Penske PC-23 to join collection

We are very pleased to announce the addition of a PC-23 to the Dawn Treader Collection. The PC-23 is probably regarded as the ultimate Penske having swept all before it during the 1994 Indycar season. The chassis type finished 1-2-3 on five separate occasions in the hands of Al Unser Jr, Emerson Fittipaldi and Paul Tracy.

Emerson Fittipaldi by Mark Windecker

An evolution of the radical PC-22 the PC-23 proved to be a formidable short oval and road course car. The new Ilmor 265D engine was a versatile, drivable package, its only weakness being marginally behind on the top end power of the Ford XB engine developed by Steve Miller and his team at Cosworth. Any advantage Ford thought they may have going into the month of May was to be overshadowed by the introduction of the “Atom bomb of motor racing” in the shape of the Mercedes-Benz 500I pushrod engine. 

PC-23 Cutaway by Tony Matthews

1994 was a transition year for Ilmor. With General Motors withdrawing the famous Chevrolet name at the end of 1993 and Mercedes-Benz yet to formally commit, the 4 cam V8’s raced under the Ilmor banner for the first time. Although not radically different to the Chevrolet 265C of 1993 the D engine featured a slightly wider Vee angle at 82 degrees compared to the 80 degrees of the pervious year. Bore and stroke were also altered but the traditional features of the Ilmor Indy engines, the rear mounted gear train and mass damper gears were retained. The most striking visual change was the plenum chamber, having been substantially increased in volume.

For the Indy 500 however everything was to change. Under a cloak of absolute secrecy the 265E pushrod engine was designed and developed by Ilmor. Paul Morgan and Mario Illien had between them spotted the potential for exploiting a loophole in the USAC regulation that allowed a pushrod operated 2 valve per cylinder engine to run with more capacity (3,429cc) and at higher boost (55”Hg) than a standard 4 cam engine for the Indy 500. 

Extreme precautions were taken to preserve the secret. The larger inlet valves for example were ordered as “Pontiac NASCAR” items to disguise their true nature. Over in Reading Pennsylvania a secret workshop known as the Taj Mahal was built to house both the engine build and testbed chassis. 

Testing started in early March with Paul Tracy and Al Unser Jr. sharing much of the work. At Nazareth the track had to be literally cut out of the snow and running was limited to short stints due to the frigid temperatures. By this stage development was at fever pitch. Engines were stripped down at the track following a failure, new parts designed and flown over to the USA by Concord to be built in the to next engine.

Back at Penske Cars in Poole, Dorset, a similar program was being conducted in order to make the gearbox survive the increased torque of the engine.

Anyone involved with the pushrod project rates it as the project by which all others are measured. One of the most startling and oft overlooked aspects of the 1994 season is that as soon as Indy was finished Team Penske changed back to the 265D engine and headed to Milwaukee for the Miller Genuine Draft 200. Al Unser Jr. won continuing what was an astonishing season for the team.

The chassis we have acquired is chassis 008, and ex-Fittipaldi car. It was also the primary test chassis for 1994. We are looking forward to its arrival in the new year.