#021 Ford GT

Published April 2, 2024 | Last update October 23, 2026 | 22 models online

Henry Ford wanted to buy Ferrari and then found out that Enzo Ferrari just used Ford to get a better price from FIAT. Ford decided to beat Ferrari at his own terrain and that was Le Mans. That sounds like the beginning of a movie – which they eventually made and is quite good also – but it is the history of the first Ford GT40, MkII and MkIV. I will come back to in another overview, this one is about the JWA racing team that raced the GT40’s and Mirage M1 in Gulf livery after Ford quit because the regulations changed and the big V8’s that Ford was using, were banned.

• This collection contains:
• 1967 Daytona 24h – Ford GT40
• 1967 Le Mans 24h – Mirage M1 – Ford
  • Le Mans winner
• 1968 Le Mans 24h – Ford GT40 #9
• 1968 Le Mans 24h – Ford GT40 #10
• 1968 Le Mans 24h – Ford GT40 #11
  • Another surprise victory
• 1969 Le Mans 24h – Ford GT40 #6
• 1969 Le Mans 24h – Ford GT40 #7
  • 30 years later
• 2006 Heritage edition Gulf Ford GT V8
• 2009 Nürburgring 24h – Raeder Ford GT3
• 2010 Le Mans 24h – Matech Ford GT1
• 2011 Spa–Francorchamps 24 – Marc VDS Ford GT3
  • GT LM V6 turbo
• 2016 Le Mans 24h – Chip Ganassi Ford GT LM
• 2019 Daytona 24h – Castrol & Motorcraft Ford GT LM
• 2019 Le Mans 24h – 3 x Retro livery Ford GT LM
• 2019 Le Mans 24h – Keating Wynn’s Ford GT LM

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1967 Daytona 24h, Ford GT40
Ford won Le Mans in 1966 convincingly with their big-engined MkII’s, Ferrari took revenge by scoring a triple win at Daytona in ’67. Best of the sports cars and Fords was this John Wyer Automotive Engineering 4.7 liter GT40. It was the car of one of the Gulf directors that marked the start of the cooperation between Gulf and John Wyer Racing.
J.W. Automotive #11: Dick Thompson (USA) / Jacky Ickx (B)
Results: Start-grid 13th / time 2:01.100 / race 6th – 601 laps / 1st Sports car
Ford GT 40 – Sports cars >2L: Powered by 4.7 liter Ford 289 Weslake V8 90º , approx. 400 hp. Firestone tires. Weight 910 kg. Steel semi-monocoque, chassisnr. #1049

• JOUEF EVOLUTION #unknown (diecast)
  • Overall rating: 2 STARS | Quality details: 2 STARS | Estimated value: 1 STARS
  • Also appears in #115 Jacky Ickx

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1967 Le Mans 24h, Mirage M1 – Ford
In 1967, Ford raced the MkIV, an aerodynamically improved version of the successful MkII. John Wyer was one of the customer teams and rebuilt some Ford GT40 chassis’ and changed these into the Mirage M1. The Mirage was lighter, stiffer and had better aerodynamics than the original GT40. But it still used the original engine, enlarged to 5.0 liter where the works Fords relied on the much more powerful 7.0 liter Nascar engine.
J.W. Automotive #15: Jacky Ickx (B) / Brian Muir (AUS)
Results: Start-grid 15th / time 3:36.300 / race DNF head gasket – 29laps
Mirage M1 – Prototypes >5L: Powered by 5.0 liter Ford 305 Weslake V8 90º , approx. 430 hp. Firestone tires. Weight 860 kg. Steel semi-monocoque, chassisnr. #10003 (Ford #1074)

• BIZARRE BZ296 (resin)
  • Overall rating: 4 STARS | Quality details: 4 STARS | Estimated value: 4 STARS
  • Also appears in #115 Jacky Ickx

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Le Mans winner

1968 Le Mans 24h, Ford GT40
Ford already won twice in previous years with the MkII and MkIV. In 1968 these 7 liter prototypes were no longer allowed, the maximum engine capacity for prototypes was only 3 liter and the new generation prototypes were favorite to win Le Mans. To get enough cars on track, also 5 liter sports cars were allowed to participate. JWA Racing entered three older GT40’s and won the 24-hour race. In fact the winning car wasn’t an old GT40 at all, it was one of the 1967 Mirage M1 chassis’ that was built back to GT40 specs, remaining the lower weight and greater stiffness …
J.W. Automotive #9: Pedro Rodriguez (MEX) / Lucien Bianchi (B)
Results: Start-grid 4th / time 3:39.800 / race 1st – 331 laps
Ford GT 40 – Sportcars <5L: Powered by 5.0 liter Ford 289 Weslake V8 90º , approx. 430 hp. Firestone tires. Weight 860 kg. Steel semi-monocoque, chassisnr. #1075

