Author Marty Schorr's #1 Ford GT Moment was Giving Roy Lunn a Ride

Back in July of 2013, we helped celebrate the purchase of a Ford GT by noted journalist Martyn L. Schorr. Marty has enjoyed a storied auto enthusiast career as a muscle car journalist and author. He piloted CARS magazine through the ‘60’s, marketed Detroit muscle cars, managed performance publications, developed OEM product launches and PR programs – and still does marketing communications work plus auto blogging This car-loving Sarasota (FL) was asked recently by The Petersen Museum to contribute a story on buying and owning a Ford GT to their CARSTORIES page on the museum’s website.

Since he’s not running his Sarasota Cafe Racers lunches, going to shows or enthusiast events and has been sequestered in Sarasota while working on book about Roy Lunn (Godfather of the GT40), he sent in his story to both The Petersen, and to us. To find out what Marty considers the highlight of Ford GT ownership, check out his story below:

“They say you never forget your first love and I can remember exactly when and where I fell in love with the Ford GT prototype, precursor of the GT40: April 1, 1964, invitation-only Ford GT press conference, Gotham Ford (dealership), NYC. Later in the day it was shown at a special event at the Essex House Hotel in NYC. I may not remember what I had for breakfast today, but I’ll never forget GT #101, the mid-engined, Lola-based prototype with Ford-designed body and Weber-carbed 260-inch small-block V8, that would become the GT40. I was representing CARS Magazine, taking copious notes and photos as racing engineer and team manager John Wyer and Roy Lunn, Ford engineer, designer, and Godfather of the GT40, talked of Ford’s coming GT revolution.

“Approximately three years later, after following every step of Ford’s GT40 program and its first win at Le Mans, I rekindled my love affair. I spent a day driving America’s first Supercar, the 175-mph GT40 Mark III variant in Manhattan and around NYC, for the July 1967 CARS magazine cover story. Powered by a Shelby GT350 289/306, it was the actual prototype (Ford Advanced Vehicles, Ltd. Chassis # ZP130/1) for Ford’s Mark III program. Because of its eight-inch rear extension (for luggage), the Mark III was not as seductively proportioned as GT40 road model and racecars.