Some of this article's may not be. Please help this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged or deleted. 1973–1975 Ford F-100 XLT In 1973, a new model was offered: The heavy duty F-350 V8.

This was a new heavy-duty pickups made with contractors and camping enthusiasts in mind. It rode on longer wheelbase than an F-100 or F-250 (140 in (3,600 mm) vs. 133 in (3,400 mm)) but had the same overall length. Ordering the Camper Special package for the F-350 SRW made it a 'Super Camper Special', which was designed for the much heavier slide-in campers coming on the market at that time. For 1974 (introduced September 21, 1973), the F-Series became available in an for the first time. Dubbed the 'SuperCab', it offered the six-passenger seating of the crew cab in a slightly shorter length, and competed with Dodge's Club Cab.

The Roadster's vehicle identification number always began with the proud “U13” representing the vehicle “Series” followed by a sequence of letters and numbers. Tim-white-66 The 1966 Bronco Roadster is very unique vehicle in its own. The standard basic version was an all-purpose vehicle without a top or doors.

For 1975, the F-450 was introduced; this truck was designed with a heavier GVWR (over 6,000 lb (2,700 kg)) and maximum payload. 1976–1977 [ ]. 1977 Ford F-150 Explorer In 1975 (1976 model year), this familiar 'split-grille' design was given a slight face lift to feature black accents around the headlights and a refined overall appearance. 1977 models received a redesign of exterior trim, with the cowl insignias made smaller and moved near the windshield. The bed received a rectangular fuel door to hide the gas cap.

The gas tank located behind the seat was discontinued due to safety concerns. It also would be the last year of the medium-duty F-500. Starting in the 1977 model year Ford dropped the 'Super' from 'Super Camper Special' in favor of calling the F350 models with camper packages 'Camper Special', a name that was previously only assigned to F250's with camper packages. 1978–1979 [ ].

1978 Ford F-100 Custom For 1978, the appearance of the F-Series changed the most since 1972, when the split grille was overhauled in favor of a single-piece grille insert design. Much larger than before, the grille no longer incorporated the headlights, turn signals or the ' F O R D' letters. The headlights were located in housings beside the grille, and the park/turn signal lamps were located below them. Additionally, a new chrome-plated letter set reading 'F O R D' could now be seen on the hood immediately above the grille.

In 1977 (1978 models), the round headlight design was retained for the Custom trim level. A luxury 'Lariat' trim was also introduced for 1978; Ranger, Ranger XLT, and Ranger Lariat trim levels incorporated rectangular headlights with optional chrome headlight bezels and the chrome grille insert. Dual Fuel tanks in the bed became standard. For 1979, round headlights were replaced by rectangular ones on all trim levels, and the surrounding grille insert that framed the headlights was now available in either black or chrome to match that of the aluminum grille frame. Also new for 1978 was the option of part- or full-time four-wheel-drive on SuperCab models. Full-time four-wheel drive utilized a chain-driven NP203 transfer case, while part-time four-wheel drive was equipped with a gear-driven NP205. 1978–79 Ford F100 Custom XLT, with right-hand drive in Australia Ford Australia assembled right-hand drive sixth generation F-Series that were fitted with a lineup of locally sourced engines.

The base trim level was called Custom, with a higher spec XLT level only available on the F-100. 1973–1975 [ ] Initially they were available with US sourced 240 and 300 CID Straight-6 engines. From August 1974 the 240 CID engine was replaced with locally sourced 250 CID and the 300 CID was replaced by the locally sourced V-8 engines. The 302 Cleveland was a destroked 351 Cleveland built using tooling exported to Australia after the closure of the Cleveland production line. The F-100 with a 302 Cleveland model was the first Australian Sixth Gen to receive an automatic transmission as an option, the six cylinder powered models and the larger F-250 and F-350 were limited to a four-speed manual. The Canadian built 4wd F-250 was added to the lineup in 1975 with the 300CID Straight-6 engine to supplement the locally assembled rear-wheel drive F-100, F-250 and F-350. 1976–1977 [ ] The 250CID Straight-6 was upgraded with a new crossflow head and rebadged as the 4.1 litre, increasing power and lowering emissions to meet new legislation being introduced in Australia.

In 1977 a locally assembled 4wd F-100 with Australian built engines was added to the lineup to replace the fully imported 4wd F-250. 1978–1979 [ ] In 1978, the 351 Cleveland V-8 replaced the 302 Cleveland V8 in the F-250 and F-350. The 302 Cleveland continued alongside the 351 Cleveland in the F-100.

