Rare Car Network

Rare Car Network
Unique Classics, Replicas and Build Culture
						Gulf Daytona 3
VARA Class Champion Coupe

Gulf-themed Factory Five Type 65 Coupe race car

By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, BringaTrailer.com and Mike Burroughs of Stanceworks

It’s plain to see that this Daytona Coupe was not built for everyone. It’s not titled or really practical for street use at all. After the titling process, you could drive it on the street, but you’ll have to tone-down the ignition timing to run it on pump gas. It’s loud, both in appearance and function, with a revisionist sort of Gulf Oil color scheme, and side pipes with bullet mufflers that do their very best to muffle the soundtrack of 684 hp. Factory Five may have designed their Coupe to do it all, but this car has been refined for a single purpose — vintage racing.

In 2017, the bare Factory Five kit that would soon become this track monster arrived at Levy Racing in Maricopa, Arizona. Gordon Levy and his team then began transforming the Gen 2 Coupe into a dedicated track machine. QA1 adjustable shocks, Eibach springs, Kirkey racing seats, six-piston Wilwood brakes, and a fire-suppression system are all on the list of basic track upgrades, but Levy Racing went a lot further. The chassis was extensively modified to increase rigidity, and the seat mounting was lowered in the chassis to make room for taller drivers with helmets and safety gear. You’ll also see some trick billet aluminum suspension arms bolted up front, which offer lighter weight and improved adjustability.

But the star of the show, and what makes this Coupe so exciting, is the driveline. The engine is a 402 ci Ford from Pick’s Racing engines in Santa Ana, California. It’s based on an aluminum block with aluminum heads and a dry-sump oiling system. With a 12:1 compression ratio and all the right parts, the engine has an astonishing dyno-verified output of 684 hp at a staggering 7,200 rpm. A G-Force four-speed transmission with a triple-disc clutch sends power to a 2015 Ford Racing IRS differential. The BaT commenters stated it, and I’ll agree, the videos of this engine at full throttle could easily replace your morning coffee.

The exterior of the Coupe has received an exciting and refreshing treatment, a modified Gulf-Oil paint scheme with white roundels on the hood and doors. The black 18-inch Enkei RPF1 wheels provide room for the large Wilwood brakes, and mount up Hoosier racing tires. A removable valance and splitter is included in the sale and can be seen in the track photos.

The owner of the car states that the car has been built for the track, but not at the expense of street legality. With some minor alterations, the seller states the car would be streetable — but admittedly it’s on the edge. In its current setup, the Daytona was the 2018 VARA class champion in the GTO class.

The Daytona is up for auction here on BringaTrailer.com, and the hammer is scheduled to fall on Wednesday, April 3 at 2:00 pm. As of now, the current high bid is $66,000.


Comments for: VARA Class Champion Coupe

comments powered by Disqus

Related Stories You Might Like