Meet The 1966 Ford GT40 Mk II That Won Le Mans For America

The 'Ford V Ferrari' motion picture is almost here. We all know that the movie centers on the people behind Ford Total Performance, as well as how and why it became one of the most historic wins in automotive history. However, there is more to know about the actual car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time – for Ford and for America itself.

In a video produced by Motorius (embedded above), watch a brief look back at the history behind the 1966 Ford GT40 Mk. II, particularly Chassis P/1046, and its journey after its historic win at the Le Mans.

Gallery: After 50 Years, the ’66 Le Mans Winning Ford GT40 is Reborn

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It was in 1966 when Ford had a feud with Ferrari after a failed attempt to buy the Italian racing empire. With a team consisting of Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles, Bruce Mclaren, and Chris Amon, Ford Total Performance was born and its lovechild was the Ford GT40 Mk. II. 

Entered by Shelby-American, the Ford GT40 Mk. II Chassis P/1046 entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans and was piloted by 'Kiwis' Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. Together, the team won the race for the first time and Chassis P/1046 was retired from the race shortly after.

Meanwhile, 'Ford V Ferrari' Is Almost Here:

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Chassis P/1046 was passed through multiple owners who restored the vehicle, but the most notable was when it was bought by Rob Kauffman, owner of RK Motors, in 2014. After an extensive 4,000+ hours of restoration with Rare Drive in New Hampshire, the original winning GT40 was restored back to its race-ready state.

The restored GT40 Chassis P/1046 was in attendance in 2016 Le Mans when Ford won the title again. It also made a red-carpet appearance together with the stars of 'Ford v Ferrari', celebrating the iconic race car's glory.

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