Hooniverse Asks: What’s your favorite road car-turned-unexpected race car?

Today, I’m heading to Barstow, California to meet up with a team that races in the Baja 1000. No, not in a buggy. It’s not a familiar Ford or Chevy-badged tube-chassis Trophy Truck either. Instead, I’ll sit in with the team racing a Honda Ridgeline in the production-based Class 7. This team is no stranger to the dirt, mind you, as its posted a number of wins down in Baja.

This truck has me thinking about other unexpected race winners. One of my all-time favorites is also an off-road racer. And this one is even more unexpected. When James Garner took to the wheel of his Oldsmobile 442, he set off into the dust and wound up finishing 2nd in his class. That was back in 1969. I probably think about this car once per month, because it’s just that awesome.

Now I want to know about other excellent racing machines that come from unexpected places. Let’s hear your favorites in the comments below.

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80 responses to “Hooniverse Asks: What’s your favorite road car-turned-unexpected race car?”

    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      I’ve driven that exact car in the photo, and it was wonderful

  1. GTXcellent Avatar
    GTXcellent

    Even though I was too young to witness the era first-hand, I love the 70’s drag scene – especially the Pro Stock cars. Tiny little econoboxes turned into 1/4 mile warriors: Chevettes, Pintos, Plymouth Crickets – and the very coolest, and wackiest
    http://www.draglist.com/artman2/uploads/1/amc_7.jpg

    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar

      The Gapp & Roush “Tijuana Taxi” Maverick 4-door sedan is the most awesome Pro Stock car in the history of forever.

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8c3ccfccae3decdcaf5cbd48cd1d7c28b1485252c2797c2f3085b9991ca8db7c.jpg

  2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar

    A guy named Bill Luton built a formidable autocrosser out of an Isuzu Stylus XS sedan.

    http://www.isuzuperformance.com/gifs/carpix/blutst11.jpg

    1. outback_ute Avatar
      outback_ute

      Some creative ‘extra’ modifications to that car too from what I can remember

      1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar

        Yes, like an oversized turbo and a locked diff to tame the torque steer when the boost hit.

        1. outback_ute Avatar
          outback_ute

          I was thinking of boost adjustment

        2. outback_ute Avatar
          outback_ute

          I was thinking of boost adjustment

  3. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar

    A guy named Bill Luton built a very formidable autocrosser out of an Isuzu Stylus XS sedan.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ffc9fa9c4247eca062e0f5aedbde777ef6489a2d756cc923bc725a40fc533dd4.jpg

    1. 0A5599 Avatar
      0A5599

      The Green Brick Valiant performed admirably for several years in One Lap of America, outfinishing several newer cars costing significantly more.

      https://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/lapping-valiant.html

      https://staging.moparaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/image_5339.jpg

    2. P161911 Avatar
      P161911

      The lower stock classes of Solo II had some weird cars in the front. I remember a guy that actually had a local Pontiac dealer sponsoring him in a Sunbird. He usually won his class and had a top 5 overall time.

    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Petition to reuse that name.

    1. outback_ute Avatar
      outback_ute

      Would this have been before AMC’s 1970 purchase of Jeep I wonder? I wonder if it would have been developing one of the more full-time 4wd systems.

      1. Zentropy Avatar
        Zentropy

        The Baja 500 in which the AIR team participated was in June of ’69. These cars were therefore prepared before the purchase of Jeep in 1970. All of the Garner Rambers had blueprinted AMC 390s and modified suspension/tires/undercarriages, but only 2 were equipped with 4WD (the image caption says four, but I think it ended up only two). I can’t find any reference to whose 4WD system was used, but I would assume it was Jeep’s. Jeep started using AMC engines in their trucks in 1965, so there was collaboration between the companies several years before the union.

        1. outback_ute Avatar
          outback_ute

          Ok thanks.

          A bit of trivia, in Australia Jeeps used Falcon engines from around that time, and when they did the Falcon 4wd ute it had Jeep running gear

          1. Zentropy Avatar
            Zentropy

            Interesting. I suppose that makes sense, considering Jeep was strong on 4WD technology at the time, but Ford had better engines. In the 60s, Jeep had only the (ancient) Willys Hurricane and the Tornado six, which was discontinued outside of military use after 1965 (hence, Jeep started using AMC’s engines that year). Jeep had a history of borrowing engines from other manufacturers (AMC’s 327 V8 and 232 I-6, Buick’s Dauntless V6 and V8, GM’s Iron Duke I-4 and 2.6L V6, and diesels made by Renault and some Italian company that I forget). I’m only surprised that Jeep didn’t elect to go with Holden engines in Australia, given their established arrangements with GM in the States.

