There is a Dan Gurney Spoiler that is unusual and has been for sale many times over the past 10 years. Unfortunately, I have never been able to inspect the car in person until the RM Auction held in Auburn, IN in conjunction with the AACA (Antique Auto Club of America) Spring Meet on May 11-12, 2018. The Gurney car is a rare 390 C6 with air conditioning.
Being a big fan of Dan Gurney cars this one with a 390 and air always gets my attention. The car also has the desirable (at least for me) black bucket seat with console interior. For some reason it seems to have been for sale more over the past 10 years than any other Spoiler I am aware of. I am not sure why that is.
Its owner at the time of the RM Auction was Ray Evernham, former NASCAR crew chief for Jeff Gordon. This was not his only car for sale at the auction and it did have a Reserve on it. So, in addition to the big block and air conditioning it has a celebrity owner in its history.
At the RM Auction I finally got my chance to give it a once over. Katrina and I had our bidder passes and had in the back of our mind a few cars that might get our hands to go into the air, this Gurney was one of them. The first impression from a distance was good. Unfortunately, as you got closer and looked at details it was a little disappointing.
One unique thing that has stayed with this car throughout the years are the vintage and attractive but obviously incorrect Torqe Thrust ETs. I really like these wheels on the car but they hurt its value to most buyers who want an authentic Dan Gurney Spoiler. Putting the correct tires, wheels and caps in the trunk should have been done as a minimum.
As we inspected the car a few notable other distractions presented themselves. First off and glaringly distracting was the gloss black finish under the hood. This may have been the restorer’s preference when the car was done many years ago but is a real turn off on the car today. Next up were a number of smaller but yet significant scratches and blemishes in the paint.
Another item which REALLY stood out was the poor chrome trim in some areas. The rear side window trim was the most obvious on both sides.
When all was said and done this Dan Gurney Spoiler sold for $32,000. Due to the flaws I believe this was a fair market price for the car. We did not buy it. I am unaware of who did but hope they Register it with the Registry and complete some improvements and corrections to it. I believe they will have a great car and significantly increase its value if they do.
What’s your opinion?
