Ford GT40 - 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans

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  • čas přidán 1. 04. 2012
  • Wonderful period video from brake pad manufacturer Ferodo on the 1968 Le Mans race from the standpoint of John Wyer's Gulf Oil Ford GT40 team, who won the race. The first 4 minutes shows a high speed in-car lap around Le Mans narrated by Stirling Moss. Wonderful video with footage of Alfa Romeo 33s, Porsche 908s, Matras, etc....
  • Auta a dopravní prostředky

Komentáře • 466

  • @Pulsonar
    @Pulsonar Před 5 lety +11

    These old motorsport documentaries are pure gold, the narrator sounds so well educated, knowledgable, and most importantly passionate about their subject.

    • @zzygyy
      @zzygyy Před 5 lety +2

      This is CAR PORN.

    • @alanhardman2447
      @alanhardman2447 Před 4 lety

      @@zzygyy - Yeah, Buddy! I'm getting carpal tunnel and long-muscle cramps watching this stuff! LOVE it!

  • @sirjammer
    @sirjammer Před 8 lety +254

    the GT-40 is one of the most beautiful cars ever made.

  • @pillockbrain
    @pillockbrain Před 9 lety +186

    Went To Le Mans in 1966- the first year the Ford GT-40's won...with Kiwis driving.....I was 23 years old.... Great memories!!

    • @TheMrPeteChannel
      @TheMrPeteChannel Před 9 lety +13

      ***** Wow lucky u!

    • @turboslag
      @turboslag Před 8 lety +12

      +pillockbrain
      What a time to have been there!! I'm lucky enough to have seen a number of the races of the 956, 962 era, but the time of the Fords would have been, were, incredible.

    • @shelby-wu3gf
      @shelby-wu3gf Před 6 lety +4

      I can dream

    • @beenaplumber8379
      @beenaplumber8379 Před 5 lety +8

      Could you see Enzo's tears from where you were? >:-)
      (I wouldn't have wanted to work for Ferrari in those days...)

    • @ruforufo2185
      @ruforufo2185 Před 5 lety +7

      bad ass man. that had to be fracking awesome. im guessing you and my dad are about the same age.. he too, told me stories of European road racing from when he was over there while in the army. between '56 to '60

  • @GottliebGoltz
    @GottliebGoltz Před 4 lety +2

    Thanks for the ride, Mr. Moss. RIP.

  • @steinwaygrande3971
    @steinwaygrande3971 Před 8 lety +13

    In 1966/7/8/9 I went to the famous nine hour endurance race at Kyalami outside of Johannesberg. At night the GT40s were recognisable by the glowing discs which were a bright red. You could see them before you could hear them. Great days of endurance racing. GT40s always took out 1st and 2nd place.

  • @arkhsm
    @arkhsm Před 10 lety +60

    Just think of that FORD V8 blasting out those fantastic tunes for 24 HOURS !!!

    • @kevogt95
      @kevogt95 Před 10 lety +5

      AMEN!!!

    • @ChizAfterHours
      @ChizAfterHours Před 6 lety +3

      It's amazing to me to think that the 302 probably wouldn't have existed if it wasn't for the GT40 MK1's lack of success and the 68-69 Lemans races

    • @ruforufo2185
      @ruforufo2185 Před 5 lety +4

      give me chills when i hear that V8 exhaust note

    • @375GTB
      @375GTB Před 3 lety +1

      10,000 rpm 3 valve 330P4
      Booming echoes from banking to banking for 24 hours....
      No sound quite like it....
      Not 917 nor 512S/512M...
      J.C.

  • @gunnerfan1907
    @gunnerfan1907 Před 8 lety +6

    It breaks my heart everytime I see the number 11 car on that stand. I know it's foolish but, everytime I watch this, I always hope that Brian don't go on that sand. I love that car, that is still my favorite gt40. The following year it wore number 7, and that is my favorite paint scheme. Oh what could have been had Brian kept it on the track. RIP Bryan,Pedro and Lucien Bianchi. My heroes.

  • @trendkill777
    @trendkill777 Před 8 lety +22

    I wish i could go back in time to this era of racing!

    • @ericp.9497
      @ericp.9497 Před 8 lety +1

      +Chunk Quagmire You can! Check out vintage racing in your area. I got to see GT-40s racing Lola T-70s at Virginia International Raceway. Plus tons more! Support vintage racing!

    • @skeggjoldgunnr3167
      @skeggjoldgunnr3167 Před 8 lety +3

      Monterey / Carmel, CA. has the Laguna Seca raceway. Please do yourself a big favor and find out whats going on there. Vintage Chaparrals, 917's, Alfa's, Beautiful pontoon fendered Ferarri's, birdcage Maserati's...Jaguar D-types. They race. You get to smell tetra ethyl lead while looking at Esso and Gulf logos just like your childhood amazement days spent watching these races when they first took place.

