The Story of a Painting: Gulf Ford GT40

by Wallace Wyss –

I wrote a couple of books on the original Ford GT40s of the Sixties. So it’s a car I’ve been in love with for a long time. I had a chance to shoot one of the real ones at Laguna Seca during a vintage race.

This car is the actual winner (1075) of Le Mans not once but twice, when another team ran Ford GTs in ’68 and ’69–a team run by John Wyer who believed in the small block instead of the 427 Ford used in the Mk. II. The customer who bought it from Harley Cluxton, a dealer, brought it back into racing–he is Robb Walton, of the Walton family of Walmart fame.

The colors were for sponsor Gulf Oil. Ford later re-used the Gulf color scheme on a production ’06 and even later generation Ford GTs. What makes this unusual among my works is that the car is rough surfaced (“painterly”?) but the background is more fuzzy, a different style.

I want people in the work if they are there for a reason but I don’t if they distract from the main subject.

I haven’t been able to get a press pass from the new owners of the August event at Laguna Seca for the last couple years but maybe if I send them a print…

Let us know what you think in the Comments.

THE ARTIST Wallace Wyss would like to hear from galleries who are considering an adventure into automotive art. He can be reached a malibucarar@gmail.com

 
 
 
 
 

Ford GT40 No. 1075 at Pebble Beach – photo by Mike Gulett

Summary

Article Name

The Story of a Painting: Gulf Ford GT40

Description

I wrote a couple of books on the original Ford GT40s of the Sixties. So it’s a car I’ve been in love with for a long time.

Author

Wallace Wyss