First first real car of my own was a 1971 Datsun 240Z, bought for $400 in 1979. After rebuilding the engine and repairing considerable rust on the body, I began autocrossing it. In 1985, SCCA opened a new regional class, Improved Touring (IT). Previously, was only Showroom Stock (less then 5 years old) or Prepared (lots of mods allowed), both of which were too expensive for my meager means. My car fit IT perfectly (only limited bolt-on suspension mods allowed, and minimal engine work). Bought a roll cage and firesuit, and went racing for 2 years. Consistenty ran in top 5 or 6 in class, just couldn't keep up with front runners who could afford the better "tricks", like blue-printed engines. My car was tagged, and driven back & forth to each race. My wife, Cindy, drove the "support" vehicle, a 1983 Rabbit GTI; it was amazing how much camping and tool gear we could haul between the two cars. I also hooked up with a small repair shop, Gaitherburg Imported Cars, and the owner, Reno, helped me a bunch, including getting the car properly painted (my initial rattle-can paint job started peeling during a rainy weekend at Summit Point
).
In 1987, our first son was born in July, and Cindy allowed me to finish out the season. In my last race, it rained horribly. But that took away the HP advantage of many front runners. I was happily in 2nd place behind a friend in a very well prepared 240Z, until he collided with a car we were about to lap. I got thru unscathed, and won the race; my first and only CHECKERED flag!
Below is the car on the trailer of the guy who bought it from me later that year. I'm holding my new son, Jonathan, and my cherished flag. The buyer gutted the car and rebuilt everything. He proceeded to dominate the class for 2 years, until selling it to a guy in Minnesota, who planned to vintage race it.
Early in my ownership of the car, we went on a trip to NC. During the drive the odo was going to roll over 99,999
(corrected) miles. I pulled over and took a pic. It was later, while showing the pic to friends, that someone commented "Wow, you were able to get the trip-odo to show 240 when you did that". I was shocked, that was never planned, it was total coincidence.