    • @annnee6818
      @annnee6818 Před 2 lety

      It does seem more exciting. I'm not a fan of people on fire but if you ignore all that, it does seem more exciting

    • @integritysolution1386
      @integritysolution1386 Před 2 lety

      I wish I could go back in time before the leftists ruined everything

  • @superdriver777
    @superdriver777 Před 4 lety +9

    I love the sound of the granny shifting....good for the transmission, and it sounds so low-tech and raw. No driver aids, just 3 pedals and tons of skill!

  • @gunnerfan1907
    @gunnerfan1907 Před 8 lety +18

    There has to be more GT40 vintage films somewhere. If you have them, please do the world a favor and post them.This was a treat.

  • @Masterwolf2006
    @Masterwolf2006 Před 5 lety +8

    Grande Pedro Rodriguez, Ford GT40 - 9

    • @betherealdeal
      @betherealdeal Před 5 lety +2

      Gerardo Ruiz from the right side of Trump’s wall

    • @MiguelGarcia-vj7oo
      @MiguelGarcia-vj7oo Před 4 lety

      @@betherealdeal are you sure about that? He won 24h Daytona and watkins Glen for 1970 and 1971 for JW gulf Porsche(which is on the left side of the border right?), and become Sports car champion back to back for JW Gulf. lol there always has to be that one jackoff inbred Yank in the comment section..... Reality check.... There's over 22 million peasant POS illegals in the U.S....... so much for that Trump wall..... Those people are no worse than you........Pedro came from a Don family..... owned Muitlple Ferrari dealerships.........

    • @Tigerloco70
      @Tigerloco70 Před rokem

      Estos malditos no le dan credito a rodriguez y ni siquera a los otros pilotos

  • @highlandparkdram
    @highlandparkdram Před 9 lety +19

    "With a sandbank on the left.
    Try and keep out of it."
    Classic Moss

  • @6lemans10
    @6lemans10 Před 7 lety +9

    Back in the 1960s, Ford was a force to be reckoned with in Formula one and sports car racing.

    • @bwallace5945
      @bwallace5945 Před 5 lety

      If you watch the film the 24 Hr war where Ford had the 1-2-3 victory in 1966 it is amazing who was part of the Ford Team then. Besides Carroll Shelby there was Ken Miles, Bob Bondurant, A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney and Mario Andretti. Probably the greatest names in 1960's Auto Racing.

    • @johncahill3018
      @johncahill3018 Před 4 lety +2

      @@bwallace5945 Correct, Ford's deep pockets bought the best British equipment and the best drivers...and a whole lot of cars (was it 8 in 1966?).

  • @gookskywalker
    @gookskywalker Před 8 lety +4

    @1:10 WOW!Times have changed and good too.All you had to protect you from the trees on the side were white paint at the bottom of the trunk.This calls fro PURE SKILL and NO MISTAKES or you're history.🎇 ....Oh but I do love these vintage race videos.CHEERS!

  • @GTE_Channel
    @GTE_Channel Před 10 lety +45

    how's that for a promotional video... when racing was still about racing, great cars, great sounds, great drivers, great times!

    • @beenaplumber8379
      @beenaplumber8379 Před 5 lety +1

      And great Ferodo friction materials and brake pads for reliable performance when you need it most, on race day.
      It's a great promo vid :D
      Would you leave your children's safety to just anyone? For the finest in family friction products, think Ferodo!
      Everything seems to move faster in the jet age. See your local Ferodo dealer to slow it down a bit.
      Even the ads were better back then!
      Ferodo, for the finest in friction materials and brake pads.

    • @kevinmccaffrey2471
      @kevinmccaffrey2471 Před 2 lety

      It's almost like as technology advanced it took the purity out of the sport. I wasn't even alive in the 60s an I admire this time era so much.

  • @liarliarliar6495
    @liarliarliar6495 Před 6 lety +2

    One of many great British race winning cars.

  • @andyj288
    @andyj288 Před 11 lety +1

    one of the best british cars ever made, fantastic video

  • @paulofeitoza5180
    @paulofeitoza5180 Před 8 lety +16

    ford gt40 is the legend that lives in the dreams of every boy who becomes the man to desire.

    • @ruforufo2185
      @ruforufo2185 Před 5 lety +1

      yeah man. next to the GT40 my other love is the AC cobra.. both Fords

  • @rolandomartinez3016
    @rolandomartinez3016 Před 10 lety +23

    Viva Pedro Rodríguez! the best driver in the rain!!!

    • @radicalsquare
      @radicalsquare Před 10 lety +6

      Actaully, Henri Pescarolo is at least as good, but Rodriguez is a legend in his own right!

    • @truettneathery4358
      @truettneathery4358 Před 5 lety

      What happened to him ???

    • @NormAppleton
      @NormAppleton Před 4 lety +2

      Gilles! But Pedro was pretty awesome.

    • @Tigerloco70
      @Tigerloco70 Před rokem

      @@truettneathery4358 uff how pedro is ignored ! Pffff a pity racism?

  • @notlrachtron
    @notlrachtron Před 10 lety +10

    Love the gulf gt 40 with a passion........Lotus 49 next. ......what an era!!!!

