The origins of the Ford’s GT40 MKIV is marred by tragedy. It began in 1966 with the J-Car just after LeMans. Ken Miles was test driving the car when it crashed on an embankment, bursting into flames. The rest is heavy-hearted history. There were only 10 made, only half of which ever actually raced. However, the MKIV is known for breaking records both at home and abroad. It only ran in two races: the Sebring 12 Hours and the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the most prestigious race events in all of motorsport. It won both.
These victories were no accident. Ford made sure of that. The car was specifically, painstakingly designed for endurance, designed for speed…designed to win. Each element of the MKIV was totally different from other GT40s, starting with where it was made. The MKIV was built from scratch in the United States, unlike its predecessors the MKI and ll cars which were built entirely or partly in Europe. A little “skunk works” company called Kar Kraft built the all-new J series chassis and newly designed long, streamlined bodywork for Ford’s Special Vehicles Activity. The MKIV was easily the most radical variant of all the GT40s.
Other modifications were made as well. A NASCAR-style, steel-tube roll cage was added as a direct result of beloved racer Ken Miles’ tragic death while testing the first J Car. Though it was significantly safer, the roll cage was incredibly heavy which hurt the car’s performance.
The first MKlV to race was painted yellow with black stripes and built on the J6 chassis. Race prepared by Shelby American, it was also the first of the MKIVs to be tested at full speed at Daytona before moving on to Sebring. There, drivers Mario Andretti and Bruce McLaren not only won the race, they built the largest lead in Sebring history while breaking speed and distance records that would remain unbroken for years.
The iconic 1967 Le Mans race saw the #2 driven by McLaren and Donohue. Half of the two part Shelby American team, they raced alongside Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt in the red #1 MKIV. The McLaren / Donohue car clinched the pole position in the Le Mans qualifying but their race took a harrowing turn when the entire rear bodywork flew off the car at over 200mph on the Mulsanne Straight.
Andretti – driving the copper-colored #3 MKIV, lost control when his poorly installed brake pads failed at 3:30AM. Thankfully he walked away unscathed, however the crash left a trail of terror in its wake. McLaren’s #2 MKIV caught some of the debris from the crash that blew off the rear engine bonnet costing the team a detrimental 45 minutes retrieving and refitting the panel. Despite the chaos of the crash along with various clutch issues, McLaren and Donohue fought back and finished strong in fourth place.
This epic Le Mans race on Sunday June 11, 1967 is still considered to be the race of the century and remains the only all-American victory in Le Mans history.