VIN: the Gulf Racing Mirage M2 / M3 chassis 01
History of chassis 01
After the FIA banned large displacement Group 6 Prototypes like the Mirage M1 for 1968, John Wyer temporarily turned his attention to the Group 4 GT40; the big Ford offered a 2000cc advantage over the new-for-1968 Prototypes that were limited to just three-litres.
Although the GT40 served Wyer’s Gulf Racing operation well in 1968 (winning five races and the championship), the model was undeniably coming to the end of its competitive life.
As the future appeared to lie with three-litre Group 6 machinery, Wyer commissioned such a car. The resultant Mirage M2 would run a limited campaign in 1969, alongside the team’s GT40s.
The M2 initially raced with a BRM V12 as, despite his strong links to Ford, Wyer was unable to get hold of a DFV because Cosworth had completely sold out.
M2 chassis 01 first ran a GT40 engine for R&D purposes before the team took delivery of a 9-series DFV in late spring of 1969. This was coupled to a Hewland gearbox whereas the BRM-powered M2s (chassis 02 and 03) ran ZF units.
With its DFV engine finally in place, chassis 01 debuted at the Nurburgring 1000km on June 1st. It was assigned to Wyer’s number one driver pairing: Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver.
Ickx started from eighth on the grid and the new car ran as high as fifth before it was retired at quarter distance when a front wishbone detached itself and stranded Oliver out on track.
When it returned from Germany, 01 was converted from M2 Berlinetta to M3 Spyder specification.
The reconfigured car was then flown out to the US for the Watkins Glen 6 Hours where it started fifth but retired at mid-distance with a broken camshaft.
A third retirement occurred at the Zeltweg 1000km, however, lots of detail changes meant the car was getting faster and faster; Ickx had started from pole in Austria and the M3 led for 99 laps until broken steering forced it out.
The Mirage finally fulfilled its promise at the non-championship Imola 500km on September 14th where Ickx drove single-handedly and put on a dominant display in varied conditions.
The race started out dry, but after 50 laps, the entire circuit was awash with rain. Proceedings were abandoned at two thirds distance with Ickx three laps ahead of the second placed Alfa Romeo.
A week after the Imola race, John Wyer signed an agreement with Porsche to manage the works 917 programme in 1970 and 1971.
As a result, the Group 6 Mirages never raced competitively again.
The two BRM-powered Berlinettas were sold to Jo Siffert and the M3 Spyder went to an American collector.
Notable History
John Wyer Automotive Engineering (Gulf Racing)
M2 Berlinetta bodywork
01/06/1969 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (J. Ickx / J. Oliver) DNF (#8)
Converted to M3 Spyder specification
12/07/1969 WSC Watkins Glen 6 Hours (J. Ickx / J. Oliver) DNF (#5)
10/08/1969 WSC Zeltweg 1000km (J. Ickx / J. Oliver) DNF (#9)
14/09/1969 IND Imola 500km (J. Ickx) 1st oa, 1st P3.0 class (#4)
Sold to an American collector
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
