US legal 959?

I think Canepa did some approved conversions (as it says in the desc.).

 

Bill Gates had one imported many years ago.

 

Bill Gates and Paul Allen helped legalize them so they can be driven on the streets. I've seen one cruizin pch and know a guy has one in the coast. They look amazing in person.

 

I had better buy a lotto ticket.

 

You can read about some of this over on the "Texas" thread about Federalization...

But in short, Wallace Environmental Test Labs (WETL) in Houston did the first one in the mid/early '90's. They still do them, but Canepa did the VAST majority of them here in the US. Gates was NOT the first, but he was INSTRUMENTAL in the "show and display" law that allows these cars to be brought in without having to go through FULL certification. Show and display (unless they fixed this...how it slipped through in the first place is beyond me) still required EPA certs, but not DOT... Like I said they may have fixed that and in a few years it will be a moot point anyway. Either DOT or EPA (not sure which) falls off at 20 years and the other falls off at 25 years. So, once a 959 hits 25 years old, it will be a piece of cake to bring it in! NOTHING will be needed! Start saving now boys!

WETL, did the federalization on my '92 Euro 928 GTS which is how I know a bit more than the average person about this topic, I had to go all through it! FUN...NOT!

James

 

Gates' car was legalized by a special act of Congress pushed through by President Clinton. This is how foreign made boats have to be ceritfied for "coastwise trade" in the US too. Paul Allen took his back to Europe before then and there it remains.


Bruce had converted 13 so far. There are one or two other companies who have converted cars but not to Bruce's specifications. I believe he is the only one to have converted the wheels to accept "normal" tires (not the Dunlop originals) and he has also modifed the system to run Motronic injection.
I thought Otis Chandlers museum car was one of the first in the country, it was certainly here very early. He got it in under some
exception related to the museum.

 

I just saw one at Laguna Seca a couple weeks ago, here's a few pics I snapped.

-Brian
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As old as they are now they are still timeless to me.

 

If I remember correctly Danny Sullivan and Penske were before Gates and Allen.

 

The one in my neighborhood is still there, a white "959 sport" with 10k miles. The price is $450k and it appears all stock. They say there were only 29 "959 sport" models, and the rest were "959 comfort".
The place is "Copley Motorcars" in Needham MA.

 

Sport: factory cage, fabric seats, lighter (??lbs) and some options delete. Don't know any other particulars.

 

Funny! There's a Dead sticker by the ignition.

CW

 

Otis' car was the first 959 legally in the US. It was brought in under "show & display", as that was the only legal way to get a 959 into the US until much more recently.

 

The Sport models were (reportedly) 111 lbs lighter than the Komfort models.

 

All I want is a black 959.... Amerispec and G&K did some conversions for the 959 on the West Coast.... They also did some Boxers and other great cars that we never got in North America

 

We had one of these punted into a wall here in Adelaide earlier this year at a motor sport event it was doing exhibition laps at. I dont know how many are in Aus, or what the specifics of it are, but it was a white one, i think i have a photo of the damage somewhere. will try and find it, At the same event, the Pagani Zonda they had doing exhibition laps ran out of brakes at the end of a rather fast straight due to poor maintenance by the owner..... no damage luckily, but a bled brake system and new fluid seemed to solve the problem.....

 

There is also a red comfort 959 for sale in CT at $450,000. Someone in England had a prototype 959 factory painted in a maroon shade.
CH

 

The white 959 sport is still for sale near me, down to $425k I guess. They have had it since august...

 

I've seen pictures of that car. It reminded me of Arena Red.

 

Yest that is the color family though Arena Red is a bit more bright. Very unique in maroon when most were silver, white or Guards Red with the occasional black example. The owner of the prototype was something of an expert on the car. Solving all the problems that came along and the unique features on that model. The 959 was certainly ahead of it's time. Yet the body was styled in a very brief time by the designer. Sort of a quickie job...
CH

 

There are at least 2, maybe 3, 959s in colorado. You can see pictures in the Rocky Mountain Colorado Spotters thread, just search for 959.

I believe we have 1 that is a kit car, but at least 2 are real.

James in Denver