ARTCURIAL MOTORCARS

Lot sold

USD 593 650 - 831 110

EUR 500 000 - 700 000 (listed)

Estimate

USD 593 650 - 831 110

EUR 500 000 - 700 000 (listed)

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1984 March Sports Car

Artcurial Motorcars - Retromobile 2017 | Paris, 10 February

Summary

  • Year of manufacture 
    1984
  • Car type 
    Other
  • Lot number 
    93
  • Drive 
    LHD
  • Condition 
    Original Condition
  • Number of seats 
    2
  • Location
  • Exterior colour 
    Blue
  • Drivetrain 
    2wd
  • Fuel type 
    Petrol

Description

Without registration
Competition car
Chassis n° 84G.03

- Porsche 956 engine
- Extensive racing provenance including Le Mans 24 Hours, Sebring, Daytona
- Eligible for Group C historic events

With a reputation for single-seater and sports-racing cars, the constructor March first became involved in production sports cars in the early 1980s. In 1981 they built the March '81P' for the American IMSA GTP Championship. This was a monocoque with bodywork designed by Max Sardou, based at the SERA wind tunnel in France. Using either a BMW 3.5-litre six-cylinder normally aspirated or a 2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, the results were disappointing. For the following season, engineer Adrian Newey, known later for his work at McLaren and Red Bull F1, worked on the subsequent design, the March 82G, which was intended as a " client competition " car, and just four examples were built capable of receiving different engines. The results were more promising, with a pole position in the 1982 Daytona 24 Hours and second place in the Sebring 12 Hours, powered by a Chevrolet engine.
In 1983, Al Holbert bought several March 83G chassis. He began the season using Chevrolet engines and switched to turbocharged Porsche engines halfway through. He won six races and the IMSA GTP Championship outright. For the following season in 1984, March introduced what is now regarded as the best of their Group C GTP cars, the 84G. With seven victories in the IMSA Championship, the car won the Driver's Championship with Randy Lanier.

The March 84G on offer is chassis n°84G.03, delivered new to the Kreepy Krauly team from South Africa, who had won the 1984 Daytona 24 Hours with their Porsche-engined March 83G. The car caught fire during initial testing at Road Atlanta, and was sent back to March for a rebuild. It returned without its original chassis plate which had been destroyed in the fire, and Ken Howes, the head of the Kreepy Krauly team, stamped the new blank chassis "84G.01", which is what he remembered it to be. Unfortunately this number corresponded to the car belonging to the Leon Brothers, which created confusion that lasted for many years. Once the car had been rebuilt, it achieved some good results, including two fourths and a sixth place in the last four IMSA races during 1984, despite the appearance of the Porsche 962, which provided stiff competition in the second half of the season. In 1985, the Kreepy Krauly's March 84G.03 had to retire in the Daytona 24 Hours, and was then sent to France for the Le Mans 24 Hours. Driven by Christian Danner, Ian Duxbury and Almo Coppelli, the car crossed the line in 22nd place despite a fuel leak towards the end of the race.

The March then sold to privateer Costas Los who raced it for the following two seasons. When the car finished, he was usually in the top ten. His co-pilots included Volker Weidler, Christian Danner, Tiff Needell and Divina Galica. In the 1986 Le Mans 24 Hours, he was joined by Touroul and Neil Crang, but unfortunately the March didn't make it to the finish line. After the 1986 season, Costas Los put the car into storage until 2002, when he sold it to Michael Gue, head of the Essex Racing Team. The March 84G.03 then passed into the hands of American driver Benton Bryan who had it restored and raced it until 2004. The current owner bought the car in 2010 and had it serviced and inspected by Chevron Racing using x-rays. Since then, the car has taken part in Le Mans Classic, winning C1B and it has also raced at Castellet. It comes with up-to-date FIA papers and is ready to race. The car will be delivered to the new owner with an extra set of wheels and wet tyres and there are many spare parts available through negotiation with the seller.

Strong, fast and reliable, this March 84G, one of two fitted with the 700bhp Porsche 956 IMSA engine, could be an excellent competitor in the hands of its new owner, in Group C historic events such as the Peter Auto series.

PROVENANCE:

84G/03: Sold on 16/12/83.
One of 2 with Porsche engine.
Kreepy Krauly car #0.

1984:
08/04: Road Atlanta: V. d. Merwe; DNS. (Fire on grid).
Car returned to March UK for rebuild.

29/07: Portland: V. d. Merwe; DNF.
26/08: Road America: V. d. Merwe; 4th.
09/09: Pocono: V.d. Merwe/I. Martin; 4th.
25/09: Daytona 3-Hours: V. d. Merwe/J. Scheckter; 6th.

1985:
2-3/2: Daytona 24-Hours: S. Van der Merwe/I. Scheckter/T. Martin, #0; 40th NR.
15-16/6: Le Mans 24-Hours: #34. C. Danner/I. Duxbury/A. Coppelli; 22ndOA.
14/7: Hockenheim: Nabrinka/C.Los/C. Danner, #34; NRF.
01/9: Spa-Francorchamps 1,000 Km: C.Los/C.Danner, #34; 7th.
22/9: Brands Hatch: C.Los/J.Andersson/D.Galica, #34; 7th.
1/12: Selangor 800 Km: C.Danner/C.Los; 8th.

1986:
20/4: Monza 1000Kms: C. Los, #66; 13thOA.
05/5: Silverstone 1000Kms: C. Los /#66; DNF.
31/5-1/6: Le Mans: #66. Los/N. Crang/R. Touroul, #66;DNF.
29/6: Nuremburg Supersprint: C. Los, #66; NRF.
20/7: Brands Hatch 1,000 Km: C.Los/T.Needell; 9th.
03/8: Jerez: C.Los/T.Needell; 9th.
24/8; Nurburgring 1,000 Km: C.Los/V.Weidler; #66; 10th.
15/9: Spa 1000Kms: T. Needell/C. Los, #66; 18thOA.