behind the headlights -last night

I did. It was esp. the historical footage.

 

I also saw the show on Speed and I thought it was well done and can't wait for the next episode if it is a series?
Erik

 

Jim,

I only saw the last 15 minutes or so. Forgive me if this is an ignorant question, but was one of those P4s they were showing the same one you're restoring now?

(and don't even mention the 'other' thread - let's not even go there) Whatever you say is good enough for me.

 

The Yellow #2 MK-IV J6 is my car. P3/4 0846 is also in a shot or two. Red Spyder #20

 

It was a very good show. Can't wait to see the next one in the series. The vintage footages were brief but excellent.

I think they even showed Luigi Chinetti in the 166MM (#22) when he drove most of the 24 hours at LeMans by himself.

 

I thought it was; I asked because I was looking for your name in the credits at the end and thought I might see your name mentioned if they showed one of your cars.

Thanks for the info.

 

Hi Willis,
There are quite a few good programs on "ON Demand" TV also. On DCG (Dream Car Garage) they are currently showing the 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO, The Enzo, and even the Lamborghini LP 5000 Countach. Just an FYI.

 

Thanks, Lem! I'll have to set it up on the TiVo.

You missed a couple of great events the last few weeks (Ferrari on 12th and Vancouver Italian Car Show).

 

I saw the show and thought it was really fun. Great footage, wonderful commentary, all the key players (at least all still living) were interviewed and lots of details on the cars.

Still.... I found it pretty funny how they tried to play Ford up as the "underdog". Old man Ferrari snubs Henry Ford II and against all odds he manages to come from behind and somehow beat the European giant! Uhhhhhh right. They told the story, but from a pretty one sided and biased perspective. Not that im complaining; it made for great TV. They didnt go into the part about exactly how the Ford/Ferrari buyout negotiations ended. They made it sound like old man Ferrari just thumbed his nose at Ford for spite or something. Ferrari was eager to sell to Ford and all he asked is that he maintain firm control over all the racing team activities. He made this clear from the start, but in the end Ford made it clear they would ultimately have the final say so Ferrari said no.

With the resources Ford could bring to bear, its hard to look at the GT40 program in an underdog light. Once Ford made that commitment.... victory wasnt the question. It was only "when".

Still, the Ford assault marked the end of Ferrari as a top level sportscar racing player. Ford built the Ferrari sportscar coffin and Porsche nailed it shut.

I hope they do more of these shows in a series!


Terry

 

I am sorry that I missed them both. My car is in for it's 30k and we were having some trouble getting some parts. My mech said my car will be done by Friday or Monday T. Rutlands is sending the parts no later than Friday. I plan to do a whole lot more events when I get it back. Thanks for your concern.

 

Willis
Jon get his yet?
Best

 

I say this with all affections for Jim aside:

Without a doubt the two most beautiful warriors ever, the P4 and the MIV, battling together. Breathtakingly beautiful machines. Absolutely amazing.

Wish I was born early enouph to see it live, and early enouph to pick one up when they were just old racecars, instead of a car that is so valuable that mere millionaires can only dream about.

I sure wish everyone hated these cars!!! I wish everyone disagreed with me and think me crazy for wanting one!!!

Personally, I loved the story. Only one complaint. I think the climax of the story was misplaced. Yes company with a limitless budget was ultimately going to win. But Ford's win for me was not the climax of the story. The climax was when a MIV (Boman's car now, if I'm not mistaken(oops Walton's car-thanks jim), the same car, won in 68 and 69, back to back. Its the only time in history one car has done this. Its hard to imagine a car winning this 24 hour race once.(much less a privateer team) An unbelievable fairtail that one car could do it twice in a row. An amazing feat for a racecar. Aside from the MIV being painfully beautiful, (much more so than the lesser GT40s) this fact for me makes the MIV one of the altime greatest long distance racecars. This should have been the climax of the show, instead they casually mention it, and merely state they "think" this was done for the first and only time. Poor job on the ending which tells the true feat of this great car.

I wish the new ford GT looked closer to the MIV. If it did, my next car would be a defection in a minute.

 

I agree. That was pretty special. MKI 1075 won in 68,69. 1075 is now owned by Rob Walton. (Since then there have been other double winners I believe two separate P cars did that as well)
Best

 

Jim, any word on whether Ford will make a GT in the Mk IV's bodystyle?

 

That was a MK1, not a MK1V that won back to back? I thought it was a MKIV. Oops, thats a big mistaken impression on my part. Now that I think about it I remember pictures of the car, and I do recall the Gulf MK1 shape. I guess I though it was a MIV because they were faster and it happened after the MIV win. OR more likely . . . . . my subconscious "wanted" that car to be a MKIV, because I so prefer her looks!

Shows I'm a typical shallow man, the Sirens beautiful face is always disarming and will skew a man's reality!!!!!!

 

Since those wins in 68 and 69, what other double winners were there?

 

John: If you want to have a good cry, pick up a copy of Road & Track from the early seventies and look at the classified section. A guy named Harry T. Heinl had a Mark IV for sale for $45,000. That's Forty-Five Thousand, in case you thought I missed a zero. If I remember correctly, he drove it on the streets of Toledo, Oh., and had retrofitted a/c.

 

I would have to dig for the serial numbers and am short on time (out to dinner with the wify you know....), but a Porsche 936 won it twice and a Joest racing (privateer) Porsche 962 also won it twice.

The cool thing about the 1969 was how close it was. The GT40 and Porsche 908 battled it out the last hour with the GT40 winning by I believe 4 seconds. Pretty amazing finish to a great career for the Ford!

As to the most beautiful of that class of racecar... I would never leave the 917K off that list. The 917K is just so brutal looking. Pure aggression, I love it!


Terry

 

Yes. It would be wrong to leave the 917 off. This and other plastic porsches are the worth mentioning. Problem is if you add the 917, you need also to add the 512, and if you add the 512 you have to add the Lola T70, and in my opinion the Cheveron B16.. (But, I'm not talking about beautiful sportscars, I'm talking about all time supermodel beauty, knock the wind out of you, beautifull, the P4 vs. MIV battle is on the top of Mt. Olimpus. Of course, we are also talking about machinery that can push mid-7 figures, and for best, even 8 figures.)


But OK, OK, you've asked for it. 67-71 alltime most beautiful protoypes:

P4 (coupe)
MIV
917
512
Lola T70
Cheveron B16

I've toyed around with buying a Cheveron B-16, because it has the gorgeous looks of the 917/512/P3/512, and is in the barely-get-your-head-examined-attainable category.

 

Yea, The Chevron B16 is gorgeous. If I could swing a car to really go HSR racing today.... a B16 would probably top the list.

I actually find the Mk I GT40 to look better than the MkIV. As that class/era of car the Ferrari P4 has to top the list. Nothing has ever looked better. The 917K comes in second in my book and the MkI GT40 and Lola T70 tie for third.


Terry