Restored Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo to be unveiled at Monterey Historics

The game-changing Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo chassis 8801 is currently undergoing restoration and will be shown at the upcoming Monterey Historics later this month. Thirty-five years ago the prototype racer ended the Porsche 962’s dominance of the IMSA GTP class, in the process becoming the first Japanese car to win the 12 Hours of Sebring. It wasn’t all rainbows and roses though. The GTP ZX-Turbo experienced its share of hardships before achieving its historic successes.

Though the name Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo was used from 1985 to 1990, it was actually applied to a couple of different cars. The original GTP ZX-Turbo was built by Electramotive Engineering around a Lola T810 chassis. The following year, it wore a redesigned aerodynamic body by Yoshi Suzuka. “We were constantly pushing the limits, especially enhancing the car’s aerodynamics,” said Chris Willes, who joined Electramotive Engineering that year.

The 1988 GTP ZX-Turbo looked the same, but underneath the skin Electramotive  had developed an almost completely new car. This was the year that changed the team’s fortunes, and to distinguish it from the previous cars it is sometimes known as the GTP ZX-T88.

All GTP ZX-Turbos were powered by Nissan’s VG30, a two-valve SOHC V6. The cylinder block and head were borrowed from the production Z31 300ZX’s engine, but the internals were upgraded and the engine management system was Electramotive’s own.

The GTP ZX-Turbo’s first three years in competition were rough. Accidents, mechanical failures and time off for development forced it to miss several rounds each year, and it couldn’t come close to the 962 in points.

That all changed in 1988. The newly re-engineered GTP-ZX Turbo got pole position at its debut at the Miami Grand Prix. Unfortunately, issues cropped up during the race knocked it down to 8th place. It also missed Rd.3, the 12 Hours of Sebring. The GTP-ZX Turbo returned for Rd.4 at Road Atlanta, beating the factory Jaguar team, and proceeded to win every single race until Rd.11 at Sears Point, setting an IMSA record of eight consecutive wins. Despite missing out on both Sebring and the 24 Hours of Daytona, driver Geoff Brabham still won the Driver’s Championship. Unfortunately, Nissan’s lack of participation in the endurance races lost the Manufacturer’s Championship to Porsche.

For 1989 the car returned with a vengeance. This time the GTP ZX-Turbo entered both of America’s great classic enduros, even leading for 20 hours of the race at Daytona before blowing an engine. Brabham had snagged the pole and Nissan had led for most of the race even though it was the team’s first time competing at Daytona. Nevertheless, they went on to claim victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring and nine other races to clinch both the Driver’s  Championship for Brabham and the Manufacturer’s Championship for Nissan, thus ending years of Porsche rule.

The following year was practically a repeat of 1989. Nissan retired early from the 24 Hours of Daytona and won the 12 Hours of Sebring, its second consecutive victory there. However, mid-way through the 1990 season Nissan replaced the GTP ZX-T88 with the all-new Nissan NPT-90. However, the GTP ZX-Turbo naming would continue to market the then-new Z32 300ZX. Brabham would once again win the Driver’s  Championship and the Manufacturer’s Championship would go to Nissan.

Nissan would go on to win the 1991 IMSA GTP championship as well. After that, a newly ascendant Toyota took the 1992 and 1993 championships before the GTP class ended. To honor the GTP ZX-Turbo’s achievements, IMSA announced earlier this year that the car would be inducted into the 2024 IMSA Hall of Fame in October. The car, which is being restored by Z Car Garage of San Jose, will be shown at the Monterey Historics in August.

“Our journey with the GTP ZX wasn’t just about building a race car. It was about pushing the limits of what was possible, both on and off the track,” said Willes.