Following 24 months of deep research and intense development work, with the assistance and cooperation of the Ford Archive and Heritage department, and Gulf Oil International, Amalgam Collection today revealed the first images of their extraordinarily detailed model of the Ford GT40. Based on chassis #1075, the model depicts this most famous of Ford’s race cars, exactly as it was raced to victory at Le Mans in 1969 by Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver. Measuring nearly 51cm (20in) long, this model is limited to just 199 pieces.
1966 marked the beginning of the GT40 legend. A 1-2-3 victory at Daytona was quickly followed by another victory at Sebring. However, it was the Le Mans crown that Ford coveted. Ford assembled an army for the race that year: nine cars, over 100 personnel with 21 tonnes of spare parts. Ford defeated Ferrari in style, dominating the podium with the top three finishers and becoming the first American manufacturer to emerge victorious at Le Mans. Le Mans wins followed for the GT40 for three more years, establishing the GT40 as one of the most iconic race cars of all time. Ferrari have not won at Le Mans since.
The race ended in a 3-hour sprint, with the Ford battling exhaust problems whilst being pursued by the Porsche 908 of Herrmann and Gérard Larrousse, who themselves contended with mechanical issues affecting the brakes and engine. Ickx knew if he led onto the Mulsanne straight, Herrmann would pass, but he could slipstream past him back again and then hold a lead for the rest of a lap. The cars crossed the finish line with less than a minute to go and so needed to complete one more lap. The Ford had only ever done 23 laps on a tank of fuel, but now suddenly needed to gain an extra lap. Ickx faked a lack of power from fuel starvation, letting Herrmann pass him early on the Mulsanne Straight, before using the slipstream to pass him again just before the end of the 5km straight. Ickx held off Herrmann to cross the line first, denying Porsche for another year.
The Ford GT40 1969 Le Mans Winner is limited to just 199 pieces.