Ford P68
The Ford P68, also called Ford 3L GT or F3L, in 1968, was a racing sports car for the newly introduced class of prototypes to three liters.
How 3 -liter prototypes
After 1967, not only had won again at Le Mans a used Ford USA variant of the Ford GT40, equipped with seven liters of displacement, but also scored very high speeds, was short already for 1968, the engine capacity of built in small numbers prototypes to three liters - like in Formula 1 - limited. These concerns were also the Ferrari 330P with 4 liters. Although Ferrari had a proper formula 1 engine, they did not receive in 1968 in protest at sports car racing part and rose until 1969 with the Ferrari 312P again.
Technique of P68
Ford had mid-1967 the Ford -Cosworth DFV V8 engine introduced in Formula 1. This engine, which was until 1982 very successful in Formula 1, also promised success in endurance racing, although there the peak power had to be reduced in order to achieve the necessary stability. As a performance called Ford "over" 420 hp at 9000/min and a maximum torque of 37.3 kgm (366 Nm) at 7000 rpm. As years earlier with the GT40 Ford Europe again commissioned a British team to build a suitable car.
Alan Mann Racing and aerodynamics expert Len Bailey presented in early April 1968 in Brands Hatch two very flat, streamlined vehicles before, the pro forma had a skylight to be considered as open. The vehicles were 91 cm high and had a frontal area of 1.20 m². Their partial load-bearing aluminum body was associated with a welded from light metal sheets and riveted frame. Bow and stern hood could be folded up completely, so that all aggregates were easily accessible. The curb weight of the car was about 670 kg. The brake discs with a diameter of 30 cm were the side of the 15 " rims and not placed in the wheel discs, in order to introduce the cooling air better.
The Ford P68 in competition
One of the two cars had Jim Clark to go, but on the verge of a fatal accident in a Formula 2 race at the Hockenheimring. The new cars from Ford had problems. Nevertheless, Bruce McLaren achieved the second best training time, behind a Porsche 907 with only 2.2 liters of displacement and significantly less power. One of the vehicles could not be brought to the start of the " BOAC 500 miles " at Brands Hatch, the other fell out with Mike Spence in the lead.
In the next run, the 1000 km race at the Nürburgring, Chris Irwin crashed very hard at the section airfield. The fact that the car had a then cutting-edge, riveted aluminum monocoque, probably saved his life. The remaining cars in the race saw the goal again not a fate that was to learn the P68 in all applications. Frank Gardner, who after the death of Clark and Spence, who by now had had an accident in Indianapolis, and the violation of Irwin prototype mainly moving, but showed by the pole position at the 1000 km of Spa on the fast, at that time more than 13 km stretch the potential of Ford on. The car was well over 300 km / h but it quickly in handling unstable. This problem, which was concealed by early failure in Spa, it could not completely solve even with spoiler extensions. Some drivers refused flatly to drive the car. Similar problems had Porsche in 1969 with the first variant of the Porsche 917, so Frank Gardner and David Piper were engaged for ever to a 917 took part in the Nürburgring.
For the 24 - hour race at Le Mans, for political reasons only took place in the autumn of 1968, was already a part of the prototype due to lack of reliability and financing problems no longer up for debate. Ford had with the improvement of John Wyer GT40 old, who were allowed to continue to participate because of the high number built, but with a maximum of 5 liters, for a more suitable vehicle, which was also in 1969 to win again.
For 1969 we made a new attempt. The changed rules, in particular, the minimum weight, favored an open Spyder over the coupe. How Porsche Porsche 908/ 02 and the Ferrari 312P Barchetta, Ford now an open variant before, called P69, where the passenger seat but was covered. The driving behavior remained the question. Therefore, the vehicle received front and rear big wing. After accidents in F1 such rampant additions, however, were forbidden. After the Ford stuttering was at Silverstone in the rain with wet electrics at the start, the race and the project was finally abandoned.
The coupe is now owned by David Piper; In 2003, he led it provide, inter alia on the Solitude.
The Ford C100 from 1982, equipped with Cosworth, was a similar project. Here, too, remained from the expected success, though not to the same extent as the Ford 3L, who could never finish a race.