GDT History

Source: GDT

The GDT Speedster is an exciting, one-of-a-kind, high performance sports car designed and fabricated by a team of automotive professionals. It has been hand crafted and is intended for sale to a discriminating collector who appreciates beautiful automotive styling, excellent engineering and fine craftsmanship.

TEAM MEMBERS
The team that designed and built the GDT Speedster have a combined total of more than 245 years of experience in the OEM automotive industry.

Musa Azzouz- Ford Motor Company, Product Engineering Office, body structures engineer (retired) and instructor at Lawrence Technological University. Musa provided design direction for the frame, underbody and restraint anchors to ensure the vehicle would be strong enough for its intended purpose. Musa has a total of 42 years experience in body structures product engineering. In addition to teaching at Lawrence Technological University Musa taught preparation courses for the Professional Engineers licensing exams on the subjects of Statics, Dynamics and Mechanics of Materials. Musa has a Masters of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Michigan.

Chuck Carlson- Ford Motor Company, Product engineering Office (retired), engineering manager with experience in climate control products and other chassis systems. Chuck participated in essentially every aspect of the GDT Speedster project including design and fabrication. Chuck has a total of 36 years experience in product engineering. Chuck has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from Wayne State University.

Lawrence Conger created the beautiful exterior body surfaces and the instrument panel surface for the GDT Speedster using ICEM/Surf, a powerful CAD tool. Lawrence is the owner of Digital Design, Inc. with 20 years of surface design experience in automotive, marine, recreational vehicle, agricultural and consumer products. His clients include more than 40 companies in 11 countries. Lawrence has a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering/Computer Science from Central Michigan University.

Gene Dickirson- Ford Motor Company, Product Engineering Office (retired), engineering manager with experience in climate control systems and process leadership. His professional experience includes product drafting, product design engineering and engineering management. Gene formed the team and led the design, fabrication and financing for the GDT Speedster project. Gene had a total of 35 years of product engineering experience with Ford Motor Company. He has an Associate in Science Degree in Drafting Technology from Vincennes University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lawrence Technological University. Gene is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Michigan.

Dave Maran- Visteon Program Management Office. Dave provided numerous suggestions for the vehicle and fabricated several of the wood models/ welding fixtures. Dave has a total of 32 years experience in product development and manufacturing. Dave has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Lawrence Technological University.

Keith Rogalski- Visteon product engineering. Keith provided assistance with non-contact digital scanning. Keith has a total of 26 years experience in product engineering automotive/aerospace technologies. Keith has degrees from Henry Ford Community College, University of Detroit Mercy in Mechanical Engineering and Central Michigan University in the Automotive Vehicle Design program.

Larry Ronzi-Ford Motor Company, Design Center (retired). Larry sculpted the 1:8 clay model working closely with Craig Sandvig on the overall design of the vehicle. Larry also sculpted the front portion of the hood of the full size foam mock up. Larry has a total of 35 years experience in product design. Larry's skills include clay modelling, foam and paperboard mock up building, drafting, technical illustration, graphic arts, teaching engineers free hand sketching and industrial design. Larry has an Associate in Engineering degree in Mechanical Technology from Lawrence Technological University and a Bachelor in Fine Arts in Industrial Design from Wayne State University.

Craig Sandvig- Ford Motor Company, Design Center. Craig had overall responsibility for the design (styling) of the exterior, interior and under hood of the vehicle. Craig also polished all of the aluminum parts and assisted with the fabrication of several components used on the vehicle. Craig has a total of 13 years experience in product design. Craig has a Bachelors degree in Industrial Design from Wayne State University.

James Wilber- Visteon Corporation, Electronics Product Engineering. James assisted with the design and fabrication of the wiring system and instrument panel gages and A/C registers. James also assisted with the initial set up of Gene's computer and assisted him in resolving CAD file translation issues. James assisted with research of Internet domain services alternatives. James has a total of 6 years experience in product engineering including detail design and customer interface of electromechanical components. James has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Evansville.