AMGT40/1

While all five chassis were built with aluminum roof structures (the greenhouse), the MKI's (AMGT40/1 & 2) were special in that they also had aluminum doors and aluminum front & rear body clips. The standard MKI rocker panel covers were also eliminated, which saved more weight and gave AMGT40/1 & 2 a rather unusual "beltline" appearance.

Due to their special construction, AMGT40/1 & 2 hold a unique place in GT40 history as the lightest (therefore potentially the fastest) of all MKI's ever built. Another little known fact is: if it wasn't for the lack of time, these AM GT's were also scheduled to become the first GT40's with the narrow windshield/greenhouse treatment which was later made famous by the 1967 Mirages.

Other special Alan Mann modifications included improving the unsprung weight and handling characteristics by replacing the standard Koni steel shocks with lighter aluminum derivatives and revising the front/rear suspension pickup points and a-arm geometry.

AMGT40/1's first race was 1966 Sebring, where it wore #25 and was driven by Frank Gardner and Sir John Whitmore (one of the directors of Alan Mann Racing Ltd). Gridded 7th, AMGT40/1 was running strong behind two factory MKII's and two factory Ferrari P3's when clutch failure in the 9th hour brought its first race to an abrupt end.

Alan Mann AMGT40/1 at 1966 LeMans test days.

Freshened up for 1966 LeMans test days, AMGT40/1 was once again driven by the team of Gardner and Whitmore. Unfortunately this event turned out to be the swan song for AMGT40/1. The MKII program was coming on strong and Ford decided that Alan Mann should end the development of the lightweight MKI's and switch to the 427 powered MKII's for 1966 LeMans. All dressed up and with no place to go, AMGT40/1 was sold off. As is common with most obsolete race cars, AMGT40/1 then went through several owners and modifications. Finally, in the late 1960s' AMGT40/1 was heavily damaged in an unusual road accident and essentially became a static piece of GT40 history.

Fast forward some 35 years later... It's now 2004 and the time has finally come for AMGT40/1's original damaged tub, wrinkled body panels and smallest of components to be repaired/restored to its proper 1966 "point in time". It will be quite a challenge.

As the restoration proceeds, RacingIcons (and the present owner) will endeavor to accurately honor the work of those who originally built and raced AMGT40/1.