Can-Am Race Car – 2009 Market & Price Guide

The Canadian-American Challenge Cup was a series nicknamed the “unlimited” series co-sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America and the Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs. Although there was a basic set of rules—the cars had to be two-seaters with bodywork covering the wheels, have doors, a windscreen, brake lights, and various safety requirements—there were no regulations specifying the car’s dimensions, minimum weight, materials used, or size of the tires. This was all left open to the creativity of the designer.

The nickname “unlimited” came from the regulations allowing engines of unlimited displacement and number of cylinders, that is, unlimited horsepower. Essentially, this was the open sports racing car series, and it became a hotbed of new technology and racing car design.

It took place from 1966 until 1974 with races in Canada and America. At its peak it was a 10-race series, and cars from BRM, Chaparral, Ferrari, Lola, March, McLaren, Porsche, and Shadow were driven by men with names such as Amon, Donohue, Follmer, Gurney, Hill, Hulme, McLaren, Oliver, Revson, Scheckter, Siffert, Stewart, and Surtees.

Although, it was partly known as the “Bruce and Denny Show” because of the five straight years of either Bruce McLaren or Denis Hulme winning the championship with McLaren Can-Am cars, it started with a Lola championship and ended with complete domination by Porsche with the 917/10 and 917/30.

Today there is a historic Can-Am group, which organizes races across the country, including some very popular Can-Am reunion events. The value of these cars today is determined largely by their provenance, whether it was a team car or a private car, the race history, and the condition.

1970 BRM P154

British Racing Motors (BRM) was founded just after WWII by Raymond Mays, builder of the ERA. He and Peter Berthon wanted to build an all-British Grand Prix car with backing by the British motor industry. The team was soon taken over by Sir Alfred Owen and managed by Mays and Berthon from 1954 to 1970. BRM won the Formula One World Championship in 1962 and finished 2nd in 1964 with Graham Hill. In 1970 BRM ventured into the Can-Am series with the P154. Two cars were built. This Tony Southgate design was driven by George Eaton and Pedro Rodriguez. The two best finishes were a 3rd at St. Jovite, Mont Tremblant, with Eaton driving early in the season, and a 3rd at the L.A. Times Grand Prix at Riverside, with Rodriguez driving at the end of the season. It was Chevrolet V8-powered with a big Hewland gearbox. BRM did build a 1971 car, the P167, with improved aerodynamics, which was driven by Brian Redman and Rodriguez. BRM soon stopped the Can-Am program and chose to focus on its Grand Prix efforts. One of the P154 was lost at sea in a shipping accident, so only one remains. It is raced at historic events with great success.

1965 Lola T70 Spyder

Eric Broadley’s Lola Cars Ltd designed the T70 for the two-seater sports racing car category. Following the trend of using American V8s in light racing cars, the Mark I T70 was first introduced at the January 1965 London Motor show. When the first Can-Am season started in 1966, the Mark II T70 was the perfect entry. It had a light, but sturdy aluminum monocoque and a strong Hewland LG500 gearbox mated to a powerful small block Chevrolet V8. The T70 was a beautiful car with open spyder bodywork and handled quite well. It had considerable success racing in England, and in John Surtees’ capable hands, won three times in the Can-Am to take the first title. The T70 Spyder was also made in Mark III form and driven by many greats such as Mark Donohue, Dan Gurney, Denny Hulme, and Brian Redman.

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.