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The Ford GT40 is a high-performance mid-engined racing car originally designed and built for and by the Ford Motor Company to compete in 1960s European endurance racing. Its specific impetus was to best Scuderia Ferrari, which had won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race for six years running from 1960 to 1965. Around 100 cars have been made, mostly as 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8-powered Mk Is, some sold to private teams or as road legal Mk III cars. Racing started in 1964, with Ford winning World Championships categories from 1966 to 1968. The first Le Mans win came in 1966 with three 427 cu in (7.0 L) powered Mk.II prototypes crossing the finish line together, the second in 1967 by a similarly powered highly modified US-built Mk.IV "J-car" prototype. In order to lower ever-higher race top speeds, a rule change from 1968 onwards limited prototypes to 3.0 litre Formula 1 engines; a loophole, however, allowed the private JW "Gulf Oil" team win at Le Mans in 1968 and 1969 running a Mk.I with a 5.0 litre engines.
| Ford GT40 | |
|---|---|
 Ford GT40 Mk.I in JWA Gulf Oil racing colors | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer |
|
| Production | 1964–1969[1] 105 produced[2] |
| Assembly |
|
| Designer | Ron Bradshaw |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Group 4 sports car Group 5 sports car Group 6 sports prototype |
| Body style | 2-door coupé 2-door roadster |
| Layout | MR layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Transmission | Mk1 & Mk3: 5-speed manual Mk2 & Mk4: 4-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 95 in (2,413 mm)[3] |
| Length | 160 in (4,064 mm) |
| Width | 70 in (1,778 mm) |
| Height | 40.5 in (1,029 mm) |
| Kerb weight | 1,800–2,300 lb (816–1,043 kg) (1966, Mk IIA)[4] |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Ford P68 (racing heritage) Ford GT (street heritage) |
The GT40 effort began in Britain in the early 1960s when Ford Advanced Vehicles began to build the Mk I, based upon the British Lola Mk6, in Slough, UK. After disappointing race results, the engineering team was moved in 1964 to Dearborn, Michigan, USA, to design and build cars by its advanced developer, Kar Kraft. All chassis versions were powered by a series of American-built Ford V8 OHV engines modified for racing.
In the 1966 Le Mans, the GT40 Mk II car broke Ferrari's winning streak, making Ford the first American manufacturer to win a major European race since Jimmy Murphy's Duesenberg in the 1921 French Grand Prix.[5][6][7] In the 1967 Le Mans, the GT40 Mk IV car became the only car developed and assembled entirely (both chassis and engine) in the United States to achieve the overall win at Le Mans.[8]
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The "GT" in the car's name stands for grand touring, and the "40" its height in inches (1.02 m) measured at the top of the windscreen, the minimum allowed. The first 12 "prototype" vehicles carried serial numbers GT-101 to GT-112. Production GT40s (Mk I, Mk II, Mk III, and Mk IV) began with GT40P/1000.
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Henry Ford II had wanted a Ford at Le Mans since the early 1960s. In early 1963, Ford reportedly received word through a European intermediary that Enzo Ferrari was interested in selling to Ford Motor Company. Ford reportedly spent several million dollars in an audit of Ferrari factory assets and in legal negotiations, only to have Ferrari unilaterally cut off talks at a late stage due to disputes about the ability to direct open-wheel racing. Ferrari, who wanted to remain the sole operator of his company's motorsports division, was angered when he was told that he would not be allowed to race at the Indianapolis 500 if the deal went through, since Ford fielded Indy cars using its own engine and didn't want competition from Ferrari. Enzo cut the deal off out of spite and Henry Ford II, enraged, directed his racing division to find a company that could build a Ferrari-beater on the world endurance-racing circuit.[9]
To this end, Ford began negotiation with Lotus, Lola, and Cooper. Cooper had no experience in GT or prototype and its performances in Formula One were declining.[10]
The Lola proposal was chosen since Lola had used a Ford V8 engine in its mid-engined Lola Mk6 (also known as Lola GT). It was one of the most advanced racing cars of the time and made a noted performance in Le Mans 1963, even though the car did not finish, due to low gearing and slow revving out on the Mulsanne Straight. However, Eric Broadley, Lola Cars' owner and chief designer, agreed on a short-term personal contribution to the project without involving Lola Cars.[11]
The agreement with Broadley included a one-year collaboration between Ford and Broadley, and the sale of the two Lola Mk 6 chassis builds to Ford. To form the development team, Ford also hired the ex-Aston Martin team manager John Wyer.[12] Ford Motor Co. engineer Roy Lunn was sent to England; he had designed the mid-engined Mustang I concept car, making him the only Dearborn engineer to have some experience with that configuration.
