Mecum Auctions’ 2016 Kissimmee sale, set for January 15-24 at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida, will offer more that 1,500 vehicles ranging from entry-level collector cars to highly valued investment machines. The annual auction has long been recognized as the largest collector car and Road Art auction in the world, and seems set to retain that title. Among the many gems to be found in that array is the Busby Racing Porsche 962-108C (above) that won 1989’s 24 Hours of Daytona in the hands of Bob Wollek, Derek Bell and John Andretti.
After its tub was damaged in a crash during its debut at Daytona in 1985, the car was rebuilt by Busby Racing’s Jim Chapman around a new tub he crafted of honeycomb aluminum, using a milled billet aluminum rear bulkhead in place of the factory-spec sheet aluminum unit. After Porsche racing boss Al Holbert negotiated the use of the new and improved chassis for his own team, Chapman built second and third examples for Busby’s car, ultimately rechristening it 962-108C-2.
It proceeded to register 11 top-five qualifying runs through the 1988-’89 IMSA seasons, including pole position at Daytona in 1988 where it led most of the race before eventually finishing 2nd, driven by Bob Wollek, Brian Redman and Mauro Baldi. During that same period 962-108C-2 finished on the podium five times, including victory at the Palm Beach Grand Prix in addition to its Daytona success. The car’s 3.0-liter air-cooled single-turbo engines were developed by long-time Busby pal and grand master engine builder Ed Pink, whose work subsequently led IMSA to implement air restrictors for all 962s.
At the end of the 1989 season, the car was retired to a private collection until becoming the centerpiece of the Historic Porsche Collection in England in 2005. After being reunited with Derek Bell at that year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the two appeared together again in 2007 at both the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, where Bell was the guest of honor, and Rennsport Reunion III at Daytona. One of the most popular Porsche 962s ever, and the fastest of them all, the car still carries the famous gold, green and white Miller High Life livery. Much ancillary memorabilia is also included with the car. For complete information please visit www.mecum.com
