Fabulous Ford F3L and ultimate Porsche 962C in full detail ...

At last weekend's Spa Classic many great cars ventured out on track and today we take a closer look at two of the very best.
The earliest of the pair is the Ford F3L developed for the 1968 World Sports Car Championship. Built to the new three-litre regulations, the Len Bailey designed car was powered by the Cosworth DFV V8 that had been created for Formula 1. Responsible for the development and construction was Alan Mann Racing, who did receive substantial backing from Ford themselves. Achingly beautiful, the F3L failed to live up its expectations and the project was set aside after the 1969 season. Crashed heavily in period, this F3L was eventually rebuilt and raced extensively in historic events by David Piper. It is now in Swiss ownership and been carefully restored once more while preserving the patina built up after years of racing. In the hands of ace historic racer Bernard Thuner, the slippery Ford F3L finished fourth in the CER1 race.
Certainly more successful in period was the all-conquering Porsche 962C and today we have singled out the ultimate development of the highly successful Group C car. Continuously developed by Joest Racing with considerable help from Porsche, chassis 962-011 remained competitive throughout its five-year career. In 1989, it scored the last Group C win for Porsche at Dijon and in 1993 finished second at the Road America IMSA GTP race behind a similarly modified sister car. These modifications included a massive biplane rear wing that was inspired by the Jaguar XJR-14 and developed in the wind tunnel at Weissach with the help of Norbert Singer himself. Finally retired from contemporary racing after the 1993 season, the ultimate 962C is now owned by a very capable British enthusiast, who won both Group C races at Spa on Sunday.

Enjoy the links:

[url="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/205/Ford-F3L.html"]1968 - 1969 Ford F3L - Images, Specifications and Information[/url]

[url="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/chassis/2666/Porsche-962C-962-011.html"]1985 - 1989 Porsche 962C Chassis 962-011 - Ultimatecarpage.com[/url]