Overseen by Harley Copp, the team of Broadley, Lunn, and Wyer began working on the new car at the Lola Factory in Bromley. At the end of 1963, the team moved to Slough, near Heathrow Airport. Ford then established Ford Advanced Vehicles (FAV) Ltd, a new subsidiary under the direction of Wyer, to manage the project.[12]
The first chassis built by Abbey Panels of Coventry was delivered on 16 March 1964, with fibreglass mouldings produced by Fibre Glass Engineering Ltd of Farnham. The first "Ford GT" the GT/101 was unveiled in England on 1 April and soon after exhibited in New York. Purchase price of the completed car for competition use was £5,200.[13]
It was powered by the 4.7 L HiPo (K-code) 289 cu in Fairlane engine with a Colotti transaxle. An aluminium block DOHC version, known as the Ford Indy Engine, was used in later years at Indy,[14] where won in 1965 in the Lotus 38.
Racing history
The Ford GT40 was first raced in May 1964 at the Nürburgring 1000 km where it retired with suspension failure after holding second place early in the event. Three weeks later at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, all three entries retired, although the Ginther/Gregory car led the field from the second lap until its first pitstop. After a season-long series of dismal results under John Wyer in 1964, the program was handed over to Carroll Shelby after the 1964 Nassau race. The cars were sent directly to Shelby, still bearing the dirt and damage from the Nassau race. Carroll Shelby was noted for complaining that the cars were poorly maintained when he received them, but later information revealed the cars were packed up as soon as the race was over, and FAV never had a chance to clean and organize the cars to be transported to Shelby.
Shelby's first victory came on their maiden race with the Ford program, with Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby taking a Shelby American-entered Ford GT40[15] to victory in the Daytona 2000km in February 1965. One month later, Ken Miles and Bruce McLaren came in second overall (to the winning Chaparral in the sports class) and first in prototype class at the Sebring 12-hour race. The rest of the season, however, was a disappointment.
The experience gained in 1964 and 1965 allowed the 7-liter Mk II to dominate the following year. In February, the GT40 again won at Daytona. This was the first year Daytona was run in the 24 Hour format and Mk II's finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. In March, at the 1966 12 Hours of Sebring, GT40s again took all three top finishes, with the X-1 Roadster first, a Mk II taking second, and a Mk I in third. Then in June, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the GT40 achieved yet another 1–2–3 result.
The "orchestrated" Le Mans finish, however, was clouded in controversy: The No1 car of Ken Miles and Denny Hulme held a four lap lead over the No2 car of Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. This disintegrated when the No1 car was forced to make a pit-stop for replacement brake rotors, following an incorrect set being fitted a lap prior in a scheduled rotor change. It was found to be a result of the correct brake rotors being taken by the No2 crew.[17] This meant that in the final few hours, the Ford GT40 of New Zealanders Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon closely trailed the leading Ford GT40 driven by Englishman Ken Miles and New Zealander Denny Hulme. With a multimillion-dollar program finally on the very brink of success, Ford team officials faced a difficult choice. They could allow the drivers to settle the outcome by racing each other—and risk one or both cars breaking down or crashing; they could dictate a finishing order to the drivers—guaranteeing that one set of drivers would be extremely unhappy; or they could arrange a tie, with the McLaren/Amon and Miles/Hulme cars crossing the line side by side.
