Unique, Limited Edition Ford GT Race Car Art !!

[STORMCAT]

Two weeks ago at a car show young man came up to me and showed me this print on aluminum. He drives a Mustang and said he was going to display it on his dash but it he said he would be more fitting and he'd be happy if it was displayed on the dash of the GT for the duration of the show. I was happy to do it.

I was surprised I had never seen one.. He shared how he obtained it. His dad owns a Ford Dealership. They attended Le Mans and they received this as a gift from Michelin Tires. He showed me a certificate of authenticity and that it was made as a limited run.

After closer look I was amazed at all of the clever details. If you look closely the entire body of the car is loaded with doodles of GT40 history and Le Mans History , has drivers names scatted about.

My GT fanaticism kicked in and I set on a mission to get one. I reached out to a friend a Michelin Corp to see if any more were available while simultaneously reaching out the the artist. I got replies from both parties and here is what I have to share.

This was the reply : Michelin Commissioned the artist Alex Gupton to do these renderings for the Ford GT and the C7R race cars. Michelin purchased some of the run and gave them out to their VIP's . They are no longer available from Michelin , If you don't hear back from the Artist get back to us we can help with that.

Good news !! The artist wrote me today. and there is a part of the Aluminum printed run available. They can also do them on canvas , sent out rolled up for self mounting or they can stretch and frame. Paper prints are also available. Here is what Alex wrote me:

" Aloha,


Thanks for getting in touch and for your interest in this piece. I, too, was at the race in 2016 as a guest of Michelin, who commissioned the piece (hence the frequent appearance of Bibendum in the detail). Great way to spend a couple of days in the summer...unless you are Toyota! And you are a lucky man to have secured one of those amazing creations from Ford. I drool over the flying buttresses every time...



The piece 'Ford GT: Le Mans 2017' is available with a few different options. It's printed on canvas and paper in the following sizes and editions:


Canvas

Signed and numbered limited edition of 75

10x20 rolled **$350

10x20 stretched and ready to hang **$450





15x30 rolled **$600

15x30 stretched and ready to hang **$725



Paper

10x20 open edition **$145


If you decide on one of the above options, we will provide a shipping quote, but please know that we don't mark up on shipping--we just cover our costs. "


Alex said you can get an aluminum version for the same price as the Rolled Canvas. So a 10" x 20" for $350 and the 15" x 30" for $650. I told Alex that I would post this here on the forum knowing others would be interested. He was very appreciative . I asked about a group buy or discount because I know you guys will will flood them with orders.

He said sure, if you can get some of your fellow GT fanatics to order something just mention " Brian Stormer " or STORMCAT " and they will take 10% off !! Here is the image on their website : https://alexgupton.com/#/gallery/creations-in-pen-and-ink/le-mans-ford-gt-2016/

Write Alex here : sales@alexgupton.com
Enjoy and Happy Motoring !! Brian

 

[Specracer]

Darn, I see some more $ moving from my bank account...

Thanks for posting.

 

[PashaGT]

Wow that is a very nice looking piece of Ford GT art work, it would go great with many of the picture's and artwork we share in our garages!!

 

[pe2unia]

I placed my order and of course I reserved print #57[emoji12]

 

[STORMCAT]

I placed my order and of course I reserved print #57[emoji12]

Good move. . I better write Alex quickly to see if he can save me number 56! .

I would say if you went to LeMans in 2016 ,17 or 18 you're going to want one of these. And if you're just a fan of the new GT it's a cool piece of the history

 

[STORMCAT]

Interesting Tidbit From LeMans 1969

Being the curious cat that I am I asked to artist Alex of the 4 cars in the race why did you choose to put the # 69 car in the picture. Most GT race car pictures or drawing use the # 66 or a tribute to the # 68 for winning LeMans in 2016.. I was thinking maybe it was a guy thing.. I mean who doesn't like 69... :lol

Well .. I was a little off in my theory and his response was educational on some cool facts I didn't know . Here's Alex's reply :

" As for the 69, I made the call for that number for a few reasons: first, it was an epic battle between the 908 and the GT40 in the last hours, especially considering that Jacky Ickx sauntered to his car in protest of the running starts (that alone could have been the reason); second, that was the first time the Porsche's gorgeous 917 made its appearance at Le Mans--hands down my favorite car of all time (I know, I know, its a Ford piece, and I love the GT40, but I heard a Gulf liveried 917 start in a garage when I was about 6, and that was it....LOVE); and third, it was the year of my birth. "

