In the realm of sports cars, few models wield the iconic charisma of Ford’s original GT40. Aside from the car’s jaw dropping good looks, it not only boasts the legendary motorsport history of winning LeMans four consecutive times between 1966 and 1969, but also the folklore of the grudge match between Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari with Carroll Shelby leading the Americans’ charge.
Just over one hundred GT40s were originally produced during its six-year production run in the 1960s, and each of the cars that remains is worth many millions of dollars today. That price tag makes those original cars so valuable that most owners consider them investments rather than sports cars, and the result is that most of them rarely see the light of day.
That’s where Superformance comes in. Don’t call their cars replicas – these recreations are close enough to the original thing that more than two-thirds of the parts are interchangeable between the original cars and Superformance’s offerings, including the steel monocoque chassis. But does the more advanced hardware that Superformance installs in these cars result a monster that’s been tamed? I climbed into this Gulf MKI GT40 (feet first, of course) and hit the winding roads outside of the company’s Irvine, California headquarters to find out.
Recreating An Icon
While the Superformance Gulf MKI GT40 goes to great lengths to capture the essence of the original car it’s based on, there are some important mechanical differences between the two that bear mentioning. For instance, car builders like Superformance are barred from delivering cars to customers with the drivetrain installed due to government regulations.
Although that may sound like a point against Superformance, their network of engine builders makes the process fairly painless, and it allows customers to specify the configuration of the motor installed in their car. For our test car, it means the same iconic, 7.0-liter displacement 427 ci V8 that the original car had, but how it arrives at that engine size is different than that of the original car.
Instead of the low-revving big block V8 of the original (which customers can still spec the car with, should they choose), the engine in question here actually starts life as a 351 Windsor small block V8, now boasting an additional 76 cubes of displacement and dishing out about 550 horsepower. And rather than carburation, the 427 is fed its fuel by an electronic fuel injection system. Power is routed to the rear wheels by way of a Quaife 5-speed manual gearbox.
There’s a concession for driver comfort as well, and it’s more than welcome: A custom-designed air conditioning system. Trust me, you’ll be glad it’s there.
In what I can only speculate is a massive improvement over the original setup, Wilwood vented disc brakes with four-piston calipers grace all four corners – but don’t worry, there’s no power assistance on hand, so the effect is still decidedly old school.
The story is much the same with the handling setup: Though the four-wheel independent suspension is true to the original configuration, it benefits from the past half-century of technological advances by way of adjustable Bilstein coilovers. Steering remains blissfully unassisted, and Superformance configures each car as left or right-hand drive based on customer preference.
And from an aesthetic standpoint, the Superformance Gulf MKI GT40 does not betray its inspiration. Sure, there are small differences – the rear view mirrors are plucked from a Mazda Miata, for instance – but the steel body is spot-on, right down to the lust-worthy side-scoops and BRM-style wheels. So what’s it like to drive? I grabbed the keys, tightened down the harnesses and headed out to twisting tarmac of Silverado, California, to find out for myself.
On The Road
Before I’ve even turned over the motor in the GT40, it was obvious that this was going to be a unique experience. At 6’3″ I’m not exactly an ideal stature for quick ingress and egress in racecars, but the GT40 takes it to another level. For me, this means opening the door – which includes the section of the roof above the seat – and getting in feet first by standing on the seat and then sliding into place. There’s simply no other way to get into the car without removing the steering wheel first (though the wheel does have a quick release function).
My oversized-for-a-racecar-driver frame was further illustrated by my position once in my seat. Even with the back of the bucket up against the bulkhead, it was an especially tight squeeze, my feet barely able to avoid overlapping onto multiple pedals. Superformance explained that the pedalbox is adjustable – an alteration certainly worth exploring for drivers my size – but that adjustment takes some shop time and I was more concerned with getting this monster out on the street.
After ensuring that the various dashboard switches were set as the folks from Superformance recommended, I turned the key, pressed the ignition button, and met the star of the show. Behind me the 427 small block immediately barked to life, idling happily and without fuss due to in part to its fuel injection system.
The sound of the motor is overwhelming, all encompassing: With no sound deadening to speak of and a custom fabricated exhaust system, it becomes immediately clear why a stereo system was never in the cards for this vehicle, and the music this V8 makes is more than enough to keep just about anyone entertained.
In stark contrast to modern sports cars, every input made with the GT40 feels direct, analogue, and requires deliberate effort on the part of the driver. Even the throttle pedal spring is stiff, as if to say “do you really know what you’re doing here?” This chassis design may be fifty years old, but the Superformance Gulf MKI GT40 will sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.4 seconds on its way to a 180 mph top speed – supercar performance even by modern standards.
At just 2,400 pounds, the performance of this sports car is mind-bending. Never mind the intoxicating exhaust note, the rate at which the GT40 can pile on speed is jaw dropping, largely because of the vintage feel of the entire process. And while the brakes are both communicative and capable, the initial revelation at speed that the brake pedal isn’t power-assisted is, well, let’s just say thrilling. But after acclimating to it, going back to a modern vehicle felt toy-like in comparison.
There’s no doubt that this GT40 is a handful, particularly in street car context – three point turns will give your forearms a workout and there’s almost no rearward visibility to speak of. But for those lamenting that “they don’t make them like they used to,” I can’t think of a more visceral sports car experience.
Getting out of the car after my stint at the helm I felt sweaty and a bit battered – this car would likely make for a less-than-ideal daily driver. But there’s absolutely no question that I reveled in every second of my time behind the wheel, as did just about every other driver on the road who caught a glimpse of it in operation.
It may be a little rough around the edges, but that’s an inherent part of the GT40’s charm. Good luck finding a modern car that can deliver this level of driver engagement (and enjoyment).