Some Restomod pictures and videos from some Japanese Magazines I recently acquired

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
What a lovely 'uncluttered' design - as cars were then. Apart from that 'wing' of course.

The split wing on the R381 was quite interesting, being 'active'. A fascinating experiment, but dropped before it was outlawed.

R381-01.jpg

This has prompted me to read about it and it's predecessor the Prince 380 with it's straight 6 GR8 engine.

Back in 2011 & 2022 I was asked by NISMO to assist in sourcing parts for their restoration of the original Prince R380A-1 race car, and one of the R382 race cars which was being restored by AUTECH.

I got to visit the R380A-1 at NISMO mid-resto, and also got to see it at the 2013 NISMO Festival at Fuji Speedway - its first run in a public event post-resto:

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Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Wow Alan you are a legend.

Any closer to writing that book? I'll buy one no matter how expensive (within reason).

I read about the split rear wing. I wonder how safe and stable the car would be? If you were 'leaning' on the suspension and one side was up, other down and you hit a bump so the car went 'light' would the wing alter? Would it steer the car from behind, would it affect braking etc etc.
 

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
I read about the split rear wing. I wonder how safe and stable the car would be? If you were 'leaning' on the suspension and one side was up, other down and you hit a bump so the car went 'light' would the wing alter? Would it steer the car from behind, would it affect braking etc etc.

I believe that's the kind of stuff they were trying to overcome with the fine-tuning of the 'active' system.

Quite a sophisticated system for the time, but race car aero was still effectively in its infancy (look at the troubles Porsche had with the 917...) and it was a step too far, too soon. They were already working on an improved system for the R382 (which would have the GRX V12 engine that was too late for the R381) but then went back to more conventional bodywork.

Here's a nice fold-out from a period Japanese book on the early Prince & Nissan sports racing cars which gives some insight on the R381's 'Aero Stabilizer':

R381 Aero Stab-1.jpg
 

Paul_S

Club Member
I believe that's the kind of stuff they were trying to overcome with the fine-tuning of the 'active' system.

Quite a sophisticated system for the time, but race car aero was still effectively in its infancy (look at the troubles Porsche had with the 917...) and it was a step too far, too soon. They were already working on an improved system for the R382 (which would have the GRX V12 engine that was too late for the R381) but then went back to more conventional bodywork.

Here's a nice fold-out from a period Japanese book on the early Prince & Nissan sports racing cars which gives some insight on the R381's 'Aero Stabilizer':

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Imagine recreating this from scratch!
 
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