The team chose the latter and informed Shelby. He told McLaren and Miles of the decision just before the two got into their cars for the final stint. Then, not long before the finish, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organizers of the Le Mans event, informed Ford that the geographical difference in starting positions would be taken into account at a close finish. This meant that the McLaren/Amon vehicle, which had started perhaps 60 feet (18 m) behind the Hulme-Miles car, would have covered slightly more ground over the 24 hours and would, in the event of a tie for first place, be the winner. Secondly, Ford officials admitted later, the company's contentious relationship with Miles, its top contract driver, placed executives in a difficult position. They could reward an outstanding driver who had been at times extremely difficult to work with, or they could decide in favor of drivers (McLaren/Amon) who had committed less to the Ford program but who had been easier to deal with. Ford stuck with the orchestrated photo finish. What happened on the last lap remains the subject of speculation. Either Miles, deeply bitter over this decision after his dedication to the program, issued his own protest by suddenly slowing just yards from the finish and letting McLaren across the line first, or Bruce McLaren accelerated just before the finish line robbing Miles of his victory. Either way, McLaren's car was declared the victor.
Neither driver had many opportunites to elaborate on the event, as both died testing new race cars, McLaren in 1970. Already two months later in 1966 Ken Miles died at the wheel of the Ford "J-car" at Riverside Raceway. The J-car was a GT40 prototype that included several unique features, most notably an aluminium-honeycomb chassis-construction and a "bread-van" body-design that experimented with "Kammback" aerodynamic theories. Miles' fatal accident was attributed at least partly to the unproven aerodynamics of the J-car design, and to the experimental chassis' strength that had no roll cage yet. The team embarked on a complete redesign of the car, which became known as the Mk IV. The Mk IV newer design, with a Mk II engine but a different chassis and a different body, won the following year at Le Mans (when four Mark IVs, three Mark IIs, and three Mark Is raced). The high speeds achieved in that race caused a rule change, which already came into effect in 1968: the prototypes were limited to the capacity of 3.0 litres, the same as in Formula One since 1966. This took out the V12-powered Ferrari 330P, the Chaparral V8, Jaguar XJ13 V12 and the Ford Mk IV.
The rule change of late 1967 meant that there would be few prototype entries in early 1968, most of them of (too) small capacity, like 2.0 litre Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 and 2.2 litre Porsche 907, later 3.0 litre Porsche 908. Ferrari remained absent in protest. Most of the few F1 engines were too unreliable for endurance, let alone 24 hours. Ford's own Cosworth V8 had been introduced to F1 in 1967, where it was a success into the early 1980s, but vibrations prevented it from succeeding in endurance racing (Ford P68 and others), even though the 1975 and 1980s Le Mans races were won with Ford Cosworth engines, after Matra had won 1972 to 1974 with their V12.
To attract more entrants that could compete for overall wins, existing sportscars like the GT40 and the Lola T70 were allowed, with a maximum of 5.0 l if at least 50 cars had been built. John Wyer's team revised the 4.7-liter, bored to 4.9 litre, and O-rings cut and installed between the block and head to prevent head gasket failure, a common problem found with the 4.7 engine. The JWA Mk I won the 24 hours of Le Mans race in 1968 against the fragile smaller 3.0 litre prototypes from Porsche, Alfa and others. This result, added to four other WC round wins for the GT40, gave Ford unexpected victory in the 1968 International Championship for Makes. The GT40's intended 3.0 l replacements, the Ford P68, and John Wyer JWA Gulf Mirage cars proved a dismal failure. While facing more experienced prototypes and the new yet still unreliable 4.5 l flat-12-powered Porsche 917s, Wyer's 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans winners Jacky Ickx/Jackie Oliver managed to beat the remaining 3.0-liter Porsche 908 by just a few seconds with the already outdated GT40 Mk I, in the very car that had won in 1968 – the legendary chassis GT40P/1075. Apart from brake-wear in the Porsche and the decision not to change brake-pads so close to the end of the race, the winning combination was relaxed driving by both GT40 drivers and heroic efforts at the right time by (at that time Le Mans' rookie) Ickx, who would go on to win Le Mans five more times in later years.
