Tag: Door

February was another slow month for my Ford GT’s odometer, with only 140 miles added. But I did manage to get it to a car show and a burger joint (gotta love In-N-Out) and I realized the Goodyear Eagle F1 tires’ have a rim protector design. I also note the oil pressure gauge’s high readings, even at idle, which suggests the Ford GT’s dry-sump engine design does indeed provide excellent lubrication to vital engine components.

The design of the Goodyear Eagle F1 tire helps protect the GT’s wheelFord GT Tires Offer Wheel Protection

February 5, 2007 at 7,440 miles

This seems like such a no-brainer design, yet many modern tires still don’t include any form of rim or wheel protection. A tire with this design feature will have a raised rib next to the bead to keep a wheel from scraping the curb — even if a driver is too careless to handle this job on his own. After checking The Tire Rack web site I learned that while rim protection ribs are great for alloy wheels, they can make it nearly impossible to mount hubcaps. And since the majority of cars today still use hubcaps the majority of tires still don’t feature this seemingly obvious feature…

Ford GT Luxury Climate Controls, Flat Tire Woes and a Windshield Crack

By Karl Brauer

On May 18, 2018

In 2005 Ford GT Ownership, 2005-2006 Ford GT, Ford GT

My Ford GT suffered its first real damage in December of 2006. Twice. The initial damage was caused by road debris that punctured a tire and also took a small nick out of the bodywork. The second instance happened just 2 days later, in the form of a nasty rock chip in the windshield. But that’s what happens when you drive your car versus sticking it under glass. Speaking of driving, the odometer crossed 7,000 miles this month.

The A-pillar metal and passenger door weatherstripping (pictured) showed signs of gouging

Ford GT Door Gouges

December 4, 2006 at 6,286miles

Something weird is going on with the GT’s passenger-side A-pillar. There’s an unmistakable “gouging” in the Midnight Blue paint where the A-pillar’s weatherstriping meets the painted section of the passenger door. It’s almost as if gravel got in between the weatherstriping and door frame, and then chewed into the door each time it was shut. There’s even a white, chalky dust on the weatherstriping (shown in picture), but no actual “chunks” of anything large enough to cause the gouging are present (maybe whatever it was has all been ground into dust by now…). The upside is that this is an area you normally don’t see (certainly not when the door is closed), so the damage is more a curiosity than anything else…

Ford GT Seat Comfort, Door Pulls, Detailing Chores and an Owners Rally

By Karl Brauer

On May 11, 2018

In 2005 Ford GT Ownership, 2005-2006 Ford GT, Ford GT

One year into my Ford GT ownership and I had almost gotten used to the door design and how to avoid doing the “GT Limbo” as many owners call it. Some complaints about seat comfort had come up, the need to carefully clean each engine vent made for demanding detailing, and a Southern California GT Rally proved fun, even though I went in my 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE. The odometer almost hit 5,000 miles in August of 2006.

2005 Ford GT seat uses a retro design

Ford GT Seat Can Cause Discomfort

August 2, 2006 at 4,820 miles

The question of the Ford GT’s seat comfort has been raised by more than one occupant. Most feel it is fine for at least a few hours of driving, if not more, but some have experienced lower back pain caused by the stiff seam between the seatback panels. To me, the claim initially seemed dubious, but once it was pointed out I quickly discovered that, well…yes, that seam can feel a bit intrusive — especially once you’re “looking” for it…

2005 Ford GT Paint Flaws, Pacific Coast Highway and the Ford GT Forum

By Karl Brauer

On May 8, 2018

In 2005 Ford GT Ownership, 2005-2006 Ford GT, Ford GT

My 2005 Ford GT shortly after purchase

After 6 months of 2005 Ford GT ownership I’d found a few items to gripe about. The most disappointing flaw was in the paint, where small bubbles were visible near the edge of a couple body panels. At first I planned to have these repaired under warranty (as noted below) but eventually I left them alone. Digging into the car’s factory paint job was more troubling than leaving them alone. And I can confirm that, 13 years later, nobody has ever noticed them and I have essentially forgotten about them.