In 1966, Ford developed the Ford J-Car, a lighter, more aerodynamic version of the Ford GT-40. The J-Car featured an innovative design with a honeycomb-shaped chassis, made of aluminum. Its engine was the Big Block 427, 7.0 liters from the Ford GT40 MK II.
During testing at Le Mans, the J-Car recorded the fastest time in free practice sessions. However, Ford decided to compete with the GT40 Mk2, achieving a great feat: its cars came in first, second and third place.
After Le Mans, another J-Car was built. In a test session, Ken Miles was driving the car when he lost control and crashed, which ended up causing his death.
After the accident, Ford presented a new project, the GT40 MK IV. It had a stronger chassis, and was more aerodynamic.
The Hot Wheels Ford J-Car was designed by Harry Bradley, and was released in 1968, being one of the first 16 models released by Hot Wheels. After 1968, Hot Wheels only re-released the J-Car in 2010, 2015 and 2018 as RLC models, the Hot Wheels collectors club.