The 4.1 litre inline 6 cylinder continued to be sold across the range. In 1979, the 302 Cleveland was discontinued, leaving the standard engine as the 4.1 litre Straight-6, with the 351 Cleveland (badged as the 5.8), as the only upgrade, except the F-100 4WD which was only available with the 5.8 litre V8. The F-250 and F-350 had an automatic gearbox as an option for the first time in Australia, though still only on the V8 engine. Argentinan Production [ ] Like Ford Australia, Ford Motor Argentina assembled CKD F-series kits and fitted their own engines. These were the Ford Motor Argentina cast and assembled straight-six and Y-Block V8 along with Perkins 4-cylinder diesels. 1976 [ ] The F-100 was available with three engine choices, the 221CID 'Econ' straight-six, the 292CID Y-Block V8 and a 203CID Perkins 4 cylinder diesel.

The only transmission on offer was a 3-speed manual. Ford Bronco [ ]. 1978–1979 Ford Bronco (modified) For 1978, Ford redesigned the, basing it upon the F-Series chassis (shortened to a 104-inch wheelbase). Taking on the wagon bodystyle of the 1966–1977 Bronco, the full-size 1978 Bronco was designed with a removable hardtop, similar to the /GMC Jimmy. Kasturi Serial Part 1 there. The new Bronco incorporated design characteristics which eliminated leaky roofs and body flex associated with other full size removable top utility vehicles of the era.

To lower production costs over its predecessor, the Bronco was designed with interchangeability with the Ford F-150 4x4, sharing nearly all exterior body panels from the front doors forward, many interior and trim parts, and the same powertrain. The 351M V8 was standard, with a 400 V8 as an option; all Broncos were fitted with four-wheel drive.

1976 Ford F600 Custom Cab in use as a fire pumper Largely unchanged since 1967, medium duty-trucks saw little change during the 1970s. Post-1973 models are most easily distinguished by their larger headlight surrounds in the grille in comparison to 1967–1972 models. In 1977, a 370 cubic-inch version of the 460 V8 replaced the previous FE engines. Shared with the L-Series trucks, the Caterpillar 3208 V8 became an option in F700 and F800 models; diesel-powered trucks were distinguished by an extra '0' (i.e., F-7000/F-8000). The lowest-GVWR F-500 was discontinued after 1977. Common Misconceptions [ ] - 1978 mid year headlight design swap.

1978 was the only year both round and rectangular head lights were available. Trim level is what determined what headlight shape you received, the production date did not. If you ordered a Custom trim level you received round headlights. If you ordered any of the Ranger trim levels you received rectangular headlights.

This was the case for the entire 1978 model year. - Only 'Super Camper Specials' had a 140' wheelbase. Every 2wd standard cab F350, excluding chassis cabs, was built on the 140' wheelbase whether it was a Super Camper Special or not. - 'Highboys' The term 'Highboy' is an enthusiast name only given to 67-77.5 F250 4x4's, this included both standard and crew cab pickups. There is an incorrect, albeit common, belief that 'highboy' was a package available on any 73-79 Ford pickup. The term Highboy came about around the middle of the 1977 model year when Ford switched from positive arch front leaf springs to negative arch leaf springs.

This article needs additional citations for. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2017) () Ford GT40 Overview Manufacturer Kar Kraft Production 1964-1969 105 produced Assembly, (Mk I, Mk II, and Mk III), (Mk IV) Body and chassis Powertrain 4181 cc (255 ) 4737 cc (289 ) 6997 cc (427 ) 4942 cc (302 ) 5-speed Dimensions 95 in (2,413 mm) Length 160 in (4,064 mm) Width 70 in (1,778 mm) Height 40.5 in (1,029 mm) 2,682 lb (1,217 kg) (1966, Mk IIA) Chronology Successor (racing heritage) (street heritage). Ford GT40 Mk II front. This car took second place overall (all three top finishers were Ford GT40s) in the 1966. The #1 car was driven by and, and together with the #2 car driven by / (1st overall) and #5 car driven by Bucknum/Hutcherson (3rd overall) gave Ford its first victory in a 24-hour race. The photo shows the livery as used at Le Mans in 1966.

