Just ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the RM Auctions at Monterey have revealed two special vehicles to hit the block.
Back in the 1960s, American racing guru Carroll Shelby was tapped by Ford to create a sports car capable of devastating Scuderia Ferrari. The result is perhaps the most legendary American automobile ever conceived, the Ford GT40. Utterly dominating the French circuit, the GT40 won at Le Mans from 1966 through 1969.
Today, the GT40 is still as desireable as ever. However, with only 133 original vehicles ever produced, the GT40 is only geting harder to get ahold of.
RM Auction California managing director Shelby Myers is happy to announce that the upcoming Monterey auction will feature not one, but two special GT40s.
"The legendary Ford GT40 is without doubt one of the most celebrated and sought after motor cars ever built. Both aesthetically and competitively, it remains a highpoint in the history of American racing and sports car design," says Myers. "To have the honor of offering one GT40 is a great privilege, but to present two, spanning both sides of GT40 production, is extremely exciting. We are truly honored to have been entrusted by the respective owners of these two cars to present them at our Monterey sale. Previously displayed together at the GT40 30th Anniversary Reunion in Elkhart Lake in 1994, we are thrilled to be reuniting the cars on the Monterey Peninsula in August, where we anticipate strong interest in their sale."
The first example is the competition-spec 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage Lightweight Racing Car, chassis # P/1074. The serial number designation effectively makes this GT40 the very first of several lightweight GT40s built for the J.W.A./Gulf team. Proudly wearing the Powder Blue/Marigold stripe Gulf livery, the Lightweight raced everywhere from Daytona to Le Mans. After its stint in racing, the P/1074 continued its life under Solar Productions as the camera car that filmed Steve McQueen's famous "Le Mans" movie.
The second vehicle is the near-original 1967 Ford GT40 Mk I, chassis # P/1059. One of only 31 road cars, the P/1059 was released in 1966 as one of only 20 GT40 sports cars selected for the MK 1 Promotion and Dispersal Program. Always cared under a private owner, the P/1059 only carries 4,749 original miles.
RM Auction co-founder Mike Fairbairn said, "A time-capsule example, P/1059 ticks all the boxes when it comes to collectability. Not only is it extraordinarily rare, it has desirable low mileage, exceptional documentation, and boasts just two private owners from new. It will no doubt command the attention of the most passionate sports car collectors, promising its next owner a warm reception at the world's top vintage touring and racing events and even concours d'elegance."
No doubt, both examples will command a couple million dollars. Undeterred? Visit www.rmauctions.com for inquiries.
