VIN: the Grady Davis / Gulf Racing Ford GT40 chassis P/1049
History of chassis P/1049
Chassis P/1049 was the GT40 that started the association between Gulf Oil and John Wyer Automotive Engineering (JWAE).
P/1049 was purchased by Irion Grady Davis who, after studying geology at Texas University and Harvard, went to work for Gulf Oil.
Davis initially spent 20 years at Gulf’s Venezuelan operation. In the mid 1950s, he was promoted to Administrative Vice President and transferred to the company’s Pittsburgh headquarters.
A few years later, he became Executive Vice President – the number two spot in the firm.
Davis (who usually went by the name of Grady instead of Irion) was a big motor racing fan. Between 1961 and 1963, he teamed up with Don Yenko and raced Chevrolet Corvettes. However, when General Motors pulled the plug on the Corvette Grand Sport programme, the collaboration came to an end.
For 1966, Davis got back into motor sport and sponsored his old friend, Dick Thompson, in a Yenko Stinger. At a few of the races, he also took along his new toy for Thompson to drive: a Mk1 Ford GT40.
The GT40 had been ordered straight after the 1966 Sebring 12 Hours, where Davis met John Wyer for the first time.
P/1049 was painted dark blue with white side stripes. Although configured as a road car, Davis specified a racing engine and transmission, almost certainly with one eye on a little competition use.
Dick Thompson raced P/1049 on four occasions in 1966.
Its first three outings were all in May where he won at Virginia and finished second at Cumberland (both of which were SCCA events). One week after Cumberland, Thompson placed 13th overall and sixth in class at the Bridgehampton United States Road Racing Championship meet.
He and Ed Lowther then failed to finish the 500 mile season finale at Road America.
In October 1966, John Wyer was in New York on business and Davis sent Gulf’s private plane to bring him to Pittsburgh for a meeting. After Le Mans, Ford had switched their attention to the American-built Mk4 and sold the Ford Advanced Vehicles operation to Wyer.
Sensing an opportunity, a two-year deal was struck that saw Gulf Oil sponsor JWAE for the 1967 and 1968 World Sportscar Championships. For 1967, JWAE would run the Mirage M1 super GT40.
As the Mirage M1s would not be ready for the early season races at Daytona and Sebring, P/1049 was turned into a fully fledged race car with all the latest updates. An orange stripe and Gulf branding was added to the exterior.
Dick Thompson was joined by Jacky Ickx for the Daytona 24 Hours. They qualified 13th and finished sixth to win the over two-litre Sports class.
At the Sebring 12 Hours, Thompson was co-driven by Lowther. Having qualified fifth, they retired on lap 119 with engine trouble.
Thereafter, JWAE campaigned the Mirages and their own GT40s.
P/1049 was subsequently sold to Francis Grant, who raced under an Auto Enterprises entry (Kirk F. White’s dealership in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia).
The car first appeared in a dark green livery and then two-tone yellow and black. However, P/1049 failed to finish any of its four outings between 1969 and 1970.
The GT40 then went through the hands of three American owners before winding up in the Miles Collier Collection.
Notable History
Sold to Irion Grady Davis, Pittsburgh
Dark Blue livery
01/05/1966 SCA National Virginia (D. Thompson) 1st oa, 1st CSR class (#22)
15/05/1966 SCA National Cumberland (D. Thompson) 2nd oa, 2nd CSR class (#22)
22/05/1966 USR Bridgehampton (D. Thompson) 13th oa, 6th 2.0+ class (#22)
04/09/1966 USR Road America 500 mile (D. Thompson / E. Lowther) DNF (#22)
John Wyer Automotive Engineering entry
Dark Blue with Orange Gulf livery
05/02/1967 WSC Daytona 24 Hours (D. Thompson / J. Ickx) 6th oa, 1st S2.0+ class (#11)
01/04/1967 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (D. Thompson / E. Lowther) DNF (#11)
Sold to Francis Grant (Auto Enterprises entry)
Dark Green livery
22/03/1969 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (F. Grant / D. Oest) DNF (#24)
12/07/1969 WSC Watkins Glen 6 Hours (F. Grant / H. Brown) DNF (#24)
Yellow and Black livery
01/02/1970 WSC Daytona 24 Hours (F. Grant / R. Heppenstall / B. Marcus) DNF (#19)
21/03/1970 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (F. Grant / R. Heppenstall) DNF (#29)
1970 sold to Tom Clarke
1971 sold to Jerry Jolly
1982 sold to Steve Meyer
2000 sold to the Miles Collier Collection
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: The Henry Ford - https://www.thehenryford.org/
