Historic 1987 Porsche 962 IMSA Race Car for Sale
With a tub designed by Jim Chapman and legends like Hurley Haywood behind the wheel, this collector car is stellar.
Finding a historic race car with no known accident damage and a documented history is a challenge, especially when we’re talking about a race car built more than three decades ago. Locating a 1987 track car that as recently as two years ago logged two hours at the Nurburgring is even rarer. That very unicorn–a 1987 Porsche 962 race car–is currently on the auction block and is bound to bring in a big number for Collecting Cars.
Two-time 12 Hours of Sebring winner and acclaimed driver Bob Akin took delivery of this 1987 Porsche 962 in '87, and it became significant for two reasons: it was the first team car that he would not personally drive, and it was the last International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) car he campaigned. In August of that year, the Porsche made its competitive racing debut at the Road America 500. Built on a composite tub designed by former Lola engineer Jim Chapman, this 962 led Porsche to its sixth record victory at Le Mans in 1987.
Under the hood is a 590-horsepower turbocharged 3.2-liter flat-six, and a five-speed manual gearbox drives the rear wheels. The engine was rebuilt by Klaus Fischer of Amalfi Racing in 2015, and in 2019, the current owner (who has appeared on the podium at Le Mans) commissioned a number of updates. Veracity Racing Data installed an AIM-EVOS 1.3 GPS08 data logger, GS-Dash digital display, linear pot 75-millimeter rod end, pressure sender, patch cable, and AIM SmartyCam at the same time.
Soon after, the owner sent the car to Germany, where Rinaldi Racing installed a new fuel tank, installed new front and rear dampers, dismantled the clutch and flywheel, and replaced the crankshaft seal. Rinaldi also maintained the driveshaft, air jacks, and steering box, and installed new spark plugs, distributor caps, brake discs and pads, fuel injectors, door windows, turbocharger, and wheel brake cylinder.
Once driven by Hurley Haywood and James Weaver at the Columbus 500, this Porsche still looks incredible for its age, and it can still log laps on the track. It has regularly appeared at historic motorsports events around the country, and it has valid FIA papers that run to 2030, so you can still race it. Overall, the Porsche 962 model notched 180-plus wins on the track during its competitive career, and this 1987 example has retained its championship heritage with meticulous maintenance.
With two days left to go in the auction, the bidding on Collecting Cars has ratcheted up to $420,569 and counting. The last time this car was sold in 2019, it fetched nearly $1 million, so get the popcorn ready.
Got a tip? Toss it over: kristin.shaw@thedrive.com.
