I recently told a student at a PCA event that I will never own a really nice / cool street car because I will always choose an old race car over a street car.
Photograph Courtesy BMW
Let's go shopping with someone else's money: Would you buy a historically important race car, or would you rather have a street car?
The reason we ask: Of RM Sotheby’s 14 lots available after this weekend’s Monterey sales, 10 are race cars. That list includes some very choice machines like Fittipaldi’s IROC Porsche 911 RSR, a N.A.R.T. Ferrari 512 BB/LM and, one of the weekend’s star attractions, a Porsche 917K.
That’s not to say that all race cars went unsold. Mecum got $1.2 million for a 1965 Shelby GT350R–that price beats the No. 1 values–while Gooding & Company brought in nearly $2 million for a Porsche 935.
So, if you had the money to buy, what’s your pleasure: road or track?
I recently told a student at a PCA event that I will never own a really nice / cool street car because I will always choose an old race car over a street car.
Given my proclivities, I'd want something I could drive on the street; I can't seem to get lined up to hit all the auto-x's I'd like to get to, never mind a track, which means I'd never drive it.
But, I've no budget to collect anything, so there's that, too.
Anymore to really have fun in a street car, I would need to drive it in a manner that would wind me up in jail.
The real question is what is the least suck you can find in a tow vehicle so you can take your toys to the track?
I'd prefer an historically insignificant old race car. I don't mind driving expensive race cars but I get nervous driving something with a provenance that makes it irreplaceable. I think I'd still feel that way even if it was my car.
I couldn't give a historically significant race car the life it deserves, so I'd go with the street car. If ever I had the time share it with the world, and could afford to eat all of the costs (and risks) associated with doing so, then I might go with the race car instead.
Old Yeller II was at the vintage races this year. Getting up close and personal with a car that had been driven by multiple of the all-time greats in American motorsports history, and then watching it on the track, was really something special.
APEowner said:I'd prefer an historically insignificant old race car. I don't mind driving expensive race cars but I get nervous driving something with a provenance that makes it irreplaceable. I think I'd still feel that way even if it was my car.
My feelings exactly. If it's historically significant, you have to treat it as if it's not really yours. You're just the caretaker. Better an interesting car that is not significant to anyone else.
Unless you want to run in the Mille Miglia or something like the Le Mans Classic. In which case it HAS to be historically significant to get invited :)
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Not all old race cars are famous. My Black Jack Spl achieved more fame under my ownership than the guy who built it originally in 1958. ( Jack Baker ) he won one regional championship and finished 2nd in Road America 500 ( thanks to a 50 gallon gas tank )
There are plenty of also rans, grid fillers, and DNF's. That can be purchased for modest money and yet will give their owner a lifetime of memories and stories. Is there anything cheaper than a worn out obsolete race car? Sometimes not even so worn out!!! A typical vintage race weekend is generally less than 200 miles. 3-4-5 events a year over the 10 year lifetime = 10,000 or less!!!
Some cars retain value because of what they are. Aston Martin for example. You won't find a low dollar one even in poor shape. Similar performance can be had with a Jaguar that might sell cheaper than an emblem would for the Aston Martin. Just like you can put a Big engine into the cooking version of a "muscle car" for a lot cheaper than an original car sells for.
Perhaps my example of a Jaguar isn't so good. OK; an XKE or a XK 120 Roadster are up in nosebleed territory now but they were once $300 junkers with just a little rust on the rocker panels not that long ago.
But there are plenty of old race cars with modest histories or just old cars that can be made as tribute cars.
The question specified "historically significant". APEowner and I both said we'd prefer historically insignificant cars, aka your grid fillers. Basically, same thing you said.
I'm not sure I'd call an obsolete worn out race car cheap if you want to keep racing it, though...
I raced for a number of years. I really don't want to deal with trailers and tow vehicles and all that ever again. Not unless I had a huge windfall and could afford quality vehicles and the space to keep them.
The next "toy" will be a streetable track car.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Vintage racing differs from other racing in that a fair number of "Gentlemen" would hire me to prepare their cars and that paid for my race preparation. Then someone would cover the costs of transportation if I'd bring his car along with mine. Once at the track my entry was paid by me serving as his crew chief.
Speed weeks in the Bahamas cost me $300 out of pocket and much of that was spent by my wife. Same with San Diego North Island. Watkins Glen, Mid Ohio, Road America, Road Atlantic,
Some of those were one time only while others were regular events. My next events will be with team mates. Who in exchange for race time will help me prepare the car.
Racing doesn't have to be expensive.
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