Michael SatterfieldBuilt by Dan Gurney’s All-American Racers, the Eagle represented one of the most ambitious attempts by an American constructor to take on Europe’s Formula 1 establishment on its own turf. Beautiful, technically sophisticated, brutally fast, and unmistakably American, the Eagle remains one of the great racing cars of the 1960s.
Now one of them is for sale.
RM Sotheby’s is offering AAR Eagle Mk I chassis 103, the third of four Formula 1 Eagles built by All-American Racers and one of only three fitted with the remarkable 3.0-liter Gurney-Weslake V12. The auction house estimates the car at $7 million to $9 million. For collectors of historically significant competition cars, opportunities do not come much bigger.
Dan Gurney Takes on Formula 1
The Eagle story begins with two giants of American motorsports, Carroll Shelby and Dan Gurney. The two had been friends, competitors, and collaborators, with Gurney playing an important role in Shelby American’s successful Cobra Daytona Coupe program. By 1964, discussions were underway regarding the creation of a new American racing organization backed by Goodyear.
All-American Racers was born from those conversations. Initially, the program focused on American competition, particularly USAC racing and the Indianapolis 500. But Gurney was a road racer at heart, and Formula 1 was never far from his mind.
Rather than simply buy a European chassis and bolt an American badge to the nose, Gurney wanted to build his own Grand Prix car. British designer Len Terry, whose Lotus 38 had carried Jim Clark to victory at the 1965 Indianapolis 500, was recruited to design the Eagle. The Formula 1 versions used an aluminum monocoque chassis, sophisticated suspension, and a five-speed Hewland DG300 gearbox.
But the heart of the Eagle would be its engine. Gurney turned to Weslake in England to develop a purpose-built 3.0-liter V12 for the new Grand Prix car. The resulting 48-valve, double-overhead-cam engine produced approximately 390 horsepower at a screaming 10,500 rpm.
In an era filled with wonderful-sounding racing engines, the Gurney-Weslake V12 still managed to stand apart. And the car wrapped around it looked just as special. Finished in dark blue with a white center stripe, the Eagle Mk I was low, clean, and almost impossibly elegant. Even among the slender Grand Prix machines of the 1960s, the Eagle looked purposeful without appearing crude. It remains one of the best-looking Formula 1 cars ever built.
The AAR Eagle That Is for Sale
The RM Sotheby’s car is chassis 103, the second of three Eagles constructed with the Weslake V12. Its first race came on March 12, 1967, at the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch. AAR brought two Eagles. Dan Gurney drove chassis 102 while fellow Californian Richie Ginther was assigned the new 103.
The weekend offered an early glimpse of what the Eagle might become. Gurney put his car on pole and won both preliminary heats, while Ginther finished third and second in chassis 103. Gurney went on to win the final, giving the young Eagle team a significant victory against established Formula 1 competition.
Ginther’s race in 103 ended with brake trouble shortly before the finish, although he was classified 10th. Next came Monaco.
After initial practice, Gurney switched into chassis 103 because he preferred its throttle response. He qualified seventh for the Monaco Grand Prix but retired after only four laps when the fuel injection pump belt failed. Ginther, meanwhile, failed to qualify in the other Eagle and subsequently retired from racing. Chassis 103 would soon provide Gurney with a considerably better result.
A Podium at Mosport
For the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport on August 27, 1967, chassis 103 returned to competition with several suspension improvements derived from the lightweight Eagle chassis 104. Gurney qualified fifth, just over a second away from Jim Clark’s Lotus 49. The race itself was run in miserable conditions. Heavy rain turned Mosport into a test of survival as much as speed. Gurney even made two stops for fresh goggles during the race, but managed to keep the Eagle on the road while others struggled.
He brought chassis 103 home in third place, behind Jack Brabham and Denny Hulme. It would become one of the most important finishes in the car’s period competition history. Chassis 103 then returned to Europe for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, this time driven by former Ferrari racer Ludovico Scarfiotti. He qualified 10th, but the Eagle’s familiar reliability problems returned. The V12 failed after only five laps.
It was an all too familiar ending to an Eagle Grand Prix. The cars had the speed. They had the drivers. They had the engineering. Reliability was another matter.
The Eagle That Made History
Chassis 103 was not the Eagle that scored the victory for which the model is best remembered. That distinction belongs to the lightweight chassis 104, often referred to as the “Mag-Ti” Eagle because of its extensive use of magnesium and titanium components.
On June 18, 1967, only a week after Gurney and A.J. Foyt won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Ford GT40 Mk IV, Gurney drove chassis 104 to victory in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
It was an extraordinary moment. An American driver had won a Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix driving a car built by his own American racing company. No American-built Formula 1 design has repeated the accomplishment. The achievement gave the Eagle a permanent place in racing history and elevated the surviving cars from interesting Grand Prix machinery to artifacts of one of America’s boldest international racing programs. Chassis 103 is directly connected to that story. It was built alongside the winning car, raced by Gurney during that historic 1967 season, and scored its own World Championship podium.
