Gulf Mirage GT40 1968 Photograph by Christopher McKenzie

Gulf Mirage GT40 1968

by Christopher McKenzie

Canvas Print

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Framed Print

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Art Print

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Poster

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Metal Print

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Acrylic Print

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Wood Print

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Tapestry

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Throw Pillow

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Fleece Blanket

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Duvet Cover

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Shower Curtain

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Bath Towel

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Ornament

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Jigsaw Puzzle

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Tote Bag

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Weekender Tote Bag

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Zip Pouch

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Portable Battery Charger

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Yoga Mat

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Greeting Card

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Spiral Notebook

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Sticker

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iPhone Case

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Beach Towel

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Round Beach Towel

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Weekender Tote Bag

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Coffee Mug

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Men's Clothing

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Women's Clothing

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Youth Clothing

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Toddler Clothing

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Baby Clothing

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Title

Gulf Mirage GT40 1968

Artist

Christopher McKenzie

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photography

Description

The amazing GT40 seen here, chassis P/1074, is very well-documented in racing history. It began life as Mirage M.10003, and in its debut at Spa, in May 1967 where it finished First Overall. This was also the first win for any car under the fabled powder blue (1125) and marigold (1456) Gulf livery. Such an accomplishment on its own would be sufficient to impress any enthusiast, but it marks only the beginning of P/1074's storied history.

For the 1968 racing season, Mirage M.10003 was taken back to J.W.A. in England for its conversion into a Group 4 GT40. The conversion was completed on February 23, 1968, whereupon it became GT40 P/1074. It was the first (by serial number) of three lightweight racing GT40's built for the J.W.A./Gulf team.

The body was described as "super lightweight with carbon filament aluminum, fully-vented spare wheel cover, extra wide rear wheel arches, double engine coolers, and rear panel vented (sic) for brake air exit." The carbon fiber-reinforced bodywork used on the Mirage M1s, now P/1074, P/1075, and P/1076, are reputed to be among the first, if not the very first, uses of carbon fiber panels in race car fabrication.

Currently, P/1074 is fitted with an original, period correct GT40 Ford 289 cubic inch V-8. It was painted in powder blue Gulf livery, with a distinctive, constant-width, marigold (orange) center stripe.

This car's life was about to change dramatically. In 1970 when this car was to be used as a mobile camera car for Steve McQueen's epic production of the movie Le Mans. McQueen had insisted that the cars be filmed at speed. This necessitated that the camera car be capable of very high performance and keeping up with the "star" cars.

For filming purposes, the entire roof section was removed, which left P/1074 with a windscreen that was just a few inches high. It is believed that this operation rendered the doors inoperable. Period photographs of the car show the doors securely taped shut. At the same time, the car's fully-vented spare tire cover was removed and replaced with the less aerodynamically-efficient "twin nostril" unit from a road-going Mk III GT40.

P/1074 was employed as a camera car at the start of the 1970 Le Mans 24-Hour race, where its spare tire cover was removed, and a pair of movie cameras were mounted securely in the spare tire well. Several runs were made up and down the pit lanes prior to the race. It's uncertain as to whether the car actually ran during the race. A gyroscopically-stabilized, compressed air-powered, 180 degree rotating Arriflex camera was mounted on the rear deck, where it could be remotely-controlled by a dashboard-mounted TV screen. A 35 mm manually-rotated camera was securely mounted above the passenger side door.

But the combination of these heavy cameras, along with the car's substantially reduced aerodynamics and now less rigid chassis, meant the car was very hard to control at the 150 mph speeds the filming required.
This special car has appeared in numerous books, on the "Competition Ford GT40" poster, and it's been replicated in several models, both as the topless Le Mans camera car and in "conventional" Le Mans racing configuration.

This GT40 P/1074 is one of only two surviving Gulf Mirage M1's, and as such this car's impeccable credentials, both as a winning racer and as the camera car for the legendary Steve McQueen film Le Mans, as well as its long documented history of prominent owners and its meticulous restoration in J.W.A./Gulf livery, mark it as one of the most desirable GT40s, and indeed endurance racing cars, ever built.
In 2012 it brought a record $11 Million dollars at auction!

Photographed by me in 2016 and given a retro look to make this look like an old photo.
Other variations of this image available as well.