Car Spot: 1966 Ford GT 40 Mk 1

The legendary mid-engined sports car for the streets

If you’re like me, you have watched the movie Ford v Ferrari at least a dozen times. While I love all that Carol Shelby has done, I developed a great appreciation for what Ken Miles added to the story. Sure, he was kind of rough around the edges at times, but he was also a great driver and a great engineer. And yes, he got screwed at Le Mans.

So I’m in Dallas visiting our daughter and driving on one of the freeways, and I spot a car a couple of cars ahead of me. It’s red and low. A Ferrari, a McLaren, nope, a Ford GT40 Mk 1! I’m pretty serious when it comes to chasing down a spot, so I followed it for a while, but then lost it. The next day, I attend a car show and bingo, it’s there!

OK, just in case you’ve been living under a rock. The 1966 Ford GT40 Mk I is a legendary mid-engined sports car built to break Ferrari’s dominance at Le Mans, achieving a historic 1-2-3 finish in 1966. Known for its 40-inch height, it featured a ZF 5-speed transmission and fiberglass bodywork, setting records on tracks not only at Le Mans but also at Sebring, and then in 68 won the Manufacturers Championship, winning at Brands Hatch, Monza, Spa, and Watkins Glen.

Powered by a high-performance 289 cu in V8, roughly 100 were produced. With a ZF 5DS-25 5-speed manual gearbox, they could do 0–60 mph in roughly 5.3 seconds, with top speeds between 160–190 mph! The design came from Ford Advanced Vehicles and was later refined by Carroll Shelby. Only 31 of the 1966 MK1s were originally built as road cars, featuring softer springs, luggage boxes, and enhanced interior comfort, such as carpeting and leather seats.

RELATED Video: Mark and I get a ride in a new Ford GT at Road America. Come along for the ride.

This one that I chased down in Dallas was sold to Charles Hill in 1967 after serving as a Ford dealer promotion car, and it seems to be right at home. It turns out the Dallas/Fort Worth area has a community of GT40 enthusiasts, with reports of original and replica (Superformance) GT40s in Frisco and Fort Worth. 

Ok, now the million-dollar question: what is one of these worth? While it’s tough to put an exact dollar amount, it would be A LOT! A 1966 Mk I road car, once owned by a business partner of Carroll Shelby, sold for $7 million at a 2025 Mecum auction, while at others it has sold for between $2.4 million and over $13 million.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my latest spot. I have tons more on our site, so be sure to check them out. Come back next Sunday for another one of my finds, along with some of its history. Have a great week.