GT40 Mirage : M1 0002

Showing posts with label M1 0002. Show all posts

Thursday, September 10, 2015

M1 0002

MIRAGE M1 Chassis M10002

M10002 appeared for the first time at the 1967 April Le Mans trials along M10001 (see chapter on M10001) It crashed during testing. It was repaired in time for the race at Monza two weeks later where it finished 2nd. Then came the Nurburgring where M10002 crashed during practice. That was the end of its Mirage period. The car has been rebuilt as the GT40 Mk1 lightweight P 1074 for the 1968 season.

The Models:

Mirage M1- Chassis M1 0002 -Le Mans April trials 1967

( Kit RECORD modified)

The same

M10002 with its Mk1 nose at the April '67 Le Mans trials

M10002 at the April '67 Le Mans trials (Mk2 nose)

M10002 at Monza in 1967

Sunday, November 9, 2014

The 1968 season

The Gulf GT40

1967 saw the beginning of the Gulf / JWA partnership. Started at Daytona and Sebring with the GT40 Mk1 1049 while JWA was working on the Mirage M1 . After some success (1st at Spa , Monthlery and Kyalami) they had to abandon the project because the FIA decided to change the regulations. The prototype category was limited to 3 liter engine and the sport prototype to 5 liter with a 25 minimum chassis production. The Mirage could not benefit from the GT40 production series due to too much change in the bodywork and also the change of name.
For 1968 JWA transformed 2 of their Mirages to GT40 specifications. M10001 and M10003 were rebuilt and became 1074 and 1075. After the retirement of these 2 cars at Daytona and Sebring Gulf was wandering if they had chosen the right investment. Fortunately after a win at Brands Hatch (1075) and at Monza (1074) the spirits at Gulf and JWA improved. The Le Mans trials happened the same weekend that the BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch. After the Friday practice in England they sent Jacky Hicks to Le Mans on Saturday to test 1074 and flew back to race 1075 at Brands Hatch. The Nurburgring track didn't suit the GT40 but they managed a 3rd and 6th place. By this time JWA decided to built a third car for back up. They took 1004 which was sitting in the factory unused for some time and prepared it to 1968 race specifications and it was renamed 1084. It raced at Spa (Entered as 1004 !) with 1075 while 1074 went to a full overhaul in preparation of the 24 hours of Le Mans. Spa was 1084 only race. Its 1965 origin made it too heavy compared with its 2 lightweight sister cars.
At Spa Alan Mann brought his new creation : the Ford F3L (or P68) entered as a 3 liter prototype to replace the now obsolete Mk2 he was racing in 1967.
Due to the problems in France in May 1968 the 24 hours was rescheduled in September and the next race was at Watkins Glen. Jacky Icks won again with his favorite mount 1075.
For Le Mans JWA entered 3 cars 1074, 1075 and a completely new one 1076 built to lightweight specifications. Unfortunately the star driver Jacky Icks broke its leg at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix and had to be replaced by Pedro Rodriguez and his regular co driver Brian Redman who also broke his arm at Spa was too replaced by Lucien Bianchi.
Le Mans didn't start very well. After 6 hours 1074 quit (clutch problem first then blown engine) and around midnight 1076 blew it's engine too. Fortunately 1075 ran like a clock and won the 24 hours with 5 laps to the 2nd place Porsche 907.
The Le Mans win secured the manufacturer championship (won mostly by 1075) but they sent anyway 2 cars for the Watkins Glen race for another 1-2 win.
The last remaining Mirage M1 (M1 0001) was sent the the non championship race at Kyalamy for another win with Jacky Icks. It was its last race under Gulf color.
1966 was the year for Mk2, 1067 for the Mk4 but 1968 was the one for the original GT40 : the Mk1.
Beside the Gulf cars a myriad of Mk1 were raced by privateers all year long in local, national and international races

The Le Mans line up:

#9 - Mk1 - Chassis 1075 - Winner - Entered by JWA
#10 - Mk1 - Chassis 1074 - DNF - Entered by JWA
#11 - Mk1 - Chassis 1076 - DNF - Entered by JWA
#12 - Mk1 - Chassis 1078 - DNF - Entered by Strathaven Inc
#8 - Mk1 - Chassis 1079 - DNF - Entered by C. Dubois

The Models:

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1079 - 7th Monza 1968
(BOX Models modified)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1074 - DNF Sebring 1968
(Kit MARSH MODELS)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1075 - Winner Brands Hatch 1968
(Kit RECORD modified)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1075 - Winner Le Mans 1968 (IXO)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1074 - DNF 10th Hour Le Mans 1968 (BOX Models)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1076 - DNF 5th Hour Le Mans 1968 (SPARK)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1079 - DNF 1st Hour Le Mans 1968
(Kit GRAND PRIX MODELS - Decals TENARIV)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1078 - DNF 19th Hour Le Mans 1968 (IXO)

