Ex-Paul Newman 1989 Spice-Chevrolet SE89P IMSA GTP/Group C
This 1989 Spice SE89P is one of two examples designed and built by Spice Engineering in Towcester, England, for works-backed competition in the 1989 IMSA GTP class. Chassis 002 debuted with Pontiac power in March 1989 and in its second start two weeks later finished 11th overall at the 12 Hours of Sebring. In its following start in West Palm Beach, the car finished fifth overall and returned to action in September 1989 with an eighth place in San Antonio before the season concluded with three straight retirements due to engine struggles despite a pole position in its season finale. It was then sold by Spice Engineering to Bob and Linda Lee, whose 1990 campaign of the car under the lead of Tom Milner Racing included an Oldsmobile-powered seventh place overall in the July 1 Watkins Glen 500km with Hollywood icon Paul Newman sharing the wheel with Mike Brockman. Continuing his only stint in IMSA’s GTP class, Newman again teamed with Brockman in August at Road America, where a practice accident caused the car to miss the race. The car finished its early career under the ownership of Tom Milner with a 1991 season highlighted by a third-place finish in New Orleans with Chevrolet power. It later appeared in several historic events in the late 2000s and early 2010s, including the 2008 and 2014 Le Mans Legends races and the 2013 Spa Classic along with the Dix Mille Tours and Silverstone Classic. After being purchased by its previous owner a decade ago, the car underwent a refurbishment by Peter Chambers Automotive in Tewkesbury, England, in 2016 that included a return to the blue livery replicating its appearance when driven by Paul Newman as well as the installation of an aluminum-block Chevrolet V8. The car subsequently contested the 2018 Le Mans Classic before winning its class at the 2022 Donington Historic Festival. An engine overhaul is said to have been performed following the Donington appearance before the car was purchased by its current owner in August 2024, and in July 2026 the car participated in the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Featuring carbon-fiber and Kevlar composite bodywork over an aluminum honeycomb monocoque chassis, the car is also equipped with electronic fuel injection with individual throttle bodies, dry-sump lubrication, a Hewland five-speed manual transaxle, slotted and ventilated disc brakes with dual master cylinders, pushrod- and rocker-actuated adjustable coilover shock absorbers, anti-roll bars adjustable from within the cockpit, staggered-width 18” wheels, a molded driver’s seat, a six-point harness, and a MoTeC digital dashboard display. This Spice SE89P is now offered in Gloucester, England, with photographs with Paul Newman and from various other stages of its racing career, an FIA Historic Technical passport, a collection of spare parts, and a bill of sale.
Founded by Gordon Spice in the early 1980s, Spice Engineering initially campaigned Tiga chassis before delving into the development and construction of their own platform for the 1986 FIA World Sportscar Championship and IMSA GT seasons.
After sweeping team and constructor titles in the WSC C2 class in 1987 and 1988, Spice introduced the SE89 chassis to face the top endurance competitors in the WSC C1 and IMSA GTP classes. Construction incorporates an aluminum honeycomb monocoque chassis wrapped in carbon-fiber and Kevlar composite body panels.
This example competed in a variety of liveries in-period and was refinished during the 2016 refurbishment in a blue livery replicating that which was carried by the car during its 1990 outings with Paul Newman and Mike Brockman at the wheel. Various stone chips and other imperfections can be viewed in close-ups in the photo gallery below. Features include faired-in headlights, front dive planes, louvered fenders, dual NACA ducts on the nose and rocker panels, pedestal-mounted side mirrors, and an adjustable dual-plane rear wing reflecting period Applebee’s sponsorship. A number of the provided photos date to November 2024.
Multipiece wheels with gold-color basketweave centers are secured by hexagonal nuts and are wrapped in Avon tires measuring 300/650R18 up front and 365/720R18 at the rear. Stopping is handled by disc brakes featuring multipiece slotted and ventilated rotors, cooling ducts, and dual master cylinders with bias adjustable from within the cockpit.
The right-hand-drive cockpit houses a molded seat that is equipped with a Willans six-point harness. Additional equipment includes a right-hand shifter, a roll cage, an electrical cutoff switch, and a fire suppression system.
The MOMO three-spoke steering wheel sits on a quick-release hub ahead of a MoTeC digital dashboard display and dash-mounted shift lights. Gauges to the driver’s left monitor voltage, fuel pressure, and oil temperature.
