FORGOTTEN FORDS

J - C A R

As development of the GT40 continued, the J-Car chassis was built to meet the FIA’s Appendix J regulations

FORGOT TEN FORDS

T H E B L U E O V A L S Y O U ’ V E ( P R O B A B L Y ) N E V E R H E A R D O F … The GT40 is one of the most iconic fast Fords from history, but the story didn’t stop with victory at Le Mans in 1966

The original GT40 may be one of the best-known Fords of all time, but a very closely related cousin – which in many respects was better – is almost unheard of. We’re talking about the J-Car.

That codename came from the fact it was designed and built to comply with the FIA’s Appendix J regulations introduced in 1966. The J-Car was a development of the Le Manswinning GT40 racer; it retained the 7.0-litre V8 engine but featured a radically new chassis construction: using honeycomb aluminium bonded together to form a tub. The J-Car was a full 140kg less than the Le Mans-winning GT40 Mk2.

The first J-car was finished by March 1966, and despite setting the fastest time at the Le Mans trials earlier in the year, Ford decided to run the race-proven GT40 Mk2 at Le Mans that year. It proved the correct decision, as Ford claimed not only its first victory at the event, but a 1-2-3 finish that really stuck two fingers up at bitter rival Ferrari.

Progress on the J-Car development resumed almost immediately afterwards. Unfortunately, though, during testing the car suddenly lost control at the end of a one mile-

From the J-Car emerged the GT40 Mk4

long straight. Sadly, the driver (and influential engineer on the project, and a big reason for the GT40’s success) Ken Miles was killed immediately – just two months after Ford’s famous victory (which he orchestrated) at Le Mans. The aerodynamics caused too much frontend lift at speed, and the new honeycomb tub simply shattered upon impact. Later cars had a comprehensive steel roll cage, and a more traditional style body was developed. Those later developments of the car were known as the GT40 Mk4. Nine J-Car chassis were built, but only two were ever known as the J-Car; six were called the GT40 Mk4 (which only competed in two events, both in 1967; the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Le Mans 24 Hours – winning both events) and one was known as the G7A (which raced in the CanAm series in 1969). Tragedy nearly struck again in 1967 when Mario Andretti crashed out of Le Mans quite violently – the steel roll cage that had come under so much fire for increasing the car’s weight was credited with saving the life of the then-promising NASCAR driver and future F1 world champion. 0e479381-0069-45af-b2a9-c0a37e1e14de 0e479381-0069-45af-b2a9-c0a37e1e14de