Vintage Racer

I'd like to say Happy Birthday to me.

I bought a 1979 Corvette from a bank that repossessed it. It was possessed with problems.

I can see this is going nowhere. I am not baiting anyone. I offered questions and links to tech. In the meantime, the owner of a shop that I know sent me this offer: http://www.2-shores-classics.com/garage/current-offers.html?car_id=96&lang=us I offered him a fair price

The vintage racing community spends a lot of time and money returning a race car to its original livery. The owner of an old race car go do with it what they want. Why don't we rip the Datsun stickers off this famous BRE car and replace them with Nissan graphics? Pete Brock, who I know, is selling this famous Shelby Daytona coupe after its restoration to its original livery. Should he return it to a later look? Pete and his replica coupe the last time I meet with him. Who cares if this 1973 RSR is famous due to its Gulf Blue IROC graphics, and the fact that Bobby Allison drove it? We'll paint it red and stick a VW graphic on it (Porsche now controls over 50% of the stock of VW). I enjoy a good debate. A well written and well communicated post allows everyone to learn something new (or understand another's opinion). It's just that the "Alan, should I tell him or will you?", "Beat my guest", and "You know, after thinking about it, I'll pass." posts seem to me to be a waste of everyone's time. You guys seem to want to update all older U.S. Datsun cars to Nissan graphics while I think the car's original livery is important. It's just an opinion.

I never said the particular car had to be previously raced. I stated: IMO, "period correct" means that a vintage car should be set up in a way that it was previously raced. It may be the original car that was raced or a proper replica. Then I said: I guess that there is some sort of negative thoughts from you guys about whether it should be called Datsun or Nissan? I am sorry, but my '74, the '77, and the '81 Datsun were purchased from a Datsun dealer. Please excuse my indiscretions. I came here in goodwill and only seeking technical information. Yes, I did come from corner-carvers. It is a serious road racing board with very specific rules (NSFW for many guys): http://www.forums.corner-carvers.com/showthread.php?t=7393 A 1977 280Z could be "period correct" until the 300ZX was produced. I do not know of one racing group that allowed a 3.0L V-6 engine in an I6 car. The car noted above says he has a 2.8L so I assume it was a L28 SOHC I6 engine. Do you have any tech where a 3.0L V-6 Nissan engine was allowed in a 280? http://www.svra.com/SVRA/SVRAHome.nsf/attachmentweb/EJEN-5ZUTB7/$file/SVRA+Rules+&+Regulations.pdf?OpenElement

IMO, "period correct" means as it was raced. No one that I know of raced a 1970 Nissan 240Z or a 1977 Nissan 280Z. My 1981 car was a Datsun 280ZX, and the later cars were 1984 Nissan 300ZXs. There was never a Honda NSX. It doesn't amount to a pile of beans :classic: ; it's just history. I always liked the Datsun name. It was a combination of the DAT Motors name and the "sun" on the national flag. I also prefer Jaguar to Tata.

That is interesting. One of the few rules in vintage is that a car must be retired from current racing groups. I don't write the rules nor will I enforce them. I am surprised that the tech guys at SVRA didn't at least make him remove his NASA stickers before going out in the vintage group at Sebring. I was also confused about the Nissan markings on the car. This is not period correct for a 1977 Datsun 280Z. Did you notice the two 1970 240Z's listed as raced by Terry Taylor of Sebring? And the 1971 Datsun 240Z raced by Guy Marvin of Jacksonville? http://www.svra.com/SVRA/SVRAHome.nsf/attachmentweb/EJEN-7MR23T/$file/Entry+List+-+By+Name.pdf?OpenElement

This car was at the SVRA 12 Hour Sebring event. I didn't meet the owner. Is he here? Is anyone familiar with the car? I noticed the HSR and NASA stickers on the car.

Carl, I picked up my wife for our first date in a 3-speed 1965 Mustang. It had 110K miles on it when I bought it during college, and 235K miles on it when I sold it. I think it was the only car that I've owned that I sold for more than I paid for it ($400 > $750 ). I later found out that she had a car that her grandfather bought her for college: A 1974 260Z. I fixed the vapor-lock problem for her. She finally agreed to marry me, almost 8 years later. I agree! I am still looking. A nice 1970 240 isn't easy to find. I've found that "a little rust in the doors" means that the door is about to fall off. I'll post track pictures of the Macau 240Z in three weeks.

I may have. You may have been questioning my judgment in hitting a mailbox 15 years ago? You must have assumed that I was on a public road with public traffic? You would be wrong. I certainly do not race on public roads. However, I do participate in rally events, hill climbs, and organized racing events. Those events are closed to the public and allow high vehicular speeds. You never really asked me how it may have occurred. I promise that no one that has had a racing license for 18 years would ever participate in an illegal manner on a public road.

He is a F-1 seven-time world champion. He also holds many records in Formula One, including most drivers' championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions, points scored, and most races won in a single season. You are correct; there are no mailboxs on a F-1 race track. Nonetheless, they are just cars. If you break something, you just take it home and fix it. Then you take it back out and try again.

