GT40 Restoration Project #1032

[Cobrar]

Chassis 1032 - Mark Donahue Car from 1966 LeMans. Car was shown in Dearborn last week, nearing end of restoration project. Looks and sounds incredible. Interesting story on this car, even though it wasn't a factor in the '66 race.





http://www.gt40s.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=45457&d=1267028211

 

[djs]

Thanks for posting this. I'm still trying to picture Donohue pulling over and putting the clamshell back on to limp towards the pits. Wonder if anyone has images or film footage of that?

 

[Jim]

This was a 100% volunteer restoration project by a bunch of us at Ford and some retirees and a few others. It was a 4.5 year project and an incredible since we took every single part, rivit, screw, washer apart on this car (it had not run since 1967 - just sitting in the INDY Museum deteriorating). It was a complete "preservation" style restoration - not over restored. Lots of patina remains. The goal was to preserve it.

It is night-n-day different than my 2005 GT. Raw, rough, loud, stiff, light, a real monster yet so wonderful......

We displayed the car at yesterday's St. John's Concour (replaced Meadowbrook) and it was a real treat. We won 2 awards; the Lion Award, and the "Most Significant Ford" award so it was 2 trips with the car to the podium. The crowd really appreciated it. Got to shake Bill Warner's hand!

We gave the car back to the Indianapolis Speedway Museum yesterday. Ford employees giving back to the community.

 

[Luke Warmwater]

Stumbled on to this on YouTube. Great job!

[video=youtube;lnjXjwp04nI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnjXjwp04nI&hd=1[/video]

 

[cobrajeff]

This was an amazing project. I happened to be there the night the 427 engine for this car was first fired up - here Jim and Mose wake the monster up and set the initial timing:

[video=youtube;_oEuHu7op28]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oEuHu7op28[/video]

Saw the car Sunday at the Concours - great job Jim!

Jeff

 

[Cobrar]

This was a 100% volunteer restoration project by a bunch of us at Ford and some retirees and a few others. It was a 4.5 year project and an incredible since we took every single part, rivit, screw, washer apart on this car (it had not run since 1967 - just sitting in the INDY Museum deteriorating). It was a complete "preservation" style restoration - not over restored. Lots of patina remains. The goal was to preserve it.

It is night-n-day different than my 2005 GT. Raw, rough, loud, stiff, light, a real monster yet so wonderful......

We displayed the car at yesterday's St. John's Concour (replaced Meadowbrook) and it was a real treat. We won 2 awards; the Lion Award, and the "Most Significant Ford" award so it was 2 trips with the car to the podium. The crowd really appreciated it. Got to shake Bill Warner's hand!

We gave the car back to the Indianapolis Speedway Museum yesterday. Ford employees giving back to the community.

Congratulations to you guys, it is an incredible piece of work! Indy is very lucky to have the car! :thumbsup

Last year I mentioned to Mose K., that it sure would be a great thing if HF would turn you guys loose to work your magic on the "Red One" over at the Henry Ford. Any chance on that, it would be wonderful to see it up and running again.

 

[SteveA]

:agree: My all time favorite car. I would plan vacation time around watching you guys fix the heart of that beast.

 

[fjpikul]

Is that Neil Ressler in the background?

 

[cobrajeff]

If you're referring to the photo, that looks like Mose K seated behind the car. He was with it at the Concours, too. I think Neil is spending most of his time in Naples, FL, these days (his GT is wearing a FL based gated community ID decal).

Jeff

 

[Cobrar]

If you're referring to the photo, that looks like Mose K seated behind the car. He was with it at the Concours, too. Jeff

Yes, that is Mose K. seated behind the GT in photo #2.

 

[AtomicGT]

I had contacted the son of the original Holman of Holman-Moody who sponsored and took 3rd in the 1966 Le Mans race. He told me they painted the front fenders with a black light positive paint and kept a black like on at the entrance to the pit lane. They could tell whcih car was coming in by the color that was stimulated by the black light. Remember the wining Holman Moody car had a 1966 Ford Fairlane Bronze coat with a hot pink paint on the fenders.

My neightbor had an orignal 1966 red / white Mark II. Right sided steering, ZF (Zhan Fabric) shifter on the right side of the steering wheel. He paid $100K, early 90s for it, put $300k into restoration somewhere in Minnesota or Michigan, and sold it at Pebble Beach after wining best of show in the car range post war class, sold it for $1.5 million.

 

[Jim]

That's Mose Nowland sitting behind the car. he was with #1032 at the '66 LeMans race adjusting the valves and general engine man. Mose built the 427 in our restoration project from the ground up. He is an amazing guy. 56 years at Ford and still going strong!