The 7.0-liter Chevrolet V8 is said to have been built and installed during the 2016 refurbishment by Peter Chambers and features an aluminum block and cylinder heads, dry-sump lubrication, dual oil coolers, electronic fuel injection with individual throttle bodies and intake trumpets, MSD electronic ignition, MoTeC engine management, and a canted front-mounted radiator. The engine was overhauled by Moto Historics in Surrey, England, in 2022 following the car’s most recent competition at the 2022 Donington Historical Festival.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Hewland five-speed manual transaxle with Spice castings on its casing and a designated fluid cooler. Suspension incorporates adjustable coilover shock absorbers that are pushrod-actuated up front and rocker-actuated at the rear along with front and rear blade-style anti-roll bars that are adjustable from within the cockpit.
Among spares included in the sale are body panels finished in a white Applebee’s livery, a set of wheels wrapped in Goodyear Eagle slicks, and various other components.
Accompanying the car are photographs from various stages of its racing career, including the above image of Paul Newman with the car in 1990. Also accompanying the car are an FIA Historic Technical Passport with an expiration date of December 2030 and documents from Moto Historics.
Competition results as provided by the selling dealer include:
- 1989 3 Hours of Miami – DNF (with Bob Earl and Costas Los)
- 1989 12 Hours of Sebring – 11th (with Jeff Kline and Los)
- 1989 3 Hours of West Palm Beach – 5th (with Los and Jean-Louis Ricci)
- 1989 2 Hours of San Antonio – 8th (with Scott Atchison and Bernard Santal)
- 1989 300km of Sears Point – DNF (with Atchison and Santal)
- 1989 360km of Tampa – DNF (with Wayne Taylor)
- 1989 2 Hours of Del Mar – DNF (with Taylor and Atchison)
- 1990 Miami Camel Grand Prix – DNF (with Kline and Steve Phillips)
- 1990 500km of Road Atlanta – DNF (with Kline and Jeff Purner)
- 1990 500km of Watkins Glen – 7th (with Paul Newman and Mike Brockman)
- 1990 500km of Road America – DNS (with Newman and Brockman)
- 1990 2 Hours of San Antonio – 6th (with Scott Sharp and Brockman)
- 1990 200 Miles of Tampa – DNF (with Sharp)
- 1991 24 Hours of Daytona – DNF (with Tim McAdam, Fred Phillips, Jeff Davis, and Brockman)
- 1991 2 Hours of West Palm Beach – 11th (with Kline and Brockman)
- 1991 12 Hours of Sebring – 29th, DNF (with McAdam, Purner, and Fred Phillips)
- 1991 2 Hours of Miami – 8th (with Kline and Purner)
- 1991 300km of Road Atlanta – DNF (with Purner)
- 1991 300km of Topeka – 14th (with McAdam and Purner)
- 1991 2 Hours of Lime Rock – 9th (with McAdam and Purner)
- 1991 300km at Mid-Ohio – 12th (with McAdam and Purner)
- 1991 2 Hours of New Orleans – 3rd (with Purner)
- 1991 500km of Watkins Glen – 15th (with Kline)
- 1991 300km of Laguna Seca – DNF (with Kline)
- 1991 300km of Portland – DNF (with Kline)
- 1991 300km of Road America – DNF (with Kline)
- 1991 2 Hours of Del Mar – DNF (with Kline)
- 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours Support Race
- 2008 Spa Classic – 2nd
- 2014 Le Mans Legends
- 2018 Le Mans Classic
- 2022 Donington Historic Festival – 1st
- 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed – highlight video viewable below
Photo Gallery
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| Current Bid | GBP £150,000 by cbsue |
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Wednesday, July 29 at 10:00am PT
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BaT Essentials
- Chassis: 002
- One of Two Works SE89P Chassis Built
- Driven by Paul Newman in 1990
- 7.0-Liter Chevrolet V8
- Fuel Injection w/ ITBs
- Five-Speed Manual Transaxle
- Blue Livery
- Single Molded Seat
- Aluminum Honeycomb Monocoque
- Carbon-Fiber & Kevlar Composite Bodywork
- Staggered-Width 18" Wheels
- Slotted & Ventiled Disc Brakes
- Pushrod- & Rocker-Actuated Coilover Shocks
- MoTeC Digital Dashboard Display
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