Sports Car : The Ford GT40

The Ford GT40 was a high-performance sports car and winner of 24 Hours of Le Mans four times in a row, 1966-1969 (in 1967 with a different body, though). It is so far the only car of an American company for the overall victory in this prestigious event built.

It was for long-distance sports car races against Ferrari (the Le Mans six times in a row won from 1960 to 1965) built to win. Chassis # P-1075, the increases won in 1968 and 1969 (the only car in Le Mans history, win the race more than once) with a 4.7-liter Ford engine, 4.9-liter (as a 5 , 0 known) with a special alloy-Gurney Weslake cylinder.

The car was the GT is required (for Grand Touring) with 40 of the total height of 40 inches (1.02 m, measured at the windshield) to the applicable regulations. Large displacement Ford V8 engines (4.7 liters and 7 liters) were used, compared with the Ferrari V12 3.0-liter and 4.0 liter moved.

Ford GT40

Early cars were simply named “Ford GT”. The name “Ford GT40″ was the name of preparing the project of Ford cars for international endurance racing circuit, and win the search for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The first 12 “prototype” vehicles carried serial numbers GT-101 through GT-112. The “production” began and the subsequent cars that MKI, MKII, MKIV and MkIIIs GT40P/1000 GT40P/1145 were counted officially “GT40. The name of the Ford project, and the serial numbers dispel the story that” GT40 was ” “only a nickname.”

The contemporary Ford GT is a modern homage to the GT40.

In 1995 at the Detroit Auto Show, the Ford GT90 concept shown in 2002 at the fair, a new GT40 Concept was unveiled by Ford.

While cars like the original, it was bigger, wider and three inches longer than the original 40 inches (1.02 m). Three production prototype cars in 2003 as part of Ford’s anniversary, and the delivery of the Ford GT began production shown in autumn 2004. The Ford GT was the Ford plant in Wixom assembled and painted by Saleen, Incorporated in their Saleen Special Vehicles facility in Troy, Michigan, USA.

A British company, Safir Engineering, the GT40 in the 1980s was in possession of the GT40 trademark at the time, and when they completed production, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design and make a small American company called Safir GT40 Spares in Ohio.

Safir GT40 Spares license to use the Ford GT40 for the first 2002 show car use, but when Ford decided to make the production vehicle, negotiations failed between the two, and do not contribute as a result of the new Ford GT badge GT40.

It is rumored that Safir GT40 Spares asked $ 40,000,000 $ to the rights, but that was never verified. The partners at Safir GT40 Spares state they have correspondence from Ford declining Safir’s $ 8,000,000 offer. Later models or prototypes are also available as Ford GT, but have different numbers on them such as the Ford GT90 and Ford GT70. The GT40 name is currently available for use by the Pathfinder Motorsport GT40 / R competition from Hi-Tech, in South Africa, which also builds models road version of the GT40 licensed built.

Ford GT40 Video review by TopGear BBC

The Ford GT40 Engine

• Type: V8 supercharged engine, aluminum block and heads


• Valve Train: DOHC 4-valves/cyl.


• Capacity: 5409


• Compression ratio: 8.4:1


• Power [HP]: 550 at 6,500


• Torque [Nm]: 500 in 3750


• Redline: 6500


• Mileage City [mpg]: 14


• Mileage Hwy [mpg]: 21

Ford GT40 Transmission

• Type: 6-speed


• Ratio: 2.61, 1.71, 1.23, 0.94, 0.77, 0.63


• Final Drive: 3.36

Ford GT40 PERFORMANCE

• 0-60 mph [sec]: 3.3


• 0 to 100 km / h [sec]: 7.4


• Quarter mile [sec]: 11.2


• Top Speed [mph]: 200


• Braking 60-0 [ft]: 110

Article Archive in Classic Sports Car Ford GT40 also see our another Classic Sports cars Collection andAmerican Sports Cars Collection.

Sports Car : The Ford GT40

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THE PONTIAC GTO – GREAT CUSTOM MACHINE

The Pontiac GTO is an American automobile built by Pontiac Division of General Motors from 1964 to 1974 and by GM subsidiary Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. It was a muscle car classic of the 1960s and 1970s. From 1964 until midway t
hrough 1973 it was closely related to the Pontiac Tempest/Le Mans and for the 1974 model year it was based on the Pontiac Ventura. The 21st century GTO is essentially a left-hand drive Holden Monaro, itself a coupe variant of the Holden Commodore.

THE PONTIAC GTO – GREAT CUSTOM MACHINE

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