Chassis No. MC344CU98GLK

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

*Please note this vehicle has a title in transit

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has become hallowed grounds for racing fans worldwide, with the Indy 500 more than living up to its nickname, "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Circling the track 200 times to cover a total of 500 miles at race speed is a test of man and machine, an even more grueling - and dangerous - challenge in the early days. Early grids throughout the Fischer and Rickenbacker era were filled with race car builders and drivers wanting to prove their speed and durability, and Phil 'Red' Shafer was one of a handful that did both! As an engineer for GM, it is only fitting that he would use their products to prove his ideas. Building, campaigning, and racing cars from 1925 to 1936, Shafer is best known for his work from 1931 to 1936, with seven Buick Straight 8 powered Indy race cars completed during that period.

In the glorious American tradition of building hot rod race cars from a combination of available and bespoke parts, Tom McRay, the founder of The Great Race, commissioned a faithful recreation of an original Shafer 8 that was built for the 1932 season to be built by Charlie Glick over a period of five months in 1999. The car is based on an original Shafer 8 that was built for the 1932 season. The foundation of this build is the bespoke chassis with leaf springs attached to solid axles front and rear. An impressively simple design, it was more than capable in the period. Just like the racers built in the 1930s, this example features a slightly newer 320 cu-in Buick Straight 8-cylinder breathing through four Stromberg 97 carburetors and an open header exhaust, generating a roar sure to capture the attention of anyone nearby. The custom low-slung bodywork with a cut-down windshield is an impressive place to sit, providing a glimpse of what it must have felt like to be on the grid at the Indianapolis 500 in the early 1930s.

David Coker purchased the Shafer 8 from Tom McRay and campaigned the car across America by running the red Indy racer in at least three Great Races, covering thousands of miles coast to coast, and proving the underlying quality of this recreation. A favorite amongst the Coker family, with his brother Corky still retaining his and using it regularly around the Chattanooga, Tennessee region.

After Coker's stewardship, car collector Richard Rawlings purchased the Buick, where it was restored and repainted in the attractive shade of green during season 16 of his television series Fast N' Loud. Dale Critz purchased the car from Richard and has enjoyed it to this day in a very similar manner to its original owner David Coker. The car has been thoroughly enjoyed around the owner's hometown of Savannah, Georgia, and racing at the Grand Ascent Hill Climb in Hershey, Pennsylvania, as recently as 2019. Ideal for anyone looking to find an intriguing, usable classic, this 1937 Buick 8 Indy Racer is eligible for numerous fun and interesting events across the country.