VIN: the works Holman Moody / Shelby / Ford France Ford GT40 Mk2 chassis P/1031
History of chassis P/1031
Chassis P/1031 was one of eleven GT40s either built up or converted to seven-litre Mk2 trim and campaigned during the 1966 season. These top flight cars were created for ultra high speed tracks like Le Mans and would most notably take the challenge to Ferrari’s prototypes which had won the last six races at la Sarthe.
P/1031 made its debut alongside four other Mk2s at the model’s debut event: the Datrona 24 Hours on February 5th. All five cars ran in white and black colour schemes; P/1031 was allocated to Holman Moody who ran Walt Hansgen and Mark Donohue in the car. They qualified third and quickly moved up to second in the race behind team-mates Miles / Ruby.
P/1031 then dropped back behind the Mk2 of Gurney / Grant as the big Fords continued to pull away from the opposition. Only one of the five cars ultimately failed to finish as the Mk2s claimed first, second, third and fifth with P/1031 bagging the final podium spot.
For its next outing at the Sebring 12 Hours on March 26th, P/1031 was switched to an electric blue colour scheme. On this occasion it appeared as a Shelby entry for Dan Gurney and Jerry Grant who qualified on pole. Unfortunately, Gurney had difficulty firing P/1031 up during the Le Mans-type start and dropped well down the field. Incredibly, having completed the first lap in 36th position, Gurney had stormed back into the lead at the 25 lap mark.
With six hours gone Gurney / Grant held a comfortable lead and it looked as though they would take an easy win. However, just as the flag was produced, P/1031 broke down on the approach to the Martini bridge which allowed team-mate Miles through. Gurney pushed his car across the line, but was disqualified from second as cars were not allowed to be pushed on the circuit.
For its final outing of 1966, the Le Mans 24 Hours, P/1031 was switched to a dark metallic blue colour scheme complete with white stripes and yellow flashes. Now back running as a Holman Moody entry, it was driven at la Sarthe by Lucien Bianchi and Mario Andretti who qualified twelfth.
At the one hour mark Bianchi / Andretti were tenth, but late on Saturday evening P/1031 was retired with a dropped valve. Nevertheless, Ford went on to take a historic 1-2-3 finish as the American firm broke Ferrari’s stranglehold at Le Mans.
Although Ford created the even more extreme Mk4 for 1967, the Mk2 GT40s were still wheeled out in support.
Chassis P/1031 was the most widely raced Mk2 that season. It ran in a dark metallic red livery at the Daytona 24 Hours where Mario Andretti and Richie Ginther qualified fifth but failed to finish owing to an overnight gearbox failure.
By the time P/1031 arrived at the Sebring 12 Hours eight weeks later it had been uprated to Mk2B trim and reconfigured with a dark blue and white colour scheme. It was the only Mk2 / Mk2B in attendance in what was the debut event for the new Mk4. AJ Foyt and Lloyd Ruby qualified third and went on to finish second behind team-mates McLaren / Andretti in the Mk4.
At Le Mans, P/1031 ran under a Shelby entry in a light blue colour scheme with dark blue stripes and Ronnie Bucknum / Paul Hawkins behind the wheel. They qualified fifth and in the race Hawkins stormed to the head of the field after a blistering start. He was still in the lead at the one hour mark, after which the Mk4s took over at the head of the field. P/1031 ultimately retired in the 18th hour when it dropped a valve after a coolant pipe cracked.
After Le Mans, P/1031 was re-numbered P/1047 for carnet reasons and went on to do four end-of-season races as a Ford France entry.
Guy Ligier and Jo Schlesser won the Reims 12 Hours on June 25th and then placed fourth in the Mugello GP road race four weeks later. Schlesser then posted a DNF at the Montlhery Coupes du Salon before he teamed up with Ligier for the Montlhery 1000km where they claimed fourth in the car’s final outing.
Chassis P/1031 (now re-numbered as P/1047) was subsequently sold to noted French collector Pierre Bardinon.
Bardinon retained the car until some time in the 1970s when it departed for Freddy Chandon. Chandon in turn kept the car until the 2000s at which point it joined the Collier collection in the USA.
Notable History
Holman & Moody
White with black bonnet
05/02/1966 Daytona 24 Hours (W. Hansgen / M. Donohue) 3rd oa, 3rd P2.0+ class (#95)
Electric blue
26/03/1966 Sebring 12 Hours (D. Gurney / J. Grant) DSQ (#2) Shelby American entry
Dark blue with white stripes and yellow flashes
19/06/1966 Le Mans 24 Hours (L. Bianchi / M. Andretti) DNF (#6)
Metallic dark red
05/02/1967 Daytona 24 Hours (M. Andretti / R. Ginther) DNF (#5)
Uprated to Mk2B specification
Dark blue with white stripes
01/04/67 Sebring 12 Hours (A.J. Foyt / L. Ruby) 2nd oa, 2nd P2.0+ class (#2)
Light blue with dark blue stripes
11/06/1967 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (R. Bucknum / P. Hawkins) DNF (#57) Shelby American entry
Re-numbered P/1047
Ford France
25/06/1967 IND Reims 12 Hours (G. Ligier / J. Schlesser) 1st oa, 1st P2.0+ class (#1)
23/07/1967 WSC Mugello GP (J. Schlesser / G. Ligier) 4th oa, 3rd P2.0+ class (#4)
08/10/1967 IND Montlhery Coupes du Salon (J. Schlesser) DNF (#1)
15/10/1967 IND Paris 1000km, Montlhery (J. Schlesser / G. Ligier) 4th oa, 4th P class (#1)
1967 sold to Pierre Bardinon
1970s sold to Freddy Chandon
2000s sold to the Collier Collection
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ford - https://www.ford.com & The Henry Ford Museum - https://www.thehenryford.org/
