working on the GT40, keeping the rust away, having him teach me how to use an old Czech bearing machine (for the rebuilding of the Indy car) that took quite a bit of engineering to get into the back shop of his garage on Via Marina. I enjoyed the three times he let me drive the car although we could never get it up to speed or even get it to run smoothly at low rpms. When we began working on the Dan Gurney's old Indy car, I was forced to really apply my Toensing taught skills, many many rivets. One at a time under his watchful eyes. Before we would do our work we would sit in his office and go over, in detail, the work to be performed, the implications for not doing it perfectly, etc. Loved every minute of my time with him and he was entirely too generous to me, even through my undergraduate days. I wrote him regularly and he would write back. Cherished letters! I could go on and and on, but I won't! Somewhere I have photos of the Indy car. I believe it was serial # "close to 1". Was basically completely rebuilt.

 

[Brian Kissel]

Welcome to GT40S Stanley. Dean has not signed back on the forum since April of 2019. Perhaps if he is still doing a search, your post will show up and you make contact.

Regard Brian