Posted on 02/16/2016 5:55:07 PM PST by MtnClimber
Ford's GT40 enjoyed great success as a racing car, but as a passenger car, a role required for FIA homologation, it was a failure. In order to move the 20 or so cars built for homologation purposes, Ford promoted the car with a dealer roadshow and deep discounting, eventually clearing its inventory with very little (or perhaps no) profit. On March 11, a 1966 Ford GT40 Mk I, once part of the automakerâs Promotion and Disposal Program, will cross the auction block in Amelia Island, where (this time) no additional fanfare will be needed to market the car.
The Ford GT40, in its various forms, captured overall victory at Le Mans from 1966 through 1969, and won scores of other races in Europe and the United States. Race cars, however, have radically different design criteria than street cars, and in this regard the GT40 was a victim of its own success. The car's 40-inch height may have lowered the center of gravity and reduced drag, but it also resulted in the car being nearly invisible on public roads. It also made entry and exit challenging for those dressed in street clothes, and the World Registry of Cobras & GT40s, 4th Edition, describes entry and egress from the car as a "spectator event."
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I don’t have one car, that won’t cover the uses. I have an old Toyota 4-Runner for hauling the dogs or hauling firewood. I have a Mercedes C300 4-matic for commuting about every other day to Colorado Springs from just north of Golden. 220 to 240 miles round trip depending on where I need to go. My current fast car is an Audi 2013 S6 with V8 twin turbo. Car and Driver timed it at 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. For a next faster car I am looking at McLaren 570S, Porsche 911 Turbo or Mercedes AMG GTS. Still debating, but a G30 would be a great car if price was a little better!
G30=GT40, typing in the dark :)
The challenges of owning a GT40 as a daily driver did’t end there, either. The doors needed a wide opening to negotiate across the wide sill, requiring owners to park on the outskirts of lots and hope for the best. Rear-side visibility was limited by enormous C-pillars, ventilation was provided only by small rectangular windows cut within the door glass (which also made paying tolls a challenge), and the car came exclusively in right-hand drive. While customers could configure the GT40 with a number of options (including, thankfully, air conditioning), the starting price for a production road coupe was said to be in the neighborhood of $16,000.
“Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” didn’t necessarily apply to the GT40, either, as many Americans had never heard of the storied European endurance race on the Circuit de la Sarthe. Had the GT40 cleaned up at Indianapolis or Talladega instead of Le Mans, perhaps Ford dealers may have had more of a marketing edge with the cars. Instead, by early 1967, Ford;s accountants were growing concerned with the significant amount of money tied up in homologation GT40s, all of which were the Mk I variant.
I think I could live with it!
i got to ride on it several times, mainly with his son Peter who went on to be a driver also
heady stuff for a 13-14 year old
And a gutless wonder
That was my car! First American car to win at Le Mans. 256 CU V8, daddy to the ‘64 260 and subsequent 289.
Deep breath. Feeling ancient. Still want one.
Wow, that is great!
Ford was one of the track sponsors at the time and let him have it for a couple years then return it back to them so it cost him nothing, talk about a sweet deal...
Wow, how can I get in on that deal with the new Ford GT?
They compromised after selling the Corvette, and bought a Jeep. No problems going picnicking with that utility vehicle. She liked it so much, they bought another, his and hers. And it was better for my friend, the guy, as he had a penchant for speeding and wrecked a few muscle cars. He's safer in the Jeep. She's had her fill of his hobbies, what with speedboats, low-rider motorcycles and fast cars. He's finally settling down in his sixties.
The car that made me a car nut!
Thanks for posting.
Cheers
Jim
The dry-sump OHC Indycar engine shares some dimensions with the Windsor small-block, but I'm not certain it's the "daddy" of that engine series. Sort of a parallel development, right at the same time that the 260 debuted in showrooms.
Check out this YouTube video of a customized '65 Mustang Fastback with one of those rare engines - the owner had a more streetable set of camshafts ground.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EnhzyRCH3M
Ultimately, the wins at LeMans came with the MkII cars, with 427 (Nascar spec) engines providing enough speed on the Mulsanne Straight.
It’s not a super car, but the finest sports car of the last 30 years is the Honda S2000. Fast, good handling, and the durability of an Accord.
Yep - I’d say the S2000’s niche is now filled by the Subaru BRZ (and whatever Toyota is going to call their version, now that Scion is shutting down). Lots of Subaru racing parts out there, thanks to the WRX.
I agree, the S2000 is a fine car and a good choice for a future collector car.
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