While we await the next Nissan Z‘s arrival, and the new era of Nissan is has promised, with engaging, fun to drive cars and bright 90s hues. However, if you want to actually drive the king of 90s Nissans, here’s a 700-horsepower IMSA GTO race car for sale.
The race-winning 300ZX-based machine is built on a bespoke chromoly tubular space frame chassis, Number 004 of seven built by Clayton Cunningham Racing. “Based” is a loose term here, because the tail lamps are the only thing shared with a production Z32.
The carbon composite body sits on 18-inch BBS centerlock wheels wrapped in voluptuous Eagle Goodyear slicks measuring 25.5×12 inches up front and 28.5×14.5 inches at the rear. Driving the wheels is an aluminum block, 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged race-spec V6.
Aside from the Motec digital dash, the cockpit is frozen in time; with a quick release Momo wheel, exposed carbon fiber transmission tunnel, and the same analog gauges read by Steve Millen and Jeremy Dale during the car’s dogfights with Mazda RX-7s and Ferrari F40 LMs.
Between 1990 and 1991, chassis 004 would secure endurance wins at Road America and Watkins Glen, along with two other victories, seven pole positions, two fastest laps, and a 93 percent finishing record.
With the current bid Bring a Trailer at a hair under $500,000, this Z32 currently costs $470,000 more than what a clean road-legal Z32 is likely to fetch. But you also get a priceless piece of Nissan racing history.
I highly doubt even the cleanest Z32 would fetch over $100,000, let alone $260,000.
Sorry, that was my fault. I edited the article because the price nearly doubled during its writing, but forgot to add that to the Z32 comparison!
It’s cool but for the same money I could get a Built By Legends R32 GTR. And probably have changed left for a pretty stock Z32 too. I know which I’d rather go with.
The answer for mortals is Tamiya, as is so often the case.
https://tamiyabase.com/tamiya-models/58091
It’s vintage, but I’m sure a repro body is out there. Matching boots might be an issue.
My heart sank a bit when Paul Newman left Nissan after the 1988 season. He was probably already a grandpa when he drove a 933 HP Z!
I was working for Yokohama Tire at the time these cars were actively racing. It was so cool to see them in person and watch them race. Have many pictures of them. Yokohama also did a poster of this car and I still have mine hanging on the wall with Steve Millen’s and Johnny O’Connell’s autographs on it.
When this car won the 24 Hours of Daytona overall, Yokohama issued a commemorative watch with this car on the face. I still have one new in the box. Too bad I can’t afford the real car! Man, this brings back memories!
This GTO and the Nissan GTP cars were my hero cars in the early 90’s. Remember glued to Speed Channel many a weekend watching those IMSA races and cheering on the Nissans!