  • @leandronascimento7046
    @leandronascimento7046 Před 9 lety +31

    That classic Le Mans start was dangerous, but it was good to see.

    • @MrSilverfish12
      @MrSilverfish12 Před 5 lety +2

      lol I think the whole track is a death trap compared to today.

  • @johndeere1951a
    @johndeere1951a Před rokem

    Sir Sterling , God speed 💔💔💔💔💔✌️👍🏆🏆🏆🏁🇬🇧
    🇺🇲
    Beautiful Period. No Mulsane chicanes, White House section still there, just glorious 🇫🇷.
    This is an excellent story tell ✌️💚💚💚💚💚

  • @colderwar
    @colderwar Před 10 lety +6

    Whenever I watch this I get an urge to buy Ferodo brake pads....

  • @MrCapi55
    @MrCapi55 Před 8 lety +1

    WITH MY MOST DEEPLY GRATEFULNESS and AKNOWLEDGEMENT to Cineform Ltd. /Michael Brandt (producers) BUT OVERALL TO YOU bjwhitegti, for this GIFT (The video; Ford GT40-1968 24 Hours of Le Mans), that is an Historic Feat and a MILESTONE for MEXICANS like your Servant . GOD Bless You bjwhitegti, and THANK YOU AGAIN. REALLY.

  • @gduke580
    @gduke580 Před 8 lety +3

    Fantastic piece.Cant wait to see if the new "Ford GT" can pull it off 60 yrs later.Vic Elford who drove one of the works Porsche 910 was my first instructor at Skip Barber in 94'.The Ford GT project was America at its best in those days.A book called " Go Like Hell" is an amazing chronicle of this whole project to beat Ferrari ! And they did 4 yrs in a row with 68 and 69 by non "works " crars

    • @Tigerloco70
      @Tigerloco70 Před rokem

      @tecdessus oh yeah keep talking of the race in the movie , did the cars drive alone by a robot? Ford ford and all the racers hhhmmmm , ignored in the next 3 years

  • @thunderbolt2145
    @thunderbolt2145 Před 4 lety

    I was born 4 months after this race. Would have loved to witness Le Mans during this era. That GT40 was one tough looking car.

  • @vitakyo982
    @vitakyo982 Před 5 lety +2

    Golden ages ... I was there when i was a kid , i saw the 908 , a sound you can"t forget ...

  • @plantfeeder6677
    @plantfeeder6677 Před měsícem

    I have an old VHS tape with the beginning lap by Sterling Moss in one of the JW Automotive Ford GT40s.
    Now I know what it was from!
    Used to have an old Ford Escort that Ferodo made a set of pads for. Great brake pads.

  • @georgesmika
    @georgesmika Před 3 lety

    tank you , j'y étais avec mon papa!!! c'était fabuleux!!!

  • @PetesNikon
    @PetesNikon Před 5 lety +2

    A beautiful, classic 16mm film shot for Ferodo. Used them myself. This film became a valued treasure to me when I saw the Stirling Moss-conducted circuit of Le Mans race track alone

  • @arkhsm
    @arkhsm Před 3 lety

    Beaut commentary by Sir Sterling Moss at the start of the video !!

  • @ryanbelville8373
    @ryanbelville8373 Před 5 lety +2

    God look at all these beautiful designed cars

  • @JulioHernandez-zs5pb
    @JulioHernandez-zs5pb Před 2 lety +3

    No me canso de ver este vídeo y sobretodo escuchar como conducía Pedro Rodríguez

    • @Tigerloco70
      @Tigerloco70 Před rokem

      Si y tambien de enojarme como , simplemente no hacen caso a esta victoria de 1968

  • @JackF99
    @JackF99 Před rokem

    You had me with the opening bongos.

  • @miguelvolare
    @miguelvolare Před 9 lety +55

    Pedro rodriguez mexicano ganador de le mans 68

  • @hasbeengood
    @hasbeengood Před 9 lety +9

    I love this kind of vintage footage! Thanks!

  • @noblesix2451
    @noblesix2451 Před 5 lety +31

    Rest In Peace Dan Gurney, one of the greatest American racer of all time

  • @rippspeck
    @rippspeck Před 7 lety +1

    A truly legendary car. So much history, it's insane!

  • @tymcfadden8496
    @tymcfadden8496 Před 4 lety

    less a documentary about the gt40 and more an advertisement for Ferodo, lol. great clip anyhow.

  • @jordanvann2643
    @jordanvann2643 Před 11 lety +7

    I love Ford it's my favorite car company

  • @MrBucer2
    @MrBucer2 Před 10 lety +2

    A fascinating look back. Many thanks for posting.

  • @kevogt95
    @kevogt95 Před 10 lety +5

    Awesome sound and speed!!!

  • @Toddzilla72
    @Toddzilla72 Před 10 lety +2

    Thanks for putting this great old footage on CZcams.

