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[rloewy]

Well, the earlier versions were built in the UK and based on the Lola. The Mk IV was built in the US. All had Ford engines. And in fact, it wasn't a successful car until it was moved to the US.

I believe it was when Shelby took over the development - but I am not sure it is related to being built in the us

 

[John King]

Look at the differences between the engines and gearboxes, Tim. The 427 cu.in. V8 is a completely different engine from the 428 cu.in. V8.

Coventry Climax designed the chassis, and Lotus the engine and gearbox (or the other way around - it's been nearly 50 years since I last looked at the specs ... ).

 

[John King]

I believe it was when Shelby took over the development - but I am not sure it is related to being built in the us

Ron, IIRC, the entire winning vehicles were designed and built in the UK - except for the bonnet emblem. It caused much laughter at the time!

 

[Mountain_Man_79]

Ron, IIRC, the entire winning vehicles were designed and built in the UK - except for the bonnet emblem. It caused much laughter at the time!

John, we don’t make ”bonnet emblems” in the US. We make hood emblems. Let’s get that straight right now ?

 

[John King]

John, we don’t make ”bonnet emblems” in the US. We make hood emblems. Let’s get that straight right now ?

Ha, ha, Chris.

What really amuses me is US gallons. They are neither fish nor fowl. No integer metric or imperial equivalent! Seems to have been just sheer bloody mindedness by someone.

4L = 1 US gallon would have made some sense. Imperial gallons are 4.545L, or something equally as absurd. We may as well go back to cubits ...

There's been plenty of that in every field by every country. Us humans are a contrary and often seemingly defective species.

 

[Mountain_Man_79]

Ha, ha, Chris.

What really amuses me is US gallons. They are neither fish nor fowl. No integer metric or imperial equivalent! Seems to have been just sheer bloody mindedness by someone.

4L = 1 US gallon would have made some sense. Imperial gallons are 4.545L, or something equally as absurd. We may as well go back to cubits ...

There's been plenty of that in every field by every country. Us humans are a contrary and often seemingly defective species.

It’s completely sensible! 14 gallons equals 53 liters. If you can’t perform that conversion off the top of your head, I don’t know what to say!

I’ll apologize for gallons if you apologize for hectares?

 

[John King]

Actually ...

14 US gallons = 52.99576498 litres ...

Simple ...

and I'll apologise for hectares, if someone will apologise for acres ...
I measure everything in kilopascals per fortnight ...

 

[Mountain_Man_79]

Kilopascals p/ fortnights. I like the cut of your jib! It’s settled!

 

[Brownie]

The Ford GT40 was an American high-performance endurance racing car. The Mk I, Mk II, and Mk III variants were designed and built in the UK based upon the Lola Mk6 during the early 1960s. The Mk IV model was designed and built in the United States. The range was powered by a series of American-built Ford V8 engines modified for racing. Initially the GT40 wasn't a racing success until the project was moved to the US where further development vastly improved the car's performance and reliability.

The GT40 effort was launched by Ford Motor Company to win long-distance sports car races against Ferrari, which won every 24 Hours of Le Mans race from 1960 to 1965. The GT40 broke Ferrari's streak in 1966 and went on to win the next three annual races. The Mk II's victory was the first win for an American manufacturer in a major European race since Jimmy Murphy's triumph with Duesenberg at the 1921 French Grand Prix.[5][6] In 1967, the Mk IV became the only car designed and built entirely in the United States to achieve the overall win at Le Mans.[7]

The Mk 1, the oldest of the cars, won in 1968 and 1969, the second chassis to win Le Mans more than once. (This Ford/Shelby chassis #P-1075 was believed to have been the first until the Ferrari 275P chassis 0816 was revealed to have won the 1964 race after winning the 1963 race in 250P configuration and with a 0814 chassis plate[8]). Using an American Ford V8 engine, originally of 4.7-liter displacement capacity (289 cubic inches), it was later enlarged to the 4.9-liter engine (302 cubic inches), with custom alloy Gurney–Weslake cylinder heads.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_GT40

 

[John King]

@Brownie Tim, do not believe everything you read on Wikipedia!

After all, I'm a contributor there for both money and information ...

Speaks for itself !

 

[Brownie]

@Brownie Tim, do not believe everything you read on Wikipedia!

After all, I'm a contributor there for both money and information ...

Speaks for itself !

Show me something that contradicts it.

