A genuine piece of GM racing history is up for sale and can end up in the garage of anyone with slightly more than three quarters of a million dollars to spend, as an Oldsmobile Aurora race car, plus its transport truck and another partial race car, are up for sale on eBay Motors.
Priced at $775,000 (or best offer), this specific Oldsmobile Aurora – Car 5 – was driven by Charles and Rob Morgan for Brix Racing in the 1996 24 Hours of Daytona, taking first place in the GTS-1 class. This specific vehicle won races four times during its racing career and has been fully restored, with current ownership held by race team owners.
Built by Rocketsports and painted in a striking white, yellow and black color scheme, the Oldsmobile Aurora was heavily modified from the stock luxury sedan. Under the hood is a 4.0-liter Northstar L47 V8 gasoline engine, which, stock, develops 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. While specific figures are not offered, race-modified Auroras are believed to have rebuilt L47 V8 engines capable of producing 650 horsepower.
The second car in the auction is a partially built race car. It was originally a racer as well, but was taken off the roster when the rules changed in 1996 to require solid axles and forbade transaxles. Described as a “rolling chassis,” the vehicle is said by the auction description to have “most parts needed to complete […] except engine, wiring and data acquisition.”
Finally, the auction also includes a transport truck for the Olds Aurora in the form of a Freightliner FL70 Toterhome by Renegade. This hauler / toter truck includes a sleeper as well as a liftgate trailer for transporting the Aurora. These trucks often sell for a considerable amount themselves, with some current listings on other sites running at $80,000 or more.
Other Oldsmobile Aurora GTS-1 cars won other racing events, including a win in the 1997 12 Hours of Sebring. The vehicles were last raced in 1998, as newer models outperformed them. Oldsmobile itself went on the chopping block of history when it was dissolved at the end of April 2004, just eight years after this car won the Daytona 24.
What are your thoughts on this race car and its extras? Do you think this piece of genuine racing history is worth its current price tag, and would you like to see it in your own garage? Please share your thoughts with us and the other GM Authority readers in the comments below.
Comment
I was at the Daytona that year and was amazed at how beautiful they were and happy to see an Olds kick other’s buts. However I did ask how did a four door sedan make it in that class. The rest is history. Although I can’t afford them I would be proud to own them, display them and enter it as a vintage racer.