The Last GT40

Among the many legends of Ford’s GT40 story, Chassis P/1085 occupies a uniquely tantalising footnote. To all known accounts, it is the last unfinished GT40 chassis to be completed at a later date. It’s a car that spent four decades as promise rather than reality.

Built by Abbey Panels in Coventry as part of a batch of 20 late-production chassis commissioned in 1966 for Ford’s cancelled MkIII road car programme, P/1085 was never completed when new. Only seven of those cars became road MkIIIs; the remaining 13 were left unused. P/1085 was the final chassis numbered by Ford Advanced Vehicles.

Sold in 1969 as a rolling chassis, it remained with original owner in the US until 2006, gradually accumulating original components but never being assembled. Marque authority Ronnie Spain documented the car during this long hibernation, memorably noting in the GT40 Registry that Jackson “swore it would one day” be finished.

That day finally came after the car passed to UK ownership. In 2007, Jonathan Turner commissioned respected specialist Ian Jones of Racing Fabrications to complete the build in England, strictly to original specification. The car was finished in March 2009, with Spain present to witness its long-awaited completion. Turner famously described it as “an Indiana Jones story” and claimed it may be the most original GT40 in existence.

It made its first track appearance at Donington Park in 2009 and has since featured at major historic events, including the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Finished in light blue with white Le Mans stripes, it’s powered by a period-correct 5.0-litre Ford V8 with Gurney Eagle–Weslake heads, Weber carburettors and a ZF five-speed gearbox producing a conservative 479bhp and fully eligible for historic racing.

This beautiful 1969 Ford GT40 MkIII will feature as part of Mecum Auctions Kissimmee Sale held between the 6th-18th January 2026. Photos © Mecum Auctions.