Over 2-liter Grand Touring cars have always had a place to compete within the ever-changing regulations of International Motorsports; the World Sports Car Championship from 1953-1961, the Speedworld Challenge from 1962-1963, and the International Championship of Makes from 1972-1981. This included racing in the great endurance races such as the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Nürburgring, Spa and Monza 1000 Kilometers, and the Targa Florio. Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, Porsche and Ford (by backing Carroll Shelby with the Cobra), all designed very lightweight, successful competition cars to compete in the GT category. In the USA these cars raced with the SCCA and in the USRRC.
Today, GT cars qualify to race in many great historic events such as the Tour (de France) Auto, Tour of Spain and Targa Florio because they are dual-purpose race and street cars. They also qualify for the Le Mans 24 Hour Classic and, in the USA, the Monterey Motorsport Reunion and all other race events and tours. Due to their technology, great designs, event eligibility and low production numbers, GT cars have been steadily increasing in value.
Additionally, there was also the popular American series for racing “Sedans,” the Trans-Am Championship, which started in 1966 and for the purposes of this guide, goes through 1972. This was exciting racing with all of the big American manufacturers involved.
Today, there is a historic Trans-Am group that is always a crowd pleaser. These cars have also proved their worth and have been increasing in value with buyers paying a premium for team cars with history.
Make | Model | Level III | Level II | Level I |
| AMC Javelin | ‘68-’72 Trans AmTeam | $700,000 | $800,000 | $900,000 |
| ‘69-’71 Trans AmIndependent | $150,000 | $175,000 | $250,000 | |
| Aston Martin | DB2 | $225,000 | $275,000 | $325,000 |
| DB4 GT | $2,000,000 | $2,300,000 | $2,500,000 | |
| DB4 GT Zagato | $8,500,000 | $9,000,000 | $9,500,000 | |
| Austin-Healey | 100 M | $150,000 | $175,000 | $225,000 |
| 100 S | $700,000 | $750,000 | $8 50,000 | |
| 100-6 MM | $65,000 | $85,000 | $110,000 | |
| 3000 | $80,000 | $110,000 | $125,000 | |
| Bizzarrini | 5300 Strada | $550,000 | $600,000 | $750,000 |
| BMW | 3.0CSL Group 2 | $500,000 | $600,000 | $700,000 |
| 3.5CSL M49 | $700,000 | $800,000 | $900,000 | |
| Chevrolet Camaro | ‘67-’71 Trans AmTeam Penske | $700,000 | $800,000 | $900,000 |
| ‘66-’70 Trans AmIndependent | $175,000 | $175,000 | $250,000 | |
| Chevrolet Corvette | Greenwood 1974-1977 | $400,000 | $500,000 | $650,000 |
| BFG 1968-1969 | $750,000 | $825,000 | $900,000 | |
| J.G. 1968-1969 | $700,000 | $750,000 | $850,000 | |
| Chevrolet | ‘56-’62 Corvette | $50,000 | $75,000 | $125,000 |
| ‘63-’67 Corvette | $50,000 | $100,000 | $150,000 | |
| ‘68-’72 Corvette | $50,000 | $100,000 | $150,000 | |
| Cobra | 289 Team Comp | $2,000,000 | $2,200,000 | $2,500,000 |
| 289 Ind. Comp | $800,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,300.000 | |
| 289 USRRC | $2,500,000 | $2,700,000 | $3,000,000 | |
| 289 FIA | $3,500,000 | $4,000,000 | $4,500,000 | |
| 289 Daytona Coupe | $8,000,000 | $9,000,000 | $10,000,000 | |
| 427 S/C | $2,000,000 | $2,200,000 | $2,500,000 | |
| Dodge Challenger | ‘70-’71 Trans AmTeam | $600,000 | $650,000 | $750,000 |
| ‘70-’71 Trans AmIndependent | $150,000 | $175,000 | $250,000 | |
| Ferrari | 250 GT TDF | $7,000,000 | $8,000,000 | $9,000,000 |
| 250 GT LWB Alloy CA Spyder | $10,000,000 | $11,000,000 | $12,000,000 | |
| 250 GT SWB Alloy CA Spyder | $12,000,000 | $14,000,000 | $16,000,000 | |
| 250 GT SWB Alloy Comp | $10,000,000 | $12,000,000 | $14,000,000 | |
| 250 GTO Series I II | $40,000,000 | $45,000,000 | $50,000,000 | |
| 330 LMB | $30,000,000 | $35,000,000 | $40,000,000 | |
| 250/275 LM | $10,000,000 | $12,000,000 | $15,000,000 | |
| 275 GTB Comp | $3,000,000 | $3,500,000 | $4,000,000 | |
| 275 GTB-C Comp | $6,000,000 | $7,000,000 | $8,000,000 | |
| 365 GTB4 Comp | $3,500,000 | $4,000,000 | $4,500,000 | |
| Ford Shelby MustangNotch Back | Trans-Am ‘66-’68 Team | $200,000 | $300,000 | $350,000 |
| Trans-Am ‘66-’68 Independent | $125,000 | $150,000 | $200,000 |
| Make | Model | Level III | Level II | Level I |
| Ford Mustang Boss 302 | Trans-Am ’69-‘72Team | $700,000 | $800,000 | $900,000 |
| Trans-Am ’69-‘72Independent | $150,000 | $175,000 | $250,000 | |
| Ford | Capri Group 2 | $300,000 | $350,000 | $400,000 |
