Ford v Ferrari

The author was among a group invited by the Hunt family to a showing of the Ford v Ferrari  movie, which features stunt driving by ten-time racing champion Tony Hunt.

The movie is outstanding and highly recommended. While not 100 % historically accurate, it tells the story of the roles of Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon) and Ken Miles (played by Christian Bale)  in Ford's historic one-two-three victory at the 24 hours of LeMans in 1966.  

The film does not make use of the modern Hollywood computer generated imagery (CGI), all the stunt scenes were shot on film.   

On the movie theater plaza  before the showing of the film, Tony Hunt proudly displayed the continuation Shelby Cobra that he drove in the film and bought afterwards. 

Also on display was a street-legal replica of a Ford GT40 painted to represent the the 1968  LeMans winner driven by Pedro Rodriguez and Lucien Bianchi. 

All photos by the author 

A replica Porsche 917 at PRI 2017

The Gulf Racing Fuels booth at the 2017 PRI (Performance Racing Industry) show at Indianapolis featured a very nice replica of a Gulf Racing Porsche 917 produced by RCR (Race Car Replicas) of Fraser Michigan.

 

 

 

RCR produces a series of eleven race car replica kits which besides the 917 include modern versions of the Ford GT40 (in either Mark I or Mark II versions), Ferrari P4, Lola T70 (in either coupe or spyder versions), Jaguar D-type, Jaguar XJ-13, Porsche 962, Aston Martin DB3S, 1958 Ferrari 246 F1 car, and a F5000-series inspired car.  

 

RCR advertises that customers get “accurate vintage bodies with modern technology and engineering backed by racing pedigree, for the vintage look of the original, but modern underpinnings that make them a joy to build and drive.”

According to RCR, they have in-house Haas Automation CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining centers that run three shifts a day to manufacturer the CAD (Computer Aided Design)-designed billet aluminum chassis and suspension bits, and that the company has access to laser cutters, waterjet cutters, CNC tube bending equipment, as well as an in-house CNC lathe.

 

 

The RCR 917 has a gel-coated fiberglass body but unlike the small-tube frame design of the original RCR uses an aluminum gas tungsten arc-welded monocoque center with tube-frame design front and rear, which mimic the look of the original when the nose and tail are removed. The driveline choice is left to the owner, but RCR suggests a Chevrolet LS engine or a Porsche flat six engine. RCR claims that the RCR 917 is even “streetable,” with a DOT-legal windshield, headlights and taillights. The suggested price of the RCR 917 chassis and body kit is $43,995.

Gulf Racing Fuels representatives told the author that the company was at PRI 2017 looking to secure specified fuel sponsorships of race series in the United States, to expand its retail dealer network and close fuel supply deals with club tracks.

http://race-car-replicas.com/

http://gulfracingfuels.com/

 

Photos by the author