Book & Auction Update - AAR DeltaWing Videos!

Greetings!

An exciting week in the racing world:

The 2012 Formula One World Championship began today with the first practice sessions in Australia, the 60th annual 12 Hours of Sebring takes place tomorrow and an exciting and innovative racing car emerged from the legendary Santa Ana, California headquarters of Dan Gurney's All American Racers.

The revolutionary and controversial DeltaWing project has been redesigned as a 2-seater by AAR and Highcroft Racing and will compete in a separate class in this year's 24 Hours of LeMans with Nissan power and Michelin rubber. It's no secret that I've been a lifelong fan of Dan Gurney and his band of California hot-rodders so the video of Alex Gurney at the wheel of the DeltaWing on its maiden shakedown laps brought a smile to my face (that's all I'll admit to here). You can find links to several YouTube videos on our Facebook page and below.

Here's a link to the Official AAR Press Release .

This Saturday, March 17, we will again participate in the Ferrari Literature, Art & Model Expo at Continental Auto Sports in Hinsdale, Illinois. If you're out and about enjoying what promises to be a beautiful spring day in Chicago, we hope you'll stop by. Continental is just west of the Ogden Avenue exit on I-294 and there's always a lot of interesting cars in the showroom, shop and parking lot.

The Expo runs from 9am to 4pm. Admission is free.

Have a great weekend!

- Paul

Our shipment of English-language Automobile Year #59 ($79.95), and a restock of the 2011 LeMans Annual ($84.95) finally arrived this week. A few copies of the L'Annee Automobile #59 French version of AY59 are still available at a bargain price ($49.99).

Ford GT Fuel Filler

Current high bid on the original Fuel Filler from Ford GT/105 is $500.00. We are accepting phone and email bids until 3pm CDT Saturday, March 31, 2012 or until 5 minutes pass without the bid being advanced after that time. Bids will be updated at www.MotorsportCollector.com as they arrive.

In case you missed the story behind this unique piece of equipment last week:

Chassis #105 was the first GT40 to be fitted with a 289 engine and was primarily a test and development car but was raced at Reims in 1964 and Daytona and Sebring in 1966. The car was also used for testing at several circuits in 1964 and participated in the 1965 LeMans trials where it was the first GT40 to be equiped with a 5 speed ZF transmission.

After competing at Sebring in 1966, Chassis #105 was shipped back to England for storage. The car changed hands a couple of times and eventually wound up not far from here in Villa Park, Illinois where it underwent a full restoration and conversion for street use.

That's when this original competition fuel filler was replaced for a street legal unit, then mounted on a wood plaque.

Email bids:

pz@MotorsportCollector.com

Telephone bids:

800.722.8630 or 630.515.1440

As promised, here are a few links to videos on the DeltaWing launch:

Marshall Pruett posted

this clip at SpeedTV.com of the first shakedown test at Buttonwillow with Alex Gurney at the wheel.

Here are a few more: