Photo: Girardo & Co.
Ever since the internal combustion engine became an integral part of how we live our lives, automakers have found the resources necessary to create thoroughly special machines. The mighty Ford GT40 of the 1960s is one such car, but it’s not as special as the six GT40 Roadster prototypes ever built. GT/108 is the only existing example, and it’s looking for a new owner.
Offered for sale by London-based Girardo & Co., the GT40 Roadster came to life as a test and development vehicle for Shelby American. Driven back in the day by the likes of Carroll Shelby, Formula 1 champion Jim Clark, and racing legend Ken Miles, the alluring GT/108 presents itself in immaculate condition.
Documented ever since it left Abbey Panels in October 1964 to Ford Advanced Vehicles, the car was completed in March 1965. Built in the United Kingdom it may be, but as with any other GT40, the Roadster prototype brags with thundering American horsepower. The mid-mounted 289-cu.in. V8 gets its mojo from Weber carburetors, and the goodies are sent to the rear axle through a four-speed manual gearbox located to the right of the driver’s seat.
Speaking of seats, they’re a bit narrow by modern standards. It’s also worth highlight that getting in the car is not the most gracious thing one can do, chiefly because the door sills are both wide and high. On the flip side, headroom isn’t an issue in a roofless GT40, not even for the tallest of people.
The first GT40 Roadster ever finished formerly changed hands in 2014, when RM Sotheby’s auctioned it at Monterey for $6,930,000. Girardo & Co. doesn’t offer a price on the Windsor V8-powered blast from the past, but it wouldn’t be too surprising to find out the seller expects an offer north of $7 million.
In the words of GT40 historian Ronnie Spain, "GT/108 is one of the finest, and certainly rarest, examples of the Ford GT40 in existance. Its rarity value is stamped all over its history."
Documented ever since it left Abbey Panels in October 1964 to Ford Advanced Vehicles, the car was completed in March 1965. Built in the United Kingdom it may be, but as with any other GT40, the Roadster prototype brags with thundering American horsepower. The mid-mounted 289-cu.in. V8 gets its mojo from Weber carburetors, and the goodies are sent to the rear axle through a four-speed manual gearbox located to the right of the driver’s seat.
Speaking of seats, they’re a bit narrow by modern standards. It’s also worth highlight that getting in the car is not the most gracious thing one can do, chiefly because the door sills are both wide and high. On the flip side, headroom isn’t an issue in a roofless GT40, not even for the tallest of people.
The first GT40 Roadster ever finished formerly changed hands in 2014, when RM Sotheby’s auctioned it at Monterey for $6,930,000. Girardo & Co. doesn’t offer a price on the Windsor V8-powered blast from the past, but it wouldn’t be too surprising to find out the seller expects an offer north of $7 million.
In the words of GT40 historian Ronnie Spain, "GT/108 is one of the finest, and certainly rarest, examples of the Ford GT40 in existance. Its rarity value is stamped all over its history."
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