RK Motors Charlotte Acquires Iconic '66 Le Mans-Winning P/1064 GT40
January 22, 2015 by RK Motors
Historic Racecar Undergoes 20-Month Restoration That Will Culminate With Appearance at 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
CHARLOTTE (January 20, 2015) — RK Motors Charlotte today announced it has purchased one of motorsports history's most iconic racecars – the 1966 LeMans-winning #2, P/1064 GT40, the first American-built car to win endurance racing's most prestigious competition.
The company also revealed a comprehensive, 20-month restoration has begun, culminating with a formal reintroduction at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Monterey, California. That event will mark the 50th anniversary of the LeMans victory.
Developed by legendary car builder Carroll Shelby, the P/1064 GT40 carved its niche in racing history as the first of three GT40s to take the checkered flag and earn podium finishes at the 1966 LeMans race besting Ferrari in the #1, #2, and #3 winning positions. The 1966 race continues to rank as one of the closest finishes in LeMans history.
Following its historic victory, the Holman-Moody race team took ownership of the car, giving it a new interior and shorter tail section prior to the 1967 running of the 24 Hours of Daytona. It would prove to be the GT40's final racing competition, as a gearbox failure led to a race-ending crash.
In subsequent years, the racecar exchanged hands through a series of private party owners and has made appearances at various vintage events, including a 40th anniversary celebration at the 2006 Le Mans Classic alongside the second and third finishers of the 1966 race.
'We're thrilled to add this historic GT40 to the RK Motors stable of rare collector cars,' said RK Motors Marketing Director Jeff Spiegel. 'Given the international notoriety of this racecar, we feel it's important to share online updates throughout the course of the 20-month restoration, allowing a worldwide audience access to this process.'
For access to periodic video and photo updates of the restoration, enthusiasts can visit: http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/.
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About RK Motors CharlotteRK Motors Charlotte is the nation's premier restorer, re-seller and provider of classic, muscle and high-performance cars. The company was created in 2010 when Rob Kauffman, founder of RK Collection and Joseph M. Carroll, founder of Best of Show Automotive, leveraged their success and experience to create RK Motors Charlotte. Based in Charlotte, N.C., the company has an expansive showroom at 5527 Lakeview Road.
posted on conceptcarz.com