Le Mans 24 Hours victories
| Le Mans 24 Hours victories | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Car | Team | Drivers | Engine | Tyre | Distance in km | Speed | |
| mph | km/h | |||||||
| 1966[18] | GT40P/1046 (Mk II) |  Shelby-American Inc. |  Bruce McLaren Chris Amon | Ford 7.0L V8 | G | 4843.09 | 125.39 | 201.80 |
| 1967 | J5 (Mk IV) | Shelby-American Inc. | Dan Gurney A. J. Foyt | Ford 7.0L V8 | G | 5232.9 | 135.48 | 218.03 |
| 1968 | GT40P/1075 (Mk I) |  John Wyer Automotive Engineering Ltd. |  Pedro Rodriguez Lucien Bianchi | Ford 4.9 L V8 | F | 4452.88 | 115.29 | 185.54 |
| 1969 | GT40P/1075 (Mk I) | John Wyer Automotive Engineering Ltd. | Jacky Ickx Jackie Oliver | Ford 4.9 L V8 | F | 4997.88 | 129.40 | 208.25 |
International titles
In addition to four consecutive overall Le Mans victories, Ford also won the following four FIA international titles (at what was then unofficially known as the World Sportscar Championship) with the GT40 car:
- 1966 International Manufacturers Championship – Sports prototype category (over 2000cc)
- 1966 International Championship for Sports Cars – Grand Touring (GT) category (division III - over 2000cc)
- 1967 International Championship for Sports Cars – Grand Touring (GT) category (division III - over 2000cc)
- 1968 International Championship for Makes – Sports prototype category
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Mk I
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The Mk I was the original Ford GT40. Early prototypes were powered by 255 cu in (4.2 L) alloy V8 engines[19] and production models were powered by 289 cu in (4.7 L) engines as used in the Ford Mustang. Five prototype models were built with roadster bodywork, including the Ford X-1.[1] Two lightweight cars (of a planned five), AMGT40/1 and AMGT40/2, were built by Alan Mann Racing in 1966, with light alloy bodies and other weight-saving modifications.
The Mk I met with little success in its initial tune for the 1964 and 1965 Le Mans races. The first success came after their demise at the Nassau Speed Weekend Nov 1964 when the racing was handed over to Carrol Shelby. Shelby's team modified the Ford GT40 and the first win at Daytona February 1965 was achieved. Much was later modified and run by J.W. Automotive (JW) in 1968 and 1969, winning Le Mans in both those years and Sebring in 1969. The Mk II and IV were both obsolete after the FIA had changed the rules to ban unlimited capacity engines, ruling out the 427 cu in (7 L) Ford V8. However, the Mk I, with its smaller engine, was legally able to race as a homologated sports car because of its production numbers.
In 1968 competition came from the Porsche 908, which was the first prototype built for the 3-liter Group 6. The result was a resounding success for the Mk I at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Pedro Rodríguez and Lucien Bianchi having a clear lead over the Porsches driving the 'almighty' #9 car with the 'Gulf Oil' colors.[20] The season began slowly for JW, losing at Sebring and Daytona before taking their first win at the BOAC International 500 at Brands Hatch. Later victories included the Grand Prix de Spa, 21st Annual Watkins Glen Sports Car Road Race and the 1000 km di Monza.[21] The engine installed on this car was a naturally aspirated Windsor 302 cu in (4.9 L) V8 with a compression ratio of 10.6:1; fuel fed by four 2-barrel 48 IDA Weber carburettors, rated at 317 kW (425 hp; 431 PS) at 6,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 395 lb⋅ft (536 N⋅m) at 4,750 rpm.[22]
A total of 31 Mk I cars were built at the Slough factory in "road" trim, which differed little from the race versions. Wire wheels, carpet, ruched fabric map pockets in the doors and a cigarette lighter made up most of the changes. Some cars deleted the ventilated seats, and at least one (chassis 1049) was built with the opening metal-framed windows from the Mk III.
