[DeTomaso] ZF

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/5/09 14 18 52, cengles at cox.net writes:


> 
>              " Since the ZF was first used in a Swedish pavement-building 
> machine called a
>              'Fendt Roller', "
> 
>              Is that true?? 
> 

>>>Not as far as I know.   From what I've read, Ford contracted with ZF to 
design and build a gearbox for the GT40, after the originally used Colotti T-37 
four-speed transaxle proved to be far too fragile for the job.   The resultant 
5DS-25 was supposedly a clean-sheet design, which was held up for nine months 
(!) because of miscommunication between Ford and ZF; ZF wouldn't start work 
until Ford paid them, and Ford wouldn't pay them until they started work!   
When nine months had passed, Ford asked, "Where's our gearboxes?" and ZF said, 
"We're waiting for you to pay us so we can start working on it"

Aagh!

(I quickly tried to find the written reference for that anecdote among my 
stack of books, but simply ran out of time, so take it for what it's worth at the 
moment; I believe it's buried in a magazine article on the GT40 written in 
1965...)

That's why Ford had to start the '65 season with the Colotti gearbox; by 
nursing them along, they managed to win Daytona anyway.   By April's Le Mans 
trials, the FAV cars had the ZF but Shelby's car still were saddled with the 
Colotti.   It wasn't until the fall of '65s that the four-speed Colottis disappered 
completely; I've never even seen one as a matter of fact.

Mike


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