 

[Brownie]

https://simeonemuseum.org/collection/1967-ford-gt40-mk-iv/

 

[rloewy]

Ron, IIRC, the entire winning vehicles were designed and built in the UK - except for the bonnet emblem. It caused much laughter at the time!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_GT40

The Ford GT40 was first raced in May 1964 at the Nürburgring 1000 km race where it retired with suspension failure after holding second place early in the event. Three weeks later at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, all three entries retired, although the Ginther/Gregory car led the field from the second lap until its first pitstop. After a season-long series of dismal results under John Wyer in 1964, the program was handed over to Carroll Shelby after the 1964 Nassau race.

Shelby's first victory came on their maiden race with the Ford program,

That car was no good until shelby fixed it.

 

[Arundo Donax]

Back to The Henry Ford for the new racing exhibit.

1967 Ford GT Lemans winner:
View attachment 885611 P1062165_01 by telecast, on Flickr

The photograph behind the GT40 shows an historic moment: That's Dan Gurney spraying Champagne after the race for the very first time. This began the tradition of spraying Champagne on the winner's podium. Although this year the Formula 1 drivers are spraying "sparkling wine" on the podium instead of Champagne, due to a change of sponsors.

 

[rloewy]

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Seemed like the original owner. Amazing to see this car in this condition after all these years - still being used as a daily driver.

 

[AmritR]

The Ford GT40 was an American high-performance endurance racing car. The Mk I, Mk II, and Mk III variants were designed and built in the UK based upon the Lola Mk6 during the early 1960s. The Mk IV model was designed and built in the United States. The range was powered by a series of American-built Ford V8 engines modified for racing. Initially the GT40 wasn't a racing success until the project was moved to the US where further development vastly improved the car's performance and reliability.

The GT40 effort was launched by Ford Motor Company to win long-distance sports car races against Ferrari, which won every 24 Hours of Le Mans race from 1960 to 1965. The GT40 broke Ferrari's streak in 1966 and went on to win the next three annual races. The Mk II's victory was the first win for an American manufacturer in a major European race since Jimmy Murphy's triumph with Duesenberg at the 1921 French Grand Prix.[5][6] In 1967, the Mk IV became the only car designed and built entirely in the United States to achieve the overall win at Le Mans.[7]

The Mk 1, the oldest of the cars, won in 1968 and 1969, the second chassis to win Le Mans more than once. (This Ford/Shelby chassis #P-1075 was believed to have been the first until the Ferrari 275P chassis 0816 was revealed to have won the 1964 race after winning the 1963 race in 250P configuration and with a 0814 chassis plate[8]). Using an American Ford V8 engine, originally of 4.7-liter displacement capacity (289 cubic inches), it was later enlarged to the 4.9-liter engine (302 cubic inches), with custom alloy Gurney–Weslake cylinder heads.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_GT40

Did you see the movie ‘ Ford v Ferrari’?

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1950186/

It’s the one movie I wish I could have watched with my father.

 

[Brownie]

Did you see the movie ‘ Ford v Ferrari’?

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1950186/

It’s the one movie I wish I could have watched with my father.

Yes. We saw it right after it was released on PPV and I've been wanting to see it again. After our visit yesterday I was primed so we watched it again last night. Funny thing, the very last screen in the movies states:

The Ford GT40 remains to this day the only American built car that has won Lemans.

They must read Wikipedia too...

This is a move that I would've liked to have seen on the big screen. A TV doesn't do it justice.

 

[ralf-11]

Yes. We saw it right after it was released on PPV and I've been wanting to see it again. After our visit yesterday I was primed so we watched it again last night. Funny thing, the very last screen in the movies states:

The Ford GT40 remains to this day the only American built car that has won Lemans.

They must read Wikipedia too...

This is a move that I would've liked to have seen on the big screen. A TV doesn't do it justice.

Define "win"?

https://www.motortrend.com/news/ame...merican race cars are,the film Ford v Ferrari).

 

[Brownie]

I think they're referring to the overall winner. I had to look it up because other than the fact that's it's an endurance race and the winner is determined by who travelled the farthest in 24 hours, I know nothing about Lemans.

It sounds like there are several classes of vehicles that compete simultaneously. In the article you linked there were a few 'class' winners, that is to say they were the winner of all the vehicles in their class, but fell short of the overall win. So that leaves the GT as the only American built overall winner.

 

[Arundo Donax]

I think they're referring to the overall winner. I had to look it up because other than the fact that's it's an endurance race and the winner is determined by who travelled the farthest in 24 hours, I know nothing about Lemans.

It sounds like there are several classes of vehicles that compete simultaneously. In the article you linked there were a few 'class' winners, that is to say they were the winner of all the vehicles in their class, but fell short of the overall win. So that leaves the GT as the only American built overall winner.

That's correct! The American built Corvette has 8 class wins, but as of now the GT40 is the only American built overall winner. The Ford GT that won the GTE-Pro class at LeMans in 2016 was built in Canada by Mulitimatic.