Original GT40 ?

Sorry link is dead, for sale at Artcurial on June 12nd

www.artcurial.fr


Lot n° 34 FORD - GT 40 MK 1 compétition - 1966


FORD
GT 40 MK 1 compétition - 1966

N° de série : GT 40 P 1040
Moteur : 8 cylindres en V à 90°, central arrière longitudinal
Alésage-course : 101,6 mm x 72,9 mm (82,42)
Cylindrée : 4736 cm3, bloc de 289 cu.inch
Distribution : soupapes (2) en têtes actionnées par tiges et culbuteurs depuis un autre à came dans le centre du V
Alimentation : 4 carburateurs Weber double coups
Taux de compression : 11 à 1
Puissance maximum : 425 cv à 6 500 tr/mn
Boîte de vitesses : ZF mécanique à cinq rapports + MA
Embrayage : Borg and Beck
Châssis : semi-monocoque en tôle d'acier de 0,80 / 0,90 mm d'épaisseur construites sur les bases de Abbey Panel
Carrosserie : en fibre de verre, toit en tôle d'acier, parties avant et arrière détachables
Suspensions avant : roues indépendantes, triangles superposés, ressorts hélicoïdaux, amortisseurs télescopiques, barre antiroulis
Suspensions arrière : roues indépendantes, triangles superposés, triangles longitudinaux, ressorts hélicoïdaux, amortisseurs
Empattement : 2410 mm
Voie avant : 1450 mm
Voie arrière : 1420 mm
Poids à sec : 1100 kg
Freins : hydrauliques à disques Girling sur les quatre roues
Roues : jantes BRM en magnésium à l'avant de 6 x 15 et jantes arrière en aluminium de 9 x 15
Performances : vitesse maximum 300 km/h
Période de production : 1965 / 1967
Nombre de voitures construites : 26 exemplaires MKI comp.GT 40 P/1006 à 1010, 1014, 1017 à 1027,1029, 1030, 1035 à 1042, 1048 et 1073.


La voiture présentée, une Ford GT MK I # 1040 est une des Ford GT 40 vendues à la Scuderia Filipinetti en 1966. Terminée le 1er mars 1966, elle fut peinte en “Signal Red”, soit rouge avec une bande blanche, les couleurs de la Suisse.
La voiture participa aux traditionnels essais des 24 Heures du Mans sur le circuit de la Sarthe les 2 et 3 avril avec le numéro 12, pilotée par le fougueux Willy Mairesse, Hubert Muller et, Innes Ireland.

Aux 1000 km de Monza, la GT 40 # 1040, engagée par Georges Filipinetti, avec le numéro de course 9 et pilotée par Willy Mairesse et Hubert Muller termina 3e. L'équipe belgo helvétique n'était battue que par la Ferrari 330 P3 # 0844 du NART et la GT 40#1010. Après quoi, quelques pièces furent préservées pour aider à la restauration de #1039 accidentée par Willy Mairesse aux essais du Mans. #1039 était la “sister car” de #1040, toutes deux engagées par Georges Filipinetti et les pilotes de la Scuderia passaient de l'une à l'autre pour comparaison.
#1040 fut préparée par FAV (Ford advanced vehicles). En vue des 24 heures du Mans les 18 et 19 juin 1966. Elle était pilotée par Hubert Muller et Peter Sutcliff ainsi que par Dieter Spoery. Muller qualifia la voiture qui portait le n° #12 aux essais et, #14 en course, en 3'43' 4/10e.

La voiture fût éliminée suite à un accident au 233e tour, car, il semble qu'un mécanicien avait mal fixé le bouchon d'essence qui en s'ouvrant arrosa une roue, et la voiture sortit de la course. #1040 repartit donc chez Ford pour réparation. La voiture fut vendue à Denis Bovel et Jean-Daniel Grandjean avant les essais de 1967 au Mans pour lesquels la paire Française était associée à Herbert Muller qui était chargé de qualifier la voiture qui portait le numéro 18 ; la voiture fut encore accidentée mais réparée à temps par JW Automobile.
Aux 1000 km de Monza, le 25 avril 1967, #1040 était pilotée par Denis Bovel, Jean-Daniel Grandjean et Claude Ballot - Léna, elle portait le numéro de course 32. La course fut remportée par les deux Ferrari P4 #0856 et # 0858.

La Ford GT 40 #1040 prit feu au 85e tour (sur 100). La voiture fût presque complètement brûlée et l'épave fut vendue à Georges Filipinetti qui l'entreposa dans son château de Grandson. Selon un document daté du 10 Octobre 1973 et fournit par l'actuel propriétaire, elle fit l'objet d'une transaction entre Filipinetti et Sbarro en échange de travaux mécanique sur une F 1 Lotus ex Siffert.

