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Wow, are these in your stable? That 2nd pic is pure win..
Unfortunately, no. But what a set that would be!
The 904 was with the father of a friend at work, the 906 part of a shoot with Ikuzawa Tetsu (as he drove both Skyline and 906 at Japanese Grands Prix), and the 907 (running its flat-8!) another shoot for a good acquaintance's car.
The owner of the 906, who graciously loaned the car for Ikuzawa-san to drive at Fuji Speedway, also had the car in the US for some recent events too I think.
Though he had the livery made for this day, I think he kept it for obvious reasons!
Not least of which is because Ikuzawa-san is kind of the Steve McQueen of Japanese historic racing.
I consider myself lucky - as a long time Porsche driver - I get to go hands-on and photograph cars like this on the track and on the road.
ありがとう！
Mine too, mostly I think because the 904 supposedly marks the diverging tree of pure track cars in one direction, and road cars in another.
It was the last of the multi-purposed designed cars...
Mine too, mostly I think because the 904 supposedly marks the diverging tree of pure track cars in one direction, and road cars in another.
It was the last of the multi-purposed designed cars...
That's a Prince Skyline GT-A/B, the start of the Skyline legend (and the first Skyline with the rocket tail lights), here's a few GT-B, with it's later GT-R sister:
A 2-liter, in-line six, it led the 1964 Japan Grand Prix - leading the 904 - for a few laps.
A brute of a car to drive fast!
The #41 is a tribute to Ikuzawa Tetsu's race car from that day.
Like the original, it too is a GT-A, converted to GT-B spec (triple side-draft Weber etc), and though a tribute it carries the compliance plate of the #41 car that raced in 1964.
It was a surprise we organized for Ikuzawa-san for the Fuji Speedway reunion (as he was there to drive his later winning 906), and he graciously signed a helmet and the plate from his 1966 car.
The blue car above is the same color as the #39 car from 1964, and it carries '39' as it's license plate accordingly (though a real GT-B, not a GT-A converted to the later GT-B spec).
It was built for the 1966 Armstrong 500 (Bathurst 12 hour) with race cams, LSD, and other goodies like a 99L (!) tank, and was repatriated back to Japan a number of years ago.
I am lucky to have met both Ikuzawa-san and the Sunako Yoshikazu, who drove the #39 Skyline on the same day.
Both drivers subtly concur the leading laps were staged to allow Prince - and Japanese manufacturers - some media spotlight, even if they were to be eventually beaten by the Porsche...
Though he started racing Skyline, Team Ikuzawa raced many Honda, including class wins at Nurburgring and Formula races, going on to race Porsche and amassing a thorough collection of 964, and of course his famous yellow Targa.
12-27-2018, 08:04 PM
