The Restoration

REVIVING AN ICON. UNDEARTHING THE PAST. RESTORING GLORY.

So why go to such great lengths to restore what was a perfectly good car? Well, because this car is a national treasure and deserves to be restored back to its glory, creating an unparalleled sense of nostalgia for anyone involved with the car, or enthusiast interested in its legacy. This is where you’ll find all the info you need on the current restoration of chassis P/1046.

This car is a natural treasure and deserves to be restored back to its glory.

The Restorers

Rare Drive is the only shop RK Motors Charlotte entrusted to restore such a car due to the shop’s acknowledged expertise with Shelby cars. Rare Drive is an award-winning restoration shop collecting coveted awards from Pebble Beach. To them, the word restoration means that the entire car is addressed, down to each individual piece of hardware. A car restored at their shop should appear and work like it did the day it rolled out of the factory or out of the race shop - and that’s the exact level of attention that’s been dedicated to P/1046 during its extensive year- and-a-half restoration. Look for more great builds to leave their tidy New Hampshire shop for years to come.

www.raredrive.com

Watch The Story Behind The Current Restoration

Get up to speed on the car's current restoration and watch the "Legend of Le Mans" Series.

Chapter 1

Join RK Motors Charlotte as we revive an icon. Unearth the past and restore glory to the 1966 Le Mans winning Ford GT40 - chassis #P1046. This is the real story of the first Ford GT40 to claim Le Mans for America, and we welcome you to be a part of history with us.

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Part 3 of the RK Motors Charlotte series documenting the restoration of the 1966 Le Mans winning Ford GT40. In this chapter we look into the technology that propelled not only P1046 but also 3 other GT40's to victory lane. In addition, we discuss other manufacturer entrants across the Le Mans vehicle classes and evaluate their specifications.

Chapter 4

In the fourth chapter of Legend of Le Mans, we'll dive into just what it takes for the team at Rare Drive to restore such a prolific car. From researching hundreds of vintage photographs down to sourcing the correct bolts, you'll see that #P1046, the Le Mans-winning GT40, really is a legend in the details.

Chapter 5

In the fifth chapter of Legend of Le Mans, P/1046, the No. 2 Ford GT40 Mk. II-A that won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, finally comes together for its big debut. Follow along as Mark Allin with Rare Drive discusses in-depth the final pieces that bring #P1046 full circle, a rebirth, perse’, of that fateful day Ford and Shelby-American won Le Mans for America.

Chapter 6

In the sixth chapter of Legend of Le Mans, P/1046, the No. 2 Ford GT40 Mk. II-A that won the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours, is now complete and receives a proper shakedown at Lime Rock Park courtesy of Rob Kauffman. Kauffman is the current owner of this prolific vehicle yet self proclaims himself as the current "custodian". How does the car perform on track before its big debut at the 2016 Twenty-Four Hours of Le Mans?.

Chapter 7

In the seventh and final chapter in the Legend of Le Mans series, RK Motors Charlotte catches up with the builder and owner of P/1046 at Pebble Beach, along with special guest, Henry Ford III. The final chapter takes viewers on a journey from the 50th anniversary win at Le Mans, to Pebble Beach and plans for the future of the car, because legends never die.