A different animal
Of course, the original Ford GT40 is an entirely different animal to the new GT LM GTE – there’s certainly no small-capacity ‘EcoBoost’ engine to see here. Driven by Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson, this car, a MK II GT40 bearing the chassis number P/1016, was third across the finish line at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. Perhaps more famously, it was part of the spectacular (albeit misjudged) photo finish with the first- and second-placed GT40s of Chris Amon/Bruce McLaren and Ken Miles/Denny Hulme.
The domination that year finally put an end to Ferrari’s dominance at La Sarthe, the Prancing Horse having claimed the previous six editions on the bounce. After a fraught and personal battle, Henry Ford II finally wiped the smile of Il Commendatore’s face.
The People’s Choice
After a handful more races the following year in 1967, the car wound up in various significant collections in North America. It’s also no stranger to the Californian coastline, having won the ‘People’s Choice’ award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2003. Restored to its Le Mans specification and livery, P/1016 will have a guide price of 9–12m US dollars when it roars across the block at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale on 24–25 August.
Photos: RM Sotheby’s / Ford Motor Company
