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Chassis:
This is the penultimate Ford GT prototype built and the third of four Roadsters. Painted white, chassis 111 was entered in the 1965 Le Mans Trials. Piloted by John Whitmore, it set the sixth fastest time. The car was subsequently dispatched to Sicily for the Targa Florio. In the event's searing heat, the car's Roadster body did make sense. Finished in 'Linden Green', it was driven by Whitmore and Bob Bondurant. They were up to third, when, on lap eight, Bondurant left the road and hit a bridge. The damage to the chassis was so extensive that the car was not repaired in period.
At the end of the Ford GT program in Slough, FAV ordered the remains to be cut in two pieces and sent it to a wreckers for destruction. For decades the car was believed to have been lost but in recent years, it became clear that the destruction order had not been executed. The family that owned the scrapyard had carefully stored the chassis halves and eventually sold it to the current owner. He had the car completely restored by Gelscoe Motorsport in 2007 and has since raced the car in a variety of events. Among them were several editions of the Goodwood Revival and also the 2008 Le Mans Classic for which he had the car painted white again.
During this period the rare Ford GT Roadster was offered for sale by Maxted Page but no new owner was found. The current custodian has now taken a more aggressive approach and has offered chassis GT/111 in RM's May 21st Villa d'Este Auction. The pre-sale estimate is a hefty EUR2.400.000-EUR2.900.000.
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