new picture from california

[Pete McCluskey.]

I reckon mate it is up to you. If you need them for head clearance keep em. Personally I would take them off. But then I am vertically challenged and dont need head room. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Howard Jones]

I'm gonna count em up so far as 5-takeoff's and 5-leaveem's. We're gonna need some more input guys/gals.

I am just starting the body fitlines and final door alinement stuff. Then comes adding what looks like some fiberglass material to evenup some of the flat sections around the door openings, followed by overall sanding in prep for going to the paint shop. I expect that most of the remainder of the year will be gone before it gets painted.

Along in here somwhere I am hoping my new 17" BRM knockoff wheels get done and I will fit those along with the new pindrive hubs. As I get time I still need to do Fred's radiator refit, and reinstall the flywheel. So I have quite a bit of time to decide what I want to do with betty's bumps.

At this point the car is going to be a medium dark blue with a single bright red 10" wide stripe down the middle. I also have in my mind to add static cling roundels, black numbers on white. Wheels are gonna be a sort of all gold magnesium look. Hopefully next year some time I should be posting pictures of a "complete looking" betty with or without her bumps. The next phase, "Track package", will be wilwoods all around and a alum radiator, and some form of rosejoint suspension mod package. As we all know these things are never really "done".

Oh, and by the way I'm 5'3" so the bumps are not necessary, they came with the car.

 

[Ron Earp]

Well hell, might as well throw my 0.02 in. I like one, the one over the drivers door, but not two. Do you need two? What are the chances of needed two people in the car with helmuts? And, if so, the passenger can just suffer - that is what they are supposed to do anyhow. The car is for the driver - you! So, my vote is for one only, but only if you need it! You don't need them at your height, so, take em off.

R

 

Howy,

You MUST use the bumps or else,,,,,NO RADIATOR /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

That's right,,,,,,,

This weekend is fine, Sunday probably would be best for me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif I'll get the radiator down from top of the garage.

 

[Hershal Byrd]

One is plenty Howard. I agree with Ron. I think your color choice sounds good.

Hersh

 

[Max Walter]

My vote agrees with MK-IV J6.

If you were 6'+ and it was an absolute necessity, then fine, but just for the driver's side & people would understand when you got out why they were there. But at 5'3", people will think it very odd. Also what's the chances of having a 'permanent' passenger (i.e. girlfriend etc) who's 6'+ and needs the other?

Cheers, Max

 

[Malcolm]

Me again (so don't count this as a vote!!!) but when I say don't like the twin bubbles, one is fine in my books. On the drivers side of course! The reason I think two looks bad is that firstly they were there for a reason only, ie helmet head room and secondly an image of Mickey Mouse pops into my mind each time I look at the car cf his ears! No offence meant.
Malcolm

 

One only is my vote. It looks weird with two in my humble opinion!

I love the proposed colour scheme.

 

[Mark Worthington]

What Ron said.

 

[Bill Musarra]

My vote is one to hold true to the originals, but if your girlfriend is that tall keep it by all means /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Bill

 

[David Morton]

Another 5 cents from Italy (for only another 16 days then home) God forbid you ever inverted the car. How would you fair with a helmet bubble on both doors trying to bash one open to get out. Stranger things happen. (Mine has the bubble on the drivers side only)and with a roll cage the bubbles might not be a factor, but without a roll cage in softish dirt the bubble(s) might be an 'impediment to egress' (FAA term).
But it still looks good anyway. You do what you want - it's your toy and its not beyond the wit of man to have a third door ready to go anyway (and fourth even).
Dave M
Verona, Italy. (sweltering again).

i

 

[Howard Jones]

First I like the idea of a tall girlfriend, My wife does not. She is short like me so "we" don't need them. As I continue with the bodywork I think at some point before paint I'll take them off. The orginal shape of the car is so perfect that it seams a shame to alter it if it isn't necessary. The one good thing is the door tops are about an inch thick. If I simply cover the holes left from removing the bumps with a 1/4" of fiberglass mating then I will pick up about 3/4" of helmet clearance. Off they come!

 

[MWGT40]

Personally I think any Gurney bubbles spoil the beautiful lines of the 40 but if I had to have one to fit in I would go for one above the drivers door.

 

[James]

Necessity dictates that I will require a "gurney bubble". I am 6ft, my wife too is tall too - 5ft10". But I will not be installing a bubble on "her side" - the passenger side that is.(I'll get my bolllocks choped if she reads this!)

I think it depends on the usage of the car. If you are racing more than driving, you need not worry about the passenger as much.

However, if you are using mostly on the road then I can see the benefit of two bubbles - but it does not look right.

Regards,

J.P

 

[Bill D]

Personally, I don't like the look of the bubbles. So my vote is to remove them

Bill D

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

At 5'3", you don't need either of them. You should take them both off, especially as now is the time to do the glass work, when you are getting ready to paint the car.
The Gurney bubbles were a functional afterthought. They don't improve the looks of the car, no matter how well done they are. Arguably you can't improve the looks of a GT40; Ford have found this out trying to knock off their own original. If you don't need the bubbles for head or helmet room, take them off and be glad you don't need them. There are not many times in my life I have been glad to be 5'8", but as I think about my GT40, I am. Pity the guy who NEEDS the bubble- he has very little choice.
By the way, I like your color scheme idea a lot.