- X-1 Roadster
The X-1 was a roadster built to contest the Fall 1965 North American Pro Series, a forerunner of Can-Am, entered by the Bruce McLaren team and driven by Chris Amon. The car had an aluminium chassis built at Abbey Panels and was originally powered by a 289 cu in (4.7L) engine. The real purpose of this car was to test several improvements originating from Kar Kraft, Shelby, and McLaren. Several gearboxes were used: a Hewland LG500 and at least one automatic gearbox. It was later upgraded to Mk II specifications with a 427 cu in (7 L) engine and a standard four ratio Kar Kraft (subsidiary of Ford) gearbox, however, the car kept specific features such as its open roof and lightweight aluminium chassis. The car went on to win the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1966. The X-1 was a one-off and, having been built in the United Kingdom and being liable for United States tariffs, was later ordered to be destroyed by United States customs officials.[23]
Mk II
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The Mk I design was altered separately by both Holman Moody and Shelby American to handle the much larger 427 cu in (7.0 L) "big block" Ford FE engine from the Ford Galaxie, used in NASCAR at the time and modified for road course use. Referred to retroactively as the Ford Mk II, the car had a new Kar Kraft-built four-speed gearbox (KKL-108 also called a Ford box) in place of the overpowered ZF five-speed (which had already belatedly replaced the over-stressed Colleti in the Mk I)[24] used in the Mk I.
In 1966, the three teams racing the Mk II (Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme and Ken Miles, and Dick Hutcherson and Ronnie Bucknum) dominated Le Mans,[25] taking European audiences by surprise and beating Ferrari to finish 1-2-3 in the standings. The Ford GT40 went on to win the race for the next three years.
For 1967, the Mk IIs were upgraded to "B" spec, with re-designed bodywork and twin Holley carburettors (giving an additional 11 kilowatts (15 hp; 15 PS)). A batch of improperly heat-treated input shafts in the transaxles side-lined virtually every Ford in the race at the 24 Hours of Daytona, however, and Ferrari won 1–2–3. The Mk IIBs were also used for Sebring and Le Mans that year and won the Reims 12 Hours in France. For the Daytona, two Mk II models (chassis 1016 and 1047) had their bodies and engines re-badged as Mercury vehicles and engines[26] to promote that division of the Ford Motor Company.[27]
In 2018, a Mk II that was 3rd overall at the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours was sold by RM Sotheby's for $9,795,000 (£7,624,344) - the highest price paid at that time for a GT40 at auction.[28]
Mk III
The Mk III was a street-legal version of the GT40 Mk I, with its 289 cu in (4.74 L) engine detuned to 228 kW (306 hp; 310 PS). A total of seven were built,[1] four with right-hand drive, with four headlamps (raised to meet US lighting standards), an expanded rear (for luggage room), softer shock absorbers, a center-mounted shift lever, and an ashtray. As the Mk III looked significantly different from the racing models due to the aforementioned lighting and lengthening for storage[clarify] many customers interested in buying a GT40 for road use chose to buy a Mk I[according to whom?] that was available from Wyer Ltd.[how?]
Mk IV
In an effort to develop a car with better aerodynamics (potentially resulting in superior control and speed compared to competitors), the decision was made[by whom?][when?] to re-conceptualize and redesign everything about the vehicle other than its 7-liter engine. This became the Mk IV.[29]
In order to bring the car into alignment with Ford's "in house" ideology at the time,[clarify] more restrictive partnerships were implemented with English firms. This resulted in the sale of Ford Advanced Vehicles to John Wyer, ultimately leading to a new vehicle which would be slated for design by Ford's studios and produced by Ford's subsidiary Kar-Kraft under Ed Hull. Furthermore, there was also a partnership with the Brunswick Aircraft Corporation for expertise on the novel use of aluminium honeycomb panels bonded together to form a lightweight, rigid "tub".
The nickname "J-car" came from its construction to meet the new Appendix J regulations[30] introduced by the FIA in 1966;[31] the redesign resulted in the abandonment of the original Mk I/Mk II chassis.
