When did you first fall in love with Ford GT40s?

[Cobrar]

As a kid, I used to design and draw pictures of cars that I thought were cool all the time. of course they all had big fins with bubble roofs. Then came the GT40. It was like I was looking at a space ship from the future. I couldn't believe someone could design the most beautiful car I had ever seen. didn't realize at that time a car didn't have to have massive fins to be awesome! the GT40 has just always struck a chord with me. I never ever wanted a Cobra kit car. It wasn't until ERA came out with their first GT40 kit that I thought I had a shot at owning one. I never did order one but instead got into the big block Mustangs along with Shelbys and Boss 429s. then when the announcement of the new Ford GT in 2003, I thought, that's it! the lines and design are so much like the GT40. Camillo and the design team did such an amazing job making the new car have a lot of throw back to the GT40 I knew I had to own at least one (or more). While I like the new Ford GT and understand the design and principals behind it, the 2005-2006 will always be my favorite because of the GT40 throw back. Believe it or not, there was a used GT40 for sale at Stark Hickey Ford on Woodward in the early eighties up on their display pedestal in the used car lot. I called about it and if memory serves me correctly, it was some ridiculous price of $70-80,000.00. C R A P ! the end

One-up that! There was a small auto dealer Falvey Motors on 8 Mile and Woodward, in Ferndale Michigan. It held the franchises/distributorship for British brands; MG, Austin Healey, Rolls Royce (cars that captured my imagination) for the states of Michigan, Indiana & Illinois.

Back in high school (a very long time ago) they had a GT40 on the showroom floor that they had taken in trade. I went into that dealer probably a dozen times just gazing at the car, what an amazing piece! One day I finally asked about the price, it was being offered at seemingly ridiculous $25K, when a Mustang was $5K. I often wonder what happened to that car.

Pic from the fifties a block away: https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2016/06/29/ferndale-michigan-1950s/

 

[Beach-GT]

A smart guy bought it.

 

[jr66]

I had my 427 Cobra being painted by Bill Wonder of Glen Cove NY. He had his GT 40 race car for sale in early 70s. I wanted it but could not manage the finances. Fast forward to 2017 when I finally got a 2006 Heritage to keep my Cobra company.

 

[dr914]

When I was 14 and they won leman first second and third. Fell in love but knew as it would never be available as a street car I would never be able to own one. THEN they came out with the Ford GT! Had to have one, and my wife actually gave me permission!!!!!!! Bought one of the last 2006 models still on the showroom floor at a dealership in south western virginia, gleefully drove it home

 

[Sinovac]

I had my 427 Cobra being painted by Bill Wonder of Glen Cove NY. He had his GT 40 race car for sale in early 70s. I wanted it but could not manage the finances. Fast forward to 2017 when I finally got a 2006 Heritage to keep my Cobra company.

How much did he want for the GT 40 back then?

 

[jr66]

$18,000 for the GT 40 when you could buy an SC Cobra for $9,000 with racing spares. If only I had had the money and foresight. A Cobra daytona coupe was advertised for $12,000!

 

[jbyrnes]

It was 1969 I think, I would have been 12, that the Cobra Caravan stopped at the local Goodyear dealer in Erie, PA. My memory is of a couple of Cobra's, a black GT-40, and some GT-350’s. It was lust at first sight. I still appreciate but don’t understand all the attention the Cobra’s got when the GT is such a more seductive design. A few years later and knowing there was no way I could buy one I looked into building a kit, the Corvair based Avenger by FiberFab. I kept the brochure. [God, thank you again for keeping me focused on bigger things]. Within weeks after graduating college I bought my friends 68’ GT-350 as a more practical substitute. Then in 1982 at a track day at Woody Creek racetrack near Aspen I’m ogling over a red GT-40 when the owner comes up to take it out on the track. I politely ask for a ride. He looks at me, laughs, gets in and takes off. That stuck with me. Someday, somehow, I was going to own one, and never turn down an opportunity to make someone else’s day with it. Many years later I hear rumors of the new GT, and after 25 years the Shelby goes up for sale in hopes of trading up. Surprisingly my wife was fully supportive of us finding a way to afford one while our first of three was in college (it’s possible it may have been my persistent whining that just wore her down). So in 2006 we bought the car I’ve been wanting, talking about, and reading about for almost 40 years, an 05’ off the showroom floor. A lesson in persistence and patience. Now hoping for a second shot at a 2018 to add more to the story.

 

[Beach-GT]

I was contemplating buying a GT-40 roller just before the GT came out. I had spent 5 years rebuilding a Mustang and was kind of burned out on that much car work. It took a bit of work to get the GT but a different kind, and I'm glad I got it.

 

[analogdesigner]

When I was very young there was a nice large slot car track in San Clemente, CA called the Concourse. A few guys had GT40's. It's hard to believe that I would own something related to that in 2005! Jay

Here is an actual local phone book yellow page ad from 1966!