- One of many 12 authentic Ford GT40 prototypes is headed for public sale
- The automotive, bearing chassis no. GT/109, is one in every of solely two surviving roadster examples
- The automotive was the one roadster prototype to race at Le Mans, which it did in 1965
A uncommon alternative to personal one of many authentic Ford GT40 prototypes is developing quickly.
The 2025 version of Mecum’s annual public sale in Indianapolis, scheduled for Might 9-17, will see a 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster prototype go underneath the hammer.
The automotive, which bears chassis quantity GT/109, is one in every of 12 prototypes for the GT40 constructed between 1964 and 1965. 5 of these prototypes have been roadsters, and GT/109 is the one roadster to race within the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It competed within the 1965 race, with Maurice Trintignant and Man Ligier as drivers, however retired after the eleventh lap attributable to gearbox troubles.
After the race, it was shipped to Shelby American for a rebuild order. Nevertheless, the plans modified, and the automotive ended up turning into a improvement automotive for Kar Kraft’s computerized transmission, Ford’s Weber-carburetor four-cam Indy motor, and quite a few different engine and brake methods over time. Ultimately, Californian automotive customizer Dean Jeffries acquired the automotive from Ford in 1968, and its present proprietor, Mecum founder Dana Mecum, acquired it from Jeffries’ son in 2013 and had it restored to its authentic Le Mans configuration.
1965 Ford GT40 Roadster prototype bearing chassis no GT/109 – Photograph by way of Mecum
GT/109 is one in every of solely two surviving roadster prototypes. The opposite, bearing chassis no. GT/108, went up for public sale in 2019, fetching a closing bid of $7,650,000. It wasn’t uncommon for the GT40 prototypes for use for testing and later scrapped. Even the primary two GT40 prototypes constructed, GT/101, the instance proven on the 1964 New York auto present, and GT/102, have been each scrapped after getting used for crash testing.
In its present specification, the automotive contains a HiPo 289 V-8 engine that has been rebuilt and features a Ford/Shelby experimental consumption manifold, plus the unique Shelby-designed “Bundle of Snakes” exhaust system. The 5-speed guide transmission was additionally rebuilt.
This would be the third time Mecum has tried to promote GT/109. It was positioned underneath the hammer at Mecum auctions in 2018 and 2020, and on each earlier occasions was handed in.
