Customer Reviews

Shelby GT40: Shelby American Original Archives 1964-1967 Including GT40, Mk. II, Mk. IV, and More

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I became a fan of the Ford GT's on a sunday morning in June of 1966. I was 13 years old. Up early before my parents I turn on the T.V. to try to find some cartoons and lo and behold there in living color is the 24 hours of Le Mans. I did'nt really know much about it though the name Le Mans did mean something to me. I was enthralled. As the Ford Mk.II's finished 1,2,3, I became a Ford fan forever. This book recaptures those days and Ford's epic assault on Le Mans in pictures and captions. From the beginning of the program to the all-american victory in 1967 by Dan Gurney and A. J. Foyt in the Mk.IV. My only complaint is that the book ends abruptly with that victory. Boom. But like the jacket says, "to take a look inside is to take a trip back in time." And what a time it was.

This book makes a great addition to anyone's GT40 collection. Friedman's pictures document not just the races, but a fair amount of the preparation necessary to get the cars in shape for competition.

As a pervious review mentioned, the coverage stops right after Ford's 1967 Le Mans win, thereby totally ignoring the JWA/Gulf era, but in all fairness, Shelby wasn't involved in those years. This is a book about the *Shelby* GT40 afterall.

I especially enjoyed some of the coverage of the GT40's competitors: Ferrari, Chapperal, and Porsche. This made the book just a little richer.

I bought this book after buying Go Like Hell by Albert Baime; which I highly reccomend. GT 40 has lot's of great information on the GT 40.

I don't really care for the blue oval or mopar or Ferrari so my allegiance is obvious that being said,there is nothing wrong with the book per se, I like the Chaparrals in the book, good photography and text along with funny interviews from Bob Bondurant among others. I would recommend checking the book out first.Dave Friedman's work is excellent but usually on the same ford Related subjects with the exception of the Beautiful Grand Sport.