(Serial Number GT-40 P 1015 Mk. II) The Ford GT40 is a high-performance endurance based on the British, with the Mk I, Mk II, and Mk III designed and built in England and the Mk IV built in the United States. The range was powered by a series of -built engines modified for racing. The GT40 won the four consecutive times, from to (1966 being the Mk II, the Mk IV, and -1969 the oldest chassis design, the Mk I), including a 1-2-3 finish in 1966. In 1966, with personally in attendance at Le Mans, the Mk II GT40 provided with the first overall Le Mans victory for an American manufacturer, and the first victory for an American manufacturer at a major European since ´s triumph with at the.

The Mk IV GT40 that won Le Mans in 1967 is the only car designed and built entirely in the United States to achieve the overall win at Le Mans. The GT40 was originally produced to win long-distance against (who won at six times in a row from 1960 to 1965). Ford/Shelby chassis #P-1075, which won in 1968 and 1969, is the first car in Le Mans history to win the race more than once, using the same chassis. Using an American Ford V-8 engine, originally of 4.7-litre displacement capacity (289 cubic inches), it was later enlarged to the 4.9-litre engine (302 cubic inches), with custom designed alloy -. The car was named the GT (for ) with the 40 representing its overall height of 40 inches (1.02 m, measured at the windshield) as required by the rules. Large-displacement Ford V8 engines (4.2-litre, 4.7-litre and 7-litre) were used, compared with the Ferrari V12, which displaced 3.0 litres or 4.0 litres.

Early cars were simply named 'Ford GT'. The name 'GT40' was the name of Ford's project to prepare the cars for the international endurance racing circuit, and the quest to win 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—the MkI, MkII, MkIII, and MkV (with the exception of the MkIV, which were numbered J1-J12)—were numbered GT40P/1000 through GT40P/1145, and thus officially 'GT40s'.

The name of Ford's project, and the serial numbers dispel the story that 'GT40' was 'only a nickname.' The contemporary is a modern homage to the GT40.

Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • History [ ] had wanted a Ford at Le Mans since the early 1960s. In early 1963, Ford reportedly received word through a European intermediary that was interested in selling to Ford Motor Company. Ford reportedly spent several million dollars in an audit of Ferrari factory assets and in legal negotiations, only to have Ferrari unilaterally cut off talks at a late stage due to disputes about the ability to direct open wheel racing.

Ferrari, who wanted to remain the sole operator of his company's motor sports division, was angered when he was told that he would not be allowed to race at the if the deal went through since Ford fielded Indy cars using the company's engine, and didn't want competition from Ferrari. Enzo cut the deal off out of spite and Henry Ford II, enraged, directed his racing division to find a company that could build a Ferrari-beater on the world endurance-racing circuit. [ ] To this end Ford began negotiation with,, and.

Cooper had no experience in GT or prototype and its performances in were declining. [ ] Lotus was already a Ford partner for their Indy 500 project, but Ford executives doubted the ability of Lotus to handle this new project. Probably had similar views as he asked a high price for his contribution and insisted that the car (which became the ) should be named a Lotus-Ford. Lola Mk.6 The Lola proposal was chosen, since Lola had used a Ford V8 engine in their mid-engined (also known as Lola GT). It was one of the most advanced racing cars of the time, and made a noted performance in Le Mans 1963, even though the car did not finish, due to low gearing and slow revving out on the.

However,, Lola Cars' owner and chief designer, agreed on a short-term personal contribution to the project without involving Lola Cars. [ ] The agreement with Broadley included a one-year collaboration between Ford and Broadley, and the sale of the two Lola Mk 6 chassis builds to Ford. To form the development team, Ford also hired the ex- team manager. Ford Motor Co. Engineer was sent to England; he had designed the mid-engined concept car powered by a 1.7-litre V4.

Despite the small engine of the Mustang I, Lunn was the only Dearborn engineer to have some experience with a mid-engined car. Overseen by, the team of Broadley, Lunn and Wyer began working on the new car at the Lola Factory in Bromley. At the end of 1963 the team moved to, near. Ford then established, a new subsidiary under the direction of Wyer, to manage the project. The first chassis built by of Coventry was delivered on 16 March 1963, with fibre-glass mouldings produced by Fibre Glass Engineering Ltd of. The first 'Ford GT' the GT/101 was unveiled in England on 1 April and soon after exhibited in New York.

Purchase price of the completed car for competition use was £5,200. It was powered by the 4.2 L engine with a transaxle, the same power plant was used by the Lola GT and the single-seater Lotus 29 that came in a highly controversial second at the Indy 500 in 1963.

