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Post by mikael on Dec 3, 2019 14:12:54 GMT
Playing the role of a camera car for the '66 movie "Grand Prix" is also an interesting little part of the Ford GT40 history. Interesting to think about that it really was a state-of-the-art racing car - soon to be Le Mans winner - at the time.
Interestingly, actor Yves Montand was not keen on driving himself (contrary to James Gardner), and preferred to be dragged along, behind the GT40, like a small trailer.
Ford GT40, chassis # 1027.
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Post by Carl on Dec 3, 2019 16:35:28 GMT
Playing the role of a camera car for the '66 movie "Grand Prix" is also an interesting little part of the Ford GT40 history. Interesting to think about that it really was a state-of-the-art racing car - soon to be Le Mans winner - at the time.
Interestingly, actor Yves Montand was not keen on driving himself (contrary to James Gardner), and preferred to be dragged along, behind the GT40, like a small trailer.
Ford GT40, chassis # 1027. Phil Hill was chosen to drive the camera car and seems to be at the wheel in the last photo. As I recall, he "started" a race along with actual Grand Prix drivers to assure realistic footage.
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Post by mikael on Dec 4, 2019 6:52:47 GMT
Carl, I have the book "GT40: An Individual History and Race Record", by Ronnie Spain, which has a page or two about any single (original) GT40 that was ever made. According to this book, the film company MGM bought car/chassis # 1027 as new, directly from the factory (or rather, directly from the workshop, I guess) in early 1966. Nothing was spared, apparently, in order to get everything right. Mikael
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Post by mikael on Dec 22, 2019 6:43:54 GMT
In 1966, of course the Ford and the Porsche work cars ran in different classes; but still, it's interesting to compare the different "philosophies" of raw power vs. lightweightness. - Ford GT40, 7 litre engine, 475 HP, curb weight 1217 kg ==> power to weight ratio: 0.39 HP/kg (or 2.56 kg/HP) - Porsche 908, 2 litre engine, 210 HP, curb weight 580 kg ==> power to weight ratio: 0.36 HP/kg (or 2.76 kg/HP) Ford GT40, 475 HP to propel 1217 kg. Porsche 908, 210 HP to propel 580 kg.
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Post by René on Dec 27, 2019 16:23:12 GMT
Well, I finally got to see the film 'Ford vs Ferrari' today and I was not disappointed!
The acting is superb as to be expected with such a cast but I was also very impressed how they recreated the scenery of the 1960s. From the streets of Hollywood/Los Angeles to the suburbs and from Willow Springs or Riverside to La Sarthe. It all looked very realistic to the smallest detail.
The racing scenes are fantastic even if drivers giving each other a nod at 200mph seems quite unlikely but hey, it's Hollywood. Most of the race and test scenes are very realistic and convincing and seeing and hearing (!) those Fords and Ferraris in action is just a treat for every race fan.
There are surely some details that are not correct but in all honesty, in most cases I didn't really notice. And of course the story has been tweaked and romantisiced but it's a movie, not a documentary. They managed to capture that 1960s feeling and the passion of the people involved.
Definitively one of the best racing movies I have seen.
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Post by charleselan on Dec 27, 2019 17:12:25 GMT
Brilliant René, I think your positive comment will reassure everyone here to go see or get a copy of the film. I downloaded a copy weeks ago but after two minutes it was obviously a poor quality "screener" so that went in the bin, I will wait until it comes out in DVD/BlueRay or HD download and then watch it; can't wait .
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Post by Carl on Dec 27, 2019 20:44:20 GMT
It's one of the best of the rare movies centered on racing and I suppose any complaints are superfluous considering the great racing scenes and outstanding acting, but many who see a "based on real events" movie assume everything conveyed is accurate. And in Ford v Ferrari, I still object to the portrayal of Carroll Shelby as a designer. He deserves full credit for some great concepts and his accomplishments as a team leader, but all he designed is the legend that continues to surround him thanks to the publicity department of Carroll Shelby Enterprises leveraging it to sell product. Eric Broadley deserved more mention than the Lola T70 model kit briefly seen on a shelf in the son's bedroom, a backhanded acknowledgement of an actual design genius. I'd love to know whose idea that was!
My dislike for Shelby stems from his treatment of Pete Brock, who designed the Daytona Coupe. When he left to form his own Brock Racing Enterprises, Carroll Shelby tried hard to sabotage his efforts in SCCA C-Production and B-Sedan, deploying underhanded legal hardball to no avail. Ol' Shel did not take kindly to anyone who'd burnished his legend and then left.
The International Movie Data Base website notes that Jacky Ickx is briefly seen in the crowd at LeMans. I didn't notice, but if true that would be very cool!
Also, the movie had Enzo Ferrari at LeMans for dramatic effect, but if he'd actually been there, a no holds barred battle of titans might have broken out, Ford versus Ferrari in the narrow corridor behind the pits, fists flailing and dentures snapping at maximum downforce.
