Ford GT roadster at SEMA

[fordification]

I probably would never be able to afford a GT, but, I would like the option of walking into the car and sliding in. It gives the car character and a similar feeling of how it was with the original, without the cramped quarters. But it's a matter of personal opinion.

 

[bitzman]

Very Impressed that the top was figured out as well

It is one thing to hack the roof off of the car but another to actually engineer how a removable top would work. I am impressed that Ewing followed through with this.
Now the question is: How many orders is Genaddi Design going to get and what is it going to cost?
I wish theyhadn't chosen that butterscotch yellow color, though, like to see it in Tungsten Silver....

 

[bitzman]

There is another website with pictures but didn't get code

A guy just called from the SEMA show who is looking at the car. He said there is a website called
GTX1 (not I but "one") but I didn't have a pen to write down the four letter access code. Anybody else got it? Need to see more views....

 

[bitzman]

What's with the hideous wheels?

This website
has a good picture you can blow up almost full screen

http://www.speedsportlife.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=12265&cat=837

but who made those horrible wheels? They look like something out of the J.C. Whitney catalog?

 

[bitzman]

Found the list of aftermarket suppliers

Wheels: 6061 Alloy Corporation 19-inch front/20-inch rear
Seats: Sparco Carbon fiber Ford GT custom
Brakes: Brembo Alum. mono-block/two-piece rotors
Tires: Pirelli P-Zero Rosso
Dampers: Dynamic Dampers, Adjustable coil-overs
Trunk: Multimatic Carbon Fiber
Exhaust: Ford Racing - Borla
Interior trim: WK Industries
Paint: Debeers
Roof latching: RMD
Clam shell cassette: Manitowoc Composites

OK I wasn't there, so what is a clamshell cassette? A cassette player in the rear clamshell? Also isn't it a surprise that they switched to Pirellis? A slap in the face at Goodyear or was Pirelli pushing their tire is a reasonable replacement? Will GT owners start switching to Pirellis? What is the actual name of the wheelmaker? I thought 6061 was one grade of aluminum?

 

[dbk]

More pics...hate the wheels, but it's much, much better than I originally thought. I'm not a big convertible guy, but this is extremely good looking. I'm only guessing here, but I'm guessing there is serious feasability study occuring for this car. I'd buy it, like yesterday.

 

[saber]

But the new car does not have wide, high door sills. The doors are for looks, not function.

I think the doors are for function because it is the only way to get in with a car this low. Sideways would be terrible. Please get you car and after a month of use tell us if you change your opinion. To me this car is all about function.

 

[B O N Y]

off to SEMA, will post my pictures Friday afternoon, can't wait! :biggrin

 

[HJP]

Agreed. The door layout allows you to go down into the car, as opposed to having to get in sideways with a very large sidestep into the cockpit (e.g. the latest Viper)

I have yet to take delivery, however I found, for me at 6'5" the doors, as designed, are critical for me to get in and out, so I find it quite functional.

 

[bitzman]

For the tall guys

OK now that I see a really tall guy saying it's a convenience, I am swinging over to seeing the door's advantages instead of its disadvantages. That's because I know some guys 6'4" with Panteras who had to drop the pan 2", go to s thin shell bucket seat, and other mods just to fit and it's still a squeeze to get in and out. Tall guys (I am only 6'1" so not in their league) deserve to drive sports cars too and if the Ford unusual door makes it possible I am all for it.

Of course what will really happen is that someone will simply tool up for normal doors for the Ford GT (probably at about 10K a set) and you can bolt those on in a few minutes and drive your GT around as a T-top all summer. That way you won't lose much structural rigidity and still have an open car.

 

[bitzman]

The doors go back to Lola

The reason the Ford GT has the doors in the roof is
for all the reasons already mentioned but mainly because
the Lola GT had them. Ford hired Eric Broadley and bought two of the three Lola GTs for evaluation. They had doors that went far into the roof and at the time Ford thought Broadley a genius and figured he did that for a reason and they bought the reason.


Going back to the ease of race drivers getting into the car, remember in roadsters at the time the hot trick in the Fifties was to jump over the door into the car. I imagine it was quite uncomfortable if you landed on the shift lever!

 

[bitzman]

Appearance schedule for roadster?

Does anyone know where the roadster goes next?

I heard there is a auto show in Seattle.

And then in January there's the Detroit Auto show. Will it (hopefully) be painted a different color by then?

Has anyone talked to Mark Gerish who built the car to find out how many orders he has?

His last gig was stretching Rolls Royce Phantoms.

Does anyone know how they beefed up the car to make up for loss of structure? How much more it weighs?

 

[fordification]

everybody probably already knew this but, with the original, the seats actually sit below the door sill/gas tank. plus there's no center tunnel, and both seats fit very tight together, so you'd walk on top of the fuel cell onto the seat, put your hand on the roof edge and slide in. call me twisted, but just once I'd like to do this with a MkII. :chills:

 

[AMER SPD]

If you're not tired of viewing pics from SEMA, here's a link to pics my co-worker took. I believe he was interviewing all the ladies!

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/...t2bNm3ZNGyl&auto=1&idx=-1&m=1&d=1131491602655

 

[B O N Y]

link is broken.

 

[Jason Watt]

I'm getting tired of that car already...

Don't like it!!!

 

[B O N Y]

ditto...
looked better in person

 

[DLKGT]

Anyone in Southern Calif. that wants to see the GTX1 "up close" should be at the Crystal Cove "show" tomorrow (Sat. Nov 19) at 7-8am!

 

[SLF360]

Topless in Amerika....

From edmunds:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=107770#2

Note the following:

Although the automaker has no production plans for the GTX1, Ford spokesman Alan Hall told Inside Line that the Gennadi Group is prepared to make a similar conversion for GT owners who want the topless treatment.

Hmmmm.... :biggrin

At the recent Miami car show I was sort of special guested by the Ford guys there, and one of the SVT guys that gave me a personal showing of the GR-1, told me they are planning to do the Roadster.... I guess the verdict might still be out, he wasn't told to bullshit me, that's for sure...

stefan

 

[Papethova]

Anyone in Southern Calif. that wants to see the GTX1 "up close" should be at the Crystal Cove "show" tomorrow (Sat. Nov 19) at 7-8am!

Can you give me more info on this event please.