Ford decided to team up with Eric Broadley of Lola to help design and build the Ford GT40. On April 1, 1964 the first Ford GT40 was introduced. The GT40 had a disastrous race record in 1964 with massive problems including suspension, drive train, and engine failures. In 1965 Carroll Shelby replaced John Wyer as head of the GT40 racing program and things quickly get rolling with wins at Daytona and Sebring. In 1966 Ford also contracted with Holman & Moody to prepare and race the GT40. Race results for 1966 were outstanding with wins at Daytona, Sebring, and Le Mans.

On June 25, 1965 Ford began work on an all new GT40, designated the "J" car, due to its conformation with the rules of Appendix "J" of the racing car construction regulations. These racing coupes were subsequently known as GT40 Mk IV's. A total of 10 GT40 MK IVs were built. J-1 the first car, was introduced at the 1966 Le Mans trials. However, Ford decided that the "J" car was not ready for competition in spite of the fact that it had set the lap record for the trials.

In August of 1966, shortly after winning the Le Mans race in teh GT40 Mk II, Ken Miles was killed in a crash while testing J-2 at Riverside. J-3 was used for testing and never ran a race. J-4 driven by Mario Andrette and Bruce McLaren won Sebring in January 1967. J-5, J-6, J-7, and J-8 ran the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1967 with J-6 winning 1st place and J-5 taking 4th.

The Ford GT40 Mk IV was a specially built state-of-the-art race car, winning the 12 hours of Sebring and 24 hours of Le Mans in 1967. None of the Mk IVs ever ran another race. Ford had proven its point and had demonstrated technical excellence and superiority at two of the most prestigious races in the world.

In the summer of 1997, now fully restored and almost exactly 30 years after its last racing appearance at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1967, J-7 thrilled the crowds once again at the Elkhart Lake Merrill Lynch/Brian Redman International Challenge and at the Monterey Historic Races with speeds approaching 200MPH.