Ford's GT40 -- Horrible Aero

[trikkonceptz]

This car goes "out for a spin" every month to keep it from breaking down. Two months ago I got to drive it with the gentleman in the picture as my side seat coach. All I can say is that I will die a happy man now. We took a stretch of I-95 to stretch it out once it warmed up and well here are my notes;

-In the space of an average on ramp I was able to go from 30mph - 140mph
-On a flat stretch of 95 totaling 3miles I was able to sustain 160mph and the dam thing felt like I was cruising, it's definately a unique sensation to be in a car going over 100mph for any amount of time ...

The car has a unique feeling due to its balance, almost like it being pulled on a string, while secured to rails ...

[guudasitgets]

The car Gurney drove intrestingly has only one race on it; LeMans. It was never driven again. The Clone copy MKIV to it is the one Mario almost bought the farm in. The original J-Car MKIV that Gurney won that race in is in the Ford Museum. It shares almost nothing with the GT40's prior save for the engine (427 side-oiler and 2x4bbl carbs)and gearbox (ZF) I have some old photos of it including it being put together in Michigan, where it was built (built by Kar Kraft, not Ford) another cool pic is Gurney, Foyt and a bunch of Ford brass and engineers the night before the race in the Lemans shops.

[Frank Lee]

It's fascinating how some cars can be so stable and sure-footed at speed while others aren't. My SuperCoupe is deceptive that way- over 100 mph feels like a walk in the park while at 100 or so in the Tempo, it lets you know you're going fast.

[guudasitgets]

Metromizer;
I wonder what the Cd of an Indy car is,

Short track setup is .9 cd/ downforce load 4000lbs.
VanDamain RF00 Formula Ford= .43 cd

[drudis]

I smile at the thought of zero downforce for increased gas mileage on a performance car...

My Mustang and Ford GT:


FYI: Video of 2 laps:
http://www.dariusrudis.com/misc_vide...an_ford_gt.wmv

[Ptero]

I have no beef with the design of this Ford. I'm glad Ford made it available, even at its unaffordable price.

Of course it generates downforce. Am I the only one here who saw Mario Andretti flip his Indy car 360 degrees vertical towards the end of his racing carrer? They didn't set the front wing correctly. The car flew 30 feet into the air at 200 mph. The nose rose off the ground, became a wing, lifted the car off the tarmac like an airplane, spun Mario upside down 20 feet off the pavement, then continued the flip to slam the car back down upright, saving Mario's life.

Can you imagine what went through his mind in that instant?

Anyway, cars that go fast require downforce. My hypermiling car doesn't. In mpg, it eats the GT's lunch. However, I WILL TRADE PINK SLIPS ON A MOMENT'S NOTICE.

[guudasitgets]

Ptero

Am I the only one here who saw Mario Andretti flip his Indy car 360 degrees vertical towards the end of his racing carrer? They didn't set the front wing correctly.

Not true; he ran over a piece of debris from a car in front of him between turns 1 & 2 @IMS His wings were set correctly. There isn't enough adjustment in the wing jack screws on both a Dallara or a G-Force chassis to make a car lift. he would have understeered like a bear before he even got to corner 1 and either crashed at the end of the turn 1 wall or (a man with his extensive experaince) he would have lifted. In either case he would have never made the short chute of the track that far beyond turn one.

Am I the only one here who saw

I don't know where you were. But I know where I was, walking to the garage area out of the turn 2 tunnel.

[DifferentPointofView]

Meaning the areo package generates significantly more down force than the car and driver together weighs, allowing it to run on the roof of a tunnel <I'd pay to watch that>

Uh, Saleen S7 at 180mph?

Really a Cd of .37 isn't that much when you've got a car who's frontal area isn't much of anything. Have you ever stood next to a car like those? (not you personally, Just stating ) TV's are deceptive, they barely come up to your waist and when you plop down in the drivers seat you feel as if your sitting in a beach lounge chair you have to get down so low. Your butt might as well be scraping the ground.