  • @yazansakran3326
    @yazansakran3326 Před 10 lety +19

    If I had a gt40.... The streets would no longer be safe ;)

  • @Pulsonar
    @Pulsonar Před 3 lety +1

    Stirling gives superb detailed commentary of every part of the huge race course. Then you realise the wonderful adrenaline rush and spectacular views he describes is probably the last thing on his mind whilst putting his life on the line in battle against do or die competitors Hell bent on taking his scalp at near 200mph over 24 hrs on race day.

  • @Trucker1957
    @Trucker1957 Před 5 lety

    The very best days of racing, never to be seen again.

  • @Mr357Cleveland
    @Mr357Cleveland Před 4 lety

    It takes 8 years for YT to suggest this video.. Worth waiting for though!👍

  • @sabercruiser.7053
    @sabercruiser.7053 Před 6 měsíci

    👏👏🙌🙌👍👍 thank you for the upload

  • @melindaveirs8673
    @melindaveirs8673 Před 9 lety +13

    The really amazing part of this is that the Ford GT40's were essentially a 5 year old design which were more or less obsolete even in the 1966 race. Despite all of this the GT40's won in '68 and '69 both! And, with the Ford factory effort ending after 1967 and all of these Wyer and other entries being non factory; certainly compared to the Porsche, Alfa, and Matra entries. The standard thinking that "there is nothing more obsolete than a one year old race car" somehow didn't apply to these GT40's.

    • @gcrav
      @gcrav Před 8 lety

      Melinda Veirs .....and one did it again the following year!

    • @chopperking1122
      @chopperking1122 Před 8 lety +1

      gcrav it was the same GT40 that won in 68 and 69

    • @zpolukuchka
      @zpolukuchka Před 8 lety +1

      +Melinda Veirs
      you should not be surprised
      it just has a bigger motor than any of its competitors of the time
      and the circuit de la sarthe is not exactly endowed with corners

    • @gcrav
      @gcrav Před 8 lety +5

      zpolukuchka In 69 the JWA Mark Is with the 289 ran a faster race than did the Shelby Mark IIs with the 427 in 66. John Wyer was brilliant.

    • @davidgonzalez4665
      @davidgonzalez4665 Před 8 lety

      +gcrav To my knowledge the 289 only raced in early Mk. I's, by 68-69 it was punched out to 302 ci, and was super reliable.

  • @MaxCastles
    @MaxCastles Před 12 lety +2

    Very interesting, thanks for the upload.

  • @ericmeechglobalnetwork2273

    wonderful, thank you.

  • @randycoursey7230
    @randycoursey7230 Před 4 lety +1

    1960-70, the greatest era of auto racing where FORD dominated much of it.

  • @bloqk16
    @bloqk16 Před 3 lety

    A bit of trivia where the rainy weather worked to the J.W. Automotive/Wyer GT 40s in this race:
    In 1968 the J.W. Automotive team fielding the GT 40s modified the engine's lubrication system prior to the Le Mans race. The car won the race and all was considered well. However, when the Daytona 24 race came around in 1969, where the J.W. GT 40s were subjected to flat-out running for more than 12 hours, one of the cars dropped out of the race due to a cracked engine head after 13 hours; where evidence pointed to the modified lubrication system as the culprit (the other GT 40 dropped out from crash damage). From that experience, it was surmised that if the 1968 Le Mans race had not been slowed by rain, the J.W. GT 40s would have never lasted the distance; giving the victory to Porsche or Alfa Romeo

  • @8090film
    @8090film Před 11 lety +9

    7:00 Lucien Bianchi, Pedro Rodriguez

  • @Kloz2thedge
    @Kloz2thedge Před 10 lety

    Thanks for posting this, a true rare treasure. Now I know why the Gulf color GT's are so popular. The sound is DELICIOUS

  • @lolbr6818
    @lolbr6818 Před 4 lety

    That was very good, really enjoyed that.

  • @davidalatorrelopez6206
    @davidalatorrelopez6206 Před 4 lety +1

    Pedro, El Grande.

  • @FranciscoRodriguez-ku1nl
    @FranciscoRodriguez-ku1nl Před 4 lety +11

    finely somebody mentioned Pedro Rodriguez, the famous Mexican driver in Le manns

    • @thejerseyj9422
      @thejerseyj9422 Před 2 lety +2

      You must watch "1970, a year to remember". A racing documentary about John Wyers Porsche racing team that year. Pedro Gonzalez is featured prominently in that video. It's on CZcams.

    • @thejerseyj9422
      @thejerseyj9422 Před 2 lety +1

      I'm sorry, I meant Pedro Rodriguez. He dominated sports car racing that year.

