Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/05/01

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Subject: [Leica] GT40
From: rangefinder at screengang.com (Didier Ludwig)
Date: Mon May 1 15:08:47 2006
References: <13503e590604300501q2497ca5aw1fad02fbbe4e21d7@mail.gmail.com> <c9aa21f24717af7ee51243e368d293c2@paulhardycarter.com> <44566F2A.1070007@summaventures.com>

Peter, 
In John Allens book "GT40 - The legend lives on" (btw a must for all GT40 
aficionados) almost all of the genuine GT40 race cars made from 1965 to 68 
are shown, and I could not see one left hand driven example. 

Paul, 
are you shure all GT40 Mk-I and Mk-IIa were built in UK? I believed that 
Holman & Moody assembled the Mk-I and Mk-IIa in their factory in 
Charlotte/USA? Their famous crazy golden-pink Mk-II, from Le Mans '66, 3rd 
place, #5, driven by Bucknum/Hutcherson, is my personal favourite GT40 for 
ever -see http://tinyurl.com/ekc6m

Didier

 


>I was about to say pretty much the same thing. The UK-manufactured cars 
>(race and raid) were RHD except possibly for those for mainland European 
>customers for road use (von Karajan had one for instance)and the few built 
>for the US in the UK. There was a long history of sportscars being RHD 
>which faded out in the 60s or 70s as I recall.
>
>Peter Dzwig
>
>>You must have a long arm to reach that gear stick! :-)
>>Only kidding. I guess you're talking about the Mk IV, which was made in 
>>the States, some for racing and some for the road. I believe they only 
>>made 12 of these all together, and the racing ones - including the 1967 Le 
>>Mans winner - were certainly right hand drive. I'm assuming the road cars 
>>were LHD. As indeed some of the (only 7 in total) Mk IIIs probably were, 
>>those that were intended for US non-race customers.
>>As usual my statement was quite as definitive as it should have been... 
>>Sorry.
>>I understand a lot of US circuits are anti-clockwise, notably those used 
>>for NASCAR - is this true? If so it would have made a lot of sense for Kar 
>>Kraft, builders of the Mk IV, to build some LHD racers.
>>I think we can assume that almost all of the 111 cars built at Slough in 
>>England were RHD, and at least half the 12 cars built in Michigan were 
>>RHD, so I'll modify my original statement:
>>"Almost all GT40s have the steering wheel on the right".
>>Replicas built after 1967 are, of course, a different thing altogether...
>>Paul Hardy Carter



Replies: Reply from Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie) ([Leica] GT40 - car tech no Leica content)
Reply from lists at paulhardycarter.com (PHC) ([Leica] GT40)
In reply to: Message from roy at detroitphotographic.com (Roy Feldman) ([Leica] GT40)
Message from lists at paulhardycarter.com (PHC) ([Leica] GT40)
Message from pdzwig at summaventures.com (Peter Dzwig) ([Leica] GT40)