Franco Sbarro était probablement l'homme qui connaissait le mieux la GT 40, ayant travaillé à son élaboration chez Ford et ayant été le chef mécanicien de l'écurie Filipinetti, en charge des GT 40. Franco Sbarro commença une restauration à “temps perdu” donc très lente, n'ayant pas de client.
Ce n'est qu'en 1986 que le propriétaire actuel signa un accord avec Franco Sbarro pour l'achat de #1040 mais aussi pour sa reconstruction. La voiture arriva en France à l'état de semi-épave pour être dédouanée et retourna pour les travaux chez Sbarro qui s'était engagé à livrer la voiture dans les douze mois. Nous avons la copie de ce contrat. Le moteur fut refait en 2001, par le spécialiste Dave Dralle à Willow Spring en Californie, avec un bloc GT 40 d'époque.

L'actuel propriétaire, donc depuis 20 ans, de #1040 fut particulièrement satisfait du travail de Sbarro et l'on revit la voiture trois fois au tour Auto, la dernière fois en 2004 et au Mans Classic en 2002 et 2004.
La voiture est livrée avec 4 jantes Hallibrand (2 de 11'' en aluminium, et 2 autres en magnésium de 8''), 4 flectors de boîte de vitesse, 2 réservoirs d'essence en aluminium d'époque, ainsi que des produits consommables comme des allumeurs, des plaquettes de freins…

Fiche FIA
Carte grise française de collection.

NOTA :
Certaines publications attribuent à une voiture actuellement aux U.S.A le même numéro de châssis # 1040 que la voiture présentée.
Nous avons interrogé Franco Sbarro qui nous a obligeamment répondu, et, dont nous reproduirons intégralement la réponse datée du 26 avril 2006.

Some publications assign to a car actually in the States the same chassis number # 1040.
We have asked Franco Sbarro about it and he was nice enough to gave us a written answer dated 26th of April 2006 which we reproduce hereafter in its integrality. In which he affirmed that # 1040 has been sold to the actual owner, in France, and not to any another people.
He added that that he does not know the gentleman who claims to have had bought some spares of #1040 from him in the mid-seventies and who is the first american owners on the list in various Ford GT 40 dedicated books.
The Ford GT 40 # 1040 was burnt in the 85th lap (out of 100) the car was almost entirely burnt and the wreck was kept by Geoges Filipinetti and then, stored in the castle of Grandson.
Following a document from the 10th of October 1973 which has been given to us by actual owner, # 1040 was the object of a transaction between Filipinetti and Sbarro against some mechanical work on a Lotus F1 ex Siffert.
Franco Sbarro was probably the man who knows the best about Ford GT 40, having participated to its elaboration at the Ford Advanced Vehicle in the USA and having been the chief mechanic of the Filipinetti Racing Team, being in charge of the GT 40s.
Franco Sbarro started to rebuilt the car, slowly,during his rare spare time. It was in the mid-seventies. In 1986, the actual owner signed a contract with Sbarro for the purchase of # 1040 and also for the restauration to be done on the car.
The car was imported in France like it was, a wrecked car, to clear the custom and was send back to Sbarro who promised by contract to do the job in 12 months. We have the copy of that contract.
The engine was rebuilt in 2001 by the specialist Dave Dralle from Willow Spring. CA, with a genuine block of a GT 40.
 
"Original" only in the minds of Franco Sbarro, who built this car on a chassis of his own construction in 1986, and its current owner, who uses a letter from the replicator Sbarro as "proof" of the authencity of the car. This is the collector car equivalent of identity theft and in the U.S. would likely be considered fraud. BTW, Sbarro has practiced the same charade with original GT40s 1033, 1048, and 1079 as well as my 1040. In all four cases he sold a replica GT40 that used a "Sbarro GT40" tub but tagged them with original GT40 chassis numbers. This has been extensively documented by GT40 historian and author Ronnie Spain. If someone is interested and wants to bid on the Artcurial car, I suggest they ask for proof from an independent third party not associated with its construction or ownership of its authenticity as the original Scuderia Filipinetti Mk I Race Coupe #P1040. Since I have owned this car since 1978, well before Sbarro built his phony "1040," and had my car examined by numerous (and honest) GT40 experts including Ronnie Spain, who stated "unequivocally" that my car is the original #1040, it will be interesting to see what the auction house produces if that request is made.
 