  • @375GTB
    @375GTB Před 4 lety +17

    Ken Miles
    “You know, I’d rather die in a racing car than get eaten up by cancer”- Ken Miles
    Many of you reading this have no idea who Ken Miles is, or his life of racing. Indeed, in the history of racing, Ken Miles and his life may be but few pages, compared to the chapters upon chapters of men such as Enzo Ferrari or Carroll Shelby. However, his story marks an incredible turning point in the story of these men, Ford Motor Company, at the time undisputedly the most prestigious race in the entire world (Le Mans), and millions of others.
    “We have nobody to take his place. Nobody. He was our baseline, our guiding point. He was the backbone of our program. There will never be another Ken Miles”- Carroll Shelby
    Ken Miles life of racing is a tale of triumph and tragedy. He developed the car that broke the greatest dynasty in the greatest race in the world, and yet not only was he robbed of his greatest achievement, but perished attempting to do it all again. And all of this was when he was 47 years young.
    “That’s up to you sir, isn’t it?”- Ken Miles when asked by a rich and naïve person if they could become a race car driver
    Miles grew up in England, and was a tank driver in World War II. He never said very much about the war, but could often be seen at racetracks wearing an old jacket, much like a knight would wear his suit of armour after victory in a joust. After the war, Miles fell in love with racing and moved to Hollywood, where he became a fixture on the sports car scene for the next two decades. Often in cars that he himself had made, he dominated and even ran a tuning shop for a time. However, because he was a racer in the 50’s, he had one small problem: no money. Eventually in early 1963 the shop was foreclosed, and Miles had no choice but to join up with a Le Mans winning, fast talking, tough Texan by the name of Carroll Shelby.
    “How would you like to work in a snake pit for a real snake?”- Carroll Shelby conducting a job interview for a new secretary.
    In 1962, after Ford Motor Company decided to get back in the racing business generally in order to stop Ferrari’s dynasty in Le Mans (More on that later), Shelby, who retired in 1960 from active competition due to a bad heart, showed up on Ford’s doorstep with a unique proposition.
    “With $25,000, I can build two cars that’ll blow off the Corvettes”- Carroll Shelby
    Ford approved, and Shelby decided to get a crew of “hot rodders” together to build what would become the first Cobra- Miles would become the competition director, driver, and test driver for Shelby America. The program quickly became a remarkable success- by the summer of 1963 the Cobra was the hot item for all the celebrity’s, and even had a top 40 radio hit named after it (“Hey Little Cobra”).
    “… we at Ford have a great respect for you.”- Ford Executive
    “Yes, I know. Like America respects Russia”- Enzo Ferrari in response
    In 1964, Ford brought a decidedly English car (The GT40, heavy but powerful) to Le Mans with one goal: to stop Ferrari’s dynasty at Le Mans (Including 1964, Ferrari had won at Le Mans 6 times out of the 7 previous years, 1959 being won by Carroll Shelby in an Aston Martin), and, well…… they lost. Badly. None of the cars made it through the night. Ford made the choice to hand the GT40 project from “Mr. Aston Martin” John Wyer to Shelby America, after the Cobra won the GT class in Le Mans that year. Ken Miles was named the official test driver for the prototype.
    “I am a mechanic. That has been the direction of my entire vocational life. Driving is a hobby, a realization for me, like golfing is to others”- Ken Miles
    Miles was never supposed to race the car in competition; Ford had built a Hall of Fame driving roster featuring such names as AJ Foyt, Bruce McLaren, Phil Hill, Dan Gurney, a young Itallian-American by the name of Mario Andretti. But Miles couldn’t stand watching somebody else drive the car he had helped to develop, and so he found himself in a Shelby GT40 come the 1965 Daytona Continental 2,000 KM race.
    12 hours later, Miles and co-driver Lloyd Ruby found themselves in victory lane, as the Shelby bunch finished in the top 5 positions overall. It was the first win in 40 years for an American manufacturer in international competition, and there was no better time or place for either Miles or Ruby. Le Mans, however, proved a different task.
    “I feel our chances at Le Mans are very good indeed. These cars were built for Le Mans”- Ken Miles
    In the 1965 Le Mans 24 hour, it was Ford’s race to lose. Phil Hill broke the track record in qualifications in a Shelby GT40, and during the first pit stops the drivers were laughing at how much faster the Fords were to the Ferraris. However, by the 7 hour mark, doom had hit Ford- a defective gearbox ruined Miles and his co-pilot Bruce McLaren, while Hill’s clutch went out after setting a new race lap record. Ford once again decided to change directions following the race, this time dividing the Le Mans project into two separate teams- Shelby America and the face of Ford in NASCAR, Holman-Moody. Miles still served as the test driver for all cars, however, and was still in a Shelby GT40 come Daytona in Feburary.
    “Holman Moody this, Holman Moody that. You know, someday you’re going to get beat, and it better be by Ferrari”- Carroll Shelby to Carroll Smith.
    Much has been said about “Big” Bill France, but one thing is for certain: he loved to prove, even in his own mind, that everything he did either was the best or was equal to the best. In 1966 France extended the Daytona Continental into a 24 hour race, the only 24 hour race in the entire world with the exception of Le Mans. Shelby knew this, the 12 hours of Sebring, and Le Mans would decide the fate of Ford’s foray into international racing, that if both were a failure there wouldn’t be a 1967 Ford GT40. He made sure Miles was on his team. Everybody was wondering; Could even the Ferraris hold up for 24 hours at Daytona? Most thought the Fords wouldn’t survive, and if they did Holman-Moody would finish the strongest because of their experience on the high banks of Daytona.
    Miles and Ruby proved the doubters wrong and won the fastest endurance race in Daytona up to that point (Really impressive considering the race was extended by 12 some hours), beating out both Ferrari and Holman-Moody. The next stop was Sebring, and of course Miles won that too, impressively winning in a duel with Dan Gurney that ended with Gurney pushing his car to the finish line after suffering a blown engine in the last few hundred yards.
    “I am proud for my country”- Luigi Chinetti, Ferrari legend and US citizen
    Around this time, Ken Miles, at the unlikely age of 47 and after two decades of racing, became a superstar. Miles never attempted the Indy 500, never raced in Formula 1, and yet he was beating the very best in the entire world on some of the biggest stages in the world.
    “I should like to drive a Formula 1 machine- not for the grand prize, but just to see what it is like. I should think it would be jolly good fun!”- Ken Miles
    Ken Miles should of won the 1966 24 hours of Le Mans, or at the very least be named the co-winner. But alas, that wasn’t the case. With a few hours left in the race, Ford came to Carroll Shelby with an idea- Miles was a couple of laps ahead of Bruce McLaren, and Ford wanted to attempt to stage a tie. Miles, though, wasn’t happy.
    “He just couldn’t get over it”- Denny Hulme
    Eventually, Miles slowed down and allowed McLaren to come back. Both came out of the final turn and crossed the line together. However, Le Mans officials cited an ancient rule that took into account a car’s starting position. Because McLaren started behind Miles, he was ruled to have traveled some 20 more yards than Miles over 24 hours, and was rewarded the victory.
    “I think I’ve been f***ed”- Ken Miles in the chaotic aftermath immediately following Le Mans
    A couple of months later, Miles was testing a new Ford prototype at Riverside Speedway. Trying to do it all again and come away with a Le Mans trophy this time, Miles spent all day developing this new car until the final run of the day.
    “Please be careful in how you report what I have said. I work for these people. They have been awfully good to me”- Ken Miles after giving an interview in the month following Le Mans.
    Ken Miles was denied being the first and only Triple Crown Endurance Champion in the entire world, and was never given another chance at it. Shelby was heartbroken, even 40 years later.
    It broke my heart when we lost Ken”- Carroll Shelby
    Maybe the most shocking and bizarre attribute Miles had on the racing community after his death happened in June of the next year. Mario Andretti had a horrible wreck in a version of the prototype Miles tested at Le Mans, but because of a steel bar Ford implemented after Miles’ fatal wreck, Mario lived. The story of Ken Miles is one of the great What If stories in racing, and yet nobody ever speaks about it. At least now you know the story.

