Idle Torque: Aston Martin racer
The 1959 Aston Martin DBR1/2 which won the Le Mans 24 Hour race that year has been put up for sale by a Ferrari dealer in England for about $30 million.
If that price is paid, it will become among the top five most valuable cars in the world, up near the Ferrari 250GTO ($33 million) and the Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic (between $28-$32 million).
This Aston, pictured, is the car that was famously taken to victory at Le Mans by the renowned performance car builder Carroll Shelby and British racing driver Roy Salvadori.
Adding even more significance is that Shelby and Salvadori died in May and June respectively this year.
Compounding this sadness was the death in March of Ted Cutting, who designed the car which the DBR1/2 was developed from, the original DBR1 of 1956.
Only five DBR1s were built. They were an evolution of its predecessor, the DB3S. By 1959, this particular car's 2.5-litre straight-six engine had been expanded to 2.9 litres and was capable of producing 250hp.
In an interview in 2009, Shelby said his 1959 Le Mans win with Salvadori in the DBR1/2 was the highlight of his racing career.
"Le Mans is so very different to anywhere else," he said.
"The 24 Hour is legendary because it presents a whole new and different set of problems compared to other races.
"I'm sure that's still true now."
With the 50th anniversary celebrations of the its Le Mans win taking place just three years ago and the recent publicity surrounding the deaths of the three people most closely associated with the car, its market- savvy owner no doubt saw that now is a good time to offer the car for sale.
We'll soon see.
TEUTONIC TRAVEL
Organisers have said it's one of the biggest classic car events of the year and while that might be a stretch, the German Car Day will still be the event to be at next weekend.
With spring now in full swing and the Motor Moments list twice as long as what we can publish, many clubs are putting the finishing touches on their plans.
The Mercedes-Benz Car Club of WA is one of them. Spokesman Paul Blank said this year's German Car Day would consist of a cruise to a mystery location about an hour's drive from Perth.
Owners of all German cars are encouraged to enter next week's event.
The cars will meet at 9.30am on September 23 in the carpark on the corner of Plain Street and Nelson Crescent in Perth, near the WACA Ground.
Entry is $10 per car; visit mbccwa.org.au for further details.
MOTOR MOMENTS
SEPTEMBER 23
German Car Day, Mystery Drive from Perth. Visit mbccwa.org.au.
SEPTEMBER 29-30
Great Southern Street Machine Association, Supercruise and Show ’n’ Shine.
Visit gssma.com.au.
SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 1
Midwest Show ’n’ Shine.
Phone 0418 939 285 or visit mwshowandshine.com.
OCTOBER 7
GM Muscle Car Heaven, Cannington Greyhounds track.
Phone 0410 437 136 or visit corvettesofwa.com.
Como Rotary Club Car Show, Wesley College, entry from Angelo Street. Phone 9386 6597 or email comorotarycarshow@bigpond.com.
OCTOBER 14
Holden Car Club Show ’n’ Shine, Stirling Square, Guildford.
Phone 0415 353 994.
All Austin Day, Stirling Square, Guildford, from 10am-4pm.
Phone 9390 5310.
OCTOBER 21
French Car Festival, Supreme Court Gardens, Perth.
Phone 0439 935 369.
OCTOBER 28
British Auto Classic, Pinjarra Paceway. Phone 9586 1010 or visit eventassist.org.au.
Datsun 240Z & 269Z Register, Z Day, Belmont Sports and Recreation Club.
Phone 0417 182 230 or visit wazregister.com.
All Ford Day Cruise.
Visit afd.asn.au or phone
0418 912 886.
Send event details to acforro@gmail.com
