Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 13-21, 2022
Photo – Mecum
We are making our way back through time with these March Indy Car chassis. Eventually we’ll get back to 1981’s 81C, but for now we have March’s 1984 chassis: the 84C. This one is Cosworth-powered, with a turbocharged 2.7-liter DFX V8 mounted behind the driver.
This car was supposed to be A.J. Foyt’s ride at Indy in 1984. He took the green in qualifying and then blew the engine. So he hopped in George Snider’s car and put it into the show. A.J. Foyt Enterprises swapped a new Cosworth engine into this car for Snider to go make a run in. He made the race as well, finishing 11th.
It’s been restored and is being offered out of Ray Evernham’s collection. You can read more about it here.
Grand Prix Masters was a short-lived racing series intended for retired Formula One drivers to compete in what were essentially re-bodied Champ Cars. The series held one race in its first “season” in 2005 and two the following year. All of the cars were Reynard 2KI chassis.
They featured a Cosworth-derived 3.5-liter V8 that made more than 650 horsepower (the engine was actually built by Nicholson McLaren). This particular chassis is owned by Nigel Mansell, who actually won two of the three races ever contested in the series in this car. The complete Grand Prix Masters competition history for this chassis includes (all with Mansell):
2005 Kyalami South Africa – 1st
2006 Losail Qatar – 1st
2006 Silverstone England – 15th, DNF
So, pretty dominant. Although with that DNF, it allowed Eddie Cheever to technically win the championship. Since then, the car has been on display, so it needs a mechanical freshening. It’s being sold at no reserve. Click here for more info.
Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 3, 2022
Photo – Bonhams
Shadow Racing Cars competed in Formula One between 1973 and 1980 after having established themselves in Cam-Am. Success was scarce, but the team did score a win in 1977 and had a number of podiums over the years.
The DN9 was first entered in 1978 and used there for nearly 3/4 of the season. It returned in 1979 and was eventually upgraded to “B” spec. It’s powered by a 3.0-liter Ford-Cosworth V8. No details on the specific competition history for this chassis, but apparently it was used in 1979 by Jan Lammers. Lammers had a best finish of 9th that season and only seven finishes out of a total of 15 races.
This car was used in historic series over the years, and it was restored somtime after 2003, with just a few hours on the engine since being rebuilt. It carries a pre-sale estimate of $230,000-$280,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Update: Sold, price not disclosed. LAME, Bonhams. Lame.
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Le Castellet, France | November 19, 2021
Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
Not only was March Engineering a fairly long-lasting Formula One team, but they were also a race car and chassis constructor for other series for quite a long time. The F1 team first appeared on the grid in 1970, and they would continue to participate through the 1992 season.
The 771 was one of two chassis the team used for 1977. This is the first of two such examples built, and it’s powered by a 3.0-liter Cosworth DFV V8. The competition history for this chassis includes:
1977 Canadian Grand Prix – 18th, DNF (with Ian Scheckter)
It was also used as a test car during the season and was actually merged with the second chassis prior to its Canadian Grand Prix outing. Later use included U.K. hill climb events, which must’ve been pretty exciting in a contemporary F1 car. It has an FIA Historical Technical Passport and had some decent refreshes about six years ago. It’s expected to bring between $345,000-$435,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Le Castellet, France | November 19, 2021
Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
Huron Auto Racing Developments Ltd. was founded by Jack Smith and Roy Ireland in the U.K. when they met up with former McLaren designer Jo Marquart. Marquart wanted to design something that wasn’t a McLaren, and thus the Huron was born.
The 4A was a single-seat sports prototype based around a Cosworth 1.8-liter engine. Today, this car, chassis number one of three built, is powered by a 2.0-liter Ford-Cosworth inline-four. The history of the Huron 4A is interesting. Cars number one and two debuted at the 1971 BOAC 1000 at Brands Hatch. Then they failed to qualify at Le Mans, causing Camel to pull their sponsorship funding.
In an effort to make some money, Huron sent the cars to DAF, who fitted car #2 with a Variomatic gearbox. The two cars remained together through their next few owners, including an American SCCA racer. This car has retained its original Hewland gearbox since new. It’s now expected to sell for between $115,000-$160,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | May 22, 2021
Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
March Engineering debuted on the Formula One grid in 1970. Their best years were their early years, and they left after a points-less 1977. March reappeared in 1981, and then packed up their ball again and went home after 1982. They reappeared yet again in 1987 and raced as Leyton House Racing in 1990 and 1991 before a final season as March in 1992.
The 811 was their car for the 1981 season. It featured a 3.0-liter Ford-Cosworth DFV V8, which on this example was recently rebuilt. The competition history for this chassis, 811-05, includes:
1981 Spanish Grand Prix – 16th (with Derek Daly)
1981 French Grand Prix – 19th, DNF (with Daly)
1981 German Grand Prix – 21st, DNF (with Daly)
1981 Austrian Grand Prix – 11th (with Daly)
1981 Dutch Grand Prix – 20th, DNF (with Daly)
1981 Italian Grand Prix – 12th, DNF (with Daly)
1981 Canadian Grand Prix – 8th (with Daly)
It was later campaigned in the 1982 British Formula One championship and in the final few races of the 1982 Can-Am season, during which it was modified to look more like a sports car. It was restored to its 1981 F1 glory in 1988 and has been active on the historic circuit. It is expected to bring between $300,000-$400,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Online | July 14-22, 2020
Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
Jean Rondeau was a racing driver that drove open-wheel and saloon cars before moving on to sports racing prototypes in 1976 when he joined the Inaltera team. Inaltera was a wallpaper company, an industry whose natural extension is prototype sports cars to contest Le Mans.
This example, the first of three built, was the team’s test car. It is powered by a 3.0-liter Cosworth V8. Though it did not compete at Le Mans in 1976, it would enter the race the following year. It’s competition history includes:
1977 24 Hours of Le Mans – 4th (3rd in Class), with Jean Rondeau and Jean Ragnotti
After that, Inaltera pulled out of motor racing. Rondeau ventured on, building similar cars under his own name. He would later become the only person to win Le Mans with a car bearing his own name.
This car went to Switzerland after the 1977 season along with the other two Inaltera chassis. The current owner acquired all three later that year and sold the other two, keeping this one. It is now offered with an estimate between $510,000-$625,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
EuroBrun was a short-lived Formula One team that competed between 1988 and 1990. The team was formed by the joining of powers of Giampaolo Pavanello’s Euroracing team (that operated the factory Alfa Romeo F1 team in the early 1980s) and Walter Brun’s Brun Motorsport.
Based in Milan, the team used Cosworth engines in 1988 before switching to a Judd powerplant. This car retains its 3.5-liter Cosworth DFZ V8. It was driven by Stefano Modena during the 1988 season, but the specific history for this chassis is not provided.
Modena finished 11th at the 1988 Hungarian Grand Prix, the team’s biggest highlight. They did not pre-qualify for any races in 1989 and made only two starts in 1990 before it was all over. This orange-and-green F1 car (with an engine!) is now being offered at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by RM Sotheby’s | London, U.K. | October 24, 2019
Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
Arrows Grand Prix International was an active F1 team between 1978 and 2002. They never won a race, and by 2000 they weren’t in the best position on the grid, literally and figuratively. Drivers Jos Verstappen and Pedro de la Rosa managed a best result of 4th all season.
The A21 was their car for 2000. Originally, it was powered by a 3.0-liter V10 from Supertec. Now it has a 3.0-liter Cosworth AC V8, which is probably much more reliable, even if it was built 25 years ago. The AC carried a rating of about 500 horsepower when new. The competition history for this chassis includes:
2000 Belgian Grand Prix – 16th (with Pedro de la Rosa)
2000 Italian Grand Prix – 21st, DNF (with de la Rosa)
And that was it for A21 chassis no. 05. It was later rebuilt after the accident at Monza and is now being offered alongside another A21 at RM’s sale. It’s like a turn-key F1 team from 20 years ago. Get after it! Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2019
Photo – Bonhams
Well, this was the exact car I rooted for in 20 races of the 1999 CART season. Alex Zanardi just won the championship the year before and departed for F1, leaving me with Gil de Ferran, Greg Moore, Adrian Fernandez, and Michael Andretti for whom to root for the season. And boy, did I love this car.
The Swift 010.c was one of five different chassis used during the season, with others coming from Reynard, Lola, Eagle, and Penske. This Newman/Haas-owned car is powered by a 2.7-liter V8 making 829 horsepower. It carries a wonderful Havoline/Kmart livery and was used by Michael Andretti in all 20 races that season. It was never wrecked, though it did retire from contact in Toronto. It’s competition history during the 1999 CART seasons includes:
Homestead-Miami Speedway – 2nd
Twin Ring Motegi – 5th
Long Beach Grand Prix – 7th
Nazareth Speedway – 6th
Rio de Janeiro – 26th, DNF
Gateway International Raceway – 1st
Milwaukee Mile – 15th
Portland International Raceway – 10th
Burke Lakefront Airport – 3rd
Road America – 2nd
Molson Indy Toronto – 26th, DNF
Michigan International Speedway – 4th
Belle Isle – 4th
Mid-Ohio – 8th
Chicagoland Speedway – 22nd, DNF
Molson Indy Vancouver – 14th
Laguna Seca – 10th
Grand Prix of Houston – 3rd
Surfer’s Paradise – 5th
Auto Club Speedway – 21st, DNF
Let us all now take a step back and look at just what an awesome schedule that is. You old timers will disagree, but this was the pinnacle of open wheel racing in the U.S. Sorry, it just is.
This race-winning car was later independently raced in the 2004 BOSS SuperCup series in Europe before being put into storage. It should now sell for between $110,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.
