Le Mans Classic

[grolls]

iv'e done some endurance racing before on bikes and the cost aint cheap(getting there, hotels,fuel,maintenance,tyres,spares,back handers(only joshing)coffee@£3.00 a cup, practise costs)..

on a serious note its great to play a part in this, the blood pumps like hell for hours, then the downs when the motor goes off the track, then a massive rush to get it back on , then shit, were third again oh ,my god were doing well!....for hours its a roller coaster if you want to have some input SHOUT AND BACK A TEAM!!!!!!!!!!

me personally if i could find ppl interested and the dosh id do it myself after all sitting in a seat for a few hours is alot easier than throwing your weight about on a gike for hours on end.
come on ppl put ya\z money where your mouth is!...i will!

 

[boomer]

sorry Sean can't log in tonight ?????

cheer up...

 

[grolls]

wicked body, top end missing so going cheap.......lol

 

[SeanDezart]

I can't log in either - what a pisser, I bet Russ is working on it so Burns can get in ..... alone !

I should add that any 240 could be eligible, must have a roll cage and exterior cut off switch and tow hooks ! Comp licence needed by each driver too !

 

[smaurikid]

Now I think I may be able to help here ! I havent got a licence and dont know what would be involved in getting one but I would surely like to know how I go about it ,and I would surely like to drive . In return I would attempt to bring some dosh into the equation via some sponsorship , and I may be able to bring some additional muscle via the infamous group I am part of (deputy leader type thing) , the only thing is that we would have to remove all traces of G&T !!! In principle I am up for it ! Does that make two ............?

 

[Albrecht]

Originally posted by SeanDezart
Well, I believe it must be a 240 to qualify which would limit the entry date to no later than 1974, I know some skullduggery was done with a 260 but it would be difficult to persuade the selection board and only confuse the issue !

Sean,
The car that was entered in the 1975 and 1976 events WAS a "240Z".

Don't get confused by the Japanese 'Carnet Plate' that was attached to the car in the 1975 event. That was there for a good reason ( albeit naughty ), but it was not issued to that car / chassis originally. The registration number does not identify the car........

 

[SeanDezart]

Not your usual 'clear as a bell' answer my Count so I remain sceptic but for the sakes of progress, let's call it a '240', much as Big Sam is an 'ex-works' rally shell !

I'm putting this one back up at the top because we can't progress unless we have a s close as a yes as we can have at this stage from a Z owner ! Over to you Guusje (and anyone else) !

 

[Albrecht]

Originally posted by SeanDezart
Not your usual 'clear as a bell' answer my Count so I remain sceptic but for the sakes of progress, let's call it a '240', much as Big Sam is an 'ex-works' rally shell !

Actually, if you asked Nissan's race department back in 1973 they would have told you that car was actually a '240ZR'........

I don't know why you are 'sceptic'. Look at the facts:

*The car originally issued with the Japanese temporary export use 'carnet' registration number "TKS 33 SU 6466" was a Works-built RLS30 ( ie LHD '260Z' ) rally car.

*The car entered in the 1975 Le Mans 24 Hour race that wore the registration number "TKS 33 SU 6466" was an ex-Works RHD HS30 ( ie RHD '240Z' ) Group 4 circuit racer. Same car did the 1976 event too.

So what's to be sceptical about? I'll tell you: Even if you don't know the true identity of the Le Mans car ( which we do ) then you should at least be sceptical of the story that the two cars above were one and the same. Doesn't the fact that one is an LHD '260Z' and one is an RHD '240Z' make you wonder?

Like I say, we do actually KNOW that the Le Mans car was NOT the car originally issued with the number "TKS 33 SU 6466". Just because it says in a book that they were one and the same car it does not mean that it is true.

And what's the confusion about "Big Sam"? That car's first shell, as well as the shell its identity is now attached to, were both ex-Works '240Z' rally cars.

 

[SeanDezart]

So can't we stop using 'Japanese temporary export use 'carnet' registration numbers' and use instead chassis numbers to identify these historical cars ? Obviously the 'registration' numbers were moved around - quite conveniently !

 

[Albrecht]

That's exactly the problem Sean. Everybody has been using a piece of stamped and painted aluminium to "identify" the cars - even though its clear that its attachment to one car ( the Le Mans car ) was bogus.

Nissan themselves had nothing to do with this particular case, and in fact the Japanese 'carnet' registration number issue was very carefully policed. The problem was that certain people involved with the rally activities tended to pinch the plates as souvenirs or trophies, and one of them ended up 'assisting' the 1975 Le Mans entry.

Manufacturer rally teams such as Ford switched plates prodigiously. Not so Nissan.

See what I mean?

 

[smaurikid]

Not wishing to state the obvious chaps but does this mean we can identify a car which raced at the hallowed circuit 30 years ago but we cant find one now?
Radical suggestion but can we not get enough sponsorship to do a new car? Have we not got the expertise to pull this one off?
Two years is a long time if you use it properly. I must admit that in my simple world I am saying this without even knowing how much it would cost to prepare a car from a straight shell,and would appreciate thoughts?

 

[SeanDezart]

The cars exist that can be run at Le Mans, almost any Z will do with the minimum 'race' preperation, roll cage, cut off etc

More interestingly, where can we get our hands on one of these plates to stick on 'our' car ?

I feel strongly that with all the knowledge, enthusiasm, (money) and people available, we can do something great here !

We're always taking about magazine articles on our cars but what about living the myths ? This could be a perfect example of our Z world all coming together !

 

[Legendary5]

Originally posted by SeanDezart
The cars exist that can be run at Le Mans, almost any Z will do with the minimum 'race' preperation, roll cage, cut off etc

Yeah.... now you got a 280ZX and a 300ZX you've got you 240 free for this event!!!!! that is, after test run to spain>>>>>>

 

[SeanDezart]

Guus, do you really want to put a radically different 240 in to this race ? Besides, Cathy won't let me put the car in !
The Z31 is for the Spanish trip (2+2) if we do it - a lot happening next summer - what about you cloggies and your do ?

I still would prefer a second Z for this event and I shall need details of Ad and his car to register the Z ! Drivers names ? Perhaps one or two drivers could 'buy' their way in with some seruous sponsorship money ? What does Ad think ?
This may be a way of someone else (Smaurkid ?) of getting itheir car n and paying their way ?