VIN: the Shelby Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype chassis GT 108
History of chassis GT 108
Of the twelve GT40 Prototypes built, four were broadly similar Roadsters.
A fifth Roadster was also assembled on Ford’s behalf by Bruce McLaren Motor Racing, but this experimental car had a special aluminium chassis and seven-litre Mk2 engine.
GT 108 was the first of the four 289-engined Roadsters. Painted white with blue side stripes, it was completed in March 1965 and fitted with a four-speed Colotti gearbox.
The car was trucked to Silverstone on March 2nd, where John Whitmore and Richard Attwood gave it a shakedown test.
Immediately afterwards, the car was flown out to California and delivered to Shelby’s Venice factory. It then underwent a series of tests to determine the final form of GT40s that would be delivered to customers.
Over two consecutive weekends in early May, GT 108 appeared at the USRRC Riverside and Laguna Seca meetings. A week later (May 16th), it attended the Newport Beach Concours.
Afterwards, more tests followed with Ken Miles behind the wheel at Riverside.
In July, GT 108 was on show at Shelby’s new LAX factory where the Ford board of directors were having a meeting. Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby both drove the Ford VIPs around in GT 108 to give them a taste of the new model.
On 27th July, the white Roadster was back at Riverside for more testing with Ken Miles. That day, it was also driven by Jerry Titus for Sports Car Graphic and Brock Yates for Car and Driver. It appeared in the October and November editions of each respective publication.
Jerry Titus wrote of his time with the car: “The engine fired up and even idles with unexpected docility. The multi-disc clutch was something else; either IN or OUT with very little between. Getting a heavy car off the line with this kind of setup is a ticklish job, and certainly nothing to have for around-town driving. It can be accomplished, but the clutch would not stand up to such abuse very long. Contained in a tight and positive pattern, the short gearshift lever is located on the right. It was connected to the first of the big Colotti gearboxes we’ve driven. It’s non-synchro and takes more than a little practice to engage with out grinding, unless you’re going flat out. Engine rpms MUST be matched with those of the gear shifts. Everything else is very easy to adapt to.
Underway, the heaviness (some 2200 pounds) is immediately apparent and accented by both the soft suspension and the general solidness of the vehicle. Taking it through Riverside’s Esses, we found it extremely simple and dependable to control from the first lap onward. Steering pressure is slightly on the high side, and the general attitude definitely understeering. Tire bite and the ability to keep the tire on the ground over surface deviations was exceptionally good.
The Ford GT, in all, is quite a machine.”
On August 8th, Lew Spencer was enlisted to drive GT 108 as the pace car at the Candlestick Park production car races.
Between October 1st and 3rd, Jim Clark used it for demonstration laps around Watkins Glen during the United States Grand Prix weekend. By this time, GT 108’s upper nose had been painted matt black.
The car subsequently went to Kar Kraft for further assessment, during which time it was loaned to various Ford dealers for display in their showrooms.
Having spent a couple of years in storage, GT 108 was sold to Kar Kraft employee, George Sawyer, who fitted a ZF gearbox.
Sawyer soon sold the car to Harley Cluxton III in Arizona who in turn sold it on to John Roberson of Big Fork, Montana. Robertson kept the highly original car until the early 1980s.
Notable History
02/03/1965 Silverstone test with John Whitmore and Richard Attwood
Dispatched to Shelby, Venice, California
02/05/1965 exhibited at Riverside USRRC meet
09/05/1965 exhibited and demonstrated by Ken Miles at Laguna Seca USRRC meet
16/05/1965 exhibited at Newport Beach Concours
Riverside tests with Ken Miles
07/1965 exhibited at Shelby’s new LAX facility and demonstrated by Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby to Ford VIPs
27/07/1965 Riverside tests with Ken Miles, Jerry Titus (Sports Car Graphic) and Brock Yates (Car and Driver)
08/08/1965 used as the pace car at Candlestick Park driven by Lew Spencer
Upper nose painted matt black
01-03/10/1965 exhibited and demonstrated by Jim Clark at the US GP, Watkins Glen
Subsequently dispatched to Kar Kraft for assessment and retained
10/1965 appeared in Sports Car Graphic magazine
11/1965 appeared in Car and Driver magazine
Sold to Kar Kraft employee George Sawyer, Michigan
Sold to Harley Cluxton III, Arizona
Sold to John Robertson, Montana
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ford - https://www.ford.com
