Actually, I remember when they raced. They competed in Trans Am, then moved to
IMSA when the SCCA (Trans Am) tried to impose weight penalties because they
STOMPED the big American iron. What I didn't realize prior to this article is
that they still managed to take another Trans Am race by building up a lead,
and topping up the fuel before taking the checker. With a full load of fuel
they made the required (heavier) weight.
According to the article, the first one was built on a TR-7 shell, the second
one was built on a TR-8 "body in white". The first is still owned by Group 44
(Tullius?), the second was owned by one of the ex-Group 44 racers (Jenkins) and
is being sold by his widow. I don't have the article with me, so forgive me if
there are errors here.
Now if only I could get those lotto number right...
Tom Gentry
Life is too short to drive boring cars!
'96 Ford SVT Cobra Mystic #1345 (mostly stock)
'72 Triumph TR-6 OD (highly modified)
'59 Triumph 10 Sedan (in boxes)
-----Original Message-----
From: Gregory Petrolati [SMTP:gpetrola@prairienet.org]
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 1998 11:13 AM
To: Tom Gentry
Cc: 'triumphs@autox.team.net'
Subject: Re: Group 44 TR-8 in AutoWeek
On Thu, 3 Dec 1998, Tom Gentry wrote:
>
> FYI
> The latest AutoWeek (dated 12/7, I think) has a one page article about the
>Group 44 TR-8. It's the second of two cars, built from a TR-8
> "body in white", and may actually be for sale.
>
I'm gonna go out on a limb, here... I know a bit about the cars
in question. I've acutuall drooled into the cockpit of one of the
pair. I believe they are TR7 bodies with V8 mills. The cars were
intitially built for the original Trans Am series which went defunct
about the time these beasties were ready to compete. I dunno whether
they actually turned laps "in anger" or not. With the flaired
fenders and REALLy fat rubber they are a treat for the eye.
At the time these Trans Am "never was's" were being sold for
50 "large" each (I don't know what he wants for them now). Boy
would one look great in my garage!
Greg Petrolati
gpetrola@prairienet.org 1962 TR4 (CT4852L)
"That's not a leak... My car is just marking its territory!"
Greg Petrolati, Champaign, Illinois
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