Just rememberd- another story Chris told me, was that soon after his father sold the car in 1970, the local Police came around to his garage, asking if he'd sold the car, because local constables were reporting a very loud yellow GT40 being driven "at great pace" around the area, and that the driver was seen on a number of occasions, power sliding the car around roundabouts. Even though they could hear him coming for miles, they couldn't stop him, and would he mind "asking the new owner to cease his activities"!!!
P1001
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Hi Jimmy... yes, there certainly is. I'm gathering information to put into leather bound scrap books, as well as a website dedicated to the car. The books would be a one off and belong with the car but, naturally, the website would be for all to share. The latest news is that one of my UK suppliers of parts, has located an old GT40 Webber throttle linkage, a period Marchal SEV headlight from 1045 and original Ford colour press brochure (a page of which is dedicated to the GT40). Once I get hold of it, I'll make sure you all get to see the GT40 page via this thread. Without looking back at the whole thread, a story which is worth repeating is that the GT40 Enthusiasts Club secretary, David Scaif (now a retired airline captain), actually drove down to Maidstone Police Station with the guy who the Police were looking for in the previous posting to register this yellow GT40 for the road. This would have been in 1970 and David recalls, how he'd lay in bed, in the early hours of Sunday morning, waiting to here the car being put through its paces, disappearing over the hills as the morning sun arose. The car was on megaphones and, hence, was very, very noisy (music), and could be heard for miles and miles.. Andrew
"The next powersliding owner", would this have been Terry Smith of Langton, it's his style of driving?
Before being road legal with silencers he used to be out on the roads at 2AM!!
Sorry hadn't read your last post until after posting this, idiot me!
Hi David.. any more stories of old to share with us?.. Regards.. Andrew
Print version of the story in Feb 2012 issue at Classic, Performance & Retro Magazine - Home (need to register but free)
Hello Andrew,
I havent read back thro this post so forgive me if its already been covered. The photo of your car in 67 that is in the latest club mag showing the rectangular aluminium frame over the exhaust, is part of the rules making GT cars have luggage capacity. 1075 and others had this and my car has it too. It is clearly seen in any photos taken from behind. You have probably solved this already because I dont know when your article was submitted. Hope this has at least partly solved that mistery anyway. Cheers Kev Farrington
I havent read back thro this post so forgive me if its already been covered. The photo of your car in 67 that is in the latest club mag showing the rectangular aluminium frame over the exhaust, is part of the rules making GT cars have luggage capacity. 1075 and others had this and my car has it too. It is clearly seen in any photos taken from behind. You have probably solved this already because I dont know when your article was submitted. Hope this has at least partly solved that mistery anyway. Cheers Kev Farrington
Since I haven't updated you lot for a while, I thought you might be interested to learn my remaining original GT40 instruments and Schafer bearings are on their way. These instruments include a fuel pressure gauge which mounts in the dash. As it's an old fashioned mechanical gauge, there will be a small diameter high pressure fuel pipe running through the cockpit! I am currently practising how to exit a burning GT40 as quickly as possible! I should also like to thank Ian Anderson's parents, who during their recent visit to Zimbarbwe, spent a couple of hours in the Bulawao newspaper office and managed to locate a race report dated December 1966, where Mike Spence and David Hobbs drove the car in two races.. winning both I recall. A dramatic incident occured when a "buck".. small deer, darted across the track firstly one way, then another. Hobbs having to direct the GT40 around the moving obstacle a number of times! I'll try to upload a scanned copy of this for you all soon... Best Wishes.. Andrew
Hi Andrew, forgive me intruding on your build site but re: mech fuel pressure gauge, I really wouldn't do that. Better perhaps to fit an electrical sender into the original gauge and do it that way. To be honest, no matter how hard you try you would never get out fast enough if the pipe failed which it can, through vibration. I have had it happen to me and it's not very funny.
Not sure you'd get through any inspection with a mech fuel pressure gauge in the cockpit either.
