Ran across this article in my archives the other day: From the Road & Track November issue 1975. A comparison test of Bob Sharp’s 240Z and a new 280Z at Lime Rock.
Vinny B. confirmed that this is the same race car that was at the “Test Day” session at Lime Rock this past Summer. (Now owned by CTZCC member Dr. Allan Robbins)
This is the link to the Test Day photos I shot 8/4/09.
http://forums.ctzcc.com/viewtopic.php?t ... ight=bob+s
Attached from the magazine 34 years ago! - Nov. 1975 - 5 page article.
Colin W.

Now, I really enjoyed that. Thanks Colin.
I first read this article while stationed in Hawaii back in 1975, while I was actively driving #02807 the first time I owned it. I had little "Bob Sharp" car models around my house, a stack of R&T magazines in the corner and followed Bob's career pretty closely back then.

I do recall scoffing at the performance figures of the "new" 280Z and confidently reminding myself that my "old" (5yrs) 240Z could out-perform it in any category below 80mph.

Oops..
CJB...

More research due...

Hahaha ~ yeah, street university taught me a lot more than I thought I knew!

I could out-accelerate them up to about 3rd gear, tho, and I seemed to handle flatter than they did.

HI Colin:
With every respect to Vinny -I do not believe that is the same car. No question that Dr. Robbins has restored it to look the same.

The car pictured in the Nov. 1975 issue of R& T is the real BSR IMSA GT-U Championship Z - built on a 280Z body. BSR built two identical cars - One pictured there to race, and a second car that served as the IMSA Camel GT Pace Car.

As I recall Mr. Sharp totalled the IMSA GT-U Z in 1976. Years later, Dr. Robbins bought the IMSA GT-U Camel GT Pace Car - and restored it, but put it in the BSR livery. At some point he sold it to a friend, then later tried to help his friend resell it. So I don't know if Dr. Robbins still actually owns the car or if his friend does.

http://bringatrailer.com/2008/12/16/aut ... gtu-z-car/

Either that or I'm completely confused...

FWIW,
Carl B.

Maybe I can help Carl.

Dr. Robbins did indeed have the Camel GTU pace car (you are correct, Sharp did wreck the first car) in his Sharpsite stable, but it has recently been sold to a very famous Datsun collector in California. He has commissioned Sharpsite to restore it to its original Camel colors and race condition.

The car that Doc Robbins ran recently at lime rock was the 280Z BSR car that was driven by Sam Posey.

_________________
John Taddonio
1970 240Z
1977 530Z
1984 300ZXT
zcarnut@hotmail.com
FB: Zccr zcarclubofrochester

That would be this one.......

That's it!

By the way.....

For those of you attending next July's ZCCR All Japanese Classic Car Weekend, we hope to have this and maybe a couple other famous Datsun race cars join us for laps at Watkins Glen!

Stay tuned....

_________________
John Taddonio
1970 240Z
1977 530Z
1984 300ZXT
zcarnut@hotmail.com
FB: Zccr zcarclubofrochester

Looks like Colin started a landslide with this topic!

Our own Scotty Cole sends these shots of the Sam Posey car, which he (Scot) shot at Lime Rock this year.

If you look directly above the windscreen of the racecar, you can see part of Scotty's own beautiful red 240Z, which drew a lot of attention during the car show that weekend.