[ ] (An aluminum block DOHC version, known as the Ford Indy Engine, was used in later years at Indy. It won in 1965 in the Lotus 38.) Racing history [ ]. Prototype chassis GT 104, which finished third at the Daytona 2000 in 1965 The Ford GT40 was first raced in May 1964 at the 1000 km race where it retired with suspension failure after holding second place early in the event. Three weeks later at the, 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 after the 1964 Nassau race.

The cars were sent directly to Shelby, still bearing the dirt and damage from the Nassau race. Carroll Shelby was noted for complaining that the cars were poorly maintained when he received them, but later information revealed the cars were packed up as soon as the race was over, and FAV never had a chance to clean, and organize the cars to be transported to Shelby. Shelby's first victory came on their maiden race with the Ford program, with Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby taking a Shelby American-entered Ford GT to victory in the. The rest of the season, however, was a disaster.

Ford GT40 Mk I road version The experience gained in 1964 and 1965 allowed the 7-litre Mk II to dominate the following year. In February, the GT40 again won at Daytona.

This was the first year and Mk II's finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. In March, at the, GT40's again took all three top finishes with the X-1 Roadster first, a Mk. II taking second, and a Mk. Then in June at the the GT40 achieved yet another 1-2-3 result.

The Le Mans finish, however, was clouded in controversy: in the final few hours, the Ford GT of New Zealanders and closely trailed the leading Ford GT driven by Englishman and New Zealander. With a multimillion-dollar program finally on the very brink of success, Ford team officials faced a difficult choice. They could allow the drivers to settle the outcome by racing each other – and risk one or both cars breaking down or crashing. They could dictate a finishing order to the drivers – guaranteeing that one set of drivers would be extremely unhappy. Or they could arrange a tie, with the McLaren/Amon and Miles/Hulme cars crossing the line side-by-side. The team chose the last and informed McLaren and Miles of the decision just before the two got in their cars for the final stint. Then, not long before the finish, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organizers of the Le Mans event, informed Ford that the geographical difference in starting positions would be taken into account at a close finish.

Ying Yang Twins United State Of Atlanta Zip Line on this page. This meant that the McLaren/Amon vehicle, which had started perhaps 60 feet (18 m) behind the Hulme-Miles car, would have covered slightly more ground over the 24 hours and would therefore be the winner. Secondly, Ford officials admitted later, the company's contentious relationship with Miles, its top contract driver, placed executives in a difficult position.

They could reward an outstanding driver who had been at times extremely difficult to work with, or they could decide in favour of drivers (McLaren/Amon) with less commitment to the Ford program but who had been easier to deal with. Ford stuck with the orchestrated photo finish but Miles, deeply bitter over this decision after his dedication to the program, issued his own protest by suddenly slowing just yards from the finish and letting McLaren across the line first. Miles died in a testing accident in the J-car (later to become the Mk IV) at Riverside (CA) Raceway just two months later. Miles' death occurred at the wheel of the Ford 'J-car', an iteration of the GT40 that included several unique features. These included an aluminum honeycomb chassis construction and a 'breadvan' body design that experimented with ' aerodynamic theories. Unfortunately, the fatal Miles accident was attributed at least partly to the unproven aerodynamics of the J-car design, as well as the experimental chassis' strength.

The team embarked on a complete redesign of the car, which became known as the Mk IV. The Mk IV, a newer design with a Mk II engine but a different chassis and a different body, won (when four Mark IVs, three Mark IIs and three Mark Is raced). The high speeds achieved in that race caused a rule change, which already came in effect in 1968: the prototypes were limited to the capacity of 3.0 litres, the same as in. This took out the V12-powered as well as the Chaparral and the Mk. If at least 50 cars had been built, sportscars like the GT40 and the were allowed, with a maximum of 5.0 L.

's revised 4.7-litre (bored to 4.9 litres, and cut and installed between the and to prevent failure, a common problem found with the 4.7 engine) Mk I. It won the against the fragile smaller prototypes.

This result, added to four other round wins for the GT40, gave Ford victory in the. The GT40's intended 3.0 L replacement, the, and Mirage cars proved a dismal failure. While facing more experienced prototypes and the new yet still unreliable 4.5 L -powered, Wyer's winners / managed to beat the remaining 3.0-litre by just a few seconds with the already outdated GT40 Mk I, in the very car that had won in 1968 — the legendary GT40P/1075. Apart from brake wear in the Porsche and the decision not to change brake pads so close to the race end, the winning combination was relaxed driving by both GT40 drivers and heroic efforts at the right time by (at that time Le Mans' rookie) Ickx, who won Le Mans five more times in later years.

