Mike
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Epoca: Ford GT/111 - Automobilismo
It is said that the cars found in barns after decades of neglect now there are no more. But this is not so. Witness the story of a Ford GT40 roadster version (which were set up only five specimens) and for 40 years it was believed lost, in the belief that she had gone demolished in the 60s. What feelings must have felt who opened the London garage where the car was closed for some time, frame number GT/111. Or, rather, what was left of it. A discovery due to the fact that the building where the old garage forgotten, was in the middle of the area where the Olympic village will rise ... And here comes the first question: how is over there a GT40? And then it will be an original or a fake craft, maybe well done?
Win Le Mans
In fact, doubts have been removed in a short time. But, as always, it is better to start from the beginning. The history of the GT40 is unknown, but always fascinating. At the beginning of the 60s Ford was the protagonist in the various specialties motorsport American stock-car from the car of Indianapolis. Not to mention the engines made available to the various Cobra and Shelby. However, the Ford family, this was not enough, they wanted to refurbish the image of the Blue Oval, a little 'tarnished internationally. The best thing would be to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans race well known in the USA and are highly influential European Union, which alone was worth an entire advertising campaign. But there was a problem, and not small. Ford had a great experience with the powerful engines, but of well-versa was the situation in Europe, where much smaller cubic capacity engines were paired with light chassis and bodywork, suspension with complex geometries and refined. Eric Broadley As Ford was able to enter that world and dominate in a short time is the question simple answer: with money.
E 'known that to win at Le Mans, Ford expense of millions of dollars, many from even considering to buy the whole Ferrari: the negotiations came to a very late stage, but in the end the Commander stood up from the table, infuriating Henry Ford II. Doop trying with Cooper and Lotus, Ford decided to do otherwise: he founded the Ford Advanced Vehicles Limited (FAV), in Slough, England, for the engineering and development of the new car. At work there were hired three specialists: Roy Lunn, who at just 24 years he was responsible for the design Jowett, from which he had passed the first Aston Martin to Ford and then England, John Wyer, former team manager of the Aston Martin with a great merit in the victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in '59. Last but not least, the founder of Lola Eric Broadley, who had taken a year "sabbatical" from his company.
The thing was not random because Broadley in 1963 he designed the Lola Mk6, a mid-engined sports rear-engined V8 Ford. It served as the design of the American race car for Europe. Less than a year after the start of the operation, in April 1964, the FAV came the first two prototypes, with white body, to participate in the preliminary tests of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. On a rainy day, both cars had big accidents, the serious problems of lift of the body to which it was accompanied overheating mechanics. Ford Advanced Vehicles, however, continued production, making twelve prototypes of the car, from there to 1965, seven and five coupe roadster. It is not known exactly why the specimens homeless, but we can assume that Ford attempted in every way, and as the winning Ferrari from 1960 to '65 were all discoveries ... Targa Florio Like the coupe, the roadster was also simply called GT ; the addition of the digit 40 arrived later, to indicate inch (equal to 1,016 mm) in height of the machine. In reality, the roadster is a couple of inches even lower.
Like the coupe, even the "discoveries" were all tested on the track. GT/111 This was entered to test the 24 Hours of Le Mans took place April 10, 1965. It was one of the first cars with ZF, since the Colotti in 1964 had led to the withdrawal of all three GT40 entered in the 24 Hours of Sarthe. The preliminary tests showed up with bright white livery and Borrani wire wheels, with two more units arrived from USA headquarters in Dearborn, where they had been sent to mount the 7-liter engine. At the wheel of the "111" was the new rider John Whitmore, who made a tour of 3'50 ", discrete-time, but five seconds slower than the worst coupe. It was therefore decided to include the GT/111 the Targa Florio on May 5, 1965. So the "111" was shipped to Palermo to tackle ten laps of the "most challenging road race in the world." A Sir John Whitmore was flanked the American Bob Bondurant, to fight with the Ferrari 275P and the Porsche 904, and the car was repainted in green and mounted Halibrand magnesium wheels.
