Over the past few years there’s been a lot of hubbub about “barn finds” and other discoveries that often involve exaggerated stories and so-called “survivor” characterizations − there are even some fakes ones floating around the Internet like a stash discovered in Portugal. But this one here from Road & Track that may be the motherlode.
Imagine walking in a neighborhood in California and making out a 1966 Ford GT40 under a load of junk in a garage. Does it get better than that? Perhaps − it was the last GT40 produced in 1966, it was the last GT40 to receive a Ford serial number (all subsequent ones had serial numbers from J.W. Engineering), and it’s one of three Mark I cars to receive the transitional rear clamshell configuration that was a hallmark of Mark II cars.
While this GT40 doesn’t have a strong racing pedigree, it’s still an honest-to-goodness GT40 found in a garage. The story goes that a firefighter purchased it in 1975 but stored it two years later when he had engine trouble. Add some health problems over the years and the owner continued to mothball the Ford racer until it was discovered. That’s where the romance ends, however, as the GT40 ended up in a bidding war with a purchase price that was “very expensive,” according to new owner Tom Shaughnessy.
If you’re in love with the GT40, you may be pleased to learn that the Ford GT may be making a comeback, so stay tuned for updates as they happen.
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