Announced this week, Santa Monica-based Gooding & Company will offer the first-ever AAR Gurney Eagle (1966 MK1) at its upcoming Amelia Island Auction March 2-3 on the grounds of the Omni Amelia Island Resort.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to bring the masterpiece that is the AAR Eagle to auction. Dan Gurney’s ambitions of building his own Formula 1 car were brought to fruition with this beautiful machine, which stands among the most important cars of its type ever built,” said Gooding & Company Specialist, Hans Wurl.

This 1966 AAR Gurney Eagle Mk 1 was the first of just four Formula 1 Eagles ever produced, fitted with a 2.7-liter variant of the venerable Coventry Climax FPF. Chassis 101 was entered in several major European and American Grands Prix, setting the precedent for future iterations of the Gurney Eagle. In this period, it was driven by some of the greatest names in motorsports, including Dan Gurney, Bob Bondurant, and Phil Hill. In 1967, chassis 101 was sold to Canadian racer Al Pease, who entered it in 10 races, including the 1967, 1968, and 1969 Canadian Grand Prix.

The Eagle then went on to Tom Wheatcroft, one of Formula 1’s pioneering collectors who tracked chassis 101 down and made it a centerpiece of his Donington Grand Prix Collection for over 38 years. Incredibly well-preserved, chassis 101 was then purchased by the consignor in 2009 directly from Wheatcroft via Hall & Hall.

With a desire to race the car and bring it back to its high-performance capabilities, the consignor commissioned a sympathetic restoration by the experts at J & L Fabrication in Puyallup, Washington. With preservation of the original engine in mind, a reproduction 2.7-liter Climax FPF was sourced from Crosthwaite & Gardiner in the UK, and fitted into the car. The original engine, no. 1254, accompanies the car at auction, and will be acquired by its next owner, alongside the fitted reproduction engine. Further, the consignor was able to fulfill his dreams of racing the Eagle at the 2014 Monaco Classic Grand Prix, where it performed successfully.

Copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo: Brian Henniker

Also announced this week was the consignment of this 1987 Kremer Porsche 962C.

Chassis CK6-87 raced twice, achieving 4th overall at Le Mans in 1987 with George Fuché, Franz Konrad and Wayne Taylor behind the wheel. The latest aerodynamics package, which included a reshaped venturi, was fitted for 1988 and Kris Nissen and Harold Grohs joined Fuché for the ’88 Le Mans. The team finished 8th overall and the car was retired from contemporary racing and re-numbered CK6-87.

History includes appearances at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2008 and a recent cosmetic and mechanical work by Gunnar Racing in West Palm Beach, Florida.

More information, including access to the entire Amelia Island docket can be found HERE.