WINNER - 1967 12 HOURS OF SEBRING
FORD TEAM CAR
Engine:
FORD 427 cid 525 hp.
TOP SPEED 225 + M.P.H
Owner LARRY MILLER
ford Motor Company Chairman, Henry Ford's decision to defend their 1966 successes at Daytone, Sebring and LeMans dictated the development of an all new car. The MK II - 40 was reaching the limits of its developmental capability, as it was based on the original, steel chassied 225 c.i. MKI. Weight, handling, aerodynamic considerations, and the considerable resources of
Ford Motor Company led to the development of a highly technologically advanced endurance racing car built entirely in the US. Constructed of 1 and 1/2' aluminum honeycomb panekls, the basic chassis weighed only 85 lbs. The MKIV was the first car to use this now almost universal material in its basic construction. Overall, a weight saving of nearly 300 lbs. was realized. Other aspects of the car incorporated new technology now accepted as the nom including wheels designed to pump hot air out of the brake calipers.
J4 was the first MKIV built and it won the Sebring 12 hours endurance race in 1967, driven by Mario Andretti and Bruce
McLaren. Another Mark IV won the 24 hours of LeMans a short time later crossing the finish line 32 miles ahead of the closest
Ferrari.
Ford Motor Company had now won LeMans in 1966 and 1967.
In 1983, George Stauffer found J4 along with 1046, the 1966 LeMans winner and 1074, the Gulf team Monza winner, stored in crates in a warehouse in Belgium.
J4 was restored by Leff
Dodge, Jeff Sime, Jim Bach and Steve Grundahl of Stauffer Classics,Ltd
December 21, 2010, 5:24 am
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