AUTOMOTIVE
A Blue-Collar Racecar
The 1966 Ford GT40
Some are motivated by money. Others by a thrill. Yet somehow, nothing feels as good as doing something to obliterate the competition.
With the help of a small English racing firm; Lola, Ford set about building the GT40 after a deal to buy Ferrari fell through in 1964. If Henry Ford II couldn’t acquire Ferrari, then he would beat them at their own game — racing.
The resulting car was every bit a thoroughbred as anything to come out of the Italian exotic’s scuderia. The GT40, so-called because its roofline was only 40 inches off the ground, was a mid-engined racer initially powered by a 4.7-liter V8 engine. Over time, bigger, more powerful engines would be shoehorned in behind the driver, culminating in a 7-liter powerplant which made the blisteringly powerful car equally terrifying to drive. The disc brakes front and rear were a necessity, not a luxury.
“If Henry Ford II couldn’t acquire Ferrari, then he would beat them at their own game — racing.”
Despite the brutal performance, Ford still insisted that their latest offering was a road-going sports car, not an all-out racecar. This harks back to the rivalry with Ferrari. Because of this, Lola founder Eric Broadley wasn’t given an entirely free hand during the design and build process. Ford also wanted to offer the GT40 at a cheaper price than a Ferrari and, admittedly, cut a few corners. One of the best examples was the decision to go with a mild-steel monocoque body, rather than the significantly lighter aluminum ‘tub’ design preferred by Broadley.
“The disc brakes front and rear were a necessity, not a luxury.”
Initial results on the track weren’t always convincing. Early GT40s suffered from a number of teething problems, however, things changed when in 1966, two GT40s claimed wins in the 24-hour Daytona and Le Mans races. This was soon followed up by another win in the tough Spa 1000km race. From a publicity point of view, the victories put Ford and its new ‘total performance’ image under the spotlight. GT40s went on to claim four straight wins between 1966 and 1969. Ferrari was nowhere to be seen — Ford had proven their point.
Ford America withdrew from racing after 1967 but in 1968 JW Automotive, a small British firm initially licensed by Ford to maintain GT40s, continued to race. Running GT40s, JW Automotive would go on to take the World Manufacturers’ Championship title away from Porsche, which further boosted the car’s image as a capable racer.
“Ferrari was nowhere to be seen — Ford had proven their point.”
Despite the success on the track, the third iteration of the car, the GT40 Mk III, was solely for road use. Costing a considerable sum when new (but still cheaper than Ferraris of the time), all cars came with a detuned (330bhp) engine, road exhaust systems, and comfortable cloth trim. Only 7 Mk III’s were ever produced, bringing the total number of road cars up to 31. In comparison, 76 GT40’s found a home on the track. To this day, the GT40 remains one of the most iconic, classic racecars to ever be produced.
Holloway, H. and Buckley, M., 1999. The A-Z Of Cars. Godalming, Surrey: Colour Library Direct.
Daniel is a writer, senior teacher, and geographer based in Malta. His main passion is empowering students to fulfill their aspirations and reach their goals.