Life After Formula 1
All-American Racers withdrew from Formula 1 following its abbreviated 1968 campaign, as Gurney increasingly focused the company’s resources on American racing. Chassis 103 was subsequently sold to legendary drag racer and future Indianapolis 500 competitor Danny Ongais in 1969.
Ongais reportedly intended to convert the Eagle for SCCA Formula A competition, but the conversion was never completed. The Eagle changed hands several times over the following decades, eventually being prepared for historic competition. By 1998 it was back in Britain, where owner Ben Liebert returned the car to the track. Chassis 103 appeared at the 1999 Goodwood Revival, the 2000 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the 2002 Monaco Historic Grand Prix.
At Monaco, Liebert finished 11th overall and first in class, giving chassis 103 a rather more successful visit to the principality than Gurney had enjoyed 35 years earlier. The current owner acquired the Eagle in 2002 and has retained it for more than two decades. Aside from an appearance at the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the car is understood to have largely remained away from competitive use.
RM Sotheby’s notes that an inspection by marque specialists Hall & Hall found that the Eagle would benefit from appropriate race preparation before returning to competition. For its next owner, however, the possibilities are considerable.Chassis 103 is eligible for some of the world’s most prestigious historic motorsport events, including the Monaco Grand Prix Historique and Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
An American Grand Prix Icon for Sale
It is difficult to separate the Eagle from Dan Gurney himself. Gurney was one of those uncommon racers capable of winning almost anywhere, in almost anything. Formula 1, Indy cars, NASCAR, sports cars, and endurance racing all fell within his considerable reach. But the Eagle was different. It was his car.
At a time when Formula 1 was dominated by European manufacturers and constructors, Gurney decided that an American team could design and build a Grand Prix car capable of beating them. For one remarkable afternoon at Spa, he proved it. Chassis 103 did not win that race, but it is an important surviving piece of the same story. It was raced by Gurney, Richie Ginther, and Ludovico Scarfiotti. It stood on a Formula 1 podium. It carries one of the great V12 engines of the 3.0-liter era. And it comes from a four-car production run that represents a unique chapter in American motorsport.
RM Sotheby’s has placed an estimate of $7 million to $9 million on the 1967 AAR Eagle Mk I Gurney-Weslake chassis 103. Seven million dollars buys quite a few interesting cars. There is only one chassis 103.
The 1967 AAR Eagle Mk I Gurney-Weslake is currently being offered for sale by RM Sotheby’s. View the complete RM Sotheby’s listing and sales details here.
Quick Facts: 1967 AAR Eagle Mk I Chassis 103
- Year: 1967
- Make: All-American Racers
- Model: Eagle Mk I
- Chassis: 103
- Designer: Len Terry
- Founder/Team Principal: Dan Gurney
- Engine: 2,997cc Gurney-Weslake V12
- Valvetrain: DOHC, 48-valve
- Power: Approximately 390 hp
- Maximum Power RPM: 10,500 rpm
- Transmission: Hewland DG300 five-speed manual
- Construction: Aluminum monocoque
- Period Drivers: Dan Gurney, Richie Ginther, Ludovico Scarfiotti
- Notable Result: Third, 1967 Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport
- Current Sale: RM Sotheby’s Sealed September
- Estimate: $7 million to $9 million
- Historic Event Eligibility: Monaco Grand Prix Historique, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, and other major historic racing events
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AAR Eagle Mk I?
The AAR Eagle Mk I was a Formula 1 racing car developed by Dan Gurney’s All-American Racers for Grand Prix competition during the 1960s. Designed by Len Terry, the Formula 1 version was eventually powered by a 3.0-liter Gurney-Weslake V12.
How many AAR Eagle Mk I Formula 1 cars were built?
Four Formula 1 specification Eagle Mk I chassis were constructed. Three were equipped with the 3.0-liter Gurney-Weslake V12.
Did this AAR Eagle win the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix?
No. The car being offered for sale is chassis 103. Dan Gurney won the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps in sister car chassis 104. Chassis 103 earned its own Formula 1 podium when Gurney finished third in the 1967 Canadian Grand Prix.
Who drove AAR Eagle chassis 103?
Chassis 103 was driven in period by Dan Gurney, Richie Ginther, and Ludovico Scarfiotti. Gurney drove the car at Monaco and to third place in the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport.
What engine is in the AAR Eagle Mk I?
Chassis 103 is powered by a 2,997cc Gurney-Weslake V12 featuring double overhead camshafts and 48 valves. The engine produces approximately 390 horsepower at 10,500 rpm.
Why is the AAR Eagle important to Formula 1 history?
The Eagle Mk I became the only American-built Formula 1 design to win a Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix when Dan Gurney drove chassis 104 to victory at the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix.
How much is the 1967 AAR Eagle Mk I worth?
RM Sotheby’s has placed a pre-sale estimate of $7 million to $9 million on chassis 103.
Is the AAR Eagle chassis 103 still eligible for historic racing?
Yes. According to RM Sotheby’s, chassis 103 is eligible for prestigious historic motorsport events, including the Monaco Grand Prix Historique and Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. The car should receive appropriate race preparation before being returned to competition.
