The 2005 Ford GT is a legendary supercar built by Ford not only as a homage to the iconic Ford GT40 that dominated Le Mans in the 1960s but to commemorate the brand’s 100th birthday. Drawing a majority of its design from the GT40 race car, the 2005 Ford GT was America’s first modern mid-engine supercar, competing with American and foreign sports cars including the Ferrari 360 Modena, Dodge Viper, and Chevrolet Corvette.

Though the Ford GT is a household name among the car community today, it wasn’t as big a hit at the time of its debut. In 2004, when the 2005 model year GT hit the market, its price tag of just under $150,000 made it out of reach for many enthusiasts, as it cost double what a Viper or Corvette cost at the time.

Not long after its release, America experienced a recession, which made owning the high-priced supercar a luxury among even the wealthier collectors. As time went on, and the financial state of the country began to recover, interest in the manual V-8 supercar also began to rise.

With the modern speed paradigm shifting toward hybrid power, smaller engines, and automatic transmissions, the Ford GT’s “dated” powertrain became a gem, resulting in the price for an original 2005 Ford GT to climb as high as $350,000 and higher.

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An Abandoned Ford GT And An Expert Restoration Crew

For most of the classic car, speed, and vintage car community, allowing a 2005 Ford GT to sit in the elements for over five years is criminal, but when life hands you a tough situation, tough decisions usually follow.

For this unlucky 2005 Ford GT, its owner, who is remembered for taking exceptional care of the GT, suddenly passed away, leaving his grieving family to inherit, among other things, his 2005 Ford GT.

And though the family cared deeply for the GT, as it was prized by the owner, their priorities were understandably elsewhere. Thus, the supercar was left to fend off heat, rain, and essentially whatever mother nature had to throw at it. Not wanting their loved ones' prize possession to suffer any more damage, a tough decision was made to sell the Ford supercar, but not before a much-needed restoration by the experts at Ammo NYC.

Being in the elements for years allowed this Ford GT to not only acquire weather damage, but rodent damage as well, with clear signs of pest activity throughout the GT. To add to the pest droppings and urine in hard-to-reach places, the surrounding trees had shed plenty of leaves, acorns, and twigs that, paired with changing weather, worked their way deep into virtually every crack and crevice imaginable.

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Bringing The GT Back to Life

The Ford GT was kept in mechanically pristine condition by the owner in his lifetime, clocking less than 2,600-miles on the odometer before being parked for over five years. Regardless, the amount of dirt, dust, droppings, and leaves that had accumulated throughout the GT’s hiatus was extensive and required a deep clean and disinfecting wash.

The mechanical repairs on the GT didn’t pose too much of a problem to the restoration team, only requiring a good cleaning, fresh oil and fluid servicing, and a new set of tires to replace the dry-rotted sun-cooked tires it drove in on. Small tuning tweaks were made to ensure the road readiness of the Ford GT, but aside from standard procedure, the GT was in surprisingly good running condition.

The cleaning and deep detailing required to get this GT on the auction floor, however, presented a larger task. Starting with a comprehensive vacuuming to grab any loose contaminants before power washing. After vacuuming, the power sprayer begins revealing the supercar’s beauty little by little.

As years of dirt and dust were meticulously removed from the exterior components, the interior of the GT was stripped down to its bare bones and washed, disinfected with a steam clean, and dried, before each and every removed component received the same treatment.

After its first deep wash in over five years, the 2005 GT still showed signs of contaminants and dirt hidden away in its deep crevices, prompting the restoration crew to carry out another two deep power washes to ensure this beauty was fully restored to its former glory.

Once stripped of any and all signs of neglect, the resto team began applying a full body waxing and protective coat to preserve the GT’s exterior and uphold its luster, as well as shining and buffing the entire interior from top to bottom.

The 2005 Ford GT arrived with sun-baked, dried-out tires that showed signs of cracking, causing damage to the wheels. The restoration team at Ammo NYC gave the Ford GT a fresh pair of street performance tires to go with the original Ford GT wheels, which required minor restorations to remedy the damage caused by the old tires including a high-grit sanding to even out the surface, and a coat of protective paint.

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The Restored 2005 Ford GT Hits The Sales Floor

From beginning its journey in the hands of a caring and enthusiastic owner to being abruptly sidelined for the better part of five years, to then being restored by a team of expert mechanics and gearheads, this supercar has all the makings of a classic heartwarming comeback story.

The 2005 Ford GT made a miraculous recovery and is currently for sale on Carsandbids.com, and to much of the family's relief, their loved one’s prized GT has a budding and active fanbase, waiting for the chance to own this modern marvel.

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What Makes The Ford GT An American Icon

The original 2005 Ford GT entered the markets as an American-made exotic, competing with the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini. Featuring a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8, the 2005 Ford GT put down 500-horsepower and 500 pound-feet of twist.

2005 Ford GT Perfromance Specs

With a standard six-speed manual transaxle, the GT was able to clock a competitive 0-60 MPH time of only 3.5-seconds, on par with its domestic rivals the Dodge Viper and Chevy Corvette. Throughout its various model upgrades, including the 2017 GT and 2022 GT, the Ford GT has remained a deadly weapon on the track and head-turning vehicle on the street, with its popularity never falling as low as it did during the recession.

The 2023 model year GT marked the end of an iconic era with the 2023 Ford GT Mk IV capping off production on the legeng with a track-ready hypercar iteration, calling back to the origins of the GT40. This fact could potentially increase the resale value of all Ford GTs, as its production is officially discontinued.

As an American icon, the Ford GT checks all the boxes in terms of valor. From dominating Ferrari in the 1960s, to making a triumphant comeback in modern culture, the Ford GT will remain a coveted relic, beginning with the 2005 model.