For those of you with a bit of loose change (a $3m bit), get over to Lake Como, Italy, for the 21st May RM auction Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. Among other mouth watering cars is one of the four remaining Ford GT Works Prototype Roadsters built by Ford Advanced Vehicle Operations. Should be a good investment. Good luck.
GT40 Roadster Auction
- Thread starter Dalton
- Start date
Much as I love these, I think the coupe shape works better.
You can view the auction catalog info for the Roadster (GT-111) at:
http://www.rmauctions.com/featurecars.cfm?SaleCode=VE11&CarID=r128&fc=0
And more pictures at:
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/4e7ae8e8#/4e7ae8e8/166
http://www.rmauctions.com/featurecars.cfm?SaleCode=VE11&CarID=r128&fc=0
And more pictures at:
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/4e7ae8e8#/4e7ae8e8/166
Jim Rosenthal
Supporter
This car was before the "LeMans nose", which is how we all think of these cars in their proper bodywork. There were evidently several iterations of the front end until the version we all know was devised; I think it was designed by Len Bailey, please correct me if I am wrong. This car must have disappeared off the scene before that nose came along, so it was never converted over. And hopefully it will never be, as it is original in its bodywork and it would be a shame to change it.
Notwithstanding all that, the LM nose DOES look better, I think we all agree on that.
Notwithstanding all that, the LM nose DOES look better, I think we all agree on that.
It was actually built out of thin air just a few years ago, around a damaged, original, bare tub. It's kind of like starting with a bare original engine block, then building an entire motor up.
Since they were starting from nothing (other than the tub), they decided to build it exactly as it originally looked, a wise decision. It's been painted several times already; it was green at first (Targa Florio colors), then painted white (Le Mans trials colors), and now it's back in its Targa Florio livery.
JimmyMac
Lifetime Supporter
Jim Rosenthal
Supporter
VERY nice road test..thanks for posting this....
It seems odd to be wearing wire wheels; at least at Targa Florio it was equipped with early-style Halibrand wheels. I think it ran that way at the Le Mans trials (its only other outing) as well.
When it was first restored in 2007-ish, it had Halibrands. So what's up with the wire wheels now?
When it was first restored in 2007-ish, it had Halibrands. So what's up with the wire wheels now?
Jack Houpe
GT40s Supporter
Wish I had a set of them, I like them on the MK1 and Mk3.
Mike how do you do this?? Is there a little snap shot camera in your brain?
I quite agree! Now that Hi Tech is building the SPF "Cobra" MK II with the spline drive hub for wire wheels, there is a chance we can get them to offer the splines on the GT40 hubs. As they now have the tooling to spline the hubs, they could apply it to the GT hubs with a little encouragement. With shorter drive pins the Borranis will then be useable. Of course the Borranis are tad bit "dear" but such fine things do come with a price.
A little Googling will turn up the vendors who sell Borranis.
I agree with Jim I hope they keep this roadster as it is. I think its the one found in some garage in the east end (Stratford) that they were clearing to make way for the Olympic site. It is numbered GT111 and was one of the 12 pre-production cars. As said before it was produced before the definative front bonnet. And was delivered as new on Borrani wires. when painted I think White for the Le Mans test day I always get it confused with GT109 the White roadster that race at the 1965 Le Mans number 15.
The funny thing is the 1965 Le Mans cars had the White roadster GT109 on Halibrands and Goodyears. And the FAV (Innes Ireland)GT40P1006 in Linden green with the definative nose running on Borrani wire wheels!
Regards Allan
The funny thing is the 1965 Le Mans cars had the White roadster GT109 on Halibrands and Goodyears. And the FAV (Innes Ireland)GT40P1006 in Linden green with the definative nose running on Borrani wire wheels!
Regards Allan
Kinda sounds like the old hammer I have which was passed down to me from my father. It's a great hammer...over 40 years old...has had the head replaced three times and the handle replaced twice....it's in really nice shape.
bit of info on the top gear site with brief history
Ford GT40 prototype up for auction - BBC Top Gear
Ford GT40 prototype up for auction - BBC Top Gear
