The ugliest GT40 ever?

[BT SNAKE]

I thought it was interesting to learn that this was the experimental J car
that Ford was working on. It is also the J car that Ken Miles was driving when he was killed. It was one really ugly looking car. So much so that even though it turned the fastest time but was considered to be in need of more development. therefore, in spite of turning the fastest lap in time trials, the car was not raced. Looking like a breadvan, the car was aerodynamically unstable.
I had never seen this prototype before but I'm sure happy that it
did not make production for race.

Hersh

[Woodz428]

That pic doesn't show the rear deck lines...although it won't make it prettier. The tub was used in the MKIV with just the nose and tail swapped, similar to the Lola/MKI/MKII/MKIII. There are all sorts of speculation about what occurred, depending on how you read the tire marks leading off track. To be honest, I always had a soft spot for the J-car.

[Anthony]

I remember as a kid that some toy manufacturer made I think a slot car with the J-car body, calling it a GT-40.

[Murphy]

J-car you say. Striking the similarity to the K-car my grandmother drove in the late 80's

[Russ Dickey]

It didn't earn the nickname "Bread Wagon" for nuthin'. And yeah, it is ugly. Although IMO, the Mk. III ain't a whole lot prettier.

And Anthony, is this the toy car you are thinking of?



This was one of the early Hot Wheels Redlines, called the Ford J-Car.

[BT SNAKE]

Russ, That's cool that you would have one of those. I feel a lot better
now that I know I'm in the company of similar car nuts who enjoy
racing oddities and obscure history.
The thing I really enjoy is those members here who were there at many of
the track events and races. Like Rick MK IV and Calmetal. I bet they could write their own book. Seems like there is always something left in the past
that somebody like these guys bring forth.

Hersh

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Russ Dickey

And Anthony, is this the toy car you are thinking of?



This was one of the early Hot Wheels Redlines, called the Ford J-Car.

And this one as well.

[Woodz428]

Looking at that yellow car from the side, it's easy to tell why it went off track. The front end is way too light, probably plowed right off

[Don]

While I do not have any pictures, Jim Hall's Chaparral ( spelling ?) that had the auxilirary sucker engine for downforce was not one of the nicer looking designs, but it was fast.

Favorite was the original 65 & 66 driven by Hap Sharp and Jim Hall