Debut for 'last' GT40

Ford GT40 chassis 1085 took to a race circuit for the first time ever at Donington Park in April, when owner Jonathan Turner drove the car 40 years after the chassis was produced.

The 1969 chassis, one of 105 made, had been stored in America and never used until Turner acquired it and had it built up by Ian Jones at Racing Fabrications. In March 1969 it was the last GT40 chassis to be numbered and was shipped to the US for Gil Jackson, who had already bought the ex-Alan Mann chassis 1009.

“This is a real Indiana Jones story,” said Turner of the remarkable find. “It sat in a crate as a chassis and complete set of parts for 40 years. I’d always wanted one of these and it’s just unbelievable to get this one. It has to be the most original GT40 in the world. Ian has done a brilliant job to build it; just about everything is totally original.”

Chassis 1085 was bought by Jackson as a spare, but not used. GT40 experts have known for some time about the chassis, which was acquired in 2007 by Turner who then had it shipped back to the UK. Turner now intends to contest the regularity section of Tour Auto and may then race the unique car later this summer.

Model historian Ronnie Spain has verified the car, having known of the chassis’s existence for many years. “Though GT40 P/1085 was sold new in March 1969, all Ford GT40 chassis had actually been built by chassis suppliers Abbey Panels by late 1966,” said Spain.