Bring a Trailer, a popular automotive auction website, has a new addition that will excite NASCAR fans. A Ford Thunderbird used by Mark Martin in 1989-90 is available through Aug. 5.
According to the listing, which has a bid of $16,000 as of July 31, the No. 6 Ford was rebuilt in 1990 after a practice crash. Rhine Enterprise of Denver, North Carolina, acquired the chassis and bodywork. The company rebuilt the race car and fitted it with a replacement 358 cubic inch V8 engine.
The rebuilt race car, now offered for sale in Pennsylvania, also includes a rebuilt four-speed transmission, Butlerbuilt racing seat, Hurst shifter, fire-suppression system, and AutoMeter gauges. The vehicle does not have an odometer, nor is it street-legal. It does not have a title or registration.
The car has a Folgers Coffee scheme that is a replica of the one Martin used during the 1990 Cup Series season. The scheme includes associate partner logos such as Valvoline, DieHard Batteries, and STP among many others. The interior of the car features Martin's signature.
Photo credit: Bring a Trailer
The classic race car sits on Black 15" Aero wheels. The tires are Goodyear Eagle racing slicks.
According to the listing, the winning bidder will receive letters from Rhine Enterprise that detail the history of the Ford Thunderbird. There are also photos showing the car undergoing the rebuild process, which included repairing the tube-frame chassis.
Martin achieved success in both 1989 and 1990 while driving for team owner Jack Roush. He finished third in the championship standings in 1989 after winning a race at Rockingham Speedway and posting 18 top-10 finishes in 29 starts. Rusty Wallace won the title while Dale Earnhardt finished second.
Stroh's Light was Martin's primary sponsor during this season that closed out the 1980s.
The 1990 season featured even more success for the future Hall of Famer. Martin won at Richmond Raceway, Michigan International Speedway, and North Wilkesboro Speedway. Martin posted 23 top-10 finishes in 29 starts while improving his average finish to 6.6.
Martin ended the season second in the championship standings while Earnhardt won the title. This was his career-best finish at the time, and it was one he matched four more times before retiring from Cup Series competition.