After some fifty years of automotive racing, the Grand Prix Formula or Formula One was formed by the FIA (Federation Internationale de L’Automobile) in 1950 with its first race, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. This was to be the first world driver’s championship, in the world’s most technically advanced single-seater racing cars. In 1958, the world constructor’s championship was added. Now one would at last know who the best driver in the world was, as well as which manufacturers had constructed the best racing car. FISA was Formula One’s administrative body, which saw that everyone played by the ever-changing rules. In this guide, I am going to cover the period 1966-1983 for cars built to a 500kg to 585kg weight minimum, and powered by 3.0-liter normally aspirated engines.
Formula One started from very humble beginnings. Teams were comprised of a group of talented people working out of small garages, trying to find the money to go racing. This time includes numerous great inventions, such as the 3.0-liter Cosworth DFV engine, the slick racing tire, aerodynamic aides from simple wings to full ground effects. The period also marked the beginnings of the English racing car manufacturers who relied heavily on Cosworth engines and Hewland gearboxes. World championship drivers include Brabham, Hulme, Hill, Stewart, Rindt, Fittpaldi, Lauda, Hunt, Andretti, Scheckter, Jones, Piquet and Rosberg.
Today one can race these exciting Formula One cars with the HGP (Historic Grand Prix) group at the Monterey Historics, St. Jovite, and as pre-races at the Indianapolis 500 and the Long Beach Grand Prix. The Monaco Historic Grand Prix is also a very popular FI event. When buying a Formula One car, condition and race preparations are vital. It is also important to analyze the cars racing history by chassis number.
1966 Brabham BT-19
For the outset of the new 3.0-liter Formula, Jack Brabham and his small group at MRD in England created a tube frame masterpiece, while his competitors built aluminum monocoque chassis. The Ron Tauranac designed BT-19 had a tubular space frame, which was simple, light, and efficient, yet still rigid enough to have excellent handling. While his competitors tried to develop their own 3.0-liter engines, the BT-19 was powered by the Repco V8 engine, which was developed by Repco in Australia using an existing V8 Oldsmobile aluminum block. The team’s engine man was John Judd and a 5-speed Hewland gearbox was chosen. Brabham went on to win four races in a row, and the world drivers and constructors titles in a car of his own name. This was followed by Hulme winning the 1967 title driving the BT-24. Brabham was the first to build a winning car to the new Formula.
1966 Eagle T2G Weslake V12
All American Racers (AAR), was first started as a partnership between Dan Gurney and Carroll Shelby, with sponsorship from GoodYear tires. AAR was to construct a racing car that would use GoodYear tires, which could win the Indianapolis 500 and Formula One races and beat the cars using Firestones. The AAR English arm hired Len Terry who had designed the Indy winning Lotus 38. Terry created the T2G, per- haps the most beautiful Formula One car ever built with an aluminum monocoque, exquisite craftsmanship and a nose like an eagle’s beak. Thus these cars were called Eagles after America’s national symbol. They were powered by the ex BRM engineer Aubry Woods’ 3.0-liter V12 design, which Gurney had Weslake develop into a winning engine. The Eagle T2G won the Race of Champions and the Belgian Grand Prix at SPA; Gurney became one of the rare few drivers to win a Grand Prix driving a car of his own construction. Only four cars were built.
Criteria Used For Assessing Valuations for this Guide:
- Degree of Originality
- Overall Condition, Restoration
- Technology, Design, Coachbuilder
- Production Numbers/Rarity
- Competition History
- Ownership History, Documentation
- Modern Event Eligibility
Regional Variances
The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT. Most of the time, we are able to document known sales or closed escrows, as they say in real estate. When this is not possible, a logical estimate of the car’s value is given, based on its sales history and relationship to cars of its type.
The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT.
LEVEL | VALUATION CATEGORIES |
|---|---|
I | The best combination of all criteria. |
II | Satisfies mid-range of criteria. |
III | In need of restoration. Meets only a few points of criteria |
