When Racing History Becomes Personal
Some race cars are collectible. Others are legendary.
The Ford GT40 chassis P/1040 belongs firmly in the latter category, one of the most historically significant GT40s ever raced during the golden era of endurance motorsport. Originally campaigned by the famed Scuderia Filipinetti racing team, chassis 1040 represents a period where raw speed, engineering rivalry, and motorsport bravery defined international racing.
At customcarpostershop.com, we recently had the privilege of creating a bespoke artwork for the current owner of the authentic #14 Ford GT40 P/1040, not a continuation car, not a replica, but the genuine historic chassis that competed during one of motorsport’s most important eras.
This project wasn’t simply about creating automotive wall art.
It was about preserving motorsport history.
The Crash at Le Mans — And the Restoration of P/1040
Like many endurance race cars from the 1960s, the story of Ford GT40 P/1040 is not only defined by speed and competition but also by survival.
During its racing career under Scuderia Filipinetti, chassis P/1040 suffered a significant racing accident, one that left the car heavily damaged. Historic photographs from the period show the severity of the impact, with substantial rear-end destruction that would have ended the life of many competition cars of the era.
Yet, like the GT40 program itself, P/1040 endured.
What makes this chassis particularly special today is not simply its rarity, but the fact that it was carefully rebuilt and preserved, allowing an important piece of endurance racing history to survive into the modern era. The restoration process was approached with tremendous respect toward authenticity, ensuring the car retained the spirit and identity that made it historically significant in the first place.
Recreating the Rebuilt Legend Through Artwork
When creating our bespoke artwork of P/1040, understanding this history became essential to the process.
We didn’t simply illustrate a Ford GT40. We recreated a survivor.
Every line, proportion, and livery detail was carefully studied to reflect the car as it exists today, restored to its former glory while carrying the legacy of its endurance racing past.
The result is more than automotive wall art:
It is a tribute to one of the most important surviving GT40 chassis and the craftsmanship that preserved it for future generations.
Motorsport Heritage Reimagined
At customcarpostershop.com, every bespoke artwork is created with a focus on authenticity, storytelling, and precision.
Whether it’s the famous 1-2-3 Le Mans '66 GT40s, a transaxle Porsche, or a personal heirloom vehicle, our mission remains the same:
to create timeless automotive artwork that honours the car’s legacy and the people connected to it.
