Stranded on the way to work....sigh...

[DoctorV8]

Well folks,

I was driving to work for the first time ever in the GT this morning, planning on taking it in for the axle bolt recall to the good folks at Gene Hamon Ford in Texas City this afternoon. I have about 1600 miles on the car (05 #1119), of which I have logged about 300 since taking delivery on 10/20/07.

Decided to stop at the EZ Tag store to buy a tolltag so that I could take the tollway (legally), and as I was pulling into the parking lot (slight incline), I lost my clutch. I had to roll back onto the surface street and wave people around me until a couple of nice folks from the Tolltag store helped me push it up into the parking lot.

There was hydraulic fluid puddled under the car. Reservoir still full under the hood. I was maybe 4-5 miles from home, and at full operating temp, had been driving VERY conservatively in traffic, and this is the coldest day of the year for us so far, with temps in the high 30s currently.

Anyway, this was before the dealership opened, so I called Ford Roadside assistance...and after being on hold for 50 minutes (!) I hung up. They are useless! Hamon's service advisor is very helpful....hopefully it'll be on the flatbed soon.

Here's hoping it's just a hydraulic line and nothing more serious than that....

Sanjay

 

[Chris A.]

Sounds like the bolts to me....not clutch

 

[Spirit]

Tomy will take good care of you.:thumbsup

Let us know what the problem was when the diagnosis is completed.

Hope is was only the axel bolts and not the clutch.

 

[pauleddy]

Good luck on this one! Has anyone noted differences between the now-available Ford replacement bolts/washers for the Output Shaft and those sold by Acufab?
Having mine replaced in January and would love to know if anyone has checked this out yet.
Paul

 

[THamonGT]

Awaiting Dr. Sanjay (Dr V8 ) and his GT and have two Master tech. here to work on GT. Sounds like axle bolts at this point but you never know. We'll take excellent care of this GT. Tomy Hamon

 

[STUNTS]

Good luck on this one! Has anyone noted differences between the now-available Ford replacement bolts/washers for the Output Shaft and those sold by Acufab?
Having mine replaced in January and would love to know if anyone has checked this out yet.
Paul

is it possible to flip your avatar.... that thing is making me dizzzzzy :biggrin

 

[cmoody32]

is it possible to flip your avatar.... that thing is making me dizzzzzy :biggrin

Try staring at my new avatar. :cheers

 

[tpraceman]

Awaiting Dr. Sanjay (Dr V8 ) and his GT and have two Master tech. here to work on GT. Sounds like axle bolts at this point but you never know. We'll take excellent care of this GT. Tomy Hamon

Maybe I should move my factory to TX just to get that Thamon attention.:thumbsup

 

[Hammer]

It sure sounds like the axle bolts. If so, you'll be fixed and driving again in no time, and with the replacement parts in place.http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin1.gif

 

[Hammer]

Woops. Looks like I don't know how to use the "smilies" at the end of the message, so I wound up with a url address for a smilie instead.

 

[Spirit]

Maybe I should move my factory to TX just to get that Thamon attention.:thumbsup

Come On Down.

We need more GT's down here - we are trying to pass up California.:banana

Tomy is top notch.:thumbsup

 

[Empty Pockets]

is it possible to flip your avatar.... that thing is making me dizzzzzy :biggrin

:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl :thumbsup :cheers

 

[Empty Pockets]

Well folks,

I was driving to work for the first time ever in the GT this morning, planning on taking it in for the axle bolt recall to the good folks at Gene Hamon Ford in Texas City this afternoon. I have about 1600 miles on the car (05 #1119), of which I have logged about 300 since taking delivery on 10/20/07.

Decided to stop at the EZ Tag store to buy a tolltag so that I could take the tollway (legally), and as I was pulling into the parking lot (slight incline), I lost my clutch. I had to roll back onto the surface street and wave people around me until a couple of nice folks from the Tolltag store helped me push it up into the parking lot.

