Is There Anyone Out There with an Unmodified FGT?
- Thread starter AtomicGT
- Start date
Pretty much what I've done to mine. You might also want to look at the rear bumper delete....really smooths out the back end (the way God intended). I used the AccuFab exhaust with standard length tips. They stick out about 6" or so. Looks like the original GT40. :thumbsup
Spirit
Heritage GT Owner
jbyrnes
FORD GT OWNER
I'm thinking that most GT's are totally stock
I would bet that more than half, and likely 2/3 of our cars are totally stock. My theory is that only the enthusiasts will want to bother, and of us "true" enthusiasts (if you're reading this you qualify) there's a small contingent like myself who bend more towards the concours approach anyhow (but might mod to non-streetable if we could afford it). I'm guessing that a big percentage of buyers were/are speculators who have left their cars alone either because they keep it in a bubble in a remote warehouse or they know if history repeats itself that their return on investment will be higher if they keep it stock. Still, of 4000+ cars, that would mean that 1500 to 2000 are modified. Does that seem about right? No way of telling, but one thing for sure is that the 50 or so frequent visitors here are hard core fans who enjoy playing and sometimes modifying our cars so taking a poll on this core frequent-visitor group will certainly give skewed results. Same reason that taking a census at the convention will show a high percentage of modified cars. I don't believe that us non-modifiers need to feel like we're in the minority though (just around here maybe).
I would bet that more than half, and likely 2/3 of our cars are totally stock. My theory is that only the enthusiasts will want to bother, and of us "true" enthusiasts (if you're reading this you qualify) there's a small contingent like myself who bend more towards the concours approach anyhow (but might mod to non-streetable if we could afford it). I'm guessing that a big percentage of buyers were/are speculators who have left their cars alone either because they keep it in a bubble in a remote warehouse or they know if history repeats itself that their return on investment will be higher if they keep it stock. Still, of 4000+ cars, that would mean that 1500 to 2000 are modified. Does that seem about right? No way of telling, but one thing for sure is that the 50 or so frequent visitors here are hard core fans who enjoy playing and sometimes modifying our cars so taking a poll on this core frequent-visitor group will certainly give skewed results. Same reason that taking a census at the convention will show a high percentage of modified cars. I don't believe that us non-modifiers need to feel like we're in the minority though (just around here maybe).
I agree with that 100%, but even then a car is still a bad investment. So I buy cars to enjoy without too much thought to resell value. I consider buying new cars as either a necessary transportation expense, or a luxury expenditure, but not an investment.
__________________
BlackICE
I 'm with BlackIce .
I will keep my GT till death do us part !
My mods are more of function and obviously personal taste .
Trans cooler ,mac relocate ,swapped out my mac for nav/ipod/satellite set up (I hate getting lost ) short throw shifter and knob ,Kips arm rest storage ,Stillen exhaust (this is how the car was meant to sound ! ) Armour fend clear bra and Hoosiers. Thank you to Rich Roback ,Shadowman ,and my buddy Specracer (Andy) for all there help !!!
I so enjoy all my "mods" .I feel I have made it a more fun and useful experience. Now if I could only make the trunk more functional !!!!!!
ENJOY THE RIDE ! DRIVE OFTEN!!!
__________________
BlackICE
I 'm with BlackIce .
I will keep my GT till death do us part !
My mods are more of function and obviously personal taste .
Trans cooler ,mac relocate ,swapped out my mac for nav/ipod/satellite set up (I hate getting lost ) short throw shifter and knob ,Kips arm rest storage ,Stillen exhaust (this is how the car was meant to sound ! ) Armour fend clear bra and Hoosiers. Thank you to Rich Roback ,Shadowman ,and my buddy Specracer (Andy) for all there help !!!
I so enjoy all my "mods" .I feel I have made it a more fun and useful experience. Now if I could only make the trunk more functional !!!!!!
ENJOY THE RIDE ! DRIVE OFTEN!!!
