1966 GT40 roadtest by DSJ
Discussion
On the road with the Ford GT40
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/...
One line had me smiling:
"There was no opportunity (Monday traffic) to reach 6,000 in top gear, but at anything over 5,000 the engine was impressively smooth."
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/...
One line had me smiling:
"There was no opportunity (Monday traffic) to reach 6,000 in top gear, but at anything over 5,000 the engine was impressively smooth."
skeggysteve said:
On the road with the Ford GT40
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/...
One line had me smiling:
"There was no opportunity (Monday traffic) to reach 6,000 in top gear, but at anything over 5,000 the engine was impressively smooth."
Thank you very much for posting that. http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/...
One line had me smiling:
"There was no opportunity (Monday traffic) to reach 6,000 in top gear, but at anything over 5,000 the engine was impressively smooth."
He was very much a man of his time and held some very forthright views.For example he was very much against Jackie Stewart's safety campaign which in hindsight just seems perverse. He wrote very well but he was far from the best GP reporter- that accolade belongs to Pete Lyons in my book. His 'Letters from Europe ' to Bill Boddy were wonderful - DSJ would disappear for months in his E Type or 356 and report on a huge range of motor sport . I met him once at Donington - when it held the Grand Prix in '93 was it ? 'Bloody Micky Mouse sort of track' was the little man's verdict .
That was a bloody fantastic read!!
Love these snippets, amongst others...
'Three-quarter rear vision is another problem, for those who worry about things behind them...'
The E-type Jaguar, with its distinctive front aided by excellent publicity has instilled this sort of respect in the average motorist, but the GT40 made it almost embarrassing at times. To wave pedestrians over crossings, or drivers of ordinary cars in front of you at intersections, through the steeply-raked Ford windscreen was to generate confusion and incredulity.'
Would one garner such respect with a modern supercar, I wonder?
'Acceleration, apart from sprint bikes and dragsters, now has a new meaning for me, for the GT40 is doing 100m.p.h. before you can say Barbara Castle, and it feels constant right up to 150m.p.h.'
Love these snippets, amongst others...
'Three-quarter rear vision is another problem, for those who worry about things behind them...'
The E-type Jaguar, with its distinctive front aided by excellent publicity has instilled this sort of respect in the average motorist, but the GT40 made it almost embarrassing at times. To wave pedestrians over crossings, or drivers of ordinary cars in front of you at intersections, through the steeply-raked Ford windscreen was to generate confusion and incredulity.'
Would one garner such respect with a modern supercar, I wonder?
'Acceleration, apart from sprint bikes and dragsters, now has a new meaning for me, for the GT40 is doing 100m.p.h. before you can say Barbara Castle, and it feels constant right up to 150m.p.h.'
He must have had fun in that GT40. And Yes... His Letters From Europe to "The Boss" were just brilliant.....and for me he was the best racing journalist, his ETC reports were excellent.
He would sit hour after hour @ an indicated 115 in his first S1 E Type 4.2 FHC, he "chose Red as it stood out against any background", as it was vital to be seen by the then much slower cars on Europes roads. Staying in cheap hotels for months on end.
He went for a white Roadster for his second E Type as he figured correctly that he would be spending much more time sitting in traffic jams which with the roof down would be quite pleasant.
He was a keen motorcyclist and when he moved his S2 Roadster on I think his then only form of transport was a motorcycle.
Some motorcycle enthusiast friends visited him, a year or 2 before he died. He lived a near hermit existence until his sad death from a stroke I believe. He was found in a ditch and by the time he was taken to hospital the damage had been done.
RIP Jenks, A great man and one of life's characters.
He would sit hour after hour @ an indicated 115 in his first S1 E Type 4.2 FHC, he "chose Red as it stood out against any background", as it was vital to be seen by the then much slower cars on Europes roads. Staying in cheap hotels for months on end.
He went for a white Roadster for his second E Type as he figured correctly that he would be spending much more time sitting in traffic jams which with the roof down would be quite pleasant.
He was a keen motorcyclist and when he moved his S2 Roadster on I think his then only form of transport was a motorcycle.
Some motorcycle enthusiast friends visited him, a year or 2 before he died. He lived a near hermit existence until his sad death from a stroke I believe. He was found in a ditch and by the time he was taken to hospital the damage had been done.
RIP Jenks, A great man and one of life's characters.
I remember reading about another journalist that went to interview Jenks at home. Lunch was a fried egg each, apparently Jenks ate his from a wooden chopping board as he only owned one plate! I think the author also noted that the bathtub was brim-full of old motoring magazines, just like every other space in the house.
And only one mug for tea / coffee apparently !
I remember reading something of his first encounter with an E Type, he was in his 356, tramping on, when a pair of headlights came up fast behind him, despite some spirited driving, he was unable to shake his persuer off, so he let him by, imeadiately realising that this was the new Jag that everybody was talking about !
I remember reading something of his first encounter with an E Type, he was in his 356, tramping on, when a pair of headlights came up fast behind him, despite some spirited driving, he was unable to shake his persuer off, so he let him by, imeadiately realising that this was the new Jag that everybody was talking about !
aww999 said:
I remember reading about another journalist that went to interview Jenks at home. Lunch was a fried egg each, apparently Jenks ate his from a wooden chopping board as he only owned one plate! I think the author also noted that the bathtub was brim-full of old motoring magazines, just like every other space in the house.
Most of his space was taken up with bits of motorbikes and other paraphenalia. Sadly, within hours of his reported death he was burgled and various rare, high value items (norton featherbed frame, etc) were taken. Not everything: someone know what was there, and where it was. Very sad.A great writer, but his feelings about safety were of their time, and a direct contrast to Stewart's safety campaign.
skeggysteve said:
On the road with the Ford GT40
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/...
One line had me smiling:
"There was no opportunity (Monday traffic) to reach 6,000 in top gear, but at anything over 5,000 the engine was impressively smooth."
Thanks, Steve, for posting that. A superb read - Jenks had a great writing style. Motor Sport is the only car magazine that I've bothered to get a subscription for, and I still think it remains head and shoulders above the rest in terms of motoring journalism.http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/...
One line had me smiling:
"There was no opportunity (Monday traffic) to reach 6,000 in top gear, but at anything over 5,000 the engine was impressively smooth."
"The selling price of a road-equipped GT40 is £5,900 plus £1,353 purchase tax (total £7,253) which is just over three-and-a-half E-type Jaguars!"
If only I had the money back then. Actually, I was only just born back then!
I've just splashed out for Trevor Legate's GT40 book (birthday present for myself!)- a great read too.
Earlier this year I interviewed a chap who ran a GT40 on the road for a few years back in the 70s. Totally ridiculous notion but what fun!
http://www.racetechmag.com/features-1/item/795-liv...
http://www.racetechmag.com/features-1/item/795-liv...
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