Rick Rothinberger's Cunningham C-2 arrived at Automotive Restorations in late 2000. It was not a basket case, but a fair portion of the car arrived in boxes. The chassis was partially restored, though a great deal remained to be sorted out if this car were to realize its former glory. The car had been sold new to the Rothinberger family and Rick Rothinberger had his eyes and hands on all the details. This made all the needed information easily available and the project a delight.
The alloy body was the project's biggest challenge. A.R.I.'s captive panel beaters, Mark Barton and Steve Hall, finished the body restoration to perfection, after which, paint, mechanical restoration, and interior were completed. All went smoothly, yielding the results you see here.
The C-2 Cunningham is a significant American sports car. Big, powerful and beautiful, in a uniquely American way. Once complete, it was shown at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in June, 2002, where it garnered the award for Best Limited Production vehicle.
It now resides with Mr. Rothinberger in Pennsylvania, and thunders along Pennsylvania's beautiful array of country roads. Word is that it may be found contesting Italy's Mille Miglia in the spring of 2003. We hope this occurs, and are pleased and grateful that the Rothinbergers saw fit to involve us in their project.