The same

Ford F3L / P68 Alan Mann - DNF Nurburgring 1968 (MINICHAMPS)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1074 -April trials Le Mans 1968
(Kit RECORD modified)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1075 - Winner Watkins Glen 1968 (Kit STARTER modified)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1074 - Winner Monza 1968
(Kit STARTER modified)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1001 - DNF Monza 1968
(BOX Models modified)

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1079 - DNF Spa 1968 (BOX Models)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1075 - Winner Spa 1968
(UNIVERSAL HOBBY)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1004/1084 - 4th Spa 1968
(Kit MARSH MODELS)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1002 - 8th Spa 1968 (Kit TENARIV)

The same

Ford GT40 Mk1 - Chassis 1017 - 5th Mallory Park 1968 (BOX Models)

The same

Ford G7A - Chassis J9 - Development prototype Canam 1967/8

Never raced (Kit MARSH MODELS)

The same

Sunday, November 2, 2014

The 1967 season Part 3

The LE MANS Trials, MONZA, SPA, NURBURGRING.

For the April trials at Le Mans Ford sent J3 prepared by Shelby and finished as a lookalike for the Sebring winner while H&M brought 1016 now upgraded to Mk2B specifications. 2 GT40 Mk1 were also present: 1020 for Ford France and 1040 for the Scuderia Filipinetti which had been crashed by a journalist who drove it for an article for his newspaper.
It was the first appearance of the new Mirage M1 (in Gulf livery) It was in fact a lightweight Mk1with a narrower roof structure. The front hood remained the same as the GT40. JWA purchased the plans of the lightweight AMGT from Alan Mann. Len Bailey, the designer, constructed the M1 project around it. No Chaparral at the trials but this time Ferrari sent 2 P4s . Also a new comer in this category: the Lola T70 Aston Martin.The main goal for Ford was to win again the 24 hours of Le Mans, so they left the privateers and the Mirages the task to represent Ford during the races at Monza, Spa, Targa Florio and Nurburgring.
Shelby and H&M went back to the United States and went to work in preparing the cars: J5 and J6 for SAI as well as a Mk2B (1047) and J7 and J8 for H&M with 2 Mk2B (1031 and 1015 for Ford France)

The Le Mans trials line up:

#1 - Mk4 - Chassis J3 - Entered by FoMoCo / SAI
  #2 - Mk2B - Chassis 1016 - Entered by FoMoCo / H&M
  #12 - M1 - Chassis M1 0001 - Entered by JWA
    #14 - M1 - Chassis M1 0002 - Entered by JWA
    #18 - Mk1 - Chassis 1040 - Entered by Filipinetti
    #15 - Mk1 - Chassis 1020 - Entered by Ford France

The Monza line up:

  #33 - Mk1 - Chassis 1007 - 6th - Entered by Ford France
  #5 - M1 - Chassis M1 0002 - 9th - Entered by JWA
    #36 - Mk1 - Chassis 1009 - 11th - Entered by E.S.Nelson
  #6 - M1 - Chassis M1 0001 - DNF - Entered by JWA
  #34 - Mk1 - Chassis 1003 - DNF - Entered by Ford France
  #35 - Mk1 - Chassis 1005 - DNF- Entered by J.J. Drury
  #32 - Mk1 - Chassis 1040 - DNF - Entered by Scuderia Filipinetti

The SPA line up:

  #6 - M1 - Chassis M1 0003 - Winner - Entered by JWA
  #4 - Mk1 - Chassis GT 112 - 6th - Entered by P. Sutcliffe
  #41 - Mk1 - Chassis 1026 - 8th - Entered by Danway Racing
   #40 - Mk1 - Chassis 1020 - DNF - Entered by Ford France
  #45 - Mk1 - Chassis 1009 - DNF - Entered by E.S.Nelson
    #7 - M1 - Chassis M1 0001 - DNF - Entered by JWA

As usual only Ford France sent cars to the Targa Florio although the open road track was not suited to the GT40.

The Targa Florio line up:

    #130 - Mk1 - Chassis 1003 - 5th - Entered by Ford France
    #126 - Mk1 - Chassis 1007 - DNF - Entered by Ford France

The Nurburgring line up:

  #61 - Mk1 - Chassis 1003 - 7th - Entered by Ford France
  #67 - Mk1 - Chassis 1021 - 8th - Entered C.Crabbe
    #60 - Mk1 - Chassis 1007 - 10th - Entered by Ford France
    #62 - Mk1 - Chassis 1009 - DNF - Entered by E.S.Nelson
  #6 - M1 - Chassis M1 0001 - DNF - Entered by JWA
  #5 - M1 - Chassis M1 0002 - DNF - Entered by JWA

The models :