Top Ten Racing GT40s of all time ...

[wpeter]

Actually they are all "J" cars. The first 4 cars were the early construction "2 row rivet" cars and all built at the same time. 3 and 4 were strengthened, after Ken Miles' crash, with a few extra corner panels and fitted with the Phil Remington designed body.5-12 were all the newer designed "3 row rivet" cars.The only difference between the early cars and the later cars is the width of the capping that holds the panels together and maybe a slightly thicker skin on the panels.
As to the question regarding a J car being a GT40, it certainly is not the body style of the MK 1 or 2. The suspension is almost identical and the geometry is, from what I can tell, the same. The crews working on the car nicknamed it a MK4 not because it was different but because it was so similar.

 

[Velez]

All the cars were Ford GT (MK-1 thru MK-IV). Even the 2005 is a Ford GT

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

Nope. (J What?) Unless the "Damande De Participation" papers that Ford filed for the 24 Heures Internationales Du Mans 1967 that were stamped by the FIA are wrong J5, J6, J7, and J8 are Ford GT MK-IV's.

 

[wpeter]

IMHO the MK4 designation is a name that stuck after Sebring. Call them what you will, the chassis are virtually identical from J1 to J12. Even your car has holes cut in the front dash area that were designed to be used only for early J cars. My point is that all of these cars are part of the J car project. If not, why the J in all of their chassis numbers?

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

Because they're built to LeMans appendix J specs unlike the MKI's, II's, and III's. The P4 and Lola T-70 coupes are J cars as well. No? Others?

 

[Allan Feldman]

My point was that the J car project was not a of variant of the Ford GT (original). But a different project. Correct me if I am wrong but I have seen pictures of Mk1 GT40's wearing MkII and MkIII tails. I have yet to see J chassised MkIV's with MkI or any GT40 Panels fiitting them. In fact the next variant of the GT40 was the Mirage MkI thus leading to the !968/69 MkI's when all of the special Gurney Weslake heads and other parts were released to John Wyer. As for the J cars being call MKIV's I was never aware of them being called GT40 MkIV. Since the Mirage was not official allowed to be call a Ford. It too Cannot be called a Ford GT40 Mirage. I know that the original name of the Project was Ford GT . But that could be applied to any Ford Grand Turismo car i.e. Ford Cortina. And the GT name did cause the J regulations to be applied throughout when you see Ferrari 250LM's at Daytona 1967(? might be the following year) with up right luggage boxes in the rear you see the cosequences of these regulations!

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

The 250LM's were 65. The P3's 66. The P4's 67. The key to Appendix J was combinding the required measurements to come up with a narrower windshield/cockpit thus less drag.

 

[Allan Feldman]

My view on this (correct me if I am wrong) is that the J/MKIV were a new project. And not a continuation of the MK11. I have seen MKI with MKII & MKIII panels on them. I have never come across a MKIV with these fitted. The original Project was call the Ford GT. But that still call be apply to other Ford cars of the era ie Ford Cortina. Ironically, the continuation of the GT40 actually points to the 1967 Mirage which although based on a GT40 was not recognised offically as a Ford. But led directly to the 1968/69 Mki's. When John Wyer was at last able to get hold of the "special' parts ie Gurnary Weslake heads that Ford released. As for the name MKIV this was the continuation of Fords Racing designations since MKIII had been used for the road car. J car designation affected all cars to proved luggage space and carry a spare wheel in 1967 the MKIIB copied this layout similar to the MKIV. In fact even Ferrari 250LM's met this requirement in the Daytona 24hours by carrying Luggage boxes. <font color="black"> </font>

 

[Allan Feldman]

250LM's raced up to 1969. David Pipers 250LM was the only Ferrari to finish the 1968 Lemans. Therefore the J regulations would have applied to them. Sorry for duplicating my previous email but it did not show to my old computer. As for the new Ford GT they did not buy the name GT40 which was the definative model they based the design on (post 1965). I was under the impression that J regulations also meant carrying luggage and a spare wheel to prove the cars were grand turismo and not formula 1 with enclosed bodies!

 

[Mike Dozier]

IMHO...this is a semantics issue.

To me, the term "GT40" was intended by Ford to apply only to the specific chassis constructed by John Wyer
(MK I,II,III).

However it was "catchy" for Ford PR and the press to dub the J-cars as MK IV since they were obviously the
continuation of the GT40 (win LeMans) program.

So if someone is splitting hairs....I would agree that
the J chassis numbered cars are not legally "GT40s" since they were designed/built to a completely different spec.
Face it...IT IS A DIFFERENT CAR! But they are certainly
GT40's in "spirit"....created to win LeMans.

MikeD

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

After 67 Le Mans changed the rules so that the 330 P4's and the Mk-IV weren't allowed to race. The protoype class dropped down to 3 liters. The MK I's were allowed as homolgateted Sports cars as were the 250LM's. Ferrari and Ford pulled out and left racing to privateers. Ford never returned, Ferrari came back a few years later but hasen't finished 1oa at LeMans since 1965.
I'm pretty sure appendix J only refers to the Prototype class. MK I's with their full width windshield aren't built to J specs as are the MK-IV's.

 

[Allan Feldman]

So J regulations applied only to screen width? And not Luggage or spare wheel carrying? When was, if any mention of the Ford GT being known as the Ford GT40 The definative nose was fitted in 1965. Was the term GT40 mentioned in the press or was it Ford's offical title?

 

[Jim Glickenhaus]

I have a complete set of the Le Mans documents which I'll reread but as I remember them J concerned several measurements that allowed a narrower windscreen. Luggage box, two seats, wipers, turn signals, spare tire, etc. were required by all cars at Le Mans.

 

[Allan Feldman]

Then the Mirage must have been built to J regulations as it had a narrower screen. But I cannot remember it carrying luggage boxes! It would have race as a prototype since it was not recognised as a Ford (or Homologated) even though it was based on a GT40. I have a Gulf Oil Promotional Folder from 1971 stating that the 1968 Daytona winner (P1075) was a new car GT40. While it's team mate entered for Paul Hawkins and David Hobbs was a Mirage put back to original GT40 Specs.