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Its not really a "Hill" its more like a speed bump, glad you crossed it and don't ever want to go back! I love stock cars and most of mine are but some are not and the GT is one. The S/C engine just begs for more boost that really brings it alive and it becomes so much more car for so little money. You can't even tell its not stock from a visual or driving point until you put it in full exercise mode and then additional power makes the car much more enjoyable IMO.
Gulf GT
GT Owner
Not that I care about the value of my car, which I really don't. It's something I enjoy like a large toy or hobby and that is all. It's great that it's worth more than what I paid for it, but if it was practically worthless and I couldn't sell it for even $50,000, it simply would not matter to me.
With that being said, anyone that thinks a bone stock FGT will be worth more than one with at least some or all the options that Ford Racing officially offered like the short shifter & knob, rear exit headers (or at least one of the exhaust combinations), optional light weight wheels, tranny cooler, etc., is out to lunch. There is nothing wrong with keeping a car bone stock or adding hairy pink seats to it, but saying that you’re not modifying your car to “preserve the factory bone stock collectibility” just isn’t accurate thinking in my opinion. If that is your goal, then you better go out and get these mods done before they aren’t available, because I can guarantee you that one with all the Ford Racing mods will be worth 3 times as much as one without them in 30 years. Look at practically any other vintage car from 30 years ago and you’ll see what’s coming for value in your FGT in the future. It’s quite simple really.
I likely have more mods than just about anyone out there. I have tried to do them in the spirit of the vehicle, and as a side benefit some are going to increase the car’s value, but I did not do them for that reason alone. I did them for the hobby and the fun of it, the value increase is just an added bonus.
With that being said, anyone that thinks a bone stock FGT will be worth more than one with at least some or all the options that Ford Racing officially offered like the short shifter & knob, rear exit headers (or at least one of the exhaust combinations), optional light weight wheels, tranny cooler, etc., is out to lunch. There is nothing wrong with keeping a car bone stock or adding hairy pink seats to it, but saying that you’re not modifying your car to “preserve the factory bone stock collectibility” just isn’t accurate thinking in my opinion. If that is your goal, then you better go out and get these mods done before they aren’t available, because I can guarantee you that one with all the Ford Racing mods will be worth 3 times as much as one without them in 30 years. Look at practically any other vintage car from 30 years ago and you’ll see what’s coming for value in your FGT in the future. It’s quite simple really.
I likely have more mods than just about anyone out there. I have tried to do them in the spirit of the vehicle, and as a side benefit some are going to increase the car’s value, but I did not do them for that reason alone. I did them for the hobby and the fun of it, the value increase is just an added bonus.
What if about 200 owners or so agree to keep their cars "bone stock" for the museums and the rest of us can modify and drive the wheels off the rest of the GT's. By doing this there will be many parts in need of replacement thus an increased demand for these parts. That will create a "market" for parts!!!! Cool, huh!! Even if Ford doesn't produce an ongoing supply it would give our vendors the opportunity to make more parts!! This keeps the cars on the road and actually keeps parts somewhat resonable because of the increased demand !! Actually you will see some parts even improve over the original design. 
I am a modifying nut. I think my set up is very different from the majority of changes that I have seen..more extreme..I wanted my car to be extremely tight and responsive with the greatest amount of viseral excitement..so I decided to have a local shop, that had upgraded several GTs of varying levels of modification, install a custom coilover package with fabricated billet ball joints at the front end to keep tire contact to a maximum while lowering the car 1 3/4 front 1. They directed me to a local alinement place that knew how to perform a proper alinement with my tires wearing evenly..now I even went further having custom motor and transmission mounts installed. All I can say is Holy ****. The car has now really become a racing car for the street. However, ride quality is smooth with bumps soaked up instantly..Handling is greatly improved..This is extreme but you now feel very ferrari like in the amount of fine detail sensations...the car does vibrate alot around 2800 rpm but much less than you would think overall remains comfortable..at least in my little piece of insanity. Also did HRE comp series 18/19 PS2 Derry's lugs, lowered shifter ball, trans cooler, Stormy's cap set up Protection film, Accufab exhaust, suede headliner, leather door inserts, dyno tune and pulley