Holman & Moody Factory Team

DAYTONA H&M TEST 1967

Ford GT40 MkII P/1012 — The March Development Trials and High-Speed Safety Vindicated

March 1967

During a private test session in Florida, this endurance test in March 1967 was a crucial stage in data collection as part of the preparations for the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans. Under the supervision of Holman & Moody, the Ford GT40 MKII P/1012 underwent high-speed testing before a serious accident on the circuit brought its racing career to a definitive end.

Driver: Peter Revson | Program: Holman & Moody Engineering Test

The March Development Trials

Objective: To carry out systematic aerodynamic evaluations and long-distance tyre durability tests in order to gather reference data for this new version.

These tests were designed to record technical feedback and durability indicators for the various components during long endurance simulations. Following the 24 Hours of Daytona, P/1012 underwent endurance testing. Serving as a test prototype for the latest developments, it provided important performance indicators until a sudden mechanical failure caused a violent high-speed impact on the circuit’s banking.

The Engineering Analysis

A rigorous technical investigation carried out following the incident made it possible to analyse the factors that contributed to the accident and also to demonstrate the extraordinary strength of the chassis, which enabled the driver, Peter Revson, to emerge unscathed. Following the crash on the Daytona banking, Ford’s engineers closely assessed the shock-absorbing properties of the steel monocoque, documenting how the reinforced monocoque structure succeeded in protecting the driver from serious injury.

The Documented Failure

The full set of documents detailing the objectives of these tests, together with the team’s handwritten lap-by-lap notes, provide a very precise picture. The initial telemetry data analyse the chassis’s operational parameters prior to the sudden failure. The post-accident reports detail the specific locations of damage, measure the deformation of the bulkheads and verify that the safety cell remained intact. Throughout the process, constant communication with the team proved essential. This iterative process of design and feedback ensured that the chassis met the high standards set for the project.

The design philosophy, which prioritised an oversized structure, proved its worth during the accident. Although the impact forces completely destroyed the front and rear suspension systems and all the fibreglass body panels, as well as one of the rear side members, the high-strength steel monocoque structure successfully absorbed the kinetic energy, thereby ensuring the driver’s survival.

The Technical Dossier

Monocoque Passenger Safety Cell Preserved

Complete Physical Evidence Formally Logged

The collection of structural findings and certified damage assessments created an authoritative engineering file that permanently shaped subsequent factory driver protection protocols.

The intensive testing phase culminated in a foundational milestone for the vehicle's long-term lineage. By providing explicit physical data regarding maximum structural limits, the resulting engineering files became a crucial asset for factory archives, permanently securing the car's physical continuity record. The collection of structural findings and certified damage assessments created an authoritative engineering file that permanently shaped subsequent factory driver protection protocols. the structural resilience demonstrated during the March trials transformed a severe track incident into a critical masterclass inchassis safety proving the immense durability of the original steel tub layout. (Holman & Moody Technical Archive)

PERIOD PHOTOGRAPHS

"The structural resilience demonstrated during the March trials transformed a severe track incident into a critical masterclass in chassis safety, proving the immense durability of the original steel tub layout." — Holman & Moody Technical Archive

Archival Failure Log

"The exact technical printout files, localized damage measurements, and driver safety summaries recorded under the Holman & Moody testing folder provide an unshakeable, authentic signature verifying this car's physical continuity."

— Historical Registry Audit & Technical Documentation Profile

The compilation of data relating to the impacts sustained by the P/1012 chassis has provided invaluable technical information on the service life limits of the chassis.

The structure successfully absorbed an extreme kinetic impact, which enabled the engineering models to be validated and detailed written documentation to be produced.