The Group 44 cars (nos. 4 and 44) were beautiful cars, and overdogs. SCCA loaded them up with weight after they dominated the 79 season, so Tullius went to IMSA. Tullius loved the car, and his mechanic, Lanky Foushee, says it saw 195 on the banks at Daytona.
Check out
www.lanocharacing.com. Lots of Group 44 (and Ken Slagle, who won C Prod in a convertible in 82 as a privateer) pics and information. Tim Lanocha actually got his hands on the old Group 44 fiberglass molds and can make you a replica of the car pictured above if you have the desire and the dollars.
George, one clarification on TR8 lore. The 7 was originally designed to house the 3.5 liter Rover V8 and the TR8 was originally supposed to debut shortly after the 7 (and Triumph might still be with us if it had). However, the Rover V8 was in short supply in 75 and 76, and that delayed the launch.
About 50 pre-production TR8 coupes, almost all automatics and all with no markings to identify them as something other than a 90 hp TR7 came to the states in 1978, were tested by dealers and sold to the public. Those were the "first" TR8s. Buffum may have had his TR8 (I think it was actually called a TR7V8 at the time, like the English rally cars) rallying in 78 as well.
But, you are correct, the Tullius Group 44 8s came to the states and raced in 79 before the "official" launch of the TR8 in 1980.
Andy Doyle's dad Morey (Andy posted above as TRD77) actually bought a 1980 TR8 coupe off the showroom floor and went showroom stock racing with it. In the mid-80s, Ted Schumacher in Ohio got the car classed in Improved Touring S (there was resistance because of the V8) and Morey has a number of ITS regional wins over the years. Ted had a fair amount of success with teh car in the Playboy Endurance series. I still rely on him for parts and racing advice. He's making me some new headers over the off-season, and is a great guy to talk to for racing lore.
Andy and Morey still run 8s (I think they, and myself, are the only ones left with Kischbach's car in the NEDiv parked, and John Roper in Louisiana parked), and they run them competively in the MidWest. Go look up results at Gateway, where they win, or in large (15 car plus) fields at Mid-Ohio, where they run top-5. Amazing what they get out of the car. Especially since Andy is right, the torque is great, but it masks serious weakness in the brakes.
Steve, thanks for the words of encouragement. Lots of work left to do, a lot of it on the driver as the results Andy and Morey post show my car is far more capable than the driver right now.
I have 300 and 250 lb springs on order and will try those at the VIR test day in March. You would also disconnect the rear bar?
Thanks on the pistons as well. I will catch up with you about that. I'm going to run this motor till it dies, and then build a 10/10 motor out of an old block I have. But if I can get the pistons cheap now through you, I will, and then store them. Maybe then I can stay out of your way...lol...that black RX7 looks nice going by. You were hauling it at Roebling...
Thanks agian guys.
Jeff
