it was at a shop here getting some chassis work done, and i got to check it out up close. the car was plain white so i dont know who's it was back in the day.
1. mazda factory race 12a pp motor, schwing! it had the 48ida weber, dry sump, the rare aluminum water pump with the mini alternator where the air pump would go
2. the engine was mounted about 6" lower than stock, it may have been moved back a bit too.
3. it had the mazda factory race radiator, it was slanted back over the engine, with no fan
4. the engine had teeny little headers (1.5")
5. peejay: they were using an 81+ tranny (pbs? mfr? i didn't look) with a stock 79-80 shifter
6. the back of the drivers seat is about 2-4" away from where the bins would be
7. the dash is just a flat piece of metal (plastic? wood?) with a tach and a coolant temp gauge
8. it had 5 lug front wheels, the wheel was still on so i couldn't see anything more. (custom, 240z?)
9. the whole rear of the car was gas tank, and 2 ancient carter fuel pumps.
10. the car was a 79-80 with an 81 front end. the roll cage was very simple (i've never seen one that basic before, in a real race car) the body was all seam welded and mostly stock (it had had a front clip)

mike

 

you shouldve gotten a camera :-\

 

Indeed! Stuff like that people should be seeing!

 

It was probably Mazda Cosmo (RX-5) struts in the front. They were 5-lug.

 

Have seen quite a few of these "vintage" cars, it seems so weird calling these vintage....I was into these in their days!!!!

Shanon McMasters (Import Motorsports...RX7 & Miatas)here in Dallas has John Fingers old 80 IMSA car....It is exactly as you described. I have been to Roger Mandevilles place in Spartanburg, SC. and have seen a ton if his stuff. If anyone is ever in that area you have got to visit his place!!!!!! You will see stuff there that you will never see anywhere else in the world!!! He was a Mazda factory backed team from the mid 70s all the way into the early 90s!!!! Roger still has a beautiful race shop still....RXs only!!!! 2,3, and even 4 rotor blocks, shafts, housings, flywheels that look like swiss cheese....it is like "RX heaven" there!!

 

Please elaborate on this 5-lug conversion...

 

good luck ryan.... might aswell talk to clardons friend about his nissian brake 5 bolt conversion. thats what i have koni struts begging for after.. it runs

 

You meant 4-lug, I'm sure

 

i think the hot swap back in the day, was nissan 280zx struts, but the wheels are on the car, and i dont know the guys at the shop that well to go and tear the car apart and take pics, besides its ugly

mike

 

At least these were 4 lug.

 

Mike Ancas's Cosmo has 5-lug wheels on it You know how the '79-80 waffle wheels look like they were designed for 5-lug and then converted to 4-lug? Well, the wheel was originally on 5-lug Cosmos.

Also, I have an article on the Kent Racing GTU cars (early 80's, the cars were SA bodies) and the article clearly states that the struts/hubs were Cosmo pieces.

 

the car i saw also had the kent racing bumper, the wheels have enought offset so i can't see the brakes at all. they are 23x?x15 wheels in the front though

mike

 

OK I had it backwards... :sheepishgrin:

 

thats ok they used your shifter....

mike