• JOUEF EVOLUTION 1004 (diecast)
  • Overall rating: 2 STARS | Quality details: 2 STARS | Estimated value: 2 STARS
  • Only appears in this collection

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1968 Le Mans 24h, Ford GT40
This #10 car was a “back to GT40 specs” Mirage also. It was driven by Paul Hawkins and David Hobbs but retired with a broken engine.
J.W. Automotive #10: Paul Hawkins (AUS) / David Hobbs (GB)
Results: Start-grid 6th / time 3:41.800 / race DNF engine – 107 laps
Ford GT 40 – Sportcars <5L: Powered by 5.0 liter Ford 289 Weslake V8 90º , approx. 430 hp. Firestone tires. Weight 860 kg. Steel semi-monocoque, chassisnr. #1074

• BANG 7072 (diecast)
  • Overall rating: 2 STARS | Quality details: 2 STARS | Estimated value: 2 STARS
  • Only appears in this collection

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1968 Le Mans 24h, Ford GT40
The third Ford GT40 from JWA was a real GT40 but it didn’t get far. Brian Muir got stuck in the sand trap at the exit of Mulsanne corner. It took him almost two hours of digging – nowadays we would have a safety car and a tractor – and he burnt the clutch in the process of getting out.
J.W. Automotive #11: Brian Muir (AUS) / Jackie Oliver (GB)
Results: Start-grid 9th / time 3:44.600 / race DNF clutch – 15 laps
Ford GT 40 – Sportcars <5L: Powered by 5.0 liter Ford 289 Weslake V8 90º , approx. 430 hp. Firestone tires. Weight 890 kg. Steel semi-monocoque, chassisnr. #1076

• BANG 7073 (diecast)
  • Overall rating: 2 STARS | Quality details: 2 STARS | Estimated value: 2 STARS
  • Only appears in this collection

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1969 Le Mans 24h, in general. Porsche didn’t only run their 3-liter prototypes but found a loop hole in the regulations and introduced the fast – but aerodynamically still unstable – Porsche 917. Last year’s winner wouldn’t stand a chance against these modern racing cars. Jacky Ickx took the start of the race for the #6 JWA entry. Drivers would run across the track, jump in their cars and race off without their seat belts. Ickx protested against this and walked across the track quietly, fastened his belts and drove off in last position. Sadly John Woolfe (first picture) crashed his Porsche 917 in the first lap and lost his life because he wasn’t strapped in, proving that Ickx was right. It would be the last time that the drivers ran to their cars.

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Another surprise victory

1969 Le Mans 24h, Ford GT40
Jacky Ickx and co-driver Jackie Oliver made up places throughout the race and by the end of Sunday morning the light blue Ford was heading the field because the last of the Porsche 917s retired. The last hours would be a battle between the Ford and the fastest of the Porsche 908s. The slick Porsche was faster on the straight, Ickx knew that if he would turn on the Mulsanne straight first, the Porsche would pass him and he wouldn’t be able to get it back. In the last lap, Ickx pretended to have run out of fuel. Hans Hermann in the Porsche went past and Ickx went for his slipstream. The Porsche had some brake problems and so Ickx outbraked the Porsche at the end of Mulsanne and took victory with less than a second!
J.W. Automotive #6: Jacky Ickx (B) / Jackie Oliver (GB)
Results: Start-grid 13th / time 3:37.500 / race 1st – 372 laps
Ford GT 40 – Sports Car <5L: Powered by 5.0 liter Ford 302 Weslake V8 90º , approx. 430 hp. Firestone tires. Weight 860 kg. Steel semi-monocoque, chassisnr. #1075

• IXO – Altaya 100 ans de sport automobile #29 (diecast)
  • Overall rating: 3 STARS | Quality details: 3 STARS | Estimated value: 2 STARS
  • Also appears in #115 Jacky Ickx

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1969 Le Mans 24h, Ford GT40
To complete the JWA success, the #7 Ford with finished in 3rd position.
J.W. Automotive #7: David Hobbs (GB) / Mike Hailwood (GB)
Results: Start-grid 14th / time 3:39.400 / race 3rd – 368 laps
Ford GT 40 – Sports Car <5L: Powered by 5.0 liter Ford 289 Weslake V8 90º , approx. 430 hp. Firestone tires. Weight 860 kg. Steel semi-monocoque, chassisnr. #1076

• JOUEF EVOLUTION 300700 (diecast)
  • Overall rating: 2 STARS | Quality details: 2 STARS | Estimated value: 2 STARS
  • Only appears in this collection

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30 years later

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The original Ford GT40 MkI was Henry Ford’s revenge on Ferrari after negotiations to purchase the Italian producer failed. It had a difficult start but the MkII version finally won Le Mans in 1966. The extreme MkIV did the same in 1967 and in the next two years another older version won again. More than 35 years later another generation Ford GT was launched.

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2nd Generation GT – V8

3rd Generation GT – V6 turbo

Thanks for visiting 😉