VIN: the Scuderia Filipinetti Ford GT40 chassis P/1040
History of chassis P/1040
As part of Ford’s programme for the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hours, two entries were secured via the back door from Scuderia Filipinetti.
Team patron, Georges Filipinetti, was the Ferrari distributor for Switzerland and usually ran a 250 LM and 250 GTO in 1965 (plus the odd Porsche). However, being unable to purchase anything more potent than a 250 LM from Ferrari, he accepted a lucrative approach from Ford.
A GT40 and Cobra Daytona would appear at the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hours in Filipinetti’s red and white colours. Full technical assistance was supplied from Shelby. Unfortunately, neither car finished and Ferrari swept to a famous 1-2-3 victory.
As part of the 1965 Le Mans deal, Georges Filipinetti was able to buy a number of GT40s at preferential rates.
He ordered three cars: two for racing (P/1039 and P/1040) and a road car (P/1033).
P/1040 was displayed on Filipinetti’s stand at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show (10th-20th March 1966).
Prior to going on display at Geneva, Ford Advanced Vehicles (FAV) had tested P/1040 at Goodwood on February 23rd.
It was then dispatched to Switzerland on February 28th resplendent in the Filipinetti team colours of red with a white centre stripe.
Scuderia Filipinetti only usually contested a handful of major European races every year.
P/1039 and P/1040 first appeared on track at the Le Mans Test on April 3rd 1966. Both cars ran with the number 12.
Herbert Muller and Innes Ireland went seventh quickest overall and second fastest in the over two-litre Sports category (behind a GT40 from Ford France).
At the Monza 1000km on April 25th, Filipinetti ran P/1040 and a Ferrari 365 P2. Herbert Muller and Willy Mairesse qualified seventh in the GT40 and finished the race third overall. They placed second in the over two-litre Sport class behind a similar Mk1 from Essex Wire.
Unfortunately, the race was overshadowed by the death of Tommy Spychiger who fatally crash Filipinetti’s Ferrari 365 P2 at one third distance.
After Monza, P/1040 returned to FAV in Slough where it underwent preparation for Le Mans.
At la Sarthe, the Filipinetti squad entered another Ferrari 365 P2 along with P/1040. This was now the team’s only GT40 race car as Georges Filipinetti had sold P/1039 to Pierre Bardinon after the Spa 500km in May.
Driven by Peter Sutcliffe and Dieter Spoerry, P/1040 qualified 19th.
It was in sixth position at half distance (behind five other Fords). Shortly before 8am on Sunday morning, it briefly moved up to fifth. However, the race ended prematurely when Spoerry span and crashed as a result of fuel that had splashed on to a rear tyre because of a missing filler cap.
Other Fords nevertheless went on to win, placing first, second and third overall.
P/1040 was sent back to FAV over the close season where it was repaired and uprated to the latest specification.
At the Le Mans Test on April 9th 1967, Herbert Muller posted seventh quickest time and was fastest in the five-litre Sport category.
P/1040 was then taken to the Monza 1000km on April 25th for Filipinetti’s normal Le Mans warm up. Along with their new Ferrari 412 P and a 275 GTB/4, the Swiss team entered the GT40 for Denis Borel and Claude Ballot-Lena (who qualified 27th).
With only 15 laps to go, the GT40, which had been circulating for some time on six cylinders, caught fire as it went past the pits. Borel parked the car at the back of the circuit and scrambled free, but the marshals made no effort to quell what started as a carburettor fire. The car burnt for 30 minutes and was a total wreck.
After a flurry of lawsuits, the remains were eventually traded to Filipinetti’s mechanic, Franco Sbarro, who sold the half finished machine to Charles Gendroz in 1976.
Gendroz completed the repair, painted the car gold and in turn sold it to Harley Cluxton in 1978.
Notable History
Red with White stripe
Georges Filipinetti (Scuderia Filipinetti), Chateau de Grandson, Vaud, Switzerland
23/02/1966 tested at Goodwood
28/02/1966 dispatched to Switzerland
11-20/03/1966 Geneva Motor Show
03/04/1966 IND Le Mans Test (H. Muller / I. Ireland) 7th oa, 2nd S2.0+ class (#12)
25/04/1966 WSC Monza 1000km (H. Muller / W. Mairesse) 3rd oa, 2nd S2.0+ class (#9)
19/06/1966 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (P. Sutcliffe / D. Spoerry) DNF (#14)
09/04/1967 IND Le Mans Test (H. Muller / J.D. Grandjean / A. Bungener / D. Borel) 7th oa, 1st S5.0 class (#18)
25/04/1967 WSC Monza 1000km (D. Borel / C. Ballot-Lena) DNF (#32)
Unraced after its fire at the 1967 Monza 1000km
Later sold to Franco Sbarro
1976 sold to Charles Gendroz, Switzerland
1978 sold to Harley Cluxton, Arizona
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: The Henry Ford Museum - https://www.thehenryford.org/