After reading his reply I was intrigued to learn more about the Jacky Ickx story.. Yep.. the Guy walked to his car when the gun fired. Took his time putting on his safety belts while everyone else raced off. By the time he was done everyone else was long gone and well ahead.. no biggie.. 23 hours and 57 minutes he wins the race as a last hurrah for the GT 40.. and the gun shot start was banished forever.. and now you know the rest of the story

That's my short version . There's some really great info about the race and some ironic twists the day after the race. and who said this place wasn't educational .. :biggrin

Some of the story of the race :


After a sunny week, race-day was overcast, but dry with a huge crowd in attendance for the start. At the drop of the flag it was Stommelen, with a big power-slide, who was first under the Dunlop bridge. In yet another deadly year of motorsport Jacky Ickx, mindful of the accident that had ended the career of his former teammate Willy Mairesse's on the first lap of the previous year’s race staged his own one-man protest. He rebelled against the traditional Le Mans starting procedure to run across the track to their cars, climb in, start the car, and move the car as quickly as possible to pull away from the grid. Instead Ickx walked slowly to his car, properly put on his safety belts, and only then moved the car. Doing so effectively relegated Ickx to the back of the starting grid.[34][35]

His concern was tragically borne out almost immediately. On the very first lap, the twitchy handling of the Porsche 917 and the inexperience of one of its drivers resulted in a major accident: the death of British gentleman-driver John Woolfe. Woolfe's purchased his 917 for £16000 (US$40,000)[6][36] only days earlier and was quoted by a colleague as having said its power "scared the pants off me".[37] Porsche racing manager Rico Steinemann was quoted as having pled with Woolfe before the race to allow his works-driver teammate Herbert Linge to drive the first stint, but he demurred.[36] Woolfe crashed approaching Maison Blanche when he got two wheels on the grass and lost control.[29][30] He was thrown free of the car as it spun, rolled, hit an embankment, and exploded. Woolfe was taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital, but was dead on arrival.[37][6][38]



The race itself was one of the most exciting in the event’s history. Having already wrapped up the World Sportscar Championship, Porsche were strong favourites to achieve their first outright win. Indeed, Porsche cars made up over a third of the starters and the mighty 917s held the lead for 90% of the race. But when the Elford/Attwood car’s gearbox broke at 11am, it was the Ford of Ickx and Jackie Oliver that took over the lead. It then became a 3-hour sprint race with the Ford battling the pursuing Porsche 908 of Hans Herrmann and Gerard Larrousse non-stop. In the end it was the Ford GT40 – the identical car that had won the previous year – that took the chequered flag by just 120 metres after 24 hours.

The ACO’s response to that was proactive and the iconic Le Mans start was discontinued. Ironically Ickx himself had a road accident near Chartres while driving to Paris on the Monday morning after the race. A car pulled in front of his Porsche 911. Ickx's car ended up crushed against a utility pole. Ickx unbuckled his seat belt and stepped unharmed from the wrecked Porsche.[34]


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans

 

[timcantwell]

Wow, great find. See, Mustang drivers are talented people.

 

[STORMCAT]

Wow, great find. See, Mustang drivers are talented people.

Yep !! :biggrin

 

[Gene Cassone]

Wow! Great story! Thanks for posting it!!

 

[STORMCAT]

Wow! Great story! Thanks for posting it!!

It is a cool story. . You're probably the only one to read it. .may require a dedicated post. .

 

[Sinovac]

 

[vyprgt2]

It is a cool story. . You're probably the only one to read it. .may require a dedicated post. .

I read it too!

Thanks for the tip on this item,,,

Jacqueline from the art gallery says it will take a few weeks to make the artwork and get it signed.

 

[STORMCAT]

View attachment 51493

Good Find !! That looks like a saunter .. :cool

 

[STORMCAT]

Did anybody else get their artwork?.. lots of fun details here! Did you find Bob the three-eyed fish?!:biggrin

 

[pe2unia]

I got mine last week

 

[soroush]

those are way cool Brian!

 

[vyprgt2]

those are way cool Brian!

Got mine last week. Worth the wait.

So, give us a hint where the fish is?

 

[STORMCAT]

Got mine last week. Worth the wait.

So, give us a hint where the fish is?

To make your way forward sometimes you have to look backwards..

 

[Awsum GT]

also received mine last week... stretched on canvas

 

[STORMCAT]

I have a lot of GT art and memorabilia. This is definitely one of my favorite pieces... The aluminum version has a raised mounting plate on the back.

All of these pieces were signed on the front and back and come with a certificate of authenticity.. very nice high gloss high definition surface to see all the details... and it's educational too!