Le Mans 24 Hour victories [ ] Le Mans 24 Hour victories Distance Speed Year Car Team Drivers Engine Tire/Tyre km mph km/h GT40P/1046 (Mk II) 7.0L V8 4843.09 130.98 210.80 J5 (Mk IV) 7.0L V8 5232.9 135.48 218.03 GT40P/1075 (Mk I) Automotive Engineering Ltd. 4.9 L V8 4452.88 115.29 185.54 GT40P/1075 (Mk I) Automotive Engineering Ltd. 4.9 L V8 4997.88 129.40 208.25 International titles [ ] In addition to four consecutive overall Le Mans victories, Ford also won the following four international titles (at what was then unofficially known as the ) with the GT40: • — Over 2000cc • — Division III (Over 2000cc) • — Division III (Over 2000cc) • Versions [ ] Mk I [ ]. A Ford GT40 Mk I competing in the 1969 Nurburgring 1000km race The Mk.I was the original Ford GT40.

Early prototypes were powered by 4.2-litre (255 cu.in) alloy V8 engines and production models were powered by as used in the. Five prototype models were built with bodywork, including the Ford X-1. The Mk.I, which had met with little success in its initial tune for the 1964 and 1965 Le Mans races, was later modified and run by in 1968 and 1969, winning Le Mans in both those years and Sebring in 1969.

The Mk.II and IV were both obsolete after the FIA had changed the rules to ban unlimited capacity engines, ruling out the 7.0-litre (427 cu.in) Ford V8. However, the Mk.I, with its smaller engine, was legally able to race. X-1 Roadster The X-1 was a roadster built to contest the Fall 1965 North American Pro Series, a forerunner of, entered by the Bruce McLaren team and driven by Chris Amon. The car had an aluminum chassis built at Abbey Panels and was originally powered by a 4.7-liter (289 ci) engine. The real purpose of this car was to test several improvements originating from Kar Kraft, Shelby and McLaren.

Several gearboxes were used: a LG500 and at least one automatic gearbox. It was later upgraded to Mk.II specifications with a 7.0-liter (427 ci) engine and a standard four ratio Kar Kraft (subsidiary of Ford) gearbox, however the car kept specific features such as its open roof and lightweight aluminum chassis.

The car went on to win the in 1966. The X-1 was a one-off and having been built in the United Kingdom and being liable for United States, was later ordered to be destroyed by United States customs officials. Ford GT40 Mk II rear The Mk.II was very similar in appearance to the Mk.I, but it actually was a bit different from its predecessor. It used the engine from the, which was an engine used in NASCAR at the time, but the engine was modified for road course use. The car's chassis was more or less the same as the British-built Mk.I chassis, but it and other parts of the car had to be redesigned and modified by Carroll Shelby's organization in order to accommodate the larger and heavier 427 engine. A new Kar Kraft-built four-speed gearbox (same as the one described above; Ford-designed, using Galaxie gearsets) was built to handle the more powerful engine, replacing the ZF five-speed used in the Mk.I.

This car is sometimes called the Ford Mk.II. In 1966, the Mk.II dominated Le Mans, taking European audiences by surprise and beating Ferrari to finish 1-2-3 in the standings. After the success of these Mk.II cars, the Ford GT40 went on to win the race for the next three years. For 1967, the Mk.IIs were upgraded to 'B' spec; they had re-designed bodywork and twin carburetors for an additional 15 hp.

A batch of improperly heat treated input shafts in the transaxles sidelined virtually every Ford in the race at Daytona, however, and Ferrari won 1-2-3. The Mk.IIBs were also used for Sebring and Le Mans that year, and also it won the Reims 12 Hours in France. For the Daytona 24 Hours, two Mk II models (chassis 1016 and 1047) had their engines re-badged as Mercury engines. Mercury was a Ford Motor Company division at that time, and Mercury's 427 was exactly the same engine as Ford's with different logos. Ford saw a good opportunity to advertise that division of the company. Ford GT40 Mk III The Mk III was a road-car only, of which seven were built. The car had four headlamps, the rear part of the body was expanded to make room for luggage, the 4.7-litre engine was detuned to 335 bhp (250 kW), the shock absorbers were softened, the shift lever was moved to the center, an ash tray was added, and the car was available with the steering wheel on the left side of the car.

