GT40 History Question....

[Hershal Byrd]

While on the Cobra forum we sidetracked the topic a little. Somebody said that the Gulf car P1075 ran a 289 thin wall block with Gurney-Weslake heads. I believe that I read somewhere that it had a Boss 302 engine
in it when it won Lemans.
Can any of you historians find out for fact which engine that it had ?

Just want to keep the history straight.

Hersh

 

[Steve Toner]

Legate's book says: <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>"Raced with various engines (289, 302, 305)."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hodges says:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Ickx spent the day before the (Brands Hatch) race at Le Mans, where witha 4.7-litre engine he put in the fastest lap of the test weekend...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
but that was a test weekend. ABout the 24-hour race, he says:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>JWA was under pressure, but confident in the 5-litre car, despite the fact that the longest run by a GT40 at Le Mans had ended after 19 hours...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

SO from this, I conclude that it was a 302, though whether a Boss 302 or not I dunno.

 

[M.B]

They all ran 289s(MkI and MkIII)
(Except a few early proto´s)
But they could be stroked or bored differently.
302 etc etc....
No Boss

 

[M.B]

The whole idea of the Windsors new block was about new casting methods: thinwall castings.
That´s why the leight weighting engine blocks, opposed to older cousins...
Still is pretty leight weight.
The engines ran and won numerous rally and racing events in their heyday´s.
And i believe their younger cousins still do in some places...

 

[Mike Dozier]

Hersh

If you can get your hands on a copy of
Ronnie Spain's latest book, on page
141 it lists the engines in the Gulf
cars during 1967-1969.

The 1968/1969 Lemans cars are shown as
302 with GW heads. The only race shown with
a Boss 302 is Sebring 1969.

What is really surprising is how many
races are shown with the 351 motor...a lot!

MikeD

[ January 11, 2003: Message edited by: MikeDD ]

 

[M.B]

1968-69
They were all casted as -67 (started with Mirage)special 289 engine blocks of Ford engine and foundry division, but used different displacements.
Different stroke, bore etc...
Even changed the displacement not to interfare with "Chevy" numbers..
I.e.: 325 instead of "327"...
A lot of experimenting and developing were taken place at the time.

No Boss !

Mirage´s used a special 289 casting with a different height of block, HM 351.
Wich later became(evolved into) the Ford production 351W
And "these" "302"s became the Ford production 302W..
Etc...

Several different type of engine builders were tested.
AAR supplied one wich had a massive amount of HP, but in the end of the race it came down in numbers to what the "others" had !
And leaving it to be more fragile..
JWA´s engines stood in about the same HP after and before race...
Dry decked engines were also tried out...
1075:2.87" x 4" of bore in -68
3.00" x 4" " " " -69
Different compression ratios etc..

 

[M.B]

Sorry !
1075 did have a dispacement of 305" once in -68, at the Glen !

 

[Hershal Byrd]

Thsnks Marco, your help is greatly appreciated..

Hersh

 

[Gordon Levy]

Hersh, To get the whole story you should go over to Harley Clackstons shop in North Scottsdale. He owns 1074 and the last time I was over there he had 3 of the original Daytona Coupes.

 

[E.D.C.]

Mirage´s used a special 289 casting with a different height of block, HM 351.
Which later became (evolved into) the Ford production 351W
And "these" "302"s became the Ford production 302W..
Etc...

Sorry to bump such an ancient topic, but I'm wondering if anyone can expound on it? Are Ford "F" codes based on the GT40? When were these produced? Can anyone detail the heads of these machines? Are they the ones built between Sept 68, and Jan 69?