Made To Drive | S11 E23

1966 Ford GT40 Continuation: Building A Le Mans Legend, The Right Way

With original parts and due diligence, Ted Baird’s GT40 deserves its VIN tags.

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Alexandre Goncalves

50 + years and the car still looks fresh!

One nice detail (out of the many this car has) is the lumo on the roof, in order to accomodate taller drivers 🙂

Petrolicious is the web version (kind of) of “Gone in 60 seconds” – the list of vehicles you guys have shown throughout the years is just ecletic and impressive!

Thanks to the owner and petrolicious for such a beautiful choice!

Nat Tilden

I may have used a pic of your car as reference for my Mk II painting: http://www.nattilden.com/painting/bgawn92jrluqqui9ec3edfi5excfg0

I absolutely LOVE the GT40, and particularly the Mk II. It’s certainly my favorite American car ever made, and depending on the day it can top my list regardless of manufacturer.

Bryan Dickerson

GT-40, greatest looking car ever made. Period.

Kasper Nielsen

Superb video.
The car sounds beastly with that old straight-piped V8.
How come that the shifter is sitting at his right side when it got the steering wheel in right side as well? This seems unnecessary troublesome when fitting a gearbox and on a daily basis when entering and exiting the car.

Willam Giltzow

Much easier to get the gear linkage around the engine with the right side lever. Far less parts required.

bergcc

Great video except…. The Turtle Wax product placement is just too obvious. It’s ruining the video. Please try something else.

Michael Eisenmenger

I agree, too obvious and unnecessary.

Too bad that Nelson Ledges has no straight long enough to truly exercise this car!

Robert in LA

You are right that the car is over powered for anything but the largest road courses. Wasn’t the original Mulsanne Straight one of the longest in the world? Two chicanes were added in 1990, to break it up into three sections limiting maximum course speed to more or less sane levels. So the Straight for which this car was designed was 3.7 miles long. That’s longer than a flying mile course at Bonneville. At this point in time is there a standard race course in the world long enough such that speeds like those attained by Foyt and Gurney in… Read more »

Alberto1962

My favourite vintage race car of all time. Made for etnernity – just awesome and gorgeous. I if I must leave earth I will drive it in heaven… Meanwhile my C2 slowly on Swiss roads …

christopher flett

Nice film, great car. Could have done without the Turtle Wax plug though.

Understood. That was likely the first and last time Turtle wax was used on that car, if the spray bottle even contained Turtle wax. But someone has to pay the rent right?

Catimann

When I hear a story like this, that a man spent all this time to make it as real as it can be. Searched for every correct part, took off great parts because they were not equal to 1966 parts, then I just have to ask two questions. How long was this labour of love? And how much of your hard earned dough did it take? Somewhere in this video those two questions could have been answered. Because all of us who work on our loved vehicles know time and money are never enough.

Deryl Clark

In the world of fast things there are a few that stand out not just for being fast but for checking the boxes of all human senses. Things like P-51 Mustangs, Supermarine Spitfires, Top Fuel Dragsters, Kawasaki 2 stroke triples, and too many other motorcycle to name. I have seen their beautiful forms, heard their intoxicating sounds, felt the ground and air shake in their wake, smelled and tasted unique aroma of their metal and oil, as the fire that drives them is cooled in the air. I hope some day to stand next to a road and let this… Read more »

You know Daryl, you could probably call the owner, and ask him when he is next going to Nelson Ledges. He seems like a pretty open and charitable guy.

John E Adams

Beautiful piece on an amazing car! Got to say you guys are the best at what you do, nobody comes close!

The people at Petrolicous really are documenting all the important cars of the second half of the 20th century, along with the thoughts and concerns of the people who restore them, one after the other. If the car was significant in some way, whether it was a 300cc Isetta, or some 600 horse power monster, they are working their way through the list.

Corrado6

What a fantastic car and video, it would definitely be in my collection and I think the colour scheme really sets it off. Top man and great car; love this channel!

Paul Ipolito

Thanks for the reminder to pick up some wax on the way home tonight!

Landroving

Nice video! This car and owner would be a great for Jay Leno’ s garage -youtube version to allow 30 min or so for the owner/building to elaborate on that process.

The car is maintained and driven in Ohio, so a little out of Leno’s orbit. This said, it would be enjoyable to see it get a little more exposure. The GT40s were such important transitional cars. The valve lift was done through a six inch push rod, and was so reliable, at a time when many relied on complex double over head cam systems that raised the engine profile, and broke. The chassis codified the mid-engine real wheel drive configuration for a GT car, that remains the standard arrangement to this day. It was such a pivotal car.

Dwight Watts

Thank you for the pain and disappointment that all car builders go through. I envy your resolute pursuit of perfection, and that Mk. 2 of yours is absolutely gorgeous!!!! This is why I’m addicted to Petrolicious.

johnsanta

Maybe the best film yet of al the great films on Petrolicious. An amazing story of dedication to one of the great automotive stories of all time. I was enamored with the Ford GT as a youngster to the point of having a Ford GT slot car that I painted British racing green as my own personal tribute. I am a stickler for originality and his dedication to having every detail true to the original is especially rewarding to me. I am truly humbled to praise the dedication and intelligence it took to create this gift of history and his… Read more »

ThePorscheMan

Along with the Cobra and McLaren F1, the MkII is my top three favourite car and this one’s gorgeous. Would have been a far better video if there was less time spent flogging the sponsor and some actual time spent flogging the car the way it’s supposed to be beaten, like a rented mule (or Kenny Brack at Goodwood in the rain).

Lovely car. Wonderful owner / builder.

Nelson Ledges Road Course in Garrettsville Ohio?

Andrew Poole

Yes, sir!

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1966 Ford GT40 Continuation: Building A Le Mans Legend, The Right Way

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