As the Mk III looked significantly different from the racing models many customers interested in buying a GT40 for road use chose to buy a Mk I that was available from Wyer Ltd. Of the seven MK III that were produced four were left hand drive. One of these examples is currently on display at the.

1967 Ford GT40 Mk IV, which was developed from the J-car. This particular car, J-4, won the 1967 In an effort to develop a car with better and lighter weight, it was decided to retain the 7-litre engine, but redesign the rest of the car and ditch the Mk.I/Mk.II chassis. In order to bring the car more 'in house' and lessening partnership with English firms, Ford Advanced Vehicles was sold to and the new car was designed by Ford's studios and produced by Ford's subsidiary Kar Kraft under. There was also a partnership with the for expertise on the novel use of honeycomb panels bonded together to form a lightweight, rigid 'tub'. The car was designated as the J-car, as it was constructed to meet the new Appendix J regulations which were introduced by the FIA in 1966.

The first J-car was completed in March, 1966 and set the fastest time at the Le Mans trials that year. The tub weighed only 86 lb (39 kg), and the entire car weighed only 2,660 lb (1,210 kg), 300 lb (140 kg) less than the Mk II. It was decided to run the MkIIs due to their proven reliability, however, and little or no development was done on the J-car for the rest of the season. Following Le Mans, the development program for the J-car was resumed, and a second car was built. During a test session at Riverside International Raceway in August 1966, with Ken Miles driving, the car suddenly went out of control at the end of Riverside's high-speed, 1-mile-long back straight. The honeycomb chassis did not live up to its design goal, shattering upon impact, bursting into flames and killing Miles. It was determined that the unique, flat-topped 'bread van' aerodynamics of the car, lacking any sort of spoiler, were implicated in generating excess lift.

Therefore, a more conventional but significantly more aerodynamic body was designed for the subsequent development of the J-car which was officially known as the GT40 Mk IV. A total of nine cars were constructed with J-car chassis numbers although six were designated as Mk IVs and one as the G7A. Ford GT40 Mk IV The Mk IV was built around a reinforced J chassis powered by the same 7.0 L engine as the Mk II.

Excluding the engine, gearbox, some suspension parts and the brakes from the Mk.II, the Mk.IV was totally different from other GT40s, using a specific chassis and specific bodywork. It was undoubtedly the most radical and American variant of all the GT40's over the years.

As a direct result of the Miles accident, the team installed a NASCAR-style steel-tube roll cage in the Mk.IV, which made it much safer, but the roll cage was so heavy that it negated most of the weight saving of the then-highly advanced, radically innovative honeycomb-panel construction. IV had a long, streamlined shape, which gave it exceptional top speed, crucial to do well at Le Mans in those days (a circuit made up almost entirely of straights)- the race it was ultimately built for. A 2-speed automatic gearbox was tried, but during the extensive testing of the J-car in 1966 and 1967, it was decided that the 4-speed from the Mk.II would be retained. Dan Gurney often complained about the weight of the Mk.IV, since the car was 600 pounds (270 kg) heavier than the Ferrari 330 P4's. During practice at Le Mans in 1967, in an effort to preserve the highly stressed brakes, Gurney developed a strategy (also adopted by co-driver A.J. Foyt) of backing completely off the throttle several hundred yards before the approach to the Mulsanne hairpin and virtually coasting into the braking area.

This technique saved the brakes, but the resulting increase in the car's recorded lap times during practice led to speculation within the Ford team that Gurney and Foyt, in an effort to compromise on chassis settings, had hopelessly 'dialed out' their car. The car proved to be fastest in a straight line that year, thanks to its streamlined aerodynamics, achieveing 212 mph on the 3.6-mile. IV ran in only two races, the and the and won both events. Only one Mk.IV was completed for Sebring; the pressure from Ford had been amped up considerably after Ford's humiliation at Daytona two months earlier. And won Sebring, and won Le Mans (Gurney and Foyt's car was the Mk.IV that was apparently least likely to win), where the Ford-representing Shelby-American and Holman & Moody teams showed up to Le Mans with 2 Mk.IV's each. The installation of the roll cage was ultimately credited by many with saving the life of Andretti, who crashed violently at the Esses during the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours, but escaped with minor injuries.

