Le Mans GT40 Mark I Luggage Regulation

[Jay Gadsby]

I've found a few period photos of MKI's showing this "skimpy frame set up" on top of the exhaust system.

That is MKI's of the 68/69 era.

Everyone knows about the MKII's dual luggage bins visible from a rear angle that were required to meet regulations.

Is this a "luggage frame" fitted to meet the regulations of that year, does anyone know?

Or possibly a support for the bodywork?

The photos I've seen show the frame to be battered, bent and bruised so have been clearly well used.

It's difficult to see the method of fixing , assuming it's permanent, due to the image low resolution.

I can see one vertical piece of ? tube/angle but again it's not clear enough to properly make out the relevance.

Thanks - Very interested to know more about this.

 

[Ryan L]

No idea Jade, interesting photo none the less. Do you know which chassis it is?

 

[Ryan L]

GT40-P-1042 or is it P1001 ?

 

[Jay Gadsby]

No idea Jade, interesting photo none the less. Do you know which chassis it is?

I might be wrong about this particular photo, so I might be saying this about another car. I'll try and find the source of the other photos.

My recollection (could be wrong) is that the car, this one or maybe not, was photographed at the Brands BOAC - ? 68 or 69.

Therefore just before Le Mans. My imagination ran away with me and given that there are no luggage bins present, that the frame represented a similar volume but with different dimensions.

 

[Jay Gadsby]

Right, so here's the photo I was thinking about. Page 36 Chapter 3 "Ford GT40 - The autobiography of 1075".

A much clear photo. The image representing beginning of the John Wyer seasons 68/69.

The clip to the photo just marks John Wyers return but doesn't say which chassis it is.

 

[Ryan L]

Well the first photo is the bodywork in this thread.

P1001

Just doing some research and wondering whether the historians can give me info on P1001? I know it was originally a Shelby blue/white car, got a DNF at the 66 Le Mans (car 60) driven by Jackie Iycx, then yellow at the 68 Spa driven by Andrew Cox, but can you help with more detail and photos...

www.gt40s.com

the image is on page 5

P1001

Happy New Year. Latest is the workshop in NZ took safe delivery of the 20' container before Christmas and will begin the reconstruction next week. I've been re-reading this thread and to be honest, it's been going on for so long, I'd forgotten about some of those parts.. or perhaps it's my...

www.gt40s.com

 

[Ryan L]

Id say your first photo is certainly of P1001.
The first production chassis.
Pay attention to the vents in the roof, forward of the rear window, which were a feature of the prototypes and the first few early production cars only.

 

[Jay Gadsby]

Here's a contemporary photo of P1001 from here - https://www.jacky-ickx-fan.com/web/site_xfiles.php?id=9

So, the frame appears to be a consistent part of the car.

 

[Jay Gadsby]

Id say your first photo is certainly of P1001.
The first production chassis.
Pay attention to the vents in the roof, forward of the rear window, which were a feature of the prototypes and the first few early production cars only.

Yes, P1001, I recall was at Goodwood Revival 2023, in Essex Wire Livery no 60, as it raced for part of it's history.

 

[Jay Gadsby]

This is a contemporary photo from the "...autobiography of P1075" of P1075 with the frame visible.

So, the frame was fitted to P1001 and P1075 at least.

 

[Ryan L]

maybe need access to this

FIA ARCHIVES DIGITISATION AND E-LIBRARY PROJECT

If you are interested in Motor Sport or Mobility history, this project is made for you.In order to preserve its rich heritage for future generations, the FIA has decided to digitise its archives and create an e-library. The e-library is only accessible to FIA Member Clubs at the moment. It will...

www.fia.com

i suspect that the answer relates to the rules for the

1968 World Sportscar Championship - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Ryan L]

Regulations - Period Appendix J | FIA Historic Database

historicdb.fia.com

try that

from page 51 of the 1969 regulations

h) Luggage trunk: a covered space shall be provided which is an integral part of the coachwork but outside the space occupied by the passenger seats. This space shall be such as to enable to carry without special difficulty a number of suit-cases, sheltered from rain or dirt which varies according to the cylinder-capacity of the engine equipping the car (see below), of the following minimum dimensions: 60 cmX40 cm x20 cm. Cylinder-capacity inferior or equal to 2,000 cc: 1 suit-case, Cylinder-capacity superior to 2,000 cc: 2 suit-cases. However, in cars having inside dimensions which are inferior to the minima laid down in article 253 b to allow ciassification as a four-seater, but which contain a compartment behind the front seats liable to receive passengers, this compartment may be taken into account as luggage space whether or not it has been equipped for this purpose but without modifying any of the original parts.

 

[Ryan L]

Id say your first photo is certainly of P1001.
The first production chassis.
Pay attention to the vents in the roof, forward of the rear window, which were a feature of the prototypes and the first few early production cars only.

Just noticed you can see the luggage tray just above the exhaust tips in the center cut out.

 

[David Garton]

These are pictures I took at a GT Rally in 2021 Arizona. Apex track when Ford pulled up and unloaded P1075. Looking at your photo's and the mufflers tapering all the same diameter and not necked down and the welds like on the first picture of the rack. These photo's are my pictures I took of P1075. Hope this helps.

 

[Jay Gadsby]

Regulations - Period Appendix J | FIA Historic Database

historicdb.fia.com

try that

from page 51 of the 1969 regulations

h) Luggage trunk: a covered space shall be provided which is an integral part of the coachwork but outside the space occupied by the passenger seats. This space shall be such as to enable to carry without special difficulty a number of suit-cases, sheltered from rain or dirt which varies according to the cylinder-capacity of the engine equipping the car (see below), of the following minimum dimensions: 60 cmX40 cm x20 cm. Cylinder-capacity inferior or equal to 2,000 cc: 1 suit-case, Cylinder-capacity superior to 2,000 cc: 2 suit-cases. However, in cars having inside dimensions which are inferior to the minima laid down in article 253 b to allow ciassification as a four-seater, but which contain a compartment behind the front seats liable to receive passengers, this compartment may be taken into account as luggage space whether or not it has been equipped for this purpose but without modifying any of the original parts.

Thanks so much for the FIA Archives Link.

The 68 & 69 regulations follow on without change.

60cm x 40cm x 20cm x2 Cases.

The frame/rack should be 80cm x 60cm with enough head clearance for 20cm to the underside of the clip.
I'm surprised about there being 20cm clearance between the frame and clip - but I've not measured mine to get at lest a ball park figure.

 

[Ryan L]

Would love to see scrutineering photos of the "test case" or a link to a vintage case matching the measurements.

The link to the FIA regulations was at the bottom of one of the Wiki pages, in the reference section, which I linked above I think.

 

[Jay Gadsby]

Would love to see scrutineering photos of the "test case" or a link to a vintage case matching the measurements.

The link to the FIA regulations was at the bottom of one of the Wiki pages, in the reference section, which I linked above I think.

"test case" - love the double entendre

I wish I hadn't found that link!

That'll keep me occupied through the winter evenings / your summer, Ryan.

 

[Ryan L]

"test case" - love the double entendre

had to be done