Mercury GT40's.

[CSX 4133]

Interesting read concerning the rebadging of Ford GT40's to Mercury versions. I assume this was to appease Mercury and coincide with the performance publicity for Cougar.

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2018/10/04/fords-little-known-mercury-gt40s?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_content=18_Fall_Motorsports_Supplement

[propayne]

Here are the Bud Moore Cougar and the Mercury GT40 at the Carmel, CA unveiling.

- Phillip

[Richstang]

Steven,
Thanks for sharing the article. I never knew of the MKI at Chicago, or the Cougar unveiling, only the Daytona race cars. They got some dates / order mixed up in the article as Daytona was not 5/2, but rather 2/5.

1966 Oct 2 Watkins Glen Grand Prix P/1015 Light Blue
1966 Oct 31 Carmel, CA Cougar unveiling P/1015 #3 Red with silver stripes
1967 Feb 4-5 Daytona P/1047 #3 red Gurney / Foyt
1967 Feb 4-5 Daytona P/1016 #4 gold Donahue / Revson
1967 Feb 25-March 5 Chicago Auto Show P/1053 #1 Red with silver sill (Mercury colors)


Phillip,
Thanks for adding the B&W newspaper pictures with captions. We need to find some color photos of these events too. I didn't have anything in my files other than the Daytona photos. I even looked in Revs Digital Library for anything from Watkins Glen and came up empty.

[propayne]

The Bud Moore prepared Trans-Am Cougars were Cardinal Red with the roof and lower body painted silver, following the body lines.

Looks like that for the Monterey event, Mercury had the GT40 painted red with silver stripes to match the BME Cougar.

Don't know how long it stayed that way or if it was ever raced with that livery (maybe Daytona 1967 with Foyt driving?).

- Phillip

[Coralsnake]

[Richstang]

The Bud Moore prepared Trans-Am Cougars were Cardinal Red with the roof and lower body painted silver, following the body lines.

Looks like that for the Monterey event, Mercury had the GT40 painted red with silver stripes to match the BME Cougar.

Don't know how long it stayed that way or if it was ever raced with that livery (maybe Daytona 1967 with Foyt driving?).

- Phillip

It seems P/1015 never raced in the Red/Silver paint combo from the Cougar unveiling. At the Daytona 24hr in Feb '67 it was painted Blue with the number #2.

Were there any production Cougars at the unveiling or just the T/A car?

[propayne]

Well, the new Mercury Cougar was to be revealed at a press conference on Sept. 17, 1966 but unfortunately there was not a truly reliable Cougar available at that time so the only decent prototype briefly drove into sight during a bunch of fireworks and then off into the night without stopping. Singer Vic Damone performed. Which is also interesting as in that Hagerty article it states that GT40 P/1053 was intended as a gift to him. It isn't clear from the article if he ever took possession.

So a "redo" was performed October 31 thru November 1, 1966 in Carmel California.

Actually, "Cougar Revisited" ended up being too big for Carmel so it mostly took place a few miles away in Monterey.

Cougars were available for the press to drive and the Trans-Am Cougar and "Mercury" GT40 were revealed.

Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones and actress Kim Novak were on hand for the Monterey event.

- Phillip

[Coralsnake]

I apologize for not posting the source

http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Daytona-1967-02-05.html

[68countrysedan]

Was the Mercury GT-40 prepared by Shelby-American or Holman Moody?

[Richstang]

Was the Mercury GT-40 prepared by Shelby-American or Holman Moody?

I believe each had one, see below

1967 Feb 4-5 Daytona P/1047 #3 Red Gurney / Foyt (Shelby American Garage)
1967 Feb 4-5 Daytona P/1016 #4 Gold Donahue / Revson (Holman Moody Garage)

[68countrysedan]

thanks for the FYI