FORAGING FOR RARE FORD GT HISTORY IN THE ARCHIVES

[Markus]

Not sure if this was posted before.....

Foraging for Rare Ford GT History in the Archives - The Speed Journal

Founded in 1903, Ford Motor Company has over a century of history in its rear-view mirror. Imagine the documents, photos, correspondence, styling models and other memorabilia that Ford has accumulated. The collections are massive. They span more than 1.5 million photographs and negatives, 16,000...

www.thespeedjournal.com

Also includes links to additional documents...

 

[Ryan L]

Some very clear documentation in there. Certainly better than the previous copies I had.

 

[BenL]

The article says:

As Ted goes through his daily job at the Ford, he often finds interesting nuggets. He highlights company milestones and shares many of these nuggets on his personal social media pages (Look him up on Twitter and Instagram at @tedryan64).

https://twitter.com/tedryan64?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/tedryan64/?hl=en

Scrolling through his Twitter feed, he has lots of photos, some are GT40 related. Scrolling back as far as May, I think this is my favorite Ford photo:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1395117809378676738

 

[Neil]

How many can you name?

 

[Allan Feldman]

I am just an GT40 enthusiast. But I do know that the GT40 parts manual had pictures of the GT40 MKI not the MKIII road car. I have a copy brochure of the GT40 and that is the MKI on the front with no reference to the GT40 MKIII. I think there might have been a GT40 MKIII leaflet release at the time 1967. As for Ford GT/GT40 you can call the car either my friend Ronnie Spain has a document from the Ford Accounts department also in 1963 stating that two cars would be finance for this project GT40 and a road car GT44.

 

[Stephen Ducker]

Yes Alan, the 'the speed journal' article linked in post #1 makes the classic often repeated mistake !
( ie, "There were only seven made", not understanding there were MK l & MK lll roadcars. Also, as you rightly point out, whilst looking at the MK l parts list........ )

Steve

 

[Allan Feldman]

Steve I read the text and it states that the 1963 prototype was testing. This was Eric Broadley's Lola GT MKVI and sure it was involved in the Ford GT project testing Suspension among other things. But since the Ford GT Prototype GT/101 was not built until 1st April 1964 what does that statement mean?

 

[Stephen Ducker]

Alan, to me it reads 'a modified Lola MK6 was testing in 1963, (with Ford modifications but still the Lola body)'

As you know the records show 1st April 1964 as the completion date of GT101, (the first actual Ford GT)

So two cars being discussed, a Lola based 'mule' & then the first 'actual' prototype Ford GT.

That's what I understand from the above ?

Kind regards Steve

 

[Allan Feldman]

Thanks Steve Its just the early history has not been sourced. I tried to get pictures from various sources of the first prototype GT/101 outside the FAV Slough building but apparently the GT/101 was never photograph outside before it went to Heathrow for its public Launch and then onto the Essex House Hotel in New York. There are photos on it inside the FAV building in 826 Yeovil Road Slough. I am hoping the new book by Graham Endercott and John Allen will solve this?