Mark II GT40's at Daytona 1967

[Louis Galanos]

I read recently the main reason that the six Mark II's were unable to finish the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona was transmission failure due to improperly heat treated transmission output shafts.

This reminds me of the 1970 Sebring race when several of the 917's failed due to defective wheel hubs and the 1969 Daytona race when all five factory Porsche 908's failed to finish most of them for faulty exhaust systems.

Does anyone out there know the repercussions of such failures? Did anyone get fired? Was the manufacturer of those parts sued?

 

[RJB]

I have no hard information on the matter, but I doubt anyone got sued -- people/companies weren't as quick to holler for their lawyers every time something went wrong back then.

 

[Jac Mac]

Was it output shafts or input shafts?...One of several story's /rumours I have heard in relation to failure was that the T44 was 'over engineered' initially by the fitting of two seals where the input shaft passed thru the R&P section [ this part possibly required a higher oil level than the trans section, or a different grade of oil to the trans section ] and that area of the shaft effectively ran without cooling/lubricant , the eventual heat buildup leading to the failures....... but then that might be just one more of the old wives tales that have grown around that transaxle...