Using 3D Scanning to Repair and Customize the Famous Ford GT40

The Ford GT40 is a sports car designed in only 126 examples in the 1960s, with a history well known to car enthusiasts but also amateurs, the rivalry between Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari has inspired more than one movie. In any case, the vehicle is the focus of today’s topic: In the United States, vintage car enthusiast Chris Ashton used 3D technology to modify and customize his Ford GT40, using Artec Space Spider and Artec Eva 3D scanners. The collector was able to reproduce complex shapes very quickly, as close to the real thing as possible, and hopes to get back on the road as soon as possible.

3D scanners are often used to digitize objects and parts from the past, allowing users to obtain a digital copy. This copy can then be modified, customized and then 3D printed to become a physical model. This is particularly interesting in the automotive sector for designing spare parts: on vintage cars, most spare parts are no longer produced, complicating maintenance and repair tasks and increasing costs considerably. However, thanks to a 3D scanner, the user can easily digitize his original part and recreate a model first digitally and then physically thanks to additive manufacturing.

Photo Credits: Ford

Artec’s solutions for customizing the Ford GT40

Chris Ashton has a passion for cars and was able to combine this passion with his business: Ruffian Cars is a California-based company that builds and modifies sports cars. They’ve been using additive manufacturing to reproduce parts for a few years now, but the process required many iterations before getting a model as close to the original as possible. That’s why the company invested in Artec Space Spider and Artec Eva scanners, aiming especially to reproduce the car’s wideners.