The first J-car was completed in March 1966 and set the fastest time at the Le Mans trials that year. The tub weighed only 86 lb (39 kg), and the entire car weighed only 2,660 lb (1,207 kg), 300 lb (136 kg) less than the Mk II. In spite of this, it was decided to run the Mk IIs due to their proven reliability, and little or no development was done on the J-car for the rest of the season. Following Le Mans, the development program for the J-car was resumed, and a second car was built. During a test session at Riverside International Raceway in August 1966 with Ken Miles driving, the car suddenly went out of control at the end of its high-speed, one-mile-long (1.6 km) back straight. The honeycomb chassis shattered upon impact, and the car burst into flames, killing Miles.[32][33] It was determined that the unique, flat-topped "bread van" aerodynamics of the car, lacking any sort of spoiler, led to excess lift. Therefore, a conventional but significantly more aerodynamic body was designed.[29] A total of nine cars were constructed with J-car specification chassis, with six designated as Mk IVs and one as the G7A.[1]
Racing
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The Mk IV was built around a reinforced J chassis powered by the same 7.0 L engine as the Mk II. Excluding the engine, gearbox, some suspension parts and the brakes from the Mk II, the Mk IV was totally different from other GT40s, using a specific, all-new chassis and bodywork. It was undoubtedly the most radical and American variant of all the GT40s over the years. As a direct result of the Miles accident, the team installed a NASCAR-style steel-tube roll cage in the Mk IV, which made it much safer, but the roll cage was so heavy that it negated most of the weight saving of the then-highly advanced, radically innovative honeycomb-panel construction. The Mk IV had a long, streamlined shape, which gave it exceptional top speed, crucial to do well at Le Mans (a circuit made up predominantly of straight roads connecting tight corners)—the race it was ultimately built for. A 2-speed automatic gearbox was tried, but during the extensive testing of the J-car chassis in 1966 and 1967, it was decided that the 4-speed from the Mk II would be retained.
In 1966 and early 1967, Ford's R&D department in Detroit developed a test rig to simulate circuit laps; the rig was programmed to accurately mimic the characteristics of the target circuit. The Mk IV design was revised based on weeks of simulated Le Mans laps. This was an early example of the now-common practice of using test rigs for Formula One and Le Mans vehicle protoyping.[citation needed]
Thanks to its streamlined aerodynamics, the car proved to be fastest in the field at Le Mans in 1967, achieving 213 mph on the 3.6-mile Mulsanne Straight.
Dan Gurney, who was 6 feet 4 inches tall, requested a bubble-shaped bodywork extension over the driver's seat to accommodate him. Gurney also complained about the weight of the Mk IV, which was 600 pounds (270 kg) more than the Ferrari 330 P4, and, combined with its higher speed, put more stress on its brakes. During practice at Le Mans in 1967, in an effort to preserve the brakes, Gurney developed a strategy (also adopted by co-driver A.J. Foyt who had just won the 1967 Indianapolis 500) of backing completely off the throttle several hundred yards before the approach to the Mulsanne hairpin and virtually coasting into the braking area. This technique saved the brakes, but the resulting increase in the car's recorded lap times during practice led to mistaken speculation within the Ford team that Gurney and Foyt, in an effort to compromise on chassis settings, had hopelessly "dialed out" their car - despite Gurney having been the fastest GT40 pilot in the 1966 practice and race. Also, Gurney was developing his own Eagle V12 F1 car with which he would win the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix the very next weekend.
The Mk IV ran in only two races, the April 1967 12 Hours of Sebring and the June 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans, and won both events. Only one Mk IV was completed for Sebring; the pressure from Ford had been increased considerably after Ford's humiliation at the 1967 Daytona 24h in early February, when Ferrari staged a 1-2-3 finish, honored later by naming a road car the Ferrari Daytona. Mario Andretti and Bruce McLaren won Sebring, Dan Gurney and A. J. Foyt won Le Mans (their car was the Mk IV that was apparently least likely to win),[according to whom?][why?] where the Ford-representing Shelby-American and Holman & Moody teams showed up to Le Mans with 2 Mk IVs each.[29] The installation of the roll cage was ultimately credited by many with saving the life of Andretti, who crashed violently at the Esses during the 1967 Le Mans yet escaped with minor injuries. Gurney later described the Mk IV as "half-way between a road-legal passenger car and a race car; it was reliable and comfortable, but heavy".[34]
Unlike the earlier Mk I - III cars, the chassis of which were built in Britain, the Mk IV car was built entirely in the United States by Kar Kraft, Ford's performance division in Detroit. Thus, Le Mans 1967 still remains both the only all-American victory in Le Mans history — American drivers (Dan Gurney and A. J. Foyt), team (Shelby-American Inc.), chassis constructor (Ford), engine manufacturer (Ford), and tyres (Goodyear) — as well as the only victory of a car designed and built entirely (both chassis and engine) in the United States. A total of six Mk IVs were constructed.[1]
One of the Mk IVs was rebuilt to Group 7 (motorsport) rules as the Ford G7 in 1968, and used in the Can-Am series for 1969 and 1970, but with no success.[1]
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 | This section possibly contains original research. (August 2024) |
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By the late 1960s, the Ford GT40s were obsolete in international racing. After 1967, sports car prototypes had been limited to the 3.0 litre engine size used in Formula 1 since 1966, and the Ford P68 (also Ford 3L GT or F3L) was a Ford-sponsored attempt to compete in that category with the Cosworth V8 F1 engine. Since the 1970s, there was growing interest from enthusiasts rather than racers in Ford GT40s that could not be satisfied with the remaining GT40s, even though around 100 had originally been made. This led to the production of "continuation models" and replicas.
