Ford GT40: From Prototype Testing to Le Mans Triumph

I have just unearthed a part-forgotten 60-year-old Ford GT file covering the original development programme of 1963-64. The basics are familiar. America’s Ford Motor Company had been rebuffed in its 1962-63 attempt to take over Ferrari, so launched its own Le Mans 24 Hours-targeted programme in conjunction with Eric Broadley and his British Lola-Ford GT concept. The document grandly entitled Advanced Concepts Department – Special Vehicle Activity was compiled by engineer Roy Lunn and minuted the following:

“The design of the Ford GT race car is nearing completion and it is now entering the procurement stages… A major factor in the development was the installation of experimental components in the Lola car which determined the final design ingredients… all efforts are being directed towards completing the first car in an unpainted and untrimmed condition, ready for shipping to Dearborn, prior to the end of February, 1964.

“It has been arranged with Styling that at least the first prototype should be painted and trimmed by them at the end of February, 1964… It is aimed to ship the first vehicle to Sebring for testing at the end of the first week in March, 1964. Private testing is scheduled for the second week in March. It will be the results of this testing that will determine whether we enter the actual Sebring race…” – on March 21.

After the original programme and its objectives had been finalised as early as June 1963 the file traces initial development testing – using two Lola GTs – initially at Brands Hatch, then Goodwood, then Monza and… Snetterton.

“Mr Bruce McLaren was engaged as development driver in October, and Mr Eric Broadley and Mr Roy Salvadori also participated in the test driving. The test program [sic] was directed at establishing component principles for incorporation in the final design…”

On August 31, 1963, the first test session at Brands Hatch saw Lola head and designer Eric Broadley driving two cars, No1 being (surprisingly for Ford) “the Chevrolet-engined John Mecom car”, and No2 “the Cobra Fairlane -powered version of the same design”. Both used Colotti transaxles, No1 running Dunlop R6-pattern D12 compound tyres and No2 R6 D9s. Using the short circuit Eric’s best time was 59.5sec in No2 but “the car was felt to be improperly geared for this course. Second gear was used almost entirely, with only one opportunity to use third gear… rev limit 5800”.

“The rear end held very well… you could throw it out and hold it”

Before the next test session – at Goodwood circuit on October 9, 1963 – “the ‘Indianapolis’ Fairlane engine was installed”. Plus modified front and rear suspensions. Eric again drove, with a fastest lap of 1min 36.2sec. Bruce then took over but on his first flying lap the inboard right-side drive-shaft flange clattered against a lower suspension arm, ending the run. Bruce still commented, diplomatically perhaps (?) “…it rolled a fair amount but the rear end held very well… you could throw it out and hold it”.

Back at Goodwood, Eric clocked 1min 35.8sec before Bruce took over, put in a 1min 32.8sec first time round, then hammered his times down to 1min 25.8sec…. Since Brands Hatch and Goodwood testing had been “…confined to maximum speeds of approximately 145mph… Monza (Italy) offers a series of high speed bends as well as straightaway speeds of 170mph and it is felt an ideal circuit for the present stage of component development”.

Using the 3.56-mile road circuit Eric, Bruce and Roy Salvadori all drove the No2 car with Hilborn fuel-injected engine. Salvadori first reported “steering heavy, ‘kick’ through wheel over bumpy road surfaces – it feels as though rear end is lifting”. October 30, after five laps with Eric Broadley driving, “the rear section of the body flew off”. Bruce: “Handling seems about right – rear-end of vehicle seems to be lifting a little. 7500rpm attained at end of pitstraight (approx. 176mph)”.

So to Snetterton on November 27 and 28: “…a high-speed 2.71-mile course chosen for its rough and undulating surface – cold, foggy, course damp at start from morning mist…” Bruce and Eric drove, the former taking Ford engineers Roy Lunn and Chuck Mountain as wide-eyed passengers, clocking 1min 46.6sec, and commenting “This is starting to feel right”.

In his detailed report to Ford, Bruce wrote: “The steering was much improved over earlier trials, there was no tendency to deviate from a straight line, either under heavy braking at high speed, or when using the edge of the road before or after a corner. The car had been bump-steering, but is not now… The steering ratio still feels high (quick); only a movement of the wrists is necessary to correct a high speed slide and it is difficult to do this accurately; the high-speed bend on the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans would need only pressure on the steering wheel rather than movement” – he warned – “a lower gear ratio is essential for Le Mans, the present ratio could suit Sebring…”

What the file doesn’t record is Chuck Mountain’s own account of how Bruce later took him out on a French country road, to experience a high-speed misfire troubling the team during Le Mans practice. “He wound it right up in top then bawled at me ‘There! D’you hear it missin’?’. ‘Hear it missin’??!! Man! Ah could hear angels singing!”

Doug Nye is the UK’s leading motor racing historian and has been writing authoritatively about the sport since the 1960s