IMSA GTU info needed

I need some help guys.

I have stumbled onto a RX3 with a looong history as an autocross car. I have been offered the car without an engine, a long list of parts, some very rare. It has modified suspension, chassis and cage and is not suitable for use as a road car.

I have a plan though, thinking of building it to GTU IMSA specs. I am seeking any info and leads you guys can offer.

Looking to build it along the lines of the Downing car.

bring any and all info to this party please.

Steve

Downing never ran a GTU RX-3 as far as I remember. The RX-3s were mostly raced in the sedan series back then, and those raced in GTU did rather poorly. The Mazda factory did have 2 RX-3s entered in 1978 24hr Daytona race and Jim did drive one of them, but they were not Downing cars. You could contact Jim at Downing Atlanta and pose you questions directly to him.

C'mon Steve . . .you know better!! Where's the pics??

In reply to Chas_H:

Yeah... Downing's GTU RX7 was very successful (the winningest chassis in racing history), but the RX3 was mostly SCCA production sedan class raced.

Strike_Zero wrote: C'mon Steve . . .you know better!! Where's the pics??

That's what I was thinking, though I was unaware his name was Steve.

I do not have possession yet, I haven't seen the car in years, you know they will be posted when I get it.

What is the story behind the RX3 Dowling ran at the Mitty?

I was unaware too . . . until he left it in the post

RX3s ran in the IMSA RS Radial Challenge Series; There is a FB page that supports enthusiasts thereof.

Linked to the FB page, any more info forthcoming?

Any books, documents, anyone who worked on one?

This book might help: http://www.amazon.com/Mazda-Motorsports-Connie-Goudinoff/dp/0879385820 (And it's written by Jim's wife.)

This gets me all tingly inside

Maybe Howard Coleman could help at http://www.colemanprecisionrotaries.com/

is this the car in N Baltimore? If so his collection of old racers is where my old 1200 came from.

No it is closer to me than that. It has been in a garage for about 5 years.

There was a privately entered RX3 runnning in GTU at the '76 Daytona 24; Downing wasn't affiliated.

This pic caught my fancy during a google search:

Ray Walle was probably the first to race an RX-3 in GTU, started in 1974. Ray raced a Mazda Cosmo in 1976 24 hr race. He died in a street car accident a few days before his intended start at the 12 Sebring race. His team mates entered the race in tribute to him.