    • @alanhardman2447
      @alanhardman2447 Před 4 lety +2

      375GTB - You should have written a book...

    • @375GTB
      @375GTB Před 4 lety +1

      A can copy & paste with the best of them..
      (-8D
      Once Tech Editor at Florida Racing News.
      1972 -1973, out of Miami...
      The 1973 Arab Oil Embargo killed the paper.

    • @375GTB
      @375GTB Před 4 lety +1

      Tony a2z
      RIP
      Said the same thing.
      I lost my research papers, library, 1976..
      From 1957 <
      I leave it to NART driver, Sam Posey.

    • @melshanewl9294
      @melshanewl9294 Před 4 lety +1

      so sad ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️❗

    • @375GTB
      @375GTB Před 4 lety +1

      TRULY
      ALL because of that FoMoCo VP who had it out for Miles..
      The Duce really didn't know...
      WE did!
      Ken first was known for his Flying Shingle
      MG based but very light weight...
      Then he drove Otto Zipper's Dolphin RS America at Riverside and around the SCCA circuit.
      Beating the Tin Cars soundly.. with it's 1.7 liter cammer $
      BEFORE the Lotus 23 made it's debut.
      TOOK Stuttgart until 1965 to catch on...
      Resulting in the Kangaru...
      Targa car..
      Jo Bonnier & G. Hill
      Ken was never acknowledged by Porsche for THAT!
      Mile sure could CUSS good, fpr a Limey
      Cussing the AC 427 proto at Sebring, 1964
      PURE evil!
      Amazing what it turned into, with a new chassis
      He was far more than a GT-40 guy...
      Far more...
      NASA missed a bet...
      Another Miles story....
      Dan and Ritchie knew THAT one...
      J.C.

  • @michaelmartinez1345
    @michaelmartinez1345 Před 4 lety

    Xlnt presentation!!! I like the music!!! Ford won this 3 years in a row!!! Wow!!! Unfortunate accidents led to several cars being forced out of the race... Cold, wet , cloudy & dark for longer than usual, over 2,700 miles were completed in this grueling race, at an AVERAGE speed of over 115 mph!!! Wow!!! THESE drivers & teams had nerves & guts of STEEL!!!

    • @thejerseyj9422
      @thejerseyj9422 Před 2 lety

      The Ford GT 40 won 4 years in a row '66, '67, '68, '69 ! The Ford 427 was, and still is one of the best motors ever built.

