Highlights
- Serial XGT-3
- Only 11 GT40 MkII cars were built and only 9 examples survive substantially intact
- 1 of only 3 factory examples produced with a lightweight chassis
- Of the 9 MkIIs, most are in the hands of collectors including Miles Collier, Fred Simeone and the Shelby American Collection
- Built by Shelby American at the legendary LAX facility
- Regarded by Ronnie Spain as the most original GT40 MkII
- Spain is quoted stating “There are other MkIIs which have been fabulously restored to original configuration, but only XGT-3 is in that original condition still”
- Complete original body and factory thin-gauge steel chassis
- Aluminum lightweight roof
- Adjustable suspension only present on the lightweight cars
- Built from the factory with Le Mans fuel crossover tanks
- Owned by Ford Motor Company until 1977 and only four private owners since
- The Ford GT40 is regarded by many as America’s most important racing car
- It is very unlikely that another GT40 MkII will become available in the near future
Background
Few machines have ever captured the spirit of endurance racing and national pride like Ford’s GT40 MkII. Conceived to dethrone Ferrari at Le Mans, the MkII stands as the ultimate evolution of Ford’s Total Performance era and the car that cemented America’s dominance in international motorsport. Among this elite lineage, chassis XGT-3 is singular: one of only nine surviving MkII GT40s, one of just three built with a factory lightweight chassis, and, according to marque historian Ronnie Spain, the most original MkII in existence.
The MkII’s story is woven into one of racing’s greatest rivalries. After Ferrari’s sixth consecutive Le Mans victory in 1965, Ford intensified its assault. Working alongside Holman-Moody, Alan Mann Racing and Shelby American, the team developed the new 427 CI in the V-8-powered MkII, refining the aerodynamics, cooling and reliability that would carry Ford to its historic 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans in 1966. The MkII wasn’t just a race car—it was a declaration of engineering prowess, determination and American pride.
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XGT-3 was initially ordered by Alan Mann racing and then constructed by Shelby American at the legendary LAX facility, where Carroll Shelby’s team refined the GT40 into the formidable Le Mans winner. When the chassis/body was ordered by FAV (Ford Advanced Vehicles) from Abbey Panels, they specified that the body panels and chassis be made of an experimental, lightweight-gauge metal. Only three examples were ever constructed with the lightweight chassis, making XGT-3 the ultimate lightweight evolution of the MkII. Much like the famed alloy-bodied Ferraris of the same era, this lightweight construction represents a significant distinction in both rarity and value, as the MkII Lightweight stands as one of the most formidable configurations ever produced.
As noted by GT40 historian Ronnie Spain, XGT-3 retains its complete original body and chassis, with its factory thin-gauge steel structure, lightweight aluminum roof and adjustable suspension—the latter unique to the lightweight chassis cars. As Ronnie Spain famously wrote, “There are other Mark IIs which have been fabulously restored to original configuration, but only XGT-3 is in that original configuration still!”
Built with factory Le Mans fuel crossover tanks, XGT-3 represents the purest surviving form of Shelby’s ultimate GT40 development. Originally retained by Ford Motor Company until 1977, XGT-3 has passed through only four private owners since, each a careful custodian of this irreplaceable artifact. Of the nine surviving MkIIs, most of which reside in the world’s most prestigious collections—including those of Miles Collier, Fred Simeone and the Shelby American Collection—the offering of XGT-3 is a rarity, as it is very unlikely another MkII Lightweight will come to market for decades.
Summary
XGT-3 stands as the definitive reference example of the GT40 MkII—unrestored, uncompromised and unequaled. For collectors and historians alike, it represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire the most original Shelby-built GT40 MkII, a car that embodies the very moment when America conquered Le Mans.
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