It is said that the cars found in barns after decades of neglect now there are no more. But this is not so. Witness the story of a Ford GT40 roadster version (which were set up only five specimens) and for 40 years it was believed lost, in the belief that she had gone demolished in the 60s. What feelings must have felt who opened the London garage where the car was closed for some time, frame number GT/111. Or, rather, what was left of it. A discovery due to the fact that the building where the old garage forgotten, was in the middle of the area where the Olympic village will rise ... And here comes the first question: how is over there a GT40? And then it will be an original or a fake craft, maybe well done?
Win Le Mans
In fact, doubts have been removed in a short time. But, as always, it is better to start from the beginning. The history of the GT40 is unknown, but always fascinating. At the beginning of the 60s Ford was the protagonist in the various specialties motorsport American stock-car from the car of Indianapolis. Not to mention the engines made available to the various Cobra and Shelby. However, the Ford family, this was not enough, they wanted to refurbish the image of the Blue Oval, a little 'tarnished internationally. The best thing would be to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans race well known in the USA and are highly influential European Union, which alone was worth an entire advertising campaign. But there was a problem, and not small. Ford had a great experience with the powerful engines, but of well-versa was the situation in Europe, where much smaller cubic capacity engines were paired with light chassis and bodywork, suspension with complex geometries and refined. Eric Broadley As Ford was able to enter that world and dominate in a short time is the question simple answer: with money.
E 'known that to win at Le Mans, Ford expense of millions of dollars, many from even considering to buy the whole Ferrari: the negotiations came to a very late stage, but in the end the Commander stood up from the table, infuriating Henry Ford II. Doop trying with Cooper and Lotus, Ford decided to do otherwise: he founded the Ford Advanced Vehicles Limited (FAV), in Slough, England, for the engineering and development of the new car. At work there were hired three specialists: Roy Lunn, who at just 24 years he was responsible for the design Jowett, from which he had passed the first Aston Martin to Ford and then England, John Wyer, former team manager of the Aston Martin with a great merit in the victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in '59. Last but not least, the founder of Lola Eric Broadley, who had taken a year "sabbatical" from his company.
The thing was not random because Broadley in 1963 he designed the Lola Mk6, a mid-engined sports rear-engined V8 Ford. It served as the design of the American race car for Europe. Less than a year after the start of the operation, in April 1964, the FAV came the first two prototypes, with white body, to participate in the preliminary tests of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. On a rainy day, both cars had big accidents, the serious problems of lift of the body to which it was accompanied overheating mechanics. Ford Advanced Vehicles, however, continued production, making twelve prototypes of the car, from there to 1965, seven and five coupe roadster. It is not known exactly why the specimens homeless, but we can assume that Ford attempted in every way, and as the winning Ferrari from 1960 to '65 were all discoveries ... Targa Florio Like the coupe, the roadster was also simply called GT ; the addition of the digit 40 arrived later, to indicate inch (equal to 1,016 mm) in height of the machine. In reality, the roadster is a couple of inches even lower.
Like the coupe, even the "discoveries" were all tested on the track. GT/111 This was entered to test the 24 Hours of Le Mans took place April 10, 1965. It was one of the first cars with ZF, since the Colotti in 1964 had led to the withdrawal of all three GT40 entered in the 24 Hours of Sarthe. The preliminary tests showed up with bright white livery and Borrani wire wheels, with two more units arrived from USA headquarters in Dearborn, where they had been sent to mount the 7-liter engine. At the wheel of the "111" was the new rider John Whitmore, who made a tour of 3'50 ", discrete-time, but five seconds slower than the worst coupe. It was therefore decided to include the GT/111 the Targa Florio on May 5, 1965. So the "111" was shipped to Palermo to tackle ten laps of the "most challenging road race in the world." A Sir John Whitmore was flanked the American Bob Bondurant, to fight with the Ferrari 275P and the Porsche 904, and the car was repainted in green and mounted Halibrand magnesium wheels.