  • @Ronbo710
    @Ronbo710 Před 11 lety +1

    That thing sounds so SWEET !!!

  • @3020johndeere1
    @3020johndeere1 Před 11 lety +1

    excellent slice of time piece

  • @lewishoward4022
    @lewishoward4022 Před 10 lety +11

    Ford GT40. I want one.

    • @dennisprow7576
      @dennisprow7576 Před 10 lety +2

      Build one! Haha i saw one a couple weeks ago. A kit car with a fox bodies 302 and a heavy cam. God bless America haha

    • @question2943
      @question2943 Před 9 lety

      Dennis Prow plz tell me more about this kit

    • @dennisprow7576
      @dennisprow7576 Před 9 lety

      I dont know enough to go into detail. But there is a place in michigan that has nice kits. Google it!

  • @poke0043moto
    @poke0043moto Před 11 lety +1

    wow! it's interesting to see how much the circuit has changed over the years!!!

  • @clio2rsminicup
    @clio2rsminicup Před 6 lety

    Usually I'm a not a fan of US cars ans races cars, but this is the exception. By far the greatest race car and even sport car ever made in USA.

  • @billbutler6238
    @billbutler6238 Před 5 lety +1

    Amazing

  • @Bad80y1
    @Bad80y1 Před 4 lety

    No guard rails at all. Wow. Go off over 200 mph right into the trees. Instant explosions and death. So many died at that track. Still is my all time favourite circuit.

  • @brianwahl711
    @brianwahl711 Před 4 lety

    Good stuff, challenges met, nothing like winning! Quality and engineering wins!

  • @seanstan3650
    @seanstan3650 Před 11 lety +1

    Truly an amazing car. The fact that the gearbox was trash back then & still came in 1st is awesome. Plus they put that car together in a few short years to beat Ferrari, after he backed out of Henry's offer to buy him out.. The 428 cobra jet was stuffed in & a better mating gearbox was quite possibly the best setup besides the extra weight.

  • @ernestoclaudodip9671
    @ernestoclaudodip9671 Před 2 lety

    BEAUTIFUL FAST CARS!!!!!!

  • @RandallFlaggNY
    @RandallFlaggNY Před 8 lety +6

    Groovy 60's music.

    • @skeggjoldgunnr3167
      @skeggjoldgunnr3167 Před 8 lety +3

      Excellent music that defines an entirely different culture. I was diggin' them groovy tunes, myself.

    • @MrCharlou92
      @MrCharlou92 Před 6 lety

      Groovy times in France ;-)

  • @arkhsm
    @arkhsm Před 10 lety

    TWENTY FOUR hours just like that first one shown !! AWE-SOME !!

  • @JulioCesar-dn1bz
    @JulioCesar-dn1bz Před 8 lety +1

    Very good vídeo, Ford GT40 Ferrari killer!!!

  • @FezzantPlucka
    @FezzantPlucka Před 5 lety +2

    This documentary is too short!

  • @PREDATOR07
    @PREDATOR07 Před rokem

    Pedro was an animal,a legend.

  • @stevefowler1787
    @stevefowler1787 Před 10 lety +1

    Gurney-Weslake heads...so that was the 305 engine, which was based on the new Ford 302 engine (which of course was based on the 289) but it had 4 bolt mains....those 305 engines in '68 were some damn good engines...about 500 hp.

  • @BobLoblawBobLoblaw
    @BobLoblawBobLoblaw Před 4 lety +1

    Amazing! That guy drove into the sand, finished strong. When I drive into a bunker, I usually get a double-bogey.

  • @808maya8
    @808maya8 Před 6 lety +1

    That seasons ford cars looks modern than other cars ❤

  • @rockstarpeppe
    @rockstarpeppe Před 11 lety +1

    Indeed. 1967 was the only "all-American" victory at Le Mans.

  • @xqqqme
    @xqqqme Před 12 lety +1

    Were it not for in-car shots from this era (first 4 minutes of this video) we wouldn't have such a good view of the parts of the track that no longer exist. In particular, I still wish I could locate in the current layout where the old Maison Blanche (White House) corner was that Stirling calls out here. You can clearly see that David Hobbs is right when he says you could reach out of the car and touch the corner of the house when you drove by it!

  • @MrErickNilson
    @MrErickNilson Před 8 lety +2

    Nostalgic race! Great Ford GT 40 race car, the frog car!!!
    Won the Ferraris long!

  • @GottliebGoltz
    @GottliebGoltz Před 4 lety

    I've loved those Fords since I heard of them 1903's. Yup.!

  • @dog1713
    @dog1713 Před 11 lety +1

    This car is badass.

  • @turboslag
    @turboslag Před 8 lety

    Groovy man!! Actually, bloody fantastic! Shocking difference in safety standards between then and now, all those cars strewn around the circuit in dangerous locations but the race goes on! Did we cope with danger better then than now?

  • @tremorist
    @tremorist Před 8 lety +2

    God I want a 16mm print of this film.

