Ford Shows Early Sketches Of The Original GT40

The design of the Ford GT40 is now considered iconic but it could have been very different, as these sketches from 1963 reveal.

These sketches were recently discovered by Ford’s archivists and are believed to have been some of the earliest design sketches of the iconic Ford GT40, drawn some 57 years ago. Ford also shared an image of a clay model that was produced just a week after the sketches.

Design differences between these early sketches and the eventual GT40 are significant. For starters, the vehicle pictured appears smaller than the GT40 and has a different side profile where we can see the smooth undersides of the nose and the rear fender. The sketches also show the vehicle with a long front overhang, a wraparound windshield, thin A-pillars, and a glass canopy over the engine bay.

Among the drawings found for Ford archivists is a ¾ cutaway that provides us with a look at the mid-mounted V8 engine and exhaust system. This sketch also showcases the suspension system while up front we can see the battery and spare wheel. The cabin consists of a three-spoke steering wheel and a host of circular gauges and dials.

The story of the Ford GT40 is the stuff of legends and was depicted in the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari. Ford famously decided to build the GT40 in an attempt to beat Ferrari at the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans which the Italian car manufacturer won from 1960 to 1965.

This is the first clay model, produced just a week after the sketches. pic.twitter.com/ChNDN5YTSl

— Ford Performance (@FordPerformance) June 11, 2020