#603 1974 AMC Matador Penske/Allison Race Car
Current Bid:
USD $35,000.00
# of Bids
4
Closed
1974 AMC Matador Penske/Allison Race Car - VIN: 100070 - Offered Without Reserve
Addendum: Please note: This race car is sold on a Bill of Sale only.
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ITEM IS LOCATED IN Auburn, IN
ITEMS MUST BE PAID FOR AND REMOVED 5 DAYS AFTER THE AUCTION DATE.
ANY ITEMS LEFT AFTER THAT WILL BE SHIPPED AT THE BUYER'S EXPENSE
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- Race built by Team Penske | The earliest known AMC Matador Coupe known to exist | Likely one of the last remaining examples | A true piece of automotive and NASCAR history - Beginning life as a factory pre-production prototype 1974 Matador X Coupe with serial number 100070, this is the earliest AMC Matador Coupe known to exist. Once in the hands of Penske’s crew during calendar year 1973, work began to strip and modify the car into the team’s showpiece with many representative race car components including the famous AMC Racing red, white, and blue paint and sponsor graphics.
Once completed, the Penske/Allison car, often seen on its matching red, white and blue trailer, made appearances coast to coast at Bobby Allison autograph signing events, at car shows and Autoramas in America’s major cities, at AMC dealership promotional events, and at Sears Automotive Centers across the country in support of the Sears Craftsman/Penske tool endorsement program.
Early 1974 drivers of the Matador Coupe included Gary Bettenhausen, Dave Marcis and George Follmer, but driver Bobby Allison is best known for piloting the car. He drove a Matador through the ‘74 season and beyond. Roger Penske moved on to Mercury and Chevrolet late in the 1976 season and Allison took over ownership of the Matador team along with Warner Hodgdon. That included assets such as the Matador Show Car. Graphics on the car were continually updated to represent the evolving sponsorship packages. Today, the car stands with the 1977 sponsors displayed. Allison raced Matadors in NASCAR through 1977 and in USAC through the 1978 race season. Then this car was placed in Allison’s shop for nearly 40 years. It made so few public appearances that many had forgotten about it or never knew of its existence.
In 2017, a longtime friend of the Allison family, W.D. Goad, threw Bobby’s 80th birthday celebration. NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Robert “Bobby” Arthur Allison, holder of 85 career victories, a Winston Cup Series Championship, and seven-time Cup Series Most Popular Driver award winner, enjoyed the company of many friends and racing royalty including Dave Marcis, Linda Vaughn, Red Farmer, Harry Gant, and many others. Following that celebration, Bobby presented the Matador PR car to W.D. as a token of their deep and lengthy friendship. Mr. Goad passed away in January of 2021 and J.D. and Denisa Goad, his son and daughter-in-law, made the car available in early 2022. The current caretakers are Mr. Ed Souers and Mr. Hal Souers who are known globally as Hudson and AMC historians, having restored and owned multiple Hudson Italias as well as the real “Fabulous Hudson Hornet”. Maintaining and ensuring its lasting legacy, the Souers have documented this example to its fullest extent, and the 360-cubic-inch engine with four-barrel carburetor has been well-maintained, firing right up and shifting into gear as expected. Since it was a promotional vehicle from the start, it has never been titled, resulting in it being sold on a bill of sale.
Along with the sale of the iconic Penske/Allison car is a collection of apparel from one of the members of the pit crew, Mr. Linn Barton. The pit crew uniform consists of the actual hat, embroidered shirt and AMC pants he wore when on pit duty in 1975. Plenty of fun options are available for the next owner, whether you kick out the mini-van and show it off in your garage, try it out on the track in the many popular vintage NASCAR races held or simply take it to cars and coffee or local shows and chat with the throngs of interested onlookers. As the factory pre-production prototype originally owned by Roger Penske and Bobby Allison, this example presents a rare opportunity to acquire a true piece of automotive and NASCAR history.
Addendum: Please note: This race car is sold on a Bill of Sale only.
----
ITEM IS LOCATED IN Auburn, IN
ITEMS MUST BE PAID FOR AND REMOVED 5 DAYS AFTER THE AUCTION DATE.
ANY ITEMS LEFT AFTER THAT WILL BE SHIPPED AT THE BUYER'S EXPENSE
----
- Race built by Team Penske | The earliest known AMC Matador Coupe known to exist | Likely one of the last remaining examples | A true piece of automotive and NASCAR history - Beginning life as a factory pre-production prototype 1974 Matador X Coupe with serial number 100070, this is the earliest AMC Matador Coupe known to exist. Once in the hands of Penske’s crew during calendar year 1973, work began to strip and modify the car into the team’s showpiece with many representative race car components including the famous AMC Racing red, white, and blue paint and sponsor graphics.
Once completed, the Penske/Allison car, often seen on its matching red, white and blue trailer, made appearances coast to coast at Bobby Allison autograph signing events, at car shows and Autoramas in America’s major cities, at AMC dealership promotional events, and at Sears Automotive Centers across the country in support of the Sears Craftsman/Penske tool endorsement program.
Early 1974 drivers of the Matador Coupe included Gary Bettenhausen, Dave Marcis and George Follmer, but driver Bobby Allison is best known for piloting the car. He drove a Matador through the ‘74 season and beyond. Roger Penske moved on to Mercury and Chevrolet late in the 1976 season and Allison took over ownership of the Matador team along with Warner Hodgdon. That included assets such as the Matador Show Car. Graphics on the car were continually updated to represent the evolving sponsorship packages. Today, the car stands with the 1977 sponsors displayed. Allison raced Matadors in NASCAR through 1977 and in USAC through the 1978 race season. Then this car was placed in Allison’s shop for nearly 40 years. It made so few public appearances that many had forgotten about it or never knew of its existence.
In 2017, a longtime friend of the Allison family, W.D. Goad, threw Bobby’s 80th birthday celebration. NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Robert “Bobby” Arthur Allison, holder of 85 career victories, a Winston Cup Series Championship, and seven-time Cup Series Most Popular Driver award winner, enjoyed the company of many friends and racing royalty including Dave Marcis, Linda Vaughn, Red Farmer, Harry Gant, and many others. Following that celebration, Bobby presented the Matador PR car to W.D. as a token of their deep and lengthy friendship. Mr. Goad passed away in January of 2021 and J.D. and Denisa Goad, his son and daughter-in-law, made the car available in early 2022. The current caretakers are Mr. Ed Souers and Mr. Hal Souers who are known globally as Hudson and AMC historians, having restored and owned multiple Hudson Italias as well as the real “Fabulous Hudson Hornet”. Maintaining and ensuring its lasting legacy, the Souers have documented this example to its fullest extent, and the 360-cubic-inch engine with four-barrel carburetor has been well-maintained, firing right up and shifting into gear as expected. Since it was a promotional vehicle from the start, it has never been titled, resulting in it being sold on a bill of sale.
Along with the sale of the iconic Penske/Allison car is a collection of apparel from one of the members of the pit crew, Mr. Linn Barton. The pit crew uniform consists of the actual hat, embroidered shirt and AMC pants he wore when on pit duty in 1975. Plenty of fun options are available for the next owner, whether you kick out the mini-van and show it off in your garage, try it out on the track in the many popular vintage NASCAR races held or simply take it to cars and coffee or local shows and chat with the throngs of interested onlookers. As the factory pre-production prototype originally owned by Roger Penske and Bobby Allison, this example presents a rare opportunity to acquire a true piece of automotive and NASCAR history.