  • @dannyvdmoo
    @dannyvdmoo Před 3 lety +1

    best start ever!!!!

  • @NoferTrunions
    @NoferTrunions Před 5 lety

    5:30 Wow, the early Bendix Dunlop disc brakes used on Jag, Studebaker, and others (!)

  • @cdunne208
    @cdunne208 Před 9 lety +1

    Even film productions about racing were trippy.

    • @octemberfury
      @octemberfury Před 8 lety +4

      +Chris Dunne It was really just an ad for brake pads, which makes it even more surprising.

  • @Hithere-ek4qt
    @Hithere-ek4qt Před 4 lety +2

    Nice to hear Sir Sterling's commentary.
    .Boy, I miss the LaMans start, that always added a bit to the event. Now, It's all computerized crap. Too fast with nothing for the driver to do but react.
    I'll take these days, thank you.

    • @ivanjulian2532
      @ivanjulian2532 Před 4 lety +1

      You should read up about Jackie Ickx and his famous Le Mans start protest. He thought it was perilously dangerous and he was proved right the year he did it, too.

  • @gildimas3960
    @gildimas3960 Před 3 lety

    Grea racing car, several GT40s bodies had movie cámeras mounted on the filming “LeMans” movie starting Steve McQueen

  • @StreetComp
    @StreetComp Před 4 lety

    The full 24hr circuit is so different now - it’s great to see how it was 50 years ago!

    • @StreetComp
      @StreetComp Před 4 lety

      Peeps just hanging out on side of track while cars race by at full power in the rain - just a different world I guess

    • @lolbr6818
      @lolbr6818 Před 4 lety

      That was 50 yrs ago ?

  • @guillermocingolani3307
    @guillermocingolani3307 Před 3 lety +1

    Para ganarle a Porsche sólo faltó que le pusieran tres motores.
    Imbatible Porsche 917 !!!!

  • @kellienicolebrooksschettin6598

    Funny thing is I could not tear my self away from driving Moto GP bikes.....but has been my life's dream to own and drive to work in a Porsche 962....every since 1990 I was gonna build my own,just for the sheer mind blowing experience to pull up to a traffic light and have some 55 and older couple look over an say what in gods name is that,I'm not sure honey but I'm pretty sure its not the bat mobile....well dah....funny thing is I've learn most 962s are trapped in museums and worth over 2 million so driving one at speed around Le Mans or at the Nurb probably would happen,next life I have to build my own....seems...

  • @pylominotaurus
    @pylominotaurus Před 9 lety +3

    14:37 "Hey, you forgot to pay your bill at my bistro!"

  • @FreshlySnipes
    @FreshlySnipes Před 4 lety +1

    Such a different track compared to today

  • @stevemarino5745
    @stevemarino5745 Před 4 lety

    I was a Ford fan then, and still am, but Ferrari is Ferrari. They're the most famous name in racing. The Gt 40 was a match for them though, and even more beautiful than the Italian cars. There was, however, no substitute for cubic inches. The Mk I had a 289 engine, the MK II a 427, and the MK III had a 289 with a longer stroke that made it a 302. These were all short strokers that could rev fast, and the 427 was capable of about 500 horsepower. It was a compact too for such a large motor. In terms of sophistication, these were more like truck motors compared to the high revving, small displacement Ferrari cars, but they got the job done, especially with the excellent drivers and team members that Ford put together. It bears mentioning that Ferrari boycotted this race due to rule changes, so the Fords had an easier time of it than if the factory Ferrari cars had been there.

  • @superdriver777
    @superdriver777 Před 4 lety +1

    If I were on Porsche's marketing team, I'd use the part at 11:27 in my next commercial -- with the original commentary, of course! Haha

  • @JC-gw3yo
    @JC-gw3yo Před 4 lety

    Ah when Le Mans wasn't about the bread box cars... And that winning beautiful Ford GT 40 now mostly resides at the Henry Ford museum at Dearborn, Michigan. In August 31, 2019, this very GT 40 , serial #1075 will be at the Carroll Shelby museum in Boulder, Colorado. I've been to that event several times and it is a great party. Lots of great people, food, liquor and never telling the Ford celebrities that show up. And of course the huge collection of Cobras, Shelby Mustangs and GT 40's to bug your eyes out !!

    • @Tigerloco70
      @Tigerloco70 Před rokem

      Oh yeah , have you been to a party in stuttgart porsche headquarters😂

  • @gotham61
    @gotham61 Před 3 lety

    The LeMans start was incredibly dangerous. Drivers would start the race without doing up their safety harnesses correctly. In this film, at 11.53 you can hear the announcer report the crash of Willy Mairesse, who went off the track when his improperly closed door popped open on the Mulsanne straight. He survived, but it put him in a coma and ended his racing career, leading to his suicide the following year. Mairesse's co-driver Jean Beurlys is seen at 7:18 in the dark glasses.

  • @renecourbet1295
    @renecourbet1295 Před 4 lety

    Quelle course de Pescarolo avec la Matra !!!