A 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype, chassis GT/108, will be among the headline offerings at the 2014 RM Auctions Monterey sale, scheduled for August 15–16 in downtown Monterey, California.
The first of four GT40 roadsters, GT/108 served as a development/demonstrator vehicle for Ford and Shelby American. Completed by Ford Advanced Vehicles in March 1965, GT/108 was tested at Silverstone by John Whitmore and Dickie Atwood before shipment to Shelby American.It then accompanied the Shelby USRRC team to Riverside Raceway in May, where GT/108 was used for “exhibition purposes.” In July, also at Riverside, GT/108 was driven by Ken Miles for further testing. Later that same month, it was used as a demonstrator at the Ford Board of Directors meeting at Shelby American’s facility in Los Angeles. At this meeting, Ken Miles, this time attired in coat and tie, provided demonstration rides to board members and executives. However, when it came to Mr. Ford’s turn, it was Carroll Shelby himself who jumped behind the wheel. The car was later featured at the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, New York, in October 1965, where it was reportedly driven by Jim Clark.
An original and well-documented example well-known in the GT40 community, GT/108 will make its auction debut at RM’s Monterey sale in August following more than two decades in single ownership within a prominent collection. As stated by John S. Allen in his book, GT40: The Legend Lives On, “prototype GT/108 is currently the only intact example of the marque still to carry the correct 1965-style nose, and the low tail section unique to roadsters. (Further) 108 is the only roadster, or “spyder”, to remain in as-built condition.” The car comes with the engine that was in the vehicle when GT/108 was sold into private hands from the Ford Factory via Kar Kraft in 1965.
GT/108 has been lightly campaigned and shown at various events over the years, including the GT40 25th Anniversary Reunion in Watkins Glen in 1989, as well as at the Pebble Beach and Amelia Island Concours events and The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering (Estimate Available Upon Request).
“Ford and Ferrari were at the center of one of the most intense feuds in international motorsport. The GT40 of the 1960s was the result of Henry Ford II’s declaration of war on Ferrari after a failed buyout—if he couldn’t own the small Modenese sports car outfit, he vowed to beat them on the track…no matter what the cost!” said Shelby Myers, Car Specialist, RM Auctions.
“GT/108 is very special, as it is one of the early prototype cars. It is the first roadster version and certainly one of the most important of the twelve prototype cars built, as it was Ford and Shelby’s factory development car, driven by Carroll Shelby himself. Offered for the first time in 20 years, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the serious collector, and we are honored to have been selected by the consignors to sell this important piece of history,” Myers added.
Another offering set to make its auction debut at the 2014 RM Auctions Monterey sale is the 1931 Bentley 8-Litre Sports Coupe Cabriolet, chassis YR5099. A one-off design by Barker and the only original two-passenger roadster built on an 8-Litre chassis, this automobile was ordered new by Sir P. Malcolm Stewart, a Bentley enthusiast and owner of the London Brick Company. It has passed through the hands of numerous owners over the years, including well-known McLaren racing team associate, Formula One boss, and car collector Peter Agg, who acquired the car in the late 1970s. For the past several years, YR5099 has been part of one of Europe’s most prominent collections of pre-war automobiles. Restored and evaluated by Bentley historian Clare Hay and Bentley restorer Graham Moss, it is presented at auction for the first time, where it will be accompanied by documentation confirming its matching-numbers (Estimate: $3,750,000–$4,750,000).
Additional Monterey consignments include:
- 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV, chassis 4942, finished in yellow with a black leather interior and the recipient of a photo-documented restoration (Estimate: $1,800,000–$2,400,000);
- 1938 SS 100 Jaguar 3½-Litre Roadster, chassis 39032, formerly owned by the Keno family (Estimate: $850,000–$1,200,000); and,
- 1961 Aston Martin DB4, chassis DB4/718/R, matching-numbers example originally delivered to Castrol Ltd. and is presented in barn-find condition with its original interior (Estimate: $300,000–$375,000).
1961 Aston Martin DB4 (photo: Erik Fuller) 
1931 Bentley 8-Litre Sports Coupe Cabriolet by Barker (photo: Michel Zumbrunn)
RM’s flagship Monterey sale, held during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance weekend, returns to downtown Monterey, California, August 15–16, 2014. In 2013, RM’s Monterey auction generated $125 million in sales, the highest grossing collector car auction of all time. This year’s event will present a selection of more than 100 collector cars.
For further information, to discuss limited consignment opportunities, or to view a frequently updated list of entries, visit www.rmauctions.com or call +1 519 352 4575.
[Source: RM Auctions]
