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Details
The last 'unbuilt' example known in existence
1972 (Delivered) FORD GT40
Chassis No. GT40 P/1112
Engine No. See text
Grand Prix white with Opel Gelboranje stripe
Engine: Ford V8, 4,728cc (289ci) not installed; Chassis: sheet steel semi-monocoque with square steel stiffening and glass fibre body panels; Gearbox: ZF five speed not installed; Suspension: front independent double wishbones with coil springs, rear independent double trailing links, lower wishbones, coil springs; Brakes: discs all round. Right hand drive.
The story of the failed merger in 1963 between Ford and Ferrari and the subsequent return to competition motorsport at the highest level by the American company is motoring lore. Suffice to say that Henry Ford II subsequently declared that he 'wanted to win Le Mans in 1966'. With that brief, Lee Iacocca and Leo Beebe formed Ford Advanced Vehicles and went shopping. After visiting Eric Broadley's business in England, they knew they had the basis for a winning car in International long distance road racing. After teaming up with John Wyer, the new Ford GT was unveiled to the world's motoring press in April 1964. Shortly thereafter the Ford Advanced Vehicles premises moved to Slough and the inaugural race for a GT40 was at the Nürburgring 1,000km in May. In 1965 the Ford GT project was given to Holman-Moody and then also to Shelby American who came on board with their sports car endurance racing experience. The next year Ford triumphed at Le Mans when three MK IIs took the chequered flag. An all American built model, the MK IV, triumphed at the 1967 Le Mans event and GT40s also won in 1968 and 1969! Other famous victories, to name but a few, included three wins at the Sebring 12hr, and wins at the Daytona 24hr, Reims 12hr, Watkins Glen 6hr and the Monza and Spa 1,000km races. In fact, the GT40 turned out to be one of the most successful road/competition cars ever built. Point proven and publicity achieved, Ford ended it's factory-supported involvement in GT racing, but in private hands the GT40s went on to claim further victories in the top flight of motorsport right into the early 1970's.
Following Ford's withdrawal, P & M Racing Preparations in Chiswick, London were appointed as sole agents for the remaining GT40 spares and amongst the inventory were six new chassis. One was used as a replacement for a damaged race car and the others were sold off to be built up into complete cars, chassis P/1112 was the last one left with P & M and to this day remains the last unfinished GT40 known in existence.
When delivered in 1972 and as stated in Ronnie Spain's book 'Ford GT40', chassis P/1112 was designated as a left hand drive MKIII chassis. As a finished example, the MKIII is visually very different to the racing GT40s, but the chassis is shared thus it was decided upon purchase to construct P/1112 into MKI racing guise. Almost immediately the project began to take form and components were gathered from a number of sources. Renowned specialist Brian Wingfield was contacted and amongst many other items he supplied the front and rear suspension uprights (with the correct Armstrong adjustable shock absorbers), the front anti-roll bar, a couple of dashboards and the doors. With the structural framework in place, GT40 brake system expert Bob Green was commissioned to fit the pedal box, brake lines and Girling callipers. Other early components located were the bodywork; the rear (originally from 1069) was purchased from GT40 racer Willy Green and to this day retains the original perspex rear window and the 1069 identification tag. The front (from chassis number 1002) was bought from JPS Engineering and the centre cover with the incorporated radiator cooling vents came from Wingfield.
Famous coachbuilders James Young closed their works in the mid 1970s and then came the chance for one of their fabricators, Albert Bull, to become involved with the construction of P/1112. A master craftsman capable of working with a variety of materials, he takes credit for an important part in the chronicle of P/1112. On and off for nearly 20 years, Albert worked on the GT40 and where it was not possible to utilise factory parts, he employed his well-honed skills and made them; his first accomplishments being the outer body sills. Other notables made by Albert were the MKIII style window frames (an option employed due to superior cockpit ventilation) and aluminium fuel tanks. It is well known that the rubber fuel tanks as originally used in the GT40s used to perish and would in turn leak thus inducing corrosion to the monocoque's sills and necessitating repair. The expertly made aluminium tanks are Argon welded, have the pickups and sender gauges installed and are baffled with Explosafe to prevent fuel surge. Albert was also able to custom-fit the tanks to the 'monza' caps as supplied by Wingfield.
Externally near completion by the early 1990s, the car was painted using the common GT40 pattern of a contrasting noseband and central body stripe. In this case the body is Grand prix white, the nose and stripe are Opel gelboranje (a deep orange-yellow) and the outline is Ford tractor blue (in keeping with the signwritten decals to the sills).
During an assembly period spanning over 30 years, many parts have been accumulated for P/1112 and are thus offered as part of this attractive package. Importantly there is a donor engine (standard 289 believed from a Mustang) and though not fitted comes with GT40 goodies such as a set of Weber 48 IDA carburettors, manifolds to suit and a baffled competition specification sump, there is also a correct GT40 ZF25 gearbox. A full list of included parts can be supplied by Christie's should interested parties wish to get in contact.
The main items missing from the project are the interior, exhaust and wiring loom but it is also important to note that further parts will needed and Christie's would be delighted to supply an accurate breakdown.
A rare attribute to the model is that owing to its unused and unfinished condition P/1112 has never been repaired, involved in an accident and has certainly not been left to neglect. Nestled on polished-rim BRM alloys with big-eared spindles this GT40 looks divine. In this centenary year for Ford, Christie's are delighted to be able to offer this historically significant example. Ironically, the company itself is intending to release a 'GT 40 for the millenium'. Named the Ford GT, the styling remains faithful to the original and is further compliment to the timeless design first seen nearly forty years ago.
A fascinating car, an enchanting story - the next chapter? To be continued.
