Post by JSB33 on Nov 13, 2022 6:21:08 GMT -5
Spent some time taking a few more pictures of the J car and its family. From the beginnings of the J car program and its test at Le mans, the tragic death of Ken Miles and the final development of it being the GT40 MKIV, the car did a lot for Ford and for racing. It led to a lot of innovations for safety, they actually did some instrumented crash testing because of the Miles fatal accident where the car came apart. It also helped advance the use of the monocoque chassis and bonded chassis parts. It also taught Ford a lot about aerodynamics and how to use that information.
Finally, it was a very successful car, winning the only 2 races it was ever entered in, Sebring (Chassis J-4) and LM (Chassis J5). Had it not been for the ego's of those involved, it may not have every existed. Hearing the complaints that Fords 1966 win at Le mans was in an English car helped the push to do the same with an American built car and it paid off when the team of Foyt and Gurney won giving Ford a win with American drivers, chassis and engine.
Here are the "Blue Nose" Fords with the prototype J Car
GT40#1 with J-1
And with the first 427 powered car
J-1 and J-5
The whole group
Finally, it was a very successful car, winning the only 2 races it was ever entered in, Sebring (Chassis J-4) and LM (Chassis J5). Had it not been for the ego's of those involved, it may not have every existed. Hearing the complaints that Fords 1966 win at Le mans was in an English car helped the push to do the same with an American built car and it paid off when the team of Foyt and Gurney won giving Ford a win with American drivers, chassis and engine.
Here are the "Blue Nose" Fords with the prototype J Car
GT40#1 with J-1
And with the first 427 powered car
J-1 and J-5
The whole group
