Works Rally 240Z

[The Z Farm]

If you can find a copy of the magazine called 'Vintage Racecar' on the Newstands, March 2004 edition has an excellent feature on the Safari Works Team Car TKS 33SA 4150, with even a full frontal pic on the front cover.
Now owned and kept in Italy, it is said to be the '72 Safari and '73 Monte car, although the fact that the Works built different cars for each event makes this difficult to believe. However, no doubt there are certain Club members who can make further comment on this alleged fact.

Nice feature, but it is an American Publication and might be hard to find on sale, although well worth while searching for a copy.

 

[Legendary5]

this is the story found on their website.

Profile:
The aristocratically named Giuliano Musumeci Greco is the president of Nissan Italia, and for five sun-filled days, he and Nissan Italia’s general manager, Alessandro Cacciotti, guided the Datsun 240Z rally car round the coast of Sicily, cross country through the Sicilian mountains and along the twisting roads of the old Targa Florio. Towards the end, with a few hours of free time available, they told VRJ the story of this car, which now resides in Nissan’s Museum. It was, they said, the 1973 Monte Carlo 3rd place finishing car in the hands of Rauno Altonen and the now even more famous Jean Todt, manager of Ferrari’s Formula One effort. They also said this car had done the East African Safari Rally in 1972, and had won, though they also made it clear they felt the car was better doing this event rather than "resting" in a museum! More in the March 2004 issue…….

Ed McDonough

 

[Legendary5]

I doubt the story is thru. If I own such a historic rally car I certainly did a better job the Italians.

It is also very obvious if you look at this attached picture, Giuliano Musumeci Greco is trying to imitate the famous no5. For what else are you driving with a BIG 5 on your door and a number plate of 1972!!!!!
I believe they had the time of their live, telling this story to the Americans! Or the Americans wanted to sell a lot of magazines???

 

[The Z Farm]

Thank you - my suspicions are confirmed regarding this 'alleged' Works 240Z.
1) The two events - the Monte and the Safari - demand a completely different build, so how can one be turned into the other ?
2) Somehow, the car shown doesn't look like a Works Car...
small details like the standard interior; the front sidelights,
the style of wheels, etc., just do not add up.
3) The author states that this one Won the Safari in 1972, which of course it did not !

So, once more we have a load of Bollocks written about one particular vehicle, which clearly did not bother to check the facts, nor the provenance of this particular car.....

Still, I suppose we should be happy that the marque gets a few good photos in amongst the really expensive motors.