Very good. But, like some say: "Life is too short to drive a slow car". Michael Schumacher: "No risk, no gain". You'll never know the limit unless you occasionally exceed it.

I forgot. When you go to Florida on spring break, you should watch out for wild women that want to take advantage of you.

And a second one: You just need to watch out for those mail boxes; They will jump in front of you. :stupid:

I bought this car new. I immediately sourced a set of Panasport wheels. I worked on this car for years. I could set the valves in 30 minutes (OK, after a lot of practice). I set a little more negative camber in the front and went road racing. It was fun. Then a rod separated from the crank.:disappoin Here:

Thanks, I'll pass that along to the owner. As you probably know, the new owner (Greg) did not have an opportunity to talk with Mike about the car. I'll be sure Greg has this. He said that the file that he received with the car was very comprehensive. Since Mike scorched my butt last year at the Mitty, I look forward to driving the car next month. Side note: Another friend bought Mike's 1969 Triumph GT6+. After picking the car up and towing it home, he (Jerry) had a chance to go over the paperwork on the car. Mike bought the car new and did autocross before he started road racing it. Mike kept notes on every single event that he attended in the car. Jerry discovered in the paperwork that this Triumph was one of a few cars that the factory pulled off the assembly line and prepped for race use. Mike never told anyone.

Thanks. I'll know more soon. HSR was in Sebring three weeks ago. Here are a few pics from that race. Lotus 23c (very fast): 1965 Jaguar E-type: 1965 Ferrari (1 of 12 built). The last time I saw it: 1968 Porsche 911 (no fault of the driver): The history of the 1970 Macau 240Z: http://www2.zhome.com:81/History/macau240Z.htm

I'll be racing in my 18th Walter Mitty. I'll be driving my 1965 Mustang in Group 3: I will also be driving and helping sort the historic Macau 1970 Datsun 240Z in the Thursday practice sessions. It will be the first race for the Macau car since its previous owner drove the heck out of it at last year's Mitty.

You should have. You could sell them on eBay for a bunch of money.

I am happy to report that Mike Cammarata's 240Z has been purchased by a local racer that I known for many years. He also knew Mike as a friend and plans to continue to race the car. I am sending him the location of this fine bunch of Z-car enthusiasts. Doc

Stacey's Dad is "Super Dave" Bowden. I have raced with him for years in his Morgan. He bought his first Morgan while stationed on a ship of the U.S. Navy, off the coast of England. You would definitely call Dave a Morgan fanatic. He now races a Royal while handing the wheel of the Morgan over to Stacey. I know he owns at least one street Morgan (maybe two). Dave has befriended B. S. Levy (author extraordinar). Bert has written of his co-drive experiences with Dave. I have each of Bert's books, his most famous is The Last Open Road. Basically, Bert draws a fictional story around factional events of the early years of road racing. http://www.lastopenroad.com/ I should have known that. My passion has always been road racing so I have an excuse (the payment is the fastest way around a track ). :stupid: I meet Peter by chance. I was going to Road Atlanta to instruct a new driver when I saw Peter's (replica) Coupe parked outside a nearby dealer. I swung in to look, and Peter walked out of the building. He couldn't have been nicer. We even went to lunch (Wendys ). I am the guy in the white shirt, Pete in white pants, and two guys I didn't know.

I also just received my newest issue of Classic Motorsports magazine. I noted the cover of the calender. That is Stacey driving her Dad's old Morgan (the purple helmet is a giveaway). Then I see a beautifully restored 240Z. This "fanatic" restored it. :classic: Congrats, Carl. P/S I assume that Pete Brock is not Peter Brock (who helped design the Shelby Cobra Coupe)?? Here is a picture of Peter Brock when I meet him a couple of years ago:

Here is Rob's tribute to Mike as posted on the HSR and SVRA websites: http://www.hsrrace.com/HSR/HSRHome.nsf/weblinks/EJEN-7GDGVB?OpenDocument The date for next year's Mitty: http://www.hsrrace.com/HSR/HSRHome.nsf/weblinks/EJEN-7JZT6P?OpenDocument

Mike, The pleasure was all mine. I was diappointed in the Z turn-out this weekend. Your great 240Z (which you've had from college, BTW) was only there with a 1977 (?) 280Z. I could never find the owner of the 280 car. BTW, I did not have the pleasure of meeting your wife. IMO, just based on seeing you and your perfect looking new baby, I would think that your new baby looks much more like your wife. JMHO, of course. :classic: You meet my friend, [edit]D.ick had his stock recently body-off restored GT350 at the show. He also owns this very fast GT350 race car (which he has graciously allowed me to drive on a race track): OK, that didn't post because someone decided that a guy named D.ick is not allowed here. :paranoid: God forbid. If anyone is going to be near Road Atlanta in two weeks. Tim and I (hopefully not censored) will be there. My old is perfectly legal: I found D.ick's car when I was driving it. This thing is really fast and he is a really good friend for allowing me to race it with him in a long race. Thanks D. . D.ick's last name is Rathbone. This is me waiting for D.ick to come into the pitts and turning the car over to me. I am very nervous and trying to get my earplugs in my ear (we use radios). I am wearing a cool suit at Sebring FL.