Over two-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 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 1000 Kilometers of Nürburgring, Spa and Monza, 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 in the SCCA and 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 Historics and all other race events and tours. Due to their technology, great designs, event eligibility and low production numbers, GT cars have steadily been 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 proven 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 Am Team | $700,000 | $800,000 | $900,000 |
‘69-’71 Trans Am Independent | $150,000 | $175,000 | $250,000 | |
| Aston Martin | DB2 | $225,000 | $325,000 | $475,000 |
| DB4 GT | $2,000,000 | $2,500,000 | $3,000,000 | |
| DB4 GT Zagato | $8,000,000 | $9,000,000 | $10,000,000 | |
| Austin-Healey | 100 M | $100,000 | $150,000 | $175,000 |
| 100 S | $700,000 | $850,000 | $1,000,000 | |
| 100-6 MM | $65,000 | $85,000 | $110,000 | |
| 3000 | $60,000 | $80,000 | $110,000 | |
| Bizzarrini | 5300 Strada | $700,000 | $800,000 | $900,000 |
| BMW | 3.0CSL Group 2 | $600,000 | $800,000 | $1,000,000 |
| 3.5CSL M49 | $1,500,000 | $1,800,000 | $2,000,000 | |
| Chevrolet Camaro | ‘67-’71 Trans Am Team Penske | $800,000 | $875,000 | $950,000 |
| ‘66-’70 Trans Am Independent | $175,000 | $175,000 | $250,000 | |
| Chevrolet Corvette | Greenwood 1974-1977 | $300,000 | $400,000 | $600,000 |
| 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 Am Team | $600,000 | $650,000 | $750,000 |
| ‘70-’71 Trans Am Independent | $150,000 | $175,000 | $250,000 | |
| Ferrari | 250 GT TDF | $8,000,000 | $10,000,000 | $12,000,000 |
| 250 GT LWB Alloy CA Spyder | $12,000,000 | $14,000,000 | $16,000,000 | |
| 250 GT SWB Alloy CA Spyder | $16,000,000 | $18,000,000 | $20,000,000 | |
| 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 | $12,000,000 | $15,000,000 | $17,000,000 | |
| 275 GTB Comp | $3,000,000 | $3,500,000 | $4,000,000 | |
| 275 GTB-C Comp | $6,000,000 | $7,000,000 | $9,000,000 | |
| 365 GTB4 Comp | $3,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $4,500,000 | |
| Ford Shelby Mustang Notch Back | Trans-Am ‘66-’68 Team | $200,000 | $300,000 | $350,000 |
| Trans-Am ‘66-’68 Independent | $125,000 | $150,000 | $200,000 | |
| Ford Mustang Boss 302 | Trans-Am ’69-‘72 Team | $700,000 | $800,000 | $900,000 |
Trans-Am ’69-‘72 Independent | $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 | $1,500,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,500,000 |
| C-Type | $4,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $6,000,000 | |
| D-Type | $6,000,000 | $10,000,000 | $20,000,000 | |
| Jaguar | XKSS | $8,000,000 | $10,000,000 | $12,000,000 |
| XK120 | $100,000 | $125,000 | $175,000 | |
| XK120 Alloy | $350,000 | $425,000 | $500,000 | |
| XKE Lightweight | $6,000,000 | $7,000,000 | $8,000,000 | |
| 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 | $1,600,000 | $2,000,000 |
| 911 RS 2.7 Lightweight | $700,000 | $900,000 | $1,200,000 | |
| 911 RSR 2.8/3.0 | $1,200,000 | $1,600,000 | $2,000,000 | |
| 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 |
1974 Porsche 911 3.0 RSR
Porsche AG in Stuttgart, Germany first produced the 911 design in 1964 as a production road car. In 1967 with the 911 “R”, Porsche built the first batch of lightweight 911-based competition cars. This continued on in 1970 with the 911ST and in 1973 with the 911 2.8 RSR. By 1974, the 911 3.0 RSR was out on the race track. This lightweight normally aspirated 911 racecar was enormously successful winning the FIA Manufactures GT Class World Championship. The ultimate 911 had won the ultimate championship against the world’s best cars. The 3.0 RSR followed Porsche’s idea of light, nimble and fast. The bodyshell was made with thin gauge sheet steel on the roof, door panels, and floor pans. Fiberglass was used on the front hood and bumper as well as the rear engine lid and bumper. A special thin window glass was even used. This brought the weight down to under 2,000 lbs. The 3.0-liter, 6-cylinder engine was built to a race specification with twin plug cylinder head and twin ignition. It produced 330 BHP. Running on big 9″ front and 14″ rear wheels the RSR looked menacing. Porsche built 59 examples of the 3.0-liter RSR. They are highly sought after today for use in so many race and rally events.
1964 Sunbeam Tiger
Sunbeam, an English automobile manufacturer with a racing heritage, had built the original Sunbeam Tiger in 1925. This was a V12, 4-liter racing car which was a world land speed record holder and the first automobile to exceed 150 mph. In 1963, having seen the success of the Shelby Cobra and realizing that their Sunbeam Alpine 4-cylinder was a touring car not a true sports car, importer Rootes American Motors Management asked Carroll Shelby to produce a functional prototype of the Alpine with a Ford V8. This was done, as well as a second Sunbeam V8 prototype built by Ken Miles, a Shelby employee, and talented fabricator. Based on the success of these two prototypes, production of the Sunbeam Tiger Mark I started. This automobile had a Ford 260-cu-in V8, and a 4-speed manual transmission. There was a Mark 1A and a Mark 2 version. The Mark 2 had the 289-cu-in V8. Only 536 Mark 2’s were built from a total production of 7,085 automobiles. The Sunbeam Tiger was another example of the big V8 being used in a small production sports car. Some of these cars saw the race tracks of the day and justified the use of the “Tiger” name once again, as in 1925. This is an exciting car with an English heritage and a Shelby Ford connection.
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 |
