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This Legendary 1968 Eagle Offenhauser Indy Car Is a Museum Piece Looking for a New Owner

This American purebred jewel of a vehicle is a 1968 Eagle Offenhauser Indy Car that carries with it more than a worthy legacy. One of the racing legends that once stood behind its wheel is Dan Gurney, who actually created this thing in the first place. Thanks to its caretakers, the Wilke family, renowned for owning such wonderful vehicles, it has been kept in extremely good condition for the past 50 years.
1968 Eagle Offenhauser chassis no. 404 8 photos
Photo: Mecum Auctions
1968 Eagle Offenhauser chassis no. 4041968 Eagle Offenhauser chassis no. 4041968 Eagle Offenhauser chassis no. 4041968 Eagle Offenhauser chassis no. 4041968 Eagle Offenhauser chassis no. 4041968 Eagle Offenhauser chassis no. 4041968 Eagle Offenhauser chassis no. 404
Now, the car came out of its hiding place to get some fresh air and to look for a new owner. They might not win second place in the Indianapolis 500, along with coming first in countless other races like Dan Gurney did back in the day, but just having this inside a garage is enough to get any conversation going. There's just something about a car with a heritage and a remarkable story behind it that mesmerizes people, even though they might not be into racing.

This being said, when Gurney was trying to conquer every racing track he set his mind to, this Eagle Offenhauser with chassis number 404 came with a 305 CI Weslake Ford V8 stock-block engine. However, the specs on it have changed a lot since it hit the tarmac for the first time.

In 1972 it went through some big modifications, like having a wing installed, new wide slick tires instead of its "stock" grooved ones, and the engine was changed, of course. Sadly, during a race, it suffered a hub failure, and Mike Mosley, who was behind the wheel at the time, crashed. The car was rebuilt in 1973, and it still saw plenty of action since then.

As to what shape the car is in today, you might wonder, it’s at the height it was in 1972 when it was as fast as ever. It has a 159-cubic-inch (2.6-liter) Offenhauser turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine and a manual transmission, but most importantly, it still runs great, according to the auction website. Some might even say its chief mechanic A.J. Watson would approve of it.

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About the author: Codrin Spiridon
Codrin Spiridon profile photo

Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive).
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