Ford GT Mk IV

[Matt Harper]

Just read a fascinating interview with Dan Gurney, concerning his and AJ's 1967 victory.
The Ford team actually cheated to win the race (don't think they'd have got away with it these days). What cunning trick did they utilise to fool the ACO scrutineers?  

[Fax]

Hi Matt,
I'll have to dig into my copy of "Ford vs Ferrari, The Battle for Le Mans"  to look up the answer.  I do remember that they had to re-work the roofline of the Foyt-Gurney car a bit to get the lanky Californian seated properly.  If you ever get the chance to meet Dan Gurney, by alls means jump at it.
He's really great fun to chat with.  As well as being a racing legend, he's a great enthusiast of the sport and loves to talk about it.  Doesn't have a shred of superstar ego.
John

[hgb]

Didn't they fiddle with the ride height ? The car was lower than the ACO regulations would allow. So they used a clamp in the springs to increase the ride height for the ACO inspection. On the track they pulled it out so that the car was on its original ride height. Clever boys they were.    

[Matt Harper]

Bang-on, hgb!
The car wouldn't go over 'the box' (as seen in the scrutineering scene in the Le Mans movie). The team inserted a shim in the front springs, which raised the ride height. They rigged-up a cable so that they could pull the shims out, once the car was on the track, the cheating bastards!
Actually this was an old NASCAR trick and the good 'ol boys were reknowned for their conniving ways. I remember seeing a TV interview with Bobby Allison (?) where the interviewer was holding a nitrous oxide kit like a dead octopus, that had just been removed from his car. When asked to account for it, he said he thought it was something to do with the suspension, but he wasn't sure....... that'll be right, then.

[Fax]

For the winning driver pairing in 1967 Le Mans was part of a remarkable few weeks.  What were their other accomplishments during that three or four week period?  This is actually pretty easy.
John

[Matt Harper]

Something to do with The Brickyard, by any chance?

[Fax]

Two weeks before Le Mans AJ Foyt won a dramatic third Indy 500.
he was second with a handfull of laps to go when Parnelli Jones's STP turbine car broke a six dollar bearing handing the win to Foyt but not before he had to thread his way through a five car accident in the fourth turn on the last lap.  The following weekend after Le Mans was the day the Eagle flew!  Dan Gurney drove his Eagle-Weslake to victory over Jackie Stewart's BRM in the 1967 Grand Prix of Belgium. Still the first and only win for an American built GP car.
John