Keith

Moderator
Worse than that, they're actually implying that your car is the fake. As Joseph Goebels once said, tell a big enough lie often and it will become the established "truth".

"He added that that he does not know the gentleman who claims to have had bought some spares of #1040 from him in the mid-seventies and who is the first american owners on the list in various Ford GT 40 dedicated books."

:rolleyes:
 

Rick Muck- Mark IV

GT40s Sponsor
Supporter
I would be concerned about ANY GT40 that even DROVE past the Sbarro works!

Despite mounds of paperwork, photos and other evidence that questions the legitimacy of the Sbarro cars, people with more money than brains still step up to buy them! Nice cars in their own right, but not "original GT40s".

Like Hermann Goerings favorite looted painting....that turned out to be forgery!

Rick
 

Ron Earp

Admin
Cobraownr said:
In all four cases he sold a replica GT40 that used a "Sbarro GT40" tub but tagged them with original GT40 chassis numbers. This

Maybe shades of grey, maybe not, but Safir is similar with the continuation chassis numbers, no? As I understand it a copy of the original chassis, fabbed in their facility, built as a GT40 but certainly not built where the original GT40s were made, nor when the originals were made.

As far as Sbarro cars it seems there is enough regarding them to write a separate book.
 
Ron Earp said:
but Safir is similar with the continuation chassis numbers, no?

I may be wrong but big NO

My understanding is that the Safir's had continuation chassis numbers as they had the rights from Ford/JW to build them - and in fact it is as a result of this old agreement that the current GT could not be a GT40
 
The Safir and Sbarro situations are complete opposites. The Safir cars are rightfully regarded as original Mk V GT40s and use serial numbers that are a sequential continuation from the last serial numbers of the Mk I and II GT40s that were constructed by FAV and JWA in 1964-1968 (or thereabouts). There has to my knowledge never been an attempt by Safir to re-use a serial number that had already been used by FAV/JWA for the original Mk I and Mk II cars (101-112; P1000 to P1086; etc.), nor has Safir to my knowledge claimed that any of its cars are not Mk V models but rather original Mk Is or Mk IIs. Sbarro, on the other hand, has routinely used serial numbers from the original FAV/JWA production run for his newly-constructed cars, and routinely claims in writing that his cars are original 1966 Mk I GT40s. One operation is totally above board and legitimate. The other is a total sham. I think it obvious which is which.
 

Rick Muck- Mark IV

GT40s Sponsor
Supporter
Cobraownr said:
One operation is totally above board and legitimate. The other is a total sham. I think it obvious which is which.
I'm a little slow...you wouldn't be suggesting that Sbarro is not totally above board, would you?

yes, the Safir cars are different kettle of fish. Peter Thorp had a license from JW Automotive engineering to use the trademark "GT40" and eventually Safir GT40 Spares came to own the trademark (much to FoMoCo's chagrin!)

The issue of chassis numbers and the continuation of the numbers is a grey area. Just as with the CSX numbers from Shelby, in the old days manufacturers were not assigned a "code" (nowadays the "WMI" (World Manufacturer Indentifier) such as the "1FA" VIN code that identifies a Ford built in the USA). Anyone can use a "CSX" or a "P" prefix unless they have been trademarked (surprised 'ol Shel hasen't tried that one yet, didn't see any application in the USPTO site) so anyone can make a NON-CERTIFIED, kit car, etc. and tag it "P1075"....they just can't call it a GT40!

Superformance has done a license with Safir and willl be selling some of the new SPF GTs as "GT40s" and using continuation VINs.

Rick
 
I have been told that the Sbarro replica GT40 at the June 12 Artcurial auction sold for 600,000 Euros. This is astounding for an air car that GT40 historian Ronnie Spain presented to the auctioneers extensive documentation about, including photographs, proving conclusively that it is not an original Ford GT40. Of course, the auction house chose to ignore any information that contradicted their catalog description of the car. As owner of the original 1966 GT40 #1040 for 28 years, I have a great interest in driving a stake through the heart of the phony "1040" once and for all. If anyone in the GT40 community can ferret out the identify of the buyer of Lot 34 at the Artcurial auction in Paris on June 12, they will have my great appreciation as well as some new cash in their pocket for services rendered. Ronnie Spain and I are looking forward to educating the new owner about exactly what he bought.
 

Keith

Moderator
Tell me, what would a pukka original with racing history go for as opposed to a pukka original without racing history? (in €€€'s or $$$'s or £££'s it's all the same to me!)

