The Last Le Mans GT40

[Fred W Ballinger]

Last week I visited the Franschoek Motor Museum at L'Ormarins wine farm near Cape Town.

Included in the very impressive display was this GT40, which according to the card is the last GT40 to compete at Le Mans, in April 1971.

So, which Chassis number?

Cheers

Fred W B

 

[Jim Craik]

Fred,

I just looked up the entries for 1971 Le Mans, there are no GT40s shown, car #17 Was the Gulf/Wyer 917LH driven By Siffert/Bell.

It could be that this car was entered, maybe even ran on the test days, but it is not shown in the results.

It could be 1048? I'm sure folks who know the whole story will chime in.

 

[rjanot]

Yes pics correspond to P/1048 which is now at the Franschoek Motor Museum.
One Ford GT40 was in the entry list of the 24 hours Le Mans 1971 to be driven by Chris Craft (GB), Malcolm Guthrie (GB), Frank Gardner (AUS) but the car was finally not accepted for the race. I don't know the reason and I don't know if it was 1048.

 

[Fred W Ballinger]

Thanks for responses guys. Dont know if you can read the detail below on the card, the second paragraph is in English.

Cheers

Fred W B

 

[DaveM]

According to Spain's book 1048 was totally gutted by a fire in the Le Mans 3 Hour race April 18, 1971, not the 24 Hour race usually in June. Interestingly enough it ended up in Franco Sbarro's hands. From a recent post by Mr. Spain:
"But, sadly, one more Sbarro fake needs yet to be dealt with. Because Sbarro has also built up a fake which he claimed to be GT40 P/1048. Having taken in the genuine GT40 P/1048 for the intended purposes of restoration in December 1979, Sbarro instead built up one of his own original Sbarro chassis, and supplied that car to the owner of the genuine GT40 P/1048 after his “restoration”. Oh yes, almost forgot to mention. In June 1980, six months after taking in the genuine GT40 P/1048 to restore it, Sbarro, despite not apparently being its owner one would have to assume, sold the still totally unrestored original car to Italy!"

 

[Jim Craik]

Dave,

Now it starts to make sense. So it did race at Le Mans in 1971.

I'm afraid we may have to wait for Mr Spains new book to find out if this car is now the "real" P1048

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Umm... don't hold your breath on this one......anything that has passed through the hands of Mr. Sbarro is suspect from that journey alone.....

...although he does make okay pizza..I visit him in the mall, all the time......

 

[Jim Craik]

Jim,

I perfer his spagetti, with those great big meatballs!

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Maybe I'll get my photo taken there, JUST to prove I have been to the Sbarro factory......not everyone gets to go there, you know.