The sole open-top Ford GT40 that ever competed in the Le Mans race is set to go up for auction.
Mecum Auctions
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The Ford GT40 Roadster is a rare model, and the possibly rarest remaining example—the only one to have competed in Le Mans—has been put up for auction.
The GT40 coupe is well-known in racing communities, but the roadster is less recognized. Designed specifically for racing, only five open-top GT40 variants were ever created. Chassis GT/108 was the first Ford GT Prototype Competition Roadster, which sold for $7.65 million during Monterey Car Week in 2019.
However, that particular vehicle was more of a road car and was never raced in its original time. Currently being offered by Mecum Auctions is chassis GT/109, which was sent to Shelby American in Los Angeles for preparation to race in the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The previous year, Ford had entered three vehicles but increased that to six for the 1965 race. Of those, the GT Roadster was the lightest at only 2,350 pounds. It was driven by French racers Maurice Trintignant and Guy Ligier. Trintignant had previously raced a Daytona Coupe for Shelby in the 1964 Tour de France, while Ligier later transitioned to Formula 1 as a driver and then became a constructor and team owner.
Sadly, Ford's experience at Le Mans that year mirrored its previous attempts, as none of the GTs finished the race. However, fortunes would change the following year. After this GT Roadster's race, it was returned to Shelby American for rebuilding.
Ultimately, Ford GT/109 never raced competitively again and was stored, first at Shelby and subsequently in a Detroit warehouse owned by Ford. Despite only a single racing appearance, the GT Roadster holds a significant place in racing history, thanks to chassis GT/109.
Throughout its existence, GT/109 has had just three owners: Ford/Carroll Shelby, Hollywood stuntman and custom car builder Dean Jeffries, and Mecum Auctions founder Dana Mecum, who acquired the roadster from the Jeffries family after Dean's passing in 2013. Mecum subsequently oversaw a restoration of the GT Roadster to its Le Mans specifications.
Chassis GT/109 is included in Lot R643 and is highlighted as a key offering in Mecum’s Indianapolis auction scheduled for next month.
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The sole open-top Ford GT40 that ever competed in the Le Mans race is set to go up for auction.
This roadster, together with five GT40 coupes, did not complete the Le Mans race in 1965. Fortunately, the outcome was more favorable in '66.