There was hydraulic fluid puddled under the car. Reservoir still full under the hood. I was maybe 4-5 miles from home, and at full operating temp, had been driving VERY conservatively in traffic, and this is the coldest day of the year for us so far, with temps in the high 30s currently.

Anyway, this was before the dealership opened, so I called Ford Roadside assistance...and after being on hold for 50 minutes (!) I hung up. They are useless! Hamon's service advisor is very helpful....hopefully it'll be on the flatbed soon.

Here's hoping it's just a hydraulic line and nothing more serious than that....

Sanjay

Betcha a dinner in 'Vegas in September that it's the 'bolts. :wink

 

[THamonGT]

Update ----both axle bolts on left side sheered off at the heads, 3/4 fluid leaked out. No signs of locktite on any bolts (remove by fingernails, stripped bolts). Customer in shop with mechanic as we speak. (don't tell my ins. carrier) What an unusual happening this morning. This should be a good lesson. Everyone needs to get the old bolts off our GT's. You never know when it could happen. ON YOUR WAY TO GET THE FIX! What a great owner! Tomy Hamon PS Ford hotline very disappointing as customer called.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Hey, "Doc"! I'll be lookin' for that din-din in 'Vegas...:cheers

Pockets

 

[Spirit]

Hey, "Doc"! I'll be lookin' for that din-din in 'Vegas...:cheers

Pockets

Pockets, remember you will have to there in order to collect anything. :lol

I would buy you a drink or two so as to just meet the one and only in the flesh Empty Pockets and see your smiling :biggrin face.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I would buy you a drink or two so as to just meet the one and only in the flesh Empty Pockets and see your smiling :biggrin face.

Ya ...mebbe so...but could I keep 'em down a-lookin' at YURZ!:rofl

Depending on the DATES this thing is held, I might just take yuh up on that, Spirit! :wink :cheers

 

[KMCBOSS]

Ya ...mebbe so...but could I keep 'em down a-lookin' at YURZ!:rofl

Depending on the DATES this thing is held, I might just take yuh up on that, Spirit! :wink :cheers

Larry let me know if you might be interested in sharing a transport from the Seattle area. Ed

 

[DoctorV8]

Tomy is top notch.:thumbsup

Well...that pretty much sums up what I am about to say. He took what could have been a nightmare and turned it in to a wonderful experience!

There's been a lot of talk about our FGT forum and the quality of people that frequent this place, but let me just say, I got a first hand experience of GT camaraderie today at Gene Hamon Ford. VIP treatment all the way!

Tomy and his staff met me and the flatbed personally after our 55 mile trip to his dealership, and he personally helped unload the vehicle and get it into the shop. While the car was being diagnosed, I was treated to an amazing account of Ford racing history, which Tomy has meticulously documented through photos over the past 50 years. I saw pictures of him and Carroll Shelby, Stirling Moss, and Bob Bondurant...Tomy really needs to scan and post that black and white pic of Bondurant catching air under all four tires in a race prepped Cobra. Priceless.

As if that weren't enough, I was treated to lunch AND a tour of Tomy's own garage, where his immaculate white GT and his aluminum bodied Cobra reside.

His service advisor Wayne and his techs are all top notch, and treated the GT like I do. I lost a ton of diff fluid, and they had the bellypans powerwashed and sparkling by the time the bolts were replaced.

You already heard the diagnosis...you all were right on there. The fluid was from the rearend, not the clutch. How ironic that I was actually driving there to get the friggin' TSB taken care of!

I can't say how pleased I am with the experience....in a way, the halfshaft bolt failure was a blessing in disguise...I would have never driven all the way down to Texas City otherwise, and may not have met these fine folks.

Also, thanks to Kevin (kosupply) and others who recommended I use Hamon Ford. I strongly recommend that anyone in SE Texas make the drive down there to get their Fords serviced. It's worth it.

 

[Empty Pockets]

:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup