Their efforts were successful, and the GT40 Mk. II was created. At Le Mans in 1966, Ford not only defeated Ferrari; it also embarrassed the Italian team.
In This Article...
Nissan GT-R
This article is about the winning racing vehicle from the 1960 Le Mans. See Ford GT for the supercar that was inspired by it. See DEC GT40 for more information about the graphic computer terminal made by Digital Equipment Corporation. Ford GT is a trademark (disambiguation).
The Ford Motor Company commissioned the high-performance endurance racing Ford GT40. It developed from the “Ford GT” (for Grand Touring) project, an attempt to fight against Ferrari in renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans races in Europe from 1960 to 1965. Ford had success with the GT40, winning the competitions from 1966 until 1969.
The project got underway when Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough, UK, started producing the GT40 Mk I, which was based on the Lola Mk6. The engineering team was relocated to Dearborn, Michigan in 1964 as a result of dismal race performances (Kar Kraft). Several American-built Ford V8 engines that had been adapted for racing powered the range.
The GT40 Mk II ended Ferrari’s winning streak at Le Mans in 1966, becoming the first American manufacturer to win a significant European race since Jimmy Murphy’s Duesenberg victory at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Mk IV was the only vehicle wholly developed and produced in the United States to take home the overall Le Mans victory in 1967.
The Mk I, the oldest of the vehicles, won in 1968 and 1969, becoming the second chassis to do so. (Until the Ferrari 275P chassis 0816 was found to have won the 1964 race after winning the 1963 race in 250P format and with an 0814 chassis plate, this Ford/Shelby chassis, #P-1075, was thought to have been the first.) With the addition of bespoke alloy Gurney-Weslake cylinder heads, its American Ford V8 engine’s 4.7-liter displacement capacity (289 cubic inches) was increased to 4.9 liters (302 cubic inches).
The “40” stood for its minimum permitted height of 40 inches (1.02 m), measured at the windshield. The initial 12 “prototype” cars had serial numbers ranging from GT-101 to GT-112. The Mk I, Mk II, Mk III, and Mk IV were officially referred to as “GT40s” once “production” started and were given the numbers GT40P/1000 through GT40P/1145. J1–J12 were the Mk IVs’ serial numbers.
SERPRESULT
The 427 established the lap record during practice laps with a time of 3:33, about five seconds quicker than the Ferraris! Ken Miles and Bruce McLaren fulfilled their desire as they
The Ford v Ferrari film, featuring Christian Bale as Ken Miles and Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby, brought the tale of Ken Miles, Carroll Shelby, and Ford’s GT40 defeating Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966 to the attention of the world. But what was the actual sequence of events that led to what happened?
As you might anticipate from a Hollywood movie, the plotline strayed from reality a bit. What portions of the movie are therefore accurate, and what details were exaggerated for artistic and dramatic effect? Check out the second in a series of videos covering the actual race and the movie in the one up top (part 1 can be viewed below).
At a race in California, did Ken Miles actually throw a wrench at Shelby? Has he ever thrown a punch at him in public? Was Ford management sabotaging Miles after he had a multiple-lap lead at Le Mans because they wanted their other drivers to win? At the finish line, what actually transpired? What did the actual podium scenario look like?
Using exclusive footage from Motorsport.tv’s Le Mans archive and images from Motorsport Images, we tell the story of what actually happened with interviews with a number of motorsport experts, including Miles’s son Peter, who was a young boy when all the real-life drama unfolded. Tom Kristensen, a nine-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours, serves as the narration.
Which Ferrari competed in races with the Ford GT40?
The Ford GT40 Mark II and Ferrari 330 P3, as the movie’s title suggests, and the Italian and American automakers’ vehicles were the main competitors in the endurance race. However, there were numerous people on the French racetrack when Henry Ford II raised the flag on June 18, 1966.
Ford v. Ferrari: Did a genuine GT40 get used?
Ford V Ferrari was a big-budget motion picture that attempted to depict the condensed story of how an American automaker defeated Ferrari in Europe. The Ford GT40, the racecar that led Ford to four Le Mans triumphs in the 1960s, is the show’s automotive star, and it stars well-known actors like Christian Bale and Matt Damon. Unsurprisingly, the movie’s production required a few stunt vehicles, and one of those exact replica GT40s will now be auctioned off at the next Mecum Auctions in Dallas in September.
According to Silodrome, the vehicle in issue was employed in the Le Mans racing circuit as Dan Gurney’s GT40 with the number 3. After that, the vehicle underwent further styling to take on the identity of the number 88 car driven by William Wonder during the 24 Hours of Daytona. The stunt vehicles for the movie were created by Race Car Replicas in Michigan, and they accurately mimic the features of the 1966 GT40. This is the only one of the six GT40 stunt vehicles created for the production to have received a VIN and a title. So, to answer your question, hypothetically, you could register this GT40 and utilize it to go food shopping.
Although none of the famous on-screen figures are mentioned in the auction, it’s possible that one of the big stars got behind the wheel of this stunt vehicle. The loveliest and most physically appealing “camera automobiles” are typically reserved for film productions to use while filming scenes with actors. As one might assume, stunt cars are used for all actual driving situations. This makes it possible to shoot scenes with the actors more rapidly because no cosmetic damage from stunt driving needs to be fixed.
The Ford GT40’s history as a whole has the makings of a legend. Ford leadership decided to defeat Ferrari in brash fashion at the 24 Hours of Le Mans after trying and failing to buy Ferrari outright in the early 1960s. The Lola Mk6-based GT40 enjoyed great success on the racetrack thanks to its strong Ford V8 engine and capable mid-engined chassis. Ferrari’s streak of five straight victories from 1960 to 1965 was broken by the vehicle, which went on to win Le Mans four times in a row from 1966 to 1969.
The actual film eschews meticulous historical accuracy in favor of a freewheeling narrative that centers on Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles’ quest to win the Le Mans race for Ford. The alleged tense relationship between Miles and Ford executive Leo Beebe occupies a significant portion of the movie. Director James Mangold does a good job of telling the traditional story of the folks in the overalls versus the suits.
Nobody knows how much this will sell for because Race Car Replicas doesn’t disclose prices for its kits on the auction site, either. We anticipate that it won’t sell for quite as much as the Fast and Furious Supra, which sold in June for a total of $500,000. In any event, this could be a fantastic chance to purchase a ready-to-drive Ford GT40 replica that also comes with some background. Additionally, it will probably be far less expensive than a real one.
Ford defeated Ferrari in Le Mans, right?
In 1964, Ford Motor Company began making an effort to defeat Ferrari at Le Mans. After two disastrous seasons in which Fords were unable to even complete the race, the American carmaker experienced an exciting 1-2-3 sweep in 1966. On the podium, Henry Ford II celebrated the decisive victory alongside the two New Zealand-born race winners, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon.
Ford vs. Ferrari: Who Won in 1966?
The actual world Le Mans ’66 came to a thrilling conclusion with a historic result as all three Ford vehicles tied for first place when they passed the finish line.
How many horsepower was the 427 GT40 equipped with?
Ferrari’s six-race winning streak at Le Mans was broken by the 427’s tremendous thrust (about 485 horsepower) and dependability, which made the GT40 untouchable. The narrative is detailed in the documentary “24 Hour War,” which was screened last month at the Freep Film Festival.
How did the Ford GT40 become so quick?
The GT40’s revolutionary design played a significant role in its popularity. The car had a significant edge over its rivals due to being significantly lower and more aerodynamic than anything else on the course. It was also one of the fastest cars of its era thanks to a lightweight aluminum chassis.
A new age of racing was ushered in by the GT40’s stunning look. It paved the path for other enduring American automobiles like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette.
Additionally composed of carbon fiber, the body has been engineered to produce little lift while still being extremely aerodynamically efficient. The GT40 actually has a lower drag coefficient than other modern supercars.
The chassis is the next component and is fully constructed of carbon fiber. This maintains the GT40 highly sturdy and rigid while while keeping it light (it weighs about 2,300 pounds).
Who is the owner of the top GT40?
The GT40’s 15-year careful restoration by its present owner Rex Myers was finished in time for the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, when it took second place in the Postwar Sports Class. In a Gooding video, Myers adds, “The timing couldn’t have been any better.”
How many GT40s are there?
For any automobile collector, owning a genuine, vintage version of Ford’s Le Mans-winning GT40 is a significant achievement. After all, there were only 87 production cars and 12 prototypes made, totaling less than 100 vehicles.