1972 (Delivered) FORD GT40
Chassis No. GT40 P/1112
Engine No. See text
Grand Prix white with Opel Gelboranje stripe
Engine: Ford V8, 4,728cc (289ci) not installed; Chassis: sheet steel semi-monocoque with square steel stiffening and glass fibre body panels; Gearbox: ZF five speed not installed; Suspension: front independent double wishbones with coil springs, rear independent double trailing links, lower wishbones, coil springs; Brakes: discs all round. Right hand drive.
The story of the failed merger in 1963 between Ford and Ferrari and the subsequent return to competition motorsport at the highest level by the American company is motoring lore. Suffice to say that Henry Ford II subsequently declared that he 'wanted to win Le Mans in 1966'. With that brief, Lee Iacocca and Leo Beebe formed Ford Advanced Vehicles and went shopping. After visiting Eric Broadley's business in England, they knew they had the basis for a winning car in International long distance road racing. After teaming up with John Wyer, the new Ford GT was unveiled to the world's motoring press in April 1964. Shortly thereafter the Ford Advanced Vehicles premises moved to Slough and the inaugural race for a GT40 was at the Nürburgring 1,000km in May. In 1965 the Ford GT project was given to Holman-Moody and then also to Shelby American who came on board with their sports car endurance racing experience. The next year Ford triumphed at Le Mans when three MK IIs took the chequered flag. An all American built model, the MK IV, triumphed at the 1967 Le Mans event and GT40s also won in 1968 and 1969! Other famous victories, to name but a few, included three wins at the Sebring 12hr, and wins at the Daytona 24hr, Reims 12hr, Watkins Glen 6hr and the Monza and Spa 1,000km races. In fact, the GT40 turned out to be one of the most successful road/competition cars ever built. Point proven and publicity achieved, Ford ended it's factory-supported involvement in GT racing, but in private hands the GT40s went on to claim further victories in the top flight of motorsport right into the early 1970's.
Following Ford's withdrawal, P & M Racing Preparations in Chiswick, London were appointed as sole agents for the remaining GT40 spares and amongst the inventory were six new chassis. One was used as a replacement for a damaged race car and the others were sold off to be built up into complete cars, chassis P/1112 was the last one left with P & M and to this day remains the last unfinished GT40 known in existence.
When delivered in 1972 and as stated in Ronnie Spain's book 'Ford GT40', chassis P/1112 was designated as a left hand drive MKIII chassis. As a finished example, the MKIII is visually very different to the racing GT40s, but the chassis is shared thus it was decided upon purchase to construct P/1112 into MKI racing guise. Almost immediately the project began to take form and components were gathered from a number of sources. Renowned specialist Brian Wingfield was contacted and amongst many other items he supplied the front and rear suspension uprights (with the correct Armstrong adjustable shock absorbers), the front anti-roll bar, a couple of dashboards and the doors. With the structural framework in place, GT40 brake system expert Bob Green was commissioned to fit the pedal box, brake lines and Girling callipers. Other early components located were the bodywork; the rear (originally from 1069) was purchased from GT40 racer Willy Green and to this day retains the original perspex rear window and the 1069 identification tag. The front (from chassis number 1002) was bought from JPS Engineering and the centre cover with the incorporated radiator cooling vents came from Wingfield.
Famous coachbuilders James Young closed their works in the mid 1970s and then came the chance for one of their fabricators, Albert Bull, to become involved with the construction of P/1112. A master craftsman capable of working with a variety of materials, he takes credit for an important part in the chronicle of P/1112. On and off for nearly 20 years, Albert worked on the GT40 and where it was not possible to utilise factory parts, he employed his well-honed skills and made them; his first accomplishments being the outer body sills. Other notables made by Albert were the MKIII style window frames (an option employed due to superior cockpit ventilation) and aluminium fuel tanks. It is well known that the rubber fuel tanks as originally used in the GT40s used to perish and would in turn leak thus inducing corrosion to the monocoque's sills and necessitating repair. The expertly made aluminium tanks are Argon welded, have the pickups and sender gauges installed and are baffled with Explosafe to prevent fuel surge. Albert was also able to custom-fit the tanks to the 'monza' caps as supplied by Wingfield.
Externally near completion by the early 1990s, the car was painted using the common GT40 pattern of a contrasting noseband and central body stripe. In this case the body is Grand prix white, the nose and stripe are Opel gelboranje (a deep orange-yellow) and the outline is Ford tractor blue (in keeping with the signwritten decals to the sills).
During an assembly period spanning over 30 years, many parts have been accumulated for P/1112 and are thus offered as part of this attractive package. Importantly there is a donor engine (standard 289 believed from a Mustang) and though not fitted comes with GT40 goodies such as a set of Weber 48 IDA carburettors, manifolds to suit and a baffled competition specification sump, there is also a correct GT40 ZF25 gearbox. A full list of included parts can be supplied by Christie's should interested parties wish to get in contact.
The main items missing from the project are the interior, exhaust and wiring loom but it is also important to note that further parts will needed and Christie's would be delighted to supply an accurate breakdown.
A rare attribute to the model is that owing to its unused and unfinished condition P/1112 has never been repaired, involved in an accident and has certainly not been left to neglect. Nestled on polished-rim BRM alloys with big-eared spindles this GT40 looks divine. In this centenary year for Ford, Christie's are delighted to be able to offer this historically significant example. Ironically, the company itself is intending to release a 'GT 40 for the millenium'. Named the Ford GT, the styling remains faithful to the original and is further compliment to the timeless design first seen nearly forty years ago.
A fascinating car, an enchanting story - the next chapter? To be continued.
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis