Tag Archives: race cars

BMW M1 Procar

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1980 BMW M1 Procar

For Sale by Girardo & Co.

Photo – Girardo & Co.

How do you take one of the coolest “classical supercars” and make it look even more badass? Turn it into a killer race car for a one-make series, that’s how. BMW built 399 M1 road cars between 1978 and 1981, along with 53 race cars.

Those race cars were destined for the BMW M1 Procar Championship, a one-make series devised by the head of BMW Motorsport. Strange homologation rules sort of necessitated the series, which was run as a Formula One support series for the 1979 and 1980 seasons. The cars were also used in different sports car racing series all over the world.

M1 Procars were more or less ground-up race cars. They had big front and rear wings, among many other changes from the road cars, and they are powered by a 3.5-liter inline-six tweaked to make 470 horsepower (the road car made 273).

The race history for this car, #36, includes:

  • 1982 24 Hours of Daytona – 40th, DNF (with Joe Crevier, Fred Stiff, and Dennis Wilson)
  • 1982 12 Hours of Sebring – 19th (with Crevier, Paul Fassler, and Bob Zeigel)

The car was also driven by Al Unser Jr. prior to the 1982 season. It’s been completely restored and used in historic competition. The current owner bought it in 2012 and it’s now for sale in Europe. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2020, $913,000.

Lancia LC1

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1982 Lancia LC1

For Sale by Girardo & Co.

Photo – Girardo & Co.

This car is the predecessor of the Lancia LC2 we features last week. It debuted in 1982 to contest the World Endurance Championship, which was held under the FIA’s Group 6 regulations.

The chassis for this car was designed by built by Dallara (by Mr. Dallara himself at that). It wears a Kevlar and carbon body and is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter Lancia-Abarth inline-four capable of 450 horsepower.

Only four examples of the LC1 were built. The competition history for this car, chassis #2, includes:

  • 1982 1000km Nurburgring – 1st (with Teo Fabi, Michele Alboreto, and Riccardo Patrese)
  • 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans – 36th, DNF (with Fabi, Alboreto, and Rolf Stommelen)

That Nurburgring victory was the highlight for the entire LC1 program, and the car is now presented in its original Martini livery. You can read more about it here.

Lancia LC2

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1983 Lancia LC2

For Sale at Girardo & Co

Photo – Girardo & Co.

The World Sportscar Championship produced some pretty awesome race cars in the 1980s, including this, the Lancia LC2. Group C was where all the big dogs played during this era. The LC2 was Lancia’s factory-backed entry between 1983 and 1986.

The fun part about this car is that it is actually Ferrari-powered. It’s got a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V8 that can be boosted to over 800 horsepower. Group C cars are not for the faint of heart. Only seven LC2s were built, six of which wore a factory Martini livery like this one. The competition history for this chassis, which was the first one built, includes:

  • 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans – 34th, DNF (with Alessandro Nannini, Paolo Barilla, and Jean-Claude Andruet

This is the LC2 that later spent time in the Blackhawk Museum. It’s now available by Girardo & Co. with a price available upon request. You can read more about it here.

Venturi 600 LM

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1996 Venturi 600 LM-S

For Sale by Ascott Collection | Vaucresson, France

Photo – Ascott Collection

The Venturi 600 LM was the ultimate Venturi race car. It all started in 1993 when Venturi attacked Le Mans with seven 500 LM race cars. Five finished, and for 1994, a new series appeared: the BRP Endurance Championship for GT cars.

So they built one 600 LM, powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that made 570-600 horsepower depending on the boost pressure. At least four 500 LMs were updated to 600 LM specification. This (CLM0003) is one of those cars, and its racing history includes:

  • 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans (as a 500 LM) – 42nd, DNF (with Costas Los, Johannes Bardutt, and Claude Brana)

In 1996, the car was updated again to 600 LM-S specification by the factory. This included revised bodywork and a power increase to 640 horsepower. It failed to qualify for Le Mans that year. It’s been restored and is now for sale in France with a price available upon request. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Le Mans 2023, $325,569.

EuroBrun ER188

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1988 EuroBrun-Cosworth ER188

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Essen, Germany | TBD…

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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.

Update: Sold $99,952.

Kurtis 500H

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1958 Kurtis 500H

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 12-17, 2020

Photo – Mecum

Frank Kurtis built some spectacular race cars in the 1950s, including this 500H. It was from the later years of Kurtis Indy Roadster production. I’m not really sure how many were produced, but if there were multiple, they were probably built between 1958 and 1960. That’s when they were campaigned.

This car is powered by a 252ci (4.1-liter) Offenhauser inline-four. The Kurtis-Offy was a nearly unbeatable combo at the Brickyard in the ’50s. The competition history for this car includes:

  • 1958 Indy 500 – 23rd, DNF (with Johnny Tomson)
  • 1959 Indy 500 – 7th (with Duane Carter)
  • 1960 Indy 500 – 22nd, DNF (with Don Freeland)

Looking at a bunch of old Indy box scores, it’s possible that this was the only “H” example built. It appears to be the only one to run the 500. You can see more about this car here and more from Mecum here.

Update: Withdrawn.

Emeryson F1

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1961 Emeryson 1.5-Litre Formula 1

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | March 29, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

There have been a lot of teams in Formula One over the years. Some have lasted decades, others just a few races. Paul Emery got his start building F3 cars in the early 1950s before building his first F1/F2 car in 1953. As a works team, Emeryson entered a single race in 1956.

They reappeared on the grid twice in 1962. Privateers entered Emeryson cars at least four times in ’61 and ’62. The Emeryson team was acquired by an American teenager in 1961, and the cars were fitted with Coventry-Climax engines. This car, 1004, was used by drivers Mike Spence, Jack Fairman, Tony Settember, and John Campbell-Jones in a number of non-championship Formula One races in 1961 and 1962.

This car’s lone F1 entry was at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix, where it DNF’d with Settember, who retained the car himself until 1963. The car was purchased by a collector in 1992 and restored. It retains a 1.5-liter Coventry-Climax inline-four and is the only surviving Emeryson F1 car. It should sell for between $150,000-$200,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $211,331.

Two Ginettas

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1991 Ginetta G33

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Essen, Germany | Date TBD…

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The G33 was produced by Ginetta Cars between 1990 and 1993. This example was actually the first one built and was used as a factory prototype and demonstrator. It was purchased by the current owner in 2008.

The G33 is a front-engined car powered by a 3.9-liter Rover V8 good for 205 horsepower. Only 98 were built, and this one is offered at no reserve. The only question is when will it sell. RM Sotheby’s has delayed its Essen sale until mid-to-late June due to Coronavirus fears. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $27,147.

ca.2005 Ginetta G20

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Essen, Germany | Date TBD…

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The G20 is another Ginetta road car. But it’s not much of a road car. Built more for the track, the G20 features a cut-down windshield, a roll bar, seating for two, and, uh, no doors.

So hop on in and fire up the car’s 1.8-liter Ford-Cosworth inline-four. It’ll hit 60 mph in 6.4 seconds. It’s almost like something TVR would build. They were built between 2002 and 2010. This one was listed without a year, so I just picked one from the middle of the run. Like the G33 above, it will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $10,180.

Belgian “Can-Am” Car

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1967 Méan Can-Am

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Ascot Racecourse, U.K. | March 7, 2020

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

Méan Motor Engineering was a Belgian company that produced some race cars and some road cars. It was founded by Jacques D’Heur in Liege in 1966. The company’s name changed in 1971, and it closed up in 1974.

This race car was built in 1967 and is powered by a 1.2-liter NSU inline-four. It’s called a “Can-Am” but there is no evidence that the car actually competed in the Can-Am series in North America. It does have FIA papers and is eligible for historic events.

Méan road cars are exceptionally rare, and their racers even more so. This fiberglass road race car should bring between $36,000-$44,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $36,928.

Silnes-Offy Indy Car

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1951 Silnes-Offenhauser Tomshe

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 6-7, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This car is listed in the auction catalog as a “Silnes-Offenhauser Tomshe.” It was apparently built by Fred Tomshe, but was entered in various races as a Silnes-Offenhauser with Tomshe/Bardahl listed as the entrant. The car was commissioned by gangster George “Babe” Tuffanelli, who was part of the Chicago Outfit.

Power is from a fuel-injected 4.4-liter Offenhauser inline-four. It was entered in the 1951 Indy 500 with driver Ray Knepper, who failed to qualify. It did compete at Milwaukee and Langhorne later that year.

It’s been used at historic events since 2010, including the Monterey Historics. The constructor confusion here could be easily explained by that the possibility that the Tomshe build was based on a Silnes car. Who knows… the people who were there are no longer here. The pre-sale estimate is $125,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM at Amelia.

Update: Sold $95,200.