1968 Ford GT40 Competition Coupe

This Gulf Oil Company car, chassis number 1076, was entered in the 1969 24 Hours of LeMans driven by David Hobbs and Mike Hailwood. The car was on pace to win the race when mechanical problems arose and lost a considerable amount of time in and out of the pits before the problem was found. Meanwhile, sister car number 1075 took over the lead and eventually won the race, just a few yards ahead of 908 Porsche, with this car, #1076 closely behind and finishing 2nd in class and 3rd overall. This example is one of the first race cars to use carbon fiber bodyworks and an on-board fire extinguisher system. The rest of the story - at the end of the Le Mans race, owner John Wyer offered to sell this car to driver David Hobbs for $3,000. Hobbs replied, 'I just spent 12 hours in that car, why would I want to buy it?' The car also raced at Daytona and Sebring.

The 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours was the last hurrah for the GT40s, as their 4-year-long dominance was finally coming to an end. The factory team cars were eventually dispersed to museums or private ownership. GT40 #1076 was painted up to look like the famous 2-time Le Mans winner, sister car #1075 and was displayed in the Louvre in Paris after the race. IN the late 1990s, #1076 was purchased by a collector who decided it was time for the car to return to its racing heritage. After much discussion and study, a state-of-the-art restoration was commissioned to return #1076 back to its 'most significant point in time.'