          2. outback_ute Avatar
            outback_ute

            Sounds like it was done as an alternative to the Buick V6, plus would have worked in with the need to increase local content. Not sure why Ford vs Holden, maybe it suited Borg Warner gearbox & axles.

  4. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    The Volvo PV444 and 544, “people’s cars” that were not too powerful, not performance-intended, but very well-engineered, balanced and durable. An era were pretty stock cars did well, and it was easy to relate to teams who were racing them.

    https://www.hemmings.com/blog/wp-content/uploads//2015/04/161289_The_Singh_brothers_and_their_Volvo_PV_544_1965.jpg

      1. Zentropy Avatar
        Zentropy

        My favorite rally car of them all! I don’t find Volvo’s racing pedigree surprising, though, given the ruggedness of the chassis and B14/16 and B18/20 engines. I love watching film of PV544s and Amazons plowing through the countryside.

    1. outback_ute Avatar
      outback_ute

      I can’t imagine there were too many cars that weren’t rallied in that era. Given enough time/money/space I’d like to have a Humber Super Snipe MkIV as run in the Redex Trials. The Redex had everything form a RR Silver Ghost (then 30 years old!) to a Porsche 356 to a step-down Hudson.

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/29eb19dc70a96aac16fed77a00281761524ec15fe5a1aa41e40253a42e3b7ee5.jpg

    2. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      Speaking of the PV544… how would that car do in modern driving? Were the 4-speed transmissions fully syncro’ed, or was first gear straight-cut? Other than modernizing the brakes for safety reasons, I’d like to find a rugged classic with enjoyable but stone-simple mechanicals.

      1. Sjalabais Avatar
        Sjalabais

        My impression is that these are pretty versatile classics, as long as you move them up to 90 kph – highway speeds need a longer rear axle. They’re pretty light, and the B18 is powerful enough. Make sure you use a 12V version though…

  5. Tomsk Avatar
    Tomsk

    Peugeot wanted to race something different in the 1995 Spa 24 Hours.

    I’d say an 806 minivan with a hodgepodge of Group A and Supertouring parts qualifies as different.

    https://drivetribe.imgix.net/Lac6CcIyQtqCjC-N2uRb9Q

  6. Tomsk Avatar
    Tomsk

    Peugeot wanted to race something different in the 1995 Spa 24 Hours.

    I’d say an 806 minivan with a hodgepodge of Group A and Supertouring parts qualifies as different.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7cee5be969c3f632dfe2d2571d51dcd7fb91e19f600579533d316d32d50049d0.jpg

    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Never knew that one. It tops this other classic:

      https://i.ibb.co/09kCdj6/c91f6ccccbeaa9ec5d27ea963fc16557-volvo-wagon-volvo-cars.jpg

    2. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Never knew that one. It tops this other classic:

      https://i.ibb.co/09kCdj6/c91f6ccccbeaa9ec5d27ea963fc16557-volvo-wagon-volvo-cars.jpg

    3. 0A5599 Avatar
  7. longrooffan Avatar
    longrooffan

    Maybe not the most unexpected but certainly one of the most entertaining… https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/09611764fe5896f9a2218ba685dc8515ce812d2d02a64862891c50dc399368a4.png

    1. mdharrell Avatar

      Its return to racing after “the incident” was certainly unexpected.

      https://www.mgexp.com/phile/1/211562/Zombee_LeMons_Racer.jpg

    2. Fuhrman16 Avatar
      Fuhrman16

      I miss seeing the Killer Zomgbie out of the race circuit. It was actually the inspiration for the purchase of my old MGB.

  8. neight428 Avatar
    neight428

    The Galaxies of Goodwood are always fun to see wallowing and sliding around the circuit.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/100605df32b1f02c76318986d82e523b69200a2824631f3bfc87ffdd809d5ac4.png

    1. Maymar Avatar
      Maymar

      https://fourtitude.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/kristensen-tbird-960×480.jpg

      Tom Kristensen’s Thunderbird as well (which looks like the inspiration for the oversized BMW 8-Series meme).

    2. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      LOVE the Galaxies at Goodwood

  9. nanoop Avatar

    Mercedes R107 rally car. They had railway-like reinforcements, the Germanic infrastructure and logistics, but then, the driver (have you heard of Walter Röhrl?) on the question whether it was possible not to win Monte Carlo in the very first season of the car, gave an optimistic but cautious/realistic “I expect us to be in the top five”.
    Unthinkable considerations for the management, so they pulled the plug.
    http://benz-books.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Mercedes-R107-500SL-Testwagen-mit-W.-R%C3%B6hrl-am-Steuer.jpg

    1. outback_ute Avatar
      outback_ute

      Didn’t the board want a guarantee they would win?

      1. Sjalabais Avatar
        Sjalabais

        Holding his face up with one hand while steering with the other? Slow-mo racing!

