VIN: the works Ford GT40 Prototype chassis GT 102
History of GT 102
Chassis GT 102 was completed by Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough on April 11th 1964. Like most of the early GT40 Prototypes, it originally came with a 4.2-litre engine and Colotti Tipo 37 gearbox.
The car made its public debut at the Le Mans Test held over the weekend of April 18th and 19th.
Roy Salvadori gave it a gentle shakedown. He set 19th fastest time overall and went eighth quickest in the over three-litre Prototype class.
GT 102 then went on to make the model’s competition debut at the Nurburgring 1000km on May 31st.
In the hands of Phil Hill and Bruce McLaren, GT 102 qualified second behind the works Ferrari 275 P of John Surtees / Lorenzo Bandini. Unfortunately, the Ford retired with suspension failure at one third distance, shortly after McLaren had taken over from Hill.
Ford then entered three GT40 Prototypes for the Le Mans 24 Hours (June 20th and 21st).
Phil Hill and Bruce McLaren were once again on driving duty. They qualified fourth and were second quickest of the Ford trio.
Hill was left behind on the grid when the car proved reluctant to start. On lap six, he called into the pits to have the ignition checked. He was back in on the next lap with the engine running on seven cylinders. Four minutes were lost as a loose carburettor air vent was replaced.
A third stop in as many laps saw the plugs changed, but it was only after Hill’s fourth stop a couple of laps later that the mechanics found some foreign matter blocking an intake pipe. GT 102 went off at last sounding healthy.
By nightfall, the other Fords had retired and GT 102, now the fastest car in the race, began to rapidly move up the leaderboard.
At 5am, the Ford was in fourth spot chasing down the third placed Cobra. However, half an hour later, it was withdrawn with gearbox failure. Small consolation was Hill’s new lap record.
GT 102’s final competitive outing came at the Reims 12 Hours on July 5th. In an attempt to avoid repetition of the gearbox problems at Le Mans, new third-to-fourth selectors were fitted to the Colotti gearboxes. The dog rings were also carefully hardened.
Hill and McLaren qualified third behind the sister car and a works Ferrari 250 LM.
The Ford’s ran first and second in the opening stages, but during its first pit stop, GT 102 lost 20 minutes while the clutch was adjusted. It re-joined in 24th position and had risen back up to seventh when, after nearly four hours of racing, the engine blew (although the official reason for its retirement was cited as ‘gearbox’).
GT 102 was subsequently retired from competition duty.
However, it did see action later in the year to test Ford’s 1965 upgrades. At Monza in late October, it ran with revised bodywork, wider wheels and a 4.7-litre engine. John Whitmore, Richard Attwood, Roy Salvadori and Giancarlo Baghetti all drove.
Unfortunately, when Whitmore was at the wheel, the throttle jammed open as he went down the main straight. GT 102 left the road and crashed into woodland.
Whitmore was uninjured. The car was a write off.
Notable History
Ford Motor Company / Ford Advanced Vehicles
19/04/1964 IND Le Mans Test (R. Salvadori) 19th oa, 8th P3.0+ class (#10)
31/05/1964 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (P. Hill / B. McLaren) DNF (#140)
21/06/1964 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (P. Hill / B. McLaren) DNF (#10)
05/07/1964 WSC Reims 12 Hours (B. McLaren / P. Hill) DNF (#4)
Fitted with 1965-spec. bodywork and wheels plus a 4.7-litre engine
28/10/1964 written off after John Whitmore’s crash while testing at Monza
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ford - https://www.ford.com
