LE MANS Trials, MONZA, TARGA FLORIO, SPA, NURBURGRING, ZELTWEG.
A 1st-2nd-3rd place twice for the 2 long races at Daytona and Sebring was an excellent start of the season but with little opposition from Ferrari. Le Mans will be be another story and they HAD to win the 24 hours. They sent no less than 8 GT40s for the traditional Le Mans trials in April : 2 Mk2 prepared by SAI, the 2 new lightweight Alan Mann cars directly arrived from Sebring, 2 Mk1 from the Scuderia Filipinetti which both wore the # 21 (!) One by Ford France and the last by Essex Wire. In addition they brought their new project started a few months early by Roy Lunn : the first "J" car. It was named from the "appendix J" of the FIA regulations. It was a completely new car using aviation technology. Its lightweight chassis gained 300 pounds from the Mk2 with basically the same mechanical components.
The trials at Le Mans were a disappointment. First Ferrari didn't come and they were not able to compare time datas with them and second, the weather didn't cooperate, it rained a lot . One Mk2 crashed, its driver died after a 5 days coma.
The Le Mans Trials line up:
#1 - "J" Car - Chassis J1 - entered by SAI
#2 - GT40 Mk2 - Chassis 1012 - entered by SAI
#3 - GT40 Mk2 - Chassis 1011 - entered by SAI
#15 - GT40 Mk1 - Chassis AMGT2 - entered by AMR
#16 - GT40 Mk1 - Chassis AMGT1 - entered by AMR
#12 - GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1039 - entered by Scuderia Filipinetti
#12 - GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1040 - entered by Scuderia Filipinetti
#11 - GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1038 - entered by Essex Wire
#14 - GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1007 - entered by Ford France
The 3rd round of the championship was at Monza. All Mk2 were either at SAI, AMR (Alan Mann Racing) or H&M for preparation of the 24 hours. The 2 lightweight AMR cars project was abandonned to focus on the MK2. The job to gather point for the championship went to the privateers and their Mk1s.
The Monza line up:
#5 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1010 - 2nd - entered by Essex Wire
#9 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1040 - 3rd - entered by Scuderia Filipinetti
#6 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1007 - 6th - entered by Ford France
#8 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1021 - 9th - entered by J.N. Cussons
#4 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1026 - DNF - entered by Essex Wire
#3 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1002 - DNF - entered by F. English
The open road of the Targa Florio didn't suit the GT40 and only 1 car was entered:
#176 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1007 - 12th - entered by Ford France
For Spa Alan Mann raced one of the Mk2 (1012) mainly to get experience racing the 7 liter car in preparation of the 24 hours. 5 more GT40 Mk1 were entered by privateers:
The Spa line up:
#4 - GT40 Mk2 - Chassis 1012 - 2nd - entered by AMR
#42 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1038 - 3rd - entered by Essex Wire
#40 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1009 - 4th - entered by P. Sutcliffe
#44 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1017 - 5th - entered by F. English
#41 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1039 - DNF - entered by Scuderia Filipinetti
#43 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1026 - DNF - entered by Essex Wire
It was a very good result but the win went to Ferrari.
Too closed on the calendar from the Le Mans race, the Nurburgring saw only GT40 Mk1 entered by private teams. This time the win went to Chaparral. One more opponent to watch.
The Nurburgring line up:
#45 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1003 - 5th - entered by Ford France
#50 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1009 - 6th - entered by P Sutcliffe
#49 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1021 -12th - entered by L.N.Cussons
#44 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1002 - DNF - entered by F. English
#46 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1026 - DNF - entered by Essex Wire
#47 - GT40 Mk1- Chassis 1010 - DNF - entered by Essex Wire
The models :
 |
Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis AMRGT/1 - Test Le Mans 1966 |
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1022 - 7th Snetterton 1966
(BANG Models modified) |
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1021 - 6th Nurburgring 1966
(BOX Models modified) |
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford GT40 Mk1 Chassis 1010 - DNF Nurburgring 1966
( BANG Models modified - TENARIV decals) |
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1017 - 9th Zeltweg 1966 -
(BANG Models modified - decal LM Decals and others) |
 |
| The same |
 |
| Ford GT40 Mk2 - Chassis 1012 - SAI - Le Mans trials 1966 (IXO) |
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford GT40 Mk2 - Chassis 1011 - SAI - Le Mans trials 1966
(Kit STARTER Modified - LM Decals) |
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1038 - Essex Wire - Le Mans trials 1966
(BOX Models modified) |
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford "J" - Chassis J1 - SAI - Le Mans trials 1966
(Kit CEVEN KIT CARS) |
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1007 - 12th Targa Florio 1966 - Ford France
(BANG Models) |
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford GT40 Mk2 - Chassis 1012 - AMR - 2nd Spa 1966
(MINICHAMPS)
|
|
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1041 - DNF 1000 Km de Paris
(BOX Models modified) |
 |
| The same |
 |
Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1026 - DNF Nurburgring 1966
(BOX Models modified) |
