Ford solely made 4,038 first-generation Ford GTs over two temporary mannequin years. Nonetheless, it was lengthy sufficient to cement the blue-badged American supercar as one thing really particular in fanatics’s minds. With such a low manufacturing quantity, it’s unhappy to see that not each instance has had the perfect existence after leaving the manufacturing facility. The VINWiki YouTube channel has unearthed an deserted GT left to rot in a storage for 15 years that’ll require as a lot disinfectant as cleaning soap to get clear. But it surely’s not all unhealthy information.
Regardless of having a cabin stuffed with mildew masking giant swathes of the dashboard and seats, the supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 engine behind it begins and runs, permitting the crusty Ford to maneuver below its personal energy. But it surely doesn’t sound good. The exhaust notice is uneven, choked, and anemic, and the automotive probably wants a stable tune-up after sitting for thus lengthy.
The oil and fuel are outdated, and there’s probability the spark plugs are nonetheless unique, probably simply the beginning of a doubtlessly lengthy record of repairs. The truth that the V-8 engine begins and runs in any respect is an efficient omen for its upcoming restoration, nevertheless it’s not making all of its marketed energy anymore, unable to make it up the driveway and onto the again of a tow truck.
The GT initially made 550 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque when it first went on sale for the 2005 mannequin 12 months, clicking off 0-60 occasions within the excessive 3.0-second vary. Ford put a six-speed guide between the engine and rear wheels, with the coupe able to holding its personal alongside Porsche, Ferrari, and others.
The GT’s rescue is simply the beginning of its new life. It’s getting an entire makeover, beginning with the powertrain, earlier than present process an intensive and much-needed cleansing. The cabin is disgusting, nevertheless it’s well worth the effort to scrub if it helps resurrect one of many few first-gen GTs ever produced again to its former glory.