Unlike the earlier Mk.I - III cars, which were built in England, the Mk.IVs were built in the United States by Kar Kraft. Le Mans 1967 remains the only truly all-American victory in Le Mans history — American drivers, team, chassis, engine and tires.

A total of six Mk IVs were constructed. One of the Mk IVs was rebuilt to the in 1968, and used in the Can-Am series for 1969 and 1970, but with no success. This car is sometimes called the Ford Mk.IV. MkV Peter Thorp had searched years looking for a GT40 in good condition. Most of the cars had problems including the dreaded rust issue.

His company, Safir Engineering, was building and fielding race cars, in addition had a Token Formula One car purchased from the Company, Rondell Racing. Formula One events in which Safir Engineering competed included and. Safir was also redesigning modifying the unit to six wheel drive, and exporting them to foreign markets. Safir technical capabilities were such that they could rebuild GT40s. It was with this in mind that Thorp approached John Willment for his thoughts. Wilment was of the same mindset, and discussions between the two were positive.

It was soon decided that there would be a limited, further run of the significant GT40. JW Engineering would oversee the build, and Safir was to do the work.

The continued JW Engineering/Safir Engineering production would utilize sequential serial numbers starting at the last used GT40 serial number, and move forward. Maintaining the GT40 Mark nomenclature, this continued production would be named GT40 MkV. These cars would carry JW Engineering chassis plates identical to those on all the GT40s produced by JW Engineering.

JW Engineering wished to complete the GT40 chassis numbers GT40P-1087, 1088 and 1089. This was supposed to take place prior to the beginning of Safir production, however the completion of these three chassis’ was very much delayed. Ford’s Len Bailey was hired to inspect the proposed build and engineer any changes he thought prudent to ensure the car was safe, as well as minimize problems experienced in the past. Baily changed the front suspension to specifications, which minimized nose dive under braking.

Zinc coated steel replaced the previous uncoated rust prone sheet metal. The vulnerable drive donuts were replaced with CV joints and the leak prone rubber gas tanks were replaced with aluminum tanks. The GT40 chassis was upgraded without making any major changes. Tennant Panels supplied the roof structure and the balance of the chassis was completed by Safir. JW Engineering employees were used where ever possible.

Bill Pink, noted for his electrical experience and the wiring installation of previous GT40 automobiles, was brought in. Also, Jim Rose was hired for his experienced with working at both Alan Mann and Shelby. After the manufacture of chassis 1120, John Etheridge of JW Engineering was hired to manage the GT40 build.

The chassis was supplied from Adams McCall Engineering and parts supplied from Tennant panels. For the most part, the MkV resembled very closely the MkI car, although there were a few changes, and, as with the 60s production, very few cars were identical. The first car, GT40P-1090, had an open top in place of roofed doors. Most motors were Ford small block, Webers or 4 Barrel Carburetor. Safir produced five Big Block GT40s, serial numbers GT40P-1128 to GT40P-1132. These aluminium big block cars all had easily removable door roof sections. Most GT40s were high performance street cars however some of the MkV production can be described as full race.

Two road cars GT40P-1133 (roadster) and GT40P-1142 (roofed doors) were built as lightweights which included an aluminium honeycomb chassis and carbon fiber bodywork. Complete files on each of these forty cars have been forwarded to authors and journalists known for maintaining accurate records on the GT40 automobile. Continuation models, replicas and modernizations [ ]. A 'Roaring Forties' replica of a 1965 Ford GT40 in Shelby livery on display at the Several and replicas inspired by the Ford GT40 have been built. They are generally intended for assembly by the enthusiast in a home workshop or garage. There are two alternatives to the approach, either models (exact and licensed replicas true to the original GT40), or (replicas with upgraded components, ergonomics & trim for improved usability, drivability and performance).

• GT40/R Competition, United States: Authentic GT40 built by and co-designed with Pathfinder Motorsports. This is the only GT40 continuation licensed by Safir GT40 Spares LLC, the holders of the GT40 trademark. A GT40/R (GT40P/2094) campaigned by Pathfinder Motorsports with an engine built by Holman Moody won both the 2009 US Vintage Grand Prix and the 2009 Governor's Cup at Watkins Glen.