        1. Vairship Avatar
          Vairship

          He has to support his head with his hand due to the g-forces and wind buffeting! 😉 Either that or he has the Automatic Dope-Slap machine, which was a very rare option.

  10. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    Probably the Skoda 130 LR (Estelle), between this, the 130 RS and Favorit/Felicia, Skoda won the under 1300cc class in the RAC rally (a WRC event now known as tall GB) 17 years in a row, and no big budget VAG help either. Sometimes they’d even beat cars in the 2 litre class.

    https://www.fastcar.co.uk/_archive/2013/10/1-Skoda-130LR-Estelle-Rally.jpg

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      Rear engine/rear wheel drive is great for racing on slippery surfaces such as mud or snow https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d63b6b0b5c5efb92ad273b2fd01357ada87c34f436fb9d0ee83ca17aa08b9b98.jpg

      1. Vairship Avatar
        Vairship

        Of course there are other ways to maximize traction, such as built-in limited slip “differentials” https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5c3caa17e39fef92f5d97b68ffdb24da81f3067336343be926bbd7a78f3ce0c6.jpg

        1. crank_case Avatar
          crank_case

          The Skoda had an actual mechanical LSD too, which helped. 135bhp from under 1300cc was pretty good by 80s standards as well.

      2. outback_ute Avatar
        outback_ute

        Absolutely, 1965 Tulip Rally in what would now be the WRC, won by a Hillman Imp when so many competitors didn’t make it to the finish due to the conditions. What year would this have been?

      3. outback_ute Avatar
        outback_ute

        Absolutely, 1965 Tulip Rally in what would now be the WRC, won by a Hillman Imp when so many competitors didn’t make it to the finish due to the conditions. What year would this have been?

          1. outback_ute Avatar
            outback_ute

            I guessed it might have been because some results l found had a number/edition against it. Rosemary Smith won the ladies’ prize in that rally twice (66-67) and also took class wins which was repeated again in 68 by local Sean Power.

    1. longrooffan Avatar
      longrooffan

      I saw this car on display at the Daytona International Speedway a few years back. I have been looking for my image of it ever since. Used but nice.

      1. Sjalabais Avatar
        Sjalabais

        Hard to find the car in all the wings, some sort of disguise.

        1. crank_case Avatar
          crank_case

          It’s like a KFC bucket, once you get past the wings you’re just left with greasy disappointment.

          1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar

            It might even give you a bad case of Monza Fever.

            https://monza.homestead.com/files/MonzaFeverArticle2.jpg

  11. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
    SlowJoeCrow

    I’ve always liked the Citroen BX Group B

    https://i1.wp.com/rallygroupbshrine.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/bx-4×4-mille-pistes-prototype1.jpg?resize=474%2C356&ssl=1
    Also an honorable mention to the Ford Pinto which was a surprisingly successful road racer in the early 70s

    1. Maymar Avatar
      Maymar

      I’ve never seen that, but the six headlights are working for me.

      1. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
        SlowJoeCrow

        The six eyes front end is the rarest and coolest looking, most of them have more conventional headlight and spotlight setups

      2. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
        SlowJoeCrow

        The six eyes front end is the rarest and coolest looking, most of them have more conventional headlight and spotlight setups

      3. crank_case Avatar
        crank_case

        It was a bit of an also-ran of the group B era, interesting, but not effective.

        Also hard to control apparently (even by Group B standards), which is kind of amusing in light of the recent Chris Meeke fiasco, seems they haven’t learned much..

      1. Sjalabais Avatar
        Sjalabais

        I’ve seen the black one, covered in kids’ fingerprints.

    1. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      Best view is at the rear, where the massive exhaust– or rather, extractor— pipes dominate the view.

      https://hips.hearstapps.com/roa.h-cdn.co/assets/16/22/1280×639/gallery-1464902863-io33tys.png?resize=768:*

      Sounds amazing, too… check out this video and jump to the 5:00 mark and listen to this monster roar. Just awesome!

  12. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    A supercharged Austin 7 race car won the first Australian Grand Prix, beating a couple of Bugattis and an Aston Martin. There are a lot still racing!

  13. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    For a target-rich theater, just check out the field that ran the 1950s Carrera Panamericana. (They were mostly stock car based, where the 1993 and later revival race is heavily modified open class contenders.)
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Carrera_Panamericana

    My favorite is the Lincoln Capri…

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f640baece04d357c7df74c6b49ea552d6920a7d49b6b895d2116952c9609a83c.jpg

    and Cosmopolitan…

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8e86fd121f5bff2e19254761d8d5063b88e93366e94252f96b3307bc9512c602.jpg

    though it’s tough to beat the Chapultepec Motors Cadillac(?)

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/99b8791c3285448058911d8001b7a8a2ca4b56a875b4a7a2293674a4edaf66a8.jpg