Hi Mike, the accident in 68 of the car was very hard, but the body was
not destroyed. But its looks harder than it was, because the car was the first car to have a monocoque. So the power of the energy hits away the outer body parts like a formula one.
The body was repaired and it is 70% original. Ronnie Spain did research by himself and wrote about it. As we restored the car this year we had iceblasted the body completely, because there were always rumours that sbarro had chanced the body in the 70th.

On the pictures above you can see that threre are new parts welded on the old parts.
We have changed the new parts again and restored the car by a german specialist for porsche racecars (908, 935..) with the help of lanzante and gelscoe and ronnie spain to receive a 100% original delivery state without changing original parts.
That might be got the car much lighter, but our task was to keep an original car.
To start the car in events to 65, we have changed the engine and the brakes and wheels. Tim adams build an engine with the right valves and heads for 65. The original weslake engine "67/16" with the 68 lemans verified serial number is stored in my garage.

The fact is, that even the engine wasn`t destroyed. On the pictures of the accident you can see that the wheels and the front axles were without damages.
The accident happened because in the 60th the driver has to jump in the car in the start ceremony and after starting the car he has to close his belt on the long straight.
Mairesse didn`t closed fully his door and after a while the door opened. The wind streamed in the body and the car jumped 5 meters in the air.
I was driving on the tour auto this year behind shaun lynns light blue gt 40 as my door suddenly get open too. look at the pictures we have fitted a blue security belt. This car seems to wnt always fresh air
If anybody wants to have more pictures of the restoration before and after the work, i will send it.
Chris