GT 106

Ford GT40 chassis number GT 106 :

General info:

The first car was named the GT (for Grand Touring) with the 40 representing its overall height of 40 inches (1.02 m, measured at the windshield) as required by the rules. Large displacement Ford V8 engines (4.7 liter and 7 liter) were used, compared with the Ferrari V12 which displaced 3.0 liter or 4.0 liter.

Early cars were simply named “Ford GT”. The name “GT40” was the name of Ford’s project to prepare the cars for the international endurance racing circuit, and the quest to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The first 12 “prototype” vehicles carried serial numbers GT-101 through GT-112.

Race results:
06/65 : Le Mans, 1, Mc Laren/Miles, DNF

GT 106 History:

Configuration: steel monocoque coupe chassis. 3rd of a light weight series using 22 instead of 24 gauge steel to save weight. Chassis 106 was supplied to Kar Kraft to be built up as a 427 Engined experimental car designated as a Mk II.

During testing at fords Romeo proving grounds it reached 210 mph driven by Tom Payne and Ken Miles. In it’s only race at the 1965 Le Mans it ran for 3 hrs then retired with gear box problems. Chassis 106 was built using lighter gauge sheet metal and this caused problems during further testing. The lower control arm mountings began to fail.

Chassis GT40/P1031 was used to rebuild the car and for what ever reason it was not used again for racing. It was thought that later the car was scraped but indeed, this was not the case. Some parts were used on GT40/P1011 build up and later the car was sold.

As of the writing of Ronnie Spain’s book about the GT40, chassis 106 was reported owned by Ellis King of New York.

If any one can supply a few modern photos of this car we would certainly love to see what it looks like now.

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General Information source

Chassis GT 106 race results are from classicscars.com

Photo credit: http://www.nvsaac.com

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