Ex-BMW Team PTG 1997 BMW E36 M3 Up for Sale
Images: C12 productions
This magic ex-BMW Team PTG E36 M3 has a magnificent period history in the United States and has been freshly rebuilt and returned to its 1998 GT3 United States Road Racing Championship livery.
The car, chassis STC 95 020, was originally run by Raffanelli Racing in the Italian Super Touring series. BMW Team PTG bought the car from Raffanelli Racing as a rolling chassis, building it up to IMSA specifications for Eduardo Pellerano. It is one of seven cars built by PTG, with only six remaining today, and is the only original championship-winning car in private ownership.
After testing with Boris Said and John Paul Junior at the Vegas round of the 1997 IMSA GT Championship, it debuted in its IMSA specifications at the following round held at Pikes Peak. Pellerano entered it at Pikes Peak, driving it to fifth with Paul Junior. A mechanical caused John Paul Junior to have a serious shunt at Sebring, leading Pellerano to sell the car back to PTG.
With the return of the United States Road Racing Championship in 1998, PTG decided to enter the car in the full series while also running select events in the Professional SportsCar Racing series. This was the car’s most successful season, and it helped Ross Bentley to several wins and ultimately the 1998 GT3 United States Road Racing Championship title.
At the end of the ’98 USRRC season, PTG leased the car to Aspen Knolls Racing, who ran it in the Petit Le Mans in 1998 and would continue to drive it in USRRC events in ’99 as well as GrandAm’s debut season in 2000. A fifth at Daytona in 1999 topped the team’s efforts in this period.
By the end of the 2000 season, the E36’s pace was beginning to fall off in the face of tough competition and it was consigned to the PTG workshop before being sold to Marcus Motorsports. Marcus Motorsports gave it to Larry Hahn took for development and he pushed the suspension, chassis and body work into a new era, giving the car a new 410 horsepower big valve 3.4-litre motor to match.
This ushered the car into a new age of competitiveness, and Steve Marcus was able to take it to 7th at Daytona in 2003 as well as a victory at Mid Ohio, now more than a decade after its debut. After a strong season, the team finished second.
The car was purchased by its current owner in 2004 and raced in Historic Sportscar Racing events around the ‘States. He sold it to Greg Galdi after the 2006 HSR season, and Galdi treated it to a full mechanical rebuild with all work being carried out by former PTG mechanics. With the work completed, Gladi never actually drove the car and sold it back to the current owner in 2016, when it was returned to its 1998 championship livery.
It will be sold with spare wheels, bodywork, gears, axles, tools and miscellaneous parts. A Facebook page has been set up for the car here, so hit the link for full details. Contact Scooter with any questions, or to make an offer.
Images: C12 productions
