Classic Motorsports "top 10" Japanese Race Cars of all time!

[jmark]

Sad state of affairs. Nissan is worried about the NASCAR Truck event......Funny their newsletter I just got promotes the Z and its heritage.

http://www.nissanusa.com/form/0,,action-NEnthusiast_pageId-100003_topicId-1,00.html?Site=N06FULE0206OAC000319&Area=03&Creative=19

Click on the Z and follow the links. Ron is that you & your BRE Z in one of the pics?

[HS30-H]

My list starts a follows:

1) BRE #46 240Z /BRE #03 240Z

2) BRE #46 510

3) BSR #33 240Z

4) BSR #33 CP Roadster

5) BRE #46 Roadster

6) Shelby Toyota 2000

7) BRE Off Road 240Z

8) BSR 280ZX

9) BRE Off Road 510

10) Scoville Datsun Roadster

Ron,

Don't take this as a personal dig, but I notice you don't have a single Japanese-prepped / Japanese-driven / 'Works' purpose-built race car in your list.........

Every single car in your list appears to be a car modified from a standard production road car - as opposed to a limited-run homologation special or 'real' ( read: purpose designed ) race car. They also all appear to be cars that raced exclusively in the USA.

OK - so the purpose behind this is to lobby the organisers of the Mitty to include ( invite / sponsor / subsidise? ) some certain cars in their event, and we have to take the thread title with a pinch of salt - yes?

Therefore it would ( surely? ) be a good idea to lobby for cars that actually still exist........, and have a good chance of showing up should they be invited - yes?

But still, it would be nice to see some cars from outside the USA domestic race scene being included in a list with the title "10 Best Japanese Race Cars of All Time."..........

I think that needed to be said.

Good luck all the same.

Alan T.

[jmark]

It would be awesome to see some works 240Z's brought over and demod for everyone.

[gogriz91]

I bought an '05 Pathfinder last summer and just got a customer comment card after 6 motnhs of ownership. I guess I'll add a line or two about their support for their grassroots racing legacy.

[hls30.com]

Nissan will use our free enthusiasm to their advantage because they know our enthusiasm is only augmented, not generated, by their active participation, and they have no intent of paying for something that they can obtain and use for free. In saying this I in no way mean to imply that no one should participate-I hope to be there-though probably not in my own Z(maybe my wife and son will let me use their pre-restoration Roadster).

I would enjoy Nissans participation in the event from the standpoint of providing a couple of historic cars, and someone who knew about them.

A non-sponsored active following does suggest more loyalty than a sponsored(payed) following.

Will

I would love to have the opportunity to see a vintage JDM car-or more than one!

[gogriz91]

It seems like it would be a great venue to pair a BRE 240 with one of their R or S tune 350Z's, 5 generations of racing. If nothing else, they could sell a ton of NISMO labeled crap and probably cover their investemnt.

[Alfadog]

I was going to post what Alan said, except it probably wouldn't be as well written. So I will just re-iterate. I'm not sure whether I should get angry or just laugh at this topic?? It is a kick in the face for real historians.

And by the way, if you wanted to make a poll, just DO IT.

[Ron Carter]

tell you what Alan and Alpha, you can add to this post. Who would you choose?! I will put together a poll with a mixture of your suggestions and my suggestions..

I will tell you that I am NOT a student of the international Datsun scene so other than Big Sam I dont know who you would want to include.

Feel free to chime in and add something instead of complaining. What I listed was MY list, and are MY choices. Feel free to add yours.

Ron

[gogriz91]

My motto at work is no surprise...just dissapointment. I'm not surprised Nissan isn't going to put any effort into showing the flag at the Mitty, I'm just dissapointed because the decision chain that lead to a no answer from 3 separate sectors of the company would have made a great albeit dark episode of Seinfeld. Remember, Mr K was a pariah in the organization and was sent to America in part to get him out of the home office, no surprise...just dissapointment.

[Ron Carter]

wow gnosez, you hit the nail on the head....I think it is a budget thing with the upcoming move.

[gnosez]

Ron - one of the speeches made during the election campaign for the ZCCA Exc. Director position talked about moving the ZCCA closer to that of the BMW, Porsche, Miata, and Jaguar clubs. Then and today I seriously doubt anyone (other than me) has taken the time to put together a table listing the various ways in which our clubs operate and how our corporate sponsors support us be it at the local dealership, regional or national level.

Even discounting the differences in earnings and expendable income between Nissan and these other brands, Nissan and/or the ZCCA has a long way to go to even see the field these boys play on. And the amount the ZCCA gets from Nissan wouldn't buy a fully loaded Sentra. That said without Nissan at the conventions, the other vendors (TOYO, Bose, etc.) would have no reason to show up either and their funding would be sorely missed as well.

Given the number of people at Niassn uninterested in what we do I for one have no confidence a champion will emerge. I would love to be wrong on this however. When Mr. K isn't able to come to the conventions I fear that Nissan will drop out as fast as our Zs are......

[Ron Carter]

gnosez,

I suspect Mr K will make this his last Z convention, and that will all but kill the national convention and severely cripple the ZCCA.

I have had discussions with Chris Wenzel and have warned him that such a situation is a distinct possibility, and that it will effect the 07 convention it FL.

Director position talked about moving the ZCCA closer to that of the BMW, Porsche, Miata, and Jaguar clubs.

Case in point, 2 years ago at the LA Auto show, Porsche rolls out the production based Carrera GT. Their display is an homage to the cars that came before the new models. They have old 912's next to Carrera 4's, a Porsche spider from a museum...a few misc vintage race cars and their finest new cars all mixed together. Here is a company that supports its roots. The POC is one of the finest clubs anywhere with strong ties to racing.

This year at the All Import show in Long Beach, Toyota shows up with a semi full of beautiful rare Toyota's including a 2000 GT. Nissan does nothing. Although in attendance there are more Datsuns than any other marque.

Nissan, feels that they cant or should not support us. They are not Promoting DATSUN, they are promoting NISSAN. They feel that it is not worth the investment to promote their past because they are not selling DATSUNS any more.

It just kills me, a manufacture needs to realize that someone who has purchased a Datsun / Nissan once is likely to do so again. Why do they think it is not necessary to promote their heritage and consumer confidence!?

I purchased a 05 Armada! I cant tow my Datsun race cars with a Toyota! come on!!!

Regardless, I have gone out of my way to help Nissan when they have asked, and they have asked a few times. My car has been in a few Nissan advertisements and on their web site....I would hope that one day soon they would realize that Datsun history is important to the Nissan brand.