Ford P68
The Ford P68 , also known as the Ford 3L GT or F3L , was a racing sports car in 1968 for the newly introduced class of prototypes up to three liters of displacement.
Creation of the 3-liter prototype
After a seven-liter version of the Ford GT40 used by Ford USA not only won again at Le Mans, but also achieved very high speeds, the cubic capacity for 1968 increased from low-volume prototypes to three liters - as in Formula 1 - limited. The Ferrari 330P with its 4.0 liter engine were also affected . Although Ferrari had a suitable Formula 1 engine, it did not take part in the sports car world championship in 1968 as a protest and only got back in in 1969 with the Ferrari 312P .
technology
Ford introduced the Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine to Formula 1 in mid-1967. This engine, which was extremely successful in Formula 1 until 1982, also promised success in long-distance races, although there the peak power had to be reduced in order to achieve the necessary stability. Ford named more than 420 hp at 9000 / min and a maximum torque of 37.3 mkp (366 Nm) at 7000 / min. As with the GT40 years before, Ford Europe commissioned a British team to build a suitable car.
Alan Mann Racing and aerodynamicist Len Bailey presented two very flat, streamlined vehicles at Brands Hatch in early April 1968 . With an air resistance of just 0.27, the F3L was capable of top speeds of well over 350 km / h. They were only equipped with a small roof hatch to be considered open vehicles. The vehicles were 91 cm high and had a frontal area of 1.20 m². Its partly supporting aluminum body was connected to a frame made of light metal sheets welded and riveted. The bow and stern hood could be folded up completely so that all the units were easily accessible. The curb weight of the car was about 670 kg. The brake discs with a diameter of 30 cm were placed on the side of the 15-inch rims and not in the wheel arches, so that the cooling air could be drawn in better.
Races
The car made its debut at the BOAC 500 Miles from Brands Hatch . Jim Clark should have driven one of the two cars , but shortly before that he had a fatal accident in a Formula 2 race at the Hockenheimring . The new cars had problems, but Bruce McLaren achieved the second best training time, behind a Porsche 907 with a displacement of just 2.2 liters and significantly less power. One of the vehicles could not be started, the other failed with Mike Spence in the lead.
At the next run, the 1000 km race on the Nürburgring , Chris Irwin had a serious accident in the airfield section. The second car again failed to see the finish line in the race. Frank Gardner , who mainly moved the prototype after the death of Clark and Spence, who had meanwhile had an accident in Indianapolis , and the injury of Irwin, however, showed by setting the fastest time in the 1000 km of Spa on the fast, then over 13 km long track the potential of the car. The car was well over 300 km / h, but its handling was unstable. This problem, which was masked by the early breakdown in Spa, could not be completely solved even with spoiler attachments. Some drivers flatly refused to drive the car.
For the 24-hour race of Le Mans , which for political reasons did not take place until autumn in 1968, participation of the prototype was no longer an option due to lack of reliability and financing problems. With the old GT40 used by John Wyer , which were still allowed to take part due to the high number of units built, but with a maximum displacement of five liters, Ford had a more suitable vehicle that was to win again in 1969.
Another attempt was made for 1969. The changed rules, especially the minimum weight, favored an open Spyder over the coupés. Like Porsche the Porsche 908/02 and Ferrari the 312P Barchetta, Ford now presented an open variant, called P69, in which the passenger seat was covered. Driving behavior remained difficult. That is why the vehicle received large wings at the front and rear. After accidents in Formula 1, however, such excessive extensions were banned. After the car stuttered at the start at Silverstone in the rain with wet electrics, the race and the project were finally abandoned.
The coupe is now owned by David Piper ; In 2003 he led it a. a. on the Solitude racetrack .
The 1982 Ford C100 , also equipped with Cosworth, was a similar project. Here, too, the expected successes were not achieved, albeit not to the same extent as with the Ford 3L, which could never finish a race.
Use statistics
| year | run | route | driver | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Brands Hatch 6 hour race | Brands Hatch |
 Bruce McLaren Denis Hulme
|
Failure, transmission. In the race, Spence drove instead of Hulme. |
 Mike Spence Jochen Rindt
|
No start because the motor bracket broke during training. | |||
| 1000 km race on the Nürburgring | Nürburgring |
 Frank Gardner Richard Attwood
|
Failure, brake. | |
Chris Irwin Pedro Rodríguez
|
No start, accident during training. | |||
| RAC Tourist Trophy | Oulton Park |
Richard Attwood
|
Failure, differential. | |
| AMOC 500 Martini Trophy | Silverstone |
Frank Gardner
|
Failure, engine. | |
| 1000 km race from Spa-Francorchamps | Spa Francorchamps |
Frank Gardner Hubert Hahne
|
Failed in the race after the best time in practice, electrics. | |
| 500 km race from Zeltweg | Zeltweg airfield course |
Frank Gardner Richard Attwood
|
Did not show up. | |
| - | Did not show up. | |||
| 1969 | Brands Hatch 6 hour race | Brands Hatch |
Denis Hulme Masten Gregory
|
P68: Gregory was racing instead of Gardner. Failure, oil pressure. |
|
Frank Gardner Jack Brabham
|
P69: no start, withdrawn. | |||
| AMOC 300 Martini Trophy | Silverstone |
Frank Gardner
|
P69: no start, electrics. |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b auto motor und sport, issue 8/1968, p. 86
- ↑ Ford P68 F3L (1968) - unsuccessful beauty Many historical pictures on Zwischengas.com (last accessed August 2, 2016)
- ↑ wspr-racing.com: RAC Sports Car Championship 1968 , accessed on May 14, 2010
- ↑ Photo series at 20832.com
- ↑ P69 ( Memento of the original from October 9, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
