The race car, which achieved a third-place podium position with drivers Ronnie Buckham and Dick Hutcheson behind the wheel, is being offered as part of RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale on Friday 24 August.
Valued at between US$9 million and US$12 million (circa. £6.9m – £9.2m), the iconic racer was the Homan-Moody/FoMoCo team car for 1966 and 1967 and is the fourth of eight Mark II examples built.
Originally painted white with a matte black bonnet, the car was later changed to ‘Kandy Gold’, and also equipped with more robust dampers and springs for the Daytona 24-Hour Continental race on 5 February 1966.
It then continued racing, eventually gaining a third place at the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours race. In fact, it was the third car in a 1-2-3 finish for Ford, beating the formidable Ferrari P3 cars.
The car is powered by a powerful V8 engine and features a variety of weight-saving features such as aluminium engine heads and a magnesium oil pan. It is also both taller and wider than the original MK I GT40, in order to accommodate larger wheels.
Since its racing days, the GT40 has passed through several owners’ hands and has more recently been faithfully restored back to Le Mans specification. It has also appeared at key motorsport events such as the Le Mans Classic, as well as the Goodwood Revival and Goodwood Festival of Speed.
