As Ford Motor Company readies the latest generation of the Ford GT to compete at Le Mans, Shelby American, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Carrol Shelby International Inc. will offer a limited run of twenty total 50th Anniversary Shelby GT40 MK II cars to honor this historic racing achievement.
In the mid-1960s, Henry Ford II turned to Carroll Shelby to help the blue oval capture the international sports car championship including an overall win in the world’s biggest car race, the 24 hours of Le Mans. Beginning with a victory at Daytona in February 1966, Ford and Shelby dominated sports car racing. They combined for a 1-2-3 sweep of the 1966 Le Mans race and then won it the next three straight years.
“Carroll Shelby’s involvement in Ford’s Le Mans program is one of the best-known chapters in our racing history,” said Joe Conway, Co-CEO of Carroll Shelby International and CEO of Shelby American. “Carroll Shelby shared Henry Ford II’s desire to defeat the house of Enzo on the international stage to earn American automakers worldwide respect. The successful partnership between Shelby and Ford continues and can be seen in every vehicle we build today.”
The Shelby continuation cars are built around the original style steel monocoque unibody chassis and fully independent suspension using unequal length A-arms. Over two-thirds of the parts are interchangeable with the original racecar.
The car also stays true to the original GT40 MK II’s dimensions (163 inches long and 40 inches high) with the same two 10-gallon fuel tanks. Even the cockpit stays true to the original with Smith style gauges and silver riveted seats.
It can be ordered in right or left-hand drive and in 3 different color configurations including black/silver, blue/white or red/white with the original 15 inch Halibrand style pin drive wheels. Other than the introduction of adding the creature comfort of air conditioning, with a big block Ford FE 427 engine installed, the car looks and feels like it just stepped out of Parc Ferme. The 50th Anniversary Shelby GT40 MK II MSRP is USD169,995 for a rolling chassis. More information is available at www.Shelby.com
