Did You Know The Ford GT40 Used Chevy Taillights?

Among hardcore Blue Oval fans, there is one car that stands atop the performance charts; the Ford GT40. It was a battle of Ford versus Ferrari, and the Company that Henry founded defeated the mighty Enzo and his fleet of Ferraris on the racing circuit time and again. The Ford GT40 was the pinnacle of automotive racing technology at the time, and it pulled together all the resources Ford had at its disposal…including a little unsolicited aid from crosstown rivals Chevy.

Jalopnik reports that in a bid to build the lightest race car possible, Ford installed the taillights of a Chevrolet Corvair on the Ford GT. Who knew?

Weight is the enemy of speed, and Ford designers were singularly focused on defeating Ferrari in the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans. That meant changes in design up to the last minute, keeping builders Kar Kraft busy with the ultimate project car.

Since there was no time to build custom taillights, a shop assistant was sent to an auto parts store with a scale, and told to weigh out and find the lightest taillights available.

He returned with the taillights of a 1960 Corvair, which are little more than the bulb a plastic covering, and a very small bezel. Perfect for the GT40’s purpose. Guess the Thunderbird taillights were just too heavy, but Ford’s win at Le Mans wasn’t just a win for the Blue Oval. It was a win for America, proving that embarrassing the Europeans takes precedence over silly rivalries.

About the author

Chris Demorro

Christopher DeMorro is a freelance writer and journalist from Connecticut with two passions in life; writing and anything with an engine.
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