The company was owned by Lance Reventlow, son of Barbara Hutton, heir to the F.W. Woolworth fortune. A racing enthusiast, Reventlow commissioned Tom Barns and Dick Troutman to build sports cars for amateur drivers in the 1950s. They were sold under the name Scarab.
The small carmaker rose to fame in 1958 by winning the SCCA national championship against a field of factory-backed teams. The unexpected success encouraged Reventlow to assemble a Formula One team and design a front-engined single-seater for the series. Scarab built three cars powered by straight-four engines designed by Leo Goossen of Offenhauser fame.
Scarab entered five of the ten scheduled events for the 1960 season, with Richie Ginther, Lance Reventlow and Chuck Daigh as drivers. Unfortunately for Reventlow, the F1 car was nowhere near as successful as the SCCA sports car. The Scarabs failed to qualify for three races and retired during the fourth outing. In the final race of the season, the United States Grand Prix at Riverside, California, Chuck Daigh finished 10th.
Scarab did not return for the 1961 season, but became the first American constructor to join Formula One and the first American manufacturer to finish a race. Several American teams later joined the series, including Team Haas, Parnelli Jones Racing, Dan Gurney's AAR, Shadow, and Team Penske.
Amazingly, for a car built by a fairly anonymous manufacturer, at least one of only three Scarab F1 cars ever built has survived more than six decades. The example you see here was also restored by Dick Troutman and Chuck Daigh and retains the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine it used in 1960. The car looks flawless inside and out.
Displayed at various events, including the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Scarab returned to prominence in early 2024 when it was put up for auction at Mecum’s 2024 Monterey. Back at auction after failing to sell in 2022, the Scarab is estimated to fetch up to $1 million.
This time, the race car found a new owner, but the hammer fell on a considerably smaller sum. The Scarab changed hands for $412,500, including expenses. Not what I would call a bargain, but it is a small sum for a historically significant early 1960s F1 car that drives like new and is eligible to race in the historic Monaco Grand Prix.
The 2024 Monterey Auction saw a few more iconic race cars go under the hammer. A 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Center Seat left the stage with a high bid of $3.2 million, while a 1983 RAM March 01 drew a high bid of $250,000.