FORD GT – Then and now

Key information

Author: Adrian Streather
Publisher: Veloce Publishing LTD, Dorset, UK
ISBN: 1-84584-054-2
Format: Hardback, 240 pages, 250 x 250mm

 

 

 

 

 

The legend created by the awesome Ford GT 40 in the 1960s will live on in the memory of most motorsport enthusiasts fortunate enough to have witnessed that era. But the creation of the Ford GT 40 as we came to know it was not without its difficulties, and no matter how much money you could afford to throw at a project, as Ford found to their frustration, it simply could not replace that essential ingredient necessary for success in motorsport – experience.

In this book, the author has drawn on his own valuable friendship with two significant GT 40 drivers of the day, namely Eric Liddell and Sir Malcolm Guthrie. Through this relationship, the author has gained unprecedented access into the private world of the racing driver, allowing him to draw on those first hand experiences of what it was like to be behind the wheel of a GT 40.

Streather has assembled a magnificent collection of period photographs, many rarely seen, as well as a wealth of modern photos showing the development of the new Ford GT. Through this comparative analysis, the author illustrates how much development work actually went into the creation of the new model. However, a later chapter devoted to the world of replica GT 40s, seems somehow to be out of place as it detracts from the significance and legendary status of the real thing.

This book is nevertheless well presented and the photographic quality throughout is superb. Ford GT – Then and Now is a worthwhile acquisition and would grace the bookshelf of any motorsport enthusiast.

Written by: Glen Smale