Was J5 repainted after Le Mans?

[Philip H]

I've come across a few articles across the web that state that J5 was repainted after Le Mans and after comparison of pictures from the race and of the car as it is now, there are some discrepancies. Most notably between the number 1 on the front of the car which is off centre in a clockwise direction in race pictures, but is currently off centre in an anti-clockwise direction and what appears to be a resizing of the numbers on the sides and the black "Ford" logo behind the front wheels.

So does anyone know for certain whether J5 was repainted and any more information about that? As I know most (if not all) the Le Mans cars were repainted to look like J5.

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

I've come across a few articles across the web that state that J5 was repainted after Le Mans and after comparison of pictures from the race and of the car as it is now, there are some discrepancies. Most notably between the number 1 on the front of the car which is off centre in a clockwise direction in race pictures, but is currently off centre in an anti-clockwise direction and what appears to be a resizing of the numbers on the sides and the black "Ford" logo behind the front wheels.

So does anyone know for certain whether J5 was repainted and any more information about that? As I know most (if not all) the Le Mans cars were repainted to look like J5.

J5 was not repainted after Le Mans but J6 was painted as a clone of J5 by Ford and a Gurney Bubble was added and she was sent on the auto show circuit. For years J6 was thought to be the Le Mans winner.

 

[Randy V]

Just a thought, but I know that the numbers on the front and rear of the cars were often times rotated in order to favor a more legible view by the stewards in the timing and scoring booths. Those booths were typically on the outside of the track, but some one the inside. I don't think that we could use that orientation alone as the basis for thinking it was repainted.

 

[Philip H]

Thanks for the confirmation that it wasn't painted and I take the point about the number being off centre for the benefits of stewards/marshalls, but to me that doesn't explain why it would now not be the same unless there was some sort of re detailing on the car.

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

Thanks for the confirmation that it wasn't painted and I take the point about the number being off centre for the benefits of stewards/marshalls, but to me that doesn't explain why it would now not be the same unless there was some sort of re detailing on the car.

You have to be VERY careful comparing period photo to modern photos as often details are changed by lens/angle and film vs digital.

Post the photos you think are different.

 

[Philip H]

Race Photos:

Not blindingly obvious, but the #1 is canted over to the left slightly.

This one shows it more clearly:

And current photos:

And:

The number in these is quite clearly more centralised, if not a couple of degrees in the opposite direction.

I might just be being dim, and if I am, I'm sorry. :worried:

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

I think it's a lens/angle distortion.

 

[Mike Trusty]

OK, this car may not have had its color changed and not sure about the number position but most of it has been repainted. The pictures prove that. There is a lot of paint missing in the race pictures yet it is pristine in the latest pictures. Look at all of the rock chips. Look at the missing paint around the radiator intake. Look at the missing paint at the leading edge of roof just above the windshield. Look at the bug pattern that goes across the center of the roundel and number. Not to mention the perfect plastic over the headlights verses the sand blasted in the race pictures. Most if not all of this car has been repainted.

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

OK, this car may not have had its color changed and not sure about the number position but most of it has been repainted. The pictures prove that. There is a lot of paint missing in the race pictures yet it is pristine in the latest pictures. Look at all of the rock chips. Look at the missing paint around the radiator intake. Look at the missing paint at the leading edge of roof just above the windshield. Look at the bug pattern that goes across the center of the roundel and number. Not to mention the perfect plastic over the headlights verses the sand blasted in the race pictures. Most if not all of this car has been repainted.

Are you sure the bottom car is J5 not J6/J7 cloned as J5?

Ford Cloned J6 and J7 at one time and sent them around as "The Le Mans Winner". I've seen J5 and sat in her as she was pushed around and she's not like the bottom photo.

 

[Philip H]

I think it's a lens/angle distortion.

Wouldn't lens distortion just alter the perceived distance between different parts of the livery though? Not actually alter the rotation of a single part of the livery?

^Another thing that makes me dubious is that there is significant fading of the black paint on the #1 on the front of the car in the race (due to bugs/sand), but not as it is. Is there not a possibility that the paint was touched up post race? Or later even?

This picture below shows it very clearly:

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

Wouldn't lens distortion just alter the perceived distance between different parts of the livery though? Not actually alter the rotation of a single part of the livery?

^Another thing that makes me dubious is that there is significant fading of the black paint on the #1 on the front of the car in the race (due to bugs/sand), but not as it is. Is there not a possibility that the paint was touched up post race? Or later even?

This picture below shows it very clearly:

See post 9.

Are you sure second photo is J5?

 

[Philip H]

See post 9.

Are you sure second photo is J5?

The race photo? Or the modern one?

The 2nd race one is I think, as it has the same fading number and the mirrors are in the right place. And I'm pretty sure that's Dan Gurney behind the wheel.

If you're talking about the modern one then I'm not certain, but I think so.

 

[Allan Feldman]

As well as clone during the promotion period on of the 1980's built J chassis I think its J-12 or J-11 was finished as the Le Mans winner. I know Rod Leaches car was White with Blue graphics and stripes.
Regards Allan