Nissan  IMSA

        1984-85             

The original Nissan GTP ZX Turbo sponsored by California Cooler that I drove with Don Devendorf in the IMSA GTP Series. 

Don Devendorf hustles the Nissan GTP ZX Turbo through Turn #9 at Riverside

     Having won everything possible with the Datsun 280ZX Turbo, Electramotive moved up to IMSA's GTP class for 1984.  Once again Don chose Tony a2z for his co-driver.  This was one of the most innovative GTP cars of its era.  Massive air intakes in the nose cooled the 1,000 horsepower Nissan V6 Turbo.  In addition to its wind tunnel tested bodywork, it had full bottom ground effects.

     This was an awesome stealthy-looking car, but it certainly had numerous development problems.  I remember giving John Wyer, John Horseman & company a tour around the car at Riverside.  (I drove at Ostereichring practice for the Gulf Wyre team testing the Mirage 3 liter and actual race at Watkins Glen in '72.)  John Wyer was totally in awe of this overly complicated GTP Lola /Electramotive car.  Upon finishing his tour of the car, John said, "You should take three months with your team for quiet (unobserved by press) testing of this car.

     I explained we didn't have the luxury of this item, sponsorship with Bridgestone and Nissan required the car to make all the current IMSA GTP events without the benefit of testing.  Wyer indicated the development would be very tedious and must proceed slowly.

     He was right, we found major weakness in the aerodynamic balance of the car at various speeds.  To say nothing of the undeveloped Weisman transaxle and weak links in the Lola chassis that caused numerous crashes throughout the season.  Fortunately I wasn't behind the wheel when the real major crashes occurred.  Don was blamed for his lack of big bore experience.  With all due respect, he was a very capable driver and great co-driver during the Electramotive years.

Here I'm leading a Porsche 962 and a March Chevy at Riverside

     While Tony was driving for Conte and Jaguar in '84, Nissan commissioned Lola to build a special purpose GTP chassis for Electramotive.  Devendorf hired Yoshi Suzuka to develop the aerodynamics of a high downforce body and ground effects system for the radical new car.  Yoshi built a moving-ground-plane wind tunnel at Electromotive's El Segundo facility, and by the end of 1984 they were running the car pictured here.

     The Electramotive Nissan/Lola 810 became the progenitor of some of the most successful GTP cars ever designed.

Tony Adamowicz, Gary Wheeler, Tony a2z, Tony Adamowics, a2zRacer, Gary Wheeler, Tony Adamowicz

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GTP-ZX in action.  It's posted on U-tube.