I ran a mech gauge and after my "little problem" ran them outside the screen on of my race cars and it was fine. Not a solution for you I know but some put a funky little aero 'cowl' around it. No such pretty solution for me, I just nailed it to the valance!
Drag Race Chevette: (Sorry about the red socks, but they did run 9.80 in the quarter!)
And Penske Iroc Camaro:
Not sure you'd get through any inspection with a mech fuel pressure gauge in the cockpit either.
I ran a mech gauge and after my "little problem" ran them outside the screen on of my race cars and it was fine. Not a solution for you I know but some put a funky little aero 'cowl' around it. No such pretty solution for me, I just nailed it to the valance!
Drag Race Chevette: (Sorry about the red socks, but they did run 9.80 in the quarter!)
And Penske Iroc Camaro:
Jim Rosenthal
Supporter
Andrew, if you look in Pegasus Racing's catalog, I think there is an isolator available so you don't have fuel running into the cockpit area via a pressure gauge etc. I don't think you can pass tech with that arrangement, either- it really isn't safe, you know. The isolator uses a glycerin column to pass the pressure to the gauge, I think is how it works.
Having had some interesting disasters with Bourdon-tube gauges like that on my boat (drive oil pressure gauge) resulting in quarts of hot engine oil all over the bridge, I now don't want them around.....
Having had some interesting disasters with Bourdon-tube gauges like that on my boat (drive oil pressure gauge) resulting in quarts of hot engine oil all over the bridge, I now don't want them around.....
Charlie Farley
Supporter
Realsteel do a kit Andrew, it retains the fuel way way away from the cockpit.
Sorry, but i thought i'd previously told you about this.
If you need any further info, feel free to call me.
Sorry, but i thought i'd previously told you about this.
If you need any further info, feel free to call me.
Hello, thanks Kevin and andrew for your concern, but this car is using 100% original parts and as it's a "crossover" car, there will be more than one fuel pipe in the cockpit. For those of you who aren't aware, the rules for the 1966 Le Mans governed that only one right hand fuel cap was allowed, presumably because the pit garages were on the right and the, then, health & safety brigade wanted refueling to take place on the nearside, thus preventing mechanics standing track side while refueling the cars with those heavy petrol containers in the slipstream of the cars flying by. I don't think there was a substantial concrete pit wall in those days to keep the racing cars away from the pits.. but I could be wrong on this point and look to the knowledge and experience of others on this forum for clarification. Hence, as there's only one fuel cap, the two bag tanks are coupled using a crossover pipe under the seats. In any case it was my wife's birthday yesterday, and I kindly bought her a set of flame-prooff knickers!
Kevin. those pictures you posted look magnificent, what a thrill it must have been to experience that sort of acceleration. thanks for posting.. Andrew
Kevin. those pictures you posted look magnificent, what a thrill it must have been to experience that sort of acceleration. thanks for posting.. Andrew
Thanks for the info, I didn't know they existed.
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=3011
It comes with a 4' hose. Is that long enough?
I am grateful for everyone's concerns and advice about fuel isolaters.. thank you. Sorry Keith, I wrote "Kevin" (above), but meant you. It's my age! Cheers.. Andrew
I spent 27 years married to various women who called me "Oi you". Being called Kevin is a step up and it begins with a "K", so it's all good.
My parts quest is drawing to a conclusion, with the latest acquisitions being original/period wheel spinners from 1017 (a bit rough & ready, but probably full of old motor racing stories to tell), fuel cross over valves, and 289 rocker shafts. Photos of the spinners attached. I have also collected from my very reputable source, original/period quad 48 IDA throttle linkage, full JWA new/old stock 289 gasket set and even... wait for this... still boxed set of ten Autolite spark plugs, suitable for a "stock" GT40-hipo 289, these being over 45 years old and still unused! I will provide pictures of the latter items as soon as I get chance, but in the meantime, pplease cast your eyes on these lovely old spinners.. Andrew
Ian Anderson
Lifetime Supporter
Andrew
Now you are teasing with a post like that and no photograph attached
Ian
Now you are teasing with a post like that and no photograph attached
Ian
