JOHN STARKEY CARS :: CARS FOR SALE

Similar Cars
We've Sold

Mercedes C11

Lola T70

Lola T616

Currently
For Sale:

'88 IMSA 962

March 84G

March 84G

March 83G

Porsche 935 L1

Related
Book Titles

Porsche
Turbo USA

Golden Era

Sauber-
Mercedes

Nissan

Novel

Related
Articles

Daytona 2006
24 Hours

Porsche 962
with no number

Kreepy Krauly
March 83G

Eagle Toyota

Electramotive
Nissan ZX-T

Lola T600
Development

History of March
GT Prototypes

With the announcement of new rules, both for IMSA and the forthcoming Group "C" formula, in 1980, March (along with Lola, which produced the T600 series) began to develop a GT prototype that would use ground effects and also carry a wide variation of engines. John Bishop, the head of IMSA, wished to break the domination enjoyed by Porsche with their 935 and its derivatives.

The March design team produced a prototype BMW-powered car called the M1C. David Hobbs and Marc Surer raced this in the IMSA series of 1981. For the first races it used a BMW M1 engine. After that, it used the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Basically underpowered against the Porsche 935s, the M1C nevertheless earned two pole positions and three top six finishes.

Click on thumbnail for larger image

The March 82G followed and has the distinction of being the first car to be designed by Adrian Newey. Designed as a "customer" car, the 82G was built with a honeycomb aluminum monocoque and was a simple, rugged design.

The bodywork was designed and developed by Max Sardou who had designed the Porsche 917/20 "Pig". It featured front fenders reaching forward with an adjustable wing between the fenders. This "lobster-claw" front end was to become a March GTP trademark in the following years.

Success came March’s way in 1983 when Al Holbert bought three of the five 83Gs built and made subtle improvements to them. Holbert won the IMSA Championship for March with these cars, winning at Miami (after which he sold 83G-2 to Pepe Romero), Laguna Seca with a Chevrolet-powered 83G and then Charlotte, the latter with a Porsche-powered car. Holbert then won at Brainerd, Minnesota, Sears Point and the Daytona Finale in November.

In 1984, six 84Gs were sold to IMSA race teams. The Leon brothers, the Whittingtons, Conte Racing and John Kalagian all had Chevrolet engines in their cars. A turbocharged Buick V-6 went into Ken Madren’s Pegasus Racing entry and Ken Howe installed a Porsche turbo unit in the "Kreepy Krauly" 83G team entry. Sarel van der Merwe, Graham Duxbury and Tony Martin won the first race of the season, the Daytona 24-Hours, in this car to give March a great start to the year. Randy Lanier took five races in a March 84G to win the IMSA Camel GTP Championship in 1984.*

The car we are offering here is one of these 84Gs. John Kalagian bought it from Ken Madren in 1984 and raced it with the following results:

84G/05: Pegasus Racing. Ken Madren. White. 24/01/84. DGZ/Chevrolet.

1984
08/7: Watkins Glen: J. Kalagian/J. Lloyd, #15; 39th NR. (Qualified 5th.)
29/7: Portland: J. Kalagian/J. Lloyd, #15; 7th. (Qualified 30th.)
05/8: Sears Point: J. Kalagian, #15; 15th NR. (Qualified 7th.)
26/8: Road America: J. Kalagian/J. Lloyd, #15; 21st NR. (Qualified 11th.)
09/9: Pocono: J. Kalagian/J. Lloyd, #15; 23rd NR. (Qualified 9th.)
15/9: Michigan: J. Kalagian/J. Lloyd, #15; 4th. (Qualified 9th.)
30/9: Watkins Glen 2: J. Kalagian/J. Lloyd, #15; 2nd. (Qualified 54th.)
26/9: Daytona: J. Kalagian/J. Lloyd, #15; 26th NR. (Qualified 16th.)

In 1985, John Kalagian bought a 1985 March (85G-06). and traded his 1984 G-05 car back to March. Ralph Sanchez (Promoter of the Miami Grand Prix), together with his friend and driver Emerson Fittipaldi and crew chief Jim Bell, acquired a 1985 March GTP car and after testing the car and experiencing many problems with over heating and handling (which the 1985 car was notorious for) met with Roger Bailey of March and expressed their unhappiness with this new model. Roger asked: "What can I do to make you happy?"

Jim Bell, crew chief of many very successful winning teams, saw the 1984 car (84G 05) sitting there and said the '84 car was his choice as it was a very successful and proven car. They did a deal to run this car for the 1985 Miami Grand Prix with drivers Emerson Fittipaldi and local hero Tony Garcia. After that event, the Brassfield’s (Darrin and father Jerry) did a deal to race the car for 1985.

1985:
2-3/2: Daytona 24 hour: # 29; Tommy Byrne/Darrin Brassfield/Michael Roe NR. (Qualified 11th.)
Miami: # 85, Emerson Fittipaldi/Tony Garcia; 3rd. (Qualified 4th.)
Sebring: # 29, Darrin Brassfield/Ari Luyendyk/Jerry Brassfield; NR. (Qualified 48th.)
Road Atlanta: # 29, Darrin Brassfield; NR. (Qualified 6th.)
Riverside: # 29, Darrin Brassfield; NR. (Qualified 8th.)
Laguna Seca: # 29, Darrin Brassfield; NR. (Qualified 6th.)

When the car went back to March at the end of 1985, Ralph Sanchez had an option to buy it back. He forgot to exercise his option by the agreed date and time. Bill McDill, an experienced businessman who knew about this option and its expiration stepped in and bought the car. He owned it for many years and later his friend and co-driver Tom Junkett purchased the car, planning to restore it. Sadly, Mr. Junkett passed away before this could happen.

*For more information, please see: "History of the March GTP Prototypes" under "Articles".

Price is $120,000