VIN: the Ford France Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype chassis GT 109
History of chassis GT 109
Chassis GT 109 was one of twelve GT40 Prototypes built. Four of these were broadly similar Roadsters: GT 108, GT 109, GT 111 and GT 112.
In addition, there was GT 110 X1: an experimental aluminium-chassis Mk2 Prototype with no roof and a host of special features including a seven-litre engine.
The Roadster body configuration adopted by GT 109 and its three sister cars was proposed as a weight-saving measure. However, no production GT40s were ever built in open body form.
Chassis GT 109 raced just once in period.
It formed part of Ford’s six-car attack on the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Two of the machines in attendance were seven-litre Mk2 Prototypes run by Shelby. Three were Mk1 Production cars, two of which were looked after by Shelby and one by Ford Advanced Vehicles (FAV).
Chassis GT 109 was entered by Ford France who were already familiar with the GT40 having campaigned Guy Ligier’s early production example at the Nurburgring 1000km four weeks earlier.
Ligier would be joined at Le Mans by Maurice Trintignant who had also driven at the Nurburgring.
GT 109 appeared in the Ford France colours of white with blue and red stripes.
Ligier and Trintignant lined up 13th on the grid, slowest of the six Fords entered.
The race got off to a poor start and Trintignant was in the pits after just two laps with a misfire.
Having run well outside the top ten, GT 109 then became the first Ford retirement. With just eleven laps completed, it was pushed away with a broken gearbox.
For the second year running, Le Mans was a disaster for Ford. Not one of the remaining five cars managed to complete more than 100 laps.
Afterwards, GT 109 was dispatched to the Shelby factory in Los Angeles where it sat until 1968 when it was purchased by Dean Jeffries who retained it until 2012.
Notable History
Ford Motor Company
White with red and blue stripes
Ford France
20/06/1965 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (M. Trintignant / G. Ligier) DNF (#15)
Dispatched to Shelby, Los Angeles
1968 sold to Dean Jeffries
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ford - https://www.ford.com