Continuation models
Mk V
| This section possibly contains original research. (August 2024) |
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For years[when?] Peter Thorp, owner of Safir Engineering, had searched for a GT40 in good condition. Most of the cars had problems, including significant rusting. His company was building and fielding Formula 3 race cars; in addition, it had a Token[clarify] Formula One car purchased from the Ron Dennis Company, Rondell Racing. Formula One events in which Safir Engineering competed[when?] included Brands Hatch and Silverstone. Safir was also redesigning and exporting Range Rovers, modifying them to six-wheel drive. Safir had the technical capabilities to rebuild GT40s. Desiring to build new GT40s from scratch, Thorp approached John Willment,[who?] partner of John Wyer,[who?] for his thoughts. It was soon decided[by whom?] that there would be a limited, further run of the GT40. JW Engineering would oversee the build, with Safir doing the work. The continued JW Engineering/Safir Engineering GT40 production[clarify] would utilize sequential serial numbers starting at the last used serial number. Maintaining the vehicle's Mark nomenclature, the new cars would be referred to as GT40 Mk Vs.
JW Engineering wished to complete the existing GT40 chassis numbers GT40P-1087, 1088 and 1089 prior to the beginning of Safir production; this, however, was very much delayed.
Ford's[which?] Len Bailey[who?] was hired to inspect the proposed build and engineer any changes to minimize known problems with the car, and upgrade safety to modern standards he thought prudent. While the GT40 chassis was upgraded without making any major changes, Bailey upgraded the front suspension to Alan Mann Racing specifications, which minimized nose-dive under braking. Zinc coated steel replaced the previous uncoated rust-prone sheet metal. The vulnerable drive donuts were replaced with CV joints and the leak-prone rubber gas tanks were replaced with aluminium.
Metal fabricator Tennant Panels supplied the roof structure, and the balance of the chassis was completed by Safir with parts from Adams McCall Engineering. Bill Pink, noted for his electrical experience and the wiring installation of previous GT40s, was brought in. Also, Jim Rose[who?] was hired for his experience with working at both Alan Mann and Shelby. After the manufacture of chassis 1120, John Etheridge[who?] was hired to manage the MkV GT40 build.
For the most part, the Mk V resembled very closely the Mk I car; as with the '60s production, very few cars were identical.
The first new build, GT40P-1090, had an open-top in place of roof-hinged doors. Most motors were Ford "small block" V8s, fitted with twin-Weber or 4-barrel carburettors. Safir produced five "big block" Mk V GT40s, serial numbers GT40P-1128 to GT40P-1132. These aluminium bodied cars all had easily removable door roof sections.[why?] Although most Mk V GT40s were high-performance street cars, some were built solely to race specs. Two road cars, a roadster (GT40P-1133), and a standard configuration (GT40P-1142), were built with lightweights aluminium honeycomb chasses and carbon fiber bodywork.
Replicas and modernizations
| This section possibly contains original research. (August 2024) |
| This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2024) |
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Several kit cars and replicas inspired by the Ford GT40 have been built. They are generally intended for assembly in a home workshop or garage. There are two alternatives to the kit car approach, either continuation models (exact and licensed replicas true to the original GT40) or modernizations (replicas with upgraded components, ergonomics & trim for improved usability, drivability, and performance).
