By far the most incomplete car we have yet tackled, the PC26 was nevertheless a car that deserved every effort to get it running again. This is the last Penske Cars produced chassis to ever win an Indycar race, ending an era of continued success by Team Penske before they committed to customer Reynards in 2000 after two winless seasons.
When it arrived at Sywell, chassis 005 was simply a race winning tub and bodywork and not a great deal more. There was an incomplete gearbox, some chromed brake disks and a set of wishbones that were internally corroded beyond use. There was certainly no engine or electronics, the heart and brain of any modern car.
Over a period on nine months many original components were dug up from various locations across America. With help from our friends at Penske we pieced together the car, often making parts from photographs where the originals no longer existed. An engine was found and rebuilt by Mark and installed just in time for the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2006, at which Patrick drove it to achieve an unofficial fastest time in class.
Penskes have always been a joy to work on as they are designed and built very well. This one is no exception. We were delighted to have Paul Tracy reunited with the car at Goodwood in 2008.
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Projects | Lotus 98T | Leyton House | Lola T160 | Penske PC26 | Penske PC19
