Stress cracks in 27K mile, 0 Stories 05 GT

[thegtguy]

Looks like from where the roof panel and B pillar come together. There is a lot of body filler “Bondo” in that area from the factory around that seam.
Seen that on 2 cars but that was from after an accident. Must be some real bumpy roads up there.

 

[Joe Dozzo]

Thanks Rich!

There was a total of about 200 miles or so (in several smaller 20-30 mile segments) of hardpack dirt / gravel / very rough tarmac with some "washboard". I'm now reasonably certain that was the cause and the location is exactly where / as you describe it.

I think I'll just live with it until I decide to freshen up the car.

Again, many thanks!

Joe

 

[Flatrod]

Where you in Anchorage Joe? I bet everyone enjoyed seeing the GT on the road there. I think there are 3 other GTs in Anchorage but they hardly ever get driven I think. Flatrod knows more about them.

Ed

Ed, Joe's car made the 9th GT here, but you are right, they are rarely driven here. But to make Dr Frank happy, the three most driven here are red cars, Well besides Joe's car.

 

[Sinovac]

Thanks Rich!

There was a total of about 200 miles or so (in several smaller 20-30 mile segments) of hardpack dirt / gravel / very rough tarmac with some "washboard". I'm now reasonably certain that was the cause and the location is exactly where / as you describe it.

I think I'll just live with it until I decide to freshen up the car.

Again, many thanks!

Joe

The area shown in your picture appears to be on the vertical pillar based on the taper and the orientation of the latch. The connection Rich posted about is on the roof.

 

[Ed Sims]

Flatrod - I'll be there for New Years Eve fun! Maybe I'll see you then. I thought it would be cool to accept delivery of my NGT in Anchorage at Worthington Ford.

Ed

 

[PeteK]

I agree with Gary. Not only do they not remotely look like stress fractures, but there is no way you would have stress fractures at the pillar.

Ditto Gary and Sinovac comments: The middle of the pillar is an odd place to have stress cracks, let alone two of them side-by-side. Cracks generally occur at "stress risers" such as sharp corners. I have 43,000 miles on my '05 and don't have any cracks anywhere that I've noticed.

 

[Joe Dozzo]

The area shown in your picture appears to be on the vertical pillar based on the taper and the orientation of the latch. The connection Rich posted about is on the roof.

My bad, you're right. I saw what I "wanted" not what was really there...

All the same, no one seems particularly alarmed... Amused maybe, but not alarmed... So I'll just keep driving and monitor them.

Thanks all.

 

[Sinovac]

My bad, you're right. I saw what I "wanted" not what was really there...

All the same, no one seems particularly alarmed... Amused maybe, but not alarmed... So I'll just keep driving and monitor them.

Thanks all.

You can have peace of mind knowing that underneath that body panel is probably the strongest section of the extruded aluminum hoop. The frames on our cars are amazingly robust.

 

[Xcentric]

http://www.know4now.com/2013/03/the-roof-of-the-ford-gt-is-so-strong-it-broke-the-crushing-machine-during-testing.html

 

[snap]

Looks like stress cracking of the panel at the compound curve when you get lateral movement. The "arch" is flexing. If it was a flat panel ...it would have flexed but because of the wrap-around it cracks. Seen this on older corvettes that are raced. My 2 cents worth

 

[maxemus]

That's why I take my flag to Alaska instead of my GT. I'd be obsessing over every bump

Hope it's nothing serious Joe

 

[GTdrummer]

Your reaction to Rich is the correct one. Don't obsess over it, worry about it and get a good night's sleep. It's very likely a non event. Go get 30k miles.

 

[shelbyelite]

That's scratches in my opinion. Do not look like stress cracks at all. We see lots of stress cracks on front bonnets and plastic bumpers, but not typically in that area. But, none of us can see it in person so very hard to determine from a photo.