An Emka 84C competing in the Group C race at the 2015 Silverstone Classic.
The last Aston Martin powered car ever to lead Le Mans. Built for and raced by well know racer and Pink Floyd manager Steve O’Rourke, along with Tiff Needell and Nick Faure. Fresh from a complete nut and bolt restoration, very much back on the race track and surely one of the fastest and most usable normally aspirated Group C cars of all time. Many of you will remember Steve O’Rourke’s warm smile, charismatic personality and rich enthusiasm for motor racing. Reputedly dismissed from one of his early jobs after being caught racing the company car at Brands Hatch, it was clear to everyone who met him that he was deeply passionate about motor racing and in particular Le Mans. The success of his career managing super band Pink Floyd allowed him to full fill this passion, one he shared with close friend and drummer of the Pink Floyd, Nick Mason. Amongst other racing achievements, Steve competed at Le Mans six times, finishing an impressive 12th overall on his first attempt driving his own Ferrari 512 BBLM and 4th overall in a McLaren GTR in 1998. In 1980 he flew to London halfway through the race to oversee a Pink Floyd concert, before returning to see the 512BBLM to the finish. Designed by GT40 creator Len Bailey for Steve O'Rourke (the manager of Floyd and owner of the EMKA company) with the monocoque built by Maurice Gomm's factory in Woking and the outer panels by Protoco in London. The whole car was then built and prepared for competition by the very experienced Michael Cane Racing team with Dave Knott, Mark Julian and Alan Charles in the Godalming 'Rourke was keen to race in Group C and discussions with Cane confirmed that a car weighing 850kg with some aerodynamic downforce, coupled to a normally aspirated engine of relatively modest power could be decided that the Aston Martin V8 (5340cc) would be suitable and Tickford was involved in this concept from the start and Dave Morgan advised that race inspired modifications to the engine.
Size: 4484px × 2974px
Location: Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 2015, 84c, car, cars, circuit, classic, emka, faure, floyd, group, historic, motorsport, needell, nick, pink, race, racing, silverstone, steve, tiff, ’rourke