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Post by René on Dec 28, 2019 11:16:52 GMT
Carl, I watched the movie not bothered by too much factual knowledge on Shelby and the American racing scene and from that perspective it was a very good racing movie. Also my knowledge about this particular Le Mans edition and Ken Miles was basic to be honest. But I aknowledge every word you say about Shelby and agree on Broadley and the Lola T70. I didn't see Ickx either! Have to watch it again when I have it on blueray.
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Post by Carl on Dec 29, 2019 20:38:57 GMT
Well, I finally got to see the film 'Ford vs Ferrari' today and I was not disappointed!
The acting is superb as to be expected with such a cast but I was also very impressed how they recreated the scenery of the 1960s. From the streets of Hollywood/Los Angeles to the suburbs and from Willow Springs or Riverside to La Sarthe. It all looked very realistic to the smallest detail. Ford v Ferrari is outstanding for reasons several here have mentioned and in a more perfect world films centered on racing would become a genre. But this won't happen and Hollywood would inject silliness and melodrama even if it did. Ford v Ferrari is well-written with excellent racing scenes, very little silliness and no melodrama. Someone involved with the production understood racing and, just as important, was listened to.
Rene, The look of 1960s Los Angeles, especially of Hollywood and the suburbs, isn't hard to come by for a good location scout. An impressive accomplishment was the sheer number of period cars in the backgrounds; it's hard to achieve total period accuracy away from the studio lot, but they succeeded.
Willow Springs is still there in the high desert 90 miles north of Los Angeles and still used primarily for testing, as it had been for Cobra development at the time. It remains unchanged and plays itself in the first race.
Riverside was closer to Los Angeles and used extensively for development and testing by many top tier teams, including Shelby Racing. The sand dune portrayal in the film more closely resembles the Sahara, but finding a proper location must have been impossible. Riverside Raceway had the San Bernardino Mountains very close to the north and gorgeous 11,500 foot Mount San Gorgonio was reason enough to have good binoculars when you came to the races.
How they recreated La Sarthe was ingenious. I believe they filmed on location for just a day or two with all they needed carefully arranged, and elsewhere when realism could be artfully suggested, doing a great job.
-Il commendatore Americano
Riverside on a winter morning with Turn 9 in the foreground. The esses look odd because of shadows cast by the infield earthen banks. The large grandstands are Turn 6.
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Post by René on Jan 3, 2020 20:35:00 GMT
Here's an interesting review on Ford vs Ferrari on what's true and what's false in the movie. If you haven't seen it yet watch out for spoilers!
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Post by Carl on Jan 3, 2020 22:07:01 GMT
Here's an interesting review on Ford vs Ferrari on what's true and what's false in the movie. If you haven't seen it yet watch out for spoilers! For some reason there are several like this to be found, I suspect because of race fans obsessed with the true number of rivets on the GT-40. This is a good one but it leaves out the food fight in the early coffee shop scene, started when Ken Miles used the squeeze bottle of mustard like a fire extinguisher across the table. If Carroll Shelby hadn't always loved being covered by mustard, it might have gotten ugly.
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Post by René on Jan 3, 2020 23:05:36 GMT
Here's an interesting review on Ford vs Ferrari on what's true and what's false in the movie. If you haven't seen it yet watch out for spoilers! For some reason there are several like this to be found, I suspect because of race fans obsessed with the true number of rivets on the GT-40. This is a good one but it leaves out the food fight in the early coffee shop scene, started when Ken Miles used the squeeze bottle of mustard like a fire extinguisher across the table. If Carroll Shelby hadn't always loved being covered by mustard, it might have gotten ugly. There's that damn mustard again..
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Post by Carl on Jan 4, 2020 1:13:15 GMT
For some reason there are several like this to be found, I suspect because of race fans obsessed with the true number of rivets on the GT-40. This is a good one but it leaves out the food fight in the early coffee shop scene, started when Ken Miles used the squeeze bottle of mustard like a fire extinguisher across the table. If Carroll Shelby hadn't always loved being covered by mustard, it might have gotten ugly. There's that damn mustard again.. I'm cooking sausages tonight and have mustard on my mind. I remember ordering a roast beef sandwich in France before I knew how hot French mustard could be and soon asking for water...please! My favorites are French's, a longtime American standard, and Beaver Sweet Hot, thickened with honey and nicely hot.
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Post by René on Jan 4, 2020 11:48:28 GMT
There's that damn mustard again.. I'm cooking sausages tonight and have mustard on my mind. I remember ordering a roast beef sandwich in France before I knew how hot French mustard could be and soon asking for water...please! My favorites are French's, a longtime American standard, and Beaver Sweet Hot, thickened with honey and nicely hot.
Sounds excellent! Bon appetit.
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Post by charleselan on Jan 4, 2020 18:21:42 GMT
I would say that Dijon mustard is more sharp in taste than hot, very good however. Back around 2006 a friends wife introduced me to an excellent UK produce called "Honeycup"mustard which is superb. As a pescatarian I seldom have the opportunity to have much mustard, but this "Honeycup" mustard is wonderful along with a cheddar cheese sandwich. Going back to my childhood I remember that the UK mustard of choice by Colemans came in powdered form and it was mixed with water into a paste to be used on the day of choice. Ah! Memories......thank you Gladys Knight .
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