Found this in my period-correct Hot Wheels Rally Case! Missing a rear clam and one wheel, but circa 1970 and still beloved!
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When did you first fall in love with Ford GT40s?
- Thread starter KennethClay
- Start date
THamonGT
GT
When Carroll Shelby sent a GT 40 to our Dealership for display and Ford forgot Where it was sent. We were able to display it for 3 months then it was sent back to Detroit a sold to Edsel Ford and now its in the UK where a great gentleman races it. He will be the proud owner of the New GT next year. Check these pictures of that Great GT40.
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ByeEnzo
GT
1968. Family had just immigrated to USA. Collected cereal box tops and got a Gulf GT40 die cast car. Later on, my favorite Aurora slot car was a GT40.
PeteK
GT Owner
1969. Had to have a Hot Wheels version of it. Wish I still had it, but my mother "cleaned out old stuff." :facepalm:
Flatrod
GT Owner
BlackICE
GT Owner
viva gt
GT Owner
Gentlemen,
In the mid 1960’s my father Bud Beck was the General Manager of Chase Morsey’s Paradise Ford in Scottsdale Arizona. Mr. Morsey was an ex Ford factory executive who loved racing and he ordered and sold quite a few Shelby Mustangs and Cobras. One day my dad took a brand new Cobra off the showroom floor and took me for a ride. For an 8 year old boy that was quite a thrill. He brought it home that night and it looked great in our driveway. I couldn’t have dreamed that car would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars someday. I loved the Shelby Mustangs too and had no idea that they were rare and special. They were just other new cars out on the lot. But one Saturday in 1967 or 68 there was a really cool new car in the showroom. Oh my gosh dad what is that?!? He told me it was a Ford GT-40. It was the most beautiful car I’d ever seen. I sat in it but my dad didn’t take me out for a ride. I just looked at it for a long time. I don’t know if it was for sale or just for display. Again I thought it was just another Ford and had no idea it was one of only 134 original GT-40’s built. It had lines more beautiful than any car built before or after UNTIL Ford recreated it in 2005. I fell in love with the Ford GT while staring at and sitting in a new or nearly new one in the mid 60’s. Now half a century later there are two Ford GT’s in my garage. I wonder where that original is today.
Chip
In the mid 1960’s my father Bud Beck was the General Manager of Chase Morsey’s Paradise Ford in Scottsdale Arizona. Mr. Morsey was an ex Ford factory executive who loved racing and he ordered and sold quite a few Shelby Mustangs and Cobras. One day my dad took a brand new Cobra off the showroom floor and took me for a ride. For an 8 year old boy that was quite a thrill. He brought it home that night and it looked great in our driveway. I couldn’t have dreamed that car would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars someday. I loved the Shelby Mustangs too and had no idea that they were rare and special. They were just other new cars out on the lot. But one Saturday in 1967 or 68 there was a really cool new car in the showroom. Oh my gosh dad what is that?!? He told me it was a Ford GT-40. It was the most beautiful car I’d ever seen. I sat in it but my dad didn’t take me out for a ride. I just looked at it for a long time. I don’t know if it was for sale or just for display. Again I thought it was just another Ford and had no idea it was one of only 134 original GT-40’s built. It had lines more beautiful than any car built before or after UNTIL Ford recreated it in 2005. I fell in love with the Ford GT while staring at and sitting in a new or nearly new one in the mid 60’s. Now half a century later there are two Ford GT’s in my garage. I wonder where that original is today.
Chip
Flatrod
GT Owner
Chip,
Apparently Ford sent a GT40 to all their dealers. Even here in Alaska! I used to have a picture of one sitting here in front of John Stepp's Friendly Ford. My Gt350 was sold new at John Stepp's.
Apparently Ford sent a GT40 to all their dealers. Even here in Alaska! I used to have a picture of one sitting here in front of John Stepp's Friendly Ford. My Gt350 was sold new at John Stepp's.
GT0987
GT Owner
As a 17 year old on track at Willow Springs running with one. We ran with the Cobra owners club and that car stole the show. Can't remember how many times I was warned to stay out of it's way. When I'd see it coming in the mirror it was easy to want to just watch it go by, it was beautiful.
There were only 30 some odd Mark 1 street GT’s, and about 7 of those ugly Mark 3’s. Some of the race GT’s were displayed at dealerships for a week or so as well. So there is probably a hundred dealers that displayed a GT-40 for each dealer who actually ordered and sold one.
Chip
Chip
THamonGT
GT
The Dealership displays was part of a 5-6 GT display all over the three regions of the US and Canada. Each GT came with a 1/2 ton pick up and trailer and traveled to different Ford Dealerships to be displayed for 30 days then another dealership picked it up for their display and so on all the different Regions. Ford lost track of some of them and no one ever called or came to pick ours up therefore we had it for 3 months. These GT’s were detuned and could be driven on the streets. My Father and I had a blast for the three months we had #4. It did attract the girls just like today! I have the whole history of this GT and many of you saw the Video of Edsel and I discussing its history at Our Rally in Detroit.
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As a Generation "X"er I got a late start on my love affair. I didn't necessarily grow up around performance cars so I had limited exposure. I think I first saw a replica at a car show in Pleasanton, CA in the late 90s. Although the looks certainly grabbed my attention, it was when I first heard the angry sounding small block under the clamshell that it all came together. How could a car look as pretty as that and yet also sound so raw? It was the perfect blend of a sexy road/GT car with a muscle car engine. I was in love. I had finally seen the first car that made my heart race!
Apollo
GT Owner
I was fascinated with cars as a young kid and do not know why exactly I became all things Ford, but I think it was a slot car set that Dad got my brother and I. It had two Indy cars. My older brother picked his and I got the one that had Ford stickers. Over the years I started following Ford Racing in Indy, Formula one, stock cars, Trans Am. When Ford won Le Mans in 66. I was happy for another Ford win. But it was learning that some of my racng heros, (A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti) were racing the 67 race I focused on Le Mans.
When I first saw the 67 GT40, I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. That was when I really fell in love with the GT40.
Like Kenneth, I still have my 67 GT40 Hot Wheels car. I raced against it all of my buddies in the neighborhood circuit. Of all my Hot Wheels cars, it never lost a race. Most of the Hot Wheels, Matchbox and Johnny Lightning cars I had from back then have long since disappeared, except the very special few Fords I keep with my treasured items. :biggrin
When I first saw the 67 GT40, I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. That was when I really fell in love with the GT40.
Like Kenneth, I still have my 67 GT40 Hot Wheels car. I raced against it all of my buddies in the neighborhood circuit. Of all my Hot Wheels cars, it never lost a race. Most of the Hot Wheels, Matchbox and Johnny Lightning cars I had from back then have long since disappeared, except the very special few Fords I keep with my treasured items. :biggrin
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twobjshelbys
GT Owner
Had to be in 68 or so just in high school and we were talking about the cars that had won for 3 years in a row.
digman1
GT Owner
Me too ! I was going to the local slot car tracks with my 1:32 GT, and my 1:24 Cox Chapparral. Also threw in pics of my Manta Ray, and my Cheetah.
Was also devouring every car magazine I could get my hand on at that time.
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PHXGT
GT Owner
Either 1968 or 1969 watching recap of #1075 winning Le Mans on Wild World of Sports as a 10 year old. Best looking car I had ever seen. Still think so.