| Griffith | 200/400 Series | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
| Iso Grifo | A3C Corsa | $1,600,000 | $1,800,000 | $2,000,000 |
| C-Type | $4,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $6,000,000 | |
| D-Type | $5,000,000 | $6,000,000 | $7,000,000 | |
| Jaguar | XKSS | $7,000,000 | $8,000,000 | $10,000,000 |
| XK120 | $100,000 | $125,000 | $175,000 | |
| XK120 Alloy | $350,000 | $425,000 | $500,000 | |
| XKE Lightweight | $5,000,000 | $6,000,000 | $6,500,000 | |
| Ligier | JS1 | $125,000 | $150,000 | $175,000 |
| Ligier | JS2 | $400,000 | $450,000 | $500,000 |
| Plymouth Barracuda | ‘70-’71 Trans Am Team | $500,000 | $600,000 | $700,000 |
| ‘70-’71 Trans Am Independent | $125,000 | $175,000 | $250,000 | |
| Pontiac Firebird | ‘70-’71 Trans Am Team | $500,000 | $600,000 | $700,000 |
| ‘70-’71 Trans Am Independent | $125,000 | $175,000 | $250,000 | |
| Porsche | 911 ST | $1,200,000 | $1,400,000 | $1,600,000 |
| 911 RS 2.7 Touring | $675,000 | $750,000 | $875,000 | |
| 911 RS 2.7 Lightweight | $850,000 | $925,000 | $1,100,000 | |
| 911 RSR 2.8/3.0 | $1,400,000 | $1,600,000 | $1,800,000 | |
| Shelby | GT350 ’65 | $225,000 | $275,000 | $325,000 |
| GT350 R ’65 | $700,000 | $800,000 | $900,000 | |
| Sunbeam | Tiger 260/289 | $90,000 | $110,000 | $135,000 |
1964 Iso Grifo A3C Corsa
Giotto Bizzarrini was a young engineer who first worked for Alfa Romeo on the Guilletta chassis design. He then moved on to Ferrari to become head engineer, where he was involved with some of Ferrari’s most successful designs, the 250SWB and 250GTO projects. Bizzarrini was part of the Ferrari revolt in which he and eight of Ferrari’s key management, including Cario Chiti and even Phil Hill, left to work elsewhere. Bizzarrini built the 250GT Breadvan with Kamm tail design, was involved with ATS, ASA, and Iso. It was while with Iso that Bizzarrini designed his masterpiece, the Iso-Grifo A3C Corsa, a lightweight, alloy-bodied competition car with the latest in technical innovations. The A3C had its alloy body built by Drogo with Bertone badging, with 7,000 rivets holding it together. For homologation reasons where 100 cars needed to be built, Bizzarrini wished to have the A3C associated with the Iso Grifo A3L with Bertone body. Only seven Iso Grifo A3C Corsa competition cars were built, and only three exist today. After Bizzarrini’s split with the Iso Rivolta family, ultimately 140 road version Bizzarrini 5300 Strada would be built to solve homolgation requirements.
The Iso Grifo A3C Corsa had its 5.3-liter Chevrolet V8 engine sitting very low and far back in the chassis for balance and weight distribution. It was sleek and aerodynamic for its day. Stunning to look at with its aggressive stance, the Iso Grifo A3C was raced at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of LeMans and even the Goodwood TT. Today this car represents an example of Bizzarrini’s engineering genius and Italian craftsmanship. It’s also a certain entry and class winner in all of the premier historic racing events worldwide.
1974 BMW CSL “Batmobile”
The BMW factory in Munich was becoming more involved in motor sports by the early 1970s and was determined to build a contender for Group 2, Group 5, and IMSA Competition. The BMW competition department built a small batch of lightweight CSL racing cars. They were called the “Batmobile” because of the fender flares, front spoiler and large rear wing.
The factory M49 engine was a 3.5-liter, inline six-cylinder with four valves per cylinder (24-valve), 30-degree angle cylinder head and slide-throttle fuel injection producing 450 bhp plus. The BMW factory built and raced less than ten of these M49 cars. When BMW Motorsports stopped racing in-house, they built another batch of cars, for a total of 29, and supplied them to Team Luigi in Belgium and Schnitzer and Alpina in Germany. The Group 2 car had a 12-valve, 3.2-liter engine for racing in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft. The CSL was successful at the 12 Hours of Sebring, where it won 1st place overall in 1975 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it ran as a Group 5 car and finished in the top 10 in 1976. Factory drivers were Ronnie Peterson, Hans Stuck, Brian Redman and other top stars of the day. A 3.5-liter, 24-valve, M49 spec factory car is a rare car, and a thrill to watch at speed tussling with a Porsche RSR or Ford Capri RS. This car is certainly rarer than the more common RSR.
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 |
