This is a Cape Advanced Vehicles Ford GT40 replica that was used in the 2019 film “Ford v Ferrari” starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale. This GT40 was used in a number of static scenes in the movie, including when Christian Bale’s character Ken Miles was working on the car in the airplane hangar while listening to the radio.
The Cape Advanced Vehicles GT40 is the only GT40 replica in the world to be made using a full stainless steel monocoque chassis (see it pictured below). This specific car was built in 2004 in officially licensed Gulf Oil livery to replicate the 1968 Ford GT40 Chassis #1076 that placed 2nd in class at Le Mans in 1969.
Fast Facts – The “Ford v Ferrari” CAV GT40
- This car is a 2004 Cape Advanced Vehicles GT40 that was built with officially licensed Gulf Oil livery to replicate the 1968 Ford GT40 Chassis #1076 that placed 2nd at Le Mans in 1969. It was used during filming of the 2019 movie “Ford v Ferrari” starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale, directed by James Mangold.
- This vehicle wasn’t used in racing scenes in the film, meaning it wasn’t damaged or subjected to the rigors of cinematic stunt driving. Instead, the car was used in static scenes in the airplane hanger when Christian Bale’s character Ken Miles was working on it while listening to the radio.
- The Cape Advanced Vehicles GT40 is the only GT40 replica made using a full stainless steel monocoque chassis, meaning it’s almost rustproof even if regularly used in the rain or snow. This extensive use of stainless steel has made the CAV GT40 a popular choice for those in northern latitudes in regions where the roads are salted in the winter.
- “Ford v Ferrari” is a film set in the 1960s that follows the true story of American car manufacturer Ford’s challenge to beat the dominant Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The film centers on automotive legend Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles, who collaborate to modify the Ford GT40, turning it into a dominant race car.
The Cape Advanced Vehicles GT40
Cape Advanced Vehicles was founded in Cape Town, South Africa in 1999 specifically to build accurate replicas of the Ford GT40. The name Cape Advanced Vehicles is a reference to Ford Advanced Vehicles, a Ford-subsidiary based in England where the Ford GT40 was originally designed by a combined British/American team.
This is the stainless steel monocoque chassis used in the Cape Advanced Vehicles GT40. As you can see it has independent double wishbone suspension front and back, with coilovers on all four corners, and an integral roll bar for safety. Image courtesy of Cape Advanced Vehicles.
As noted above, the Cape Advanced Vehicles GT40 comes with a unique stainless steel monocoque chassis and it comes in three key versions – the GT40, GT40+ and the GT40 Gulf.
The CAV GT40 has the same exterior styling as the original Ford GT40, with more modern underpinnings to take advantage of the engineering advancements that have occurred in the decades since the first GT40s were developed back in the mid-1960s.
The CAV GT40+ comes with a more luxurious and refined series of improvements both internally and externally, for those who want a GT40 with more modern levels of comfort.
The CAV GT40 Gulf is the version that’s officially authorized by Gulf Oil to have the iconic GT40 livery, made famous by countless race cars over the years including the early GT40s.
When ordering your CAV GT40 you can choose from two key engine options, the Ford Racing small block V8 producing 450 bhp, or the more modern Ford Performance Modular V8 producing 410 bhp, though offering better fuel economy and emissions for regions that have restrictions on such things.
This is one of the scenes in the film in which this car was used, the center image in this series shows the car up on jack stands as Ken Miles works on it (played by Christian Bale). Image courtesy of Turnpike Films and 20th Century Fox.
All versions use the stainless steel monocoque chassis and a lightweight fiberglass body, with varying degrees of interior fit and finish depending on how authentic, or how comfortable, the owner wants it. CAV also offer a slew of suspension, brake, and other upgrades at the time of ordering.
The Screen-Used CAV GT40 Shown Here
As mentioned in the introduction, this CAV GT40 was used in Ford v Ferrari, specifically as a static car and not in any of the film’s many racing scenes. When it was ordered new from Cape Advanced Vehicles it came with full Gulf Oil livery and apparently the team tasked with preparing the car for the movie couldn’t bring themselves to paint over it.
So instead of rolling the car into a paint booth they opted to have it wrapped in Indigo Blue for the film. The car is still wearing this wrap today, and the original Gulf Oil livery remains untouched under the wrap – so it will be up to the new owner if they keep it as it is now in screen-used condition or remove the wrap to show its original paintwork.
In the engine bay you’ll find a 427 cubic inch stroked Ford small block V8 with fuel injection and aluminum race heads. The listing claims that the engine is currently making 436 rwhp and 474 rwtq, which seems likely to be accurate. Power is sent back through a Colloti 4-speed manual gearbox, the correct unit for the GT40.
The car is powered by a 427 cubic inch stroked Ford small block V8 with fuel injection and aluminum race heads, producing a claimed 436 rwhp and 474 rwtq.
This vehicle was specifically built to mirror the 1968 Ford GT40 chassis #1076 as much as possible, the car that placed 2nd in class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1969. It’s now being offered for sale on eBay out of Edmond, Oklahoma with a price of $254,995 USD. The car comes with a certificate of authenticity and signed memorabilia from the movie and a complete 3-ring binder documenting the original build in 2004.
If you’d like to read more about the car or enquire about buying it you can visit the listing here. It’s being sold by Exotic Motorsports of Oklahoma and they have 100% positive feedback on eBay. As with any cinema car or other historically significant vehicle of this nature it’s always important to verify its authenticity before money changes hands.
Above Video: This is the original cinematic trailer for “Ford v Ferrari.” Christian Bale’s portrayal of Ken Miles resulted in him receiving a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, and a nomination from the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.
Images courtesy of eBay and Exotic Motorsports of Oklahoma
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
