Re: Why did they name it that?
Wow, all of these years later the question still is raised, and the answers are all so varied! Thank you, Ron, for directing people to my post of last summer.
The cars were definitely called "GT40" by the factory, and the program was designated "GT40" by the factory. As development was progressing, the factory prepared and delivered several SAE (the Society of Automotive Engineers) Technical Papers outlining to those in attendance (automotive engineer members of the "society") the nature of this interesting engineering/racing program that Ford had undertaken. The papers were of a technical nature (hence the designation "technical paper"!) discussing issues that would be interesting to the engineer members in attendance. The papers discussed the brakes (their design and testing), the engine (dynamometer testing to failure), the aerodynamics (HP lost by the cooling and ducting systems), and other topics which I do not recall at this time. However, in all of the papers, Ford referred to the program as their "GT40" program.
Once the "prototypes" (the first 12 cars) were done and the "production" cars were being produced by F.A.V., all of the cars made had the "P" (production) in the serial number; which serial number began "GT40". If the serial number, the soul of any car, begins with "GT40", then someone would be hard-pressed to argue that the "GT40" was just a nickname.
Ford today in a clandestine fashion, and one that annoys me personally, has incorporated the number "40" into each serial number on the new GTs. The standard serial number designation legislated by the government allows 6 places for consecutive numbers at the end of the official serial number, which six places allow for one million cars to be produced (000000-999999). One million cars is a huge run of any model; VW bugs, the Mustang, original Minis were produced in those quantities. Ford was going to use only 4 of the six digit places in producing 4000+/- vehicles. Ford could have simply run consecutive numbers from 000001 to 004000 with no problems. However, the first two unused digit places on all of the cars have been filled with "40". I know of no other reason to have used that number other than to get the "40" somewhere into the "soul" of the vehicle.
The program was officially the "GT40" program at Ford. The "nickname" spin of 2002 was to cover the fact that Ford would not offer Safir and was not willing to pay Safir any money for the "GT40" trademark.
I love this forum! It gives me and Safir a place to get the truth to the people who should have it the most, true Ford enthusiasts. Great job, Ron!
Bob Wood