• CAV GT: Originally designed for customers to build as a kit, the CAV GT has evolved into a modernized replica that is now factory-built in Cape Town, South Africa. •: GT40 Mark II won third at Le Mans in 1966, and can still manufacture a Holman GT from 1966 blueprints. • GT40 Spyder, United States: Built by E.R.A. Replica Automobiles in New Britain, CT, the Spyder is a MK2 Canadian American (CAN-AM) racing replica. Main article: At the 1995, the concept was shown and at the 2002 show, a new GT40 Concept was unveiled by Ford. While similar in appearance to the original cars, it was bigger, wider, and three inches (76 mm) taller than the original 40 inches (1020 mm).

Three production prototype cars were shown in 2003 as part of Ford's centenary, and delivery of the production Ford GT began in the fall of 2004. The Ford GT was assembled in the Ford Wixom plant and painted by at their plant in. A British company,, who continued to produce a limited number of GT40s (the MkV) in the 1980s under an agreement with Walter Hayes of Ford and John Wilment of J.W. Automotive Engineering, owned the GT40 trademark at that time, and when they completed production, they sold the excess parts, tooling, design, and trademark to a small American company called Safir GT40 Spares, Limited based in. Safir GT40 Spares licensed the use of the GT40 trademark to Ford for the initial 2002 show car, but when Ford decided to make the production vehicle, negotiations between the two failed, and as a result the new Ford GT does not wear the badge GT40.

Bob Wood, one of three partners who own Safir GT40 Spares, said: 'When we talked with Ford, they asked what we wanted. We said that Ford owns Beanstalk in New York, the company that licenses the Blue Oval for Ford on such things as T-shirts. Since Beanstalk gets 7.5 percent of the retail cost of the item for licensing the name, we suggested 7.5 percent on each GT40 sold.'

In this instance, Ford wished to purchase, not just license the GT40 trademark. At the then-estimated $125,000 per copy, 7.5% of 4,500 vehicles would have totalled approximately $42,187,500. It was widely and erroneously reported following an Automotive News Weekly story that Safir 'demanded' the $40 million for the sale of the trademark. Discussions between Safir and Ford ensued. However, in fact, the Ford Motor Company never made an offer in writing to purchase the famed GT40 trademark.

Later models or prototypes have also been called the Ford GT but have had different numbering on them such as the Ford GT90 or the Ford GT70. The GT40 name and trademark is currently licensed to Superformance in the USA. A second-generation Ford GT was unveiled at the 2015. It features a 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6 engine, carbon fiber monocoque and body panels, pushrod suspension and active aerodynamics. It will compete in the and the.

GT40 Guitars [ ]. Gulf livery GT40 Guitar representing GT40 Chassis P1075 On August 31, 2017, Safir GT40 Spares announced the release of the GT40 Victory Series, a limited production run of 400 electric guitars commemorating the GT40's racing history. The GT40 guitars are carved to reflect the GT40 body, and feature chassis plates matching the iconic cars that won at Le Mans in the 1960s. Safir announced that the guitars will be manufactured by Hoodoo Guitars in Calgary, Canada. See also [ ] •, a van-bodied variant •, characteristic exhaust system •, transmission of the initial, and early models •, a car of similar Anglo-American parentage References [ ]. • ^ Retrieved on 27 January 2010 • Debut for 'last' GT40 Retrieved on 2 February 2017 • Cardew, Basil (1966). Daily Express Review of the 1966 Motor Show.

London: Beaverbrook Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 2010-09-24. Retrieved 2011-08-09.

• ^ Comer, Colin (November 2012). '1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage Lighweight'..

24 (11): 46–47. Archived from on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-03. • Retrieved 7 June 2015 • Retrieved from www.racingsportscars.com on 18 April 2010 •. • Retrieved from www.ultimatecarpage.com on 22 February 2010 • 2 March 2005 at the.

Retrieved from www.fia.com on 23 February 2010 • ^. Retrieved 2010-02-23. Retrieved 2011-08-09. • ^ Mateja, Jim (31 October 2003)... Retrieved 23 June 2014. – via (subscription required) •.

Retrieved 2017-09-03. Further reading [ ] • (with historic and modern photo gallery), by Don Sherman, Car and Driver, August 2016. • Auto Passion n°49 July 1991 (in French) • La Revue de l'Automobile historique n°7 March/April 2001 (in French) • Ford: The Dust and the Glory/A motor racing history by Leo Levine/1968 • Ford vs.

Ferrari: the Battle for Le Mans by Anthony Pritchard, 1984 Zuma Marketing • Ford GT-40: An Individual History and Race Record by Ronnie Spain 1986 • Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans by A. Baime External links [ ] Wikimedia Commons has media related to.