The Feud that Created
America's Greatest Race Car
Popular Mechanics,
by
Ezra Dyer
Original Article
Posted By: StormCnter,
10/10/2019 1:51:05 PM
It all started with a business deal gone bad. In 1963, Henry Ford II, "the Deuce," decided he wanted Ford Motor Company to go racing. The only problem: Ford didn't have a sports car in its portfolio.
The quickest way to acquire a sports car, the Deuce thought, was to buy Ferrari, then a race car company that only sold street-legal machines to fund its track exploits.
Ford sent an envoy to Modena, Italy, to hash out a deal with Enzo Ferrari. The Americans offered $10 million, but as the negotiations neared their conclusion, Ferrari balked at a clause in the contract that said Ford would control the budget
Reply 1 - Posted by:
earlybird 10/10/2019 1:56:38 PM (No. 203449)
I’m glad to see someone else posting Popular Mechanics… I did for quite a while, but got tired of the local critics who said they didn’t know what they were talking about. The world is full of laptop commandos…and laptop experts as well.
Interesting article. The years when we raced formula cars were incredibly interesting. Being able to watch and time them from the pits, and smell the Castrol, hear those engines fire up, is still a happy memory...
8 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
StormCnter 10/10/2019 2:03:54 PM (No. 203461)
Aw, it's best not to take local criticism personally.
6 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
bad-hair 10/10/2019 2:27:11 PM (No. 203477)
Viva Ferrari.
1 person likes this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Nevadadad46 10/10/2019 2:39:28 PM (No. 203482)
The Muscle Car era was fantastic. I was a young man right out of the Army, home from Vietnam and caught the whole thing right at its most awesome in 1968. It was incredible. You couold not wait for the next big thing to come out.
3 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
voxpopuli 10/10/2019 2:42:37 PM (No. 203487)
we saw downton abbey this last weekend..
movie coming out called ford vs ferrari
lost of good camera work
stars matt damon
i'll pass
1 person likes this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
DVC 10/10/2019 3:19:59 PM (No. 203517)
This all went down just before I started seriously following auto racing, but I have heard, and read the stories for decades, and GT40s were still racing successfully in 69, my first year of attending the 24 Hrs of Daytona and the 12 hrs of Sebring. I had an engineer co-worker who had worked at Ford, on the J cars (the Mark IV GT40s), and he told some great stories.
A month ago, at Goodwood, with the vintage racers limited to 1966 and earlier, there were a couple of very early GT40s, including an ultra rare (and odd looking) GT40 roadster (roofless) version. They were, and still are, impressive cars. I have real trouble believing the dollar figures ascribed to Ferarri spending to fight Ford. They didn't have anything like that much money in those days. Ferarri only built 3 of the P3/P4 models, ever, and recycled the P3s into P4s the next year. For reference, top racing drivers in those days might earn $800 or 900 for driving a big race like Daytona or LeMans 24 hours.
Since Matt Damon is in the movie....not a chance I will see it in any way that might assist that worthless punk leftist jerk's career. Maybe if it is on an airliner, or some other way, but I will not pay a penny, or
watch it on TV where it might mean some benefit to him. Maybe in 5 years on a late night channel. And there is no person on this planet who is farther from Caroll Shelby than the wimp, punk, whiner Damon.
4 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Videodrone 10/10/2019 3:46:40 PM (No. 203537)
I have a Shelby cap with Caroll's famous quote "Ferrari's as$ is mine" in embroidered script - wear it proudly when enjoying my 640 horsepower convertible GT500
1 person likes this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Rumblehog 10/10/2019 4:11:18 PM (No. 203554)
Ah yes, the great American Engineer who will rise to the occasion, if given the chance by business management, nd blow away the competition! The GT40 has always been my all time favorite race car, but it's refreshing to see Saleen come out of left field and challenge the entrenched greats.
https://www.saleen.com/speedlab/racing/
1 person likes this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
JHHolliday 10/10/2019 4:31:42 PM (No. 203569)
Back in my sports car racing days, I saw a driver killed in a GT40 at Sebring. Beautiful car but not a good memory from that year.
2 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
web 10/10/2019 5:04:39 PM (No. 203605)
Still rather have a Chevy. I'm currently driving a V8 Pontiac G8, made for Pontiac by Holden of Australia. Nice car, and it goes when I want it to.
My generation were either Ford or Chevy fans. Never knew much about Ferrari.
1 person likes this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
Strike3 10/10/2019 5:13:07 PM (No. 203609)
"Over the span of a few years, Ford had unveiled the Mustang, won at Le Mans, and vanquished its fuddy-duddy image." Oh really? The only Ford I ever owned was a Mustang as well as the most troublesome car I ever owned. I still hear every Ford Pickup Truck owner I know complaining about the too-frequent failure of brakes and rotors.
But yes, the GT40 was an outstanding race car. One of these days when I have the time I'm going to build the fiberglass kit version.
1 person likes this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
Hardright 10/10/2019 7:36:55 PM (No. 203756)
Whenever I see a Ferrari coming up on me I roll down my window and listen to it go by. Love the sound of a Ferrari.
1 person likes this.
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