1969 Unipower GT Competition - Incredibly rare 1960s production special - Freshly rebuilt and race-ready

Created in 1965 and launched to the public in January 1966, the Unipower GT is arguably the best production special to have appeared during the 1960s. Mechanically Designed by Ernie Unger and Val Dare-Bryan, incorporating their considerable competition experience, the bodywork was drawn by the legendary Ron Bradshaw who is credited with also drawing the original Ford GT40. Conceived by racers and built with an unswerving commitment to quality in design, manufacture, materials and finish, the Unipower GT combines prevailing competition design and the individual and instantly recognisable styling that the 1960s allowed.

Constructed on a tubular space-frame with fully independent suspension bonded to a lightweight race-bred fibreglass body. This provides a light, rigid structure in which a BMC ‘A’ Series transverse engine and transmission is mounted in a mid-engine configuration. Body and spaceframe were manufactured by leading competition fabricators of the era, and the road cars were trimmed by the famous Wood and Pickett.

73 Unipowers were manufactured in the UK between 1966 and 1970, the majority as road cars. A few were produced as racing thoroughbreds, appearing at circuits both nationally and internationally. Even fewer are raced to this day. Of the total 73 built, today only 40 survive these days, making it an incredibly rare and eligible car. 

This particular example, chassis number UWF1012 is featured in the Unipower GT book by Gerry Hulford, and has competition history dating back five decades. Originally purchased by a Mr Saunders from Monty & Ward Motors in May 1969, since then the car’s history has been fully documented, right down to details such as the early competition front air-dam being designed and manufactured by Mathwall Engineering. From 1969 to today, the car has always worn ‘LTM 80G’ registration, and it comes with a current V5C. 

Today the car is truly race-ready having been rebuilt by the engineers at RJN Motorsport (Blancpain GT4 and GT3 overall PRO Champions). In the specification photographed (sister chassis 1969 Gran Premio Mugello spec), the car has a new HTP, lasting until 2033. The FIA race-spec Cooper S engine was built by Roger Heavens, with the usual Omega pistons, lightweight flywheel, FIA cam, polished and ported head and breathing through Weber 45DCOE. The gearbox was rebuilt by Racing Transmissions. Weighing only 545kg and with astonishing amounts of grip, the phrase “giant-killer“ was coined for the competition spec Unipower GT. 

Eligible for a huge number of race series across the UK and Europe (including Le Mans Classic), or a fabulously nimble and competitive car for the great road rallies such as the Modena Cento Ore.