VIN: the works / Shelby Ford GT40 Prototype chassis GT/104
History of chassis GT/104
Chassis GT/104 was one of twelve Ford GT Prototypes manufactured prior to the subsequent Mk1 and Mk2 variants.
GT/104’s debut appearance came alongside a brace of sister cars at the 1964 Le Mans 24 Hours. It was allocated to Richard Attwood and Jo Schlesser who started ninth on the grid. Unfortunately, GT/104 was the first of the three Fords to retire when it caught fire shortly after 8pm which resulted in a badly burned rear end.
Following repairs back at Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough (along with installation of a 4.7-litre engine to replace the original 4.2), GT/104 was dispatched to Nassau where it would appear at the end-of-season Bahamas Speed Week. Ford had planned to enter both GT/103 and GT/104 in the Nassau TT, however, GT/104 never made it to the race after Bruce McLaren retired from the Preliminary with suspension failure.
After a disappointing 1964 campaign, Ford brought Shelby American onboard to help with development. Accordingly, both GT/103 and GT/104 were sent to Los Angeles where they underwent a significant programme of updates for the 1965 season.
As a result, things improved dramatically and the opening race of 1965 saw the big Ford record its maiden win when GT/103 took victory at the Daytona 2000km. Having qualified fourth, GT/104 came home in third spot thanks to Bob Bondurant and Richie Ginther with both cars appearing in a handsome new blue and white-striped livery.
The same two Fords then contested the Sebring 12 Hours. Richie Ginther and Phil Hill started fourth in GT/104. They were third at the end of the first hour, but their race was cut short with a fractured spring mount after 37 laps.
For its next outing, GT/104 headed back to Europe where it attended the annual Le Mans Test weekend during the second week of April. GT/104 posted fourth fastest time with Ken Miles, Bob Bondurant and Bruce McLaren all having done stints behind the wheel.
GT/104’s penultimate outing came two weeks later at the Monza 1000km. On this occasion Ford’s event was marred by chassis break-up caused by Monza’s poorly surfaced banking which forced the Shelby mechanics to strengthen their cars with metal inserts.
Chris Amon and Umberto Maglioli qualified eighth in GT/104. By lap ten the GT40s were chasing down the works Ferrari P2s and Amon was fifth behind his team-mate in the sister car.
After 50 laps, the Fords were third and fourth. However, with less than an hour to go chassis GT/104 was abandoned out on track with collapsed front suspension. The sister car came home third.
Chris Amon was then joined by Ronnie Bucknum in GT/104 at the Nurburgring 1000km. They qualified fifth and Amon ultimately worked his way into third during the race, only to run out of fuel shortly before the first driver stop.
The Kiwi was forced to push his car all the way up the hill to the finish. He appeared twelve minutes later than expected at which point the car was handed over to number one driver pairing of Bruce McLaren and Phil Hill whose own car had retired.
Once re-fuelled, McLaren departed albeit well down the order. Despite a vague back end, McLaren and Hill soldiered on to finish eighth.
GT/104 subsequently spent time at Ford’s styling department and served as a show car until 1971 at which point it was sold to the first of several private owners. The disassembled car was finally restored during the 2010s back in England.
Notable Histort
Ford Advanced Vehicles
White & Black livery with Blue stripes
22/06/1964 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (R. Attwood / J. Schlesser) DNF (#12)
Shelby American Inc.
29/11/1964 BSW Nassau TT Preliminary (B. McLaren) DNF (#97)
29/11/1964 BSW Nassau TT (B. McLaren) DNS (#97)
Rebuilt to 1965 spec. and re-painted Blue with White stripes
28/02/1965 WSC Daytona 2000km (B. Bondurant / R. Ginther) 3rd oa, 2nd P class (#72)
27/03/1965 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (R. Ginther / P. Hill) DNF (#10)
11/04/1965 IND Le Mans Test (K. Miles / B. Bondurant / B. McLaren) 4th oa, 3rd P5.0 class (#10)
25/04/1965 WSC Monza 1000km (C. Amon / U. Maglioli) DNF (#68)
23/05/1965 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (C. Amon / B. McLaren / P. Hill) 8th oa, 3rd P3.0+ class (#11)
1971 sold to Nub Turner, Ann Arbor, Michigan
1972 sold to John Stringer (Road Sport International), Ann Arbour, Michigan
1973 sold to Peter Patton, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1978 sold to Bill Jacobs, Chicago, Illinois
1978 sold to Greg Lonberger, Oak Park, Illinois
Sold again in 2010 and restored to original configuration
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ford - https://www.ford.com