- GT40/R Competition, United States: Authentic GT40 built by Superformance and co-designed with Pathfinder Motorsports. This is the only GT40 continuation licensed by Safir GT40 Spares LLC, the holders of the GT40 trademark. A GT40/R (GT40P/2094) campaigned by Pathfinder Motorsports with an engine built by Holman Moody won both the 2009 US Vintage Grand Prix and the 2009 Governor's Cup at Watkins Glen.[35]
- Southern GT: Built-in Swanmore, Southampton, UK. Specializing in GT40 Mk1 and Mk2, as well as Lola T70. Kit form or fully built to your specifications.
- CAV GT: Originally designed for customers to build as a kit, the CAV GT has evolved into a modernized replica that is now factory-built in Cape Town, South Africa.
- Holman Moody: GT40 Mark II won third at Le Mans in 1966, and can still manufacture a Holman GT from 1966 blueprints.
- GT40 Spyder, United States: Built by E.R.A. Replica Automobiles in New Britain, CT, the Spyder is a MK2 Canadian American (CAN-AM) racing replica. The ERA GT is "No Longer Available" according to their website (October 3, 2021).[36]
- Ford GT40 By Everrati: Everatti's GT40 replica uses a Superformance body and is powered by a 700-volt electric architecture, allowing for fast charging. Everrati estimates it delivers 800 PS (588 kW) and 590 lb⋅ft (800 N⋅m) of torque, making it almost twice as powerful as the most powerful version of the original GT40.
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The Ford GT is a modern reinterpretation of the GT40 manufactured by Ford Motor Company.
At the 1995 North American International Auto Show, the Ford GT90 concept was shown and at the 2002 show, a new GT40 Concept was unveiled by Ford. While similar in appearance to the original cars, it was bigger, wider, and 3 inches (76 mm) taller than the original 40 inches (1020 mm). Three production prototype cars were shown in 2003 as part of Ford's centenary, and delivery of the production Ford GT began in the fall of 2004. The Ford GT was assembled in the Ford Wixom, Michigan, plant and painted by Saleen, Incorporated at their Saleen Special Vehicles plant in Troy, Michigan.
A British company, Safir Engineering, which continued to produce a limited number of GT40s (the Mk V) in the 1980s under an agreement with Walter Hayes of Ford and John Wilmont of J.W. Automotive Engineering, owned the GT40 trademark at that time, and when they completed production, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design, and trademark to a small American company called Safir GT40 Spares, Limited based in Ohio. Safir GT40 Spares licensed the use of the GT40 trademark to Ford for the initial 2002 show car, but when Ford decided to make the production vehicle, negotiations between the two failed, and as a result, the new Ford GT lost the "40" of GT40. Bob Wood, one of three partners who own Safir GT40 Spares, said: "When we talked with Ford, they asked what we wanted. We said that Ford owns Beanstalk in New York, the company that licenses the Blue Oval for Ford on such things as T-shirts. Since Beanstalk gets 7.5 percent of the retail cost of the item for licensing the name, we suggested 7.5 percent on each GT40 sold."[37]
Ford, however, wished to purchase rather than license the GT40 trademark. At the then-estimated $125,000 per copy, 7.5% of 4,500 vehicles would have totalled approximately $42,187,500.[37] This figure was widely reported following an Automotive News Weekly story that Safir "demanded" $40 million for the sale of the trademark. Fruitless discussions between Safir and Ford ensued. Later Ford GT models or prototypes have born such previously unprotected designations as "Ford GT90" or the "Ford GT70". The GT40 name and trademark is currently licensed to Superformance in the USA.
A second-generation Ford GT was unveiled at the 2015 North American International Auto Show. It features a 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6 engine, carbonfibre monocoque and body panels, pushrod suspension and active aerodynamics. It entered the 2016 season of the FIA World Endurance Championship and the United SportsCar Championship, and a street-legal second-generation production version started being sold at Ford dealerships in 2017.
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The 2019 movie Ford v Ferrari is about the GT40's development and victory at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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- Ford Supervan, a van-bodied variant
- Bundle of Snakes, tangled exhaust headers used on the GT40
- Colotti Trasmissioni, transmission of the initial, and early models
- AC Cobra, a high-performance street car and racer of similar Anglo-American heritage
- Ford v Ferrari, 2019 film about the GT40's development
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