Cheers

KH:)
 
Prices seem to have effectively doubled in the last few years so for example Maxted Page apparently asked a million pounds for 1027 earlier this year - 1079 was recently offered at EU 850 000 - offered does not equal sold necessarily but on record is 103 auctioned at USD 2.275.000 plus commission earlier this year
 
Last edited:

Charlie Farley

Supporter
Im the owner of a used wheel bearing off 1017
a front roll bar off 1043 and
a rear clip off 1023.
Does that mean i have the potential to own 8 original GT40's ?
Sorry , couldnt resist!!!
 
Charlie Farley said:
Im the owner of a used wheel bearing off 1017
a front roll bar off 1043 and
a rear clip off 1023.
Does that mean i have the potential to own 8 original GT40's ?
Sorry , couldnt resist!!!

Charlie: Give those parts to Sbarro and he will return 8 "original GT40s" to you and sell another 8 with the same serial numbers to gullible buyers--and he'll keep your original parts!

Regarding the phony Sbarro "GT40" at the Artcurial auction, I have been told by someone who was there that bidding reached 600,000 Euros but did not meet reserve, so the car was a No Sale. Now that's what I call GREED: turning down $750,000 for a replica GT40. I have now gotten the FIA on this case to investigate what "papers" (if any) they issued to this car, as is claimed in the auction catalog. So far, FIA has told me that they have not issued anything that validates the claims that this car is an original Ford GT40.
 
Cobraownr said:
"Original" only in the minds of Franco Sbarro, who built this car on a chassis of his own construction in 1986, and its current owner, who uses a letter from the replicator Sbarro as "proof" of the authencity of the car. This is the collector car equivalent of identity theft and in the U.S. would likely be considered fraud. BTW, Sbarro has practiced the same charade with original GT40s 1033, 1048, and 1079 as well as my 1040. In all four cases he sold a replica GT40 that used a "Sbarro GT40" tub but tagged them with original GT40 chassis numbers. This has been extensively documented by GT40 historian and author Ronnie Spain. If someone is interested and wants to bid on the Artcurial car, I suggest they ask for proof from an independent third party not associated with its construction or ownership of its authenticity as the original Scuderia Filipinetti Mk I Race Coupe #P1040. Since I have owned this car since 1978, well before Sbarro built his phony "1040," and had my car examined by numerous (and honest) GT40 experts including Ronnie Spain, who stated "unequivocally" that my car is the original #1040, it will be interesting to see what the auction house produces if that request is made.

Congrats! Great article in AutoWeek.

Best
 
MK -IV J6 said:
Congrats! Great article in AutoWeek.

Best

Yes, I agree. Bob Gritzinger, Senior Editor of Autoweek, did a very good job relating the facts of both sides of the issue without getting in the way with subjective judgments. Happily for me, the facts are irrefutable. This is the first time to my knowledge that a fairly lengthy and detailed article that included a discussion of the Sbarro "GT40s" appeared in a mass market magazine. I don't think Mr. Sbarro came out smelling too rosey, especially with the mention of the lawsuit against him for returning a phony "1048" to the owner of the original car who gave it to him to restore. It will be interesting to see if whatever lasting publicity there may be from the Autoweek article affects the high bid for the Sbarro phony "1040" the next time the owner tries to auction it off. BTW, I owe an enormous THANK YOU to GT40 historian and author (and GT40s.com member) Ronnie Spain. He was in the trenches shooting information about the Sbarro cars to the Paris auction house and Autoweek from Day 1. All owners of original GT40s, and fans of the marque and its legendary history, are fortunate to have Ronnie as a resource.
 
Cobraownr said:
Yes, I agree. Bob Gritzinger, Senior Editor of Autoweek, did a very good job relating the facts of both sides of the issue without getting in the way with subjective judgments. Happily for me, the facts are irrefutable. This is the first time to my knowledge that a fairly lengthy and detailed article that included a discussion of the Sbarro "GT40s" appeared in a mass market magazine. I don't think Mr. Sbarro came out smelling too rosey, especially with the mention of the lawsuit against him for returning a phony "1048" to the owner of the original car who gave it to him to restore. It will be interesting to see if whatever lasting publicity there may be from the Autoweek article affects the high bid for the Sbarro phony "1040" the next time the owner tries to auction it off. BTW, I owe an enormous THANK YOU to GT40 historian and author (and GT40s.com member) Ronnie Spain. He was in the trenches shooting information about the Sbarro cars to the Paris auction house and Autoweek from Day 1. All owners of original GT40s, and fans of the marque and its legendary history, are fortunate to have Ronnie as a resource.


Hi,I always thought 1079 was original ? Regards
 
Back
Top