Why did Ford leave LeMans after 69?

[SpyderMike]

You can buy a new continuation GT40 today:

Superformance | GT40

[URY914]

This is a Superformance GT40 at Daytona in Nov.

[ficke]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

Btw, Ford America left Le Mans post season in '67, with the advent of rules changed regulating prototypes into group 6 with maximum 3.0L engine capacity.(Ford had been using 7.0L cars). The MKIV in Baz's 1967 wasn't legal for 1968, and Ford had gone in huge for the new car, only to not be able to use it in 1968.

The continuence of Ford at Le mans through '68 and '69 was not Ford America but privateer team efforts using former Ford GT40's running as a limited production class with a 5.0L engine capacity.

The new 3.0L prototypes posed a challenge on pace, but couldn't pull off reliability, so Weyers group 4 cars took wins in '68 and '69.

For '69 the Group 4 regulations that allowed the earlier production GT40's with sub 5.0L engines to still race had the amount required lowered from 50 to 25, and this is where Porsche came up with the 917. Ferrari countered with the 512 in 1970.

Ford went no budget cap in '67, not getting to use the new car again in '68 probably hurt.

Thanks, it was not Ford that won in 68 69 but Wyer using a Ford. Wyer also won Le mans using a Porsche.

[jcommin]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

Rules changed prototypes to be limited to 3.0L cars.

There was a production class where a sample size had to be produced that allowed bigger engines.

Ford could still run the Ford GT as they had built the sample size over the years, but to develop a new car would either be a 3.0L prototype, or build a sample size batch of a new car.

They would be up against the Ferrari 512 and Porsche 917 and the pace of the 917 even if unreliable had already been proven in 1969.

The Ford GT was not likely to win in 1970 given the faster competition and a new prototype to replace it would not of been able to match the engine size unless built in a larger quantity.

The Ford GT was still legal for 1970, it just was a generation old and couldn't match the pace of the 917/512.

Rule change - There was such a different mind on engine design between the USA and Europe.

[ficke]

Originally Posted by ficke

Thanks, it was not Ford that won in 68 69 but Wyer using a Ford. JW also won Le mans using a Porsche.

I am incorrect, JW never won La Mans with a Porsche. It was a Mirage in 75. they won the championship two years in a row with a Porsche.

[nota]

ford 3.0 gt 68-69 was a dog

The Ford P68, also commonly known as the Ford 3L GT or F3L, is a sports prototype racing car model introduced in March 1968. It was designed by Len Bailey, a Ford research engineer, funded by Ford Europe and built by Alan Mann Racing at Weybridge, Surrey, UK. The first competition appearance of a Ford 3L prototype was at the BOAC 500 race at Brands Hatch in Kent. Despite apparent pace, the car was criticized for instability at high speeds and, due to mechanical and electrical failures, did not finish any of the races for which it was entered.

For the 1969 season the P68 was used as the basis for an aborted, fully open Spyder, dubbed the Ford P69. The P69 sported large, free-standing aerofoil wings, which were vital to the car's stability at high-speeds. However, these were banned by the European sanctioning body early in the season, thus the P68 was not eligible to race in the respective class any longer .