May 18

May 18 VIN: the works Shelby / Ford France Ford GT40 Mk2 chassis P/1015

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History of chassis P/1015

Ford’s 1966 World Sportscar Championship campaign focused on three big events: Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans. For the attack, Shelby American, Holman Moody and Alan Mann Racing were contracted to run seven-litre Mk2 GT40s.

By contrast, customers teams and privateers were supplied with the 4.7-litre Mk1 variant.

Eleven Mk2s were used in 1966, of which chassis P/1015 was among the most successful.

It first appeared amid a quintet of black and white Mk2s entered for the Daytona 24 Hours held over February 5th and 6th. Driven by Ken Miles and Lloyd Rudy, P/1015 qualified on pole and led from the seventh lap until the end.

In the absence of any works Ferraris, the big Fords finished first, second, third and fifth.

P/1015 did not attend the Sebring 12 Hours or the Le Mans Test weekend that followed. Instead, it next raced at the Le Mans 24 Hours over June 18th and 19th.

Now painted light blue with white stripes and orange flashes on the front fenders, it formed part of an eight-strong Mk2 contingent; arguably the biggest attack Le Mans had ever seen.

Ken Miles was joined in P/1015 by Denny Hulme. They qualified second, but at the end of lap one, Miles had to pit for a door lock to be fixed. He then set a new lap record trying to make up for lost time and by the end of the first hour, had recovered to fifth.

At 10:30pm, Miles and Hulme were third behind the lead Ferraris. By midnight, they had taken the lead just as the heavens opened.

At the last driver change, Ford racing director, Leo Beebe, informed Miles that he was to cross the line alongside the McLaren / Amon Mk2 that was holding station on the same lap. Miles was told to ease off and allow McLaren to catch up.

It was rumoured that Miles, unhappy with the team orders, lifted off to allow McLaren to finish a length ahead. P/1015 ultimately placed second and another of the sister cars was third.

For the remainder of 1966, P/1015 was placed on promotional duty. This included a couple of appearances for which it was rebranded as a Mercury.

After a series of tests at Daytona, P/1015 was wheeled out for two races in 1967.

The first was at the Daytona 24 Hours, where it appeared in the Shelby team colours of dark blue with white stripes. Ronnie Bucknum and Frank Gardner started from tenth on the grid, but an early 30-minute stop for a gearbox change put them out of contention. They retired just before mid-distance with more transmission woes.

P/1015’s final appearance was at the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours. Loaned to the Ford France team, it was painted white with blue and red stripes.

Having started 14th, Jo Schlesser and Guy Ligier were lying sixth by 3am on Sunday morning. However, soon afterwards, their race ended when they were caught up in an accident that also claimed the sister Mk2 of Gardner / McCluskey and the Mk4 of Andretti / Bianchi.

P/1015 was sent back to America where it was repaired by Shelby.

Later it was stored at Holman Moody prior to being sold to a private collector.

Notable History

Shelby American

White & Black with Blue side stripes

06/02/1966 WSC Daytona 24 Hours (K. Miles / L. Ruby) 1st oa, 1st P2.0+ class (#98)

Light Blue with White stripes and Orange flashes

19/06/1966 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (K. Miles / D. Hulme) 2nd oa, 2nd P2.0+ class (#1)

Light Blue with White stripes - re-branded as a Mercury

02/10/1966 displayed at the United States GP, Watkins Glen (#10)

Red with Silver stripes

31/10/1966 still branded as a Mercury and presented at the Mercury Cougar unveiling (#3)