Like Ford with the GT40 Mk IV, it was necessary to make a critical choice: to develop the new Type 2F around a 1650lb minimum weight limit and use a 427ci engine, or opt for the lighter 1540lb formula that only allowed the use of a 327ci motor. A computer simulation was run to pit the two hypothetical configurations against one another at Daytona Speedway. It was concluded that the heavier car with a 100bhp advantage would be the winner, and so the decision was made.
The Type 2F was only in the early stages of its development by the time Daytona was to be run. The massive rear wing was fixed into "downforce" position, the struts were not yet faired in, and the "trap door" device mounted in the nose section was inoperative. Despite being far from finalized, it shocked the racing world with its advanced aerodynamics and futuristic looks.
